Being the only one from my immediate circle of family and friends that live in Cincinnati, I get forwarded any article that mentions interesting facts about our city. This occurred again over Chanukah, when I was forwarded an interesting article that described the history of gas street lights. Before electricity became sufficiently widespread and economical to allow for general public use, gas was the most popular method of outdoor and indoor lighting in cities and suburbs • Click to Read

We’ve seen the world just get shaken up and enlightened as to what is happening unfortunately in regards to abuse. Mendy takes the global lesson and narrows it down, into our own community • Full Story

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Director of Yeshivas Lubavitch – Cincinnati: As the director of an educational institution, I know first-hand the tremendous costs that go into financing an institution. This is especially true with an institution that puts a stress on individual attention being given to each student. The overall budget of the institution, far exceeds the income gained from tuition fees. At the same time, I would like to try to be objective and share some of the Rebbe’s answers that he wrote to parents and to directors of educational institutions about this topic • Click to Read

Rabbi Braun: “You Are Not Entitled To Your Opinion When it Comes To Medical Matters” • Audio 

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Director and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Lubavitch – Cincinnati: I am a Chabad Chassid and was offered a job as principal in a local Jewish day school. The classes in this school are mixed boys and girls. I know how much the Rebbe demands that our schools should be separate. Is that only for chabad schools or all schools? Should I take up this job-offer which I feel can be a real shlichus for me? Please provide some clarity and insight on this important topic • Click to Read

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Director and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati: My wife and I are Baalei Teshuva and our oldest son is becoming a Bar Mitzvah and we were planning a big event in our Shul in which lots of extended family (currently not-frum) would join us. I had hoped that, in addition to the Maamer, he would lein his parsha or at least the haftarah, but he feels that it is giving him too much pressure. What is the proper chinuch approach in this scenario? • Click to Read

This week will mark one year to the death of Ahuvya Sandak hy”d. Lubavitcher and Crown Heights activist Saadia Hershkop writes about the travesty of justice taking place, and how you can make a difference • Click To Read

From the desk of Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, Senior Shliach to Turkey and Chairman of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States: From Istanbul to Dubai to Baku to Nursultan – and of course in the countries who were signatories to the Abraham Accords – the lights of the eight-branch menorah shine into cities where Jews are the minority, but where today their right to live and worship as Jews is promoted, guaranteed and protected • Click to Read

For a long time, I wondered what the “one pure jug” of oil could possibly be in my life in 2021. What should I be searching for that if found, would have a miraculous staying power and illuminate the world. I think I finally found the answer a short while ago at an event that I attended October 30th in Brooklyn • Click to Read

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati: I am a principal of a Mesivta high school. Besides the regular curriculum on learning, there are many incentive-based extra curricular learning programs that take place. In most cases, these programs are run by the Talmidim Hashluchim. My question: Does the Rebbe agree with incentive-based programs, and if yes, are there specific guidelines that he put in place? • Click to Read

Rabbi Avrohom Bluming, Director of Igud Hamelamdim, Shares 3 Reasons You Should Give Chanukah Gelt To Your Children’s Teachers This Chanukah • Click to Read 

From the desk of Rabbi Eli Hecht, Shliach in South Bay, California: The violent deaths by guns are frightening. Gun ownership has grown 43 percent. Nearly half to two-thirds of homicides and suicides are in homes that have guns. I remember, some 50 years ago, living in a quiet, beautiful area of Brooklyn. Holdups, robberies and rape were nonexistent. Burglaries were rare, but, one year that came to an end. It happened around Hannukah • Click to Read

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati: I am a bachur in Beis Medrash and Baruch Hashem is involved in learning. I am a little frustrated by the fact that the Hanhalla puts such an emphasis on tests. I understand that children need tests and possibly bachurim in Mesivta (high school). I feel that we are old enough to be learning for the sake of learning without the pressure of tests. What is the Rebbe’s approach to this? • Click to Read

From the desk of Rabbi Ari Shishler, Shliach in Sandton, South Africa: Many of the photos of Eli that have circulated through the media don’t depict a typical Chabadnik. You see him in a Kova Tembel, rather than a Borsalino. Yesterday’s funeral was a sea of black hats, knitted kippot, twisted peyot and bare-headed ponytails. You don’t get much more Chabad than that • Click to Read

From the desk of Rabbi Yaakov Lieder, longtime educator and chinuch coach: In recent times, many books have been written on the subject of ‘Goal Setting’. These books explain how you can become a high achiever and succeed in today’s world.  The gist of their suggestions is: “Aim for the stars and you’ll reach the moon”.  They use examples of sports players who have won gold medals, politicians who reached positions of power, and people who have become financially successful • Click to Read

From Rabbi Mendel Yusewitz, Principal of Cheder Ohr Menachem in Crown Heights: Moving my fingers across the keyboard I tremble. A mere continuation to that shudder which ran down my spine upon receiving the news of Rabbi Chaim Binyamini’s passing.  Where to begin? How do I -in dry words- do justice describing such a towering figure? • Full Article, Photos

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati: I am the principal of a school and my utmost priority is to make sure that the atmosphere of the school is filled with Yiras Shamayim. There are a few students that are ruining the atmosphere and it seems to be having a negative effect on other students. Does the Rebbe allow us to expel students, knowing that it can ruin those individual students? • Click to Read

“I see that the teachers put an emphasis on telling stories of Tzaddikim. In my mind, there are two issues with that: firstly, many of these stories can be confusing to children as they deal with things which are above their understanding. Secondly, I feel that this is bittul Torah” • By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Beis Moshiach Magazine • Full Article

From the desk of Editor-in-Chief of Beis Moshiach Magazine, Rabbi Levi Liberow: First of all, we need to properly define for ourselves: What is the Besuras HaGeula that we want to announce? Or to borrow the terminology of Kuntres Toras HaChassidus, “its wisdom, its essential character and its function in acquiring the elevated qualities of man.” • Click to Read

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati: Teachers working for a Chabad school have had consistent missed paychecks. This problem is causing the atmosphere in school to take a turn for the worse. Some teachers are discussing the possibility of conducting an organized strike, as many teachers’ unions do worldwide. Is this acceptable? • Full Story

On Monday morning we celebrated a beautiful Bar Mitzvah at our shul. I took a selfie with the bar mitzvah boy and his family and posted it on my Instagram and Facebook stories. I thought it would inspire others. But when I checked to see how many people had viewed the story, the number was unusually low. “How strange,” I thought. “Let me refresh the page” • Full Story

One of the greatest of challenges in life is overcoming fear. We wonder, “What’s going to happen to me? How is this going to play out?” We can be overcome by fear of the unknown, finding ourselves paralyzed and unable to move forward • Click to Read

From the desk of Rabbi Gershon Avtzon of Yeshivas Lubavitch – Cincinnati: There is a well-known chassidic tale about a young boy who would wake up every morning in the month of Tishrei and his father would give him special directives and instructions: “Today we hear the Shofar (Rosh Hashanah),today we fast (Yom Kippur) and today we shake the Lulav in the Sukkah (Sukkot).” When the holidays were over, the son innocently asked his father what he should do today. The father responded that he should unpack his suitcases • Click to Read

These are spiritual days. By spiritual I mean days when we are less immersed in the daily quotidian of material survival, and more focused on the bigger issues of life: Why am I here? How do I deal with loss? Where are the souls of my departed beloved ones? What is the destiny of my and my family’s life? What does the future hold? • Click to Read

From the desk of Sydney, Australia Shliach Rabbi Levi Wolff: This weekend marks 20 years since 9/11. “Where were you?” is a sobering question that has been asked to so many of us in relation to the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City. With a two-decade milestone upon us, it feels necessary to pause and reflect • Click to Read