Jewish & World News

Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, a suspected key handler of the 26/11 attacks, now claims that he was only in-charge of instructing the team of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists who made their way into Chabad House, popularly known as Nariman House, in Colaba market. Jundal says he had not orchestrated the entire operation — attacks at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, The Oberoi Trident, Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Café, Cama Hospital, Chabad House, Metro Cinema, and a lane behind a daily’s building — and that he had only been given the task of instructing the team at Nariman House.

A little over three years after Chabad House in Colaba was destroyed in an attack by Pakistani terrorists, the Jewish outreach center is struggling to find a new place to move in. The Mumbai arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement is currently operating out of the Oberoi Hotel at Nariman Point after Ivanhoe building in Colaba, where it had rented an apartment for two years, refused to renew the lease citing security concerns.

The Chabad-Lubavitch movement is known for its outreach centers around the world. Now Chabad emissary Meir Alfasi is bringing the movement to the southernmost continent of Antarctica as well. Alfasi is making the trip to Antarctica, which includes a 10-day boat ride, in order to bring a copy of the Tanya to Jews in the area. The Tanya is the book of Chabad philosophy.

Construction on a new Mikvah in New Delhi, India has been completed last week. Due to the fact that the rain season will only start in a few months, the local Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Scharf consulted with Chief Rabbi of Bnei Brak Moshe Landau and with a member of the Crown Heights Beis Din Rabbi Yaakov Schwei and it has been decided to fill the Mikvah with industrial ice and let it melt, and then to replace it with rain water in a few months.

Some 350 prominent guests, partnering politicians, and lay leaders attended the Chabad Russian Center of South Florida’s Inaugural Gala at the Surf Club in January, where plans to build a $7.7 million Jewish Russian Community Center in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida where unveiled. The 35,000 square foot Jewish Russian Community Center will be the base for the comprehensive educational and social services outreach programming Chabad offers the community, including popular classes covering everything from practical Judaism to Kabbalah. The programs are conducted in Russian and incorporate Russian culture into their events, providing the immigrant community links to their home countries, cultures and customs.

India will deport an Israeli couple which arrived at the city of Kochi in March 2010 for "suspicious activities," The Times of India reported Tuesday. According to the report, Shneor Zalman and Yaffa Shenoi arrived on a multiple-entry visa and rented a house on Rose Street in the city. "Central intelligence got an alert about a covert operation being carried out by suspected Israeli agents after the 26/11 terror attacks in which south Mumbai's Chabad House came under attack and six Jews, including a rabbi and his pregnant wife, were killed," a local intelligence officer was quoted by The Times of India as saying.

Jewish communities across the globe united to strengthen observance of the Sabbath this weekend, with Chabad-Lubavitch centers experiencing larger-than-normal crowds for what had been dubbed “One Shabbat, One World.” For weeks, a public education campaign coordinated by Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of Chabad-Lubavitch, noted that the grind of life’s daily routines often take a toll on a person’s spirituality and general sense of well-being. In addition to serving as a chance to reconnect to G-d, they stressed, the Jewish Sabbath offers a time-out period, a day to nourish the soul through prayer, song, togetherness and food.

More than 400 people gathered in Allison dining hall Friday evening for Northwestern's first Mega Shabbat, an event put together by members of the Jewish community on campus with contributions from the University. The event was open to all students, faculty and staff. Shabbat is the traditional Jewish day of rest that begins just before sunset on Fridays with dinner and religious ceremonies. Northwestern Hillel, the Tannenbaum Chabad House at Northwestern and Meor Northwestern began planning for a University-wide Shabbat in spring of last year. The event was also sponsored by the Crown Family Center for Jewish Studies, Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, Office of the University Chaplains, the Center for Student Involvement's Be the Change grant and the Office of the President.

A week after Israeli and American officials tipped off Thai authorities about a Hezbollah presence in Bangkok , rumors have swirled as to what Atris Hussein – the detained suspect in the case – intended to do with the warehouse full of explosive materials he led police to. Debka.com reported that Chabad in Bangkok was a target and the article was referenced by other publications, including Israel Insider, but the Algemeiner has confirmed that Chabad was not the target.

Legos, tin cans, balloons and jelly beans — one unusual thing they have in common is their use as menorah building blocks during local Hanukkah celebrations of years past. This year, the Chabad Jewish Center of Suffern's construction material of choice is chocolate.

The World Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic movement is involved in hosting or sponsoring more than 10,000 Chanukah events around the world this holiday season.

Washington - Vice President Joe Biden addressed over 100 Chabad-Lubavitch Shluchim and supporters Thursday. His remarks included strong statements about his commitment to Israel and the Jewish people.

This year, like every year, thousands of Israeli tourists across the globe will celebrate Pesach with Chabad, especially in the Far East.

Pune, India - Key establishments at Koregaon Park area like the Osho International Meditation Centre and the Israeli Chabad House have been kept under high security following a fresh anonymous threat call to the office of a local newspapper last night saying that plans are on to blow up St Helena School, police said today.  Similar security arrangements have also been made in Ohel David Synagogue (known as LalDeval) in Pune Camp and a Jewish prayer centre near Shiralseth Chowk at Rasta Peth.  Police have also directed Hospitals, including the 1,300-bed Sassoon Hospital, to tighten security.  Sassoon, the largest government hospital in the city where a number of injured have been admitted, has been directed to install metal detector, public address system and CCTVs within a week. My News

Ever since the brutal massacre at Chabad of Mumbai in November 2008, the importance of security has been on the minds of many Chabad Shluchim in practically most countries in the world. Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch formed a security commission, Chabad Houses installed security cameras, and the location of Mumbai's reopened Chabad House remains a secret. While the extent of the security measures is in question - due to lack of funding and the risk of alienating potential members and guests - all are in agreement of its need. Here is where a pistol may come in handy. "We rely on G-d and spiritual means of protection, such as tzedakah and mezuzos. Yet, we need to take physical steps to protect ourselves," says Frank Pomeranz, a member of Chabad of Venice, Florida. When he first approached his rabbi Sholom Schmerling about wearing a gun to shul, the Shliach asked him to keep it hidden from others. "Ideally, every Chabad House should have its own security per...

Rabbi Shmully Hecht, advisor to Eliezer, the Jewish society at Yale University, confronted Goldstone last week when he delivered an address on campus. After Rabbi Hecht and supporters held up the sign in the back of the conference room and Judge Goldstone appeared to be flustered, a Yale official interrupted the speech and said, "You have made your point. Take it down now." At a reception following Goldstone’s remarks, Rabbi Hecht said he asked the retired South African judge, "Do you firmly believe the Israeli government has a policy of targeting civilians?... I feel sorry for you." Rabbi Hecht then asked Goldstone what he will say when evidence shows that "the report was a sham." Goldstone answered, "Should that occur, I will rejoice." The rabbi said he would relate the reply to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and that when the day comes that Goldstone will rejoice, "I will hug you and embrace toy and you will be welcomed back to...

A District Court judge last week ordered the Chabad Israeli Center to temporarily close down the house it operates in Rockville until it can provide city officials with more detailed fire and safety plans. Judge Brian Kim handed down the order after he and the Rockville city fire marshal deemed the center's draft plan to make the house safe for public assembly inadequate, said Steven VanGrack, an attorney who represents Rabbi Shlomo Beitsh, the center's leader and owner of the house. "The judge felt they needed to show greater progress towards making the building safe for public use," VanGrack said. Beitsh declined to comment for this story. VanGrack said Beitsh has been ordered to return to District Court Feb. 5 with more comprehensive plans. The Jan. 21 order stemmed from a citation that had been issued to Beitsh during the summer, stating the single-family house at 216 Rollins Ave. was operating without the occupancy permit it required. A $100 fine was at...

A Chabad-initiated project won a $100,000 grant last week when it was named a runner up in the Chase , a highly publicized contest run on Facebook. The Friendship Circle, a Michigan-based project that helps families with children with special needs, finished fourth last week in the JP Morgan Chase Bank Community Giving Project contest, which offered $5 million in prizes to charities with budgets smaller than $10 million. The Chabad project received 59,023 votes, but lost out to Invisible Children, a San Diego-based project that helps child refugees of the civil war in Uganda. Invisible Children edged the Isha Foundation, which helps disadvantaged children in India, for the $1 million he grand prize winner. Invisible Children received 123,990 votes to 122,742 for Isha. The bank created a platform on which charities could create fan pages and ask for votes. Thousands of charities created pages, and the top 100 vote getters by Dec. 12 were named finalists and awarded $25,000 each....

Brooklyn, NY - A horrific car crash has left a 10-year-old Flatbush boy R”L dead, a newly married woman R”L dead, and the boy’s father, a Chabad shaliach in Flatbush, fighting for his life. Sources tell YWN that the multi-vehicle-crash occurred in Western Pennsylvania, on Interstate 80 (MM 32), near the Clintonville exit in Venango County, shortly before 10:00PM Wednesday evening. The vehicle was reportedly travelling from a wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The crash R”L killed 10-year-old Avrohom Dovid Liberow Z”L, and Pesha Leah Azouli A”H, a newly married woman from Crown Heights. The boy’s father, Rabbi Zalman Liberow is in critical condition. An occupant in another vehicle involved in the crash was killed as well, and at least one tractor-trailer was involved. Rabbi Zalman Liberow is the Rov of the Chabad Shul located on Ocean Avenue between Avenue N & O, in Flatbush. His wife, Mrs. Chana Liberow, and 3 other children who were in the vehicle are all in stable condition B”...