“Consolation And Compassion: Comfort And Care In Time Of Sorrow” To Address Challenging Issues Facing Our Community
The National Council of Young Israel and Ezrat Chayim – Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services are proud to present a special program for Rebbetzins to help them deal with the many complicated issues that arise during times of sickness and death in their communities. “Consolation and Compassion: Comfort and Care in Times of Sorrow” will take place on Monday night, May 19, 2008, at 8:00 PM at Congregation Nachlas Yitzchak, which is located at 141-39 73rd Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills.
This special program for Rebbetzins will feature Rebecca Bram Feldbaum, the author of “If There's Anything I Can Do?” The program is complimentary and copies of “If There’s Anything I Can Do?” will be available for purchase at a discounted price.
Rebbetzin Judi Steinig, Director of Programming for the National Council of Young Israel, noted that “Consolation and Compassion: Comfort and Care in Times of Sorrow” will offer guidance and suggestions to Rebbetzins who are in a position to teach others appropriate ways to handle these painful situations. The program was designed as a response to the multitude of recent incidents of profound illnesses and tragic losses that have touched so many in our communities,
Any Rebbetzins who wish to attend the May 19th program are requested to RSVP in advance of the event by contacting any one of the following:
Rebbetzin Judi Steinig, at 212-929-1525 x103, or jsteinig@youngisrael.org;
Tina Machnikoff, at 718-423-6200 x245, or tmachnikoff@jbfcs.org; or
Dr. Gila Schwerd, at 718-423-6200 x223, or gschwerd@jbfcs.org.
The program is sponsored in part by the generosity of www.till120.com
* * * * *
May 13th Program To Examine Issues Relating To Yeshiva/Seminary Year Of Study
Understanding the implications of sending a child to Israel and making appropriate decisions for the post-high year are issues that affect parents of 11th and 12th grade students. These matters will be addressed at an important program which is being sponsored by the National Council of Young Israel, the Eye Squad, the Young Israel of Woodmere, the Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel, and Ezrat Chayim â Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. “What Every Parent Needs to Knowâ¦Shanah Aleph in Israel: Preparing for the Post-High School Year” will take place on Tuesday night, May 13, 2008, at 8:00 PM at the Young Israel of Woodmere, which is located at 859 Peninsula Boulevard in Woodmere.
“What Every Parent Needs to Knowâ¦Shanah Aleph in Israel: Preparing for the Post-High School Year” was developed to prepare parents of 11th and 12th grade students who are planning to spend a year studying in Israel after their high school graduation. Although the frequent transforming nature of the year in Israel commonly manifests itself through changes in religious belief and observance, it equally impacts attitudes and behaviors in familial, social and emotional domains.
The presenters at the program include Dr. David Pelcovitz, the Strauss Professor of Education and Psychology at the Azrieli School of Jewish Education at Yeshiva University, and an expert in Child Psychology; Elisheva Kaminetsky, the Director of Religious Guidance at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls; Rabbi Hershel Billet, the Mara D’Atra of the Young Israel of Woodmere, and a member of the Eye Squad Advisory Board; Rabbi Aaron Tirschwell, the Director of the Eye Squad, and the National Council of Young Israel’s Director of Israel Operations; and Rebbetzin Judi Steinig, the Director of Programming for the National Council of Young Israel.
“This unique program will provide critical information for parents to educate them regarding their child’s post-high school plans,” said Rebbetzin Judi Steinig, the Director of Programming for the National Council of Young Israel, and the creator of the Shanah Aleph program. “Parents need to be made aware of the changes that often take place during the Israel experience in order to properly plan for this transformational year.”
Download the Flyer by clicking here
This new program comes in the wake of another recent NCYI initiative, the Eye Squad, which is designed to assist the 7,000 post-high school North Americans who spend a year studying in Israel. The Eye Squad provides a confidential, independent 24-hour hotline for students who are experiencing any type of distress. The phone number to reach the Eye Squad in Israel is *9111, which can be dialed from any phone throughout Israel, 24/7 (including on Shabbat if there is an emergency). Parents and others in the United States and Canada can reach the Eye Squad in Israel by dialing toll-free 866-550-4EYE.
Synagogues and organizations who wish to obtain more information about “What Every Parent Needs to Knowâ¦Shanah Aleph in Israel: Preparing for the Post-High School Year” should contact NCYI Director of Programming Rebbetzin Judi Steinig at (212) 929-1525, ext. 103, or email jsteinig@youngisrael.org.
* * * * *
AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH
May 6, 2008...
Dear Mr. President,
We are a group of people who were Prisoners of Conscience in the USSR (Russian prisoners of Zion, Russian dissidents). Our principle of identifying with our brethren and with Israel, with justice, freedom and the battle against obvious and veiled anti-Semitism took a toll of many years of imprisonment in the Soviet Union. However, none of us even came close to the period of imprisonment of a quarter of a century as is taking place in your country in the case of Jonathan Pollard.
We are referring to an ailing human being. If, God forbid, he passes away in prison, complex questions will remain unanswered that may damage the reputation and affect the conscience of America. Pollard functioned in a period when the evil Soviet empire of cruelty, espionage and world subversion was at its peak.
Every clear-thinking person can ask himself:
Is there any agent of this horrible and hostile power that remains in an American prison? We all know the answer is – Nyet.
Has anyone who operated against the USA during that period on behalf of any foreign intelligence service whatsoever been punished with such severity as Pollard? Again, we all know the answer is – Nyet.
Therefore, the question arises regarding the discrimination against Pollard. He exposed the ominous secrets of Iraq, not of the USA, in order to save a country friendly to America (the only one democratic, bona fide and reliable friend in the Middle East - Israel). So why is he loathed more than any true enemy? Why is he treated in such a brutal manner? Why and for what reason is the earsplitting injustice? Is his Jewish origin or his devotion to Israel the cause of this treatment? Is there really equality before the Law in the United States of America or are there people of lesser value than others?
You, Mr. President, have the power now to correct this injustice, but only as long as two flames remain: the flame of the life of Jonathan Pollard and the flame of your term of office. You have the opportunity to pardon Pollard and enter the history books as the one who removed this dark stain on the conscience of your country. This is an act of benevolence of the highest order, appropriate for the President of the world power, who supposedly stands for the struggle against world malice. We call upon you to respond in a positive manner to the call of the conscience of freedom-loving peoples everywhere.
Sincerely yours,
Ida Nudel
Yosef Mendelovich
Ruald Zelichonick
Lasalle Kaminski
Lazar Leoverski
Aryeh Vudka
Silva Zalmanson
Anatoly Altman
Kim Friedman
Ephraim Cholmianski
Dovid Maayan
Baruch Shilkrut
Aharon Spielberg
JTA Reports: Orthodox reject China boycott
Published: 05/02/2008
Two Orthodox groups rejected calls on Jewish tourists to boycott the Beijing Olympics.
The Orthodox Union and the National Council of Young Israel each issued statements in the days following a call this week by 185 Jewish leaders -- most of them clergy -- to boycott the Olympics.
That call was initiated by two prominent Orthodox rabbis in New York, Haskel Lookstein and Irving "Yitz" Greenberg, who noted that China was preparing a kosher kitchen for tourists, and drew parallels to Germany's use of the 1936 Olympics to whitewash Nazism.
"The Olympics is intended to be a unifying international event where nations from throughout the world come together for a common purpose," Young Israel said in a statement. "While we certainly share concerns about the host country's position on human rights, we believe that boycotting an event which is intended to promote peace and harmony is extremely counterproductive. We also believe that drawing a comparison between the 1936 Olympics in Germany and the 2008 Olympics in China is inappropriate."
The Orthodox Union noted that "Jewish law cautions that we must act with exceptional care lest we cause more harm than good. The leadership of the Orthodox Union believes such exceptional care is demanded in these circumstances with regard to relations with the Chinese government."
Israel has strong trade relations with China and has with the United States scored modest successes in recent months in bringing China around to isolating Iran until it sends its suspected nuclear weapons program.
The Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee have also rejected the boycott idea. Other Jewish groups, including the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Reform movement, have called on President Bush to boycott the opening ceremony, an action that they say will have symbolic value but will not harm athletes.
April 28, 2008
To the Editor:
In “Pariah Diplomacy” (April 28, 2008), former President Carter expounds upon his recent meeting with Hamas officials and claims to have uncovered the magical solution to the turmoil in the Middle East. He could not be more wrong.
Carter acknowledges that Hamas was deemed a “terrorist organization” by the United States, a designation reserved for entities that engage in terrorism which threatens the security of our nation. As a former Commander-in-Chief, Carter should know better than to ignore that designation, a fact he was reminded of when U.S. officials chastised him for his ill-advised meeting.
Carter purports to have achieved a diplomatic miracle, yet his mission was doomed from the outset. By engaging Hamas in diplomatic talks, Carter empowered a group whose very existence is rooted in destruction, not democracy. Carter embraced a group which has called for the obliteration of the U.S. and Israel, thereby making him the pariah in this unfortunate episode.
Sincerely yours,
Shlomo Z. Mostofsky, Esq.
President
JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2008
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Jewish American Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the history, culture, and faith of Jewish Americans and their contributions to our Nation.
The story of the Jewish people in America is the story of America itself. When the first Jewish settlers arrived on our shores hundreds of years ago, they saw a land of promise and liberty. With hard work and determination, these individuals helped build our country and strengthen our values. Their commitment to religious freedom and their belief in democracy have enriched our society and helped make our country a beacon of hope for all.
Many Jewish Americans have served in our military with valor and distinction in times of war and peace. We pay special tribute to all those who stepped forward when our country needed them most. These American heroes confronted grave dangers to protect our Nation.
During Jewish American Heritage Month and throughout the year, we honor Jewish Americans who played an integral role in shaping the cultural fabric of our Nation. Their spirit and talents have helped America succeed and prosper, and their efforts continue to remind us of the many blessings of this great country.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2008 as Jewish American Heritage Month. I call
upon all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities to honor Jewish Americans across the country.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.
GEORGE W. BUSH
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL GUSH KATIF PASSOVER CAMPAIGN
Hundreds of displaced families from Gush Katif will have food for Pesach this year through the efforts of the National Council of Young Israel, Yad Ezra and the Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel. Distribution of food was on April 16, 2008.
The pictures speak for themselves 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Special thanks to Eugen and Jean Gluck and JD Golden
Thank you to all who did participate, are still participating, and iyH will participate
Funds continue to be needed to feed these families till they are able to feed themselves
Chag Kosher V’Sameach to all
The Council of Young Israel Rabbis has produced a sign language chart to enhance communication of the four questions to and for deaf Jews. Click here to download
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL PARTNERS WITH CANTORS WORLD TO PRESENT A SPECIAL PRAYER SERVICE IN MEMORY OF YOUNG ISRAELI SHOOTING VICTIMS |
 |
(Photo Caption: Young Israel and Cantors World leaders joined with world-renowned chazanim at a special tefillah program in memory of the eight students killed at Yeshiva Merkaz Harav Kook, and dedicated to the people of Sderot.)
The National Council of Young Israel partnered with Cantors World to present a special prayer service in memory of the eight young students who were tragically murdered at Yeshiva Merkaz Harav Kook, and dedicated to the 20,000 heroic citizens of Sderot. The event coincided with the culmination of the shloshim period for the eight boys.
Over 500 people came to the Chasam Sopher Shul on the Lower East Side of Manhattan on Thursday night April 3rd and joined together for more than four hours of inspirational prayer and deep introspection. The event was held on Yom Kippur Katan, a day when it is customary to recite special tefillot.
The program included a special video message from Rav Yaakov Shapiro, the Rosh HaYeshiva at Yeshiva Merkaz Harav Kook, which was produced specifically for this event. Rav Shapiro's words about the eight kedoshim who perished were especially moving and motivational. The video is available on the National Council of Young Israel's website, at www.youngisrael.org.
The program featured world renowned Cantors Pinchas Cohen, Daniel Gildar, Netanel Herstik, Yanke Lemmer, Joseph Malovany, Zev Muller, and Moishe Schulhof. None of the cantors accepted any compensation for performing that evening.
"Different people with diverse backgrounds came together for a common purpose and stood united as they paid tribute to the eight kedoshim who perished in the terrible tragedy at Yeshiva Merkaz Harav Kook," said Rabbi Pesach Lerner, the Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel, "This was an honorable and 'kovodik' event, in that everyone who attended truly understood and related to the tragedy that befell these special young boys."
Shlomo Mostofsky, the President of the National Council of Young Israel, noted that the silence which filled the room during the video presentation, and the deep focus that was exhibited by the crowd when the images of the young students were shown and Rav Shapiro spoke about the boys, was something that he would remember forever.
"The silence spoke volumes about the emotions that people in the shul were feeling," said Mostofsky, "The experience of seeing pictures of the eight boys, hearing stories about the eight boys, and davening in memory of the eight boys together with 500 other Jews, was both indescribable and unforgettable."
"It was a very moving experience because it really represented what tefillah is supposed to be - inspiring and solemn, but done with feeling and emotion," said Charlie Bernhaut, who together with Cantor Benny Rogosnitzky founded Cantors World, "This was an immersion in traditional chazanus - every chazan that performed was in top form."
Bernhaut described the event as "stirring," and noted that there were not many dry eyes in the room when the photos of the young students were displayed.
Bernhaut and Rabbi Lerner both noted that the successful event was planned in less than two weeks. "This was a perfect example of what could happen when the community comes together for a meaningful purpose," Bernhaut said.
Yossi Billig, the Vice President of Cantors World, commented that the event was unique in that it brought people together.
"It was truly emotional to see so many different people join together to offer special tefillot and loving memories," said Billig, "This event proved that when there is a situation that affects Am Yisrael as a whole, we have the ability to stand together as one and respond in an appropriate and dignified manner."
Alan Steinberg, who attended the event, said his recollection of the program leaves him with "a surge of emotion that brings me to the brink of tears."
"The event was an unforgettable memorial to the eight Kedoshim of Yeshiva Merkaz Harav Kook, and the photographs of these young men and the presentations of the rabbis, together with the sefer with the bullet hole, brought home all too powerfully the horror of the tragedy," said Steinberg, "The evening also gave us an opportunity to demonstrate our solidarity with our brothers and sisters of Sderot."
Steinberg also commented on the beauty of the tefillot and the outstanding job that each of the chazanim did.
"Where Chazanut makes a difference in our lives is when it elevates our n'shamas to a level of spirituality that otherwise could not be attained," said Steinberg, "In this regard, the Yom Kippur Katan program was an unforgettable experience. All the chazanim davened at their absolute highest level, with unbelievable kavanah and n'shama, demonstrating an awareness of the solemnity of the event. This was Chazanut at its absolutely most excellent level."
* * * * *