Eight hundred thousand people lined the streets of Jerusalem within hours to pay their last respects to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l, making it the largest funeral in Israel’s history. The streets were engulfed by a sea of his followers who loved and respected him and were there to honor their supreme spiritual leader. The van carrying his body was held up for hours as masses blocked the route to the cemetery.
The Prophet Yirmeyahu said “He has cast Yisrael’s glory down from the Heaven to the ground.” It is not possible for me, a tiny, feeble candle, to properly eulogize the glory of the sun. Nevertheless, my heart is churning within my breast. I must express my feelings about the loss of our nation’s leader, the leading Posek of the generation, its crowning glory, the pillar of kiruv, the pillar of Torah and of halakha.
At its height, the number of Jewish citizens in Ireland only reached 5,000, so why does Ireland need a museum to celebrate a community that today numbers just over 1,000? The answer to this question is long and beautiful.
Chabad of Harlem first opened its doors in the fall of 2007, to serve the small but growing Jewish community of Harlem. The vibrant and welcoming synagogue offers a fantastic children’s summer camp and Hebrew School, Torah classes for adults, as well as year-round family friendly events for all the Jewish holidays.
The Ljuba Davis Ladino Ensemble has performed all over the world, including Australia and New Zealand and at some of the major venues in Jerusalem. Band members play the bouzouki, a Greek stringed instrument similar to a mandolin; Spanish guitar; and the oud. The musicians as diverse as their instruments.
As a nutritionist and dietitian for the past 16 years, I work to help people get healthier, lose weight, and reverse medical problems through improving their nutrition. Learning to eat the right foods can strengthen a person’s body and optimize one’s well being. Most people are able to integrate my recommendations into their lifestyle to make themselves more fit and healthy.
Supporters of the Sephardic Rabbinical College (SRC)recently gathered at the home of Albert and Joyce Chehebar to celebrate 15 successful years. The SRC was founded by Ezra S. Ashkenazi in 1998, and has since produced over 20 notable community rabbis. Obtaining semikha (rabbinic ordination) at the SRC is not a simple task. Students need to study the laws of Shabbat, mourning, kashrut, weddings and much more, and achieve high grades on their testing. The semikha process is a seven year program.
Rolex watches are so special that only Official Rolex Retailers are allowed to sell and maintain them. With the necessary skills, technical know-how and special equipment, they guarantee the authenticity of each and every part and help customers make the choice that will last a lifetime. William Barthman Jewelers is an Official Rolex Retailer and owner Jerry Natkin recently treated family, friends and clientele to an invitation only, once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating two very special Rolex watches.
After multiple practice sessions, the girls came together under the direction of Morah Lilly Hayat and Morah Shirli Amzaleg to perform quite a memorable program for their mothers and fellow students. Rahel Imenu was special because she completely embodied the trait of tzniut, which is commonly translated as modesty and yet goes much deeper and further than just clothing choices.
As the uplifting voices of four world-class Hazzanim reverberated with selihot (special prayers) throughout Hillel Yeshiva High School, all those in attendance experienced a most stirring and inspirational Erev Yom Kippur. Hazzanim David Saliah, Ram Mizrahi, Shlomo Teherani and Yishai Teherani were asked to share their gift of Tefilla with the students. The prayers helped prepare both students and faculty for the upcoming holiday.
You see all kinds of ubercreative latke recipes around Hanukah time: apple-parsnip latkes, sweet potato–leek latkes, sweet cheesy latkes, savory cheese and chive latkes. The truth is, you can’t go anywhere in the world of latkes until you’ve mastered the classic. So first I’ll teach you this special recipe from Ma and Uputzi. They always made incredible pureed potato latkes.
Our community, the entire Sephardic community and world Jewry have all sustained a monumental loss. Most will agree that Hacham Ovadia zt”l is irreplaceable. He was yahid bedoro (unique in his generation). The Rabbi’s ability to marshal sources and solve complex halachic issues simply and straightforwardly was a rare talent indeed. But truth to tell, his towering personality transcends even his great halachic accomplishments.
There are few more ubiquitous symbols of Jewish presence than the menorah. First mentioned in the book of Exodus, it has pervaded the literary and visual culture of the Jewish people, predating the Star of David as a uniquely Jewish insignia by at least a millennium. In fact, one rabbinic tradition suggests that the emblem on David’s shield was not a star at all, but a menorah! While the star is the centerpiece of Israel’s flag, the menorah was chosen as the nation’s coat of arms, and large, ornate menorahs grace both the Knesset and Ben Gurion Airport.
Sephardic Link orchestrated a truly wonderful event geared to the parents, families, and friends of our community’s singles. They had a multipurpose aim: to educate and inspire with extremely knowledgeable speakers, to raise awareness about what needs to be done, to get more of our singles to meet, and to raise funds in order to create many more singles events year round.
