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AYELET HASHACHAR NEWSLETTER ELUL 5780 “OUR YEAR IN REVIEW”
We wish to extend our condolences to all those who lost loved ones during this time; may Hashem support them and send them healing. And we pray that for all those who are suffering from the effects of the Plague (how we refer to the pandemic) that Hashem sends them a Refua Schlema. We thank Hashem Who performed many miracles and saved many lives including the wife of our own Rabbi Yosi Idan (the head of our community in Modiin see the story at the end of the newsletter*) Tzvika Reisman (the Plague) and Rafi Katz (Machla/Cancer), both of Los Angeles.
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Adopting Senior Citizens
• We obtained lists of senior citizens living alone with no support network at all. We assigned volunteers to talk twice a week with each senior citizen partner. Our volunteers are providing a “compassionate ear” and “compassionate heart”; and are making certain that their specific practical needs are also met, such as grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments, things that required fixing in the home, etc.
Click To Watch
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Teaching our children to be nosay b’ol
We initiated programs in the schools that were open throughout Israel speaking to the young people about the hardships visited upon people by the Plague whether it was those who lost family members, families that collapsed, or people left feeling hopeless. The classes then made special projects which they sent to Jews all over the world reducing their sense of isolation and desperation.
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Sharing our Common Fate
In conjunction with Keren Kayemet Israel we will be planting trees/a forest in the South of Israel near the “Gaza envelope” in memory of each Jew around the world who perished from the Plague. Each tree represents not just the person and where he was from but will contain brief memories about him shared by his family. Right in the middle of the forest we are also building a “Unity Center” to teach visitors the vital importance of unifying the Jewish communities around the world—connecting all of us wherever we live from Guatemala to Bangladesh, from Argentina to Canada, from Vietnam to China, from London to Athens, from India to Russia, etc. May the “spiritual roots” of these trees spread all over the world strengthening our faith and connection to each other. We hope this will be a wonderful opportunity to partner together to grow this forest!
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Strengthening and Giving Hisook to our own families through Shiurim on Zoom given by Rabbanim from all over the world
tremendously successful “Zoom” shiurim for our religious families living in secular communities in Israel. These shiurim were given by twenty-one Rabbanim from China, to America, to Germany, and England (among others) who shared amazing successes and yes, also share their failures in Kiruv, and Divrei Torah all in Hebrew, which gave our families enormous hisook.
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Providing Shiurim on YouTube on the HALACHOS OF SHOFAR BLOWING
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Training not-yet religious Jews to be Shaliach Tziburim for the Yomim Noraim
- We can’t send our Shaliach Tziburim to many of these communities, so instead:
- We are teaching them the Tefillos/Halachas so they can be Shaliach Tziburim for Kol Nidre and
- We are also assigning private trainers to work one-on-one with them until Erev Yom Kippur.
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Providing a Beautiful Venue for Simchas-free of charge
• We offered our Modiin Synagogue’s beautiful huge garden for Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Brisim, etc. free of charge. It has been a tremendous Kiddush Hashem—people from every part of Israeli Society and from all over Israel have flocked to the location to use it!
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Connecting with our brothers in the United States Who are Suffering So Greatly
• Our deepest thanks go to Mrs. Yochi Mitchell (New York and Boca Raton) who encouraged us to connect with our brethren there. We made a very moving and thought provoking video based on the concept that “if a Jew is in pain anywhere in the world every Jew feels that pain.” (Rav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L)
Click To Watch
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Opening our communities to New Immigrants
Aliyah is increasing as a direct result of the Plague and our communities stand ready to receive those new immigrants.
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Teaching Hebrew in the Diaspora to 2nd Generation Israelis
In conjunction with Israel’s Diaspora Office we are teaching Hebrew to any Jew in English speaking countries who wants to learn. Our priority is to reach Israeli families and their children who are at great risk of assimilation in addition to helping other Jews connect to their Jewish identity by learning Hebrew.
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Our Ongoing work
Three New Synagogues/Beis Midrashim have been built;
the fourth is almost finished!
- Kibbutz Beit Kama-in the south
- Kibbutz Givat HaShlosha-Petach Tikva
- Yishuv Mitzpe Aviv-Western Galilee
- Kibbutz HaNaton–Western Galilee (almost finished!)
Three New Eruvin Have been finished
(so our religious families can live there)
- Herzliya
- Glil Yam (between Ramat HaSharon and Herzliya)
Kibbutz Metsuba (Western Galilee)
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Please take a minute and read the beautiful article that was published in Mishpacha Magazine.
Click Here
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We send our condolences to the Karascik family on the loss of their beloved father Yosef, of blessed memory.
Mazal Tov to the Hertzke family on the wedding of their children!
*Rav Yossi Idan (our most beloved Talmid Chacham and Yiras Shomayim Rav of Modiin) and his entire family were stricken with the Plague and were housed in Nir Etzion (a Plague Hotel near Haifa). His wife, who was expecting their 12th child, suddenly took a turn for the worse, and after consulting with Rav Firer Schli’ta they were driving to Tel Hashomer Hospital in Tel Aviv, but did not make it because her heart stopped beating. Instead they reached Laniado Hospital in Netanya, where the medical staff immediately took the baby by emergency C-Section. Thank G-d the baby was fine, but his wife was placed on a respirator and life support. She was in a coma, unresponsive. After two weeks during which our entire Tzibur davened and said Tehillim for her non-stop, she woke up--a complete miracle, Hasdei Hashem!
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Wishing everyone a K’siva v’Ksima Tova and looking forward to Simchas Chag with everyone in Yerushalayim.
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