CHANUKA ARCHIVES- GIANT MENORAH LIGHTING

The giant menorah lighting - El Presidio park in downtown Tucson (behind the county courthouse) in attendance was future mayor of Tucson, Mr Bruce Gorwitz

Future mayor surrounded by shluchim and bochrim

PICTURE OF THE DAY

A shiurwith Dayan from the Montreal beis din Rabbi Banon

Rabbi S.Z Wilschanski spends shabbos in Tucson

Rabbi S.Z Wilschanski spends shabbos with Yeshiva of Tucson

The bochrim out in the desert of Arizona were recently treated to a delightful and uplifting Shabbos.

Shabbos Parshas V’oera Rosh Chodesh Shevat the Rosh Yeshiva of TTL Morristown spent shabbos with his son Rabbi Betzalel Wilschanski and the students of the Yeshiva High School of Tucson Arizona.

After weeks of intense preparation for the upcoming Yoma D’pagra-yud shevat it was fitting that the temimim were able to participate in an awe inspiring weekend together with an individual who had many personal encounters with the rebbe and a zchus to be mechanech many talmidim over the years.

Friday night Rabbi Wilschanski observed as the shluchim and bochrim engaged in their weekly study of the rebbes sichos pertinent to the week’s parshah, he then joined in with the seder niggunim followed by a beautiful chayusdike kabolas shabbos led by hatomim Mendy Vail (Crown Heights).

During a lengthy farbrengen with the shluchim following seudas shabbos Rabbi Wilschanski commented on the events he had witnessed “I was very impressed by the enthusiasm shown by the bochrim while learning the weekly sicha, their involvement in the seder niggunim and especially during the davening I noticed an added excitement with which the students davened”.

Shabbos day, the bochrim were in for a real treat, unbeknown to them Rabbi Wilschanski in addition to being a rosh yeshiva is also a terrific baal tefila, he took the amud for shachris/hallel using beautiful nusach and hartzikeh niggunim.

After krias hatorah Rabbi Wilschanski addressed the temimim and spoke about how shabbos parshas V’oera is connected and intertwined with chof daled teves and yud shvat as well as with the rabbeim.

Hatomim Hashliach Levi Lipskar (South Africa) then entertained the crowd with a beautiful rendition of the mussaf for shabbos rosh chodesh.

The meal shabbos day was a lively affair, the shluchim and bochrim sat and farbrenged together, while the shluchim shared various insights the bochrim could definitely feel that a special day was right around the corner.

After mincha, a delicious spread was laid out and Rabbi Wilschanski sat down for the highlight of his trip- the big farbrengen- in attendance were the head shliach to Tucson Rabbi Yossie Shemtov and members of the community. Rabbi Wilschanski spoke about the famous statement of the frierdiker rebbe “AMERICA IZ NISHT ANDERSH” and how we are challenged each day with our own personal “AMERICA”. He also stressed the importance of preparation for such a day as yud Shevat and complimented the bochrim on their involvement in the mivtza hachono prepared by the shluchim. He continued to farbreng and inspire until well after shabbos was out.

HAPPY CHANUKAH

That's all for now, but we'll update you with the rest later.

A new mivtza had been introduced, following the Chitas-Club mivtza, it's a Seder Sichos/Inyonei Geulah umoshiach seder three times a week, and one of them being a shiur. Well many of the bochurim participated, and were rewarded for their steady and uncompromising attitude towards the mivtza. They were taken to a place called "Funtastics", where they were treated to a couple of rounds of go-carting, and then the bochurim were able to enjoy themselves with whatever way their heart desired at that given moment.


The Shluchim got to enjoy themselves immensely too at the "Funtastics" trip today.

JUDAH IS BACK

Yup, it's that time of the year again! Judah Maccabe with his famous olive press is back in Tucson, a very educational, interactive, hands-on show which teaches and actually let the kids experience a genuine feeling as if they were there at the time of the original story. The part of Judah is played by Hatomim Hashliach Levi Lipskar, a funny, charismatic, enthusiastic, and energetic person, which makes him a perfect candidate for the role.


Lots of mivtzoim was done following the show which was done in the mall in collaboration with the chanukah fare that was happening there.

A beautiful farbrengen had been conducted in honor of Tes Kislev, by a shliach that came all the way from the holy land. Rabbi Lieberman who is originally from Chicago, now residing in Ashkolon, farbrenged with the bochurim, in a very practical and interactive way. In short: he was great. After farbrenging with the kids for a couple of hours, he farbrenged with the shluchim, and was enjoyed by them very much.

GRAND SHABBATON

What a shame! Such a beautiful shabbaton, but not enough evidence. Last shabbos the Chabad of Phoenix hosted the yeshivah to a wonderful shabbaton, but due to our religious standards, we were not permitted to take any photographs throughout the shabbos. But what about Friday, and Sunday you ask? Well this, I guess just shows how much fun everybody was having that be barely even had time to stop and think about taking pictures, that's a good sign. We did manage to scramble together a few pictures, but don't worry there was more and other fun throughout the rest of the shabbaton.

TRIP

Today, the yeshiva was taken on a hike, but not like the hike we went on in Elul, we're talking about the real stuff! I mean, this hike has led us up and down through the rocky terrain and an occasional stream of the mountains highest peaks. We actually started our hike, at about 9000 ft. and moved our way up to the top point of the mountain. We stopped in middle of the 3 hour hike to eat lunch and rest up, and then returned and went back, taking the same route that we took on the way there. "The scenic, and picturesque views, nestled in the opaque mountains where just breathtaking" mentioned many of the bochurim as we where concluding the hike. Well at least what's left of it after the fire which swept across these mountains, just a short two years ago. We stopped for a group picture at about 6,5oo ft.; notice in the background the mountains which we hiked in.

On our lunch break, the four trip arrangers, stop for a little moment together.

And let us not forget the real reason why we went up to Mount Lemmon today, a beautiful Bar-Mitzvah took place at about 9,500 ft. above sea level. You can never forget the mivtzoim.

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to habachur hatamim Mendy Vale upon winning, and becoming the owner of a brand new ipod shuffle, we are all very happy for him, and hope that he uses it out to its utmost capacity, b'ruchiyos and b'gashmiyos.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the shluchim for their assistance in the Chitas Club program, and most of all on behalf of all the shluchim, I would to give a big yasher koach to hashliach hatomim Moshe sheyichye Orimland for his tireless effort and sleepless nights in arranging this program, and ensuring that it ran smoothly.

NEWLY ELECTED RABBI GOES ON MINI SABBATICAL

The new Rosh yeshiva that was brought down in the beginning of this school year, has been doing a phenomenal job, and therefore his superiors have agreed to let him take an early however mini (two weeks) sabbatical to Israel. The Rosh Yeshiva has prepared and arranged that two fine young and gifted men (pictured below) come down to Tucson and substitute his place. We would like to wish the rabbi much success in studies, and endeavors.

A new sign was posted in zal last night, it read in big bold red letters: ONLY ONE DAY LEFT FOR THE RAFFLE, as you can see above. These three weeks have flown by so quickly, in the beginning it seemed so far away, but it's finally here. The bochurim are getting all tensed, for everybody wants to be the one to win the newest bite-size ipod shuffle! Well as of now, we are just a few short hours away from the grand raffle. Don't worry; we'll keep you posted as it happens.

Bochurim, Landscapers and Bodybuilders

What do these three things have in common? Good question. Well in essence there should be many more categories up there, but we were just trying to describe the new P/E program that has been set up. In short, a deal has been arranged with our next door neighbor, it's as follows: since we had noticed, that he was toiling himself recently, trying by himself, to do a job in his front and back yard, that requires many pairs of hands, we figured we can help, he promised to buy the right materials for us to use, and in return we would help him out in his yard. "I think that this is an amazing program, where we can prepare, and educate the kids for the future, by teaching them these vital skills, and at the same time insure that they acquire a full body workout, thus fore staying in shape, in the present ", said Rabbi Wilshanski after questioned what he had thought about the new program.

We would like to give a speacial thank you, to Moshe Orimland for taking the time to take these pictures for us.

'CC' UPDATE

This week, has brought yet another week of success for the Chitas Club. As for the trip of the week, the bochurim were taken to Phoenix, where they enjoyed a enlightening, and inspiring farbrengen, from Rabbi Friedman who is a shliach in a neighboring township.

Although this would have been enough, the bochurim commented, the yeshiva felt that the bochurim deserved a little more, perhaps something gashmiyos, for their extra effort they had put into their learning this week. So therefore, before the farbrengen, the bochurim were taken to the local cholov yisroel pizza shop and were treated out by the yeshiva!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

On behalf of the entire Tucson, I would like to wish, although belated, but hey, better late than never, an extremely happy birthday. All the other shluchim would like to welcome him to the moichen d’gadlus club, his birthday was followed by a beautiful farbrengen for his fellow peers the shluchim, with a complete table laden with all different delicacies, and other items that aren’t accessible here in Tucson. Including a rare but great tasting drink; I don’t remember exactly what it was called, but it was somewhere along the lines of ‘smear on and off’ (for those of you who might know what I’m talking about, it’s one of the pictures). All thanks to his loving family back at home. Happy birthday.

'CC' UPDATE

This past weeks update: On Thursday evening, just as they where promised, the bochurim where taken on their weekly trip. This week's trip as you've already guessed was bowling. A new innovation where bochurim get to let out their stress that has bottled up inside them throughout the entire week, by rolling or throwing a heavy ball into a hole at the end of a lane, with some obstacles obviously blocking the way, for they didn't want to make it to easy. In order that the bochurim don't think that we're teaching them how to be violent, they've added a point system. Well folks it's all in the name of fun now. psychologist have agreed with our system, and think it's actually healthy for the boys.
In this picture you can see a shliach walking away after bowling a perfect spin, and knocking down all the pins, however, just not in his lane. Don't ask.

Mazal tov, after about a week of tending the soil, with love and care, the earth finally gave way, and the radishes broke through. It’s a pure miracle from G-D alone; there is no way that could’ve happened alone. The gift of life, what a beautiful thing, a new radish has been born into this world, I’m sure it can’t wait to be eaten at some shabbos meal, so it should sustain the eater with enough energy to serve G-D properly. More gardening updates to follow.


If you look carefully at the picture you'll be able to notice the baby radish moments after it was born. It since grown from the time the picture was taken and many more have joined it. It was born weighing alomost nothing, and was about two millimeters long.

LAMED TES GIVEN BY LAMED VOV

We all had originally thought that hatomim hashliach Yankie Shemtov was just like one of us. Well this past Thursday we were to find out that we would only wish we knew an iota of what he knows when it comes to torah knowledge! If only we would have known. At 6:30 on Thursday evening, we were privileged to have the weekly lamed tes melochos shiur given by the aforementioned shliach. The crowd was astounded. The entire room was just sitting there with drooping mouths. One after another he just made one opinion sound better than the next. It didn’t stop there; he went on to explain his own “chidushim”. We truly hope that in the future, we will be able to gain much from this great asset that the yeshiva has acquired with good luck.

WE'RE BACK!!!

We're back. We will G-D willing be posting again!

We're extremely sorry about the delay, we hope that you forgive us.