November 1, 2013
Volume 13, Issue 5
Parshat Toldot 5:35 pm
Sefer Torah Dedication
by Josh Caplan, Director of Development, [email protected]
Last week, Joel Rubinfeld, co-chairman of the European Jewish Parliament, spoke to the 8th graders about the question: "Is there a future for Jews in Europe?"
According to Mr. Rubinfeld, the situation for the 1.5 million Jews in Europe has changed drastically. There is a level of anti-semitism that hasn't been seen since World War II which includes both traditional anti-semitism
(expressed through speech and attitude) and incidents of violence). Many of the Jews have been subjected to brutality on the streets, while the authorities have done almost nothing to protect them or adjudecate the perpetrators. There is also a rise of Neo-Nazi parties in some of the European countries who imcreasingly have a say in the respoective governments. Brit Milah and ritual slaughter are now being questioned and outlawed in some countries.
Mr. Rubinfeld maintains that anti-semitism is being couched in the language of anti-Zionism but, in effect, the bias against Israel is purely a different form of the old anti-semitic language.
Rubinfeld believes that in 30-40 years, Europe may be "Judenrein". Mr. Rubinfeld is fighting for the safety and security of European Jews and tolerance for all.
November1 1, 2013
Parshat Vayera 5:54 pm
IDF visits MDS
by Avichai Solomons
On a beautiful Autumn Sunday afternoon, Manhattan Day School welcomed a magnificent new Sefer Torah. Over 300 people participated in this historic event including faculty, parents, grandparents, alumini, prominent Rabbis, community members and MDS students.
Rabbi David Bassous, a synagogue Rabbi who is trained as a Shochet, Mohel and Sofer, oversaw the finishing of the last letters of the scroll. The entire gathering marched the newly completed Torah on West 75th Street lead by Tomer Mandelbaum on drums and Binyomin Ginzberg on the keyboard. Dr. Benjamin Zalta served as Hazzan leading us in song and Tefilla. The MDS Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Karen Daichman, led us in the Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah then performed rousing renditions of "Torat Hashem Temima" and "Habibi" to the delight of the crowd. We heard greetings and words of Torah from Rabbi Elie Abadie (Edmond J. Safra Synagogue), Rabbi Mordechai Besser (MDS Principal), Mr. Daniel Posner (MDS President), Mr. David Dweck (Sefer Torah Committee Co-Chair) and Rabbi Sion Setton (Congregation Magen David). The sumptuous Reception/Collation was elegantly catered by the Zami Caterers.
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