Video: Kedem grape Juice, More Than Just Grapes

Video: Nusach Tefilas Tal with chazan Yechezkel Klang

Kever of Rav Yaakov Ehrenreich Vandalized in Boro Park

Hamodia photo of kever

The kever of Harav Yaakov Ehrenreich, zt”l, in Washington Cemetery on the outskirts of Boro Park, was found to have been vandalized on Friday.
The candle-box, which is an extremely heavy stainless steel structure, had been toppled over but was not damaged. An askan who frequents the cemetery reports that teenagers from a local public school had been seen in the cemetery and were possibly the perpetrators. A great-grandson of Rav Ehrenreich put it back in place.

Rav Ehrenreich resided in Sabrantz, Hungary, and, at the recommendation of the Divrei Chaim, married the daughter of the Kol Aryeh.
After his arrival in New York, Reb Yaakov was a co-founder and the president of Kehillas Ahavas Yeshurun on the Lower East Side. He passed away in 1902. Hamodia

Viznitz Monsey machah on Mishpacha Magazine

Mishpacha magazine features an article on its Pesach issue front cover about the viznitz rebbe in Monsey. Apparently the Rebbe was unaware that a private conversation would end up in the paper. The Rebbe does not allow his photo to be published even partially,says the letter. The Rebbe is also particular about publicizing anything of his personal private hanhagos without prior permission

Video: Rav Chaim Kanievsky medical marijuana "Kanabis" Kosher for Pesach

HaGaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky ruled medical marijuana is kosher for Pesach and can be eaten or smoked.  

Mishpacha interviews Donald Trump

Agudath Israel Says "Vote: It Matters!"

April 19, is Primary Day across New York State. Voters will be selecting the candidates within each political party who will be running for President of the United States in the General Election. Voters in selected districts will also have a chance to participate in a special election for vacant seats in the New York State Assembly and Senate. Agudath Israel urges all of its constituents and friends to vote.

Voter turnout in primaries is generally low. That makes each vote count even more than it ordinarily does. That is especially true in this year's presidential primary, when none of the candidates has yet clinched his or her party's nomination.

Bernie Sanders reaching out to Chasiddish voters in NY

Mrs. Henie Meisles, a”h

Hamodia-BORO PARK - Mrs. Henie Meisels, a”h, daughter of the legendary askan, Reb Elimelech (Mike) Tress, z”l, and wife of, ybl”c, Harav Yehudah Michoel Meisels, was niftar on Sunday night, 10 Nisan. She was 74 years old. The nifteres stood at her husband’s side for over four decades in leading the Sara Schenirer Seminary of Boro Park as well as its branch in Eretz Yisrael. She was remembered for her tremendous generosity, palpable simchas hachaim, and deep sense of emunah and bitachon.

Ponovez Rosh Yeshiva visits Harav Aaron Shechter

Rav Shmuel Markovitz visits Rav Aaron Shechter

Of Falafel and Herring

Have we lost our ..falafels? The tabloidization of the frum news websites and online media keeps sinking to new lows. In a competitive market for ratings and hits the content keep on getting shallow, lower and sicker emulating the secular media. First a story of a stabbing over a "shtikle herring" made its rounds getting hits and clicks for everyone's enjoyment. Not to soon after came a newsworthy story, about  a noted philanthropist if he likes chumus in his falafel pita sandwich or not. The websites reported it about in in a round about way poking fun of the initial photo report in an Israeli website for mixing up the two philanthropic brothers. Needless to say this is what frum news has become. This is the kosher news protecting us from the secular media.

Why Is This Matzo Different From All Other Matzos?

NYT  article on the different taste and textures of Shmurah matzah.

SEVERAL years ago, at a family Seder, I tasted a matzo I actually liked. It was misshapen and lightly burned, distinguishing it from the machine-made matzo of my youth. And this one possessed something that I had never experienced with matzo: It had flavor. What can I say? Up until that moment, the best matzo of my life was not much better than the worst matzo of my life; you could taste the struggle in every bite. For the first time I ate matzo and thought, This is delicious. In the spirit of the Four Questions, which the youngest child always asks at the Passover Seder, and which begin with: Why is this night different from all other nights? I asked myself, “Why is this matzo different from all other matzos?” I’m a chef, so of course I was tempted to credit the baker. Kosher restrictions for Passover prohibit any leavened grain. According to the Torah, the Jews fled Egypt in such haste that there was no time to allow dough to rise. In remembrance, kosher law mandates that Jews avoid any grain that has come into contact with water and been allowed to ferment and rise — “chametz” in Hebrew. A visit to the bakery where the matzo was made, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, allowed me to see how this law plays out on the ground. There were roughly 40 workers, with earlocks and yarmulkes, white shirts and black pants. For each batch of matzo, from the moment the water met flour, the workers frantically mixed, rolled and baked — all within 18 minutes — guaranteeing no fermentation.

Photo: Rav Aaron Feldman RY Baltimore visiting Rav Shteinman

Do you say ויהי נועם on Motzei Shabbos when Erev Pesach falls out on Friday?

This motzei Shabbos,  Shabbos hagadol ,the Mishna berurah states (הלכות שבת סימן רצה רצו) that we do say Viyhi Noam since Pesach does not start during the six days of the week the first day Pesach is on Shabbos. Although Erev Pesach falls out on Friday and it is a yom tov, never the less it is not a yom tov Gamur it is like Purim and therefore we say ויהי נועם on the motzei shabbos before.

Shabbos HaGadol Drasha directory in Bnei Brak

Donald Trump meets members of Frum Jewish media

Kiddush hashem- Frum Jew returns money to bank he received by mistake

Kiddush Hashem: Orthodox Jew from Kiryas Joel returned today 1000's of $$'s he mistakenly received when cashing a check at a local bank. Mr. Shlomo W. when realizing he got $2,500 for a $25 check called the manager and notified her of the mistake. He also asked not to do anything to the teller who issued the money.

Satmar "Anash" asking members to vote Hillary in NY primary

The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and select others met on Tuesday at Agudath Israel Headquarters.

Among the subjects discussed were the threat to the Jewish nature of the state of Israel posed by a very aggressive reform movement, protecting our children, and helping insure that every Jewish boy and girl find their zivug.

(Photo: Yosef Rapaport) L to R: Rabbi Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva, Mirrer Yeshiva; Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, Rosh HaYeshiva, Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim; Rabbi Aharon Schechter, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, Rosh HaYeshiva, Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem; Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh Agudas Yisroel; Rabbi Ahron Feldman, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel; Rabbi Yosef Frankel, Vyelipoler Rebbe; Rabbi Yosef Chaim Golding, Chief Operating Officer, Agudath Israel of America; Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Levin, Rosh Hayeshiva Telshe Chicago (by tele-conference); Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director, Agudath Israel; Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel; Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva Beis Meir; Rabbi Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, Rosh HaYeshiva, Beth Medrash Govoha; Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva Gedolah of Philadelphia; Rabbi Yosef Harari-Raful, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivat Ateret Torah; Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Agudath Israel of America; Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, Agudath Israel of America; Rabbi Simcha Bunim Ehrenfeld, Mattesdorfer Rav (via tele-conference).

Photos: John Kasich visits Boro Park

Ohio Governor and GOP presidential candidate John Kasich took a tour of  Brooklyn today in the Borough park section visiting a Matzoh bakery, Eichlers Judaica and other Jewish institutions.

Agudath Israel of America against change to eliminate the time limits to bring criminal or civil cases.

NYDN- Advocates for victims of child sex abuse on Monday hailed the state Senate’s bill to eliminate the time limits to bring criminal or civil cases. Agudath Israel of America, a powerful ultra-Orthodox organization, is against any change to the law. The group fears that a flood of lawsuits could bankrupt some cash-strapped yeshivas.

“It’s about time that the communities wake up to understand that we are not trying to destroy Catholic schools or yeshivas,” said Mark Appel, founder of Voice of Justice, an advocacy group. “This is about protecting children.” Sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) and Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan), the bill would be the most comprehensive in the Legislature in making it easier for victims and law enforcement to go after predators.

Hamodia: Pollard Attorneys Say Parole Commission Ignored the

 Hamodia- exclusive: Nearly four months after a federal judge ruled that the United States Parole Commission must explain why it has placed such broad and severe parole restrictions on Jonathan Pollard, his attorneys have filed a brief with the same judge, saying that the Commission has failed to do so, and urging that it be ordered to lift the restrictions.

The “Supplemental Notice of Action issued by the Commission fails in every conceivable respect to address the clear mandate of this Court,” Pollard’s pro bono attorneys, Jacques Semmelman and Eliot Lauer, argue in new court documents that were obtained by Hamodia.

Watch: Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi speaks in Lakewood

Video: How to enjoy cleaning for Pesach

ACLU targets a Yeshiva

WSJ. Rabbi Aharon Kotler arrived in the U.S. on April 10, 1941, having escaped Lithuania as the Nazis approached. Even as the Holocaust proceeded to destroy Jewish life in Europe, Rabbi Kotler declared that he would rebuild it in America.
He convinced 13 students to join him in Lakewood, N.J., where in 1943 he founded Beth Medrash Govoha. Today, BMG enrolls more than 6,800. Another mark of its success is that the school now has become caught up in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.
In 2013 the state of New Jersey decided to give grants to colleges and universities to promote business and job opportunities. BMG was awarded $10.6 million to help build a new library and improve other of its facilities.

Video: Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim at annual dinner

Missing Girls From Orlando Found Alive and Well- Hamodia

Rabbi Benjy Korf, Executive Director of Lubavitch Educational Center in Miami, has announced that the two Orlando girls missing since Shabbos afternoon were found Sunday morning. They are being reunited with their families, who came up from Miami to Orlando when the girls were reported missing.
Police helicopters spotted the girls in a deeply wooded swampy area. While they were only several thousand feet away, it took the rescue team almost an hour to reach them. The girls are being taken to a local hospital.

Its Dinner time

Yeshivas Mir  yeshiva Yerushalyim Legacy Dinner Sunday April 10, 2016 at New York Brooklyn Marriott 333 Adams street, Brooklyn, NY Reception 5:00 pm Dinner 6:30 pm

At Birchas Ilanos 5776: Photo- Rav Chaim kanievsky

Rav Chaim Kanievsky saying Birchas ILANOS Nissan 5776

Two High School Girls go Missing in Orlando during shabbaton

Two 16-year-old girls, students of Lubavitch Educational Center in Miami, went missing today in Orlando, where they were enjoying a Shabbaton with their classmates. The two girls went out for a walk on Shabbos afternoon and still haven’t returned. The public is asked to say Tehillim for them.

This Shabbaton, which takes place annually with the entire high school participating, was taking place in the Caribe Cove Resort by Wyndham in Orlando, Florida. The two girls left for a walk at around 6:00pm and have yet to return.

Whatsapp message brings in thousands of dollars to shuls

A message on  whatsapp and other social media made its rounds going viral in the frum circles, the result thousands of dollars was raised for many shuls. The message was about a Special Segulah for Yeshuos this Shabbos during Pesichah for three Sifrei Torah  which is a rare occurrence. This week was parshas Tazria, Rosh chodesh and parshas hachodesh. Its brought down from the sefer heichalos written by the tannah Rav Yishmael Kohen Gadol, there is a special shaar in shamayim that only opens when there is a pesicha for 3 seforim. As a result in many shuls pesicha this shabbos was auctioned off for thousands of dollars. This segula is not new and was known to many previously but with social media it reached thousands who heared it for the first time prompting many to bid for pesicha  in shul this shabbos. Other times when we lein 3 kriahs from the sefer torah is shabbos Chanukah that falls out on Rosh chodesh or parshas shekalim that falls out on rosh chodesh.

Jews for Cruz- Ted makes Matzah in Brooklyn

Ted Cruz in Brooklyn, NY Photo: CBS NY

JP- Residents of Brighton Beach got a glimpse of Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz making his way into the neighborhood and meeting with voters ahead of this month’s New York State primary.

The conservative senator from Texas had made his first stop in New York City on Wednesday in The Bronx and on Thursday afternoon made his stopover in Brooklyn touring through Chabad Neshama Model Matzah Bakery, a matzo-making plant, and then publicly appearing at the Jewish Center of Brighton Beach.

A message from Reb Gavriel Sassoon on the first Yartzheit of his 7 children a"h

Reb Gabi Sasoon signed a letter in memory of his 7 children ah whose first yartzheit is this shabbos  Rosh Chodesh Nissan. He is calling on klal yisrael to keep proper safeguards with technology and filtering internet devices. We dont know the ways of  hashem but  we want to take a mussar haskel and learn a lesson. We are living in a time of nisyonos from technology and the fire of the internet is silently consuming precious souls from klal yisrael for eternity. Each and everyone of us should do all that he can not to be a partner in the tzaar of the shechina watching his childrens souls burn up in the trails of the internet. We must filter all internet devices with the approved safeguards by the gedolei hador. May we have a kappara.

New York Times Smears Orthodox Jews, Violates Own Policies

Algemeiner “F.B.I. Questions Police Leaders Amid Inquiry Into Businessmen Linked to de Blasio” is the headline of aNew York Times dispatch.  It takes the Times only two paragraphs before injecting the religion of the businessmen into the article — about what the paper describes, based on anonymous sources, as a federal corruption investigation involving the New York police. Here’s how the Times puts it:

Some of the questions centered on allegations of free meals and trips given to police officials by members of Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn. But the agents were more focused on two Orthodox businessmen with ties to Mayor Bill de Blasio, according to the three people, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. 

Read more at the Algemeiner.com 

Photo: Belz marks 50 years of the Rebbe’s leadership

Thousands of Belzer chassidim gathered to mark 50 years of the Rebbe’s leadership at the Arena hall in Yerushalayim

Video: Chasdei Lev Rebbeim appreciation fund Pesach distribution

לכבוד ידידנו הגדול הרב שליט''א
As a Rebbe, your ולילה יומם נפש מסירת is apparent throughout the year. We truly value and appreciate your
devotion to our children. Therefore we want to demonstrate our Hakoras Hatov by helping to ease the
burden of providing for your family for Yom Tov. We are pleased to present you with a shopping list of
food and household necessities at drastically reduced prices. The items on this list were purchased
directly from manufacturers and distributors at below wholesale prices. Your yeshiva has graciously
agreed to participate in bearing a significant portion of the cost to help make this possible.
Thank you again,
Chasdei Lev

Watch Live broadcast- Levaya of Rav Meir Soloveichik Zatzal

Hagaon Harav Meir Soloveichik, zt”l

Rav Meir Soloveichik ZTL  Photo: Shuki Lerer

The Torah world in general, and the Brisker community in particular, was plunged into mourning late Motzoei Shabbos, after midnight in Eretz Yisrael, upon learning of the petirah of Hagaon Harav Meir Halevi Soloveichik, zt”l, son of the Brisker Rav, Hagaon Harav Yitzchak Ze’ev Soloveichik, zt”l, and Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Brisk in Zichron Moshe, Yerushalayim.
Hamodia.com

Harav Meir was 87 at his petirah. The Rosh Yeshivah was hospitalized two weeks ago, in the Shaarei Zedek hospital, after a serious stroke.

Tefillos were held on his behalf across the Torah world, including at the kever of his father, the Brisker Rav, on Har Hamenuchos, but alas the gezierah was sealed and late Motzoei Shabbos he was niftar in the hospital, in the presence of family members and talmidim.