In the heart of picturesque Tzfas is the “Kabbala Center of Tzfas.” Rabbi Eyal Riess had it strategically placed between the iconic art galleries of the city, where it has been operating for the last thirteen years. Tens of thousands of people visit every year, including Israeli tourists and tourists from all over the world, Jews and non-Jews.
Mrs. Chaya Bracha Leiter, shlucha at Machon Ascent, teacher, spiritual adviser and tour guide, takes us back to the beginning and the brachos she and her husband merited to receive from the Rebbe. She describes her unique work and highly recommends that other Chabad Houses use a similar formula by using leisure time experiences to deliver Jewish content.
The largest Chabad yeshiva in the world, located in Tzfas, is currently involved in a struggle for its very survival. We spoke with Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Wilschansky, who has been rosh yeshiva for over forty years, about the yeshiva and the current situation.
Despite the thousands of miles separating Brooklyn from Eretz HaKodesh, the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, felt the struggle in the heart of a young Jew returning to his roots, crying in the Sanzer mikveh in the Old City of Tzfas, whose inner world was thrown into deep emotional turmoil threatening to drive him away from Yiddishkait… A moving story that took place decades ago, reaching its final conclusion via a detour through the Holy City of Yerushalayim.
Two weeks ago, a fiery inferno raged uncontrollably near Kiryat Chabad in the Holy City of Tzfas. Ten families – men, women, and children – were evacuated from their homes, some of which were completely destroyed by the flames. They have been left without a roof over their heads and no vestige remaining of what had been there before. While the cause of the blaze has yet to be determined, the failure in basic rescue procedure was catastrophic. “The firefighters stood by helplessly as the water supplies ran out.” Colel Chabad, under the administration of Rabbi Yoram Mauda, has initiated an urgent campaign and fundraising drive to save these families
We just marked the first yahrtzait of the Chassid, R’ Aharon Eliezer Ceitlin a”h. He was gifted with a certain chein and chayus which made him easy to love and learn from him.
He has been at the helm of the Chabad yeshiva in Tzfas since it was founded forty years ago. Five sons also lead yeshivos or learning programs. * We met with Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Wilschansky, the rosh yeshiva in Tzfas, and his oldest son, R’ Menachem Mendel, rosh yeshiva in Haifa, for a talk about the chinuch and guidance of T’mimim in the world of yeshivos. * Presented for 15 Elul, marking the founding of Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in 1897.
R’ Yosef Yisroel HaKohen Ehrentreu is a well-known figure in the Chabad community of Tzfas. By his own choice, he remained in Crown Heights with the Rebbe for six years, during which he saw, heard, and felt the holiness of the nasi ha’dor.
One of the special things about the Ohr Menachem school for girls in Tzfas is how they are taught to connect to the Rebbe through writing to him via the Igros Kodesh. This starts with the principal, Mrs. Nechama Navon, continues with the staff of supervisors and teachers, and on to the parents and students themselves. * How is this done? What positive influence does this have? How do the professionals from the Education Ministry react? * An interview with Mrs. Navon
Menachem Mendel Arad joined Ascent’s Slichos Tour together with a group of commanders and officers from the IDF. * They started out at Ascent and ended with a moving recitation of Slichos in the Sephardic Ari shul. They heard about the significance of forgiveness, about renewal, and about the ability to return to “my inner self,” along with the power that each one of us has to transform our world to a world of Geula. * Ah! The tour is about to begin, won’t you join us…
Last week, the ancient Tzemach Tzedek Synagogue in Tzfas held a joyous celebration after its six precious Torah scrolls, stolen the previous Shabbos, were miraculously discovered in an abandoned house. Together with the happiness of the occasion, this marked an appropriate opportunity to take a look at the amazing history of this treasured shul, its renovation, how it shielded the holy city from Syrian tanks, and a series of special instructions that the Rebbe gave in connection to its reconstruction.
February 21, 2019