Reflections
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The Jews of Algeria
Motty Meringer 18/11/2009 13:26he Jewish community of Algeria was a glorious kehillah with roots extending back to ancient times, more than two thousand years ago. In the modern era, the Jews of Algeria mostly emigrated to France rather than ascending to Eretz Yisrael – however, in more recent times, many of them have relocated from France and have finally returned to the land of their Forefathers.
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Master of Repentance: Rabbenu Yona of Gerona
Avi Lazar 16/11/2009 10:41One of the greatest giants in Torah and Mussar during the Middle Ages, and author of the Sefer ‘Shaarei Teshuva’, a phenomenal work designed to arouse the soul to repentance
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Megillas Taanis
Motty Meringer 15/11/2009 07:37Once upon a time it was the custom among the Jewish people that on the day that a miracle occurred, that day was established as a Yom Tov, upon which it was forbidden to fast. These days were recorded in Megillas Taanis in order that they should be remembered for all times. In the darkness of golus, due to the many sufferings of our people, the festive nature of these days was abolished, and only the days of Purim and Chanukah have been retained as Yomim Tovim d’Rabbanan.
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Baron Avraham Binyamin Edmond d’Rothschild
Motty Meringer 11/11/2009 08:00One of the founders of the Jewish Yishuv in Eretz Yisrael in modern times was Baron Avraham Binyamin Edmond d’Rothschild. Baron Rothschild assisted with the establishment of many settlements, including Mazkeret Batya, Rishon Letzion, Zichron Yaakov, Petach Tikva, Metullah, as well as many others.
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The Jews of Alexandria
Motty Meringer 08/11/2009 10:47One of the most glorious kehillos during the period of the second Beis haMikdash was the Jewish community of Alexandria in Egypt. Chazal say about the beis knesses of this kehillah that a person who never saw this building, never saw the glory of the Jewish people in his lifetime.
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Rabi Shalom Dovber Schneerson ztz”l
Barak Sarig 07/11/2009 20:00“I am now ascending to Heaven and I am leaving you my writings.” With these words, Rabi Shalom Dovber Schneerson, known as the Rebbe Rashab, completed his mission in this world.
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Harav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch ztz”l
Barak Sarig 06/11/2009 09:00In bitter times when many floundered and left the true path, and the number of those who truly sought the way of Hashem was only diminishing, Rabi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch stood in the breach, exercising his whole might for the defence of the Jewish people and the Torah, to return the glory to Yiddishkeit and return the hearts of Jews to their Father in Heaven, under the banner of “Truth will endure – Falsehood will vanish.”
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The Tale behind ‘Mishkenot Sheananim’
05/11/2009 08:04The very first settlement to be built outside the walls of the Old City, Mishkenot Sheanim was founded by the benevolent Sir Moses Montefiore – and paved the way for the expansion of Yerushalayim beyond its walls
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The Mabul – the Great Flood
David Sofer 04/11/2009 08:00On the 17th of the month of Marcheshvan in the year 1656 the waters of the great flood began to cover the earth, during the lifetime of Noach. Tremendous streams of water – torrential rainfall together with the wellsprings of the waters from the deeps – submerged the earth in a way that seemed to defy nature, and the entire world was destroyed.
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Maran HaGaon HaRav Shach ztz’l
Motti Meringer 03/11/2009 15:14Maran HaGaon Rabbi Elazar Mann Shach ztz’l was unique in his generation, a remnant of the Generation of Knowledge. He led the Lithuanian yeshivah world for many years, and generations of disciples passed through HaRav Shach’s hands; tens of thousands who looked up to him as their Rav followed his bier on its way to his final resting place.
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