By Yoseph Kahanov Jax, Florida
If you didn’t know that the Torah has a sense of humor, you probably missed the story of Balak and Bilaam, a tale of two highly influential leaders, who, driven by fear and greed, team up against the perceived threat of a rising nation with G-d on their side. They devise a sinister plot to tap the power of dark forces in order to eliminate the menace. The great spin artist, Bilaam – a self proclaimed world organizer and do-gooder, professing great ideals while at the same time available for hire – and his royal friend Balak, make complete clowns of themselves as they refuse to accept the fact that they are up against the more powerful force of holiness and will not take no for an answer. Their arrogance and greed leaves them spiraling downward in humiliation and disgrace.
You got to admit that the notion of a speaking donkey, who finally sets his highfalutin yet clueless master straight, makes for some great sitcom material. But, as you can imagine, there is more to this story than humor. As with every Torah narrative, it contains a profound and relevant lesson.
Advertisements: (How do I advertise here?)
By Janice Arnold for the Candian Jewish News
MONTREAL — The 68-year-old Rabbinical College of Canada (RCC), the Lubavitcher yeshiva, has launched an “emergency” campaign because it is facing a financial crisis.
The school delayed payment of salaries to its approximately 60 teachers as a result of its cash-flow problems, administrator Linda Rosenblum acknowledged.
She said $600,000 is needed to get out of the current crunch.
CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — Velvel (Vladimir) Mikhlin – Hunter College Class of 2000 names his first baby under the supervision of his Chabad Lubavitch Shliach Rabbi Boruch Sholom Jacobson at the Lubavitch World Headquarters, 770 Eastern Pkwy.
The NYPD released a 103-page tome so private sector security officials can better safeguard their buildings against terrorists. Only about 1,000 copies of the book, “Engineering Security: Protective Design for High Risk Buildings,” have been printed. In other news; the Jewish Children's Museum in Crown Heights and the United Lubavitcher Yeshiva on Ocean Pkwy were awarded anti-terror security grants this year.
ALBANY, NY [CHI] — The Capital Region Friendship Circle noted the efforts of its 65 teen, college and adult volunteers at a recent dinner at Beth Abraham-Jacob Synagogue. Over 180 friends and supporters attended a program that included Lydia Kulbida, emcee; Karen Carpenter-Palumbo of the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, honoree; and Ted Saint James, entertainer.
By Yonit Tanenbaum for Chabad.org
At times, people waited as much as two hours to spend as little as two minutes beside the resting place of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.
An estimated 50,000 people flocked to the resting place of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, over the 24-hour period marking the 15th anniversary of his passing.
Visitors from around the world waited as much as two hours June 25 to spend as little as two minutes beside the Rebbe’s resting place at the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Cambria Heights, N.Y. Over the course of the day, they took stock of their lives, immersed themselves in Torah study and derived inspiration from the Rebbe’s call to strengthen Judaism and reach every single Jew, wherever he or she may be found.
Health Department Advises New York City Doctors to be on the Lookout for Measles. Delaying vaccination puts young children at risk for the disease.
NEW YORK, NY — The Health Department has identified 11 cases of measles in Brooklyn during the past two months, and is urging doctors to be vigilant and promptly report suspected cases to the agency. Nearly all the known cases have occurred in children who went unvaccinated, leaving them unprotected against the disease. Measles is not common in New York City, but it is highly contagious.
Alternate side parking (street cleaning) regulations are suspended on Friday and Saturday, July 3-4, for the observance of Independence Day. Because Independence Day is a major legal holiday, parking meter regulations are also suspended on Friday and Saturday. On major legal holidays, stopping, standing, and parking are permitted, except in areas where stopping, standing, and parking rules are in effect 7 days a week (for example, “No Standing Anytime”).
Click here for the 2009 Alternate Side Parking Regulations Suspension Calendar
By Michael Rochvarger for Haaretz
The management at Boymelgreen Capital has been given a breather. Yesterday the holders of series B1 and B3 bonds convened and agreed to forgo their demand for immediate repayment of NIS 400 million, at this stage at least.
The Chabad Terror Victims Project took a group of injured soldiers from recent Israeli battles to Australia for a special vacation. They landed yesterday with Rabbi Yossi Swerdlov of Chabad's Terror Victims Project who is accompanying them on the trip. In the Extended Article he recounts their experiences so far.
MELBOURNE, Australia [CHI] — Chabad of Melbourne CBD was honored to have Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan address their Businessman’s Luncheon this week.
The Shliach of the Chabad House, Rabbi Chaim Herzog introduced Rabbi Kaplan of Baltimore, Maryland, saying that he is, in fact, no stranger to Melbourne, having attended the Rabbinical College of Australia and New Zealand in the early 1970’s.
Please take a moment and say a Kapitel Tehillim for a Refuah Shlaima.
Menachem Mendel ben Chana Pesel
Menachem Mendel ben Chana Pesel
CrownHeights.info wishes Mazal Tov to Shneur and Yocheved Minsky (Crown Heights) on the birth of their son.
May the newborn be a source of Nachas to his parents, grandparents and Klal Yisroel.
To submit your Simcha or Mazal Tov email us at MazalTov@CrownHeights.info!
May the newborn be a source of Nachas to his parents, grandparents and Klal Yisroel.
To submit your Simcha or Mazal Tov email us at MazalTov@CrownHeights.info!
CrownHeights.info presents this weeks Living Torah excerpt, “Youth Movement”!
Living Torah is a member supported project. Become a member today at www.LivingTorah.org!
» Also Available with Hebrew, French, Russian, Spanish and Yiddish Subtitles!
Ahavas Chesed Blood Drive today, Thursday, July 2nd from 2:00pm untill 9:00pm. At the Ahavas Chesed Center at 271 Kingston Ave, [between Lincoln Place and St Johns Place].
Pictures of the first day of Camp Gan Israel Detroit. In this gallery you can view pictures of the campers coming off the busses, then the head counselors introducing the campers to their counselors and the first lineup.
» Many More Pictures in the Extended Article! (By Levi Teitlebaum)
Video not working? Try downloading the latest version of the Flash Player! (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/).
JLI has released a new course on the vessels in the Beis HaMikdosh for Shluchim to deliver during the three weeks Bein HaMeitzarim in keeping with the Rebbe’s directive. Heaven on Earth: Timeless Vessels, Timely Lessons is a follow up to last year’s successful course on the Beis HaMikdosh’s structure. The new series provides the Kabbalistic viewpoint on the vessels inside it. The in-depth study will teach Students to apply the lessons derived from the Keilim to progress in their personal lives and better the world around them.
Close to 80 Shluchim and Shluchos participated in a two day conference that helped mark the unique success that Chabad Shluchim have had with The Friendship Circle. A phenomenal idea, a distinctive approach, why has it been impossible for other organizations to duplicate this unparalleled success of the Shluchim?
“What is so unique about pairing teen volunteers with special children?” many ask.
Video not working? Try downloading the latest version of the Flash Player! (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/).
This video is graphic! Don't watch if you don't have the stomach for it.
CrownHeights.info presents a 12 minute and 31 seconds video of excerpts from a the English Channel 4 show “Dispatches: Terror in Mumbai.” In this video you can listen to many conversations between the terrorists and their handlers. In one conversation the handlers say that Jewish blood is worth more and to go after the Chabad House. “As I told you, every person you kill where you are is worth 50 of the ones killed elsewhere.”
Video not working? Try downloading the latest version of the Flash Player! (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/).
Today, Tes Tammuz we mark the first Yartzeit of Chana bas R' Aharon Leib, Chana (Raskin) Wolvovsky.
Last year, in honor of Chana's Shloishim, a beautiful song was written entitled “A Gift From Above”. The song was recorded by Avraham Fried at Chony Milecki Studios.
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — A bicycle riding serial pervert is roaming the streets of Crown Heights, and is accosting Jewish woman. Last night during the evening hours 4 woman were attacked, by being hit inappropriately, in the course of 20 to 30 minutes. One of them required medical attention, and was treated by Hatzalah.
Shomrim received calls from 4 different victims, all women of various ages, and the first one coming in at approximately 10:00pm on Tuesday evening, then again within 10 minutes of each other. Many Shomrim members responded to the call and quickly fanned out across the neighborhood in attempt to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.
MIAMI [CBS4] — One of South Florida's oldest Jewish institutions is on the verge of disappearing; regions Bank is foreclosing on the Lubavitch Education Center.
The school is responsible for educating hundreds of children, as well as rabbis, often for free. Tuesday night the school's director told CBS4's David Sutta they will not go down without a fight.
