Positive - and Brave - Actions

It was great to see the photos and report about the Chabadniks who visited soldiers on the border of Gaza. All the Chabad sites had reports which were taken from IsraelHomeFront.org.

The report, by Yossi Swerdlov, was well written and quite moving. It must be an amazing feeling for the soldiers - who don't know what tomorrow will bring - to see the Chabadniks and know that the people of Israel have not forgotten them.

An excerpt from the article:

As we drove down, we chatted among ourselves, cognizant of the importance of the mission we were carrying out and only tangentially acknowledging the potential danger we might be in. That didn’t matter to us. What mattered was the soldiers. We were carrying tefillin, pocket-size tehillim (books of Psalms), sandwiches, hot potato burekas, sweet rugelach, and our enthusiasm, encouragement and deep respect for their courage and bravery -- everything we could think of to make the day a little better for the young people we were going to see.

As we approached the area designated a military zone, we requested permission to enter. When the officials saw who we were and why we were there, they let us in.

It is hard for me to describe to you the looks on the soldiers faces as they saw us coming (we went to several areas along the front lines and each time the reaction was the same). Over and over they grinned at us, repeating with complete astonishment in their voices, “We can’t believe you’re here! We can’t believe you’re here!!”

The atmosphere along the front lines is tense, but excited. Right now they are in a holding pattern as they await orders and that in and of itself is nerve-wracking, but you can also see that they are relieved, happy to finally be moving ahead and doing something.

Everyone was happy to lay tefillin, confident of the spiritual boost this would give them. Every soldier also received his own pocket-size tehillim to take into battle with him. You could see on their faces how moving this was to them and how deeply they appreciated the extra bit of spiritual protection this would provide for them.

One way that we can support these brave men and women is to go to PizzaIDF where you can donate pizza or burgers to soldiers. I have mentioned this organisation previously which is run by an ex-Aussie Menachem Kuchar.
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A Reasoned Approach

Binyamin Netanyahu talks to a reporter from Fox News about the current war in Gaza. It is great to hear a reasoned discussion rather than the disinformation we get from many "experts" who obvious have no love for Israel and no desire to tell the truth about the situation there.

We should all be saying tehillim for the safety of the chayalim and civilians. Let us also hope that Israel finishes the job and doesn't bow to international pressure as they have done in so many previous wars.

For a complete rundown on the reasons for the current situation go to Honest Reporting.
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Happy Zos Chanukah

In honour of the last day of Chanukah I have posted this video of a medly of Chanukah songs by the YU Acapella. These guys are really good especially considering that it was an impromptu performance.

Enjoy and a freilichen Chanukah!

Merry Chanukah

I understand that the reindeer on the right is Shlomo - Rudolph's first cousin on his mother's side.

Swinging Dreidel

Kenny Ellis sings his hit single from his Hanukkah Swings! Album

Brokeback Dreidel

The group is a Seattle men's chorus who sung this at last year's holiday celebrations.
I found it here.
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A Freilichen Chanukah

'TWAS THE FIRST NIGHT OF CHANUKAH... OY! WHAT A SHOCK!
SOMEBODY OUTSIDE WAS PICKING OUR LOCK!
AND THERE AT THE DOOR STOOD A 'ZAYDA' IN BLUE-
AND HE WORE ON HIS KUPP A BLUE YARMULKA, TOO!

HIS PUNIM WAS SHAIN-EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE IT!
'ROUND HIS NECK HUNG A CHAIN WITH A GOLD MAGEN DOVID!
HE WORE SILKEN TSITZES BENEATH HIS WOOL VEST,
AND A SMALL FLAG OF ISRAEL WAS DRAPED ON HIS CHEST!

HE SAID: "I'M NO BURGLAR, SO PLEASE DON'T BE NERVOUS.
I'M THE SPIRIT OF CHANUKAH, HERE AT YOUR SERVICE!"
"MENCHEN ALL CALL ME 'REB' SHALOM SHAPIRO!
WITHOUT ME, THIS YOM-TOV MIGHT NEED A NEW 'HERO!'"

"I VISIT ALL YIDLACH, AND BRING - KINNAHORRA-
GOOD FORTUNE AS BRIGHT AS A GLOWING MENORAH!
ICH SHLEPP LOTS OF BLESSINGS AND CHANUKAH GELT,
AND JOYS THAT ARE TAKKA THE BEST IN DER VELT!"

"IF YOU KNOW NICE MENCHEN, I'LL VISIT THEM QUICK,
AND I'LL BRING THEM GEZUNT AND A HOUSEFUL OF GLICK!"
SO WE SENT HIM TO YOUR HOUSE, AND SHOOK HANDS AND PARTED.
HE SHOUTED, "SHALOM!" AS OUT THE DOORWAY HE DARTED!

HE RAN TO A WAGON WITH HORSES AHEAD.
HE FED THEM SOME BAGELS,AND HERE'S WHAT HE SAID:
"LET'S GO, MOISH AND MENDEL! MAKE QUICK, MOE AND YUSSLE!
PLEASE GIVE A RUSH, MALKA! HEY, HYMIE, PLEASE HUSTLE!"

THEN THEY RACED LIKE THE WIND! AND THEY GALLOPED SO SHNELL,
ALL HIS CLOTHING BLEW OFF, AND HIS GATKES AS WELL!
SOON HE WAS SO KALT THAT HIS TUSHIE TURNED BLUISH!
HE MOANED AND HE HOLLERED IN ENGLISH AND YIDDISH!

SO, DON'T ACT EMBARRASSED, AND PLEASE DON'T BE RUDE
WHEN THAT FROSTBITTEN ZAYDA ARRIVES IN THE NUDE!
QUICK! WRAP HIM IN BLANKETS! DON'T BEAT 'ROUND THE BUSH'!
AND TIE A HOT WATER BAG ONTO HIS COLD TUSH!

QUICK! FEED HIM SOME CHICKEN SOUP HEISS AS CAN BE!
AND GIVE HIM SOME SHNAPPS AND A GLEZ'L HOT TEA!
'CAUSE HE BRINGS YOU A HOUSEFUL OF CHANUKAH WISHES
AS WARM AND G'SHMACK AS A PLATE OF HOT KNISHES!

AND HE BRINGS THEM FROM OUR HOUSE SO FRIENDLY AND BRIGHT,
SO YOUR HOUSE WILL KEEP GLOWING WITH CHANUKAH LIGHT.

PLUS JOY SWEET AS TSUKKER, AND PEACE AND GOOD-CHEER
AND EVERYTHING FRAYLICH EACH DAY OF THE YEAR!
AND NONE IN YOUR FAMILY WILL BE A SHLEMAZEL,
FOR LIFE WILL BRING EACH OF YOU SIMCHAS AND MAZEL!

AND ALL THROUGH THE FUTURE YOUR HOPES WILL COME TRUE,
AND HIMMEL WILL BLESS YOUR MISHPOCHA AND YOU!!!


Despite the levity above I wish everyone

a Freilichen and meaningful Chanukah

Giving Credit Where it is Due

Many of you would probably have received the Yeshivah Centre's first "annual report" - called Overview 5768.

I have just received it in the mail and have only skimmed through it so cannot comment in detail. In particular what I liked seeing was the financial information in the form of graphs. It is a good start to becoming more transparent and I look forward to seeing more detail in future reports.

So it looks like the executive is reacting to the community. I, for one, think it is a positive start and look forward to more of the same in the future.

Good Shabbos.
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Gut Yom Tov

Painting of the Alter Rebbe by Miriam Teleshevsky - ArtbyMiriam

From Hayom Yom - 19 Kislev (copied from Chabad.org)

From a letter by my father:*

The 19th of Kislev...the festival on which "He redeemed our soul in peace,"1 and our soul's illumination and vitality were given to us, this day is Rosh Hashana for Chassidus bequeathed us by our sacred forebears,2 identical with the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov.3

"This day is the beginning of Your works,"4 the fulfillment of the true intention behind the creation of man on earth, which is to call forth revelation of the light of the inward part5 of our holy Torah.

On this day, that light is called forth, in a general way, for the entire year. It is our duty, on this day, to awaken our hearts with an innermost, elemental desire and will, in the very core of our heart, that G-d illuminate our souls with the light of His Inner Torah.

"From the depths I called to You, O G-d,"6 to elicit the depth and inwardness of G-d's Torah and G-d's mitzvot from the inwardness and essence of the Infinite (May He be blessed), to illuminate the inwardness of our souls. That all our being (meaning our total existence, the essence and the extensions)7 be devoted to Him alone, to banish from within us any of the natural traits that are evil and unworthy. Instead, all our works and affairs (our Avoda, meaning - davening and Torah and mitzvot, and our worldly undertakings necessary for the maintenance of the body), be with sincere intention for the sake of Heaven, as G-d wishes.

May G-d the Merciful Father have compassion upon us and lead us along the good and righteous path and may we "see His face in uprightness.Tehillim 11:7.

* Dated, Wednesday, Kislev 16, 5662.

The chazan does not wear a tallit for Mincha or Maariv - neither on weekdays, Shabbat and festivals, or Rosh Hashana.

Yahrzeit of the Mezritcher Maggid,8 Tuesday, Parshat Vayeishev 5533 (1772). He is interred in Anipoli.

The Alter Rebbe9 was released from his first imprisonment, Kislev 19, Tuesday, Parshat Vayeishev 5559 (1798) towards evening.

From the Alter Rebbe's letter: This indeed must be made known, that on the day G-d made for us, the 19th of Kislev, Tuesday (the day on which "it was good" was said twice in Torah10) yahrzeit of our holy teacher whose soul is in eden, while I was reading in the book of Tehillim the verse "He redeemed my soul in peace,"11 before beginning the following verse, I emerged in peace by (the act of) the G-d of peace.

* * *

A day of farbrengen and good resolutions towards establishing times to study the revealed Torah12 and Chassidus publicly, and in bolstering the ways of chassidim in true friendship.

It is customary to apportion volumes for the study of the Talmud, according to the procedure set out in Igeret Hakodesh "Hochei'ach Tochi'ach"13. In Lubavitch, since the year 5663 (1902-03) this allocation was made on Tevet 24, yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe, there not being time on Kislev 19.

Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.

FOOTNOTES
1.	Tehillim 55:19.
2.	I.e. the Rebbe'im of Chabad. In the Hebrew there appears after "forebears," this phrase: "May the memory of those saintly and holy ones be a blessing for life in olam haba - the spiritual Hereafter; their souls rest in eden; may their merit protect us."
3.	In the Hebrew: "...of the Baal Shem Tov - may his memory be a blessing."
4.	Siddur p. 288.
5.	See "On the Teachings on Chassidus, Kehot.
6.	Tehillim 130:1.
7.	See translator's notes, p. 122.
8.	Rabbi Dov Ber, successor to the Baal Shem Tov.
9.	Rabbi Schneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chassidus. For a full biography, see Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, by Nissan Mindel, Kehot, New York, 1969.
10.	See Rashi, Bereishit 1:7.
11.	Tehillim 55:19.
12.	Talmud, halacha etc.
13.	Tanya p. 633.

The Heroine

We have all heard and read about the heroine of Mumbai, Sandra Samuels, the nanny who heroically saved 2 year old Moshe Holtzberg. This interview on CNN has appeared on most of the Chabad sites but I thought that it was worth reproducing here. Her devotion to Moshe, as seen in this video, is quite touching.

It is wonderful and only fitting that she has been accepted into Israel.
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Tributes, Gatherings and Practical Stuff

There have been numerous tributes to those who were murdered in India last week. A casual perusal of Chabad and other Jewish sites will reveal a large number of articles and tributes to the kedoshim. Isaac Balbin, who was in India only a few weeks ago and spent time with the Holtzbergs, wrote an article which Emmanuel sent out. There is also a copy here on Circus Tent.

Last night in Melbourne a "Kinnus" was held at Yeshivah Shul. A large crowd heard a number of speeches and watched the obligatory video of the Rebbe. I understand that the event was organised by the Shluchim of Yeshivah Gedolah and one of the shluchim gave, in my opinion, the most practical address of the evening. He asked that, in honour and memory of the Kedoshim, we take on practical mitzvos. The Shluchim distributed cards and tzedokah boxes. A copy of the card is reproduced below.


Photos of the crowd were taken by Zelig Shaul.

-=-=-=-

I have also received links to websites in support of the families of some of those murdered.

The Holtzberg Family Fund

The Kruman Foundation

The Teitelbaum Orphan Fund

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The Chabad Houses in Melbourne are holding a memorial this evening:

It is with profound sadness and broken hearts

that we invite you to join us for a

Memorial Service

to honour the memory of

Rabbi Gavriel & Rivkah Holtzberg

Selfless Shluchim of Chabad Mumbai

and all those who were brutally murdered

in the Mumbai Massacre

Tuesday 2 December

7.15 - 8.00pm

at Bnei Brith Hall, 99 Hotham St, E St Kilda

The memorial will be followed by a live broadcast

of the funeral of Gabi & Rivkah in Israel

May Hashem comfort all broken hearts and may we all merit to

see only joy and gladness with the complete redemption of Israel now!

What is a "Chabad House"

Now that the tragic events in India appear to have ended non-Jews (and possibly many Jews) the world over are wondering about this Jewish group in Mumbai called Chabad. I liked this interview on CNN with Professor Mel Konner and I think he explained things quite well.


Also, for those in Melbourne, there will be a gathering at Yeshivah Shul tomorrow night (Monday, 1 December) at 8:00pm. The notice says:

In light of the recent tragic events,
the community is urged and
encouraged, to take part in a Kinnus
(הקהל) gathering, to hear words of
inspiration and guidance.

לזכר ולעילוי נשמת:
OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ALEIHEM HASHALOM
WHO DIED AL KIDDUSH HASHEM - MURDERED IN THE
MUMBAI CHABAD HOUSE

Siyum Sefer Torah - Carnegie

Photos by Zelig Shaul of the Siyum Sefer Torah today for the new Carnegie Chabad House - formerly the Carnegie Minyan.
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A WarmTribute

Piece on the JTA website by Benjamin Holtzman:

Remembering Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg

November 28, 2008

FIRST PERSON

By Benjamin Holtzman

Just minutes ago I heard the terrible news that five Israeli hostages were found dead inside the Chabad center at Nariman house in Mumbai. Although the media hasn’t officially confirmed their identities yet, it seems quite certain that they are Chabad Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, his wife Rivka, an Israeli couple and another Israeli.

After having been glued to the news for two days straight, relentlessly combing through twitter updates, news reports, and blogs, I am totally exhausted, yet feel compelled to write something about these great people I knew.

I lived in Mumbai for six months last year, and would go to the Beit Chabad with friends for a Shabbat meal about every second week. Over the course of six months, we got to know the rabbi and his wife quite well.

They were wonderful people: warm, inviting and engaging. Gabi would get visibly excited to have so many guests for Shabbat; you could tell it really made his week. He would have a grin on his face almost the entire meal, including during his dvar Torah. He was always so eager to create a communal feeling that he insisted everyone go around the table and say a few words to the group, giving guests four options: either delivering a dvar Torah, relating an inspirational story, declaring to take on a mitzvah or leading a song.

As most of the guests were Israeli backpackers and other passers-through, they might have found this quite novel. For us regulars, it was just Gabi’s shtick. I can still hear him reciting those four options to the group now, as if he had discovered some miraculous way to make everyone involved in the Shabbat with no escape, impressed by his own genius week in and out. He had a devilish smile; you could really see the child still in him, just beneath the surface.

Gabi was also exceptionally thoughtful. Though most of the guests were Israeli, Gabi would give his dvar Torah in English for the sake of the few of us English speakers there with sketchy Hebrew, so we’d understand. Sometimes he spoke line by line first in English, then Hebrew. Gabi would start discussions and made it his personal mission to get everyone talking, to make a group of disconnected Jews feel like a family. It worked. That was Gabi.

Rivki was a certified sweetheart. She’d generally sit apart from Gabi, to spread herself out, and usually sat with the girls. She too relished Friday night dinners -- I think she needed her weekly female bonding time. She’d talk to the girls about the challenges of keeping kosher in India and share exciting new finds at the market together.

You could tell she was far from home, in this dense Mumbai jungle, but she was tough and really made the best of it. She would balance Gabi’s presence, occasionally making comments to people at her table while Gabi was speaking -- not as a sign of disrespect, but to keep the people around her having a good time. That was Rivki: brave, fun-loving and super sweet.

Perhaps the greatest testament to their character was simply the fact that they lived in downtown Mumbai for years on end. Having lived there for just six months, I understand how incredibly taxing just existing in the city is. Even when trying to relax, the city still seems to suck the life out of you. Living as Westerners in modest conditions in the thick of Mumbai, with the restrictions of kashrut and Shabbat, is certainly no small feat.

I’m not sure if they were thrilled with their placement in Mumbai, but they certainly made a good go of it. They were only a few years older than me, in their late 20s, and despite being far from friends and family and perhaps not in the most exciting Chabad placement (compared to Bangkok, Bogota or Bondi), they kept positive and built a beautiful bastion of Jewey goodness.

They chose a life that demonstrated such altruism and care, in the truest sense. The Mumbai Chabad really made a difference to my time in India, and made me feel that much more at home in such a foreign country.

It was at Gabi and Rivki’s where I met Joseph Telushkin, the famous Jewish author. It was at Gabi and Rivki’s where I randomly bumped into friends of friends from back home. It was to Gabi and Rivki’s where we brought our non-Jewish Indian friends who became curious in Judaism. It was at Gabi and Rivki’s where a girl I would later fall for first developed feelings for me, when I brought her some water while she lay sick on the sofa from Indian food poisoning. She was being nursed by Rivki.

We often hear about tragedies in distant, disconnected places and feel frustratingly estranged from them. We want to connect, but can't; we feel as though in a different world. And mere numbers, names and images don’t amount to much. I hope I’ve been able to paint a small picture of two of the victims of the Mumbai terror attacks, which claimed more tha 140 lives and left hundreds injured.

I know they would have been brave throughout the whole ordeal. Though unconfirmed, it is likely they would have been murdered right as Shabbat was coming in. I feel that this would have provided them with comfort, knowing that they departed this world in a time of peace. I also know the knowledge that their 2-year old son Moishe managed to escape in the arms of his nanny would have provided them with great comfort in their final hours. When I would look at the young Moishe I would see Gabi’s face and Rivki’s carefree spirit.

Chabad lost two soldiers today, emissaries and keepers of the Jewish people. Let us honor their work and their lives in our prayers, in our thoughts and in our deeds, and let us pray for the families of the dozens of other victims of these attacks. May all their souls rest in peace, and may we see an end to violence in our time.