Wednesday, August 10, 2011

From the Desk of Rabbi Engel - Ve'etchanan 5771

Dear Friends,

1) As you are all aware, during the summer, I raise funds for
camperships. This year, as in the last few years, my efforts, with
those who have helped me, have been able to help over 60 families and
over 100 children attend camp. We do not differentiate between our own
frum community and other who turn to us for camperships (we evaluate
each situation based on the need so that we do not waste precious
tzedaka dollars). Nevertheless, most of the camperships we give out end
up going to families where otherwise the children have no Jewish
identity whatsoever. In fact, 30-40% of the camperships go to families
with Jewish mothers and non Jewish fathers (many who have divorced or
are in the middle of a divorce) and we see our camp as literally saving
Jewish lives and souls - HATZOLAS NEFASHOS.

I'm turning to our community to ask if you can donate one or more
camperships (At $180 per campership - tax deductible contribution).
These can be in memory or in honor of someone or of an occasion. All
campership donations will be acknowledged at the front entrance of camp
unless otherwise requested. Because of item number three (below) which
is again asking for money, if you are able to donate a campership, but
cannot pull it together until the end of August, your commitment for a
donation will be enough at this time.


2) There are girls and there are girls. Some girls are highly motivated to continue their Jewish education at seminary in Israel, but unfortunately their parents do not have the funds for them to do so. One such girl who became Shomar Shabbos and a Torah dedicated Jew at twelve years old has gone to our high school for the past four years. She now wants to continue at Midreshet Moriah Seminary in Yerushalim. The seminary reduced the tuition by over 60%, but she still must come up with $10,000 to make it work. There is no question in my mind that this girl will go places in the future. I have personally contributed towards her fund and I am asking anyone in the community who can join me to please do so. She is willing to tell you her name as most of you know her, but I thought it more wise to withhold printing her name. However if anyone would like to donate and know who she is I would be glad to share this information with you. Please send a check for her seminary fund to CJL and earmark it 'Seminary Fund'.


3)Some of you have been asking if I'm still a member of the Shul as you
have not seen me around for more than four weeks. Let me be brief and
explain. During the week for Shachris I daven at the bochurim's camp
minyan. At the advice of one of my friends, who saw that my weekend
schedule is a little more loose during the summer, I offered Chabad
houses in California the opportunity of me being a guest speaker at
their friday night dinners or Shabbatons and so in the last few weeks
I've spent Shabbos in Mount Olympus, Ventura, at a camp Shabbaton, and
in Minnesota for my daughtor Rivkah, baby's bris (the first boy after
five girls). This coming Shabbos I will be in the La Jolla, San Diego
area and afterwards I will be right back where I came from, our Shul.
No, I have not left, I love our Shul with a passion, I've just decided
to explain this because so many people have asked me.


Thank you listening,

Rabbi Engel

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

For Sale

These appliances are in excellent condition and gently used. We have had them in storage after moving them from our Vegas home. (Pictures upon request)

CONTACT Lee Crowell at 562-572-5020 (this is a VOIP line that rings in Israel, we are 10 hours ahead of you) Our children, Zvi & Leah Shapiro have a key to our garage in Long Beach.

KITCHENAID SUPERBA REFRIGERATOR -$450 or best offer
model # KSRS25C
Black side by side
25.3 cubic ft (15.3 cubic feet in frig and 10 cubic feet in freezer)
water/ice (crushed/cube) in door
water filter
comes with owner manual
the size is
69 3/4 inches high
35 1/2 inches wide
33 1/4 deep

KENMORE GAS RANGE -$400 or best offer
model number 75990
Stainless Steel
4 cast iron burners
broiler/storage and warmer drawer
timer
comes with manual
30W X 28 1/4D X 46 3/4H

KENMORE MICROWAVE HOOD COMBO- $100
model # 69612-7-9
Black
has exhaust fan
includes charcoal and grease filters, counter top light

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

From the Desk of Rabbi Engel - Parshas Tazria 5771


  • Once again we will be presenting a Grand Childrens L'ag B'omer Parade at the Israeli Expo on May 22nd, 2011. This year we hope to have at least 600 kids marching and there will be an audience of 6,000. The name of the parade this year will be The Jewish Unity Parade.

  • All children that march in the parade and all high school age volunteers will be eligible for the grand prize which is an Ipad. The raffle will be held immediately after the parade and the prize will be awarded right there and then.

  • We are looking for eight sponsoring companies at $500 a sponsor to cover the cost of the T-shirts. The sponsors can be hair dressers, doctors, car dealers, real estate agents etc. They will be able to have their logo, telephone numbers/ web adresses on the T-shirt. This is a great opportunity for those who wish to publicize their business while giving a tax deductable contribution. If you know of anyone who might be interested please contact them or call Rabbi Engel and pass on the information. Time is of the essence, please act immediately. The last time we did this about 10 years ago it was our school parents and shull families that got most of our sponsors for us, and thus we were able to give the parade T-shirts out for free to all who participated.

  • Please plan on attending together with your family. The line up for the parade will be at approx. 1:45 pm. Exact times to follow. We hope to be able to give free T-shirts to all those who march in the parade as well as all the volunteers who are helping with the parade, as per the paragraph above. Forms to order these shirts in the appropiate sizes will be available in a few weeks.

  • We have been able to secure the participation of a Jewish American hero, Tibor Ruben who is a Congressional Medal Of Honor recipient. (Google his name and you will see why he received this award and was honored both in the White House and the Pentagon. His story tells of his antisemitic superior who said that no jew will get the CMOH award under my watch).

  • We all know how much the Rebbe wanted these l'ag b'omer parades for the Jewish pride and the messages that in engenders. Last years parade was such an unbelivable hit that it way surpassed any of our wildest imaginations of success. We hope and plan to do even better this year.

  • As a parade like this cost thousands of dollars I am asking members of our community who are able to, to make a $100 tax deductible contribution towards the parade expenses (if this is difficult right now because of pesach expense, a commitment now to be paid after pesach would work).