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Dirshu Shas Yidden Tested on Shas for the Second Time

It was an absolute unique maamad that transpired in the home of HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, shlita, senior Rosh Yeshiva at the Ponovezh Yeshiva. Rav Berel was so deeply moved by what he saw that at the end of the event he exclaimed, “I am so overjoyed that Baruch Hashem, Klal Yisroel is not orphaned. We have true bekiim in Shas with whom we can go and greet Moshiach!”

 Part 1 or a 3 part series.

What went wrong at this year's "A Different Pesach Program" and who saved the day? Last year Ben Atkin, the owner of A Different Pesach Program ran two Pesach programs. This year he combined the two into one and planned to have 1,000 guests. He hired an operations manager so he would not need to be on site. Ben put deposits on 120 homes, advertised extensively and as Pesach grew near he was in the unenviable position of having about only half the guests he expected and a fraction of what he had last year. The reservations he was expecting just did not come through in the numbers he expected. Financially, the program was no longer feasible but it was also very late to cancel. Where would his guests go? Many were flying in and had already purchased tickets. Some money was already lost on canceling homes that were not needed, advertising dollars could not be recouped, food was already being prepared by the truckload. All of the homes were paid for except about $900 was still due on each of 11 homes.

­ Sunday, April 14, Flushing

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) recently praised a decision by Airbnb to abandon its plan to delist homes in Judea and Samaria in Israel. The company also announced that it would contribute any proceeds that are generated from bookings in those regions to non-profit humanitarian organizations. After its initial declaration about placing restrictions on bookings in Israel, Airbnb was sued over its policy, both in the United States and Israel.

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, extends its sincere congratulations to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for achieving his fifth win for Israel’s premiership.