Susie Garber

Rabbi Yitzchok Bistritzky, well-known speaker, shared that Hashem gave klal Yisrael the Torah in the desert because the desert is a free place, open to everyone, and He also gave it on Har Sinai, the lowest mountain. We need to be humble like Har Sinai, but at the same time we should know our self-worth, that all we have is from Hashem and we are worthy to serve Hashem. We need the correct amount of humility and to know that everything is a gift from Hashem.

Rabbi Eliezer Krohn, a well-known mohel, speaker, and teacher, wrote a newly published beautiful sefer titled, A Woman’s Guide to Practical Halachah Throughout the Year and Throughout Life. This sefer, which was reviewed by Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita and was published by ArtScroll, is a must-have for practical guidance in so many daily areas of life. The Hebrew title was taken from a line in Eishes Chayil, Chok L’Naaroseha, and it means Laws of Women. The book is divided into many sections, including: Daily Routine, Brachos, Shabbos, Yamim Tovim, Life Cycle, Matters of Modesty, and General Halachos such as: Chinuch, Torah Study, Kibud Av VaEim, Forbidden Images, Sheimos, Ribbis, Maaser, T’vilas Keilim, And Bal Tashchis.

Chazaq hosted its sixth distribution to a very special group of people in our community. Before Shavuos, we need to focus on who are transmitting our mesorah: our rebbeim and moros. They give their time, energy, and lives to our children, teaching them Torah with enthusiasm. On Tuesday evening, May 4, over 175 rebbeim and moros participated in the distribution.

On May 2, Chazaq hosted an uplifting shiur on Shavuos, with many inspiring speakers. Rabbi Chanan Gordon, well-known speaker and author, began by sharing that on February 18 of this year an historical event took place. We saw a mobile drone descend and land on Mars. NASA opened up the naming of the mission to 28,000 school children, and the winning name was Perseverance. He noted, “Now is the time that we ascend the ladder to the single greatest event in history – the greatest gift the Jewish people ever have received and ever will receive, Matan Torah.” Hashem gave us instructions for living.

On Monday evening, May 10, Rabbi YY Jacobson shared an inspiring shiur on behalf of Chazaq about Shavuos. He noted that 3,300 years after the giving of the Torah, we can still hear the echoes of Sinai. “Shavuos is the holiday that allows us to focus on what it means to be a Jew, the people of the book, the people of eternity.” He taught that our nation is a nation because of the Torah. He added that he salutes Chazaq for sharing so much Torah and teaching so many of all ages what it means to be a Jew. He offered a brachah to Chazaq to be strong – and stronger – to go from strength to strength to bring the vitality and depth of Yiddishkeit to all Jews.

On Sunday evening, April 25, Chazaq and UJA Federation hosted a virtual lecture on vaccines with Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, Chairman of the Department of Infectious Disease and Hospital Epidemiologist at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital.