18 Los Angeles 17 Iyar 5775 // May 6, 2015 COMMUNITY Pittsburgher Rebbe to Spend Two Weeks in LA RABBI ARYE D. GORDON oped Torah institutions which he runs and supports. The Rebbe, who The Pittsburgher Rebbe, Harav speaks Hebrew and Yiddish, is fl u- Mordechai Yissachar Ber Leifer, ent in English as well. shlita, returned to Los Angeles on The Rebbe, who is being hosted May 1, for his annual visit. The in Los Angeles by Mr. and Mrs. Rafi Rebbe schedules his yearly trip of Katz and Mr. and Mrs. David Gold- two weeks to be in LA for Lag BaO- stein, spent Shabbos Parashas Acha- mer. rei Mos-Kedoshim in the Los Ange- While the Lag BaOmer celebra- les/Hancock Park community. The tion around the world is accom- Rebbe davened Kabbalas Shabbos at panied by great fanfare, the Los the Kollel Yechiel Yehuda and held a Angeles community looks forward tisch at 9:45 p.m. at the kollel. to joining in the simchah with the On Shabbos morning the Rebbe honor of having the Pittsburgher davened at Shaare Tefilah and was Rebbe lead the olam in joyous the baal tefillah for Shacharis. The dancing and singing, following the Rebbe’s nusach and tefillos were meorer the olam and added much hadlakah of the Lag BaOmer bon- Arye D. Gordon fire at the Los Angeles Cheder. The Pittsburgher Rebbe with host David Goldstein and the Rebbe’s assistants, Reb hislahavus to everyone’s daven- The history of the Pittsburgh Binyamin Peterman and Reb Shmuel Einfeld, following Havdalah. ing. Following Krias haTorah, the chassidishe dynasty is an interest- Rebbe shared divrei Torah on the ing one. parashah. In 1924, Harav Yosef Leifer, his son, Reb Avraham Abba, zy”a, sachar Ber Leifer, followed in his The Rebbe davened Minchah, zy”a, a descendant of Harav Mor- succeeded him. While this group father’s footsteps and supervised ate shalosh seudos and davened dechai of Nadvorna, came to the continued to grow in America, the growth of his community. Maariv at the Young Israel of Han- United States and settled in Pitts- around 1970, they decided to relo- Today the Rebbe, whose base is in cock Park. burgh, Pennsylvania, where he cate to Ashdod in Eretz Yisrael. Ashdod, has seen his Chassidim The Rebbe will be in LA until founded the Pittsburgh chassidic When Reb Avraham Abba Leif- spread out to Yerushalayim, Bnei May 13 and will be available for dynasty. He served as Rebbe until er was niftar in 1990, the present Brak, Beit Hilkia, New York, and private consultation. To arrange a his death in 1966 at which point Rebbe, Harav Mordechai Yis- California. The Rebbe has devel- meeting, call 347-989-6821. Los Angeles Reception for UK Chief Rabbi Mirvis RABBI ARYE D. GORDON Are Not the Only Ones Who Count.” The weekend began Thursday Congregation Beth Jacob of evening, April 30, with a reception Beverly Hills was honored by the in his honor hosted by Dr. Shlo- presence of Chief Rabbi Ephraim mo and Mrs. Ilana Meled in their Mirvis, who was invited as the home. A select group of Beth Jacob Scholar-in-Residence, Shabbos members, mostly those who hail Parashas Achrei Mos-Kedoshim, from South Africa and known to May 1-2. Rabbi Mirvis, were in attendance. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is After greeting the guests, Rabbi the 11th Chief Rabbi of the Unit- Mirvis spoke about the qualities ed Hebrew Congregations of the necessary to being a leader. A very Commonwealth. Chief Rabbi Mir- interesting part of the evening was vis was installed 2013 in a historic Rabbi Mirvis’s response to the ceremony attended by the Prince of audience regarding the situation of Wales. This was the fi rst time that a the Jews in England, the upcoming member of the royal family attend- Arye D. Gordon elections and anti-Semitism in his ed a service for the installation of R-L: Chief Rabbi Mirvis being introduced by Rabbi Kalman Topp and host Dr. Shlomo country. a Chief Rabbi. Chief Rabbi Mirvis Melmed at the Los Angeles reception in his honor. Another question of interest succeeded Lord Jonathan Sacks. that was asked was, “Who do you go Rabbi Mirvis was the Chief Rabbi Johnathan Sacks. Chief Rabbi Mir- bos morning drashah and spoke to for advice?” In a clear and direct of Ireland (1984–92), a position pre- vis was appointed Senior Rabbi again at a Shabbos luncheon, on the response, the good Rabbi replied, viously held by Lord Jakobovits, and at Finchley United Synagogue in topic, “Strategies for Keeping Our “To my wife.” Rabbi of the Western Marble Arch 1996, a position which he held until Faith in the Modern World.” Later This first visit of the Chief Rabbi Synagogue in London (1992–96), becoming Chief Rabbi in 2013. in the afternoon Rabbi Mirvis deliv- to Los Angeles was a success all a position previously held by Lord Rabbi Mirvis delivered the Shab- ered a keynote address, “Frum Jews around. שבת כלה !It’s a Boy / Girl באווארפן !Get Well קדושים !Thank You בר מצוה !Happy Birthday מזל טוב !Happy Anniversary New Service: Guaranteed freshness, An upgraded array of floral .שבת שמחות timely deliveries direct arrangements for your from our warehouse. 718.697.7813 Now delivering to Williamsburg and Boro Park.