We’re doing something special for Purim this year, and the more of you participate, the more special it will be! Sign up for our first-everMishloach Manot Project to send your friends and fellow Stanton members traditional Purim food baskets. We prepare them for you, you sit back and enjoy Purim, proceeds go to the shul, and everybody wins!
How does it work? You should already have received an e-mail with instructions and your very own log-in code. Simply log-in to the Purim Project site and select the people you want to send to from the list of participants ($5/person or $180 for as many names as you want). The baskets will be available to be collected at the shul on Purim night,March 23, and Purim morning, March 24, when you come for megillah reading. (Please note, each participant receives one basket with a list of all the people who gave to them.)
We are honored to host the Honorable Martin Shulman this Shabbat, February 6, for a special talk in honor of Parashat Mishpatim (Laws). Judge Shulman’s talk on “Selected Torah and Secular Social Laws – No Need to Re-invent the Wheel,” will take place at 12:15pm, after kiddush, and will be followed by mincha. All are welcome!
Celebrate Shabbat with Stanton and the rest of America next week!
We will be having a community Shabbat dinner on Friday night,March 4, for the nationwide Sabbath observance known as Shabbat Across America. Click here to sign up now! The cost is $35/person or $30 for shul members. Sponsorships of $100 include dinner for two. Please let us know if you would like a vegetarian entree.
Rabbi Gavriel Bellino
A native of Lower Manhattan, Rabbi Bellino grew up attending the Young Israel of Fifth Avenue, and after graduating from Ramaz, studied at Yeshivat Shalavim outside of Yerushalayim before getting his degree in Psychology, Philosophy and Women’s Studies from Brandeis University. He pursued his smicha at RIETS before returning to his childhood community in 2006 to lead the Sixteenth Street Synagogue (formerly the Young Israel of Fifth Avenue).
With the recent joining of the Sixth and Sixteenth Street communities, Rabbi Bellino now presides as the Rabbi of the largest downtown Modern Orthodox community, ready to enter a newly invigorated era of downtown Jewish life.
During his tenure as the spiritual leader of the Sixth and Sixteenth Street communities, Rabbi Bellino has established himself as a compelling and unconventional force in Orthodox Judaism.
He has worked hard to diversify approaches and experiences to make Judaism more accessible to the entire community through programs like his Foundations of Judaism class, his Tanakh Yomi initiative, and his inspiring musical havdallah service.
Rabbi Bellino’s intellectual approach is diverse and ecumenical, integrating classical midrash, early Kabbalah and Hassidut, philosophers such as Levinas and Heidegger, underrepresented Jewish thinkers like Yeshayahu Leibowitz and Avraham ben HaRambam, all alongside traditional commentators like Maimonides and Soloveitchik. His ability to draw from such a wide net and boil down complex ideas into easily digestible points is not often seen in the Orthodox world.
Rabbi Bellino works closely with other local rabbis to maintain the downtown eruv and serves as a part of the Downtown Rabbinical Council – a newly formed committee of community leaders dedicated to the Jewish revival of Lower Manhattan.
You may be able to find him at a nearby underground coffee or beer shop, or possibly at a local boxing gym. He splits his time between Teaneck and Manhattan with his wife Cori and children Choni and Keshet.
Zmanim
Alot Hashachar 5:11a
Earliest Tallit 5:42a
Netz (Sunrise) 6:32a
Latest Shema 9:20a
Zman Tefillah 10:17a
Chatzot (Midday) 12:09p
Mincha Gedola 12:37p
Mincha Ketana 3:25p
Plag HaMincha 4:36p
Shkiah (Sunset) 5:46p
Tzeit Hakochavim 6:27p
Welcome to the website of Young Israel of New Hyde Park. Located on the Queens/Nassau border we offer the best of suburban and city life, in a heimishe atmosphere. A vibrant membership of all generations contributes to the feeling of family for new arrivals and visitors alike. It's a shul where everybody knows your name. Being an Orthodox Shul in northeast Queens, YINHP plays a central role in increasing the presence and awareness of Orthodoxy in our community. Our Mikveh is our largest undertaking towards this goal and was completed in April 2013.
For more than half a century, the Young Israel of New Hyde Park has provided, and continues to provide, members and visitors with many of the things that an Orthodox family looks for and needs – daily minyanim, classes, and a newly renovated sanctuary that has received rave reviews from members and visitors alike. There is a community-wide eruv that has recently expanded into Lake Success.
We are most proud of our local school, Yeshiva Har Torah which is an outstanding modern orthodox day school with a new state-of-the-art facility, serving pre-K through 8th grade. Busing to all of the familiar yeshiva high schools is available as well.
The saying goes "location, location, location" and frankly you can't beat ours. The area features one fare bus and subway access and/or, express bus service to Manhattan, is a short hop to the LIRR and if you travel by car, is literally seconds away from the Northern State, Grand Central and Cross Island Parkways as well as the Long Island Expressway.
Shopping is a pleasure as within a couple of mile radius you have your pick of three major supermarkets, all of which feature a wide range of kosher products. For a more specialized kosher shopping experience we are moments away from Mazurs Glatt Kosher Butcher and Marketplace. Tired from all that shopping? Stop off for a bite at our local kosher pizza place, Green Olive, a delicious oasis right in the heart of our community.
Located around the corner from Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Zucker Hillside Hospital and Cohen Children's Medical Center as well as Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation (all of which are within our eruv ), the Young Israel of New Hyde Park has long been known as a place where the family and friends of patients can find the religious support they need and Shabbat and Yom Tov hospitality.
Davening Times
Weekday Times 2/7-2/13
Shacharit-Su 8:10 am
Shacharit-MTh 6:10 am
Shacharit-TuW 6:05 am
Shacharit-F 6:15 am
Latest Shema 8:55/9:31 am
Mincha/Maariv 5:05 pm
Shabbat Times Teruma
Friday Mincha 5:10 pm
Candle Lighting 5:07 pm
Shacharit 8:45 am
Mincha 5:00 pm
Shabbat Ends 6:11 pm
Welcome to Congregation B’nai Avraham, the Orthodox synagogue in Brooklyn Heights. As the only Orthodox synagogue in the neighborhood, we serve a unique role in accommodating people with divergent religious backgrounds and at varying levels of observance. We welcome all!
Our goal is to increase the level of Jewish awareness, knowledge and observance by providing a warm, welcoming community with activities to appeal to people at all levels and with varying interests. We provide a daily morning and evening minyan and more than ten classes a week for adult learning, as well as beginner’s services and children’s services on Shabbat. Our Mei Menacham Mikvah is perhaps the most beautiful mikvah in the City.
Our membership includes both Ashkenazim and Sephardim, and our members’ first languages include Hebrew, Russian, Yiddush, French, Spanish and Arabic, as well as English. Our spiritual leader, Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin, is a member of the Chabad movement, and during services most people use the RCA ArtScroll Siddur and the Stone Chumash, although other Siddurim and Chumashim are readily available.
Come to Saturday services and enjoy a sociable kiddush afterwards, or stop by at one of our many classes, or come to a Friday night dinner with singing, joy and a guest speaker. Whether you are a yeshivah graduate, baal teshuvah, considering conversion or totally new to matters Jewish, we welcome you, and you will find a comfortable place in our vibrant community.
Daily Classes
There’s always something happening at B’nai Avraham! Every day of the week Jewish education classes are taught for free in English.
If you want to pursue your Jewish education, there are no more excuses. See our *list of classes* for more particulars. Don’t see your topic on the list? Ask us!
History
In the Summer of 1988 Stephen and Penny Rosen, having recently become more observant, wanted to establish an orthodox Shabbat minyan. Together, they contacted Rabbi Shimon Hecht of B’nai Jacob in Park Slope, who supplied them with a Torah scroll, books, and a very young man to lead services and read from the Torah. Space was rented from a local theater group, signs posted, calls made, and the hope was that someone would show up for the scheduled Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Initially, there were the Rosens, Drs. Walter and Brenda Molofsky, previous members with the Rosens of a local Conservative Synagogue, the young man (Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin) and Rabbi Raskin’s brother Shua, who was recruited to walk from Crown Heights with the Rabbi.
Amazingly enough, other people came so that there was a minyan, and the first and only Orthodox Synagogue in Brooklyn Heights began.
After Yom Kippur, holiday and Saturday morning services were held at the Rosen’s residence for the next nine months. The Congregation was officially founded as a religious corporation in December 1988. It was named B’nai Avraham in honor of Stephen Rosen’s grandfathers, both of whom had the Hebrew name “Avraham.” Rabbi Raskin noted that “B’nai Avraham,” literally, “children of Abraham” is the name given to converts, and the Congregation has had many converts among its members. After nine months at the Rosens’, the Congregation rented a parlor floor apartment on Clinton Street. As the landlady lived upstairs, the front door had to remain locked. Generally, Stephen Rosen waited at the front door to let people in. Latecomers tossed pebbles against a window and someone would come down to let them in.
We then moved to a commercial space at 100 Clinton Street, where at long last, we could leave the door open. Finally, in 1996, we moved to our current location at 117 Remsen Street, purchased from the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue (Reform), which acquired a larger building three doors away.
In 2000, the Mei Menachem Community Mikvah was built. It is one of the most beautiful and elegant Mikvahs in the New York area.
קהילת שארית ישראל נוסדה במנהטן, ניו יורק בשנת 1654, על ידי מגורשי ספרד ופורטוגל, ונחשבת לקהילה היהודית הוותיקה בארצות הברית. בית הכנסת של הקהילה, המכונה גם "ספרדי-פורטוגזי" ("Spanish and Portuguese"), מתפקד כאורתודוקסי. ממוקם ברחוב 70 (מערב), ניו יורק.
הקהילה נוסדה ב-1654 על ידי 23 מהגרים יהודיים, שבאו מברזיל, ונחשבת לקהילה היהודית הממוסדת הראשונה בארצות הברית.[דרוש מקור] במשך השנים, השתתפו חברי הקהילה במאבק למען זכויות אזרחיות ליהודי ארצות הברית, ובהדרגה השיגו את מבוקשם. מכיוון שהקהילה הייתה הקהילה היהודית היחידה בעיר ניו יורק עד שנת 1825, שארית ישראל תפקדה בתור המרכז של החיים היהודיים, סיפקה מקום לתפילה ולימוד – הן חילוני והן תלמוד תורה, כמו גם מקום לשירותים דתיים (אוכל כשר, מקווה וכו') ומפגשים חברתיים.
Weekday Services January 31 – February 5, 2016 5776 – Mishpatim – Sunday – Friday – January 31 – February 5, 2016
SCHEDULE
Morning Services
Sunday 8:00 am
Monday – Friday 7:15 am
Sunday – Thursday 6:30 pm
Shabbat Services February 5 – 6, 2016 Mishpatim – 5776 – Friday Eve & Saturday – February 5 – February 6, 2016
SCHEDULE
Friday
Candle Lighting 5:00 pm
Services 5:00 pm
Saturday
Morning Services 8:15 – 11:45 am
Torah Reading: Mishpatim
Seuda Shelishit & Class 3:55 pm
Minhah & Arbit 4:55 pm
Sunset 5:19 pm
Habdalah 5:48 pm
About Us
The Old Broadway Synagogue is located at 15 Old Broadway, which is a small street that spans between 125th and 126th streets approximately half a block east of Broadway. Take the 1 train or M104 bus to 125th street and walk east to Old Broadway. We hold services every Friday at sunset, Shabbos mornings at 9:15 and Saturday afternoon 20 minutes before sunset. We have Sunday morning services followed by breakfast and a shiur with Daniel Fridman.
The Old Broadway Synagogue is the better known name of our congregation, the Chevra Talmud Torah Anshei Marovi. we were founded in 1911 in the West Harlem neighborhood of Manhattanville by a small group of Eastern European Jewish immigrants. The congregation originally met in storefronts and in the back of a bar until we built our own building in 1923 on Old Broadway. The congregation was active in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, but by 1950 was struggling when we hired Rabbi Jacob Kret. Together with his wife, Chana, Rabbi and Mrs. Kret brought the shul back to life by recruiting new congregants, at that point, mostly Holocaust survivors. May of these people moved on, but by this time, Rabbi Kret was a Talmud tutor at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He recruited students from JTS and later also from Columbia (he was a regular at Columbia's daily minyan and was the mashgiach in the Barnard kosher kitchen). For me Rabbi Kret embodied an ideal of Jewish authenticity: knowledgeable, observant, welcoming, warm and loving. We are doing our best to follow in his footsteps. In 2001, the shul was listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. We are slowly trying to restore the building and striving to be a beacon of Torah, Yiddishkeyt and Menschlikhkeyt in West Harlem.
Rabbi Moskowitz has focused much of his outreach efforts on the Jewish students at Columbia University. In recognition of his work there he was appointed as a "Religious Life Adviser" by the Office of the University Chaplain in partnership with Aish Hatorah New York. Rabbi Moskowitz has held several Aish co-sponsored events at Old Broadway and some of the students he has worked with through Aish have started to attend Old Broadway.
Following the tradition of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Kret, Rabbi and Rebbetzin Moskowitz regularly open their home and invite many Jews from the neighborhood to their Shabbos table every week. These efforts have resulted in more robust attendance every Shabbos and the understanding that Old Broadway is a happening place.
Another exciting development: the shul has been contacted by a group of Columbia staffers who work in the Manhattanville campus and who would like to have a regular Mincha minyan. The Columbia people, together with some of the Old Broadway regulars, have been meeting daily for Mincha since the beginning of December. This is the first daily minyan that has met at Old Broadway since the 1970s. The service takes place at 1:00pm Monday through Thursday at the shul and we invite you to join us. We look forward to seeing our new Mincha minyan grow.
His love for his fellow man was genuine – you felt it and reciprocated in kind. Every word of Torah was precious. He would sit and think at length about any given passage. If a difficult question was posed to him, it could set off a thought process that could last hours until he responded with an answer that was breathtaking in its precision and clarity. He enjoyed people – especially young people with fresh ideas. When he reflected on his life history, you were transported back in time. You were taken to Vilna, Pinsk, Siberia, Lodz, and of course to Boston and Bnei Brak. His love for Eretz Yisrael was not based on politics or government, but was the essence of a dream to come and walk the same land tread upon by our forefathers. In fact, he was a minister without portfolio – constantly encouraging others to make Aliya. He gave respect to others, regardless of their age. In Bnei Brak, he would not move without the direction given by the illustrious Rav, Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Shlita.Looking back, Rebbetzin Chava Margolis a”h, was half his life. The mutual admiration was something unique to our struggling generation. It was because of this mutual respect that they were able to build and maintain and accomplish all they did.
We here in Boston were privileged to have him with us for a large part of his life. Our vibrant shul is the result of his life's work. The Mesivta of Greater Boston is named for him and his Rebbetzin, because the donor, Mr. Yitzchak Selib a”h, was befriended and educated by him. Mr. Selib also was a major donor to the Kollel, enabling them to stand on firm financial ground. For years, Rav Margolis nurtured donors for New England Hebrew Academy. He was a strong advocate for the Bais Yaakov for many years. He and his children were instrumental in the founding of Torah Academy. He founded the N'shei Agudas Yisrael which functioned successfully for many years. Agudas Yisrael of Boston, under his leadership, was the address for many great leaders of Klal Yisrael. A fruitful and productive time in Boston was followed by his move to Eretz Yisrael. It was an act of Divine Providence that he found himself in the presence of one of the great personalities of the Jewish world – Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein Shlita, son-in-law of Rav Elyashiv Ztz”l, and one of the foremost Poskim in the world. Although much younger than Rav Margolis, their mutual respect was something to behold. He referred to Rav Margolis as “Pe’er HaShchuna” the crown of the neighborhood. Rav Margolis began to give lectures in Mussar. The Sefer of the Alter of Navordok – Madreigas HaOdom – became well known in Ramat Elchonon. He acquired many friends and students – most of them many years younger than him.
Towards the end of his life he suffered a few strokes, but always displayed signs of mussar and yiras shamayim.
On the 14 of Shevat, the light of this magnificent neshama was darkened, and we are left with the memories. He was a bridge to the past, and left us with a path to the future.
To you all, I wish a happy and healthy year.
Minyan Times:
Shacharis Sun: 8:15 AM
Shacharis Mon/Thu: 7:15 AM
Shacharis T/W/F: 7:15 AM
Shacharis Rosh Chodesh: 15 minutes earlier than normal
Mincha: 10 minutes before Shkia
Maariv: Follows Mincha Friday
Mincha: Between 10-15 minutes before shkiah
Shabbos Shacharis: 9:00 AM in winter 9:15 in summer Shabbos
Mincha: candle lighting time Motsei Shabbos
Maariv: aproximately 50 minutes after shkiah
Daf Yomi
Monday through Friday at 6:30 am
Edit Shiur
Daf Yomi
Shabbos
(45 min. before Mincha)
Boyaner Rebbe Shlit"a Speaking at Tish commemorating the Yohrtziet of his Alter Zeide The Pachad Yitzchock of Boyan Zatza"l at Mannhatan Day School on the Upper West Side, Feb 20th 2011. Hosted by the Boyaner Shtiebel of the West Side.
Congregation Talmud Torah Adereth El was established in 1857. It has the distinctionof being New York's oldest synagogue in its original location with continuous services. Founded four years before the Civil War, the history of Adereth El is intertwined with thatof New York City. Rabbi Sidney Kleiman OB"M served as the Rabbi of Congregation Talmud Torah Adereth El from 1939 – 1999. He continued attending services daily as Rabbi Emeritus until his passing at the age of 100 in the Spring of 2013. For more than a decade, Rabbi Gideon Shloush has infused the shul with his energy and creativity, and Adereth El is experiencing a wonderful renaissance. The Synagogue plays a vital role in New York's Jewish community. Adereth El serves the neighborhood through daily prayer services, weekly learning and outreach programs, an array of Shabbat activities, welcoming guests from around the world, providing assistance to those with loved ones in area hospitals
Adereth El's current membership reflects the diversity of its neighborhood, Murray Hill. During the work week, many Jewish businessmen with nearby offices pray at the synagogue. The congregation now includes a number of young, single members due to the growing popularity of Murray Hill with this population. Of note, many Adereth El members are students and faculty at the nearby New York University (NYU) medical center. The synagogue’s proximity to the hospital also brings in many hospital patients’ visitors as guests at Adereth El services. In fact, the synagogue typically has multiple weekly baby-naming ceremonies due to the large number of labor and delivery visitors. Additionally, due to Adereth El’s location near Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women, many Stern students regularly attend the synagogue’s services.
The history of Congregation Adereth El is quite colorful and gives us an opportunity to look at the life and times of a Congregation as it struggles and grows in the most exciting city in the world. It is a reflection of the progress and accomplishments of New York Jews for 150 years. It is also an opportunity to look at and remember the names of men and women who have come and gone and yet whose mark lives on in the energies they gave to the Synagogue they loved.
The Text was written by Rabbi Sidney Kleiman and Andre S. Marx to be included in the 100th Anniversary Journal that was distributed at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on October 27, 1957. Not only did the authors undertake the massive job of reviewing the records and minutes of a century's worth of meetings, but it is obvious that they also did extensive field investigation in the community and at the records offices of New York City.
LSS is a diverse and vibrant Modern Orthodox Congregation that provides religious, social, and educational services and outreach to the unique Jewish community of the Upper West Side. The synagogue strives to be a model in the integration of Halachic Judaism and contemporary life to the broader Jewish community.
In 1964, in the living room of an apartment in Lincoln Towers, a part-time rabbi from Yeshiva University named Steven Riskin took the budding Lincoln Square Conservative Synagogue by storm. His originality, charm and boundless energy captivated members and moved them to a more traditionally observant Judaism, in turn sparking a growing Jewish renaissance on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Before long, a new synagogue-in-theround made its debut at 200 Amsterdam Avenue, and the excitement at the renamed Lincoln Square Synagogue brought hundreds of young single professionals to the neighborhood, creating a vibrant scene for mixing and matching. Young families were also drawn to LSS, attracted by the dazzling teachings of Rabbi Riskin, assisted by Rabbi Herschel Cohen z”l and Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, and the gorgeous melodies of Cantor Sherwood Goffin. “The New Orthodox” they called it on the cover of New York Magazine. Who knew? But as members struggled to navigate between the laws of Jewish tradition and the secular values of the surrounding society, Lincoln Square Synagogue began to see its destiny.
Just down the street from the temples of high culture at Lincoln Center, Lincoln Square Synagogue quickly established itself as a temple of an innovative kind, showcasing the classical and the contemporary, history and modernity. With joy and pride, the challenges of present-day living were brought into harmony with the ancient traditions passed down through the generations. The sacred liturgical texts of tefillah were infused with a new vitality as haunting, time-honored melodies shared the stage with the music of Shlomo Carlebach and The Rabbi’s Sons. The thirst for wisdom was quenched with the scholarship of Rashi and Rambam blended with the insights of 20th-century thinkers like Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook and Rabbi Joseph Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik. Everything old was new again.
What emerged was a synagogue with its own, unique, invigorating rhythm: home to meaningful and enthusiastic worship, to be sure, but also a place to establish lifelong friendships, build businesses and organizations, find soul mates and nourish the next generation through education and religious instruction. Thousands of Jews of all ages and backgrounds had come together to create a true makom kadosh, providing support for each other in times of sorrow and sharing joy in times of simcha. LSS was now a unified community whose commitment to Judaism and love of humankind extended beyond self and family to the world at large. You could walk in off the street for the first time, as so many did, and feel you’d been here before.
As the years flew by, the stunning success of Lincoln Square Synagogue brought with it newfound responsibility: to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse membership, an ever-expanding neighborhood and a 21st-century world. New solutions for new realities were required that would acknowledge the changing landscape, while staying true to the synagogue’s core principles and personality. Recognizing the difficulties faced by those forced to care for their children and their parents at the same time, and those older members in need of help, LSS became the first local Orthodox synagogue to add a part-time social worker to its core staff, guiding those needing support and companionship through the complicated maze of social service programs.
Identifying a resurgent thirst for Torah study on an individual, one-on-one level, LSS members founded the first full-time Modern Orthodox/Religious Zionist Kollel in the New York metropolitan area, offering the learned and the uninitiated new and exciting educational opportunities that reflected a love of Torah as well as eretz yisrael and am yisrael – the land and the nation of Israel.
And always mindful of the needs of the greater Jewish community, LSS members created the Lea Segre Tomchei Shabbos Fund providing free meals to those recovering from illness and childbirth or sitting shiva, as well as the Louis Lazar Benevolent Fund providing free religious articles like siddurim, mezuzot, and tefillin to those in need. All of this and weekly Bikur Cholim visits to Roosevelt Hospital every Shabbat afternoon, annual clothing drives, and a dedicated Chesed Fund that supports a variety of charitable causes in New York and across the country. As our sages teach, “olam chesed yibaneh” – acts of kindness build the world – and Lincoln Square Synagogue always does its part.
In 2013, LSS continued the next phase of its history and moved 100 yards south to 180 Amsterdam Avenue.
We are a Modern Orthodox synagogue located in beautiful Newton Centre, Massachusetts, in the greater Boston area.
Our small, energetic shul aspires to provide an inclusive, friendly, and participatory atmosphere conducive to personal growth through tefillah, tzedakah, Torah study, serious religious expression, and building a supportive community of values and meaning.
As our Sages taught us so long ago: The world stands on three things: Torah, Avodah, Ug'milut Chasadim. At Shaarei, we too stand on — and just as importantly, we stand for — these three foundational pillars.
In January of 2014, the Orthodox Union recognized our synagogue as a Hineinu Synagogue, an exemplary national model of communal inclusivity. Our Shul’s inclusivity statement follows:
We are excited to partner with the Hineinu initiative of the Orthodox Union. At Shaarei Tefillah, we pride ourselves on our warm, welcoming Modern Orthodox community. However, we have learned over the years that creating an inclusive environment requires more than good will. A sincere call for inclusivity must be conveyed not only with greetings and invitations, but must be expressed through architecture and access, signage, wordage and programs. The strength of kehillah (community) should be measured not only in membership units and the length of weekly announcements, but also by our manifest inclusivity and our capacity as a halakhic community to learn and improve, to outreach and in-reach, to grow together through full encounter of Torah uMitzvot. When we built our new Shul building just a couple of years ago, a vision of inclusivity drove our process. We designed our Shul to communicate through structure and form that our Beit Kenesset, our home of spiritual ingathering, invites and values the participation of men and women, adults and children, abled and disabled, empty nesters and young families, frum-from-birth and newly religious seekers. We work hard to concretize this message through our programming and publicity as well. Joining the Hineinu initiative is our way of continuing to respond to this Divine call and charge of hakhel, of inclusivity. We sincerely hope that by stepping up to say “Here We Are,” we will inspire other Shuls to do likewise and invite those who have previously felt without community to join us with their own “Hineini — Here I am.”
מיטל וצבי וילור צידון נישאו זה לזו בניו-יורק ב-2006. לצד ההחלטה על חיים משותפים רקמו השניים החלטה נוספת: לעשות משהו טוב למען הקהילה הישראלית בניו-יורק. מיטל וצבי רצו לחבר בין הישראלים הרבים שחיים בעיר ולספק להם מקום של חוויה יהודית וישראלית אותנטית. מזה שמונה שנים שמיטל וצבי מזמינים מידי יום שישי ישראלים רבים לארוחת שבת חגיגית אצלהם בבית בקווינס, פרויקט המוכר בתור "שישי אצל צבי".
"התחלנו מיד כשהתחתנו", מספר צבי. "אנשים תמיד אומרים, 'אל תתחבר עם ישראלים! ישראלים, במיוחד כאלה שחיים בחו"ל, הם אנשים קשים'. אבל אנחנו רצינו להראות צד אחר של הישראלים, להראות שאנחנו אנשים טובים ויפים. רצינו לחבר ולאחד את הישראלים, להוציא את הצד הטוב והיפה, שיהיה ישראלי מאוד. כשהתחלנו את 'שישי אצל צבי' גרנו בבית ממש קטן, עם מטבח קטנטן, אז התחלנו בקטן. בהתחלה היו באים רק שישה אנשים ומיטל התלוננה שלא מגיעים מספיק אנשים. אבל ידענו שאם נחכה ונתמיד בסוף זה יתפוס. ובאמת, לאט לאט, חבר הביא חבר וזה התחיל לתפוס. פתאום היינו שמונה אנשים ואחרי זה עשרה. היום, כל שבת, ברוך השם, יש אצלנו בבית בערך שלושים אנשים. בחורף, זה נע בין עשרים לשלושים איש, ובקיץ יושבים גם בחצר ומגיעים בין שלושים לארבעים איש. בראש השנה יושבים אצלנו בסלון, בחדר האוכל והחצר ביחד גם חמישים-שישים איש. ובל"ג בעומר האחרון היו אצלנו שבעים איש, שחגגו על-האש בחצר".
כשהוא לא מתפקד כבית חב"ד של איש אחד ואישה אחת, צבי מנהל חברה לשיווק באינטרנט ועוסק בהקמת אתרים וקידום בחיפושים. החברה שלו גם זכתה פעמיים ברציפות בפרס לקידום אתרים מטעם גוגל. אבל נראה שהמצווה של אירוח עשרות ישראלים לחוויית שבת מיוחדת מידי שבוע היא בעלת חשיבות לא פחותה מבחינת צבי, ובהחלט לא פחות תובענית מבחינת זמן ומשאבים.
איך אתם מכינים ארוחה לשלושים איש מדי שבוע?
"זה פרויקט שאנחנו עובדים עליו כל השבוע. ביום שלישי אני עושה את הפרסומים על מנת שזה יופיע בכל מקום וכדי שאנשים ידעו שיש להם לאן לבוא לשבת. אני מפיץ את הידיעה באינטרנט ובפייסבוק, ואני שולח הודעות טקסט לרשימת תפוצה של 200 אנשים. אחרי זה אנחנו עושים קניות בימים רביעי וחמישי. ביום חמישי אנחנו מתחילים את הבישולים. אנחנו כבר כל כך מיומנים בבישולים בכמויות האלה, שבדרך כלל אנחנו גם משלימים את הבישולים עוד לפני יום שישי. את הכל מיטל ואני מבשלים, לפעמים עם קצת עזרה מחברים".
למה יכול לצפות אורח בשישי אצל צבי?
"בארוחות 'שישי אצל צבי' הכי חשוב זה האווירה. יש אווירה נעימה ונינוחה, בלי ויכוחים ורעשים. יש אצלנו אווירה ביתית של שבת, עם קידוש ושירים, חלה ונרות דולקים. יש ארוחה גדולה, שהאורחים עוזרים להגיש, כמו בבית, ואחרי הארוחה הרבה מהאורחים נשארים לשבת, שרים ומדברים. מאז שהתחלנו כבר נוצרו אצלנו הרבה קשרים וחברויות וגם כמה חתונות שהתחילו אצלי בבית. מבחינת האוכל, אנחנו מכינים את הכל בעצמנו בבית. אנחנו משתדלים שלא להגיש שום דבר קנוי או מוכן מראש. בכל ארוחה אנחנו מגישים עשרה סוגי סלטים, חצילים וטחינה וחומוס שאנחנו מכינים. אנחנו מגישים מרק צמחוני, דג מרוקאי ובשר ועופות ותוספות לצמחונים, וקינוחים. כמעט לא קונים שום דבר תעשייתי. אנחנו רוצים שהכל יהיה ביתי וטרי ואורגני וכמה שיותר בריא".
איך מכלכלים ארוחה גדולה כל כך מדי שבוע?
"בשבע שנים הראשונות עשינו הכל לבד וכלכלנו כמעט את הכל מכיסנו. השנה אמרתי שנעשה ניסיון ונבקש סכום סמלי מכל אורח. כשהתחלתי לפרסם את הארוחות בתשלום, פנו אלי כל מיני אנשים ואמרו, 'צבי, עזוב אותך, אל תיקח כסף על הארוחה ביום שישי הקרוב, אני אשלם על הכל'. וככה יצא שאנשים טובים מכסים את ההוצאות כמעט בכל הארוחות מאז, ואנחנו יכולים להמשיך ולהזמין אורחים ללא תשלום".
בעמוד הפייסבוק של "שישי אצל צבי", חולקים צבי ומיטל בוידאו את המתכונים שלהם בעת ההכנה של הארוחות. אפשר למצוא שם בין היתר מתכונים מצולמים של עוגת תמרים פרווה ללא אפייה, חלות ארבעה דגנים או דג סלמון כבוש. הם גם חולקים עשרות מכתבי תודה והערכה משלל האורחים שביקרו בביתם.
איזה מין אנשים מגיעים לארוחות "שישי אצל צבי"?
"אני אוהב להגיד, 'בשישי אצל צבי, כל אורח הוא VIP'. מגיעים ישראלים מכל הבא ליד – סטודנטים, רופאים, בנקאים ואנשי נדל"ן. לפעמים מגיעים תיירים ישראלים שנמצאים בסביבה, או דיילות של אל-על. כל מי שרוצה לבוא מוזמן. אני רוצה להפיץ את הידיעה על 'שישי אצל צבי' כדי שעוד אנשים ידעו על זה שיש להם מקום לבוא בסוף השבוע לארוחת שבת ישראלית ולהיחשף לצד היפה של הישראלים כאן".
Our Hebrew School
We create and environment that brings Judaism to life, fosters creativity and supports your child's unique style of learning. We use a unique approach which is hands-on and stimulates your child's intellect. Our curriculum has been designed to make a lasting, positive impact on the life of your child.
Judaism Comes Alive
Through drama, song art and stories we bring Judaism to life. OUr innovative methods make learning fun and memorable. We teach history by showing Jewish history, a method that encourages critical thinking. Through our mitzvah curriculum we emphasize each mivtzah's meaning for everyday life, in addition to the how-to ritual observance. Our hebrew language ensures that your child will be able to read from a Siddur (prayer book) No matter what synagogue your child affiliates with later in life, she or he will share the language of prayer with Jews around the world.
Our Staff
Our Hebrew School prides itself in our staff. Staff members are imbued with a desire to impart their love and knowledge of Judaism to their students. Recognizing that Hebrew School is an academic after-school program in addition to their regular school hours, our teachers endeavor to create an engaging program that keeps the interest of the child.
Educational Philosophy
Yeshiva Academy is founded on the principles of Chabad philosophy, which is a way of life that integrates the love of G‑d, intellectual knowledge and understanding of the Torah, and the appreciation of the uniqueness of every individual of the community.
Our administration and staff implement this philosophy in all areas of Judaic and General Studies while fostering a supportive environment for all our students.
Holistic growth in academic, spiritual, moral and social/emotions domains
Rigorous academics are pursued with a recognition that our students possess a variety of learning styles and abilities.
Students are taught to apply academic lessons from their practical settings to their daily lives.
Respect for each individual unique identity and talents forms the core of enhancing our students’ sense of self.
Ethics and moral values are explicitly taught, modeled, and practiced throughout the daily life of school.
Yeshiva teachers help our students realize that the Judaic and Secular worlds are interconnected.
Faculty strives to inspire and motivate each child to enjoy learning and a accept challenges while stimulating critical thought processes.
By empowering the head, heart, and soul, a Yeshiva education provides our students with knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be successful and to become members of con