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THE JEWISH
STAR
VOL 10, NO 8 ■ FEBRUARY 25, 2011 /21 ADAR I, 5771
From Russia with lawsuit
Chabad Library missing its core By Sergey Kadinsky
Far away from the courtrooms and art galleries that are the focus of an international custody dispute, bookshelves hold treasures hearkening back to the origins of the Chabad Lubavitch movement. But even with 15,000 volumes, the curators feel a void in the priceless collection. “It was a part of the Rebbe and all the generations of Chabad rebbes. Its value is that they belong to us,” said librarian Efraim Keller. “The communists confiscated them and Russia refuses to give them back.” Some 12,000 books and 50,000 religious documents remain in Russian custody, part of a larger collection properly called Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad –Ohel Yosef Yitzchok. The U.S. collection is housed at 770 Eastern Parkway, the Chabad headquarters. Visitors are buzzed in through two doors before entering the exhibition hall on the third floor, a quiet space above the ever-crowded sanctuary where learning and prayer take place at any given hour. “This library is not open to the public, it’s only for researchers who cannot find their books in any other library,” Keller said. The collection dates to the first rebbe, Shneur Zalman of Liadi, who began the collection with a few hundred Jewish books. Even then, the library suffered setbacks, with fires in 1810 and 1813. But the greatest setback Continued on page 3
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Glimpse of Hashem’s hand Young Israel of Woodmere welcomes miracle baby By David F. Nesenoff He was called Pickles, The Yeled, The Little Guy and K’tantan, but this week surrounded by family and loved ones the miracle baby was named Avraham Natanel Libin. On Monday as the Woodmere community gathered for morning minyan at Young Israel, one of the youngest of Israel exemplified faith and prayer to the congregation. Avraham, whose English name is James Abraham, was born in the 30th week of pregnancy. Compounding the peril of his 10-week premature birth, Avraham suffered from Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) causing his size to be even smaller with a gestated age of actually 26 weeks. At the time of birth he was 2.1 lbs and for one month breathed through a respirator. For 67 days his parents, Marc and Chaviva Libin, were familiar fixtures at the Weill Cornell Medical Center until last Friday when they finally celebrated their baby’s first Shabbos at home. Although Jewish boys are usually given their name at the time of the circumcision, the question regarding this little one’s naming lingered. “He’s too small for a bris,” Marc Libin explained. “The doctors recommended holding off for a few months. But we were told he shouldn’t go too long without a name. When you call a baby by a nickname, if the name gets too strong, then that nickname could be considered his halachic name. So he needed a name.” In attendance were grandparents Elly and Suzie Libin of Woodmere and Stuie and Claire Hershkowitz of Baka, Israel. “We saw a glimpse of Hashem’s hand,” Elly said. “It’s a Purim story, from a terrible prediction to a beautiful baby.” During the breakfast, following the naming, Stuie
Photo by David F. Nesenoff
Avraham Natanel Libin’s naming inspires the community. Hershkowitz explained to those gathered that Avraham was named after his fatherin-law and he hoped the baby would grow up to learn of his namesake’s life, “He was a Holocaust survivor.” The Libin family is a multi generation well-respected member of the Young Israel of Woodmere and the entire community
has been praying for the baby’s survival and his struggle to beat all the odds against him. As they celebrated his coming home, his new name, and his 6 lb weight, great grandmother Beverly Libin joyously proclaimed, “We are so excited; it is truly shehechiyanu, v’kiyamanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh!”
Shabbat Candlelighting: 5:24 p.m. Shabbat ends 6:26 p.m. 72 minute zman 6:54 p.m. Torah Reading Parshat Vayakhel
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