Rabbi's Blog

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

Thank you to all of you for coming to hear Yossi Landau speak on behalf of Zaka, sharing his experiences on October 7 and beyond with our community. Yossie spoke for close to 40 minutes but I’m certain that he could have spoken for longer and no one would have noticed, as he held us in rapt attention with his emotional account of the sacred work he and his organization did and does. It was infuriating to read an article published last week alleging that Zaka staged photo opportunities and used its experiences as fundraising tools (I will not link the article, of course). Certainly, Zaka deserves any of the support it can get and of which it is in serious need, and if their experiences motivate people to provide it, there is nothing wrong with that. Besides, the kind of presentation that we heard from a clearly righteous- and obviously deeply traumatized- person like Yossi cannot be fabricated. A special thanks to Rabbi Yerachmiel Fried for being the shadchan between ourselves and Zaka. Mazal Tov and thank you to Shuey Mann whose Bar Mitzvah was celebrated last week at Ohr HaTorah, which is why Yossi spoke on Shabbos morning at Shaare.

A special shout-out to Eli Raphael, and Lili and Simon Raphael, on the occasion of completing Masechet Tamid. He is pictured here, conducting the Siyum on the site of the former Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva, from where the Daf Yomi program originated. 

Finally, a thank you to  Randy Pulitzer for a most unusual and fragrant gift. On Sukkot, I delivered a shiur titled “An Etrog Named Buddha and a Rabbi Named Abdullah,” about the debate surrounding the permissibility of the use of the Buddha’s Finger Citron as an etrog for Sukkot. The question originated from the Jewish community in Hong Kong (who were primarily of Iraqi descent) where this fruit was readily available, and was asked of Rabbi Abullah Somekh, the Rosh Yeshiva in Baghdad. Rabbi Elli Fischer  termed it “Kreken fruit” and addressed the controversy in this episode of his podcast, “Down The Rabbi Hole.” On Friday night, greeting me on my seat was an actual Buddha’s Hand citron, purchased at Central Market for me by  Randy! It   took my back to Sukkot (the part before October 7th, certainly) and smelled terrific! 

Rabbi’s Recommendations

1. Two former Shaare scholars in residence published books in the same week, on the same subject, with slightly different approaches. Dr. Elana Stein Hain of the Shalom Hartman Institute published a book called Circumventing The Law , about legal loopholes in Jewish Law. This book grew from her doctoral thesis, a subject about which she lectures widely, including in our community. My teacher Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University and Rabbi of Congregation Ohr Saadya of Teaneck, published a book titled Letter And Spirit: Evasion, Avoidance and Workarounds in the Halachic System This week, the two of them will be speaking at a special panel event at Lincoln Square Synagogue about the commonalities and differences in their approaches to this material. I recommend reading either or both of these works!

2. From this week’s Nach Yomi- Joshua Fought The Battle of Jericho, sung by the legendary Mahalia Jackson. 

Last Week’s MSOTW

Kudos to Perrin White and Shelley Weiss who correctly identified this shul as Shomrei Shabbos in Boro Park, Brooklyn- a shul that never sleeps. The shul is so active that it employs two salaried gabbaim to serve the needs of the many hundreds of people who daven there daily. See here and here for articles about their legendary daytime Gabbai, Moshe Metzger, and recently retired nighttime gabbai, Hillel Moses. 

This Week’s MSOTW

This week’s beautiful MSOTW is a major shul in an extremely strong community. The picture was submitted by a Shaare member and taken on a recent trip. I love when people share these photos with me! Name the shul, the community and, for extra points, the Shaare member who submitted it (it is a good test of how well you know your fellow members!)

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

I was recently contacted by someone named Daniel Steinberg, a Rabbi, marketer, and stand-up comedian who had previously written for Howard Stern and interned at Saturday Night Live. Rabbi Steinberg recently began a service called “The Maggid Method,” helping speakers, especially Rabbis, craft their sermons and presentations and hone their speaking techniques. Each week, he interviews one or two Rabbis and asks them about their methodology in preparing sermons, their style of delivery and what they feel their areas of strength and weakness are. I was quite flattered that Rabbi Steinberg reached out to me to interview me. The result can be viewed here or listened to here. While I wish I used fewer filler words and phrases and that my voice was less nasal and whiny, I was, overall, reasonably pleased with the result. The other rabbis he has featured are also well worth listening to. 

Hakarat HaTov and Mazal Tov

It is ironic that an episode about speaking and sermons came out during a time period in which I have spoken relatively little. A special thank you to Lydia Belzer for her thoughtful and inspiring comments last Shabbat morning, and to the women who spoke on Sunday at the Nach Yomi Siyum about their Nach Yomi journey. A special mazal tov to all our members who participated and completed the Nach Yomi cycle, some of them for the second time. Kol HaKavod as well to those who have undertaken to join the program when it starts over, on February 1. Note that Nach Yomi is open to men as well; daily Torah study in any form is essential to what it means to be a serious Jew and studying Nach is a great way to get to know the basic texts, personalities and stories of our tradition. 

Join us this Shabbat to hear from Rabbi Yakov Majesky, middle school principal at TA in Baltimore and a kidney donor, to speak about his journey to kidney donation. There are six members of the Dallas Jewish community who require kidneys, including our own Linda Blasnik. Please join us on Shabbat morning to hear Rabbi Majesky. 

Next Shabbat, we will have the honor of hearing from Yossi Landau, the director of operations for the southern region of ZAKA. Yossi was one of the first to witness the carnage of October 7, and he will be speaking about his experiences and the essenital work ZAKA has done and continues to do. 

MSOTW

Last week’s MSOTW was the Cabo Jewish Center/Chabad of Cabo, the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue. Donated by Raymond Schinazi, the aron kodesh is modeled after that of the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria, Egypt. A special thank you to Sonia and Rabbi Benny Hershkovich for giving us (me and the Finkelsteins and Rachmans) a grand tour of the magnificent facility, which includes the shul, a kosher restaurant, a gorgeous Mikvah and a kindergarten. Being a Chabad Shaliach in Cabo can be quite lonely, as it is far away from any established Jewish community and there are very few local Jews, but they serve the needs of locals and tourists alike with dedication and humor. 

This Week's MSOTW

Name this shul, where it is located and its connection to Dallas. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

This Shabbat, we have a special opportunity to do a mitzvah, just by going to shul. Itay Atias and his family relocated to Dallas shortly after Simchat Torah; the family has been through many changes and challenges, and suffered the loss of close friends and associates on that day. They came to Dallas, where they have family; Itay’s mother Dana is cousins with our own Amber Waks, and his uncle Nir Geist lives here as well.

Itay is still making friends and learning English, and this is certainly not what he and his family envisioned when they imagined and planned for his bar mitzvah. When they turned to us to see if we could be the venue for it, we agreed enthusiastically. It is the least we can do to welcome a member of the Jewish family, especially from Israel, into the Shaare family. Please join us in shul tomorrow and help make Itay’s simcha an unforgettably joyous one. 

Special Hakarat HaTov to Jacques Ohayon and kiddush crew always put together a delicious spread, but they are not a catering operation; for this event only, they made an exception. Join us tomorrow, and you will be rewarded with a sumptuous gala kiddush. I hope to see you in shul!

Last Week’s MSOTW

Last week’s MSOTW is the Ohr Torah Tunisian Synagogue in Akko. The entire building, inside and outside, are decorated in mosaics from tiles made in Israel, which took 54 years to create. The shul also has 140 stained glass windows, and a dome. 

This Week's MSOTW

Changing demographics in the community where this shul is located caused its original status, as a Conservative congregation, to lose long-term viability. In time, the shul became Orthodox and now it is the local “minyan factory.” Name the shul and the community.

Rabbi’s Resources and MSOTW will resume January 11, 2024.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

1. The passing of Henry Kissinger last week, at the age of 100, leaves an opportunity to reflect on his complicated legacy. I am not a political scientist, but wiser people than I have weighed in- some nearly 50 years ago! On December 20, 1975, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm delivered a sermon at The Jewish Center titled “Kissinger and The Jews.”  He opened with the following caveat:

I do not remember ever publicly discussing Secretary of State Henry Kissinger since he was catapulted into national prominence. There are two reasons for this. First,I have a natural aversion to discussing politics from the pulpit. Second, I was unsure as to whether he is - to put it quite primitively - good or bad for the Jews, or, equally important, good or bad for America. 

He then went on to explain why Kissinger is bad for both.
                           
Perhaps it is for the good of all of us, Jews, Israelis, Americans, and the world, that the tenure of this man is drawing to a close and that he will be able to return to the obscurity from which he emerged upon us. My only fear is that his policy of detente may yet prove to be more disastrous for America than for Israel. If that policy proves indeed to be a failure,and America is mortally weakened at the expense of Soviet Russia, Americans may well blame not Kissinger, but the Jews-whom Kissinger did so much to disown. 
                
To read Rabbi Lamm’s full remarks, click here.  

I would also commend to your attention a recent episode of the Jewish History Podcast with Rabbi Dr. David Katz, whose Torah and whose knowledge I’ve shared with you in the past. This episode addresses Kissinger’s complicated relationship with the Jewish community- to listen, click here.                 

2. Tonight, we begin lighting Chanukah candles and with it, we sing Maoz Tzur ( sung here in a setting by Italian baroque composer Benedetto Marcelo). The history of the composition of this song is a fascinating one, especially the meaning of the final words:

דְּחֵה אַדְמוֹן בְּצֵל צַלְמוֹן הָקֵם לָנוּ רוֹעִים שִׁבְעָה:
Reject the red one, into the shadows of idolatry, and revive for us the Seven Shepherds. Whether the “red one” refers to Frederick Barbarossa or Christianity itself, and whether it was an original stanza or one that was added later, is the subject of scholarly debate. See here for a defense of the latter opinion, and here for an article asserting that Maoz Tzur is one unified anti-Christian polemic.

Versions of an additional paragraph is found in several different sources, attributed to the Rema, Rav Moshe Isserles (1530-1572). Here is the one found in the work Mekor Chaim of Rav Yair Chaim Bacharach (1639-1702). The text is especially appropriate this year:

מֵ'עוֹלָם הָיִיתָ יִשְׁעִי, כְּבוֹדִי וּמֵרִים רֹאשִׁי
שְׁ'מַע נָא קוֹל שַׁוְעִי, מַלְכִּי אֱלֹ-ַי קְדוֹשִי
הַ'עֲבִיר חַטָּאתִי וּפִשְׁעִי, גַּם בַּגָּלוּת הַשְּׁלִישִׁי
חַזֵּק יִשְׂרָאֵל הַכְנִיעַ יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וּמֵאֱדוֹם תִּפְדֶּה נַפְשִׁי

You have always been my salvation, my glory who lifts my head
Listen to the sound of my entreaty, My King, my God and my holiness,
Remove my sins and transgressions, in the third exile too,
Strengthen Israel, subjugate Ishmael, and from Edom (Rome) redeem my soul
     
3. Today, the 24 of Kislev, was the Yahrtzeit of the great Rosh Yeshiva and spiritual leader of the Lithuanian Chareidi community, Rav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman (1914-2017). Rav Shteinman was known for his vast Torah knowledge, his penetrating insight, his abundant common sense and the shockingly abstemious lifestyle he led; he lived in a tiny apartment in Bnei Brak that was hardly furnished at all; his bed was little more than a wooden board with a rudimentary mattress. He slept little, and ate even less- at the time of his passing, I read a quote from a doctor saying that his  lifestyle was actually quite healthy (in particular the minimal eating) and may be a medical reason for his longevity. His will is a testament to his humility:

a. I request strongly that no one should eulogize me, not in the presence of my body or elsewhere, not to make gatherings of awakening or mourning, or any other names that obfuscate the intent to eulogize.

b. No articles should be written about me in daily, weekly or monthly publications.

c. No announcements should be posted about my funeral, whether in print, by radio or PA system. It is sufficient that ten people will attend the funeral (Note: it was attended by hundreds of thousands of people)

d. Effort should be made that there is no lag time between my passing and my burial, and the burial should occur as close to my death as possible.

e. No descriptions or honorifics should be written on my headstone, save for "Here is buried Aharon Yehuda Leib ben Noach Tzvi Shteinman."

f. The headstone should be the cheapest and most simple one, and no money should be wasted in purchasing a burial plot. If people would like to give money to charity, they should do so without the purchase of a burial plot.

g. On days when it is customary to visit a gravesite, excessive time should not be wasted in doing so. It is better to strengthen one's learning than to speak about frivolous matters.

h. If the search for a place to lead services [for the mourners] will significantly compromise Torah study, it is better to study Torah for the sake of God during that time instead.

i I ask that all those who want what is best for me to study a chapter of Mishnah until the conclusion of the 12 months of mourning; women should say ten chapters of Tehillim daily, including Shabbos and Yom Tov.

j. Please don't describe me as a tzaddik or as a God fearing person so that I will not be humiliated by these descriptions in the world of truth.

k. I strongly request forgiveness from anyone whose honor I have hurt and similarly, from anyone to whom I owe money and either they didn't know about it at all or didn't know they had halachic recourse to collect it.

l. None of my descendants should follow my body to burial, in consonance with the custom in Jerusalem.

m. Since many people have a mistaken impression of me, I advise that people should not name their sons after me, though I don't forbid it.

Finally, December 7 is the secular anniversary of my first ever trip to Dallas and Shaare Tefilla. Nine years ago, on December 7, 2014 I came for a nearly 24 hour visit, to meet with the members of the search committee, to tour Dallas and to deliver a shiur that evening at Shaare Tefilla. I am grateful to everyone who was involved in making it such an enjoyable trip; aside from the members of the search committee in general and those who attended the class, I am grateful to Mike Zucker for being my guide that day, to Rachel and Matthew Berke for hosting me overnight in their home, and Richard Rohan for an early airport run the following morning. May we all go from strength to strength!

This Week’s MSOTW​​​​​​​

Kudos to Perrin White for correctly identifying the pictured shul as the Tiferet Yerushalaim shul (Hayazdim), in the Bukharian neighborhood in Yerushalaim. It was established by olim to Israel from the city of Yazd in Iran. The shul’s claim to fame is that Rav Ovadia Yosef delivered a weekly shiur there every Motzei Shabbat for several decades. The connection to last week’s Haftarah is that it was the entire book of Ovadia.

This Week's MSOTW

The cantor in this picture was a legend, certainly in the well-known and illustrious community he served for 40 years. Name the Cantor and the community (hint: someone mentioned previously in this communication was, at one time, affiliated with the same community).

Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Saameach,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,
​​​​​​​
It has been a tragic week for our community as we learned of the passing of Binyanim Meir Airley z”l, hy”d, beloved grandson of Mrs. Julie Wolk. The death of any soldier in the defense of our country and our people is tragic, all the more so when he was a remarkable young man from an exceptional family. I will not write any more about him, as I hope we will have an opportunity to hear more from Mrs. Wolk directly about the extraordinary young man her grandson was. So many of us live one degree removed from the community in Ramat Beit Shemesh where Mrs. Wolk’s daughter and son in law, Jen and Rob Airley live. It is in this community that they teach and study Torah, and it is this community that has stepped up. Please see these two initiatives begun in memory of Binyamin:

1) At Binyamin’s funeral, his mother asked that people undertake acts of kindness in his memory. To sign up, click here.

2) R’ Eli Stefansky has created a worldwide virtual and in-person community surrounding the study of Daf Yomi. Wherever he travels and teaches, hundreds of people show up. People who have never met one another in person feel like they know each other, and they share in each other’s lives. Rob Airley is a daily in-person participant. The MDY community is reviewing half of Shas in memory of Binyamin, with a goad of finishing by Motzei Shabbat- click here to participate.

Last Week’s MS(R)OTW

Kudos to David Yalovsky for correctly identifying the Mystery Rabbi Of The Week as Rabbi Ben Skydell, Rabbi of Congregation Orach Chaim on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, whom I thank every Shabbat Shuvah and Shabbat Hagadol Derashot. 

MSOTW

This legendary shul takes its name from this week’s Parsha, and is known well to anyone who knows about the history and the art of Chazzanut. Name the shul, the location and, for bonus points, at least one Chazzan who served the community. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

A few days ago, rumors began to spread that the horrifying footage of the massacres of Shemini Atzeret, filmed in real time by the evil subhuman terrorists of Hamas, was going to be leaked from IDF sources (This is quite aside from allegations made by Israel that “journalists” from various outfits were embedded in Hamas units, knew about the massacre and filmed it live, and did nothing prevent it from happening- allegations that, if true, make the “journalists” nothing more than terrorists).  Even though it was meant to be seen only by a select group of journalists, decision makers and thought leaders, the concern was that it would spread far from the original audience. The IDF spokesperson has denied that the video was leaked, and various platforms, including TikTok, have confirmed that it isn’t on there. In an age where information travels at lightning speed, it is important to realize that false information travels at double that speed…There is a line, often misquoted in the name of Mark Twain, that “A lie can travel the world and back before truth puts its pants on.” So much information about what is happening in Israel is widely disseminated without verification, often with the flimsiest of sources (“My sister told me she spoke to her brother-in-law whose sister-in-law’s neighbor is in Gaza and said…), so it is important to verify information before deciding whether it is worth spreading to others. 

At the same time, it is essential that we avoid watching these videos, should they in fact find their way into our social media feeds, whatsapp accounts or email. Trauma experts have spoken about the lasting traumatic effects these videos can engender- what you see can never be unseen. My teacher and mentor Rabbi Yona Reiss, Av Beth DIn of the Chicago Rabbinical Council stated the following in an email sent to the Chicago community:

In my opinion, it is prohibited as a matter of Kavod HaBrios, Kavod Hameisim, and Zilzul Hameis, to view any of the videos that portray the murder and violation of Jews by the Hamas terrorists.  Parents should also take the necessary steps to ensure that their children will not be exposed to these images, which can also lead, G-d forbid, to terrible trauma. 

Rabbi’s Recommendations

I would urge everyone to participate in the Yom Kippur Kattan service on  Monday at 4:45 PM, and, if at all possible, to fast that day as well. It will be a meaningful Tefillah, containing some of the structure (Selichot followed by Kel Melech Yoshev) and some of the same text as the Neilah prayer on Yom Kippur. 

On Monday, we pray and on Tuesday, we march - it is not too late to join the 30+ Shaare members who are going to Washington for the rally. I hope to see you there!

Last Week’s MSOTW

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​Dear Shaare Family,

Last night, I encouraged you to contact President Laura Sparks of Cooper Union, as she had not, as of writing my Rabbi's Resources email, made a statement about the events of Wednesday at Cooper Union. Since the time I wrote the email, she has, in fact, released a statement, which may be viewed here.  

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

Thank you to everyone who made last Shabbat such a memorable and uplifting experience. Of course, to R’ Pdaya Halperin for his tefilot and for leading the singing at the tish, but also for the sponsors who made the Shabbat possible. A special thanks goes out to all those who attended, who organized and who sang. There is another oneg this Friday night at Ohr HaTorah as part of the Shabbat Project. In a conversation with Rabbi Feigenbaum earlier this week, I described it as a “rematch.” We are among the partner organizations and I hope everyone will be able to attend! This Friday, you can get a double dose of simcha by going first to the Shalom Zachar of Baby Boy Hirschberg, at the home of Susan and Jeremy Hollander at 9 PM at 5965 Meletio.

Please Write

You may have already seen a video of Jewish students being locked in a building at The Cooper Union in New York, while an angry mob of pro-Palestinianb student were chanting slogans and trying to break down the doors, The students were fearful for their lives and were eventually escorted out of the building by tunnel by police, who had not yet arrived after 40 minutes (!). So far, the leadership of Cooper Union has been silent. Please flood the inbox of President Laura Sparks at lsparks@cooper.edu demanding a response. 

A Larger Than Life Rabbi

It is a sign of our times that, wIth reports of so many people dying or dead in Israel in their under the most horrific circumstances in their tender years, it is almost a comfort these days when someone dies at an  advanced age after a full life. The Torah world in Israel is mourning the loss of the great Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi at the age of 94. Rav Ezrachi was the Rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Ateret Yisrael, formerly of yerushalaim and, since 2019, in Kiryat Sefer.

From a young age, as a student in the Chevron Yeshiva, Rav Ezrachi was known for his nimble intellect, his charisma and his diligence in his studies. He married Shulamit, the daughter of Rav Meir Chodosh, the legendary Mashgiach of the Chevron Yeshiva who then served as Mashgiach in Ateret Yisrael. Shulamit, who died in December of 2022, was an author in her own right, who penned biographies of several noted Rabbis including her father. In 1964, Rav Exrachi began the movement called Bnei Torah, geared toward students in Israeli Yeshiva High Schools, especially Religious Zionist ones, in an attempt to introduce them to the Israeli Chareidi Lithuanian Yeshiva world. 

Last Week’s MSOTW

Last week’s MSOTW was the Central Synagogue in Metullah, just south of the Lebanon border. As the town has been evacuated, the shul stands empty at the moment. May it return soon to full use!

This Week's MSOTW

The people who daven in this shul are watching the events unfolding in the north of Israel extremely carefully, because they have a long-standing connection to that region. Name the shul, where it is located and where its members originate from.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

Thank you to everyone who made last Shabbat such a memorable and uplifting experience. Of course, to R’ Pdaya Halperin for his tefilot and for leading the singing at the tish, but also for the sponsors who made the Shabbat possible. A special thanks goes out to all those who attended, who organized and who sang. There is another oneg this Friday night at Ohr HaTorah as part of the Shabbat Project. In a conversation with Rabbi Feigenbaum earlier this week, I described it as a “rematch.” We are among the partner organizations and I hope everyone will be able to attend! This Friday, you can get a double dose of simcha by going first to the Shalom Zachar of Baby Boy Hirschberg, at the home of Susan and Jeremy Hollander at 9 PM at 5965 Meletio.

Please Write

You may have already seen a video of Jewish students being locked in a building at The Cooper Union in New York, while an angry mob of pro-Palestinianb student were chanting slogans and trying to break down the doors, The students were fearful for their lives and were eventually escorted out of the building by tunnel by police, who had not yet arrived after 40 minutes (!). So far, the leadership of Cooper Union has been silent. Please flood the inbox of President Laura Sparks at lsparks@cooper.edu demanding a response. 

A Larger Than Life Rabbi

It is a sign of our times that, wIth reports of so many people dying or dead in Israel in their under the most horrific circumstances in their tender years, it is almost a comfort these days when someone dies at an  advanced age after a full life. The Torah world in Israel is mourning the loss of the great Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi at the age of 94. Rav Ezrachi was the Rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Ateret Yisrael, formerly of yerushalaim and, since 2019, in Kiryat Sefer.

From a young age, as a student in the Chevron Yeshiva, Rav Ezrachi was known for his nimble intellect, his charisma and his diligence in his studies. He married Shulamit, the daughter of Rav Meir Chodosh, the legendary Mashgiach of the Chevron Yeshiva who then served as Mashgiach in Ateret Yisrael. Shulamit, who died in December of 2022, was an author in her own right, who penned biographies of several noted Rabbis including her father. In 1964, Rav Exrachi began the movement called Bnei Torah, geared toward students in Israeli Yeshiva High Schools, especially Religious Zionist ones, in an attempt to introduce them to the Israeli Chareidi Lithuanian Yeshiva world. 

Last Week’s MSOTW

Last week’s MSOTW was the Central Synagogue in Metullah, just south of the Lebanon border. As the town has been evacuated, the shul stands empty at the moment. May it return soon to full use!

This Week's MSOTW

The people who daven in this shul are watching the events unfolding in the north of Israel extremely carefully, because they have a long-standing connection to that region. Name the shul, where it is located and where its members originate from.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

Rabbi’s Resources is back, after an extended hiatus and under the cloud of sadness and anxiety we are all feeling together. In times like these, we must support one another, and strive to maintain positivity and optimism even as we deal with and are honest about our own feelings. With this in mind, let’s begin with the Hakarat HaTov Corner:

1. Thank you to all those who have signed up for TehiLuim and the Mitzvah Miluim Campaign. We are already on the second round of daily Tehillim, and hope to fill that one up too- and beyond. The more involved, the better! PLease sign up as well for the Mitzvah Miluim Campaign- it’s a great opportunity to do something meaningful when we may often feel helpless. 

2. A special thank you to all those who turned out, some on very short notice, to show support for Israel at the Dallas City Council Meeting, when the council unanimously passed a resolution in support of Israel. It was intensely difficult to sit through the many speeches in support of Hamas and viciously attacking Israel, but we were fortunate to have wonderful representatives speaking, including Rabbi Eliyahu Kaufman - Rosh Yeshiva of TTI, Stuart Blaugrund of AJC Dallas and, of course, our own Kim Zoller. A thank you as well to Jaynie Schultz, who made us feel comfortable even as we felt, at least initially, quite outnumbered. I have already sent personal thank you letters to all the council members, and I urge each of you to do the same; we have also sent one on behalf of Shaare. Here are the addresses:

Chad West, District 1 - Chad.West@dallas.gov 
Jesse Moreno, District 2 - jesse.moreno@dallas.gov 
Zarin Gracey, District 3 - yolanda.miller@dallas.gov 
Carolyn King Arnold, District 4 - Phil.foster@dallascityhall.com 
Jaime Resendez, District 5 - jaime.resendez@dallas.gov 
Omar Narvaez, District 6 - Omar.Narvaez@dallas.gov 
Adam Bazaldua, District 7 - Adam.Bazaldua@dallas.gov 
Tennell Atkins, District 8 - maria.salazar2@dallas.gov 
Paula Blackmon, District 9 - paula.blackmon@dallas.gov 
Kathy Stewart, District 10 - katherine.stewart@dallas.gov 
Jaynie Schultz, District 11 - jaynie.schultz@dallas.gov 
Cara Mendelsohn, District 12 - cara.mendelsohn@dallas.gov 
Gay Donnell Willis, District 13 - gay.willis@dallas.gov 
Paul Ridley, District 14 - paul.ridley@dallas.gov 

Mayor Eric Johnson - https://dallascityhall.com/government/citymayor/Pages/contact.aspx

3. Another way to help:

Another worthwhile endeavor for financial support - I received the following communication from Benny Fried, former Dallas resident, Shaare member and Yavneh graduate.

My name is Ben Fried. I grew up in Dallas and made Aliyah after graduating from Yavneh Academy. The Shaare Tefilla community was my community growing up.  

In the 15 years since making Aliyah, I've had the opportunity to serve in the Israeli Air Force (6 years, retired as a Captain), be on the founding team of two financial technology startups, and most importantly raise two beautiful daughters with my wife, Meital in our home in Tel Aviv.
 
The last few days have been devastating.
When we woke up to sirens at 6:30am on Shabbat, we couldn't fathom the horrors that would await the country over the coming days.

The losses are almost too hard to bear. Our hearts are broken. But now is the time for action - to show our collective strength.

I am a part of a group of founders that is focused on providing critical gear to the units, in the very short term. 

There are many larger, centralized efforts taking place such as through the Jewish Federations, which are, of course important. We are focused on immediate tactical needs, right now, in direct coordination with unit commanders. 

There is a lot of goodwill, but a lack of process when purchasing equipment for IDF soldiers. The following is the procedure we employ: First, we receive the operational requirement from units on the ground. We then verify the Ministry of Defense specification for that gear, and purchase is from the manufacturer- we prefer Israeli manufacturers but this is not always possible. We then  receive export/import approvals if possible, test the gear to ensure it actually lines up with the stated specifications and then deliver to the unit in the trunks of our cars, directly to them. 
We are in constant contact with the actual unit commanders, especially of the reserves being called up, to verify precisely what each unit is missing and needs to ensure the safety of our soldiers. 

Every hour another 5-10 requests come in: For tactical helmets, bulletproof vests, night vision goggles, and more. Life-saving gear that they need immediately. Israel is fighting, collectively. We will win this war together.

We have set up a tax-deductible non-profit foundation where our friends can support these efforts. All donations made will go directly to purchasing gear. If you would like to contribute to this effort, a link to the website can be found here.  

When this is over, we will mourn together. But first - we will win together. 
With appreciation from Tel Aviv, 
Ben Fried 

MSOTW

It should be no surprise that this week’s MSOTW is from the area in Israel that has been under attack even before the incomprehensible events of this week. Name the shul and the community in which it is located. 

Wishing all of Am Yisrael, all of Medinat Ysrael and all of you a peaceful and safe Shabbat.

Sincerely,
​​​​​​​
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

It is great to be back from a short vacation with my extended family in the Catskills Mountains. I look forward to sharing some of my experiences with you over the coming weeks, and in particular, over the Chaggim, during which I am planning a shiur series about Halachic issues I encountered over this past summer that include several that arose this past week. 

As soon as I came back to town, things got busy again. Last night, I had the honor of attending the installation of Rabbi Eliezer Poupko as the new Rabbi of Congregation Lev Yisrael, the new shul division of DATA Plano. Rabbi Poupko is a member of an illustrious extended Rabbinic family and the son of Rabbi Reuben Poupko of Montreal, himself a Rabbinic legend in that city and beyond. Both Rabbis Poupko spoke at the event as did Rabbi Nasanya Zakon, all of whom spoke beautifully. I wish there was a recording of Rabbi Poupko Sr.’s words that I could share, as the last time I shared anything from him it was his step by step guide to making a turkey…

Today, I was able to jump right back into work in one of the most meaningful ways, by sitting on a Beit Din together with my teacher Rabbi Yona Reiss, Av Beth Din of the Chicago Rabbinical Council, and, alternatingly,  Rabbi Wolk and Rabbi Dubrawsky for seven conversions this morning! How appropriate and uplifting it is to bring Jewish souls into the fold, especially during the month of Elul.

A  few items for this week’s Hakarat HaTov Corner:

1. Thank you to Rabbi Wolk for covering for me in my absence, both when we were in Chicago and now in the Catskills,
and to Jimmy Davis for holding down the fort.

2. Thank you to Rebecca Nussbaum and Ben Fine for designing and dealing with the logistics of the new railings leading up to the bima. These additions are both aesthetically pleasing and helpful for those who need extra assistance ascending and descending the stairs from the bima.

3. A special thank you to Jessica and my brothers, Drs. Ori and Elia Rackovsky and their spouses, Dana and Dr. Naomi Rackovsky for the logistical planning of our family’s getaway in honor of our parents’ 50th anniversary. 

4. And above all, a thank you to Hashem for making it all possible (and throwing in beautiful weather and on-time flights, too!). 

Last Time’s MSOTW

Kudos to Steve Natinsky for correctly identifying this as the deepest underground shul in the world, the shul in the Yitzchak Navon Train Station in Jerusalem, the world’s deepest heavy-rail passenger station.

This Week’s MSOTW

Since its founding nearly a century ago (and over 80 years in its current location), this beautiful shul has never missed a minyan despite being far from any heavily Jewish neighborhoods. This is attributed to a blessing by a revered Rosh Yeshiva. Name the shul, the location and, for extra points, the Rosh Yeshiva. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,
 
I am grateful to all those who shared feedback with me about last week’s sermon - and for those who disagreed with some or all of it who shared their feedback respectfully. Judy Kogutt  compiled a list of things anyone and everyone, regardless of political orientation, can do to make our planet a healthier and more durable place for us and our children - click here to read it. 

Rabbi’s Recommendations

Rav Yekusiel Yehuda Halberstam, the Klausenberger Rebbe, (1905-1994) was one of the most remarkable Jewish leaders of the 20th century. A visionary who built people and institutions in the aftermath of the Holocaust, a full account of his biography would sprawl over many pages. There is no better time to speak about him than Tisha B’Av in the afternoon - join me on Thursday, Tisha B’Av, one hour before Mincha (7:05 PM) and I will explain why. 

Last week’s MSOTW

The members of this community founded other institutions that continue to this day, including the boys and girls divisions of the Horev School, and Yeshiva Kol Torah in Bayit Vegan, affiliated with the chareidi Agudat Yisrael party. As the population of the neighborhood aged and many members passed away, the shul 
closed in the 1990s. In 2003, a group of young religious Zionist residents of the neighborhood established a minyan in the shul building, leading to its revival (and switching to nussach Sephard). It is one of the few religious Zionist shuls in the Rechavia neighborhood, and is now a vibrant shul once again, with classes, chavrutot and regular learning opportunities as well as an event space in the backyard.

MSOTW - Tisha B'Av Edition

The crosses in the picture don’t deceive. In the spirit on Tisha B’Av, where we commemorate the destroyed beit hamikdash, it is appropriate to discuss a building that used to be a shul but isn’t any longer. This building was, in its heyday, one of the most vibrant shuls in America, a pathbreaking synagogue that was the first of its kind. Name the shul (hint: The shul still exists, in a different location) and what was unique about it. 

Rabbi’s Resources will be on hiatus until Thursday, August 10, 2023. 

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family,

For this week’s Hakarat HaTov Corner, I owe gratitude to Rabbi Sholey Klein of Dallas Kosher for organizing this past Sunday’s event at Triple Creek Red Angus farms in Rockwall, showing us a farm full of potential part adumot, or red heifers. In my sermon on Shabbat, I will share my impressions, and some important lessons I took away from the event. 

I am also grateful to all those who shared feedback about last week’s sermon in honor of Yossele Rosenblatt’s 90th yahrzeit, especially after listening to some of the pieces I sent out on Motzei Shabbat. Your feedback is always appreciated, as is your patience and generosity of spirit considering that the AC was not working and you were likely a tad uncomfortable. As I said on Shabbat, it was likely sweltering in the summer heat in Jerusalem on Yossele’s last Shabbat, and the Churvah shul, where he led davening, was certainly not air conditioned…This week, a concert took place in New York’s Merkin Hall, in Yossele’s memory - you can watch the entire thing here.

On Tuesday, I flew up to Cleveland for the day to serve as a chaperone for the 16 Dallas kids who are attending the first session at Camp Stone. The kids were all well-behaved, and are great representatives of our community. Randi Mashmoor, the executive director of the camp, told me that she LOVES Dallas - the parents, and the kids, are so nice and make no entitled demands on the camp (as opposed to those from other cities). She said we are so easy to work with and she was so excited when we arrived! I am grateful to Ben Kogutt and Mordechai Langer for being excellent co-chaperones and travel companions. Their good humor and easygoing nature were especially in evidence after we dropped off the kids and went to lunch. It took no fewer than three restaurants (and three Uber/Lyft rides) before we found one a) whose kitchen was open b) that would serve us and c) that was serving food we actually wanted to eat. In one case, we entered the largely empty restaurant at 2:10 PM and were told that the kitchen had closed from lunch service at 2, so they would not be seating us…thanks to Arova in Cleveland for feeding three hungry Texans.

I am also grateful to Jessica for encouraging me to travel to quite a few smachot over the last few weeks, even though the end of June and the beginning of July are always busy times for her at work. In particular, I am grateful to her for encouraging me to fly to Israel this coming week, where I will, with God’s help, officiate at the wedding of Liad Guttman and Ayelet Katz. Thanks of course to the Guttman family for making the trip possible. While I am gone, please direct your Rabbinic questions to Rabbi Yaakov Tannenbaum, to whom I am grateful for so many reasons. 
​​​​​​​

Bostoner Rebbe was the legendary  Rav Levi Yitzchak Horowitz zt”l the Bostoner Rebbe of Brookline (another, Rav Moshe Horowitz, was known for the niggunim he composed). Under his leadership and at his modest shul,  thousands of college and graduate students in America’s largest college town returned to their Jewish roots and became observant. The Rebbe also founded ROFEH International, an organization that provides medical referrals and support services to the many Jewish families who come to Boston for medical treatment. 

This Week’s MSOTW

This week’s shul was founded by immigrants from a particular European region, included in its official. A magnificent new facility was built several years ago. Name the shul, and the region from which the founders originated. 

Rabbi’s Resources will be on hiatus for the next two weeks and will resume, with God’s help, on July 13. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky

​​​​
Dear Shaare Family.

Eitan Ashman was an exceptionally fit forty two year old. He was a father of four teenagers, a loving husband, he was  the owner of a growing property management company, a CrossFit instructor, a paramedic and driver for Magen David Adom, a Daf Yomi participant who had completed multiple cycles and who delivered shiurim in his community in Efrat. All that came crashing down early one morning, when he had a massive left side ischemic stroke- one which robbed him of the use of much of the right side of his body, of most of his memories of his life from before the stroke, and of his power of speech. This is a condition known as Aphasia, and in this specific case, a manifestation known as Broca’s aphasia, in which a person can conceptualize words in his or her mind but experiences difficulty articulating them. According to the National Aphasia Association, at least two million Americans suffer from Aphasia, making it more prevalent than many better known neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or Cerebral Palsy. 

You cannot imagine how difficult it is for someone to be unable to speak when they have so much to say, and how difficult it is to see someone who was so young and full of life reduced to such a compromised state, dependent on others. According to the National Aphasia Association, 85% of relationships are made worse by aphasia, and those who suffer aphasia remain close with only 20% of the people they were close with beforehand. In order to raise awareness of Aphasia in the Jewish community, Eitan’s wife Leora formed an organization called Koach Eitan. 

One of the first initiatives the organization has put forth is the Worldwide Aphasia Awareness Shabbat, taking place this weekend, Parshat Shelach (Korach in Israel). Shaare Tefilla is proud to be among the synagogues worldwide that are participating. Please visit the following resources for more information:

1.  Leora Ashman’s article about her and her family’s experience with Aphasia. 
2.  A message from Leora and Eitan about Koach Eitan and the Aphasia Awareness Shabbat
3.  Leora’s article in Mishpacha Magazine about what her family has been going through. 

I have much Hakarat HaTov to our member Gary Schwartz, who is a cousin of Eitan’s and who, together with Batsheva, made the initial connection between me and these remarkable people. 

Last Week’s MSOTW

This Week’s MSOTW

Dear Shaare family,

This week, the Jewish people mourned the loss of two remarkable men in their 101st year. Rav Gershon Edelstein, the Rosh Yershiva of the Yeshiva Ketana (high school age division) of the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, passed away at the age or 100, just hours after delivering his final shiur. Rav Edelstein taught Torah for nearly eight decades, and was conferred with the mantle of leadership for the Lithuabian chareidi community in the last several years of his life. On Shabbat morning, in the context of the Bat Mitzvah of Gabriela Raphael, I will be speaking about one important lesson we can learn from Rav Edelstein’s style of leadership.
 
This week as well, Cantor Moshe Kraus passed away at the age of 100. Born in Uzhgorod, he studied in yeshivot, was ordained as rabbi, and went to Vienna to study under the well-known cantor Yehuda Leib Miller. Kraus served as cantor in Marmoresh, Szeged, and Budapest. Cantor Kraus was a Holocaust survivor who was saved in Bergen Belsen due to his remarkable voice, the subject of his incredible autobiography .  He joined Tito's partisans and after the war went to Bucharest where he was appointed cantor to the Malbim synagogue. From 1946 to 1949 he served as cantor and rabbi in Germany and in 1949 moved to Israel, joining the Israel Defense Forces, where he became the first chief cantor. He appeared in concerts and led prayers in the main Jewish centers of Europe. He served as cantor in the Oxford Street synagogue in Johannesburg, South Africa, and also officiated in Mexico, Venezuela, and Canada, finally making Ottawa, Canada his residence. Cantor Kraus spoke often about his Holocaust experiences and gave interviews on the subject as well. Here is his testimonial, recorded as part of a series under the auspices of Carleton University in Ottawa. Here, he speaks about how he met his wife (Rivka, his wife of 72 years (!) who survived him). In addition to being an outstanding Chazzan, he was a captivating storyteller- here he tells a Chassidic story about a graveside miracle (the translation, in some places, is seriously mistaken). Here is Cantor Kraus singing Sim Shalom. 

Hakarat HaTov Corner​​​​​​

Last Week’s MSOTW

The shul is Monte Sinai, in the Roma Norte neighborhood of Mexico City. It was started by Aleppian Jews who immigrated to Mexico in the 1920s. There is a large and vibrant Syrian community in Mexico city, with many shuls and Torah institutions, now located in other heavily Jewish neighborhoods. Roma is now an eclectic and trendy neighborhood, and the community maintains the shul and keeps a minyan going even as the community has largely moved away from that neighborhood. 

This Week’s MSOTW

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky