1 CROWN HEIGHTS NewsPAPER ~January 23 2009 כאן צוה ה’ את הברכה CommunityNewspaper פרשת וארא | כז' טבת ,שבת מברכים תשס”ט | בס”ד WEEKLY VOL. II | NO 13 JANUARY 23, 2009 | TEVET 27, 5769 THE REBBETZIN CHANA OBM (1880-1964) IN HONOR OF HER BIRTHDAY ON THE 28 OF TEVES PAGE2 FIRST SHIDDUCH CONFERENCE, CHICAGO, ILL PAGE 9 A PICTORIAL OF OUR SOLDIERS ON THE FRONT HACHOSSID REB CHAIM PAGE 11 HALEVI HURWITZ PART 2 LINES Beis Din of Crown Heights 390A Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Tel- 718~604~8000 Fax: 718~771~6000 Rabbi A. Osdoba: ❖ Monday to Thursday 10:30AM - 11:30AM at 390A Kingston Ave. ☎Tel. 718-604-8000 ext.37 or 718-604-0770 Sunday-Thursday 9:30 PM-11:00PM ~Friday 2:30PM-4:30 PM ☎Tel. (718) - 771-8737 Rabbi Y. Heller is available daily 10:30 to 11:30am ~ 2:00pm to 3:00pm at 788 Eastern Parkway # 210 718~604~8827 ❖ & after 8:00pm 718~756~4632 Rabbi Y. Schwei, 4:00pm to 9:00pm ❖ 718~604~8000 ext 36 Rabbi Y. Raitport is available by appointment. ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 39 ☎ Rabbi Y. Zirkind: 718~604~8000 ext 39 Erev Shabbos Motzoei Shabbos Rabbi S. Segal: ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 39 ❖ Sun ~Thu 5:30pm -9:00pm or ☎718 -360-7110 Rabbi Bluming is available Sunday - Thursday, 3 -4:00pm at 472 Malebone St. ☎ 718 - 778-1679 Rabbi Y. Osdoba ☎718~604~8000 ext 38 ❖ Sun~Thu: 10:0am -11:30am ~ Fri 10:am - 1:00 pm or 4:45 5:48 ☎ 718 -604-0770 Gut Shabbos Rabbi S. Chirik: ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 38 ❖ Sun~Thu: 5:00pm to 9:00pm 2 CROWN HEIGHTS NewsPAPER ~January 23 2009 The Vaad Hakohol REBBE'S STORY “When one tells a story about his Rebbe he connects to the deeds of the Rebbe” (Sichos 1941 pg. 68) Enhancing Achievement The Rebbe and low the Rebbe’s directive, I could not us again. This was just a short time Bernhard recalls one of numerous Rabbi Bernhard, hide my disappointment. I felt the before a scheduled historic meeting occasions when the Rebbe assisted Rabbi of the Oxford Synagogue In need to discuss the matter further in Europe with U.S. Secretary of him with regard to his family. “Once, Johannesburg, South Africa. with the Rebbe before my return State, Henry Kissinger, which the during yechidus, I mentioned that to South Africa, and I hesitantly South African government regarded one of my daughters who had been Reprinted from the book To Know and requested to be allowed another as vital to the country’s future. an excellent student was becoming To Care Vol. 1 yechidus. I was grateful when the lax and falling behind in her studies. “After welcoming us, the Prime Rebbe agreed to see me again on The Rebbe listened attentively and Published and copyright © by Sichos Minister lost no time in expressing Sunday, for I knew this was most said, ‘This is not laziness. She has a In English his desire: ‘I would like to know unusual. particular medical problem’, which “Making a total commitment to a what the Gentleman in New York he named. ‘Your wife should take Lubavitch way of life was an ongo- “That Shabbos, theR ebbe granted me has to say now.’ This was just one of her to a specialist, who will find and ing process for me,” explains Rabbi extraordinary measures of attention many indications that innumerable treat the condition.’ Nachman Meir Bernhard, Rabbi of and encouragement. I appreciated Jews and Gentiles have drawn great the prestigious Oxford Synagogue in this very much, and the first thing I comfort from the Rebbe’s repeated “After the yechidus, I immedi- Johannesburg, South Africa. “Before said when I went into his study on reassurances that all will be well in ately phoned my wife. She took our I left America for South Africa, it Sunday was a word of thanks for the South Africa - and that there is no daughter to see a specialist, who was the Rebbe who, in a long first expression of closeness (Keiruv). need to fear, panic or flee. arrived at the same diagnosis, and Yechidus in 1964, convinced me prescribed effective treatment.” “ ‘Expressing closeness is a two-way On a more personal note, Rabbi that I had a responsibility to return street,’ the Rebbe replied. to the Rabbinate, although I had inclinations to the contrary, and he “ ‘Must I too show closeness to the encouraged me to accept my present Rebbe?!’ I asked in wonder. The Rebbtzin Chana OBM Rabbinic position. “ ‘Yes!’ (1880-1964) In honor of her birthday on “After ten more years of community “ ‘What does the Rebbe mean? I the 28th of Teves and Yisrael Aryeh Leib. service, I began to consider leaving have already agreed to accept the the Rabbinate again. For many years, Her eldest son, Menachem Mendel, Rebbe’s advice. I am staying in South Adapted from the book “Rebbetzin I had been longing to settle inE retz was born on the 11th of Nissan 1902. Africa.’ Chana Schneerson” by Shmuel Yisrael, and I felt that the time had Marcus and Avraham D Vaisfiche On that day, Rabbi Shalom DovBer come to make this dream a reality. I “ ‘Yes,’ said the Rebbe, ‘but your sent six telegrams to the child’s father, Birth began making plans and scheduled decision should not be made with Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, each with bless- a pilot trip in search of a suitable the resignation of one who has reluc- Rebbetzin Chana was born in 1880, ings and various instructions. position and housing. I was involved tantly accepted a decree. Rather, on the 28th of Tevet, in Nikolayev, Before nursing her son, Rebbetzin enough in Lubavitch by that time it should come happily and good- Ukraine, to Rabbi Meir Shlomo and Chana would wash her hands in the to know that I should consult the heartedly!’ Rachel Yanovsky. She was the eldest ritual manner, and do the same for her Rebbe before making any binding of four children: two sisters, Gittel “Although I didn’t move to Eretz infant. She had a yarmulke and tzitzit decisions. So, after my visit toE retz and Ettel, and a younger brother, Yis- Yisrael, over the years the Rebbe made for him, and took great care to Yisrael, I flew to New York before rael Leib, who passed away as a youth. spoke to me on several occasions raise her son—who would eventually returning to South Africa. Rabbi Meir Shlomo was chief rabbi about issues concerning the Holy become the seventh Lubavitcher of Nikolayev; indeed, the Yanovskys “It was the summer of 1974, and this Land. Once he told me of a conversa- Rebbe—in a holy environment. was my second yechidus with the tion he had with the then Minister were known as a prestigious rabbini- Rebbe. At great length, the Rebbe of Defense of Israel. TheR ebbe had cal family of scholars and leaders. In 1907, when Rebbetzin Chana was 27 years old, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak explained why I could accomplish asked him what plan or strategy Early Years much more by continuing to serve the government had for the next became rabbi of the Ukrainian city the South African Jewish community, ten years. The Chasidim of Nikolayev would of Yekatrinoslav—known today ‘Don’t you think that I too would like fondly recall Chana’s scholarship as Dnepropetrovsk. He served the “The Minister answered, ‘G-d will as a teenager. When a maamar community for 32 years, eventually to be there (in Eretz Yisrael), close help.’ (Chasidic discourse) would arrive assuming the position of chief rabbi, to the Kedushah (holiness)? But we have responsibilities.’ “ ‘What’s going on here?’ the Rebbe from Lubavitch—either repeated until 1939, when he was arrested said. ‘I am asking you like a layman by a Chasid who was present at the by the NKVD (a precursor of the “Though I obviously said I would fol- Rebbe’s discourse, or by notes sent KGB) for his activities on behalf (i.e., from a worldly perspective), and you are answering me like a Rebbe!’ to her father’s home—she would of strengthening yiddishkeit in the He then grew very serious and said, meticulously and faithfully tran- Soviet Union. scribe it, making it available for the Newspaper ‘The truth is, they have no plan!’ The Jewish community ofY ekatrino- Community eager Chasidim. “The Rebbe has also expressed his slav included many non-religious Bright and talented, Chana had an professionals, who also held Rabbi 392 Kingston Avenue opinion on South Africa’s internal Brooklyn, NY 11225 policies. On more than one occa- excellent ear for music—a quality Levi Yitzchak in great esteem. Reb- [email protected] sion, he spoke of the need for the she shared with her father betzin Chana, who was fluent in several languages, contributed to Published & edited weekly by the Vaad Hakohol government to replace the apartheid In 1900, at the age of 20, Rebbetzin her husband’s success and influence of Crown Heights. regulations with a system of justice Chana married Rabbi Levi Yitzchak as a communal leader. She was an Moshe Rubashkin, Rosh Hakohol and equity. Upon the Rebbe’s direc- Schneerson. The great-grandson elegant and personable woman Dr. Tzvi (Harvey) Lang, Chairman tive, Rabbi Lipskar, the head shliach of Rabbi Menachem Mendel, the Rabbi Plotkin, Secretary whose home was a constant hub of in South Africa, and I once visited “Tzemach Tzedek” (the third of Layout: SimplyUnique ([email protected]) communal activity.