| Focus: R' Shimon Waronker
The Rebbe's Shliach in P.S.770 |  | | Photograph: Shturem Archives | | Shimon Waronker, headmaster of Brooklyn’s New American Academy, repeats two phrases a lot: “Prussian industrial” and “Divine providence ■ How did a Chabad Jew who begins each day with three hours of prayer, Jewish learning and a trip to the mikveh — and who sends his own children to yeshivas — become a champion of public school reform ■ more | | | |
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| Rabbi Asher Deren
A Thought for Shabbos |  | | As a rabbi, too often I hear about breakdowns in relationships within a family. I could honestly say that whilst many of those fragmented and shattered family dynamics was because of a lack of love and care from one or more parties, more often than not, it's because of too much love, or too much care ■ more | | | |
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| Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
Chof Ches Nissan and The "Four Sons" |  | | Baruch Hashem, the world was created in a way that every person is unique. Every person has their way of thinking and perceiving things. Differences of opinion should not only be tolerated but appreciated. There has always been differences of opinion and there will always be. Yet, while everyone has an individual opinion, we sometimes need to generalize ■ more | | | |
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| Leb'n Mit Moshiach
Hastening Moshiach by Fulfilling Mitzvos |  | | Indeed, so miraculous will be the new order in the world, in the time of Moshiach, that it will be miraculous even by comparison with the miracles of Yetzias Mitzraim, as some interpret the verse "As in the days of your going out of Egypt I will show him wonders" - wonders upon wonders ■ more | | | |
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| Rabbi Asher Deren
My March to Yerushalayim |  | While the simple meaning of terms like freedom, liberty and equal opportunity have thankfully joined the vocabulary of almost every corner of the globe, the original story of Pesach, and the liberty from the Egyptian exile whose end began on this Shabbos, is of a vastly deeper nature ■ more
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| Rabbi Asher Deren
Real Happiness Begins in Av |  | Today on the Jewish calendar is Rosh Chodesh Adar, the first day of the Month of Adar which is famously associated with the statement in the Talmud that “when Adar begins we should increase in Joy ■ more | | | |
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| Leb'n Mit Moshiach
Why Yaakov Ovinu Planted Trees in Mitzraim |  | | Rashi in his commentary on this verse explains the various items, and on the words acacia wood, he writes: Acacia wood. And from where did they get these [trees] in the desert? Rabbi Tanchuma explained that our father Yaakov foresaw with the holy spirit that the Israelites were destined to build a Mishkan in the desert ■ more | | | |
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| Cong. Bnei Avraham
Full House at Shleimus Haaretz Event |  | Israeli lieutenant Dr. Mordechai Kedar of Ben Gurion University, an expert in Arabic culture and a former Israeli IDF officer spoke this Shabbos at Rabbi Aaron Raskin’s Congregation Bnei Avraham in Brooklyn Heights to a full house. Israel and her security were clearly foremost on everyone’s minds ■ more
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| Leb'n Mit Moshiach
Sichas Kodesh Parshas VaYeitzei |  | When Yaakov Avinu saw the stones arguing amongst themselves who deserves to support Yaakov's head he was frightened, but when he saw that all twelve stones mended into ONE stone he was confident that he will succeed in his mission of bringing Heaven down to earth ■ more
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| Rabbi Asher Deren
Going Global - a Blessing? |  | | The first person to officially be sent with the title of Shlichus was Yaakov. On every step of the journey Yaakov had every excuse to throw in the towel and declare that it wasn't fair. But he went and built a community, inspired people, and gave the momentum that set the course for the life and light in the story of his children ■ more | | | |
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| Mangoes & Shlichus?
New Shluchim Look Forward to Kinus |  | Rabbi Yisroel Kotlarsky ticks off two areas where he’ll be looking for ideas at the conference this week: increasing adult education for Jewish women and engaging area children. He’s also looking forward to the chance to recharge. “Hopefully, the conference will provide that added boost of inspiration that I, my family and community can tap into all year round ■more | | | |
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| Rabbi Asher Deren
A Thought for Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah |  | This Shabbos we read some of the Torah’s most vivid descriptions on the end of life. First there is the passing, mourning, and tedious burial arrangements for Sarah. And then Avraham’s own passing at a “good old age” . Ironically, the name of the Parsha is “Chayei Sarah” – “the Life of Sarah ■ more | | | |
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| Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver
The Neshamah: The Jew's True Inner Self |  | | In the language of Chassidus, when the husband refuses to obey the Beis Din, he is being consumed by his Bestial Soul (the term more commonly used in this literature to refer to the Evil Inclination). But his true inner self is his Neshamah ■ more | | | |
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| Part VI
Memoirs of Rebbetzin Chana |  | | Soon, however, my husband’s need to eat became pressing. The deportees were not provided with bread, nor could it be bought even with money. Once, when he was at the train station, he saw bread being sold to those entitled to receive it ■ more | | | |
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| Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver
The True Owners of the Cave of the Patriarchs |  | | The Rebbe explains:When the descendants of Yishmael approach us with the claim that the Cave of Machpelah belongs to them, for they trace their lineage to Avraham[, this week’s Torah portion provides us with a clear response ■ more | | | |
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| Rabbi Asher Deren
Arthur's Final Mitzvah and Funeral |  | | Illustration | Photograph: CHI | | Editor's note: Last Erev Shabbos we posted Rabbi Asher Deren's weekly Parsha article, which is always timely and fascinating. In that article he related how Arthur, 102 years old, put on T'fillin for the very first time. Here is the amazing sequel to that story of hashgocho protis ■ more | | | |
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