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The Purpose of Beth Shifra's programs is to promote a Jewish identity into the lives of Jewish youth and old in the metropolitan communities. We thank all of our participants, staff, volunteers and donors for making Pesach 2012/5773 a huge success!

Shabbas Torah Portion 5/18/11

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The Rabbinical Alliance

of America
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Rabbi M.M. Schneerson
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Mirrer Yeshiva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

passover2012

Beth Shifra Passover Program a Resounding Success
THOUSANDS OF PASSOVER FOOD PACKAGES DISTRIBUTED TO THE NEEDY

                Pesach 5772/2012 has come and gone. Hundreds of people who were not only hungry but who were lonely as well, who otherwise would have had no Seder and no holiday, have great memories of a wonderful holiday experience – some for the first time in their lives.
 For more than four decades, Beis Shifra, the famed Brooklyn -based organization, has been helping, in  English, Russian & Yiddish, those of the New York Jewish community who need help the most: The poor, new immigrants, elderly people, shut-ins and just plain, ordinary people who otherwise have little or no connection with Yiddishkeit.
This year the organization received a special commendation by the NYC Council, which closely observed the goings-on from beginning to end.
                “It was absolutely unbelievable,” Rabbi Prussman exclaimed, “We served more people than ever before – and everyone was served with a smile, at absolutely no cost to them. We turned away no one!”
               Hundreds of singles and families, old and young Jews who have been hit hard by the economic downturn lined up on 45th Street and 16th Avenue at Georgie’s Wigs to receive free kosher for Passover food packages and other services. Providing for thousands over the eight days of Passover is no easy task. Beth Shifra’s founder, Rabbi Chaim Prussman, reported that over 4000 pounds of matza were  distributed this Passover season and over 3500 meals were served.
               “Every year, Beth Shifra invites those who are hungry to come and eat with no reservations, preserving each individual’s privacy and dignity, says Rabbi Prussman. In addition to supplying standard Passover food packages, which include essentials such as matzas, grape juice, wine, cooking oil, matza meal, potato starch, fruit, potatoes, carrots and cakes, the tireless volunteers at Beth Shifra also distributed freshly cooked chicken dinners with all the trimmings to every attendee at the many programs, including the sedarim at the White Shul on Ave T.  “Every Jew, no matter how difficult his financial situation may be, should enjoy beautiful Pesach sedarim. That is why everyone is welcome to join us, free of charge, as it is our sincere pleasure to assist anyone who is in need,” said Rabbi Prussman with a smile. “We advertised everywhere, from our home base in Brooklyn to places as far away as Monsey, Spring Valley, Monroe and Orange County, through posters, fliers, newspapers and announcements in synagogues.”
                Beyond the culinary delights, Beth Shfira provided a full and vibrant program of activities to accompany each meal during the eight days of Passover, including uplifting and inspiring sedarim assisted by Rabbi Alexander  Zusha Guth (luthier by craft) and attorney Rabbi Shmuel Gershbein. One of the annual features of the Beth Shifra Passover program is an annual popular Aish HaTorah speaker . Other lectures were offered throughout the holiday on a fascinating array of fundamental Torah issues. Rabbi Alexander Guth led seminars about the basis of Judaism, drawing from world renowned kiruv seminars to help strengthen the Jewish identities of hundreds of guests. “Educating Jews on the timeless and eternal lessons of the Torah is of paramount importance to the survival of our people. Our cherished heritage must be passed on to future generations,” declared Rabbi Prussman, who has dedicated himself to providing free yeshiva educations to young Russian Jews for decades.
                   “We had special haggados with excellent Russian translations. Most importantly, we were able to provide a warm, caring and welcoming environment on Passover to those who are without any family and who are painfully lonely. This means more to me than words can express,” said Rabbi Gershbein.
                  Beth Shifra would like to express its gratitude to all who made the Passover program possible: Rabbi Hetelman, volunteers,  shaddchanim (matchmakers), security personnel Frank Vasile, kitchen staff and the food companies. Rabbbi Prussman highlighted the diligence of Rabbi Hetelman who served as kahsrut supervisor for the entire eight days. This year two singles programs were held. Both ran beautifully, thanks to the volunteer shaddchanim (matchmakers) and our musician. As the musician played, hot chicken meals were served to the many attendees. The singles program was widely advertised and had two nights dedicated to helping  those in their search. After the pesach holiday,  calls came in from frum singles with gratitude  for hosting  these evenings and wanted to know when our next event was taking place.
                     Jewish songs could be heard for blocks as participants at  the  Beth Shifra concert sang along and clapped in unison during the chol hamoed festivities.  After the hot chicken dinners and exquisite desserts kiruv style classes captivated all those present.
                     Besides the sedarim and the food giveaways at Georgie's, Rabbi Prussman said places to spend the night were found for a number of homeless people who showed up.                
    While all of this was going on in Boro Park, Beth Shifra was also running sedarim and giving away food at a number of satellite locations, including the Luna Park Houses in Coney Island, and the shul of Rabbis Mordechai and Sorya Sorcher at 2102 Avenue T. Representatives of several other communities also came to get food, "and it was a great success!”
                     It was all in a day’s work – or, in this case, eight days’ work – for Beth Shifra, which has been working tirelessly since 1970 to help the most vulnerable members of New York's Jewish community. Frequently, the help has been spiritual – by running Torah education programs and by vigorously countering brazen missionary efforts to lure unwary Jews away from their faith by dishonestly blurring the lines between Judaism and Christianity. At other times the help has been material in nature, with Beth Shifra helping them find apartments, jobs, furniture and affordable yeshivas and summer camps for their children.
How do they do it? It wouldn’t be possible without the help of so many dedicated to helping their Jewish bretheren. Beth Shifra wishes to extend a sincere thank you to all the newspapers, Jewish community members, the Rabbinical Alliance of America, the Met Council, the Boro Park Community Council and all of the Jewish Community Councils that helped get the word out. We would like to thank the following who helped pack and distribute food, serve meals and conduct Sedarim: Volunteers,David Strait, Steve, Avraham, Neil, Rabbi Alexander Guth, Shmuel Gershbein, Frankie, Rabbi Berkstein,Rabbi Sorcher’s shul family and students, Manishevitz, Kedem Wines,Gold’s, Streit’s Matzah Co, Igor-Moshi Glatt Kosher, Rabbi Lebovic of GoKosher, Rabbi Hettelman, Benny – Globex Kosher Foods, BaTempte, Redi Record,  Fresh &
Healthy, Gefen Foods, Fishman Grocery, RiteLite Toys,Pomegranet, Jack’s Eggs, Quality Frozen Foods, Paperific on 38th and  Carrol from Very Graphic ink. Beth Shifra would especially like to thank a new contributor – Pomegranate.
                      Without the help of the newspapers that spread the word to those who needed to know what was available, it wouldn’t have been such a success. Thanks to The Jewish Press, Country Yossi magazine and radio program,  V Novom Svete, the Russian Forward, Binah Magazine, The 20’s and 30’s, Yevreiski Mir, Der Yid, the Algemeiner Journal, Lucach.com, News Report, The Jewish Connection, TV Vues, Image Magazine, Russkaya Reklama, and The Monsey Advocate all helped. Thank you!
In wake of this year’s great success, hosting MORE people and giving away MORE free food than ever – Beth Shifra now has a stack of bills to pay that stretches wider than the Red Sea. While some of the food, labor and other necessities were donated, the rest had to be purchased. Beth Shifra looks to you to help part the water so that the organization can stay afloat and continue to help our brethren out from Egypt for many more years to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music From Richman Site