The Russian city of Arkhangelsk saw the opening of a synagogue inside what may be the world’s northernmost Jewish community center.

As children head to Jewish day camps in the coming weeks and parents pack bags with swimsuits, sunscreen, and bottles of water, moms and dads might be concerned about terrorism, especially since Jewish community centers received numerous bomb threats last year.

Thirteen-year-old Joshua, a resident at the Children’s Village juvenile facility in Dobbs Ferry, New York, celebrated his bar mitzvah with the help of a group of retirees. Amidst preparations for a weekly Torah discussion group for retirees held at the Highpoint Condos in Hartsdale, New York, Rabbi Benjy Silverman of Chabad of the Rivertowns received a call from Joshua’s grandmother, Sandra. She enlisted his help in arranging a bar mitzvah for her grandson and, gladly agreeing, Rabbi Silverman eagerly began preparations.

Guest speaker Rabbi Chaim Bruk of Montana celebrated with rabbis Michael Macks and Saadia Pewzner.

Rabbi Eli and Faygie Goorevitch just recently moved to Dana Point to establish the city’s first and only Jewish Center. Rabbi Goorevitch Jr. grew up in Laguna Beach and then relocated to New York to continue his studies. His wife Faygie is from Georgia, where her parents run a Chabad Jewish center and synagogue.

A dedicated group of 13-year-old young men joined together to collect funds to sponsor the Bar Mitzvah of an orphaned Israeli. With determination and creativity, the group raised AUS$2,034 (US$1,513.97).

All members of the Jewish community living just outside of Osaka, in the Kobe area of Japan, are reported safe after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Osaka, the second-largest city in the country.

Rabbis from around the world urged soccer fans attending World Cup tournaments in Russia to visit Jewish community facilities that were set up especially near stadiums.
Chabad envoys are offering Shabbat dinners, warm kosher meals and holding prayers. Yanki Freidman, a Chabad rabbi, is liasoning with other rabbis based in the relevant cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and Kazan.

About a decade ago, when Rabbi Shaul Perlstein moved here from Chicago with his family to head the Chabad Jewish Center, he mused that one day the center might find a headquarters as majestic as the Jo Conn Guild house in the Fort Wood National Historic District.

Bentzi Avtzon listened to his grandfather’s stories, absorbing the words but not quite believing them.
Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis had played an instrumental role in guiding college hippies of the 1960s and ’70s back to the Jewish faith, Rabbi Abraham Shemtov would tell his grandson. Sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll — and rabbis.

The students of the Florence Brownstein Preschool at the Chabad of Port Washington marked the end of the school year with a festive graduation ceremony and celebration. The children participated in a moving up ceremony, complete with gowns and caps and graduation certificates from Senator Elaine Phillips office.

With a crowd of both teens and their families in attendance, Chabad of Hunterdon County’s Teen Network (CTeen) held its annual end-of-year award ceremony to celebrate and recognize a year of dedicated community work.
The ceremony was addressed by the Flemington Mayor Phil Greiner, who shared his encouragement and recognition for the teens’ work.