COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

Community Highlights 

Daniel Keren

Brooklyn Mourns the Petirah of Rav Osher Lemel Ehrenreich, Zt”l

Klal Yisrael mourns the recent petirah of Rav Osher Lemel Ehrenreich, zt”l, who for more than six decades served as the menahel of Bais Yaakov of Boro Park, one of the world’s largest girls’ Torah schools. Under his guidance, many tens of thousands of young girls were educated to become the future loyal Torah wives, mothers, teachers, and members of Jewish communities throughout the world. It is not unusual to find families with four generations of girls who have gained a precious chinuch under the tenure of Rav Ehrenreich.

Join the JCC of Marine Park Campaign to Create a Dynamic Jewish Library in Our Community

The JCC has launched a campaign to raise money for a state-of-the-art library to be built on the lower level of its beautiful building. It will not only house thousands of Jewish books, but it will also have computers as well as daily and weekly programming for children, teens, and adults. Since there are not many Jewish libraries in Brooklyn, this will not only serve Marine Park, but also the broader community of Flatbush and Mill Basin. This is an exciting opportunity to do something together for the people of our neighborhood, and you are invited to consider donating an item in memory of a loved one, or to be one of the team members who will raise money for this project. This will be one of the JCC of Marine Park’s most important projects yet as it will serve every person in this community, from child to adult. To make your precious donation please visit jccmp.org. 

Flatbush Mourns the Passing of Rabbi Dovid Tzvi Toiv, Zt”l

The Flatbush community was deeply saddened by the petirah of Rabbi Dovid Tzvi Toiv, zt”l, following his yearlong battle with illness. For almost 70 decades, Rabbi Toiv, zt”l, served as the Morah d’asra of beis medrash Nachlas Yehoshuah in Flatbush where he gave spiritual guidance to hundreds of families. Rabbi Toiv was also the founder of the Jewish Heritage for the Blind, which published large print siddurim, machzorim, Haggados, Megillos and other important Torah publications that have helped tens of thousands of visually impaired Jewish readers throughout the English-reading world daven daily and celebrate Jewish festivals and holidays.  

The Legacy of Rav Avrohom Pam, Zt”l, Remembered on 20th Yahrtzeit Anniversary

The legacy of Rav Avrohom Pam, zt”l, the beloved Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Vodaath was recalled with two important recent events. The Annual Summer Flatbush Parlor Meeting hosted by Reb Gedaliah Weinberger was devoted to the legacy of Rav Pam and was highlighted by a special address by world renowned maggid shiur Rabbi Yissachar Frand and a special video titled “Rav Pam zt”l – The Heart of a Nation.” Yeshiva Torah Vodaath also sponsored an evening of azkarah on the yahrtzeit of Rav Pam and the shloshim of Mr. Leonard (Aryeh) Kestenbaum, z”l, an esteemed musmach and board member. Among those who spoke were Rabbi Yitzchok Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshivah of Torah Vodaath, Rabbi Label Wulliger, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Nachlas Dovid, and Rabbi Zev Smith, a well-known maggid shiur and close talmid of Rav Pam.

End Jew Hatred Movement Protests Ben & Jerry’s at New York Public Library

Several dozen pro-Israel demonstrators recently marched to a Ben & Jerry’s shop in midtown Manhattan on August 12 protesting the ice cream firm’s decision to cease its sales in West Bank settlements. The demonstrators gathered in front of New York Public Library where several parked ice cream trucks awaited them, offering free soft-serve. Plastered on the vehicles were signs that read “End Jew hatred. Say no to Ben & Jerry’s.” Those gathered heard from several speakers, including Jake Benyowitz from the Club Z student Zionist group, blogger and End Jew Hatred activist Virág Gulyás, “Clubhouse Rabbi” Shlomo Litvin, and New York State Assembly member David Weprin.  

Sephardic Community Mourns the Petirah of Rabbi Shlomo Lankry, Zt”l

The Sephardic and Mirrer Yeshiva community was saddened by the recent petirah of Rabbi Shlomo Lankry, zt”l, who for almost a half century was a leader of the Brooklyn Sephardic community’s chevra kaddisha and helped provide comfort to thousands of families in their moments of intense pain. Born in Morocco, he fled to Brooklyn in the aftermath of intensified dangerous anti-Semitism following Israel’s victory in the 1967 Six Day War. He quickly associated with the Mirrer Yeshiva where he connected and encouraged Moroccan bachurim who were recruited by the legendary Rav Avrohom Kalmanowitz, zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah

 of the Mirrer. For that last 30 years Rabbi Lankry was also the spiritual leader of Ohel Moshe in Flatbush, a kehillah and kollel for fellow Jews of Moroccan heritage.

Agudath Israel Hails Victory for Religious Liberty As Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Brought Against Religious School

A federal judge dismissed an employee’s lawsuit against a Catholic high school for not renewing her contract. Allowing the lawsuit to proceed, the judge said, would violate the First Amendment. The employee alleged that the school had discriminated against her in not rehiring her; the school said they did not renew her contract because she violated the school’s religious tenets.  In this case, Starkey v. Roncalli High School and Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Judge Richard Young ruled that because Ms. Starkey’s job included religious duties and her contract specifically stated that she was acting as a minister, her lawsuit was barred by the “ministerial exception.” 

The ministerial exception states that courts may not interfere in employment disputes involving employees who hold religious positions in religious institutions, in order to preserve the religious freedom of those institutions. This doctrine was pronounced by the Supreme Court in a number of decisions, the most recent being Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru, in which  Agudath Israel and other Orthodox Jewish organizations had submitted an amicus curiae brief urging the Court to adopt a broad interpretation of the ministerial exception. Agudath Israel of America hailed the court decision as a victory for religious liberty. “As the United States Supreme Court has stated, it is vital for the religious mission of every religious school to be able to decide who will serve as teachers and role models for the students,” said Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president. “To allow courts to question or challenge these decisions would undermine the autonomy of religious schools.” 

Chabad World Mourns the Passing of Rabbi Yoel Kahn, Zt”l

Rabbi Yoel Kahn, a senior Chabad rabbi, recently passed away at the age of 91. He was globally celebrated as one of the greatest religious philosophical minds of the century, and the most senior chassidic scholar and Chabad teacher. He was a close confidant of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe. From 1950 until his Rebbe’s stroke in 1992, Rabbi Kahn served as the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s main choizer. He would carefully listen to the Rebbe’s talks on Shabbos and Yom Tov, which lasted for many hours when it was forbidden to use a tape recorder and then, after havdallah and consultation with colleagues, brilliantly repeat the talks  to the young chassidim so they could be transcribed into print.

(R-L) Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of Agudah’s New Jersey office with Deputy Assembly Speaker Gary Shaer

JCCMP Backpack and School Supply Distribution

JCCMP hosted a backpack and back to school supply giveaway for the community on Sunday, August 29, distributing over 750 knapsacks, toys, and school supplies, as well as treats for the kids, including popcorn and cotton candy. Menucha Worcman, director of social services was instrumental in getting this program underway.

JCCMP Yom Tov Care Packages 

On Thursday, August 26, the JCCMP partnered with the Met Council of Jewish Poverty to pack and distribute food orders for families in need. Five boxes of food were given to each family to make a difference in their simchas Yom Tov. “We are so grateful to partner with the Met Council to help so many, “said Shea Rubenstein, executive vice president of the JCCMP. “It was really nice to see the enthusiasm of our volunteers, “ added Avi Krakauer, assistant executive director.