Agudath Yisrael of America Statement on installation of new president at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah

The forthcoming installation of a new president at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah is scheduled to include a“Roundtable” entitled “Training New Rabbis for a New Generation,” featuring the newly installed YCT president alongside four representatives of the non-Orthodox rabbinate as presenters. This is a deeply troubling, and telling, development.

Throughout its history, our people have been afflicted with schismatic movements and sects at odds with the mesorah, or religious tradition, bequeathed to us at Har Sinai.

Sometimes such “new approaches” openly rejected the Jewish religious heritage, like the movement that introduced itself in the nineteenth century as “Reform.” On other occasions, the break with the Jewish past was more subtle, as in the case of the “Conservative” movement, whose name, though, was quickly belied by its actions.

Torah giants of decades past warned us to not allow any blurring of lines between the world of Jews who maintain fealty to the Jewish past and “new Judaisms” espousing theologies incompatible with our mesorah. They accordingly forbade “multidenominational” religious ventures of any sort.

Sukkos 5774 Frum newspapers and magazines out with expanded Yom Tov editions

With 2 three day Yom tov this year sukkos 5774/ 2013 there will be plenty of time to learn and read up on your favorite newspaper and magazine the frum papers all came out with expanded yom tov issues. total cost  around 25$ .

 Yated Ne'eman added a Sukkos feature supplement, interviews with Rav Dovid Cohen Rosh yeshiva of Chevron Yeshiva in EY, and in honor of the simchas yom tov the Yated landed interviews with  Reb Bentzion Shenker about the transformative impact of his music and melodies of Modzit niggunim, an interview with Malcolm Honeline. A tribute to Reb Shhlomo Zakheim Zt"l king of chesed. The magazine section and included is the famous Chol hamoed guide for places to go with the family.

click HERE for Chol Hamoed sukkos places to go or  HERE for list of places to go on Chol Hamoed 5774
 Hamodia  has 10 supplements in its yom tov section including an interview with Former  Sefardi chief Rabbi, Rav Ovadia Yosef. special yom tov edition included places to go for Chol hamoed. HERE  A sukkos supplement ,the Inyan has facinating articles as usual.

Ami Magazine features an expanded yom tov issue 225 pages  with a mega sukkos package, 6 supplements plus a music CD. A write up about a visit to the Jewish community of Navardok on the  french countryside, a Photo essay "Ruins of the borscht belt" documenting the desolate hotels of the catskills. Rav Yitzchk Sorotzkin on true happiness, an interview with Jews in Iran, a support group for divorced men. A Ami collection for sukkos, Ami Living has an interview with the daughter of the Klausenberger Rebbe Zt"L. A Music cd the together song arranged by Sympinny orchestra and RCCS.

Mishpacha magazine came through as usual with a yom tov issue One package 8 magazines! plus a Bonus sukkos gift, a music CD enduring melodies of the  Torah world sung by Rabbi Abish Brodt click here to listen with an accompanying book on the litvish  songs composed by the Roshei yeshiva. The magazine has 550+ pages. An Interview with Reb Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin in otisville, Majesty in Pshevorsk, Antwerps rebbe is a regal leader.  An with Rav Shteinmans Gabbai  Rabbi Yehuda Heimowitz. Special Sukkos supplements, The way we live- the tones trends and tempo of the lifestyle we share. calligraphy a selection of todays best fiction.

Halachos When Yom Kippur falls out on Shabbos, 5774

This year Yom Kippur 5774 falls out on Shabbos there are some halachos pertaining to this day.

1.  We say Avinu Malkeinu by Shachris on Erev Yom Kippur that comes out on Friday since we dont say it on YOm Kippur

2. One should have in mind to be Yoitze kiddush hayom of shabbos by the bracha of mekadesh hashabos after vayechulu.

3.We do not say Avinu malkeinu According to Ashkenazi customs since we dont ask for personal requests on Shabbos. However by Neeilah we do say it.

4. We dont say the yud gimmel middos by krias hatorah. (various minhagim on this)

5. If one must eat- Children, or someone sick, according to most poskim we do not recite kiddush before eating.

The Talmud states, "If only Israel would keep two [consecutive] Shabbosim, they would be immediately redeemed"

Agudath Yisrael to hold live teleconference shiurim during Aseres yemei Teshuva

The torah projects commision of Agudas Yisrael of America, will host a series of live teleconference shiurim between Rosh hashana and Yom Kippur 5774

Frum online media websites focusing on pictures, videos, targeting younger audience.

The Frum online and print media is no longer boring text only articles, while many sites have photo and video sections, many new  frum websites have popped up gearing to the frum community with a focus on multimedia, specifically  posting  pictures, photos and video clips. 

  Despite recent stats showing attention spans shrinking, even for video watching, the Agudah launched a video channel, Here of its events. Frumpics.com a new frum pics site Here, exclusively posting pics of frum Jewish events, indicate that an article alone wont drive a message home anymore. The frum print media have expanded their picture sections as well. A flip through the Yated or Hamodia newspapers, shows a expanding photo section.

 While in the past, many of the old timers would rather read a article, and an accompanying photo would suffice, the younger demographic or as they are called the you-tube generation don't have the attention span to read up on boring press releases and would rather look at the pix. 

Interestingly a new study out here shows that the Internet's attention span for watching videos is quickly shrinking" Over the last year and a half, according to the numbers compiled by ComScore, the amount of video Americans watch online has stayed pretty steady, but the length of each individual video has reversed its rise and has plummeted over the last year from nearly 7 minutes to just over 5 minutes."

As Frum Yidden who dont watch TV, perhaps this mode of multimedia is still new and if used correctly could be a form of kosher entertainment, as well as a tool, for fundraising, helping our mosdos reach out to the younger generation. 

Agudath Israel launches video web channel of agudah events

 Could this be a step closer to an official website? Agudas yisrael launches video channel HERE hosted by duvys media, of recent Agudah events such as the Lefkowitz leadership initiative, siyum hashas highlights and other events.  

Rav Frand -keep Davening no Tefilah goes to waste- Chizuk for Elul Rosh Hashana

Audio- Rav Yisochor Frand speaking in Lakewood erev Rosh Hashana 5773/5774 in Bais medrash Kol Aryeh on the importance of Tefilah. Rabbi Moshe P. Schwarz Morah Dasrah.