You may have noticed that this blog has been inactive for a few months. After over 4 years I have decided that it has run its course and I will not be posting anymore.
These two videos were taken yesterday during Birkas Kohanim at the Kotel. They are both of the same event but one is from the Aish Hatorah building and gives an overview of the huge crowd and the other was taken from ground level. It must be an amazing experience to be there in person.
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It was nice to see the Aussie flag well represented at Simchas Beis Hashoeiva in Crown Heights on COL and Shturem as well as Chabad.info. I must admit I didn't scrutinise the photos for Australians as it was getting a little boring looking at so many photos of sweaty men :)
I wish you all a Gut Moed.
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Avi Vorchheimer has again published his list of Sukkas (or Sukkot) around the world and especially Australian sukkot. Since Chol Hamoed is a full week this year I imagine that the list will be even more helpful to families who are able to take the time off and those who work away from the main Jewish areas.
On this erev Yom Kippur 5770 we can all be proud of the way that the Prime Minister of Israel, Benyamin Netanyahu, addressed the United Nations last week. That strong, articulate and impassioned speech has done much to counter the lies and half-truths told by our enemies.
Following his impassioned speech, Netanyahu spoke with members of the Israeli media. In answer to one journalist who asked whether he might not be lending credibility to Ahmadenijad by addressing his denial of the Holocaust, Netanyahu chose to focus on a prescient experience he had with the Lubavitcher Rebbe,Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, 25 years ago.See the video for his answer to the reporter:
I am posting this mainly for those of us that like chazonos and miss it when davening in Chabad shuls during the Yomim Noroim. This is taken from The Hampton Synagogue's 14th Annual Great Hampton Cantorial Festival. The chazan, Shraga Hershtik, is the son of Cantor Naftali Herstik.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 5770.
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If you go to http://simonssefertorah.blogspot.com/ now you can see a live "hookup" of the completion of the Sefer Torah at South Head Synagogue.
I don't post all the JEM clips that they send me but I liked this one for the warmth the Rebbe expressed to these people.
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This video shows the wonderful talent of Chanoch Rosenfeld on flute and Mendy Rimler whose sings solo. Both are originally from Melbourne and both boys come from musical families. It is great to see their talent being showcased on the web.
Mazal Tov to Avrohom Kaminetsky and Shimon Szmerling on learning the entire Maseches Kesubos ba'al peh (by heart). This amazing achievement was celebrated by a Melava Malka at Yeshivah Gedolah last Motzoei Shabbos as reported on COL and CrownHeights.info.
Also, according to the report, a Mesifta bochur, Shmaya Shusterman, was also mentioned at the Melava Malka for learning the entire 53 Chapters of Tanya ba'al peh!
Mazal Tov to the Szmerling, Kaminetsky and Shusterman families on their sons' wonderful achievement.
(Click above for larger view) 
A short clip from JEM of the Rebbe davening Ma'ariv on the yartzeit of his mother, Rebbitzen Chana, on 6 Tishrei 5744 (1983).
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