Community Magazine July 2016

co mm unity HIGHL IGHTS Wednesday May 25th was a very exciting and fun-filled morning at Tichon Bnot Rachel High School. Under the leadership of Rabbi S. Maslaton, the freshman students organized and prepared an elaborate Sephardic Roots fair to complement their Sephardic Roots course. At the fair, the students applied the material they were taught throughout the year and literally “brought it to life.” According to the Principal, Mrs. Leah Diskind, the Sephardic Roots course covers the background and history of our illustrious Middle-Eastern communities, highlighting our heritage as well as the Sephardic hachamim throughout the ages. Through this course, the students gain a newfound appreciationof the culture of their ancestors. Before the fair, the Sephardic Roots teacher, Mrs. Monique Mezrahi, divided the students into groups and assigned a different country for each to explore. They navigated through books, family interviews and grandparents’ closets, and watched their hard work blossom into magnificent displays. Mary Turkieh and Eden Kabariti produced a beautiful slide show depicting the various countries over time. One particular student, Maya Attar, enthusiastically exclaimed that she is a direct descendant of the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar. “It was so amazing learning about my roots! I never realized that I have so much to be proud of,” said Maya. Comments like this were heard over and over again from students at every grade level as they viewed the beautiful displays and, with much pride, added many of their own family’s legends. This past June, Sephardic Bikkur Holim presented Shaare Torah’s 6th grade boys with a well-deserved award. Committing a tremendous hesed, they raised money for a Bar Mitzvah boy in need. Because of their efforts, the Bar Mitzvah boy was able to buy a new pair of tefillin and have a wonderful Bar Mitzvah party. Hazuk U’Baruch to these boys for the initiative they showed! Themanpicturedherehas allegedlybeenstealing fromunlocked cars parked throughout the lower east streets of Brooklyn. In at least one case, he was seen stealing an actual car as well. Though his actions have been captured on security cameras, it is believed that he remains at large and continues to target unlocked cars, packages left on doorsteps, bicycles, and other neighborhood valuables. Anyone with information about this suspect should contact the 61st precinct (718) 627-6611 and Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. We remind all of our readers to keep their car doors locked at all times – even during daylight hours – and refrain from keeping valuables in their cars. Taking such precautions will Gd willing prevent more crime like this from happening in the future. At the Ateres Chynka Hall in Brooklyn, a massive crowd celebrated the Dirshu siyum on Seder Nashim in the Daf Yomi cycle. The highlight of the event was the hadran delivered by the Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe, shlit”a , followed by Kaddish recited by the Skulener Rebbe, shlit”a . His appearance was a rare treat and provided tremendous hizuk to those in attendance. In the hadran he praised the many b’nei Torah learning throughout America in spite of our galut . Guest speaker Rav Moshe Weinberger reiterated his feelings. “I feel small in front of the talmidei hachamim in this room who have invested so much toil and effort into their learning,” he said. HaRav Dovid Olewski, shlit”a , the Gerer Rosh Yeshiva, highlighted the domino effect that such learning has on a family. The hundreds of Dirshu wives in attendance were praised for sacrificing time with their husbands and transmitting a love of Torah to their children. During the siyum , the memories of two women who showed tremendous mesirat nefesh during the Holocaust were honored. They were the mother of Rav Leibish Langer of Yeshiva Darchei Torah and the mother of Rav Hofstedter, cousins who survived Auschwitz and the death march all because they’d saved their rations from Pesach rather than eat hametz . Together they ran from the line and escaped to the forest, where the Americans liberated them two days later. Rav Hofstedter exclaimed, “We are only here tonight at this siyum in the zechut of the mesirat nefesh of these two women.” On Monday Rosh Hodesh Sivan , hundreds of lomdei Dirshu from Monsey and Shikun Skver gathered for a beautiful siyum and seudat mitzvah . Drashot were given by HaRav Avrohom Schorr, shlit”a , Rav of Kehal Tiferes Yaakov of Flatbush, HaRav Zev Smith, shlit”a , Maggid Shiur Irgun Shiurei Torah and Rav Dovid Hofstedter, Nasi Dirshu. Sephardic Roots Fair Brings Student Ancestry to Life SBH Honors Shaare Torah’s 6th Grade Boys Car Thief on the Loose Gedolei Admorim and Rabbanim Attend Dirshu Siyumim on Seder Nashim in Brooklyn 82 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE