Recently, the army announced that it would allow men to keep their beards for religious reasons, the shift has been slow and has been driven by several lawsuits, one of which was filed by Rabbi Mendy Stern from Chabad. One of the first beneficiaries of the new policy is Rabbi Michael Harari, 37, who has served for about two years as chaplain of an elite army combat battalion • Full Article
A match was made by Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm, Director of Smicha-on-Line, between two groups of soldiers: Chayolei Beis Dovid – the students of Oholei Torah Mesivta, and the Jewish soldiers serving in the U.S. military, stationed in Fort Bennings, Georgia • Read More
Tzivos Hashem of Canada organized a Menorah parade from Chabad Gate in Toronto to a nearby armory. Jewish Canadian soldiers participated in the Menorah lighting led by Chaplain Danziger • Photos
Fort Leonard Wood will be the center of Chanukah observances for troops worldwide, as the installation’s celebration will be broadcast online next week • Full Story
Rabbi Elie Estrin, who together with his wife Chaya, is the director of the Rohr Chabad House for Jewish Life at the University of Washington in Seattle, graduated this Monday from Officer Training School at the Maxwell Air Force base in Montgomery, Alabama • Full Story
Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein retired last month after 38 years as a U.S. Army chaplain having reached the mandatory retirement age of 68. He held the rank of colonel and was the longest serving Jewish chaplain in the U.S. military • Full Article
In reference to what is happening in the world today Rabbi Lazer Rivkin, senior Shliach and Director of Chabad of Central Florida, spoke before over 200 US military soldiers at their main military base • Full Story, Photos
An Israeli Chabad soldier is facing charges for refusing to remove his beard ● When asked to comment, the IDF Spokesman’s Office stated “The commander involved is reviewing the situation” ● Full Story
A Washington state rabbi didn’t have to split hairs when it came to joining the U.S. Air Force — he came on board with his beard intact ● The bearded Rabbi, Elie Estrin was sworn in at the McCord Air Force Base at Fort Lewis on Wednesday, surrounded by friends, family and supporters ● Full Story, Pictures
Baby Boy to Mendel and Sheina Bergstein (nee Hertz) – Crown Heights
Moshe Caytak – Ottawa, Canada to Sheina Amar – France
L’Chaim: Sunday night at FREE
Yudi Perl – Los Angeles, CA to Gitty Liberow – Manchester, UK
L’Chaim: Tonight (Thursday) at the Rubashkin Residence
Mendy Donin – Houston, TX, to Malky Simpson – Brooklyn, NY
Baby girl to Zalmy and Shainy (nee Shaikevitz) Simpson – Crown Heights
Menachem Farkash – Bellevue, WA, to Mimi Dahan – Crown Heights
Baby boy to Levi and Chavi (nee Mangel) Simpson – Cincinnati Ohio
Aharon Berelwitz – Natick, MA to Shoshana Goldberg – Ann Arbor, MI
New question on AskTheRav.com: How particular should one be to wear a silk kapoteh, and is there any times where silk is not necessary? What is our view on wearing a kapoteh which is partially silk, since silk can be quite costly? See Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya Braun‘s response • Full Story
In a shocking abuse of power by an airline, a family has been banned from flying three weeks after their flight. A family member tells YWN that they flew from a NY area airport to Florida in mid-January in a noneventful flight. The mom, dad, and their five children were masked as required by law, and had no altercation with any of the flight crew. They never left their seats, and sat in their assigned seats the entire flight. Not a word was said to the family about any mask issue or any other issues during the entire duration of the flight • Full Story
With Covid-19 still ravaging many communities in Eretz Yisroel and across the globe, The Rov of the Lubavitch community in Tzfas, Harav Mordechai Bistritzky, issued a sharp letter giving members of his community permission to inform the police of anyone who is breaking these regulations put in place to protect the community as it is Pikuach Nefesh • Full Letter
In connection with the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision to recognize ‘conversions’ done by the reform and conservative movements, read a fascinating part of a Farbrengen of the Rebbe from the year 5734 with a free translation from ChabadInfo.com where the Rebbe connects this topic of Mihu Yehudi with terrorists infiltrating the land of Eretz Yisroel • Full Story