Yalla Magazine Issue 7

CHAZAK NEWS IN A FLASH

When you think of the word heritage, what image does it con- How?
jure up in your mind? Our heritage is rich and deep, but it’s The Maharal of Prague explains that the reason why we are
also vast and varied. The places we come from, the food we “the People of the Book”, the reason why we invest hours and
eat, the languages we speak. Sephardi, Ashkenazi. Yemenite, hours every single day, delving into the depths of our Torah, is
Eastern Jews. Oriental Jews. because it is certainly not just a book but an instruction manual
We know that we are one people deep down. But sometimes for life. It tells us, word for word, how to live a beautiful, deep
we believe that our heritage doesn’t unite us, rather, it high- and meaningful life.
lights the differences between us. Some choose to eat one But it’s even more than that. Torah is the map of G-d’s Mind!
particular symbolic food on Rosh Hashanah, while others ‘What does that even mean?’ you are probably asking your-
choose another food that symbolises something else. Some self ! It means that the Torah is the way that G-d thinks.
pray in one way, and others have a different custom for prayer. When G-d gave the Torah to Moshe to transmit to the Jewish
But that’s where we get it wrong. There’s nothing wrong with people at Sinai, He was giving us a way to understand Him,
the fact that we have different backgrounds or customs, foods a way to plug into the way He thinks, how He functions and
or dress codes. But, while these aspects are a part of our heri- ultimately how we should live our lives if we want to become
tage, they shouldn’t divide us. There is one thing that defines, a G-dly nation. A G-dly nation doesn’t mean a people who
guides and unites us all – one thing alone: Moshe gave us study, or a people who follow a certain laws. It means that our
(taught us) the Torah, an inheritance for the children of Jacob. moral and sanctified responsibility is to become a people who
“Torah Tzivah Lanu Moshe, Morasha Kehillat Yaakov – The Torah think, act and talk like G-d.
that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation When we study the Torah, we are training ourselves to think
of Yaakov.” like G-d. The function of learning Torah is to align our minds
From the moment a child learns to speak, we teach them one to the Mind of G-d.
sentence. One passuk. Torah is our heritage. Everything else is That is our heritage. The very thing that unites us, guides us
secondary. and defines us. Torah.
Of course, our individual stories and backgrounds have
beautiful traditions and customs that create the flavour of our
individual families and this does not negate that fact. How-
ever, these are merely subtle nuances, they are not our entire
identity.

We are Jews. We are Torah Jews. The People of the Book. So, CHAZAK NEWS
what is the value, the function and meaning of this “Book” to It is with this in mind that we are excited to launch two proj-
us? It’s far more than just a book. Torah is the very fire that ects this Rosh Hashanah: The Chazak Ladies Academy (CLA)
unites and defines us. It is our moral code and provides us and the Brampton Bet Medrash (BBM).
with a home and a place of belonging.

BRAMPTON BET MEDRASH
Over the past 10 years, Chazak has worked together with syn-
agogues and schools across the community to provide every
individual with a deeper connection and better understanding
of our heritage, our Torah.

CHAZAK NEWS IN A FLASH

We strive to inspire our teenagers to be more engaged in their “The answer is worth its weight in gold. Look at your top
Judaism, guide young couples in how to infuse their homes competitors and take the best from each one. If you copy
with Torah values, and encourage every individual of every the number one competitor – that is plagiarism. If you take
age to be inspired and to grow. the best part of the top three or four – (acknowledging their
sources and putting your own spin on the ideas) that is smart.

However, inspiration can only last so long. Judaism is not a “When preparing a class, I pick a topic and look at or listen to
spectator sport, but rather a space where people need to get the top few speakers on that topic. I take the best ideas from
involved and play the game themselves. each one, a story from here, a study from there and a Gemara
If one is inspired, coming back from yeshiva or a few months in to add to the mix, and, with my own unique understanding
Israel, there needs to be somewhere that he feels is aligned to thrown in, that’s how I create my classes.
the moral code to which he has become accustomed. If he is “When planning the way forward for Chazak, I look around
looking to advance his textual skills in order to better under- the world and see what organisations are doing, and take the
stand the mind of The Creator, there needs to be a place that best ideas from each organisation and put it all together.
can offer that too.

So, whether it’s someone who wants to learn every day, with “After scouring the London landscape, I realised that there is
guided learning programmes and shiurim, or someone who a limited amount on offer for women in terms of learning. I
is interested in trying the texts and depths of Talmud for the myself give five or six classes a month, exclusively for ladies, in
first time, we invite you to join us in something we hope will different homes all over London, but it is simply not enough.
revolutionise our community. So many women have said to me that Chazak needs to do
more for girls and women in north west London.

We hope our Brampton Bet Medrash will be a new and “When deciding what type of programme to roll out, I did my
enthused place of learning, brimming with freshness and a research. I looked all over the world at what was being done
strong desire to deliver first-class Torah. for ladies and realised that what was needed was not a purely
Torah-based programme, but a programme that would be
Let us illustrate to our children the importance of learning more holistic, and that could engage women at every level.
Torah and its values, and not just preach them. We invite you So many women are artistic in different ways and never have
to join us as we embark on this journey... a chance to express their talents. So many young mothers are
busy and, with the little bit of free time they have, they want
CHAZAK LADIES ACADEMY to know how to be better parents and have better relationships
Rabbi Moshe Levy shares his vision for the Chazak Ladies with their husbands. So many people are going through chal-
Academy: lenges and need awareness and tips to enrich their emotional
“I will never forget the afternoon that changed my life 12 well-being.
years ago while learning in Israel. There I was, eating my “We decided that the Chazak Ladies Academy has to be
lunch in the chadar ochel (lunch room) when a guy who owned something that caters to everyone, no matter their age or level
a website that helped people rent vacation apartments asked of observance. We also decided that just one-off inspirational
a question to a very experienced business expert. ‘Should I sessions are not enough Our plan is to offer courses in well-
charge people to list their flats, or should I charge people to ness, art, cooking, parsha, halacha, parenting, relationships and
find flats or should I make it free and charge advertising?’ much more.

152 Y A L L A M A G A Z I N E

CHAZAK NEWS IN A FLASH

“When sitting down with different women of all ages in the community, the feedback has been overwhelming. Finally! About
time! That is so empowering! I can’t wait.
“It is the women who transform the house into a home and we truly feel that with the CLA, we can help partner with the ladies
of London to connect ,inspire and empower women to build on their strengths; hopefully the ripple effects will make a seismic
shift in the community.
“We look forward to meeting and hearing from you about what else we can do to change the face of London so people all over
the world can look to us and say, ‘that is what we need in our community’.”

RABBI KAHLANI TO HEAD UP THE BBM
Born in London, Rabbi Nathan Kahlani has been living in Jerusalem, studying in yeshiva for the past 17
years, before moving to the UK this summer to join Chazak. Starting in Beis Yisroel, Rabbi Kahlani
moved on to the Mir Yeshiva, where he learnt under and became a talmid of Rabbi Osher Arieli shlita.
During this time, he met and married Ora, his wife, who was studying in university in Jerusalem. They
lived with their five children in Har Nof, Jerusalem, before moving to the UK.
Having spent almost six years in Rabbi Osher’s legendary Gemara shiur, Rabbi Kahlani then joined a
chabura of graduates from Rabbi Osher’s shiur, where they continued in their studies, learning Sedarim
Kodshim and Moed, eventually resulting in Rabbi Kahlani receiving smicha from Rabbi Zalman Nechemia
Goldberg shlita. Rabbi Kahlani also studied for almost a decade under Rabbi Moshe Shapira zt’l until
his passing, and was greatly influenced by his teachings.
While continuing his studies, Rabbi Kahlani gave weekly shiurim to bachurim in the Mir and in other yeshi-
vot and forums in Jerusalem. He also co-founded Kehilat Avreichim Har Nof, a dynamic community in
Har Nof for English-speaking families living in Jerusalem.

RABBI YITSY DAVID grew up in London and attended facilitate British students furthering their Jewish education
Immanuel College. He then studied in various yeshivot in Israel, among others. Rabbi Yitsy then joined Chazak
in Israel, including Heichal Hatorah (Reb Tzvi’s), The Mir in the capacity of educational director, and has been
and The Jerusalem Kollel, where he received his smicha. successfully involved in informal youth and adult education
While in Israel, Rabbi Yitsy started a number of initiatives, for the past 15 years. He has brought a passion and
including a summer programme for boys and girls from dynamism to the table and has strengthened the British
the UK, and a charity to provide the necessary support to Sephardi community.

THE

kindnessK I N D N E S S
TREE

CHESED LIES AT THE HEART OF THE JEWISH
PEOPLE’S PERSONALITY.

SHIRA DRUION

Kindness forms the cornerstone of our Jewish heritage, as to reflect, the Jewish character trait of chesed flashed in a neon
we read the famous words of Shlomo Hamelech in Psalms, sign in my mind because it is the character trait that lies at the
chapter 89, verse 3. “The world is built on acts of kindness.” heart of the Jewish people’s personality.

Loving-kindness – chesed – was first exemplified by our iconic A few years ago, I was sitting with an elderly lady looking
forefather Abraham and his saintly wife Sara who both into her garden and she pointed out a cherry tree in the
welcomed hundreds of guests into their tent, serving as role back of her yard. She smiled and proceeded to tell me that,
models to millions of Jews who would follow over the course one evening during Sukkot over 40 years ago, she and her
of Jewish history, as our sages teach in the Talmud, Yevamot family had been sitting in the garden eating cherries, and
79a: “This nation (the Jewish people) is distinguished by three the children had thrown the stones onto the ground. “That
characteristics: They are merciful, bashful and benevolent – tree sprouted one day, and it has been there ever since.” An
rachmanim, baishanim, ubaal gomlei chasadim.” incredible phenomenon, I would say… a discarded cherry
When thinking about some of the values relating to heritage stone, nurtured by the soil, and there you have it, a fully
that I wanted this heritage-themed edition of our magazine grown tree that presents with cherries year in, year out and
has become a true source of blessing.

VALUES OF OUR HERITAGE

I sat there thinking that this was an inspiring analogy for person who made me feel like I mattered and it wasn’t all my
life… The kindness we do for others may not sprout rewards fault. I don’t think I can ever express how much that means
straight away. At times, we may think our good deeds go to me, and as I have grown up and, hopefully, matured a little
overlooked by those around us, but the truth is we know bit, my appreciation for what you did has only grown deeper.
that acts of chesed are reciprocated by G-d tenfold; then they I want you to know that something you did so long ago keeps
blossom into fully grown trees to offer us succulent fruits as me going in some of my most difficult and darkest moments,
gracious rewards – hand-delivered by G-d. even to this day. I can never repay you for that, but you inspire
me to find the strength to pay it forward.”

My mother always says: “What goes around comes around,” The kindness and goodness tree is precisely this. We are
and indeed this is a truism for life. I remember once being
overseas, running programmes for Jewish students who had required to do the good deeds that G-d puts in our path. Our
had very little previous job is not to look for our good
exposure to Judaism, and it “Our job is to do good deeds to be returned to us.
seemed like what I was doing Our job is simply to do them
was a drop in the ocean. deeds as an investment as an investment in G-d’s
One night, I was chatting to world and as the fulfilment
Rebbetzin Lieba Moffson in of our ‘soul responsibility’ to
in G-d’s world and as theJohannesburg and she shared do tikkun olam, and assume
a beautiful line that has stuck our role in repairing the
with me ever since: “Our job fractured world in which we
is to sow the seeds; when and fulfilment of our ‘soul find ourselves. Of course,

if they sprout is not up to responsibility’ to do these acts of kindness are also
us. It might take 20 years to an investment in ourselves, as
happen, but you have done we soldier on, unpeeling the
your job.” tikkun olam, and assume layers of ourselves that stand
in the way of our quest to
create a more pristine version
I recently received a
Facebook message from a our role in repairing the of our souls.

student I taught over 15 years A few weeks after my cherry
tree epiphany, I arrived
fractured world in whichago. She had encountered a
harrowing incident at school,
which I had witnessed, and to teach a drama class of
as a result I supported her we find ourselves.” precious children, and two

through it at the time. Of all particularly adorable English
the messages I have ever received as a teacher, this one meant buttons ran up to me with little bird cut-outs messily coloured
the most to me, because it ratified for me that all of our good in and stuck on sticks. I couldn’t help but see the synergy in
deeds are planted and will always sprout, even though we may it all, and I named those little birds my ‘Doves of Love’. The
only know it decades later. I supported her because it was the love and kindness we do gets sent out into the world on the
right thing to do, but knowing it meant so much to her means wings of doves; we never know when they will return with an
the world to me all these years down the line. olive leaf in their beaks, but it has been my experience of life
that they always fly back to us, and often with a lot more than
She wrote: “I am still shocked that something that happened a clipped olive branch…
14 years ago, thousands of miles away, can still affect me.
When I look back, I’m not sure how much I really remember There are thousands of kindness trees with our names on
and how much I actually understand. But my clearest them. Start planting them today, so the forest of the Jewish
memory and what stands out so much in my mind is that you people’s destiny can begin sprouting with the saplings of
were there. You had my back, you cared and you were the one tomorrow and the towering trees of years to come.

SHIRA DRUION obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in on writing and communication skills. She now teaches
English, education and psychology. She then trained as a English and runs her own drama company, Dramatix,
speech and drama teacher through the Trinity College of where she teaches a broad age group of students.
London, and obtained her LTCL teaching degree. She has For more info on Dramatix classes, please contact
been an educator for the past 15 years, teaching students Shira: 075.874.00516. / [email protected]
from nursery through to university, where she lectures

[email protected] www.wearechazak.com