At the Young Israel of West Hempstead, Michal Lobanov Shares Her Personal Story of Tragedy, Strength, and Hope

Michal Lobanov lost her husband to Hamas terrorists and gained a global family that continues to support her and other widows of hostages and fallen soldiers. Last Sunday, she shared her experiences at the Young Israel of West Hempstead.

Chava Ben-David’s childhood in Queens was unique in some ways, as she was raised by her single father in a neighborhood far from her yeshivah. Determined to give her a Jewish education, her father Zelig drove her to school; but on one occasion, his car was being repaired and I volunteered to pick up Chava.

The once-in-five-years election that represents diaspora Jewry in the World Zionist Congress had a record turnout, with more than 230,000 votes cast, producing a historic result that gave the largest number of seats among the 22 parties to the Reform movement—even as its share of the seats dropped, with Orthodox parties picking up more votes than in the previous election.