Friday, December 16, 2011   Page 31 Community Currents

Over 150 camp- ers, parents and staff recently gathered for Camp Kaylie’s fi rst of- ficial girls month re- union. Campers came from across the tri-state area and from far as Toronto, Maryland, and Wisconsin. The re- union included danc- ing and a kumzitz with the Camp Kaylie band, as well as food and raf- fl es.

Thanks to the Ohr Meir Foundation and the selfl essness of 85 volunteers, 50 children battling cancer from across the United States and Canada were recently whisked away from their daily regimen of chemotherapy treatments and hospital stays for a four-day trip to Orlando.

Akiva Ackerman of West Hemp- stead, an eighth grader at the He- brew Academy of Nassau County in Uniondale, won the 2011 North Amer- ican Table Tennis Teams Champion- ship in division 9, held at the Balti- more convention center over Thanks- giving weekend. There were over 800 players from around the world com- peting in the largest tournament in the U.S. Overall, Ackerman fi nished with a perfect record of 18-0 and received special recognition from the tourna- ment committee.

Israeli Minister Yuli Edelstein joins the community in buying Israeli goods at Students in the Pupa Cheder in Boro Park getting ready for Chanukah. the Park Slope Food Coop in They are holding a dreidel they made. as part of “Buy Israel Week” November (Photo credit: Dee Voch) 28-December 4. Page 32 THE JEWISH PRESS  Friday, December 16, 2011 Community Currents

Yeshiva Passaic Torah Institute (PTI) held its annual dinner on December 4 with more than 400 people in attendance. Among the speakers were Rav Yisro- el Reisman, mora d’asra of Agudas Yisroel of Madison, Brooklyn, NY and rosh of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rav Dovid Refson, dean and founder of Neve Yerushalayim; and Rabbi Paysach Krohn. In addition, Gary Schaer, NJ assemblyman and president of the Pas- saic City council, and many other area politicians attended the dinner.

(L-R) Rav Yisroel Reisman, mora d’asra of Agu- das Yisroel of Madison and of Ye- (L-R) Rabbi Dovid Refson, founder and dean of Neve Yerush- shiva Torah Vodaas, and Rabbi Shlomo Sing- alayim, and Rabbi Shlomo Singer, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva er. (Photo credit: The Simcha Studio – Pin- Rabbi Paysach Krohn, renowned magid and mohel. PTI and Neve-PTI. chas King)

At the last sheva brachos celebrating the wedding of the daughter of Rav At a melavah Berel Jungreis, the Gorlitzer Rebbe, to the son of Rav Moshe Michalowitz, malkah in hon- the Rav of Brod. (Photo Credit: JDN) or of Beis Chaim Yehoshua in Boro Park. (Photo credit: JDN)

Over 250 parents of school-age children fi lled the Associated Torahs on Motzei Shabbos, December 3, for the Twenty-fi fth Annual Rabbi Isaac Mayefsky Me- morial Lecture. This annual parenting program featured the noted educator and rav, Rabbi Ahron Levitansky.

Rabbi Ahron Levitansky

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Upcoming events… The group hopes to meet twice a month. A nominal one-hour evening webinars. Each participant will also fee of $6 will be collected to cover any food-related receive a one-on-one tele-coaching session with one of The Orthodox Union Department of Communi- expenses at the meetings. RSVP to Lana Ifraimova the instructors. The course starts on March 11. ty Services is partnering with Kingsway Jewish at [email protected]. In addition to Triumphant Journey’s founder Center in Brooklyn for the third annual Pre-Cha- * * * Chaya Abelsky, the program will feature Marcia nukah Family Fun Day on Sunday, December 18, The Traveling Chanukah Theater, featuring Meislin, a specialist in training, coaching, and de- from 12-4 p.m. at 2902 Kings Highway in Brooklyn. a four-part, 45-minute playette enacting key scenes veloping leaders through enhanced skills in man- Fun station activities will include tie-dying; suf- of the Chanukah story, will visit 815 Kings Highway agement, communications, team-building, customer ganiot decorating; and creating personalized meno- on Sunday, December 25, from 3-5 p.m. service, change, and consulting. Meislin has worked rahs, Chanukah cards, and wrapping paper. The fun * * * with both Fortune 1000 clients and nonprofi t orga- day will also include a raffl e, mini Chinese Auction, The 23rd Annual Flatbush One-Week (Yar- nizations and has taught at Pace University Gradu- and Chanukah boutique. chei Kallah), a project of Torah Connections, will ate Center and the New School Leadership Center. To register, call 718-258-3344 or visit kjcchanu- again be held at Congregation Tomchei Torah, 1966 For further information or to register, contact kah.eventbrite.com. Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn, from Sunday, December Abelsky at [email protected] or 347- * * * 25, to Sunday, January 1. 240-8899. will host its annual Cha- This year’s sugya is from the beginning of Mes- nukah Concert on December 22 at its uptown cam- echta Megillah. The program is geared to those with In recent news… pus (2540 Amsterdam Avenue). Doors open at 7:30 previous Gemara learning experience, whether on p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. an intermediate or advanced level. Joining Rav Psa- Israeli Deputy Mayor: Jewish Girls The concert will feature Yaakov Shwekey, Yeshi- chya Fried in delivering shiurim are Rav Feivel Co- Are Moving To Arab Villages va University’s a cappella group, The Y-Studs, and hen, mora d’asra of Congregation Tomchei Torah; Shimon Craimer. Tickets can be purchased at www. Rav , rosh yeshiva of Torah In a revealing interview, the deputy mayor of showclix.com/event/YUConcert. Vodaath; and Rav Moshe Twersky. Afula, Israel, admits that his hands are tied when it * * * For more information, call 718-998-5822 or e-mail comes to dealing with the growing problem of young SawYouAtSinai and Congregation Ohab Ze- [email protected]. Jewish girls moving to Arab villages. dek will hold a Chanukah concert on Motzei Shab- * * * “The phenomenon of girls aged 12 and 13 who are bos, December 24, at 118 West 95th Street in Man- Building on the success of its life coaching certifi - living in Arab villages breaks my heart, but to my re- hattan. Featured performers will include C Lanzbom, cate program at , Triumphant Jour- gret my hands are tied,” Dr. Boris Yudis told Index Nochi Krohn, and Yisroel Juskowicz. Doors open at neys coaching is expanding its courses to Medgar Evers Ha’emek ve’Hagallil, a regional newspaper. “Mothers 7:30 p.m. All proceeds benefi t the OU Beautiful Child College Adult Continuing Education program this fall. come to me crying about their young daughters who Toy Drive, which provides Chanukah gifts for hospi- The program will offer principals and teachers have moved to these villages. It hurts to hear these talized children. An original painting by Yisroel Jus- the opportunity to learn how to apply coaching tech- stories and frustrating [to not be able to help]. The is- kowicz will be auctioned off. Registration through niques in school. Educators will learn how to focus sue isn’t one of Jews and Arabs, but that these girls, www.oucommunity.org or by calling 212-613-8300. their attention so they can hear what is – and isn’t instead of studying in school, are wasting their lives. * * * – really being said. They will learn to communicate “This is a sad phenomenon and we haven’t man- A frum widows socialization group will have effectively to improve decision-making, confl ict res- aged to deal with its root cause. I don’t believe that its fi rst meeting on Sunday, December 25, at 7 p.m. olution, and team building. what we need is stronger law enforcement; instead, in Ohr Naava. Women ages 45 and older can come to To minimize the time during which educators need we need to work in the area of education.” socialize with their peers, as well as get information to be away from their schools, the course is structured Yad L’Achim confi rmed the existence of the prob- and support in an intimate and confi dential setting. to include two half-day classes, interspersed with three lems cited by Dr. Yudis, adding that its hotline re- ceives calls from all over Israel regarding Jewish girls, as young as 11, who have moved to Arab villages. GOP Candidate: A Two-State Solution Is Already In Place Yad L’Achim chairman Rav Yisrael Lifschitz sent a letter of appreciation to Dr. Yudis for raising the “A two-state solution in the Middle East is al- improving the security of the Cave of the Patri- painful subject of assimilation and for expressing ready in place and that constitutes Israel and Jor- archs, the Hebron Fund tries to ease the daily chal- his willingness to help young Jewish girls. He also dan,” declared GOP congressional candidate Kar- lenges of life that residents face and provide mor- asked the deputy mayor to pass on to Yad L’Achim en Harrington. al support at the same time. It also promotes vis- any information he has that can help the organiza- Delivering her remarks on Saturday evening, its and guided tours to educate people about He- tion rescue these girls and rehabilitate them. December 3, at the Hall of Science Mu- bron’s centrality for the Jewish nation. seum on the occasion of the 23rd annual Hebron At the dinner, attendees saw a moving video Ramaz Hires New Head Of School Fund Dinner, Harrington told the audience of tribute to Ayal Noked-Lourie, a young Hebron resi- over 500 stalwart supporters of a continued Jew- dent who lost his battle with cancer this past year; The has hired Paul Shaviv, a re- ish presence in Hebron that “President Obama is an award in his name was presented to Sruly and nowned leader in , to be its next Head placing Israel at risk and his reckless foreign pol- Chaya Hersh of Brooklyn, New York. of School, beginning in the 2012/2013 academic year. icy change concerning Israel retreating to 1967 Ayal’s mother said, “My son’s entire life was Shaviv brings more than four decades of experi- borders must be adamantly rejected.” Hebron. He davened at the Me’arat Hamachpelah ence in the fi eld of education. He has held leader- A south Florida businesswoman and a politi- every day and worked to help victims of terror at- ship posts as director of Jewish Studies, deputy head, cal newcomer, Harrington is challenging Deborah tacks there.” Leaving this world just months be- principal, and director of education at fi ve Jewish Wasserman-Schulz, the chairwoman of the Demo- fore his 41st birthday, Ayal, a father of ten, was schools on three continents, spanning a wide spec- cratic National Committee, for the congressional remembered as “a person with a beautiful smile trum of Jewish ideologies and affi liations. seat she holds in south Florida’s 20th congressio- and a deep love of the Jewish people.” “Paul Shaviv is eminently qualifi ed for this criti- nal district, which includes a sizable Jewish con- In the video, Ayal says, “This land and this cally important role. He is committed to our school’s stituency in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. place of Hebron was given to me by Hashem. If values and vision, and passionate about a Modern The Hebron Fund oversees various projects for Hashem put me here there is a reason for it and Orthodox centrist way of life, something that has the care, maintenance and security of the Jewish Hashem protects us every moment. It is here in characterized Ramaz from its founding 75 years ago,” residents of Hebron, as well as Me’arat Hamach- Hebron that you actually see the emunah because noted Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Ramaz’s principal. pelah. From building parks and playgrounds to without it you just can’t live here.” Shaviv succeeds Judith Fagin who started her tenure in 2005.