COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

The JCC of Marine Park Announces Opening of Special Bachurim Minyan

The Jewish Community Center of Marine Park (JCC) is pleased to announce the opening of  The Chofetz Chaim Bachurim Shabbos minyan of Marine Park for high school boys in grades eighth  through 12, beginning at 8:50 A.M. at the JCC of  Marine Park, located on 3415 Quentin Road. A nice kiddush will be held every Shabbos after davening. Participants will gain member benefits. For more information, please call Rabbi Yedidya Bin-Nun at (917) 279-2608.

JCC of Marine Park Offering Free Computer Courses

The Jewish Community Center of Marine Park is in conjunction with New York United Jewish Inc. once again offering PC LITERACY 2018, free computer classes in QuickBooks, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel, along with mini sessions in LinkedIn, resume writing and networking. The classes will be held  at the Marine Park Jewish Center, located on 3311 Avenue S. The courses are being offered in late November and early December. Although the deadline for the current computer courses has passed, due to the strong need for such educational opportunities, such classes will be offered again. All participants are required to bring their own laptops. To find out about future free computer class opportunities, please email Yitzy Weinberg at Yitzy@jccmp.org or call the JCC office at (718) 407-1832.

The Agudah Convention Highlights the Importance of Unity

Hundreds of members of the Flatbush community attended parts, or all, of the recent Agudah Convention. They gained valuable chizuk to combat the  challenges of living in these increasingly hostile and secular times. The convention was held last month at the Crowne Plaza Stamford. The theme of the event  was “Together We Will.” Among the many featured speakers were Rabbi Elya Brudny, Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman, Rabbi Henoch Plotnick, Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, Rabbi Yosef Viener, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Mr. Charlie Harary, and Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein. Mr. Rivie Schwebel served as convention chairman.

Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff Addresses Sparks of Life Jewish Center for Parkinson’s

The 6th Evening of Support for those Challenged with Parkinson’s and their Family/Caregivers on the theme of “Don’t Stand Alone” was held late last month at the Young Israel of Midwood. Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Weiss, Mora D’asra delivered words of inspiration to all those who attended this important gathering. Dr. Stanley Fahn, pioneer of movement disorders and director emeritus of the Center for Parkinson’s Disease and Other Movement Disorders at Columbia University was the guest speaker. Introductory remarks were given by Co-Director of the Parkinson’s and Other Movement Disorders Program at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Dr. Daryl Victor.

Mirrer Yeshiva Annual Dinner  

Hundreds if not thousands of boys and young men in Flatbush have over the last half-century learned and gained Torah inspiration from the Mirrer Yeshiva located  on Ocean Parkway and Avenue R. The annual dinner to be held on December 10 at The Palace is dedicated to the memory of Reb Shimon Englard, z”l and to Mr. Stanley Smith, a board member of the yeshivah who has served for over six decades. Honorees include Rabbi Moshe Warman (Harbotzas Torah Award), Dr. and Mrs. Eliezer Parnes (Alumnus of the Year), Dr. and Mrs. Shomer Israelian (Kesser Shem Tov Award), and Mr. and Mrs. Nasan Shapiro (Parents of the Year Award). Dr. Danny Sherwinter and Reb Tzvi Wallerstein are the dinner chairmen, while Reb Rubin Schron is event chairman.

Rabbi Menachem Nissel from Jerusalem Lectures Women on Moshiach

Rabbi Menachem Nissel, senior educator for NCSY, senior lecturer for Ner LeElef (Jewish Leadership Training) and teacher in various Jerusalem yeshivos and seminaries, delivered a special shiur for women last month on the topic of “Moshiach: What’s it Like?” at the JCC of Marine Park. He authored the 2001 book Rigshei Lev – Women and Tefillah.

Dr. Norman Blumenthal on How to Respond to Recent Tragedies

The Sephardic Bikur Cholim arranged a special address last month at the Kings Highway office on the topic of how to deal with the recent tragedies. Director of Trauma, Bereavement, and Crisis Intervention at OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services, Dr. Norman Blumenthal, spoke to the community providing much-needed insight and guidance.   

New Men’s Daf Yomi Shiur Covering Gemara, Rashi and Tosfos

A new Daf Yomi lecture is being offered to men on Gemara, Rashi and Tosfos. It will  cover the blatt for the entire week  from Sunday to Thursday  and will meet at the Agudath Israel Bais Binyomin located on 2913 Avenue L. from 2:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. with a 2:15 P.M. break for Minchah. The Maggid Shiur is Rabbi Eliyahu Schneider.

Rabbi Yissochor Frand as Scholar-in-Residence

The annual melaveh malkah of the Agudath Israel of Madison (Rabbi Yisroel Reisman’s shul) will be held on this year on Motzoei Shabbos, December 9.  The function will be highlighted by the participation of the world famous Marbitz Torah, Rabbi Yissochor Frand, who is also Rosh Yeshivah of Ner Israel in Baltimore. Rabbi Frand will also join the Madison kehillah for Shabbos Parsahas Vayeishev (December 8 to 9) and will speak at a Friday night oneg Shabbos program and on Shabbos by day.

18th Annual Agudath Israel Yarchei Kallah

Dozens of Flatbush couples will join family and friends from other Jewish communities in North America, Europe and those living in Eretz Yisrael, by taking time off from work next month (Monday, January 15 to Thursday, January 18) to participate in the 18th Annual Agudath Israel Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim, an inspirational series of Torah learning and touring of the Holy Land. Last year, more than 400 participants took part in the event. This year’s gala event will take place at the Ramada Hotel, where the entire ballroom, the largest in the Israeli capital city, will be transformed into a huge Bais Medrash. This year, the sugya to be learned at the Yarchei Kallah will be “Pikuach Nefesh and Refuah,” based on the Gemara Maseches Sanhedrin Dafim 72 to 75.

Rabbi Sadya Grama’s Weekly Motzei Shabbos Shiur for Seminary Girls

If you are a seminary or post-seminary girl looking for some extra chizuk, Rabbi Sadya Grama, a dynamic and renowned speaker in connection with N’Shei Chasde Lev, will offer an inspiring hour-long weekly hashkafah and Parashas Hashavua shiur every Motzei Shabbos at Torah Umesorah, located on 620 Foster Avenue beginning at 8 P.M.

Project Witness Orchestrates Teacher’s Seminar of Holocaust History

Last month, Project Witness, a non-profit organization created to educate the community about the Holocaust, organized a teacher’s seminar at The New Seminary. Rebbetzin Dinah Spira spoke on the topic of “The Inhumane Ethic of Nazi Medicine.” Dr. Irving Lebovic addressed the theme of “The Practical Impact of  Nazi Experimentation on Today’s Jewish Bioethics.” The guest speaker was Ms. Bronia Brandman.

Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman’s Hilchos Ribbis Shiur on Thanksgiving Day

Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman, Mora D’asra of K’hal Nachlas Dovid, and author of the multi-volume Sifrei Koveitz Halachos, delivered a halachah shiur to hundreds of men and women at the Thanksgiving Day Hakhel Yarchei Kallah that was titled “Practical Applications of Hilchos Ribbis in Our Times.” Among the topics he covered were pay credit, card debt, gifts of gratitude, and return policy issues.

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Lectures at Kingsway Jewish Center  

Chief  Rabbi of Efrat and former Rabbi of the Lincoln Square Synagogue, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin,  recently participated in the Kingsway Jewish Center’s Chaim and Rachel Weinstein Torah Scholars Program on Shabbos Parashas Toldos. Among the topics he elaborated on were “Why I Believe in G-d” (Friday night oneg), “Jewish Ethics in Halachah” (shiur after kiddush), and “Problems and Practical Solutions to the Aguna and Conversion Crises and Other Issues Confronting the State of Israel and the Jewish People Today.”