Page 64 THE JEWISH PRESS  Friday, May 25, 2012 Community Currents

Upcoming events… cob Ostreicher. Ostreicher, a resident and Hospice, also spoke, discussing the psychosocial im- U.S. citizen, has been held in a Bolivian prison for plications of end-of-life care and the social worker’s Neshama of West Brighton Beach is nearly one year without being charged with a crime. role in hospice care. holding a Grand Parade celebrating the com- Ostreicher’s plight was recently covered by The conference, coordinated by Professor Bobick, pletion of a Sefer Torah on Sunday, June 3, at 12:30 “Nightline” on ABC News. The on-line petition is and held at Touro’s Lander College for Women - The p.m. at the Seabreeze Jewish Center, 311 Seabreeze available at www.FreeJacobNow.com. For those who Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School, concluded with Avenue. There will be entertainment, music, food lack access to the Internet, the following Brooklyn remarks from GSSW students, who spoke about the and more. For more information, visit www.chabad- locations (during business hours) have been set up rewards and challenges of working with end-of-life neshama.com. to sign the petition: Assembly ’s offi ce, issues during their fi eld internships. 1310 48th St.; Councilman David G. Greenfi eld’s of- * * * fi ce, 4424 16th Ave.; Councilman Stephen Levin’s of- Of Flatbush Student Wins The Annual Dinner and Alumni Reunion of fi ce, 410 Atlantic Ave.; United Jewish Organizations Second Place In Chidon HaTanach American Friends of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh of Williamsburg (UJO), 32 Penn Street; Copy Cen- will take place in the Museum of Jewish Heritage, ter of Crown Heights, 418 Kingston Ave.; and Mid- Akiva Abramowitz, a12th grader in Yeshiva of 39 Battery Place in Lower . This 42nd town Camera, 185 Lee Avenue. Flatbush, placed second in the world and fi rst among annual gala event will be held on Monday, June 4, Diaspora contestants in the 49th International Bi- at 6:15 p.m. Touro Holds Forum ble Contest for Jewish Youth (Chidon HaTanakh The guest of honor will be Rav Avraham Rivlin, On End-of-Life Care Ha-Olami). mashgiach ruchani of the yeshiva and dean of the Viewers throughout the world watched the in- overseas students, and Chaim Poupko, asso- The Touro College Graduate School of Social tense competition as it played on television and ciate rabbi of Congregation Ahavath Torah of En- Work recently hosted a forum on “Planning for End- streamed on the Internet. glewood, N.J., will receive the Rabbinic Alumnus of-Life Care with Dignity and Compassion” in hon- Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari, head of school of Award. or of its Spring 2012 Community Day. the YOF Joel Braverman High School proudly stat- For details visit www.kby.org or call Rabbi Marc Dr. Harvey Gross, chief physician in the Depart- ed, “Akiva’s hard work, commitment to learning To- S. Volk, executive director of American Friends of ment of Family Practice at Englewood Hospital in rah, and natural abilities enabled him to achieve this Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, at 718-645-3130. New Jersey, served as keynote speaker. Dr. Gross unique distinction.” addressed ethical decision-making in end-of-life care The annual bible contest, which builds from local In recent news… and the integral role social workers play in helping to regional to national competitions before culminat- patients and their families make diffi cult decisions. ing in , included competitors this year from 24 Brooklyn Offi cials Want More “All we can do is to be as precise as we can about countries. It was organized by the IDF Chief Educa- Signatures On Petition the diagnosis, provide the best support systems that tion Offi cer, IDF Rabbinate, Defense Ministry, Edu- we can, and hopefully provide end-of-life care so that cation Ministry, Jewish Agency, and JNF. The theme Local Brooklyn offi cials are asking community our patients, residents or clients can have a dignifi ed of this year’s contest was social justice. residents who have not already done so to sign an death or ‘a dignifi ed end-of-life journey,’ ” he said. on-line petition to President Obama urging his in- Phyllis Erlbaum-Zur, Ph.D., LCSW, director of Mayor Booker Discusses Faith tervention with the Bolivian government to free Ja- Metropolitan Jewish Health System – Kittay House At Yeshiva University On May 8, students, faculty, staff, alumni and Dining With Evelyn Haies members of the greater Yeshiva University commu- nity fi lled Lamport Auditorium to hear Cory Book- By Beth Sarafraz er, mayor of Newark, N.J., discuss “The Role of Re- ligion in Education and Public Life.” The event was I am sitting next to Evelyn Haies as she puts glass cage for soldiers, in order to photograph the the fi nal installment of this year’s Great Conversa- the fi nishing touches on her speech thanking Emu- house just below, the house she bought for the tion Series of the Zahava and Moshael Straus Cen- nah of America for honoring her this night with Jewish people. She recalls walking through the ter for Torah and Western Thought. its Distinguished Service Award. The organiza- street there and being surrounded by three vi- The conversation – led by Straus Center Direc- tion’s Annual Supperette, held at The Kings Ter- cious looking dogs and having the idea that she tor Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik –covered such topics race, has attracted an overfl owing crowd of mem- could command them to leave her alone, if only as the impact of Booker’s personal faith on his dai- bers and admirers from the Jewish community in she knew which language they understood. So ly life, the importance of improving education, and formal attire, men in yarmulkes and black hats, she took a chance and called out “Lo!” which is the nature of faith in the public square in America. women in sheitels and hats, suits and gowns. Ev- Hebrew for “No!” It was a lucky guess; the dogs Booker said his faith “is the core of my being.” “It ery table is full. turned and left. is how I orient myself to all things. Faith can help us “I’ve been doing this work about 17 years,” In 2001, Hamas moved into the area, but so fi nd ways to help and inspire other people,” he said. she says, while handing me a copy of the month- did the . The house Haies He exhorted the crowd: “Go out and be ethical peo- ly newsletter from the Rachel’s Children Recla- bought was a renovated three-story structure with ple. Teach and live your faith.” mation Foundation, which she founded in 1995. the IDF utilizing the building as an army base un- That was the year that Haies, a grandmother liv- til a security wall was completed. There are now Lander College For Men Hires ing in Brooklyn, began to think it was time to start women learning groups on the main fl oor, a Beit New a new career. Medrash for learning Torah, a museum of Jewish “It was the time of the Oslo Accords when I de- aliyah, history and biblical art displays. From up- Rabbi Yonason Sacks has been appointed rosh cided to make a foundation to twin with Kever Ra- stairs, one can still view the original dome of Kev- yeshiva of Beis Medrash L’ at Lander Col- chel,” she recollects. “The Israeli government was er Rachel. lege for Men (LCM). Rabbi Sacks will be joining Rab- considering giving away or even moving the site, Haies is called to the podium to receive her bi Doniel Lander, who also leads Ohr Ha- so as Rabbi Menachem Porush and Chanan Po- award. Her speech is brief, making mention of chaim and serves as chancellor of Touro. rat cried, I made writing contests, wrote a song the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday and how our A leading posek and author of 18 sefarim, Rabbi ‘We Are Rachel’s Children,’ gathered thousands matriarch, Rachel, the role model for all Jewish Sacks descends from a long line of illustrious rabbin- of petitions and started fundraising to motivate mothers, the Eshet Chayil for our people, placed ic personalities. His great-grandfather, the legend- people to join me in the fi ght to save our third ho- Torah, morality, honesty and kindness fi rst. Her ary Rabbi Zvi Pesach Frank, served as chief rabbi of liest Jewish site. Later, I bought a house – sight burial site has comforted the suffering Jewish na- Yerushalayim for more than 50 years. His grandfa- unseen – almost adjacent to the Kever.” tion down through the millennia of exile. Haies ther, Rabbi Menachem Sacks, was a leader of Jew- The seller was a Christian Arab who feared he thanks everyone who contributed – for ish education in Chicago for nearly six decades, and would be murdered by other Arabs for choosing honoring her and the guests who have traveled his father, Rabbi Louis L. Sacks, was rabbi of Con- to sell the house to a Jew. So great was his terror to the Kings Terrace on a rainy Tuesday night gregation Anshe Emunah in Delray Beach, Florida. that the paperwork closing the deal had to be com- to see her receive an award for 17 years worth For the last two decades, Rabbi Sacks has served pleted on another continent – in Central America. of impassioned striving and work and accom- as rav of Agudas Yisroel Bircas Yaakov in Passaic, Other Christians in Bethlehem fl ed without sell- plishment. N.J. and a rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University’s Rab- ing their properties. Ultimately, this grandmother Evelyn Haies is fl ying to Israel this June, re- bi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), from Brooklyn accomplished an unthinkable mir- turning to America at the end of August. Her con- where he was also ordained. acle in Israel – acquiring real estate from an Arab tinuous back and forth mission to strengthen and Rabbi Sacks will offi cially assume his position at which led to the Israeli voting to keep Ra- build up Kever Rachel “is really not only about the Touro in Elul 2012. chel’s Tomb within the Jewish State’s borders. land in the sense that I will settle permanently, “My mother invested her heart, soul, health, make aliyah, to Israel. It’s about righteousness, and time – almost every waking hour – to make consideration, concern and working together with sure Kever Rachel would not be given away. She others to make this a better world.” Material for Community won the Nachson Ben Amidov Award for stepping Beth Sarafraz is a freelance photojournalist where no man would tread. She is a powerhouse,” whose work has been published in, among other says Elissa Grunwald, Haies’ daughter. places, The Times, New Jersey Monthly Currents should be e-mailed to Haies, a tiny, pretty, blonde-haired woman, Magazine, The Newark Star-Ledger, The Brooklyn describes putting her camera lens to one of the Eagle, Police Offi cers Quarterly Magazine, Boxing gun nozzle holes in the Kever’s rooftop bulletproof World, and The Jewish Press. [email protected] Friday, May 25, 2012 THE JEWISH PRESS  Page 65 Community Currents

The Bris Avrohom Teen Chessed Clubs recently created Shab- bos and Shavuos treats for needy families. Chocolate candies were wrapped in colorful baskets and then distributed through- out the community.

Hachnassas Sefer Torah in the Dushinsky Beis Medrash. (Photo credit: JDN)

(L-R) Moshe Safranovitz, Gabbi Elyaszadeh, Chaim Romanoff, Doniel Becker, Asi Kent, Gavriel Rakovsky, Zack Goldberg, Ben- ji Rahmani, and Max Sarasohn.

“Mr. Shmeichel” (“Mr. Smile”) recently vis- The Toldos Aron Rebbe visiting the Skevere ited talmidim in the in Boro Rebbe in Montreal. Park as they were learning the letter shin. (Photo credit: JDN). (Photo credit: Dee Voch)

The Brooklyn Region of Emu- nah held its Annual Supperette on Tuesday evening, May 8, at The Kings Terrace in Brooklyn. (L-R) Estee Antelis, Sarah Volfman, Mrs. Chaya Kanel- It paid tribute to Gloria and Ed- sky, Racheli Cohen, Chana Greenblatt, Penina Abramov, and ward Smith with the Keter Shem Rochel Greer. Tov Award for their commitment to the thousands of children in Israel cared for by Emunah. Also On Sunday May 13, the National Council of Young Isra- receiving awards were Evelyn el Basketball League’s season came to a successful close with Haies, Naomi Lipnick, Rhoda an exciting and competitive Championship Triple header. The Newman, Reva Sokol, and Es- day featured championship games in the Junior Division (6, ther Zitwer. 7, & 8 graders), Intermediate Division (9 & 10 graders), and Senior Division (11 & 12 Doris Hirsch, Susan Weinstock, Harriet Saperstein, Emu- graders). Under the direc- nah President Fran Hirmes, Arlene Fox, and Mindy Stein, tion of Commissioners Irv Emunah’s chairman of the board. Bader and Judah Rhine, (Photo credit: Chaya Haber) the synagogue-based Na- tional Council of Young Israel Basketball League is comprised of 23 teams from the tri-state area. The season runs from January through May. For more in- formation about the Na- tional Council of Young Israel Basketball League, please contact Judah Rhine (516-707-2638, gefen18@ aol.com ) or Irv Bader 718- Emunah National Leadership with Keter Shem Tov Award- 261 2267, info@senecal- ees Edward and Gloria Smith (center). ake.com ) (Photo credit: Chaya Haber) Page 66 THE JEWISH PRESS  Friday, May 25, 2012 Community Currents Lag B’Omer Festivities

Regina Neuman displays her Lag B’Omer spirit at a special program at Scharf’s Ater- et Senior Residence in Midwood, Brooklyn. The Krula Rebbe Rav Binyomin Eisenberger

At the Belzer Cheder. At the Munkatcher Yeshiva.

HASC Center’s Yeshiva Day Hab visiting the Skulener Rebbe. The Sadigerer Rebbe

On Sunday, May 6, Shulamith School for Girls of Brooklyn held In . its Annual Gala Din- ner, celebrating gener- ations with its theme of Mi’Dor L’Dor, from Generation to Gener- ation. Honored were Mr. and Mrs. Dick Ja- cobs, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Schachter, Rabbi and Mrs. Arthur Schick, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Shtayn- berger, and Mrs. Caro- line Wilk.

The eighth graders of Shulamith School of Brooklyn recently visited Devorah Cohn and her daughter, Aviva Yasni. Born in 1916 in Slonim, Poland, Devorah’s family sent her to study in the Bais Yaakov Seminary founded by Sarah Schenirer. She spent two years in Cracow, after which she taught in a small shtetl before returning home to teach in Slonim. Following World War II, she taught in the for 40 years. Mrs. Cohn shared her memories with the girls, who also saw her diploma, signed by Sarah Schenirer.

The Toldos Avrum Yitzchak Rebbe in Meron.

(Photos on this page courtesy of Dee Voch, JDN, and Alan Magill) Friday, May 25, 2012 THE JEWISH PRESS  Page 67 Community Currents The Asifa In Citi Field

Preparation of bags given out to each attendee.

On the chartered boat from Lakewood, New Jersey.

Reb Ephraim Wachsman addressing the crowd.

(Photos courtesy of Shimon Golding and JDN)