Chabad Times, December 2003

T 0 2 VOL. XII NO. 2 Chabad Times PUBLISHED BY CHABAD OF SOUTHERN NEVADA Dec. 2003/Kislev 5764 Let's Light up the Night! Dear friends, Despite all the advances in fluorescent and halogen lighting technology, it's getting to be pretty dark out there these days,and not only after sundown... We are all concerned about safety in Israel, stability in Iraq, security in the US, more Semitism with less anti, sanity in Europe and salvation all over. As we light our Chanukah candles, let us pray that our little spiritual light should help dispel the darkness in our lives, our communities and the world. With best wishes for a bright and happy Chanukah! Sincerely, Rabbi Shea Harlig, Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz, Rabbi Mendy Harlig What's Inside? No Mere Flash of Light 2 The Bus Miracle 3 Chabad News 4 Desert Torah Academy News 5 My Father's Maoz Tzur 6 More Than Saying Kaddish 7 The Holy Beggars of Tsfas 8 One Little Menorah 9 See Your Cake...and Eat It Too 10 The Story of Chanukah 12 How to Invest Your Gelt 14 Kabbalah 101: Saturated w/ Oil 15 Why Eight Days? 17 'Gimmel' = Giving Charity 17 Chanuka Recipes 18 Travelogue: Baltimore 19 Chabad of Southern Nevada 1261 South Arville St. Las Vegas, NV 89102 (702) 259-0770 wivw.chabadlv.org NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 447 LAS VEGAS, NV GLOBAL DAMAGE CONTROL Chanukah: A Rhapsody of Light r Ck^iL^j r j 4 > y i U 1 Wjf? M r ? -4 * Recipes - Delightful Doughnuts & Divine Pastries : . ^ U - s ^ g ^ ? I . . | iii | f J Travelogue: Baltimore's Inner Harbor <g Community Two months ago, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad deliv-ered his infamous hate speech to a 57 Islamic nation conclave. Lamenting Muslim decline, he blamed the Jews for Arabic foibles and failures. Mohamad shocked the world with his virulent diatribe, ranting and rav-ing against Israel and the Jewish peo-ple. But Mohamad's outburst certain-ly isn't the first time that Jews are being scapegoated. Echoing the clas-sic anti-semitic conspiracy theories, Mohamad declared that "Jews control the world" to the applause of all assembled. Alarmed Jewish organizations rushed to the rescue and damage con-trol. They took out big ads crying "Shame!'' and issued statistical analy-ses to dispute Mohamad's assump-tions. They pleaded for apologies and retractions from world leaders, but the dearth of condemnations by the civi-lized world was disappointing. Mohamad's incitement raises concerns, but much also depends on our response and reaction. We cer-tainly should utilize diplomatic channels to make friends and build support for Israel and Jews, but (sorry, Soros) there's obviously much beyond our control. GOOD THINKING! Our goal and purpose here is not a vengeful rampage to lambast Mr. Mohamad, as he himself observed our secret of success: "We are up against a people who think. The Jews survived 2,000 years of pogroms not by hitting back, but by thinking." Despite his venom and jealousy, Mr. Mohamad gave us a backhanded com-pliment that we're good at thinking, so let's take note of it. But rather than get-ting obsessed with how mullahs think of us, we ought to focus more on how we should think of ourselves. CONTROL FREAKS A psychoanalysis of "control freaks" reveals that it is actually men like Mohamad who want to control the world. When things don't go their way, they truly feel that they are being controlled by others. In their continuous efforts to erad-icate Israel, our enemies are huffing and puffing to blow our little house down. Mohamad and his cohorts are thus frustrated and exasperated that their Intifadas and Jihads have failed to eliminate us. Consistently shooting themselves in the foot, they are now totally blow-ing themselves apart in a suicidal mis-sion. Besides killing and maiming thousands of innocent men, women and children, including babies in strollers, Mohamad had to admit that their suiciders accomplished nothing. Distribution: Direct mailed 5 times a year to over 3,000 homes in Las Vegas, NV QUALITY CONTROL While there's only so much we can do beyond our realm, we can and should do better within ourselves. The major issue of "World Control" is in their heads; it is primarily their problem, not ours, out there are important control issues that are definitely our problem and concern. In view of demographic studies showing a dimin-ishing Jewish population, we ought to ." A i upgrade control of Torah is the basis for our sen-sitivity and orientation to human rights, moral tradition and is the fountainhead of uni- H versal justice and law. We don't retena to have invented these ofty ideals, for we learned them at Sinai. Mohamad boasts that they can rabble-rouse a billion people; but that doesn't make t h e m r i g h t . T r u e , we are our destiny to put our own house __ in order. U*?'.. Let's work our physi- Keepers cal numbers, and our spiritual continuity with more quality control of Jewish educa-tion in schools, synagogues and on university campuses. Mohamad thundered: "The Jews invented socialism, communism, human rights and democracy so that persecuting them would seem wrong." Mohammad doesn't know it, but Torah is really what makes us think. Jewish Tradition is the real secret of our national survival and longevity. of the Flame fewer in number, but the Torah teach-es us and experience has shown the advantage of quality over quantity This is most appropriate now as we celebrate the miracle of Chanukah, when a little light dispelled darkness and the few triumphed over the many. As terrorism spins out of control into chaos and confusion, may the final Redemption usher in a better world of peace and harmony where everything will be under control. ? 2003 Rabbi Israel Rubin No MERE FLASH OF LIGHT Based on the Lubavitcher Rebbe's teachings, by Yanki Tauber What is Chanukah?... When the Hasmonean family overpow-ered the Greeks, they searched and found only a single cruse of pure oil... enough to light the menorah for a single day. A miracle occurred, and they lit the menorah with this oil for eight days. The following year, they established these eight days as days of festivity and praise and thanksgiving to G-d. (Talmud, Shabbat 21b) Many miracles, great and small, accompanied Israel's liberation from Hellenic oppression. But only one particular miracle is given as the sum and substance of Chanukah: the small cruse of pure oil that burned for eight days. The challenge faced by Israel at that time was unlike any before. Hellenism, a noxious blend of hedonism and philosophy, could not be resisted by the conventional tools of Jewish learning and tradi-tion. Only the cruse of pure oil--the supra-egotistical essence of the Jewish soul, from which stems the intrinsic loyalty to G-d ? could illuminate the way out of Hella's mudswamps. Only by evoking this deep inner reserve of purity were we able to rekindle tne torch of Israel as a light unto the nations. But naturally, this was sufficient for only a single day. Our highest powers flare only fleetingly, soon receding to the supra-conscious place from which they came. When our deepest self is chal-lenged, we are highly stimulated, but then the moment passes, the cataclysmic levels off into the rou-tine, and we are back to our ordi-nary self. The miracle of Chanukah was that this oil continued for eight days ? that the flame blazed on beyond the single moment of truth, beyond the day of reckoning. The small pure cruse of oil burned beyond its one-day lifespan for an additional week, illuminating the seven Kabbalistic chambers of the soul. No mere flash of light, this flame was destined to shed purity and light for all generations, under all conditions. Thus, it was only the following year that Chanukah was estab-lished as a festival. Only the follow-ing year, after weathering all the annual fluctuations, seasons and transmutations, could the victory of Chanukah be considered truly per-manent. N I G H T L I G H T The mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights begins at sunset. They are placed in the outer door-way of one's home; if one lives on the second floor, one should place them in a window which looks out to the street. Winter brings evening early, fill-ing the streets with darkness and cold, as the street lights come on. Amid the electrical glares, a warm, pure glow asserts itself from Jewish doorways and windows. "A mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light" (Proverbs 6:23). The essence of our mission in life is to shed light: every time we fulfill a mitzvah we are lighting a lamp, illuminating a world of ignorance and strife with the wisdom and har-mony of the Creator. Each and every mitzvah is a lamp, but there are two mitzvot that mirror their quintessential function. These are the two mitzvot that involve the generation of phys-ical light: the lamps of the holy menorah lit each afternoon in the Temple in Jerusalem; and the Chanukah lights that we kindle at nightfall each evening of Chanukah. Indeed, the Chanukah lamps are the offspring of those of the meno-rah, commemorating the miracu-lous rebirth of light in the Holy Temple. The Temple's menorah was a five-foot high, seven branched-can-delabra made of solid gold and Why these differences? Generally, rabbinic observances are modeled after their biblical proto-types. Why, in instituting the kin-dling of Chanukah lights, did our sages differentiate between them and the lights they are meant to commemorate? S T A N D A R D O P E R A T I N G P R O C E D U R E G-d saw the light that it is good, and He separated between the light and the darkness. And G-d called the light day and the darkness He called night; and it was evening and it was morning, one day. (Genesis 1:4-5) ...kindled in the light of day, its rays reached deep into the night; kindled in an inner sanctum brimming with divine light, it radiated its glow to the mundane world without. topped with seven oil-burning lamps. Its seven flames, fueled by premium olive oil prepared under special spiritual purity, were the physical expression of the spiritual light whicn emanated from the Holy Temple. For the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the epicenter of G-d's manifest presence in the life of man, the point from which light emanated to the entire world. In their endeavor to supplant the spir-ituality of Israel with Hellenic paganism, the Greeks defiled it with their decadent images and rites, contaminating the oil for kin-dling the menorah. But one family refused to yield to the darkness. Matityahu the Hasmonean and his sons the Maccabees rallied a small but deter-mined group that drove the Greeks from the land. After liberating the Holy Temple, they searched for rit-ually pure oil with which to light the menorah. They found a single cruse of oil that survived Greek defilement. Every winter of the over 2,100 winters since, we remember and reenact the triumph of light over darkness with our Chanukah menorah. A D I F F E R E N T M E N O R A H There are, however, several marked differ-ences between the Chanukah menorah and the menorah in the Holy Temple: a) The Temple menorah was lit during the day (no later than 1-1 /4 hours before sunset) and burned through the night. The Chanukah lights are kindled at night. b) The original menorah stood inside, in the Holy Temple's inner sanctum, while the Chanukah menorah is placed at the perimeter of the home, at the doorway or window facing the street. c) Seven flames burned in the Temple menorah. The Chanukah menorah holds eight lamps, all of which are kindled on the festival's climax. In the beginning, darkness and light were one single, seamless expression of the goodness and per-fection of their Creator. But G-d wanted contrast and challenge in His world. So He separated between light and darkness, between revealed good and concealed good, challenging us to cultivate the day and sublimate the night. On the most fundamental level, our task is to harness the light of day so that it extends to illuminate the night. We strive to preserve and develop all that is good and G-dly in our world, and to direct these positive forces to overcome and transform the evil and nega-tivity of the dark side of creation. This process was exemplified by the menorah in the Holy Temple: kindled in the light of day, its rays reached deep into the night; kindled in an inner sanctum brimming with divine light, it radi-ated its glow to the mundane world without. But there are times when dark-ness invades the divine lighthouse, extinguishing the menorah and defiling its oil. Times when we can no longer draw from the day to illuminate the night. At such times, we must turn to the night itself as a source of light. We must search for the hidden sin-gle cruse of pure oil, for the unde-filed and undefilable essence of cre-ation. We must delve below the sur-face realities of day and night to unearth the primordial singularity of light and darkness. Therein lies the significance of Chanukah, when the menorah moves from within the Holy Temple out into the street, and from the daytime to the evening. Chanukah transforms the menorah from a tool that disseminates the light of day into a tool that extracts the luminous essence of darkness itself. So goes the journey of light: a journey through time and space to ever duskier vistas, to increasingly alien environments; a journey from midday in Jerusalem to the darkest reaches of a world awaiting redemption. C Y C L E A N D C I R C U M F E R E N C E This is also the significance of the difference between the number of lamps in the Temple and the Chanukah menorahs. Seven symbolizes creation. G-d created the world in seven days, employing the seven divine attrib-utes (sefirot) to serve as the seven spiritual building blocks of cre-ation. Seven is thus the dominant number in all natural cycles and processes. Hence, the standard operating procedure to bring light to creation is associated with the seven-branched menorah of the Holy Temple. If seven is the cycle of nature, then the number eight represents the circumference that defines and contains it, the pre-creation reality that both transcends and pervades the created reality. If the seven lamps of the Temple menorah embody the normative process of overriding darkness with light, the eight lamps of the Chanukah menorah represent the endeavor to access a nigher real-ity- a reality in which dark-ness is but another ray of divine truth. As Jews celebrate Chanukah this week, they recount the ancient miracles that befell our ances-tors. And I will recount the miracle of the 961. In 1993 my husband and I honey-mooned in Israel. After several days touring the Beit-Shean Valley we decided to return to Jerusalem. We boarded the 961 Bus, dragging our knapsacks down the narrow aisle crowded with soldiers heading home for the weekend. Weary from touring a Roman amphitheater under the blaz-ing sun, we sank into our seats and tried to rest. But the driver interrupted our nap, announcing that we were stopping at a roadside kiosk near the West Bank Mehola settlement, so we could disem-bark if we wished. I was too tired to move, but my husband coaxed me off the bus with promises of ice cream. Approaching the counter I ordered an "Artik" ice cream bar. The young Arab man behind the counter handed it over and I reached for my wallet. But I never got the chance to pay him. An earsplitting blast froze me in my place and the ground vibrated from an explosion. Terrified screams and a haze of smoke filled the air, and soldiers ran in all directions. My husband pulled me to the ground and I buried my head in his neck. I attempted to recite the Shema, the prayer Jews throughout the ages have said when endangered. But the words disappeared in my mouth and I couldn't hear my voice over the din. I lifted my head to peek at our bus, which was about 15 feet away from where we had stood, but was gone. In its place a giant ball of fire spewed clouds of black smoke. After what seemed like a lifetime, the noise dissolved and the soldiers led us to an open field behind the kiosk to join our fellow passengers. All looked dazed. Some had blood running down their faces or wounds on their limbs while others had burn marks on their clothing. I spied two soldiers crying in each others' arms. I shuddered as we passed the dead body of the kiosk Arab worker. Gradually, we learned what had occurred. A Hamas terrorist had loaded his car with cooking gas canis-ters wired to explode and crashed it lowing days, loud noises jarred me, leaving me shaking. I tried, without success, to block out the images that kept invading my mind of the fire, the dead body and the charred bus. There were other bus bombings in the following months. Feeling a kin-ship with the victims, I studied the news intently. When I learned that American tourists were among those killed, I felt a pit in my stomach. into our bus. When the car detonated, shrapnel flew over the kiosk, missing us but striking the Arab worker, who was standing further from the bomb than we were. Had the bomb ignited a few moments earlier when we were still on the bus, or had it gone off after we reboarded, the fatalities would have been numerous. Instead, only several passengers suffered minor injuries. The passengers, onlookers and reporting journalists, all agreed that the passengers of 961 were very lucky that day. Though my husband and I emerged from the attack physically unscathed, the emotional aftermath of the incident was wrenching. In the fol- Why did they die when we had been spared? I examined their obituar-ies for clues, but discovered instead that their lives had been far more pro-ductive than mine. I'm not sure what lessons to take with me from the wreckage. When friends and family inquired, I tried to make light out of it. I quipped that we had started our marriage with a blast. They wanted to know if the experi-ence changed me and my beliefs. "Do you believe differently about the peace process?" people asked. I shrugged and had no answer. A close encounter with death should have left me feeling enlivened, but the guilt of survival weighed heav-ily on my shoulders. I buried my col-lection of newspaper clippings about the bombing in a filing cabinet and counted my blessings in silence. Then came Chanukah. Kindling the lights, I chanted the blessing, thanking G-d for the miracles he performed in biblical times and the ones He contin-ues in our day. It is a blessing I have found troubling since my youth. In ancient times G-d's grandiose acts were as vivid as a pillar of salt or a splitting sea. But who today sees a burning bush? Staring at the glowing candles, I thought about how my own flame was almost extinguished. Maybe a miracle need not be a dramatic lightning bolt descending from on high. Instead, a miracle is a simple but fortuitous turn of events occurring at the right place and time to ordinary individuals who shed their cynicism long enough to realize that some things defy logical explanation. Some would refer to such events as coincidences, flukes or quirks of fate. But I see them as celestial nudges that reassure us that we are not alone, bea-cons of light in a dark and frenzied world, offering us a glimpse of G-d's presence. To see them, we need to open our eyes. A photo caption in the secular Israeli Maariv described the 961 bombing as a "nes," a miracle. As I sing about the ancient Chanukah miracles and the miracles of today, I celebrate the routine wonders around me that I never saw before. They are the unanticipated joys that creep up on us when we expect them least, and need them most. They are the delightful surprises that keep us hopeful in a painful world in which we have come to expect tragedy. They can be found in the recovery of an illness, the discovery of love, the conception of life and whenever good triumphs over evil against the odds. Deena Yellin is a reporter for "The Record" in Bergen County, NJ. Join Chabad for a night of Roller Skating at Crystal Palace Skating Rink 9295 West Flamingo Road Cat Fort Apache) Wednesday, December 24, 2003 from 5:00 - 8:00pm Kosher Food Available $5.00 per person For more information call: Chabad of Southern Nevada 259-0770 (\A eet <s " ^ w i s h < skate to ^ W JUDGE MICHAEL CHERRY TO BE HONORED WITH THE KINDLING OF THE GRAND MENORAH AT FREMONT ST. Chabad of Southern Nevada and the Fremont Street Experience will once again host a public Menorah lighting ceremony in Las Vegas. This annual event, which attracts close to 1000 people yearly, including Mayor Oscar Goodman and Congresswoman Shelly Berkley, will be held on the third night of Chanukah, December 21, 2003, 4:00 pm at Neonopolis which is on the corner of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Blvd. The 20-foot Menorah that was donated and manufactured by Young Electric Sign Company, will be displayed at this location throughout the holiday season. Judge Michael Cherry, an active member of the Jewish Community, will be honored with lighting the menorah. There will be a live music led by our own Rabbi Avraham Granat and a performance by the Desert Torah Academy Day School Choir. We will also have Latkes (potato pancakes) and free dreidels for the kids. The program assures everyone, young and old alike a moving and joyful experience. The holiday of Chanukah is the festival, which commemorates the victo-ry of the Jews over the mighty and powerful Greek armies more than 2500 years ago who attempted to suppress Jewish practices and observance. Highlighted by the kin-dling of the Menorah each night of the holiday, it is a celebration for all times. "It is a holiday replete with tradition and overwhelm-ing joy," explains Rabbi Shea Harlig, Director of Chabad. "We urge the entire Jewish community of Las Vegas to stand up and be counted at the ceremony." "The message of Chanukah also contains a universal message for people of all faiths, that ultimately, good will triumph over evil, free-dom over opposition and light over darkness." For more information, call Chabad at 259-0770. MT. CHARLESTON SHABBATON SCHEDULED FOR FEB. 20 Chabad of Southern Nevada is once again sponsoring a shabbaton to be held in Mt. Charleston, February 20 - 22, 2004. This year the special guest lecturer will be Rabbi Laibl Wolf, of Melbourne, Australia. Rabbi Wolff, is a dynamic and world-acclaimed "life coach" and celebrated author and lecturer. His best-selling book, Practical Kabbalah, introduces readers to the ancient teachings of Jewish spirituality. Rabbi Wolf is a skillful exponent of the practical application of Kabbalah to con-temporary life challenges. He is a lawyer and psycholo-gist who conducts retreats and seminars world-wide. Throughout the Shabbaton, Rabbi Wolf will take you on a journey in which you will be able to tap into your higher self, gaining tools of introspection, personal excellence and leadership management, as well as a zest for artful living. The theme of the weekend is "Spiritual Maturity - Living Now!" Workshops to take place during the shabbaton include: Don't Bare Your Body - Bare Your Soul - Commitment and Exploitation in Relationships; a Jewish Meditation Session; When the Soul Tricks the Mind - a farbrengen with mystical tales and tunes; and Mind Yoga - a journey through practical Kabbalah Come join us for a unique experience as Rabbi Laibl Wolf awakens a part of you that you may never have known exists. The price of the weekend is $250 including accommo-dations at Mt. Charleston Hotel and includes all meals, Friday night through Sunday morning. For more information con-tact Chabad of Southern Nevada at 259-0770. S j f i L l ^ b / ' . / ^f^ttt JEWISH LEARNING INSTITUTE PREPARES FOR WINTER SESSION: KABBALA UNPLUGGED Chabad's Jewish Learning Institute is gearing up for its winter session. The Jewish Learning Institute is an international revolution in adult Jewish education. Professional and creative, informative and exciting, our acclaimed courses help students of all backgrounds gain a true appreciation of Jewish heritage, thought and practice in the most stimulating and accessible for-mat available. The topic for this year's winter semester is: Kabbala Unplugged - Meditation and Prayer: a Practical Guide to Connecting with G-d. It will address such questions, as "Is meditation a Jewish concept?" The courses have a university style curriculum, and have been designed and prepared by rec-ognized authorities in the field of adult education and tradi-tional Jewish teachings, yet it is interactive and accessible to all. According to Chabad's JLI accredited teacher, Rabbi Shea Harlig, "The JLI is more than a series of classes. It's a journey. It will provide students with a memorable learning experience." The classes will be held at two locations: Chabad of Green Valley and at Chabad of Southern Nevada for eight consecutive weeks, beginning early next year. The course fee is $79.00 and includes textbooks and refreshments. To register or for more information please call 259-0770. passports to take along as we travel the world mak-ing a difference in each place. The children had an amazing time making toys for sick children, going ice skating, and enjoying a grand ice cream party. On Saturday, November 22 the Youth Zone visited Israel. A beautiful Melave Malka was kicked off by a traditional Havdalah service. The children enjoyed delicious food featurnig Israeli cuisine. The menu included felafel, chumus, tehina and pickles imported from Israel. Eveyone got to have their pic-ture taken in frontefthe "kotel", make an Israeli art project and write letters to comfort victims of terror in Israel. A great time was had by all. At the melave malka participants got their next "mission" for the Youth Zone world tour That will be visiting the country of Mexico, on January 11, 2004. Stay tuned for more fun and meaningful activities. To join iie club where Jewish kids can have fun and make a difference in the world call Chabad of Sum mmmmmmmmmmmmm DESERT TORAH ACADEMY DAY SCHOOL Grades K - 8 OUR PROGRAM INCLUDES: ? Low Student-Teacher Ratio An intense Judaic and general studies curriculum ? Computer Lab and PE instruction ? Dance, Karate OUR STAFF: Our teachers and faculty are fully qualified. Their experience and dedication, patience and creativity combine to create a rewarding school experience for our children. WE BELIEVE THAT: Through a well-balanced religious and secular education, our children will be capable of functioning in American society as dedicated Jewish men and women, emotionally, academically, socically and spiritually. WE STRIVE TO: ? Instill intellectual curiousity ? Achieve the highest level possible for each child ? Encourage full participation in American culture ? Prepare our children to meet the challenge of contemporary life ? Teach ethical and moral values ? Educated students in Jewish traditions and observances WE BELIEVE IN: The total education of the Jewish child. Our vision is to provide a dynamic academic and spiritual educational program in an extended family atmosphere. Desert Torah Academy - The Best of Both Worlds For more information, please call 259-0777 It's your day off. . Thursday, December 25, 2 0 0 3 8 : 0 0 am - 1 : 0 0 p m Davening with Morning Minyon at 8 : 0 0 am Registration and Wfclcome over Breakfast at 9 : 0 0 am Torah Study Session I 9 : 4 5 am - 1 0 : 4 5 am Torah Study Session II 1 1 : 0 0 am - 1 2 : 0 0 pm Discussion and Lunch 1 2 : 0 0 pm - 1:00 pm Donation: $ 1 8 At Chahad of Southern Nevada ? 1261 S. Arville St. Chahad of Summerlin ? 2 6 2 0 Regatta Dr. # 1 1 7 Chahad of Green Valley ? 1 0 8 7 0 S. Eastern # 1 0 4 For reservations, please call 2 5 9 - 0 7 7 0 Desert Torah Academy classroom guests Learning comes alive as DTA's First Grade practices the mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim. The following is a description of the experience by Mrs. Bonnie Lally, this year's special guest: On Thursday, November 13,1 had the privi-lege of being the special guest in my daughter, Mackenzie's 1st grade classroom at Desert Torah Academy. Each year, Morah Gili - the 1st grade Judaic teacher - brings the weekly Torah portions to life. That week, the Parsha was "Vayeirah." In that parsha, we find out that Avraham was know for inviting others into his home. He would wait all day to see if people were coming his way just to ask them to come in to eat and ? relax. From the parsha, we learn the importance of the mitzvah "Hachnasas Orchim." - welcoming and enjoying guests in your home. To help illustrate this mitzvah, I was invited along with my one-year old son, David, to come to their class-room and join the kinderlach for a delicious lunch. With much anticipation, the children each participated in their own special way to get ready for our arrival. They did not know who the guests would be and the excitement grew. When we entered the classroom that day, my daughter, her teachers and all of her class-mates welcomed us with big smiles. Sammy Lefkowitz brought me a pil-low so that I would sit com-fortably and Ashly Goor brought me a beautiful bou-quet of flowers. All of the other children had brought in wonderful food or drink items and we all enjoyed a delicious feast! I brought some juice and cups and explained to the children that whenever I am invited somewhere, I like to bring a little something with me to share. It shows appreciation and thanks to the people who invited you. As a teacher myself, I know the importance of Morah Gili's lesson. It was not enough to just TELL the students about this mitzvah or use worksheets to practice it. She wanted to show them what it looks like, what it feels like, and how it is done. It is by this type of creative instruction and modeling that students learn. David and I enjoyed our visit so much. I would like to thank Morah Gili and her assis-tant, Morah Chanie, as well as each and every first grade student for their generous and warm hospitality. I hope that in many years to come, G-d willing, when these children have their own homes and families, they will welcome others in with open arms and open hearts. Whether it will be for a Shabbos dinner or just for a simple lunch, I hope they will think back to when they were in first grade and remember our visit to the classroom and the importance of the mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim. V U/f/.'tff s your cnoice Come to tke "Las Vegas Yeshiva" for a day. Join us for a meaningful morning of Challenge, Discovery, Listening and Learning. /"Tiiey say that Chanukah is a chil- X dren's holiday. It's not, of course. We know that Chanukah, with its core concepts of freedom from tyranny and right over might, has a wellspring of spiritual nuance and significance that is difficult even for the mature mind to fully grasp. Nevertheless, ask any adult about their Chanukah memories and you'll find that deep down, the images we carry of this wintry eight day holiday are inevitably linked to our childhood. My own memories of Chanukah are inextricably and forever associated with my father's singing of "Maoz Tzur" (Rock of Ages). My father, he should live and be well, didn't sing Maoz Tzur the short-ened way it is taught in today's Hebrew schools. He sang the original, uncut version which is much longer and sums up nearly 5,000 years of Jewish history. He also sang it to a splendid melody which he learned from his father who learned it from his father who heard it from the Bluzhiver Rav, a chassidic leader in Galicia. We believe it has come down to our family, authentically and accurately from Eastern Europe, circa 1850. My father taught the melody to his children and it became as beloved to us, as it was to him. The highlight of our Chanukah, growing up in Brooklyn, was gathering around the Menorah as my father recited the blessings and then joining in as he masterfully sang 'his' Maoz Tzur. My six brothers and one sister are all blessed with