Around the Community

Around the Community The STAR-K Mikvah of Ranchleigh Construction is Underway!

Lotzer Rebbe Visits Baltimore

Photo Credits: Jeff Cohn, BJL

On Thursday, November 18th, the Mikvah of Baltimore dug boros as they began construction on the new Ranchleigh-area branch that will used on Friday and Yom Tov evenings. Rabbonim from the entire community along with the leadership of the Mikvah of Baltimore, joined together for this auspicious occasion. Construction is expected to take eight months.

To have a share in the mitzvah of building the Ranchleigh Mikvah, donate by visiting: http://www.mikvahofbaltimore.org/donate.html

On Parshas Shemos the Baltimore community was graced with the presence of the Lotzker Rebbe of Yerushalyim along with 150 of his Chasidim. The Rebbe led inspiring tishim that took place at Bnos Yisroel as well as a Kesivas Osiyos for a new Sefer Torah at Machzikei Torah.

FEATURING

ChillZone: A Party Every Week

For kids across America, these past few weeks have been the start of something exciting: a new ChillZone season! With over 35 locations from Baltimore to Boston to Manalapan to Bensalem to Hollywood, hundreds of children and teens showed up for opening week. (And that’s not including ChillZone Yerushalayim!)

Chillzone, is an offshoot of TheZone, Oorah’s summer camp, but word spreads a lot further than just Zone campers. Many locations that started with just a handful of attendees last year opened with dozens this year! It’s a movement that is quickly picking up steam, with more communities hosting ChillZone programs every year.

ChillZone is the answer for parents who want their children to learn more about their Jewish heritage in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. With exciting hands-on programming, Yiddishkeit comes alive, enriching the lives of hundreds of youth nationwide.And judging by the effort some children make to be at ChillZone each week, it’s an opportunity they aren’t willing to give up.

The ChillZone program is a vital way for Oorah to keep up its connection with children and their families throughout the year. Boys and girls alike look forward to ChillZone every week for the opportunity to “chill” and learn with friends and Oorah volunteers. Besides the warm atmosphere and learning one-on-one or in small groups, there’s hot pizza and fries, exciting prizes, and activities that make each week fun.

One father told us that his daughter is so excited for ChillZone every week that she chooses her ChillZone outfit at the beginning of the week! As he says, “Kids wake up, go to school, do homework and go to sleep. ChillZone is something exciting for them and an out from school. It is a program that is entirely about the kids. I love that they are learning, there are fun projects, raffles, pizza, soda, candy… I know that they are in good hands and taken care of.”

For kids who are beginning to take on mitzvah observance and adapt a Torah outlook on life, having a place where they can both reinforce and decompress is essential. At ChillZone, they can dive right in, surrounded by like-minded kids and encouraged by enthusiastic volunteers.

Yehudis, a ChillZone volunteer shares: “I walk out every week on a high; I genuinely can’t get enough of it. All types and all stripes just come to bond and grow together, and that feeling just carries me throughout the week. It’s incredible to see volunteers coming in from all over so that they can help make a difference.”

Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher, Presents Shiur at STAR-K

By: Margie Pensak

In November, at the annual Kosherfest trade show, the President of STAR-K Kosher Certification, Dr. Avrom Pollak, met with Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher. During the conversation, Dr. Pollak extended to Rabbi Genack an invitation to visit STAR-K headquarters and deliver a shiur for the staff of Kashrus Administrators. Rabbi Genack accepted the offer and on Thursday, December 16, 2021, he arrived in Baltimore and was warmly welcomed by STAR-K leadership and staff.

STAR-K and OU work closely together. They share a Universal Kosher Database - together with other kashrus agencies - to maintain kashrus standards, and both have executive membership status in the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO). Additionally, they operate jointly in hundreds of plants all over the world. A fact perhaps less known, mentioned by Rabbi Genack, is that both OU and STAR-K employ numerous talmidim of STAR-K Rabbinic Administrator Rabbi Moshe Heinemann. Many of OU’s Rabbinic Coordinators studied in yeshiva in Baltimore and learned from Rabbi Heinemann.

The topic of Rabbi Genack’s shiur was “The Kashrus of Gelatin”, which he noted is a subject that he and Rabbi Heinemann have discussed many times over the years. STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Moshe Schuchman synopsized, “The shiur focused on Rabbi Aharon Kotler’s highly influential responsa on gelatin, written in 1962, which transformed prevalent halachic practice from considering gelatin as kosher - even when derived from non-kosher animals - to the universally accepted view that it is prohibited unless produced from properly shechted animals. Rabbi Genack developed an analysis of the material based on principles from the teachings of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik and his son, Rabbi Yitzchok Zev, the Brisker Rov, interwoven with insights of Reb Chaim’s grandson, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Boston. Interspersed with fascinating stories, the shiur featured lively interaction with Rabbi Heinemann and other STAR-K rabbonim, in the style of bais medrash learning.”

Rabbi Genack concluded with positive words about the relationship between the two organizations and praise for STAR-K staff as B’nei Torah. He expressed his wish for STAR-K to reciprocate with a shiur in the OU office.

STAR-K Kashrus Administrator and Director of Special Projects, Rabbi Zvi Holland, added, ““Rabbi Genack’s outstanding choice to focus on Rabbi Kotler’s responsa represented the close friendship his own rebbi, Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, had with Rav Heinemann’s rebbi, Rabbi Aharon Kotler. This was a wonderful opportunity to host Rabbi Genack, who expressed his amazement at the growth of the Baltimore community and of STAR-K since his last visit about 30 years ago.”

OU CEO Rabbi Menachem Genack was invited to present a shiur to STAR-K staff members in December. Pictured L - R : STAR-K President Dr. Avrom Pollak; Rabbi Genack; STAR-K Rabbinic Administrator HaRav Moshe Heinemann, and OU Executive VP Rabbi Moshe Hauer.