In this Issue:
A Message from Rabbi Aaron S. Tirschwell
Torah Related Items
Special Tefillah for Residents of Sderot/Ashkelon and Environs
Judaic Heritage Program for Israel's Deaf & Hearing Impaired Assists Family of Fallen IDFSoldier
More Honorees for CYIR 18th Anniversary Celebration Announced
Current and Upcoming Events
CYIR Raises over $9,000 for Matanot L'Evyonim for Sderot Families!!!
Good and Welfare
A Message From Rabbi Aaron S. Tirschwell, CYIR's Chief Program and Development Officer
To Our Members and Friends:
These past 2 weeks have been difficult on all of us - for both Israeli and Diaspora Jewry alike. The loss of human life, be it from bullets, bombs or unexplainable circumstances, our nation as a whole suffered greatly.
The suffering "hit home" with the Young Israel movement both in Israel and North America:
- The sudden death of Rabbi Zev Segal, zt"l, one of the rabbinic pillars of Young Israel - serving as the spiritual leader of Young Israel of Newark, NJ for over 30 years, left the global Jewish community in shock;
- The very next day, Klal Yisrael lost 8 of its best and brightest in the Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav massacre. CYIR member Rabbi Ahron Batt and his wife lost their grandson Yonadav Haim Hirshfeld who, like many of the other victims, was in the prime of his teenage years - cut down by a terrorist;
- Then, when things seemed like they couldn't get any worse, a soldier who was injured in an attack on the border of Aza succumbed to his wounds, leaving his two deaf parents, both of whom attend CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel's Hearing Impaired without their son and main communicator with the outside world.
YET, this week has brought some hope - as acts of chessed and the upcoming celebration of Purim allow us to focus on the unbreakable Covenant we have with HaKadosh Baruch Hu:
- Hundreds of Mishloach Manot packages are being delivered to IDF army bases as a combined project of American Friends of Yisrael Hatzair and CYIR;
- Over $9,000 will be distributed as Matanot L'Evyonim to needy families in Sderot as part of CYIR's Purim Campaign;
- Purim celebrations for the deaf are taking place throughout the country as a part of CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel's Deaf and Hearing Impaired;
- Plans for Young Israel's Maot Chittim Campaign for Gush Katif refugees have been finalized.
While the ups and downs of the past few days are a part of life, it behooves all of us to focus on how we can best serve Hashem at all times, be they bad or good.
Purim Sameach and Shabbat Shalom.
Sincerely yours,
Rabbi Aaron S. Tirschwell
Chief Program and Development Officer
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Torah Related Items
 a) Divrei Torah Bulletin: Please find NCYI’s Divrei Torah Bulletin for Purim written by Rabbi Chaim Wasserman, CYIR Vice President, by clicking this link.
b) Torah Mitzion, the organization that has established Religious Zionist Kollelim throughout the world, has produced a Shmittah Educational Kit, in conjunction with the Jewish Agency for Israel, and Mahut - Beit Midrash L'Morim. The kit contains lesson plans on a CD-ROM which employ profound and challenging texts in twelve units - each covering a differnt aspect of Shmittah. Each unit includes a written lesson plan for the rabbi/teacher/counselor as well as a comprehensive source sheet for participants. The CD can be purchased for NIS 40 from Torah Mitzion - office@torahmitzion.org; 02.620.9020
d) The Rabbi Sholem B. Kowalsky Yahrtzeit Lecture, which took place on January 6, 2008/27 Tevet 5768 is now available for free online to listen or to download by clicking this link. We again acknowledge the support of the Kowalsky family and the National Council of Young Israel for making this program a success.
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Special Tefillah for Residents of Sderot, Ashkelon and Environs
 CYIR joins its US counterpart, Young Israel Council of Rabbis, in calling on all synagogues and communities to institute the recitation of a special tefillah to be recited on behalf of the residents of Sderot, Ashkelon, and the surrounding areas that have been bombarded by kassam and grad-katyusha rockets launched from Gaza.
"The international Young Israel movement can make a significant difference by delivering one of its bedrock services - communal prayer" said Rabbi Binyamin Hammer, NCYI's Director of Rabbinic Services.
At the request of Alon Davidi, Sderot's Security Committee Chairman, HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu, Rishon L'Tzion, Former Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, composed the tefillah the recitation of which rooted in the ruling of the Shulkhan Arukh (O.C. 576) that calls for fasting and prayer for troubles such as "Gentiles that come to make war on Israel."
Click here to access the Special Tefillah.
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CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel's Deaf and Hearing Impaired Assists Family of Fallen IDF Soldier
 CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel’s Deaf and Hearing Impaired (JHPIDHI) has been instrumental in offering much-needed assistance and support to the parents of fallen Israeli soldier Liran Banai, z"l. Both of Banai’s parents are deaf.
Banai, a 20-year-old soldier in the Givati Brigade, was critically injured on March 6th when a bomb that was detonated by remote control exploded under the jeep he was driving. At the time he was injured, Banai was patrolling the Gaza security fence near Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha. Banai suffered massive injuries from the explosion and experienced significant blood loss as well as a partial leg amputation. He died of his wounds on March 9th.
In the aftermath of Liran Banai’s death, Rabbi Chanoch Yeres, Director of CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel’s Deaf and Hearing Impaired (JHPIDHI), organized shiva visits to the Banai home in Ashkelon. Rabbi Yeres and others were able to translate for a number of visitors to the shiva house so that they could communicate with Guy and Gila Banai.
Click here for the full article...
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More Honorees for CYIR 18th Anniversary Celebration Announced
 Rabbis Arnold Heisler and Moshe Rose are the latest Founders honorees to be announced for CYIR's FOUNDERS, LEADERS AND BUILDERS 18th Anniversary Gala Brunch, which will take place Friday, May 30 2008 (25 Iyar 5768), in Jerusalem. Other Founders honorees (as of this date) include Rabbis Macy Gordon, James Gordon, Meyer Fendel, Sholom Gold, and others who we are in the process of contacting.
Our CYIR Leadership awardees include outgoing president Rabbi Simcha Krauss, Dr. Lorell Blass, Director of CYIR’s Counseling Center, and Rabbi Chanoch Yeres, Director of our Judaic Heritage Program for Israel’s Deaf and Hearing Impaired. Rabbi Yeres also serves as the Rabbi of the Beit Yisrael Synagogue in the Yemin Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem.
The guest of honor for the celebration will be Yaacov Moreshet, Director of the Hilat Shoam Investment Firm of Ramat Gan. Mr. Moreshet has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News (as well as the Israeli press) for placing his clients in investments with companies that operate in accordance with halacha.
Other awardees will be announced in the near future. For more information, please visit the CYIR website: www.youngisraelrabbis.org.il
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Current and Upcoming Events
Sunday, March 23/Sushan Purim - Jerusalem United Concert in New York - featuring Yaakov Shwekey and Shalsheles - sponsored by National Council of Young Israel - click here for details.
SAVE THESE DATES:
Chol HaMoed Pesach Monday-Thursday, April 21-24 - CYIR Co-Sponsors Blood Drives throughout Israel with American Friends of Magen David Adom. Details on locations and times to be issued next week. For more information, please contact Jonathan Feldstein: jfeldstein@afmda.org
Thursday, April 24 (4th Day of Chol HaMoed Pesach) - Young Israel Sefer Torah Dedication to the Israel Defense Forces - at the Magic Nirvana Hotel, Dead Sea. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE. Details to follow.
Sunday May 4/Erev Rosh Chodesh Iyar - CYIR presents the next lecture in the Rabbi Sholem B. Kowalsky Memorial Lecture Series at Heichal Shlomo, 58 King George Street, Jerusalem. Details to follow.
Friday, May 30, 2008 – CYIR Celebrates 18 Years of Service to Israel by honoring its Founders, Leaders and Builders. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE. See above.
Monday, May 26/21 Iyar - CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel's Deaf and Hearing Impaired Annual Bar/Bat Mitzvah Celebration.
May-June 2008/Iyar-Sivan 5768 - Get-Refusal Courses - CYIR, MATAN, and the Rackman Center for Advancement of Women will be offering two simultaneous courses (one in Hebrew, the other in English) to train people to disseminate prenuptial agreements and to raise consciousness regarding the problem of agunot. The courses are directed by Rachel Levmore, CYIR's Coordinator of Prenuptial & Get-Refusal Prevention Projects. Details to follow.
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CYIR Raises Over $9,000 for Matanot L'Evyonim for Sderot Families!!!
 As of press time, CYIR had collected in excess of $9,000 for distribution as Matanat L'Evyonim to families in need in Sderot. A delegation, including Rabbis Michael Strick, Chaim Wasserman, Aaron Tirschwell and Meyer Fendel, and Meir Mishkoff, American Friends of Yisrael Hatzair, will be visiting Sdeort on Thursday, Taanit Esther, to deliver the funds to Rabbi Dovid Fendel, Head of the Hesder Yeshiva of Sderot, who will distribute the funds on Friday. Yi'asher Kochachem to all who participated!
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Bruchim HaBaim
Meir Mishkoff, American Friends of Yisrael Hatzair.
Refuah Shleimah
Halilie Nechamah bat Aviyah, great granddaughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Binyamin Walfish. Your tefillot are greatly appreciated.
Laura West, student intern in the CYIR office, from Midreshet Darkeinu.
Daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Shmuel Abramson.
Those who remain hospitalized from the Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav massacre at the beginning of Adar II.
Baruch Dayan HaEmet
Rabbi Zev Segal, zt"l, first Young Israel rabbi in New Jersey, was the spiritual leader of Young Israel of Newark for three decades. Condolences to the entire Segal family.
Nichum Aveilim
Rabbi Ahron Batt, CYIR member, his wife, daughter and son in law, on the murder of their grandson/son, Yonadav Haim Hirshfeld of Kochav Hashahar, during the Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav massacre earlier this month. HaShem Yikom Damam.
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CYIR: Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel