Kfar Chabad

COL posted this great video of the early days of Kfar Chabad. The Previous Rebbe established Kfar Chabad 59 years ago yesterday (21 Iyar 5709 - 1949).


The town certainly looks different today!

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More Trouble at Yeshivah

Part of the plan of the proposed centre

While we all thought that things were a little quiet at the moment a storm is brewing in the vicinity of A'Beckett Street. According to flyers which have been sent around the neighbourhood of the Yeshivah there is a protest movement which is gaining momentum against the proposed Chabad Youth centre which is to be built on the site on the old houses in A'Beckett Street. In fact the "antis" have established a website - 92hothamstreet.org - which has copies of relevant documents and an announcement of a protest meeting this Sunday at 3:00pm.

My first reaction was to wonder what all the fuss was about. Surely this is just an extension of the school and it's associated activities. But when speaking to people who live in the area and reading the website, the plans for the centre and some of the protest letters it appears that the "antis" have a good case.

The proposal is for a four level building - a basement and a 3 storeys which fronts on A'Beckett Street. The plan before council states, among other things, that it will be used for after school activities and for functions twice a week until midnight. They have also requested the waiving of on-site parking requirements.

The residents are quite upset about this and it appears that objections are coming from many people in the vicinity of Hotham, Empress and A'Beckett Streets. The last letter points out that the 102 square metre open terrace BBQ area will give a direct view into backyards of Empress Road residents as well as allowing music and noise to be heard at quite a distance from the building.

I understand that the A'Beckett Street residents are particularly concerned that the entrance will be on that street and not through the existing Yeshivah entrances. This will cause traffic problems and especially noise until very late in the evening in this small dead-end street. I am told that the residents are not concerned about the regular school noise and traffic as they obviously knew about that when they purchased their properties. What concerns them is that traffic and noise will be a problem until the early hours.

This issue looks like becoming a major one which is affecting both Jewish and non-Jewish residents in the area. Hopefully the Yeshivah Executive will make an honest attempt to answer the objections in a sensitive way.
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In Honour of Lag BaOmer

Night of the Mystic:
Lag Ba’Omer at the Grave of Ha’Rav Shimon Bar Yochai, Meron, Israel
Nachum Tim Gidal, Israeli (b. Germany 1909-1996)

Taken at Meron on Lag BaOmer last year

Lag BaOmer - Segulos and Minhogim from the Zchus Avos blog.

Lag BaOmer this year is on Thursday night and Friday (23 May - Chai Iyar)
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Not for Your Viewing Pleasure

I thought about this video for a while before posting it as it is quite depressing and graphic. But unfortunately it is the truth.

Living in Australia we really don't experience the virulent forms of antisemitism that has been seen in Europe and other parts of the world. We do have our haters but they are not as violent or extreme as those in France, Russia and certain other countries. Fortunately we live in a country which, at least officially, doesn't tolerate racism or racists - although some of the media steer close to that line.

In any case I think this 10 minute video is a good reminder of what antisemitism is and how it has united the crazys against us.
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The Cup is Half Empty!

I saw this originally on the Jewgle Perth blog and love the inventiveness of this product. This is a novel Kos Shel Eliyahu which should keep the kids wide awake. It was invented by American comedian Marc Jaffe who wanted a trick a little more original than shaking the table when Eliyahu is supposed to drink from the cup at the seder.

As the advertising blurb says on the Elijah Drinks website:

They will see a beautiful Cup of Elijah sitting in the middle of the seder table filled with wine throughout the evening. When the time comes you will lift the cup and invite someone to open the door for Elijah to enter. You then say a few words, be they traditional or off the cuff, about Elijah truly coming this year. Encourage everyone to watch to see if Elijah drinks. Place the cup back on the table, let go, and the wine slowly disappears.

New Torah Blog

Ibn Mordechai wrote to me about his newish blog "Da Kani Ma Chaser?" which features different and various Torah "vertalch". I haven't been through all of it yet but I was impressed by what I have read so far. I like this sort of blog as he quotes Torah from many different sources - chassidic, sefardic etc.

In his short description of himself and his blog he states:

This is an effort to encourage myself to continue my Torah study as well as to share the Torah that I have been learning with others. It originally started as an archive for Shabbos Divrei Torah and I guess that I kind of got carried away... Some of the Divrei Torah are longer than others. Ultimately the goal is that those who don't have Seforim available, will still be able to learn Vortlach on the weekly Parsha and other occasions. Dr. Hayyim Tawil says that I will never be an Ibn Ezra but what about an Ibn Mordechai?

Our Favourite Cultbuster

Raphael (Taffy) Aron appeared on Channel 10's 9am program last week. As usual he spoke fluently and coherently on a subject that he has been involved with for over 30 years. There are a number of people in our community and overseas who have been helped by him to escape cults and drugs and it is good to see him getting the recognition he deserves.

To see the program click here. For more information about his organisation go to the Cult Counselling Australia website.
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I've a feeling we're not in Melbourne anymore

I recently wrote about Rabbi Shimmy and Devorah Heidingsfeld starting a shlichus in Moorpark, California. When I saw this photo in the article in the Ventura County Star I realised that they are not living anywhere near Melbourne! I don't think this picture was taken in Moorpark but the background is certainly picturesque.
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Moshiach Mobile

Most of us in Melbourne saw - or at least heard - Alex and Zelig's "Moshiach Mobile" on Purim. Photos of their unique vehicle made it to the Chabad.info website which features anything to do with the Moshiach campaign. I thought that it was a nice "Purimdic" way to get their message across.

Note: Any nasty comments will be deleted.
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A Man With A Vision

This is not a new story but, with all the negativity about teachers, principals etc, I wanted to publicise it. It is worth watching this 5 minute news report. It shows what a good hearted person with vision can do to make a difference in this world.

Thanks to SS.
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Purim Videos

Mendy Pellin and COL have released videos for Purim. If you have the time and patience you can watch them here. The COL video is above. To see Mendy Pellin click here.
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Meir Gutnick Speaks

Shmais has featured a video of Meir Gutnick, son of Rabbi Sholem Gutnick and sponsor of the "Gutnick Chumash", speaking about Oholei Torah for their Annual Dinner. Included in the video are some movie clips of the Frierdiker Rebbe arriving in New York in 1940 as well as a short colour clip of the Previous Rebbe and the Rebbe.

The video can be seen here.
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Purim Links

Purim is fast approaching and I have included some links to interesting Purim websites:

• Chabad.org - Purim guides, stories, insights etc.
• Torah Tots - Fun for the kids
• Orthodox Union - some interesting articles and audio shiurim

New Shaliach

I have been busy with this blog over the last week and haven't had time to check out many other websites. I was pleased to see on Shmais that Rabbi and Mrs Shimmy Heidingsfeld have been appointed shluchim in Moorpark, California (wherever that is). Shimmy is formally from Sydney and Melbourne. He is a leibidik young man and will do well in this new position. Hatzlocho Rabbo!
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