tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87221474781471359032023-11-16T08:50:44.458-08:00YOSEF BEN SHLOMO HAKOHEN, zt'lMemories shared by friends of Reb Yosef, formerly, Jeff Oboler.
~ ~ ~ CLICK "Older Posts" on lower right of each post page for MORE earlier posted stories and art.JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-51632131779951980062011-10-07T13:35:00.000-07:002018-03-12T08:20:34.215-07:00REB YOSEF, zt'l<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 11pt;">Dear Chevre, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 11pt;">In deep sadness, I dedicate this site</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11pt;"> <b> <a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/ <span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">and another niggun site:</span><br />
<a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-blog.tumblr.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-blog.tumblr.com</b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 11pt;">to my beloved Jerusalem chareidi rebbe</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #53369a;"><b>Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</b>,</span><span style="color: #270b65;"> zt’l</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 11pt;">Reb Yosef returned his <i>neshama</i> to The Compassionate One</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">27 Elul, 5771 (September 25, 2011),</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 11pt;"> the night after Slichot.
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>May his soul be bound in the bond of eternal life.</b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";">A major goal of Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen’s life mission was to serve as a bridge "between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews". He was successful! Y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";">osef Ben Shlomo Hakohen is author of <u>The Universal Jew</u> and director/editor of study program Hazon:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"> <a href="http://www.shemayisrael.com/publicat/hazon">www.shemayisrael.com/publicat/hazon</a> .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";">From Jerusalem, Reb Yosef regularly throughout the week, for years, sent out "Letters", inspired and uplifting Torah teachings and words of wisdom from our sages. Decades ago, I’m happy to share, that even my uncle Israel (Jewish Vegetarians of North America) received Reb Yosef’s hand-written teachings, as he advised the JVNA. Reb Yosef wanted us to know that in New York, he served as the director of the Martin Steinberg Center of the American Jewish Congress - a center for Jewish artists in the performing, visual, and literary arts. In his outreach work, he developed close ties to the early Havurah, and Jewish Renewal movement, and participated in the Joys of Jewishing. (See The Aquarian Minyan essay below.) When he lived in the States, Reb Yosef was known by his English name, <b>Jeff Oboler</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Reb Yosef's heart was open and grateful, and he passionately loved "The Compassionate One", Torah, life, arts, community, ideals, truth, justice, prayer, praise, people, kindness, history, land, animals-- and teaching about it all. Reb Yosef explained to me that "'<i>Chareidi' meant passion"</i>. (Thus I decided that I, too, the joyous, Feminist Renewal Jew, was "Chareidi"!) Reb Yosef knew how to be a <i>gesher</i>, a bridge. He deeply felt feelings, and expressed his wellspring of joy (and also pain) by quoting Torah, Tanach, Talmud, etc. A favorite was: "<i>The garden of the Compassionate One: joy and gladness will be found there, thanksgiving and the sound of music</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">." Isaiah 51:3</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";">Reb Yosef's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gevaldt</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kishkahs</i> were filled with Hashem in Four Worlds, and he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mamash</i> appreciated "holy Kishkahs". His<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> neshamah </i>permeated his being, not only in his written words/intellect but in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mitzvot</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";">. The holy Piaseczner Rebbe, Reb Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira, zt"l, Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto, explained that one must totally relate to Hashem to live a full life. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">“To relate totally means that your neshamah is permeating your flesh and blood, you are aroused by ‘kedushah’ in the world, in life and in mitzvot.”</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial";">– Reb Sholom Brodt, Yeshivah Simchat Shlomo. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";">Reb Yosef believed in G*d's miracles. He was so elated when he miraculously received a (unexpected and delayed) check from NY, so he could purchase his own Bayit Vegan home. This occurred at the moment that the owner was going to sell the apartment, and Yosef would have needed to move from the street named <i>Sh'ar Torah</i>, Gate of Torah. Now Reb Yosef is Home. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reb Yosef, May 8, 2007, wrote to me,<i style="color: #38761d;"> </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="color: #38761d;">"My neighborhood "Bayit Vegan" has trees and some gardens; moreover, it overlooks the beautiful Jerusalem forest and some green valleys. Bayit Vegan is located in the southwest of Jerusalem, and it is on one of the highest mountains in Jerusalem."</i></span></div>
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Personally for the last several years, in his gentle, sensitive, enthusiastic, understanding, learned and wise way, Reb Yosef, consciously, deeply supported, encouraged, nurtured and nourished me in my Torah studies, creative artistic endeavors, and my life. By sending related Torah quotes, and with empathy and heart-felt concern, Reb Yosef was present for me. Yosef was aware of my neshamah, and wanted for me and my potential, to climb higher in my spiritual direction toward the Divine. Reb Yosef was my teacher, mentor, spiritual guide, my "brother", and I was his "spiritual child," and he called me "sister." Reb Yosef, with vision, compassion, <i>chesed </i>/ loving kindness,<i> and generosity of time and energy, </i>also guided me while I was a caregiver, and when my husband, z'l, died. (It meant so much to me that Reb Yosef called me that day from Jerusalem.) It always meant a lot to me to have the contact with my teacher, a practicing Kohen, in the Holy Land. When I sent blesSings to my mentor, the response from Reb Yosef that I received was, "<i>May the blessor be blessed.</i>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I believe the greatest teaching that Reb Yosef taught me and I received, while I was deeply grieving my husband’s death, is that, “G*d loves you.” I had been able to say to G*d, "I love you", but it didn't occur to me that G*d loves 'me'. (I wrote the words on my wall where I work.) Knowing that truth, eliminated my ‘aloneness’ when facing a most difficult time in my life experience: facing life’s aloneness. (It didn't matter that at that time, I was surrounded by friends and family.) Again in this time of mourning, I need to consciously embrace this belief. Reb Yosef, not being here any longer on this earth plane, is a major loss with great sadness for me. I will transform this to doing good in his name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">All the Klal Yisroel stories that Reb Yosef shared with us, reflected his own deep compassion and empathy for others, and his appreciation for G*d's natural beauty, and the arts. He writes amazing stories of sages, rabbis, teachers, Jew and righteous non-Jew, converts, <i>conversos</i>, people from all cultures and nationalities, 'lost tribes', politicians, and artists, filled with <i>mitzvot</i> (from stories he has heard and/or read), and friends and strangers, all whom are connected with community and G*d. My favorite sweetest, cutest story is about "Georgie", his personal talking parakeet, whom he adopted when the owner left Israel. He loved the personal story of the "Yemenite dancer". Reb Yosef infused with Torah, his stories of people he'd met. Reb Yosef would also send me UTube links of Chassidic Jews dancing the '<i>Mitzvah Tantz</i>', which he loved. (I would ask him, "<i>Where are the women?</i>")<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Google “Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen” and read the countless published articles, in addition to his own website. One story I read today is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="http://www.torah.org/features/firstperson/tzaddikofjerusalem.html">http://www.torah.org/features/firstperson/tzaddikofjerusalem.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I believe that my friends who volunteer in the prisons will especially appreciate this story link about a <i>tzaddik</i>, a holy visitor to the ‘clink’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I hope<b> you share</b> your stories about Reb Yosef; I would love to receive them.<i> (Use my personal address if you have it.)</i> Please read below in a separate post, my personal story, "How I Met My Reb Yosef". <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;"><b><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/" style="color: #3366cc; font-weight: bold;">YOSEF BEN SHLOMO HAKOHEN, zt'l</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My Reb Yosef wrote to me in <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">purple</span>,</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";"> knowing purple was my favorite color, and would sign off at times with my own personal sign off message, always bringing a smile to my face, knowing he read me until the last word. Sometimes he wrote me in another colorful "garment" of his soul, green.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> <i><span style="color: #007100;">"Dear Joy, I am happy that your garden is giving you joy."</span></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I am adding some of his personal thoughts to me throughout my other blog sites. For Reb Yosef, I forwarded many of his “Letters”, and I love when I see others sending out excerpts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I dedicate my <i>mitzvot, tzedakah,</i> and teachings to the<i> zechut </i>and<i> l'ilui nishmat</i> (merit and elevation of soul) for Reb Yosef's sweetest gentle <i>neshamah</i>. Tonight at Yom Kippur services, I say Kaddish for my dear beloved rebbe who was so very important to me in my life. In words, I always shared my gratitude with Reb Yosef. Reb Yosef was so very humble, and with <i>chutzpah</i>, I would 'instruct' him to share my letters of appreciation to him with his own rebbe, so his rebbe knew how much Reb Yosef, zt'l, was loved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">May Reb Yosef's memory be for a blessing. May his <i>neshamah </i>have a high and swift<i> aliyah /</i> elevation<i>,</i> ascending and expanding to a very high place awaiting him in <i>Sh'mayim / </i>heaven and G*d's Greatness. May his soul find complete peaceful rest. May he bless us all with the Shechina's beneficence --Her goodness and grace. Reb Yosef loved to write about the Shechina. Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen loved blessing us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Death is not the end of one's existence or relationship with loved ones, but the portal to a higher, far more spiritual, eternal reality. May it help you, as it does for me, to know that the day of passing over is Reb Yosef’s birthday in Heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">May Hashem comfort us all among the mourners of Tzion and Yerushalayim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In sympathy, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial";">Joy Krauthammer</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial";">Please view my post on Reb Yosef in Huff Post Religion Omer blog:</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: normal;"> </span><a href="http://huff.to/126mH4O" style="font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;">http://huff.to/126mH4O</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><i>(If you don't have my personal <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">address</span> to submit memories, please use alternative:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><i> joylists2009 {at} gmail.com)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><i>Better to add a <b>Comment </b>in this post which will be private.</i></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">~ ~ ~</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Various Posts</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Niggun of Reb Yosef</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-blog.tumblr.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-blog.tumblr.com</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Dear Chevre, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">A book is now being compiled of only <b>30 of Yosef's teachings,</b> to soon be published hopefully before his first yahrzeit. If you have a favorite, please let me know, and I'll advise the book editor. Send me a COMMENT or write to me personally.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> BlesSings, Joy</span><br />
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"Friends of Yosef" happily announce the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">newly created and revised sites</span></b> for </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Yosef's teachings</span> which he had archived:<br />
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<b style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2;"><a href="http://hazonarchives.blogspot.co.il/"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">http://hazonarchives.blogspot.co.il</span></a></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial";"><b><u><span style="color: #000089; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.shemayisrael.com/publicat/hazon">www.shemayisrael.com/publicat/hazon</a> </span></u></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">I'm grateful that after I read the following article and responded to article in their Comments, that the editor, Gary Rosenblatt, added thoughts now included in this link. - Joy</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">from New York's, The Jewish Week</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial_opinion/opinion/my_promise_elderly_progressive_activist">http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial_opinion/opinion/my_promise_elderly_progressive_activist</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><strong style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Editor’s Note</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="font-style: italic;">:</strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Jeff Oboler, Yosef Ben-Shlomo Hakohen, a longtime progressive and spiritual activist in New York, passed away on Sept. 25 2011 in Jerusalem. He was the director of the Martin Steinberg Center for Jewish artists, 1976-1985, perhaps the most important communal and resource center in New York for those who were exploring the creative and spiritual arts rooted in the Jewish experience. After the center closed, he made aliyah and distributed “Hazon,” his online spiritual teachings. Oboler once wrote, “language and the arts are not the essence of our people’s soul, they are rather the ‘garments’ of this collective soul. They are the outer expressions of our people’s soul, but they are not the soul itself. I therefore sought to help spiritually-searching Jewish artists to rediscover the inner soul of our people.” A shloshim memorial will be held at the Brotherhood Synagogue, Oct. 23 at 4 p.m., 28 Gramercy Park South.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 17px;">Here is a link to a story about the Blessing of the Sun. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 17px;">Reb Yosef had told me he still had the poster from that event that he led in New York in 1981.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><b>Understanding the Mitzvah of Hesped</b> by Yitzchak Kasdan</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"We all have the opportunity to assist the dead: by listening to their achievements as recited in the <i>hesped</i>".<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...the <i>mitzvah gedolah </i>of <i>hesped </i>(eulogizing the deceased) serves to remind us of the existence of the <i>n'shamah in olam habba.</i>"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"And the mitzvah is to raise one's voice to say over [the departed] things that break the heart, so that there will be much crying." Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deeah 344, 1) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jlaw.com/Articles/underhesped.html">http://www.jlaw.com/Articles/underhesped.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Dear Chevre</span>, If you have access to the loving hesped given in Jerusalem in Hebrew, please forward to me. - Joy<i style="font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b><span style="color: #270b65;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">FRIENDS SAY</span></span></b><span style="color: #232323; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #141414;">“<i>We have lost the voice of a true and noble Jewish soul, and also the teachings that affected so many people around the world." </i></span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #141414;">- Ruth Broyde Sharon</span><span style="color: #232323; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #141414;">“<i>Reb Yosef, z'l, touched so many lives, and did more than most, to enlighten our souls and deepen our connection to Torah, to G-D and to ourselves within our own Judaism and our individual Torahs.</i>”</span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #141414;">- Stephanie Liss</span><span style="color: #232323; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: #141414;">“Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, z'l, a friend and valuable advisor to me and many others, a true tzadik, a bridge between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews, dedicated to Torah learning and teaching and to spreading Judaism's universal messages widely through his Hazon outreach.”</span></i><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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- </i>Richard Schwartz, President, Jewish Vegetarians of North America</span><span style="color: #232323; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: #232323;">"I talked to my chavurah about Yosef, z'l, and taught them his "Moshiach's Nigun". I told them that he had been responsible for guiding me to Jewish Renewal, and also told them that he had left no heirs to say Kaddish for him. I will do so today with my chevra."</span></i><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;"><i>- </i>Sharon Alexander, Switzerland. Dir. Jospel Choir, Shir Ecstasy</span><span style="color: #232323; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: #232323;">"A beautiful sweet soul and being, to whom I feel connected beyond this mortal life - I'm envisioning now with the other shining souls singing the harmonies in Spirit World to hasten the time of redemption of this world."</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">Blessings,</span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">- Miriam Stampfer</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: #232323;">"Yosef was a real pioneer on so many levels, and such a zeesan neshamah.</span></i><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: #232323;">May his soul continue to illuminate this world.</span></i><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: #232323;">"I remember taping him and how close he made me feel to the "redemption".</span></i><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="color: #232323;">I never had another experience like that, but having ONE, changed my life."</span></i><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">- Sarah Leah</span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">(Reb Grafstein)</span><span style="color: #232323; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">Sarah Leah adds:<i> </i></span><span style="color: #232323; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">"In case you may have forgotten, "The Joys of Jewishing" documentary was mostly narrated by Yosef, may he rest in peace.</span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">If you are interested in purchasing a copy, e-mail: <a href="file:///javascript/openWin(':WorldClient.dll%3FSession=NMUOKJJ&View=Compose&New=Yes&To=rabbi@ruach.org','Compose',800,600,'yes')%3B"><span style="color: #1987ff; text-decoration: none;">rabbi@ruach.org</span></a>"</span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">(Sarah Leah hopes to transform the videos to DVD.)</span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">(Two decades ago I purchased from “Reb Ayla”, The Jews of Jewishing videos. I didn’t have a video player, and didn’t get to watch these historical memories. If I had, I would have met “Jeff” sooner on film. I finally watched them at Aleph's Kallah two years ago. - Joy) <i> </i></span><span style="color: #232323; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><i>"It is for the zechus of r' yosef zt"l that his friends and students are continuing to grow in yidishkeit and becoming closer to Hashem. Anything that can keep the memories and his legacy alive will surely be leilui nishmato. </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><i>All the best, </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">- Avraham Stein</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>I first met Yosef in connection with books we wrote at around the same time, in the late 1990s -- his wonderful "The Universal Jew: Letters to My Progressive Father" and my "Compassion for Humanity in the Jewish Tradition," which were reviewed together in the OU's Jewish Action and, if I remember correctly, in Agudath Israel's Jewish Observer. We shared many fundamental values and ideals, so we soon became cyber-friends. Over the years, we also introduced each other to a wider circle of people who needed advice or who wished to discuss various religious issues. So I feel that I have lost an old and dear friend, even though (since I live in Brooklyn and Yosef lived in Eretz Yisrael) we never met in person. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Yosef was an extremely passionate and dedicated Jew, whose knowledge of "hashkafah," Jewish perspectives on theological and ethical issues, was far-ranging, and whose communication skills were keen. What is more, he was a sensitive and caring person who tried to help everyone who wrote to him, no matter who they were or the nature of their religious beliefs. He was a friend to Jews and non-Jews from all walks of life and from all over the world. It is wonderful that his friends have created an archive of his essays on a wide range of subjects, which no doubt will extend that circle of friends even after his untimely passing. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>May Yosef ben Shlomo HaKohen be a "melitz yosher," a heavenly intercessor for the Jewish people and the entire world, and may his spiritual legacy live on through his teachings.</i>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Dovid</span></div>
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<b>On Yosef's first Yahrzeit, 27 Elul, </b></div>
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his chevre in Bayit Vegan is together, and we around the world reach other and touch each other with ripples of memories.<br />
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<b>On Yosef's second Yahrzeit, 27 Elul</b><br />
Reb Yosef is remembered in the legacy of all his teachings that Chevre continue to share, and with the love and chesed that he personally shared with so many souls. His Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem chevre again visit Yosef's kever and remember him and their great loss. - Joy</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Joy adds:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Because 'Water is like Torah', I've made a water video dedicated to Reb Yosef. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Ripple Reflections" <a href="http://youtu.be/mDpNuzo8jqY">http://youtu.be/mDpNuzo8jqY</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> 27 Elul--</b> when Yosef, zt'l, released the body that held him captive, and G*d took Yosef HOME where he has been lovingly embraced-- has been our day to hold him deeply in our hearts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is for us, his chevre, to be ALL that we can be, because as Yosef taught us, The Compassionate One gave us our own individual mission to fulfill on earth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Reb Yosef taught us to bless each other."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Daily I have blown SHOFAR for Reb Yosef.</span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"All I can say is that I miss him very much. He taught me most of the Torah that I know. </span></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Torah and especially his torah is what bound us with such a strong connection.</span></i></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>May Hashem comfort us and give us strength to continue Yosef’s holy path."</i></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>- </i>Alan Silver</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141414; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 17px;">Richard Schwartz, President, Jewish Vegetarians of North America in his recent book writes a dedication to Yosef Hakohen.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #232323;">See more PERSONAL STORIES below</span></b><span style="color: #232323;">.</span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">Reb Yosef sent his book to me, <u>The Universal Jew</u>. I treasure it, and all his many meaningful </span><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #232323;">and personal letters, and phone calls, which were always filled with a Kohen's blesSings<i>.</i></span><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo of Reb Yosef taken by Chana Leah, shared by Herschel Zvi and editd by Joy.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and click <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span> (on lower right)</span><br />
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-6377183878540770862011-10-06T16:29:00.000-07:002016-07-24T12:30:44.360-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">AUDIO prayers, niggunim, songs</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> sung by </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Jeff Oboler</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">aka</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Niggun of Reb Yosef</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-blog.tumblr.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-blog.tumblr.com</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">formerly: <a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen.tumblr.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen.tumblr.com</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">thanks to Miriam S. and Reuven G.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">posted by Joy Krauthammer</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">or <u>click</u> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> (on lower right)</span> </span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-82657271503481600612011-10-06T15:32:00.000-07:002013-05-19T08:50:36.486-07:00Omer Bonding With Reb Yosef<br />
<strong style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">Psalms of My Soul</strong><br />
<b><span style="color: #741b47;"><a href="http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com/">http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com</a></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><br /></strong></span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Yesod sh b'Malchut</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Bonding in Nobility</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>My Rebbe Yosef</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Sephirat HaOmer day 48</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6 Weeks and 6 Days of the Omer = Day 6 of Week 7</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ways of knowing the individuality of the Sephirot pair.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, z"l, </b>formerly<b> Jeff Oboler</b></span></div>
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<b><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com</span></a></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><b style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen.tumblr.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen.tumblr.com</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><b style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://huff.to/126mH4O" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">http://huff.to/126mH4O</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Joy Krauthammer</span></div>
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On this Omer Day 48, before I've read any others' thoughts on the day, I feel trembling in anticipation, knowing Shavuot is tomorrow night. Also I experience a sense of impending separation from the deep, intense 49 days process of contemplation, transcendence, and authentic spiritual purification leading towards revelation at Mount Sinai.</div>
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My immediate review of today, <i><b>Yesod sh b'Malchut</b></i>, only hours into its happening (a good 'sixties' word for events), is filled with the attributes of <b><span style="color: #7b219f;">Bonding and Foundation within the radiant Indwelling Presence of Shekhina.</span></b> I examine my own deep-rooted characteristics within my own healthy independence, maturity, leadership, confidence (or not), uniqueness, revealed self-expression, personal contribution, inner-self (emotional gifts) vs. performance (physical gifts), reputation, connecting to and as vessel/conduit of Hashem, and recognition of Shekhina's Presence in my life. I acknowledge <i>Hashgachah Pratit </i>/ Divine Providence.</div>
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Today I think about all the ways, how, when, where and why, I intensify my bond with others--with whom: with memories of deceased, z"l, and living, emotionally and with actions / <i>mitzvot</i> with many in my life: loved ones, children, sisters, family, friends, daughter's friends and family, <i>machatenister</i>, neighbors, shop-keepers, market vendors, Apple trainers, cohorts, rabbis, teachers and leaders (local and cyber), web masters, <i>chevre</i>, congregations, communities, hired help, repairmen, co-musicians, artists, others' pets, creatures that live wild in my garden (yes, I even created web sites for lizards and bunnies and birds because of 'my' bonding, as well as sites for 'departed' loved ones), and ...</div>
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Bonding for me was an unexpected and beautiful balanced element of the relationship that my <b>Rebbe, Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</b>, z"l, and I had through his cyber "Hazon" study program. This program had no 'certificate' or diploma or honoring (as do many programs), nor 'fees' … The cyber program was for Jewish learning with traditional Torah teachings, and modeling of character and good deeds through autobiographies, for becoming a better Jew and human being, and for connecting with the Compassionate One. (I am eternally grateful that I found my rebbe through bonding with a spiritual writer, Ruthie, an Old City 'soul sister'.)</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Reb Yosef was a</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="text-align: center;">Tzadik */</i><span style="text-align: center;"> a righteous person (as others have told me). With</span><span style="text-align: center;"> humility, he would never have 'allowed' this identification. </span>I chose the title "Reb" for my rebbe. He only signed his writings as "Yosef" or "Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen". When my beloved Rebbe suddenly died<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">27 Elul, 5771 (September 25, 2011)</span>, </span>I suffered a great 'foundation' loss. As I later discovered, I was not alone. Reb Yosef never spoke about his 'students', numbers of students, nor how he guided them. (Loving stories filled with personal examples, emerged after his death.)</div>
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Please read about Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen in the web sites I have prepared for him in his memory, in his <i>zechut </i>/ merit:</div>
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<b><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com</a></b></div>
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Please listen to Reb Yosef sing his favorite niggunim:</div>
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<a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen.tumblr.com/"><b>http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen.tumblr.com</b></a></div>
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Daily, for years, through his writing and some personal phone calls from Jerusalem in the Holy Land, I was spiritually uplifted and strengthened by being Reb Yosef's student in his Hazon program. I never felt dependent on Reb Yosef, although since his death, I no longer have the Source for learning with inspirational immediate relevant thoughtful personal answers, nor the continual consistent level of acceptance, clarification, and <i>mamash</i> total caring encouragement. For insight and truth, I relied on his Kabbalistic <i>Sephirot</i> attributes of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, loving-kindness/generosity, strength/boundaries, compassion/harmony/beauty/honesty, endurance/determination, gratitude/awe, reliability and bond with the Compassionate One, and all that Reb Yosef was in his fragile physicality, and divine spirituality, and fullness as teacher and "brother".</div>
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I had <i>bitachon</i> / trust in my rebbe and total respect for him. He let me know where his own knowledge was limited, although I found that that was his humble style, and <i>mamash </i>/ truly, he had more wisdom than he allowed to be shared. With respect, Reb Yosef at times directed me with my questions, to rabbis around the world, more familiar with particular topics.</div>
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Bonding was strong because Reb Yosef <i>mamash</i> understood me, more than I even knew, and wanted me to climb the Tree of Life, with all my potential, yearning, and <i>ruach </i>/ spirit. He appreciated me for who I was (and my contradictions), enjoyed my humor, writing, artistic creations, and <i>mitzvot</i>, and he wanted me to grow and come closer to the Holy One. In my lowest place in mourning, Reb Yosef taught me that "G*d Loves You" and that helped save me, for my <i>tshuvah</i> / return to myself following my loss of spouse, z"l.</div>
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With Judaism as my foundation, and with <i>emunah </i>/ faith that Reb Yosef had in me, I share Holy <i>Ahavah</i> / Love and so much more of Torah with my communities, and individuals that I mentor, so that they, too, travel on the Tree of Life. (Even Apple trainers put up with my Jewish spirituality and sharing during lessons. Until I arrived, they never before had<i> Chanukah gelt</i>, <i>matzoh </i>or <i>halavah</i><i>.)</i></div>
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I was Reb Yosef's "sister" and his "spiritual child". Bonded this way, we could survive our disagreements, and collaborations. He was my teacher, rebbe, spiritual guide, brother, and enduring, uplifting inspiration support during my husband's, z"l, lengthy and difficult illness and after. I miss my Rebbe and regularly have the need to call on him for his generosity of instinct and answers, and wish he was here to share his ruach-filled joyous light. Now he is 'home' with his sorely missed loved ones, z"l, and no longer suffering in his vulnerable body. Reb Yosef bonded with me, when he sent to me from Israel, his book, "The Universal Jew, Letters to a Progressive Father From his Orthodox Son".</div>
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Reb Yosef was a traditional Chareidi/Orthodox Jew, originally a New Yorker; and I am a Renewal Jew, originally a New Yorker (yet I also affiliate cross/post-denominations). Reb Yosef and I bonded in the Light of Shekhina and Torah, in <i>Yesod sh b'Malchut</i>. We traveled on similar ladders paths to the Tree of Life. Reb Yosef was on higher rungs. His goal for me was to get me higher. My goal is to have others with me. I dedicate my 5773 Sephirat HaOmer posts in the <i>zechut</i> of my Rebbe Yosef,<i> </i>and for his<i> Ilui Neshamah /</i> soul's elevation.</div>
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Today on the 48th day of the Omer, arrived one of Reb Yosef's teachings from his Hazon Archives. </div>
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His 568 teachings that he sent out during week-days, are thankfully compiled on the web, and still all available to us because his friends continue in his Light:</div>
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<a href="http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/tzedaka/index.html"><b>http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/tzedaka/index.html</b></a></div>
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Today's "Message for Shavuot" is temporarily found here: <a href="http://hazonarchives.blogspot.co.il/">http://hazonarchives.blogspot.co.il</a> .</div>
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There are many other letters, essays, articles, e-mails, consultations, and press comments, that Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen had written personally to those in need of clarification, learning, and support, comfort and guidance. Many essays not in the Archives are found by a Google search. Reb Yosef was beloved by all who knew him, and were touched by him and his mitzvot and holy<i> neshamah / </i>soul. Bonding with Reb Yosef was a great blesSing for me, still revealing itself after his death.</div>
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Please read:</div>
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<b><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com</a></b></div>
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Today's e-mail:</div>
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<i>Dear Friends,</i></div>
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<i>The pilgrimage festival of Shavuos, the day of the giving of the Torah, is almost upon us. </i></div>
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<i>Join us for a "<a href="http://hazonarchives.blogspot.co.il/"><b>Message for Shavuos</b></a>".</i></div>
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<i>Chag Sameach</i></div>
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<i>Friends of Yosef HaKohen</i></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Dear Chevre, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I truly hope that you, too, are motivated to Count the Sephirat HaOmer next year, especially if you did not Count this year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #5e30eb;">BlesSings for reaching Mount Sinai</span></b>, health, wholeness, peace, revealed miracles, creativity, discovery, wonder, blooming gardens, majestic sunrises, sighting birds, love and joy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Ivdu Et Hashem B'Simcha" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; text-align: -webkit-auto;">* "</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>Yesod</b></span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> can be defined as the divine attribute which binds G-d to His creation in a bond of empathy and love. This is why the </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">sefira</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> of </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Yesod</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> is also called "saint" ("</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>tzadik</b></span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">" in Hebrew) as in the verse "a saint is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25). A </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">tzadik</span></i></span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>, or saint, arouses mankind to seek G-d. At the same time he draws down G-d's compassion and goodness into the world. Thus he is the foundation of the world</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;">."</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> - Chabad.org</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">photo </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">© </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chana Leah 5764</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">digitalized by Joy</span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-36297110921001525772011-10-06T09:27:00.000-07:002013-05-13T15:31:45.108-07:00How I Met Reb Yosef<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Joy Krauthammer</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I became a Hazon student of Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, zt'l, because my soul sister in the Old City, Ruth Fogelman, included his teachings most months in her Rosh Chodesh greetings. I loved reading them, was grateful, and thought, “<i>Why should I get Reb Yosef second hand?</i>” I was able to contact him in Jerusalem, the land he loved so much with all his heart. I became enamored with Reb Yosef's <i>neshamah</i> / soul and his beauty in writing; His effervescence in his being Jewish was addictive. He wanted so much for us to see through his eyes and heart, to love Torah, and know the history of the Holy Land, through its People. When my husband, z’l, died, Reb Yosef wanted me to move to Jerusalem, or at least LA’s Pico-Robertson, and guided me to an LA rabbi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would thank Reb Yosef for “putting up with me” because I am a Renewal Jew (not Chareidi Orthodox, as he was), and I know my own joyous and active faith-filled practices were not necessarily what he shared. I told Reb Yosef that I would find it difficult, if I visited, to <i>davven</i> in the upstairs balcony of his Bayit Vegan shul, the (Beit Medrash) HaGra Synagogue (with his beloved Rav Aryeh Leib Heiman, zt'l), where the services are not egalitarian. Reb Yosef's beloved Rav was <i>niftar </i>July 1, 2011, three months before Reb Yosef.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I explained to Reb Yosef, that we were both doing similar ‘work’. We both served G*d With Joy. "<i>Ivdu Et Hashem B’Simcha"</i> (Psalm 100.2) (He loved to send me teachings on "joy". In Reb Yosef's <i>zechut / </i>merit, I will teach a class on "joy.") Reb Yosef gave me permission to include his teachings in my own sites; and especially on holidays, I included them. I assured Reb Yosef that my being a “temple musician” in Los Angeles shuls was to inspire Jews to prayer and praise, and that "<i>G*d was playing me</i>". I told him what I was told, that some people “<i>came to shul because of the music</i>.” As a chareidi Jew, he remained 'politically correct' and didn’t respond with negative words. He did send Halachic answers to me. Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, always seeing the good, did say, “<i>Playing intuitively from her heart and soul, Joy's music is part of the universal song to the One Creator, Source of All Life</i>."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef called me from Jerusalem this last January, to offer his condolences when singer, composer Debbie Friedman, z'l, died. Sometimes I totally forgot the ‘rule’ of <i>Kol Eisha</i> / no woman’s singing voice allowed to men, and I would sing to Reb Yosef, when leaving a message on his machine. I loved it when he sang and would record <i>niggun</i> or prayer and send it to me. I told him that he needed to archive these also in smaller bites, so his <i>chevre</i> / community could keep them. When his voice was stronger, I could tell when he was getting stronger from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome weakness, illness or surgery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In doing similar ‘work’, one of my goals in Jewish life is sharing with <i>chevre</i> for over three decades, so much which is spiritually available, through my <u>Joyous Chai Lights</u> monthly newsletter. I include many of my wonderful Orthodox teachers, including Reb Yosef, so that my communities ranging from Renewal to neo-Orthodox may also learn and be inspired by them. I told Reb Yosef that we were rungs on the same ladder, but he had started higher when younger, being given opportunities, and climbed further up with his intense learning and dedication to the "Torah path". </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His education is explained in his Feldheim book, <u>The Universal Jew</u>. (See cover below.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had started my longed-for Jewish spiritual career later in life, having had no Jewish education as a child. (My assimilated secular family did celebrate Chanukah and have Pesach Seder.) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef, in addition to answering my religious and spiritual questions, also gave me the references to learn more, so that I would not be dependent on him. (And I have to remember that now in my grief, since his death two weeks ago tonight.) I felt that Reb Yosef truly understood me/my soul, an artist, because of his own work in the field (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which he was proud of), </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">both with people in the ARTS, and Renewal Jews. I always e-mailed (or snail-mailed) my current art creations to Reb Yosef, which he appreciated, and he would send to me internet photos of nature’s beauty. I felt that I was giving Reb Yosef an outlet for himself to play.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is one response (which warms my heart) r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">esponding to my new photos illustrating an earlier poem I had written (a month before my husband, z’l, died). I loved it that Reb Yosef playfully colored his own words many times in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;"><b>purple</b></span>, in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>green</b></span>, or as a rainbow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">"From: </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Yosef, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Date: </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">December 18, 2010</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6e0070;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The c</span></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;">o</span><span style="color: #007100;">l</span><span style="color: red;">o</span><span style="color: #000070;">r</span><span style="color: cyan;">s</span><span style="color: #6e0070;"> of your soul are beautiful, my dear sister.</span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a while before I learned from him about the NY outreach he had done in the 1970’s and 80’s. It amazed me that he was working the same area, as I was, the East Village, but sadly at that time, four decades ago, our paths never crossed. I was teaching adult ceramics in an art school by Cooper Square, and Yosef (then, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Jeff Oboler)</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was hanging out looking to inspire the unaffiliated-- 'hippies', I guess. (I was hanging out with Hare Krishnas and swamis.) I wish he would have found me then, because I so wanted to be Jewish, didn’t know how, and had no teacher. (My friends did not express, nor outwardly practice their Judaism.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An Israeli man on my Queens College campus in the sixties, sold me Israeli delicate dangly silver earrings that I still own, and that was as close to being Jewish as I knew. (OK, somehow while in school, I was hired to teach art at a few Jewish Centers in Queens.) Around 1970, during my graduate work at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, I made it to Brooklyn with a stranger’s invite and address, probably for something called “Shabbat,” but by the time I arrived to the street with a friend, I thought, “<i>How do I go into a stranger’s home?</i>” and travelled immediately back to Queens. (Sounds like one of the G*d stories 'sending life rafts', and people don’t recognize that help was indeed sent by G*d.) Around that time, this same holiday season, I did meet The Lubavitcher Rebbe; and also my husband to be, who was brought up Orthodox, but that did not mean that I was encouraged to love Judaism and find my place within. The irony is that Feminism brought me seriously into Judaism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because Reb Yosef, z’l, passed over to his eternal home as we began the High Holidays with Slichot, inviting him into Sukkot is good. It may be too soon for him to be part of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ushpizin</i> in a <i>sukkah</i>. Sukkot is our joyous festival, known as "Season of our Rejoicing / <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zeman Simchateinu</i>. Reb Yosef loved to teach about joy, and he felt joy, in spite of his chronic incapacities, his weakness.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sages say that four species of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lulav </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">etrog</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> symbolize types of Jews. Reb Yosef was like the heart-shaped etrog, one of the four species. The etrog gives both sustenance and has an aroma (unlike the other species). Our sages say the etrog represents the Jew who has Torah knowledge and also performs</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> mitzvot</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Reb Yosef studied every day, sharing his knowledge, wisdom, insight and instinct. Daily, Reb Yosef performed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>mitzvot</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. I know as a recipient, because of his teaching and guidance whenever I requested it or not. Reb Yosef strongly advised me not to explore my past lives, which I had been examining. It is enough to live today, he said. Because of Reb Yosef's humility, he would never let it be known what kindness he did for others, and I'm sure it was regularly.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef signed his correspondence, "Yosef". With respect, I always called him “Reb Yosef”, because he was my beloved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rebbe</i>. It is my responsibility now to continue to share Torah in his light, in his <i>zechut </i>/ merit. I already have four different Torah spiritual classes scheduled at American Jewish University (and more to propose), and I will prepare for them, and teach in his memory. I increase my own daily Torah learning in the zechut of Reb Yosef.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef LOVEd (I keep needing to correct my ‘present’ tense to past tense.) being Jewish and that was contagious. I learned so very much from Reb Yosef’s Torah-filled Hazon “Letters”, and felt inspired and uplifted by them. For Reb Yosef it was important to “<i>feel strengthened</i>,” and I loved it when he said that my art and news made him feel that way. Reb Yosef directed me to where my first poetry could get submitted, and to a friend who might review my poetry. He was right. Reb Yosef had a love for poetry, and I loved it when he could also include quotes from non-Jewish poets, i.e. Rabindranath Tagore, 1861-1941</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was mostly careful not to write anything to Reb Yosef that would make him feel other than strong. I tried to constrain myself and not write about conflicts between Orthodoxy and non-Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxy and women. As a feminist and Renewal Jew, there are some tough issues for me in Jewish life. Reb Yosef was also sensitive about these political and religious issues, and I know he didn’t want to lose me as his “sister,” so he too, carefully answered my cries. He was sad, he shared with me, that he had ‘lost’ former Renewal friends (from the time he was known as Jeff Oboler<b>),</b> due to their religious differences. That was painful for him. In retrospect, I think that I became a partial <i>tikkun</i>, a rectification for that sadness and loss in his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes Reb Yosef used me as a messenger / <i>shaliach</i>, to share his message with individuals, without people knowing that the issues I raised had come from his concerns. At times, I sent musicians who had made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aliyah,</i> to Reb Yosef to play for him at home, knowing he was mostly house-bound. It made me sad knowing that he could not go out to spiritual celebrations, so I wanted to bring music and joy to him. <o:p></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef was happy when I joyously sent strangers, messengers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to surprise him in Jerusalem </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with my <i>Shalach Manot / </i>food gift packages for Purim.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shared Reb Yosef with my friends; when they had a Jewish question or concern I couldn't answer, I sent them to Reb Yosef, and he responded. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef felt joy for all the successes of his students. He encouraged friends that I sent to him: the Persian poet, the Askenaz playwright, the converts...</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The friends sent to Reb Yosef are filled with gratitude for all he shared with them. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All I hear now is how caring, encouraging, thoughtful and sensitive he has been to my friends, understanding them, their neshamahs, and their creative work-- in his correspondence to them. Years ago, I heard from (a former classmate) one young African American convert to Judaism, that in Israel, Reb Yosef had “saved” his life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes Reb Yosef would send to me his e-letters he'd written to others, to forward to them, because his mail to them was not going through. I made sure never to read what I was forwarding. That's how I learned who students were, unless they told me themselves. Yosef was humble, and never mentioned students, or how many, or how he made a difference in their lives. He never said how prolific a writer he was, but I discovered his writing in sites all over the internet. A couple times, it was a great surprise and felt so good, when he dedicated to me, his student, his beautiful and meaningful published Hazon Letters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think Reb Yosef also needed to 'save' me, when my husband died, and I was deeply grieving. He’d send me 'preview' copies of his regular “Letters,” and ask me to proof them. Reb Yosef’s teaching Letters were mostly 100% perfect with no typos, but on rare occasion I’d see something (like a 'needle in a haystack') and carefully let him know, knowing that he would archive his writings. I think he 'planted' some typos for me, to give me something to do, to feel needed when I lost my caregiving job, to know that I was helping him. I told him that his guise was similar to when, over fifty years earlier, I helped my dad, z’l, with the house gardening chores, and would find a (clean) dollar bill under the dirt. That gesture was so loving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most loving thing that I could do for Reb Yosef, was to send my kids to see him, when they visited Israel last year. They loved also meeting his adored birds which he had adoped. They said Reb Yosef was “<i>cute and sweet,</i>” and he stated, “<i>Aviva and Brett were wonderful</i>.” Since I was his “<i>spiritual child</i>”, are Aviva and Brett his ‘spiritual grandchildren’? Reb Yosef has left no blood heirs. It is up to us, to keep his light alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is only because two weeks have now passed since September 25, 2011, at night 27 Elul 5771, and my tears have lessened from the raging flood, that I can share some personal thoughts. A week ago, I was too in shock, stunned, confused, and feeling guilt. Had I done all that I could have done as his student and "sister"?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the days go on, I must believe and accept that Reb Yosef is no longer here guiding me (on this earth). I console myself that Reb Yosef is now with his:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beloved <b>mother</b>, Adeline Oboler (Tall/Talesnick), Udel bas Yosef, z'l, 24 Adar 1, and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beloved <b>father</b>, Seymour Oboler, Shlomo ben Avraham, z'l, 2 Tevet, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020006; font-family: Tahoma;">Chanukah 8th day, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beloved <b>sister</b>, Dorothy Oboler, Alta Chaya, Yocheved Devora bas Shlomo v'Udel, z’l, 17 Av, and his beloved rebbe Heyman, z’l, who preceded him to Heaven by three months.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef, for each annual yahrzeit, offered teachings sent to us in their zechut.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I console myself that Reb Yosef is no longer suffering from his illness that greatly restricted him, and he is free to be, unencumbered. I console myself that he is no longer feeling empathic pain for others in pain. I console myself that Reb Yosef no longer knows the international political news and terrorism that ravages Israel. I console myself knowing that at intervals, and now for some time, that writing-- Reb Yosef’s work and for him, contained in his life mission, was too great a challenge, and now he is relieved. I console myself that Reb Yosef must hate being dependent on others when he is not well, and needing help in many ways. I console myself that Reb Yosef is entering the inner gates of heaven, close to The Compassionate One, and singing with the angels. I console myself believing that Reb Yosef is helping to prepare the path for the arrival of Messianic days, which he believed are soon t</span>o <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">arrive. I console myself knowing that Reb Yosef reached his goals and life mission, filled with chesed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reb Yosef, I know, is looking at us from <i>Shamayim</i>, and sending love. I don't want him to feel my sadness. Four years ago, w</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hen my beloved Jerusalem rebbe, David Zeller, z'l, died, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I created a card, "Memory Flame", to comfort those grieving, and sent Reb Yosef a few cards so that he could share them with those in mourning. Memory Flame is visible for you in another post. Now I need the card to remind myself that I can still commune with Reb Yosef. (<i>Do you hear me, Reb Yosef? I love you.</i>) I am grateful for the years that I had the blessing to finally know, and have Reb Yosef in my life 'first hand' and to receive his Priestly/Kohan blesSings. I wanted to know Reb Yosef more than "second hand", and I have been <i>mamash</i> blessed to be inspired and uplifted by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, the qualities that were so important to my beloved passionate Chareidi Jerusalem rebbe.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011. Day after Yom Kippur, and I said <i>Kaddish</i> for Reb Yosef, zt'l, gave <i>tzadakah</i>, studied Torah even more, and did <i>mitzvot</i> in his name,<i> i'ilui neshimat / </i>for the sake of his soul's elevation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>R</b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">eb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, zt'l </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2e2e2e; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 27 Elul, 5771 (September 25, 2011)</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As Reb Yosef wrote for his beloved family:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">"<i>May his soul be bound in the Bond of Eternal Life together with the souls of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov; Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah; and together with the other righteous men and women in the Garden of Eden</i>." (From the Yizkor prayer)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>Ameyn</i>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">“My Firstborn Child” – 82<br />Your Unique Portion in Torah:<br /><br />This letter is dedicated to the memory of my father and teacher, <b>Shlomo Ben Avraham Hakohen</b>. His <em style="font-weight: normal;">yahrtzeit </em>– the anniversary of his passing – is on this Shabbos, the 2nd of Teves and the eighth day of Chanukah.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Reb Yosef wrote to me when a friend died:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>"The ultimate reunion with our loved ones will be in this world - in the World to Come on this earth. </i><i>Thus the dust returns to the earth, as it was, and the spirit returns to the Just One Who gave it." </i>(Ecclesiastes 12:7) - "<i>When the human soul leaves the body, it returns to its Divine Source." </i>(Commentary of Metzudas David).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Yosef <<a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Delete=Yes" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">chazon2@netvision.net.il</a>></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">December 7, 2006 12:10:40 AM PST</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Delete=Yes" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">joy@</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Subject: </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Re: sadness, "Holistic" Approach </span></b></span></span></span><b>of the Chofetz Chaim</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dear Joy,</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> ...</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Hebrew word <em>levaya </em>means "the escorting." The "funeral" is known in Hebrew as the <em>levaya - </em>the escorting of the soul on her journey to the next world.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">After the <em>levaya, </em>we begin the custom of saying to him and his family: <em>HaMakom yenachem eschem b'soch sh'ar aveilei Tzion V'Y'erushalayim -</em> May the All Present One comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">May they indeed be comforted, along with all the mourners for Zion and Jerusalem.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Shalom Rav,</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Yosef</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reb Yosef, # 70</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not surprised, it is <i>gevaldt</i>, <i>beshert,</i> because Reb Yosef knew I loved <b>G*d's holiest #7</b> (and he would send Torah sevens and seventies to me), that this very blog I've created for Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen -- is my <b>70th blog</b>! T</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">his feels <i>mamash</i>, really good to me. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Halleluyah!</i> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My offical 'log in' to my blogs reads: </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"JOY Krauthammer, MBA Manage Blogs" <b> (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">70 total</span>)</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Reb Yosef's memory in his <i>zechut</i>, I am teaching a class on G*d's Holy # 7 </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on Dec. 11, 2011, as well as two other classes on Miriyahm HaNeviah and Count the Omer, at American Jewish University on March 11 and March 18, 2012. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Daily Dose</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b>by Rabbi Schneerson, Lubavitch Rebbe (and Rabbi Tzvi Freeman)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The true teacher is most present in his absence.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>It is then that all he has taught takes root, grows and
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The student despairs for his teacher’s guidance, and in
that yearning, the teacher’s work bears fruit.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read more:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/">http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span> (on lower right)</span></span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-2075320964487213212011-10-06T07:27:00.000-07:002013-05-13T15:35:03.026-07:00Sharon's Sharing Memories<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joy, Of course you have my permission to write anything I said or will say about Reb Yosef to your beautiful heartfelt website. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- <b>Sharon Alexander</b>, Director, Shir Ecstasy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I expect that there must be recordings of the "Moshiach's Nigun" somewhere. It would be nice to have his compositions playing or being sung on the website. I also suspect that Yehudit and Reuven Goldfarb have photos of Reb Yosef from his days of involvement with the Joys of Jewishing. If it is possible for you to access archival photos from Moment magazine, you should be able to find the one that sent me to him in the first place: his blessing of the sun in 1982(?) in which I saw my first Yid wearing a rainbow yarmulke and knew that I needed to find other folks doing the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the story of how I was "found" goes like this. I found that picture that I mention above in my Moment magazine. Since it mentioned that he was director of the Martin Steinberg Center, I was able to find a way to write to him (even pre-internet). He put me on the mailing list for his newsletter, in which he promptly wrote that I was starting a Jewish community in Boulder. (Did I mention that he was clearly psychic--clairvoyant! I have other proof!) Anyway, I was aghast, as that idea had not occurred to me and indeed did not occur to me until some time later, after my attempts to create a Jewish choir began to morph into a group desire for spiritual community. So, there I was living in my little apartment in Boulder. I had just finished my master's thesis and my time was pretty much my own. One day my doorbell rings and standing on my porch are two young men, named Jeffrey and Zarus; their quintessential old VW van parked at the curb. Jeff Oboler sent us, they said, as if that should explain all. We're on our way to California for the Joy of Jewishing gathering and we need a place to stay for the night. OK, I said, I have room to put you up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That began the longest overnight visit I have ever hosted. They stayed and stayed and stayed; two weeks to be precise. And every day they did their best to convince me to come along with them to the Joys of Jewishing. What, you mean just hop into your van and take off? Do you think I have nothing else to do, do you expect me to just drop everything and travel across the country on a whim? But these guys could not be dissuaded from their assigned task. So, sure enough, after two weeks, they had convinced me and I did simply jump into their van and take off for California--finding myself in an unimaginable Jewish world that changed my life forever.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span>JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-5830584025377371062011-08-13T07:53:00.000-07:002017-06-30T17:35:03.960-07:00PHOTOS From Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Jeff Oboler / Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</span></b></div>
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foreground, wearing white, Rainbow Gathering, 1984</div>
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<i>(Boys are Yeshayah and Elishama Goldfarb.)</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">© Don Rothenberg</span> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 13px;">hello…yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen,</span></div>
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i took the photo of jeff oboler at that rainbow gathering.</div>
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please use the photo with love</div>
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and the love jeff spread clear and wide…with blessed memory</div>
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bless you and yours</div>
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don rothenberg <br />
(formerly of aquarian minyon/berkeley)</div>
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vienna, austria (residence)</div>
<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"><i>In the first photo, the one Don took at the Rainbow Gathering, I believe that’s Shimshon Eisenberg quite visible near the front of the crowd, at Jeff’s left, his head raised skyward, wearing a dark beard</i>. - Reuven</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Jeff Oboler and friends</span></div>
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photo by Miriam Stampfer</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"><i>In the second photo, taken by Miriam Stampfer and captioned “Jeff Oboler and friends,” I’m fairly certain that’s another Jeff, Katya Miller’s former husband, Jeff Wallin</i>. - Reuven</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhKzoCnuKqtBSOgH_X99Bdxc8P6YYqHa8E6yhhutnpxQTviMHMrkIgJh_2KOZFKucMP_D_3LV7Jmp2SltM9Cpc8-XxIlbdPhMMKksr9f4qedku9TW5q93ce3p9NY-n18mflhl3NEc-aGk/s1600/Rabbi+Chanan+Sills%252C+Jeff+Oboler+Yosef+ben+Shlomo+%25C2%25A9+Sara+Leah+Grafstein+IMG_6975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhKzoCnuKqtBSOgH_X99Bdxc8P6YYqHa8E6yhhutnpxQTviMHMrkIgJh_2KOZFKucMP_D_3LV7Jmp2SltM9Cpc8-XxIlbdPhMMKksr9f4qedku9TW5q93ce3p9NY-n18mflhl3NEc-aGk/s640/Rabbi+Chanan+Sills%252C+Jeff+Oboler+Yosef+ben+Shlomo+%25C2%25A9+Sara+Leah+Grafstein+IMG_6975.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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Rabbi Chanan Sills and Jeff Oboler</div>
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Joys of Jewishing, early 1980's</div>
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Magnificent photo by Yehudit Goldfarb gratefully received from Reb Sarah Leah (Ayla) Grafstein of Ruach HaMidbar.</div>
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In time for 5th yahrzeit 2016, of Reb Yosef formerly known as Jeff Oboler. </div>
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Yahrzeit September 25, 2011 ~ 27 Elul 5771</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ruTCN0uLHZeUN9G06yXc77Cgc8yUdHehd-0Ybwib-h8RamgQk_eE4Brmz4HxZuC15aphsWRRLhdAf2kVPGDyxcShxq4b-dghUoBejRDJo6hmbF5L2cJezeCXOKeBxReMXZ1clRDnI9K5/s1600/Joys+Jewishing+1981+Reb+Yosef+Jeff+Oboler+tallit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="504" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ruTCN0uLHZeUN9G06yXc77Cgc8yUdHehd-0Ybwib-h8RamgQk_eE4Brmz4HxZuC15aphsWRRLhdAf2kVPGDyxcShxq4b-dghUoBejRDJo6hmbF5L2cJezeCXOKeBxReMXZ1clRDnI9K5/s640/Joys+Jewishing+1981+Reb+Yosef+Jeff+Oboler+tallit.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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Jeff Oboler, later Yosef Ben Shlomo HaKohen</div>
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Joys of Jewishing, 1981</div>
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© Yehudit Goldfarb</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj62qRWu2p4F4UD-TNz8ZW8dUxgBxZtZXpFby7fF48kQ9mpIQxAz-OCczDgj1AGuCj5FXCRcWtJrDHr-mGSc2bXPtJXESL4DjG1_W9WhQswNBnNPbfs0hoZwvY8KxqJOn_GYKXYH4wkEqw/s1600/Joys+Jewishing+1984+Jeff+Oboler+Reb+Yosef+Avram+and+Miriam+Bluestone+and+others+listening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1239" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj62qRWu2p4F4UD-TNz8ZW8dUxgBxZtZXpFby7fF48kQ9mpIQxAz-OCczDgj1AGuCj5FXCRcWtJrDHr-mGSc2bXPtJXESL4DjG1_W9WhQswNBnNPbfs0hoZwvY8KxqJOn_GYKXYH4wkEqw/s640/Joys+Jewishing+1984+Jeff+Oboler+Reb+Yosef+Avram+and+Miriam+Bluestone+and+others+listening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Jeff Oboler, later Yosef Ben Shlomo HaKohen</div>
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<i style="font-family: '"arialmt"';">Avram Davis at the left, and behind him Jeff Celnik</i></div>
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Joys of Jewishing, early 1980's, 1984</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">The fifth photo, captioned, “</span><span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">Jeff Oboler, later Yosef Ben Shlomo HaKohen</span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">, </span><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;">- </span><span style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal;">Joys of Jewishing, early 1980's, 1984,”</span></i><span style="font-family: "arialmt"; line-height: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: 14px;">shows </span>Yosef in the center; <span style="font-size: 14px;">Yehudit thinks that the woman whose face is visible on the right might be Miriam Bluestone, but I’m not so sure; in fact, I doubt it. We know the woman on the left but cannot remember her name. In any case, it’s not Miriam Bluestone (in case anybody thought it was). </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"><i>Yehudit thinks she’s responsible for this photo as well</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arialmt"; line-height: normal;">Thanks Reuven, for the commentary. </span></div>
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<a href="http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/2011/08/joys-of-jewishing.html"><b>http://yosef-ben-shlomo-hakohen-myrebbe.blogspot.com/2011/08/joys-of-jewishing.html</b></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;">Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</span></div>
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Spring 5765</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">© Chana Leah</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">sent by Herschel Zvi</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Yosef & Georgie</span>, Apr 26, 2005, 5765</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">© Chana Leah</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">sent by Herschel Zvi</span></div>
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Jeff Oboler, Musician</div>
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This is the Musicians credits page from "Joys of Jewishing" video by Reb Sarah Leah Grafstein <span style="font-size: x-small;">aka Reb Ayla</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;">or click </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18px;"> (on lower right)</span> </div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-21340198564444307302011-08-11T08:58:00.000-07:002013-05-13T15:36:10.270-07:00The Aquarian Minyan at the Rainbow Gathering<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><b>THE AQUARIAN MINYAN AT THE RAINBOW GATHERING</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">— Reuven Goldfarb, 13 Adar, 5763/March 16, 2003</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> On June 27, 1984, a small contingent of Aquarian Minyan people set off for the 13<sup>th</sup> annual Rainbow Gathering, held this year in the Modoc National Forest in the Warner Range of remote Northeastern California. Jeff Celnik, <b>Jeff Oboler</b>, and Noah Miller were the pioneers and scouts for a Jewish camp, set up among the many diverse tribes, groups, and individuals attending this week-long happening in the wilderness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> It was Jeff Celnik, who has attended four such gatherings, held in a different state each year (last year in Michigan), who motivated extensive Minyan involvement this year. Perhaps his greatest coup was inducing Jeff Oboler to come out early from New York for the Gathering (he was already planning to be on the West Coast for the Joys of Jewishing Summer Encampment). Mr. Oboler, Director of the Martin Steinberg Center for the Arts, added a spiritual dimension to our group endeavors that helped maintain focus and calm as well as evoking more exalted states during the ceremonies, rituals, and personal encounters that took place during the week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> With them they brought 3000 copies of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Jewish Times</i>, subtitled, "A Journal of Planetary Renewal," to distribute for free. This twenty page journal, printed on green paper with a rainbow sticker on the cover, contains stories, teachings, poetry, and graphics celebrating our Jewish tradition, with emphasis on messianic consciousness. It was printed with financial assistance from the American Jewish Congress and co-edited by Jeff, Jeff, and Chava Miller. Extra copies are still available for those who might wish to own one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> After encountering obstacles at the base camp, which prevented the conveying of them and their supplies up the 2-3 mile road, Jeff O. forced the issue by identifying himself as a rabbi and firmly requesting permission to take their station wagon up to the top, promising to return it promptly. Crowds of people had been swarming aboard the few regular shuttle buses, trucks, and vans, which made it impossible for our advance guard to travel up with their load. Permission was granted at the base camp and at checkpoints along the way, where they were repeatedly challenged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> [By the way, Jeff (<b>Yosef ben Shlomo HaKohen</b>) wants me to note that he regrets having falsely represented himself as a rabbi in order to gain some advantage for our group. He has since done <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">t’shuvah</i> for it and would not repeat the action today, although he understands why he did it at the time. We, of course, recognized his rabbinic function in our group and therefore did not fault him then and do not fault him now for the practical and spiritual leadership he displayed. Whether he had been officially ordained or not, he was then and is now a profound teacher of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yahidut</i>. He is the founder of Hazon — Our Universal Vision: www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(This clarification was first entered on 5 Sivan, 5767 / May 21, 2007) — RG]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> In the dark, they found a campsite. A violent windstorm interrupted their sleep. In the morning they realized what a beautiful place they had chosen. A melting snow bank had created a large round pond, suitable for wading and mikveh. A grove of pine and fir trees provided shelter from the sun and fallen wood for fires. Broad meadows extended on either side of the grove. In the following few days, many other people found the general area a good place to camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Other people drove up on Friday to join the encampment for the first Shabbos: Don Rothenberg, Moshe Shachar, Dov Ben Chayyim, and Les Adler. Even at that early stage, before the official opening of the Gathering on Sunday, some 40-50 people showed up for the Friday evening Shabbos celebration. Over the next few days Ruti Gubkin, Sue Henken, Aaron Greenberg, Len Fellman, Arnon R., Shimshon Eisenberg and Laura Green showed up. On the 4<sup>th</sup>, David Drexler arrived, straight from Yerushalayim, with news of a Rainbow Gathering to be held in the Holy City in the Spring of 1985. Shirley Schapper, from Santa Monica, came in on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Numerous other visitors arrived, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to stay or just spend some time: Pinchas from Twin Oaks, Bhakti (Dale) from Big Sur, Gelstrom von Hellstrom from Texas, Barbara Berman, a Cantor from Maryland, Dan Coburn, and Rosalind Glazer from Arcata, Boston, and Israel. Pinchas played guitar and sang folk songs around the fire, and Bhakti just set up her mat and bag in the center of the camp and gradually revealed herself as a healer and counselor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Some high points: the 4<sup>th</sup> of July meditation for world peace. Hundreds of participants walked in single file (so as not to disturb the vegetation) to a rocky, sloping hillside, found places, and sat in silence for an hour. The view, of twin alkaline lakes shimmering in the broiling sun's heat, was like viewing the Dead Sea and Jordan from Masada. Before the meditation ended, a few good Samaritans circulated among the sitters with handfuls of snow, offering it to those who wished to cool their brows. At the end of an hour, the conch shell was blown, an AUM began, and people slowly arose to join hands and form a giant circle in the vast alpine meadow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> A few people had baked loaves of flat, found, whole wheat pita-style bread and distributed it to everyone. Several spontaneous blessings were shouted out and responded to with additional blessings or amens. Spiritual songs were chanted, people hugged and fed each other, and the few who were overcome by the heat were lovingly cradled and revived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> After several minutes of greetings and mutual acknowledgements, the circle was bisected by a column of children from Kiddie Village, with their adult escorts, bearing banners and signs, singing over and over, "Rainbow children, we are free!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The pageant was scheduled for the afternoon of July 5<sup>th</sup>, at which time each tribe or organized group could offer, in music, song, dance, or spectacle, some element to the overall tapestry of artistic and cultural contributions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> In the morning, thunder rolled and lightning flashed across the encampment, and drops of rain spattered the tents, tepees, and sleeping bags. Everyone was alarmed that a downpour appeared imminent and set to work securing their campsites. But the rain never came. Instead, the sun came out in periodic bursts and the pageant went on as scheduled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Among the offerings were the Rainbow Dancers, led by Fantuzzi, who also served as Master of Ceremonies for the occasion, and the Rasta Family. The Jewish Tribe’s contribution was to do "The Wedding in the Garden," conceived and orchestrated by Jeff Oboler. It was to be a paradigmatic joining in marriage of HaKodesh Boruch Hu (The Holy One of Being) and Planet Earth, a re-enactment of the original wedding in Gan Eden, with Reuven and Yehudit standing in for the principals. The symbolic re-enactment was to be a remarriage for them with their two flesh and blood children joining them under the Chuppah. Dov Ben Chayyim offered to lead Israeli folk dancing after the ceremony.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> "The Wedding in the Garden" was on the list held by the M.C., but when the Rasta Family's music was announced as "the last but not least," a mood of discouragement swept our party. Had we been forgotten, overlooked, or swept aside for some petty reason? Maybe the time was not right and we should forego our ambitious but not really feasible undertaking. Only Jeff Oboler kept his cool. He did not feel we had yet exhausted our efforts to bring this off. Perhaps it was only a test of our desire and determination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> An intermediary in an Indian loincloth (who once had studied in a Far Rockaway yeshiva), sensing our mood of disappointment and frustration, though mingled with embers of hope, went up to the M.C. and conferred with him and the Rasta Family players. Could we have a few minutes to make our offering? Apologies were extended, the way was cleared, and we stepped into the circle. Jeff called everyone's attention with a desperate, exuberant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SH'MA—YIS-RA-EL</i> — and all who knew it joined in — <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ADONAI—ELOHAYNU—ADONAI—ECHOD!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> A brief, unifying introduction was delivered, and the wedding took place, with three <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">b'rachot</i>, sips of wine, and an exchange of vows. People were sighing and crying. With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mazal Tov</i>! mad dancing broke out. A transformation in consciousness had taken place. A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tikkun</i> (fixing) was made in the rainbow consciousness. Many Jews came forward to speak to us, and many non-Jews expressed appreciation for our spiritual energy and our presence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> True to form, on the way to their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yichud</i>, Yehudit and Reuven were discussing Jewish identity and community life with an inquiring woman and her child. Later that afternoon, a rainbow was seen, arching over the mountains and appearing to settle in the Jewish camp. Over a hundred people came to Shabbat, and a sizable number showed up for the reading of the portion of the week, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Balak</i>, by the side of the snow-melt pond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The daily council, held in the center of the main meadow, extended for hours each day. All kinds of questions were brought up at this forum — policy for the Gathering, political, social, and spiritual questions, child-care and ecology, relations with the local police and with the Pit River and Modoc Indians, to whom this land is sacred, food and water supplies, and emergencies. It was a lesson in consensus decision-making that we have since applied in our business meetings. One person at a time speaks, holding a feather, conch shell, or crystal. Whoever holds the sacred object has the attention and respect of everyone (ideally). A facilitator keeps the process moving. It was remarkable how well this worked for such a large and shifting population. In retrospect, nothing else could have worked so well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The sheer variety of participants made it impossible to experience it all in just a week (or even ten days). Awe and wonder were the predominant emotions. Many of the camps had open kitchens, serving meals to whomever dropped by. An evening meal was served daily at the council circle. A M*A*S*H Tent took care of medical emergencies. Kiddie Village was available for child-care (though it was unfortunately situated at a busy crossroads) and fed children and their adult escorts, and the Sunshine Bakery provided bread — and Challah dough for the Shabbat, which Shirley baked in their ovens. Bodywork was offered at the Yurts and Easter religious groups held services, prayed, sang, and performed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pujas</i> daily, which were open to all. David Pam (Fire) revealed himself as an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Agni Siddha</i> to the astonished Shivaites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everything in the text is just about the way I described it in 1984 (with one important modification), when, at Jeff O.'s request, I wrote this overview for the AJC. I believe his intention was to demonstrate that the money the organization had disbursed had been well-spent, but I knew at the time that the piece I would write would not, could not, be a classic report to the funding sponsor. Still, in retrospect, 19 years later, it might be said to have come very close to appealing to the right kind of funder's instincts, even without a demonstrable conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">— <b>Reuven Goldfarb</b>, 13 Adar, 5763/March 16, 2003 [revisions completed on 12 Menachem-Av, 5767 / July 27, 2007]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span> (on lower right)</span></span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-89383081689581424362011-08-10T17:51:00.000-07:002016-09-20T13:03:12.132-07:00JOYS OF JEWISHING <h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title" style="border: 0px; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="watch-title long-title " dir="ltr" id="eow-title" style="border: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.03em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">JOYS OF JEWISHING </span></span></h1>
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<span class="watch-title long-title " dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.03em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">documentary by Reb </span><span style="font-size: small;">Sarah Leah Grafstein </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (formerly Ayla)</span></span></span></span></h1>
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<span class="watch-title long-title " dir="ltr" style="border: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.03em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jeff Oboler (Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen, z"l) played a major role in the Joys of Jewishing. Jeff narrates this video.</span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>Published on Sep 16, 2014</strong></span></span><br />
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<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“The Joys of Jewishing” summer camp was organized by Rabbi Hanan Sills in August 1977. It became an annual summer camp, supported by the Aquarian Minyan of Berkeley through the mid-80s. </span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Combining Torah study with the experiential style of the Aquarian Minyan and the joy of the House of Love and Prayer, Rabbi Hanan created this kibbutz experience in Mendocino County, California.</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Participants experienced Jewish music, dance, prayer and study and enjoyed an opportunity to discover new ways to bring Judaism into their lives.</span></span><br />
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<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This 28-minute documentary captures the essence of this landmark event. Taped over three summers, this extraordinary selection of images, music and personal stories captures the depth and vision of a vibrant, renewed Jewish way of life.</span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The sincerity and vulnerability of the participants will move and inspire viewers as they discover their Jewish roots and explore ways of integrating new perspectives into their daily practice.</span></span><br />
<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">You are invited to witness the tapestry of their inner songs, visions and dreams.</span></span></div>
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<span dir="ltr" title="JOYS OF JEWISHING - documentary by Sarah Leah Grafstein"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">~ ~ ~</span></span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-53269005748546664492008-12-18T13:39:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:36:35.696-07:00Personal letters to Joy<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Reb Yosef's book, <u>The Universal Jew</u>, was a series of letters between him and his father.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I <i>mamash</i> feel that since Reb Yosef called me his 'sister' and considered me his 'spiritual child', that I am inspired, and honor my brother, Reb Yosef, by including some parts of his <i>gevaldt</i> personal letters to me. <i>- Joy Krauthammer</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><b>Ethics of Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen that inspire me. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Excerpts from <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">personal letters to Joy</span></b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><b>Prejudice </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> 12-18-08</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">… </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">My dear sister, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I feel responsible for my public words. When I talk about Orthodox Jews in front of a mostly non-Orthodox audience, or when I talk about non-Orthodox Jews before a mostly Orthodox audience, I try to be careful not to <b>directly or indirectly</b> cause negative and distorted stereotypes; instead, I try to create better understanding and appreciation of the community which my audience views as the "other"! …</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In addition, ever since I became involved in classical Judaism as a boy through my joining the Orthodox community, I have suffered from the "Orthodox-bashing" that I heard from non-Orthodox friends, relatives, and others, due to their prejudices, misconceptions, and/or distorted stereotypes. In fact, people who know me well also know that I react strongly when I hear such distorted and negative stereotypes about any group; in fact, I used to be personally attacked when I would defend African Americans from comments which promote - directly or indirectly - such distorted stereotypes.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">My study of history, my parents' training, my Torah education, and the voice of my soul all remind me of the wise words of the great Torah teacher, King Solomon, who said, "Life and Death are in the hands of the tongue." Words have tremendous power, and words expressed in a public forum have even more power. Promoting directly or indirectly prejudice towards another Jewish community does not lead to life…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I now need to rest, doven, and eat a proper breakfast. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Be well, my dear sister, and may you be blessed with a Good and Sweet Shabbos.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Yosef</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">JOY</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"> by <b>Reb Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">March 4, 2008<br />
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Dear Joy,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes, your special spiritual strength and potential is <em>gila!</em></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I would like to offer some personal reflections as to why you experience spiritual life and joy so intensely within your body:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Women have a very great potential within them to <em>intensely</em> experience spiritual life and joy within their bodies. This may be the deeper reason why the Talmud mentions that a woman of sixty will dance like a six-year old to the sound of musical instruments (Moed Katan 9b). In fact, the path of mitzvos is to enable us to sanctify the physical, and the Midrash teaches that women tend to be more swift and eager to fulfill mitzvos than men (Exodus Rabbah 28:2).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In terms of feminine spiritual energy, you are very blessed; moreover, through following the "halacha" - steps - of the Torah path which sanctify this physical world, you can go higher and higher - from joy to joy.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May we soon experience the age when Zion, and eventually the entire earth, will become a Garden of Eden, where we will dwell together with the Shechinah.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shalom Rav,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yosef</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">~ ~ ~</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"><b>TAKING ON ADDITIONAL NAME</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">From: Yosef <><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">To: joy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Subject: Your Name<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Dear Joy,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">According to our mystical tradition, the Hebrew name given to us after we are born is an expression's of our soul. The Life-Giving One inspired our parents to give us this name, and this name is related to our soul's mission and role on earth. This name is sacred and it remains with us through life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">There are also rare occasions when a person takes on an additional name. For example, a new name can be added on when someone is dangerously ill or when someone begins a path of teshuvah - spiritual renewal and return.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">How is this done? A woman named Sarah who begins a path of teshuvah may want to express her rebirth through adding on another name. Let us say she decides to also call herself Chaya - from the word chaim. After the official change, her new name will be Chaya Sarah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The new name is listed before the old name, but the old name is not removed. We still keep the old name, as we do not deny our soul's identity; we take on an additional name to signify that we are growing through a new dedication to the life-giving Divine purpose of our creation. The new name signifies that we have gained new life and strength to enable our soul to fulfill its mission. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Before I continue our discussion, I need to know what was the Hebrew or Jewish name given to you at birth? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Kol Tuv,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Yosef</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Messenger of Hashem</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;">from: Yosef <><br />
To: joy@<br />
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:03:16 +0200<br />
Subject: Re: New Reply from across the world</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What you wrote reveals your higher mission, especially during this period when Hashem is planning to gather in the lost Jewish souls in order that we become the people that we are meant to be - the rainbow people who are to serve as a spiritual model which will bring life, blessing, and joy to the world. We become this model through studying and fulfilling the life-giving teachings and mitzvos of the Torah.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You are to serve as a messenger of Hashem during this age of ingathering.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>~ ~ ~</strong></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I treasure these words and miss Reb Yosef, zt'l. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Example of how Reb Yosef supported my work with his encouragement:</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dear Joy,<br />
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You are a soulful musician with the gift of poetry. Thank you for sharing these very beautiful and moving impressions.<br />
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Much Shalom and Shabbat Shalom,</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">Yosef Hakohen</span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>~ ~ ~ </strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">May your work inspire others to serve the altruistic Divine purpose through the mitzvos of the Torah - the Divine Teaching.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Simcha and Shalom!</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">~ ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sympathy </b>and <b>Olam Haba</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">From:<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Yosef Hakohen <<a href="mailto:chazon8@012.net.il">chazon8@012.net.il</a>></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Date: </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">March 5, 2009</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Subject: </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Re: Baruch Dayan HaEmet ~ <b>my beloved aunt</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dear Joy,</span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It is "very" meaningful that you were able to speak to this very special neshamah, your beloved Aunt, before she went on the next stage of her journey.</span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The term "Olam Haba" - World to Come - can refer to the future wonderful world on this earth after the resurrection when we will be reunited with our loved ones on this earth. Our tradition teaches that Shabbos is a semblance of Olam Haba. When we both keep and celebrate Shabbos, we get a "taste" of the tranquility, joy, and shalom of the World to Come on this earth.</span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We are the People of Zion, and in a deep sense, we are all "mourners" - for Zion and for the souls from the People of Zion that have left this earth. This is why we say to each mourner, "May the Omnipresent One comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">May you and all of us be blessed with a comforting, healing, and strengthening Shabbos.</span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Yosef</span></div>
</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
~ ~ ~<br />
<br />
<blockquote type="cite">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<div bgcolor="#ffffff" style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Yosef <<a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Number=135170&Page=1" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">chazon2@netvision.net.il</a>></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">December 19, 2006 12:56:03 AM PST</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Number=135170&Page=1" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">joy@</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Re: OHR</b></span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
<div bgcolor="#ffffff" style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Dear Joy,</em></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Your moving letter referred to the following words from our Sacred Scriptures:</em></span></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>"The lamp of the Compassionate One is the human soul" (Proverbs 20:27).</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Each of us is a menorah.</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>And the light of this menorah is eternal.</em></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Happy Chanukah,</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Yosef</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span></span></div>
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</span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>~ ~ ~</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span></div>
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<blockquote type="cite">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Yosef <<a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=APEHKEJ&View=Message&Number=135173&Page=1" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">chazon2@netvision.net.il</a>></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">November 2, 2006 11:42:38 AM PST</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=APEHKEJ&View=Message&Number=135173&Page=1" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">joy</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Subject:</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b> Reply</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My Dear Sister</span>,</span></span></span> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">After you sent me a letter about my possible involvement with the Jewish Renewal group, I felt that I could share with you some of my impressions of this loose movement - impressions based on my own experiences with this chevre.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">Some of the people I know from these circles are on my mailing list, and they visit me when they come to Jerusalem. (R. Marcia is also on my mailing list.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">When Ruth Broyde Sharone had one of her Festival of Freedom gatherings in Jerusalem, she invited me to speak to her group, which included a few Jewish Renewal people. I did speak to them, although this year, I do not have the strength for public speaking.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">It seems that you had some good encounters with traditional Jews and some encounters that did not feel so good. Although you did not have a formal Torah education, and although some of your experiences were not pleasant, you have managed to climb many rungs on Jacob's Ladder, and I therefore have great respect for your spiritual accomplishments. And there is much reward awaiting you for all the chesed you do, for your devotion to your late husband, and for the joy that you bring into the world depsite the suffering you have endured. You are a remarkable daughter of Israel.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">My purpose as a teacher is not to judge anyone; my purpose is to show the whole vision, so that eveyone, including myself, will want to climb even higher.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">Due to your request, I will look again in the Hazon files, and try to send you more stories about my personal background. And if you send me your regular mailing address, I will send you a copy of my book, "The Universal Jew" - Letters to My Progressive Father, which has some stories about my journey.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">R. Zalman was the one who suggested that I organize the traditional "sun blessing" service on the top of the Empire State Building. This event happens every very few decades. Zalman led the service. He also once gave a talk at the artists center I directed about Chassidic music. We had a good and friendly relationship, but I was also honest with him, and I let him know in a nice and respectful way when I disagreed with him.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">One of my rebbes, a noted Torah sage, was close to R. Shlomo in his youth. In fact, the first "od yeshamah" that Shlomo composed - the one on his first album, HaNeshama Lach - was compsoed in honor of my rebbe's wedding. My rebbe loved Shlomo, but was pained by some of his weaknesses and mistakes which also hurt a number of women.. My rebbe said that despite these weaknesses and mistakes, Shlomo had a very great neshama, and one can assume that he did teshuva for his errors before he passed away, due to the depth of his great and giving neshama. One can therefore say about him, zecher tzadik livracha.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">May you have a Good, Sweet, and Healing Shabbos!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">Yosef</span></span></div>
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</span></div>
</blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>(Reb Yosef would only mention names to me that I had already mentioned to him, as their being my rabbis or chevre. I find it important that he recognized my female rabbis in their role as rabbi, thus I leave in these names. - Joy)</i></span><br />
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<br />
<br />
~ </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span> (on lower right)</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">
</span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 18px;">
</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-35329143307218027932008-12-17T20:53:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:36:56.926-07:00Holy # Sevens<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">From: </span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Helvetica;">Yosef
Hakohen <chazon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Date: </span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Helvetica;">February 8,
2010 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">To: </span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Helvetica;">joy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Subject: <span style="color: #0037a3;">Re: My
holy # sevens workshop</span></span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">Wow!</span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">And it is so beautiful that you shared with them the blessing
for studying.the Torah.</span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">May Hashem always guide you in your Torah teaching.</span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">Shalom Rav,</span></b><span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">Yosef</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">~ ~ ~ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">From:
Yosef <<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">To: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Date:
Wed, 07 Nov 2007 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Subject:
Reply<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">Dear Joy,</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">The Temple is not yet restored, so we cannot bring the seventy
offerings to the Temple during Succos; however, we can pray for the seventy
nations. In addition, when we study the Torah which has seventy faces, we
strengthen and elevate the diversity within the universe which includes the
seventy nations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0037a3; font-family: Arial;">Baruch Hashem, I am doing better, And I bless you with a
beautiful and uplifting week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">Kol Tuv,</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;">Yosef</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #6e0070; font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-13460417466806899792008-12-16T23:03:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:37:17.206-07:00My Dear Sister<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family: Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Yosef <<a href="mailto:chazon2@netvision.net.il">chazon</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">January 25, 2006 </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Personal Message from Jerusalem</b></span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">My Dear Sister,</span></span> </div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">You asked me about the significance of Tuesday - Yom Shlishi. This was the day when plants came into existence, and there is a tradition that the Garden of Eden came into existence on this day.</span></span> </div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">The Garden of Eden is the goal of each soul's journey. A righteous soul enters the spiritual Garden of Eden after it leaves the body, and after the resurrection, all the righteous souls will then live in the Garden of Eden on this earth.</span></span> </div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">"For the Compassionate One will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her wasteland like the Garden of the Compassionate One; joy and gladness will be found there, thanksgiving and the sound of music." (Isaiah 51:3)</span></span> </div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.</span></span> </div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Yosef</span></span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
(Above note written to Joy 7 days after the death of her husband, z"l.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> (on lower right)</span> </div>
JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-28016456816163102732008-12-16T08:56:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:37:26.654-07:00Yahrzeits<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;" type="cite">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<div background="" bgcolor="#ffffff" style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">“My Firstborn Child” – 82<br />Your Unique Portion in Torah:<br /><br />This letter is dedicated to the memory of my father and teacher, <b>Shlomo Ben Avraham Hakohen</b>. His <em style="font-weight: normal;">yahrtzeit </em>– the anniversary of his passing – is on this Shabbos, the 2nd of Teves and the eighth day of Chanukah.</span></span></div>
</div>
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</span></blockquote>
~ ~ ~JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-6567324433256221542008-12-15T14:28:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:37:37.469-07:00LETTERS BETWEEN REB YOSEF and JOY<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Chevre, </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I share these very personal letters, for you, too, to receive more of Reb Yosef's shared wisdom. I breathe deeply as I release them.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>BlesSings, Joy</i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LETTERS BETWEEN REB YOSEF and JOY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 2007<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My dear brother, Reb Yosef,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for being all that you are. (I know you know the story of Zuchia.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You listen, you answer, you are in the Divine Image; compassionate, understanding, wise, responsible, protective, loving, grounded and surely generous with your soul, time and typing fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know and respect you as Hashem's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">malach </i>on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you were Disneyland, you would be the menu's "E" ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Just realized that "E" is probably an onomatopoeia.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If at a NY Chinese kosher restaurant in the sixties, you would be the menu's column "A". (add a <i>patach</i> 'h', and also an onomatopoeia, I just realized--Nourished, fulfilled universal healing sound, as in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SHAlom</i>, after having eaten from the diet.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for writing, and for your knowing comments in your second paragraph, personal to me, and to the entire letter which I have now read more than a couple times for greater depth of understanding. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you don't get all wet from my tears flowing through the keyboard.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I appreciate your metaphor of "diet" and that helps me to understand myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so grateful that you "appeared" to me as part of my diet. I am filled with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sasson when </i>I open my mail and receive from the menu of The One Who Teaches Torah to Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now for me, before Shabbat arrives, Torah study, and off to my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mitzvot</i> for the day, which I see already waiting in my mail (too early for local phone calls so my writing will suffice at this hour.) Yes, I too have cried out, and Hashem helps me to be more loving and giving, as I serve in my capacity, our brothers and sisters...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wishing for you, Reb Yosef, mamash, the sweetest Shabbat Shalom,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and a Shavua Tov is my letter to you, to be read after Shabbat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One love, <i>shalom</i> and abundant blessings of health and joy to you,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #8700c6;">Joy </span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Serve G*d With Joy"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ ~ ~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From: Yosef <chazon4@netvision.net.il><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To: joy@<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2007<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Subject: New Reply<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Joy,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I greatly value and appreciate our friendship, and I have a very deep respect for the mitzvos you do in life with a love and dedication that is truly awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You went though a very difficult and painful challenge with your husband's family during your marriage; yet, in your current relationship with Marcel's mother, you are striving to rise above all the difficulties and pain you went though in order to bring new healing and life. With this approach you are hastening the arrival of Moshiach; with this approach, you are bringing the world closer to redemption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In order to fully and properly fulfill the life-giving purpose of our creation, we study Torah - the Divine Teaching. And in order for us to accomplish our personal and collective mission on this earth, we need to study all areas of Torah wisdom. Nevertheless, different neshamos may need to initially focus more on different areas of the Divine wisdom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example, I have a friend with a beautiful, loving, and sensitive neshamah who tended to be very introverted and introspective; moreover, he had difficulty feeling and expressing emotions. He was therefore drawn to Chassidus, as he felt that this approach - one which emphasized emotional expression, joy, and communal celebration - helped to draw him out of his shell. He felt that this approach helped him to be more balanced in his service on this earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have another friend who has a very poetic, sensitive, and very emotional nature. He discovered that when he focused too much on Chassidic and kabbalistic teachings, he became too spacey. He therefore felt the need to ground himself by focusing more on mussar and halacha. His head was already in the heavens, but he needed to plant his feet firmly on the earth! He was therefore drawn to the approach of the Lithuanian yeshiva world which emphasizes ethics and character development, as well as calm rational thinking based on the Divine wisdom of Torah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A natural healer will often adjust the natural and healing diet according to the condition and needs of each patient. The same is true with the study of Torah which brings healing and life to the human being; The Torah study "diet" often needs to be adjusted to meet the condition and needs of each person. And the diet can also change at various stages of a person's life. At one stage, a person may need to become more grounded by focusing more on the study of halacha and mussar, and at another stage, a person may need to expand his or her consciousness by focusing more on kabbalistic teachings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my diet, I find that at this stage of my life, kabbalistic teachings are best in occasional small dosages. Nevertheless, I realize that it is part of the Divine plan that more and more of the life-giving hidden wisdom of Torah be revealed, especially as we approach the era when, "the earth will be filled with knowledge of Hashem as water covering the sea bed." (Isaiah 11:9). I therefore understand and respect the need of many souls in our generation to have greater access to this branch of Torah wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A natural healer will recommend food and liquids that are pure and organic in order to maximize the healing experience. My role as a Torah teacher and healer is to guide people to pure and organic sources of this wisdom in order to maximize the healing experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Healers of the body and soul may also need to caution people about certain "diets" on the market which have some harmful inorganic substances mixed in with some organic ingredients. A healer therefore has a responsibility to safeguard the pure, life-giving wisdom of healing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Regarding the role of the Kohen - a teacher of Torah - it is written:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"For the lips of the Kohen should safeguard knowledge, and people should seek teaching from his mouth; for he is a messenger of Hashem, God of all the hosts of creation." (Malachi 2:7).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a very awesome responsibility, and there have been occasions where I prayed with tears to the One Who Teaches Torah to Israel that I fulfill this responsibility properly, for I am aware of my own imperfections. Yet when we strive to serve the Community of Israel - the children of the radical and righteous patriarchs and matriarchs - Hashem helps us! And in the process of serving our brothers and sisters, we ourselves grow and mature, as we become more loving and giving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May Hashem help each of us to be a loving Kohen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a Shabbat Shalom!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yosef</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ ~ ~</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Yosef <<a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Delete=Yes" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">chazon2@netvision.net.il</a>></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">November 2, 2006 3:12:03 AM PST</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Delete=Yes" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">joy@</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Subject:</b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b> P.S.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I sense that my feelings about the Jewish Renewal movement were shared by R. Shlomo. At the last gathering where he and R. Zalman were together (in the Bay area) Shlomo was asked whether there were any differences beteen him and R. Zalman, who is a founder of the Jewish Renewal movement. He gave an honest answer which was recorded on the tape made of that event. His response indicates that he did not take the same approach of Zalman and the Jewish Renewal movement, and that he saw himself as a representiave of the pure tradition.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In terms of his beliefs, Shlomo was committed to "all" of the 613 steps of the Torah dance, and he did not want to invent a new dance to conform with contemporary western culture.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I was friendly with both R. Zalman and R. Shlomo; moreover, I went to a number of Zalman's retreats and I worked with him on a couple of projects..I therefore feel that Reb Shlomo's answer was correct. They definitely did not have the same approach. At the event in the Bay area which I mentioned above, R. Shlomo explained the difference in the following manner. He said that when he was invited to various interfaith gatherings, he went as as a committed Jew and that he only wanted to share with people the pure waters of Torah. Although he indicated that he respected people from other traditions, he felt that his mandate was be a messenger of our tradition. He therefore spoke, sang, and danced as a Jew. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I therefore identified more with R. Shlomo, z"tl, than with R. Zalman.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Nevertheless, Shlomo was patient with others, as he recognized that sometimes we all "slip" while dancing, due to our weaknesses; moreover, he recognized that Jews with little or no Torah background need to learn the steps of the dance at their own pace, even if it takes years. His goal, however, was the entire dance of the complete, holistic Torah which elevates all areas of our existence.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Shlomo wanted us to change <em>ourselves</em>, but he did not want to change the Torah! Shlomo wanted us to understand the Torah on a deeper level, but he did not want to eliminate any aspect of Torah or to graft on to Torah ideas or practices which are not in harmony with her spirit.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Within the dance of Torah, there is room for individual expression, and each soul's dance has its own style and flavor; however, when we fulfill the Torah properly, we are all in the same circle, doing the same dance, each with his or her own unique movement.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Just as people can dance the same dance, and each one adds his or her own flavor, so too, each musician can play the same symphony, yet, each one plays it according to the expression of his or her soul. This is why people can go again and again to hear the same symphony at various concerts, as on each occasion, a different musician is playing; thus, there is an element of newness and uniqueness at each performance. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #020202;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Those who value the complete dance of the Torah are called tradiional, classical, or Orthodox Jews. In terms of his beliefs, Reb Shlomo was an Orthodox Jew, but he wanted to be a creative and innovative Orthodox Jew who could reach the searching souls of our generation. He therefore had great pride in those of his followers who became Torah-observant.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ ~ ~ </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> (on lower right)</span> </span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-32721177198086193352008-12-15T08:43:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:37:46.589-07:00HAZON BIO LETTERS<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Yosef <<a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Number=135172&Page=1" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">chazon2@netvision.net.il</a>></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">November 6, 2006 11:13:42 AM PST</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="http://webmail.ajula.edu/WorldClient.dll?Session=MWSHXUL&View=Message&Number=135172&Page=1" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">joy@</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>Childhood Story</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Story for Shabbos:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Not with you alone do I seal this covenant and this oath, but with whoever is here standing with us today before the Compassionate One, our God, and with whoever is not here with us today." (Deuteronomy 29:13)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"With whoever is not here with us today" - The souls of all the future generations were present when the Torah was given. (Midrash Tanchuma)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dear Friends,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was eight years old when my family moved from downtown Brooklyn to another neighborhood in <st1:city w:st="on">New York City</st1:city>, known as <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rockaway</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place>. I was a frail child, and we moved there at the recommendation of my doctors who felt that living near the ocean would strengthen my health. The day after we moved, my mother decided to take me and my sister for a walk along the ocean, which was a block from our apartment building. As we were walking towards the ocean, my mother noticed an Orthodox synagogue, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Temple</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Israel</st1:placename></st1:place>, and there was a sign in the front about a Sunday School for children.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Although my parents were not traditionally observant, my mother's father - whom I was named after - had a warm appreciation of Jewish tradition, and he loved to go to the synagogue on Shabbos and the Festivals. Perhaps it was the memory of her father that inspired her to enter the synagogue and register us for the Sunday School.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After a few months, I also began to attend the synagogue's afternoon Hebrew school. I learned how to read and write Hebrew, how to pray a few prayers from the Siddur, and how to celebrate the Jewish Festivals. One afternoon, our teacher, Rabbi Gabriel Beer, said to us: "This Shabbos, we are starting a junior congregation, and you are all expected to attend. It begins at 10:30 in the morning." We all groaned. It was hard enough attending the afternoon <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Hebrew</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place> during the week after being in Public School all day, and now we were being asked to give up our Saturday mornings! As I walked home, I kept thinking of all the good cartoons on television that I would be missing. I said to myself, "Doesn't Rabbi Beer realize that the best cartoons are aired Saturday mornings?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That Shabbos morning, I couldn't remember the exact hour the junior congregation was to begin, so I arrived at <st1:metricconverter productid="10 a" w:st="on">10 a</st1:metricconverter>.m. - a half hour early. I noticed there was no one in our classroom, and I was wondering what I would do. I then heard the congregation singing in the main sanctuary, and I decided to walk over to the sanctuary and see what was happening. As I arrived in the back, I saw that the ark was open and the cantor had begun to chant the Aramaic words, <i>"Ana avda d'Kudsha Brich Hu" </i>- I am a servant of the Holy One, Blessed Be He. He sang a haunting melody with great yearning, and his voice had the traditional "weeping" quality. The elderly congregation began to sing with him.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Suddenly, a strange image came into my mind. I saw endless rows of people standing together, and I had the feeling that these were Jews from all the generations which had preceded me. I realized that these were my people, and that my destiny was bound with their destiny.</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Torah was then taken out of the ark and given to the Cantor. Overcome with emotion, I joined the congregation in chanting, <i>"Shema Yisrael, Ado-nai Elo-heinu, Ado-nai Eachad!" </i>- Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I later joined my classmates at the junior congregation, I felt so much older. I wondered what I was doing with all these children. I wanted so much to stand again among those endless rows of our people and to once again receive the Torah. And so each Shabbos morning I would arrive early and stand in the back of the congregation as the Cantor would begin to chant, <i>"Ana avda d'Kudsha Brich Hu."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Years later, I learned that the souls of Jews throughout the generations were present at <st1:place w:st="on">Mount Sinai</st1:place> when the Torah was given. I also learned that the Torah was given on Shabbos morning; thus, each Shabbos morning, we relive this unifying experience when we take the Torah from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Ark.</st1:state></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May we be blessed with a Good Shabbos!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hazon – Our Universal Vision:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;">From: Yosef <chazon2@netvision.net.il></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;">Subject: Through Falling, There is Rising</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;">To: "Yosef" <chazon2@netvision.net.il></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;">Received: Sunday, July 24, 2005, 11:34 AM</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Through Falling, There is Rising: A Message for the 17th of Tamuz<br /><br />"Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for because I fell, I will rise! Because I sit in the darkness, the Compassionate One is a light unto me!" (Micah 7:8) The Midrash comments: "Through falling, there is rising, through darkness, there is light" (Yalkut Shimoni).<br /><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />When I was 14 years old, my rebbe, Rabbi Zevulun Leib, taught the above verse to our class. And he also conveyed to us its deeper meaning: <em>"Through falling, there is rising, through darkness, there is light."</em> It is through the falling and the resulting darkness that we gain new insights and strengths which enable us to rise to new heights and to experience new light. After teaching us the deeper meaning of this verse, Rabbi Leib led us in the singing of the following words: "If I had not fallen, I would not have risen. If I had not sat in the darkness, there would not have been light for me" (Midrash Tehilim 22).<br /><br />The rebbe of my rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Hutner - a leading sage who headed the Chaim Berlin Yeshiva - applied the above teaching to the following biblical statement about the challenges facing the "tzadik" - righteous person: "For though the tzadik may fall seven times, he will arise" (Proverbs 24:16). According to Rav Hutner, the real meaning of this verse is not that the tzadik manages to rise again after falling seven times, but that the essence of the tzadik's rising is through his seven falls. Through these falls, he gains new insights and strengths which enable him to rise higher.<br /><br />This insight can apply to the falls of both the individual and the community. It is particularly relevant to the season of communal mourning which begins today - the Fast Day of the 17th of Tamuz. This day begins a three week period of mourning which culminates with "Tisha B'Av" - the Fast of the Ninth Day of Av, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples. On the 17th of Tamuz, Jerusalem's walls were breached, prior to the destruction of the Second Temple. It was the beginning of the fall of Jerusalem. There were other historical tragedies which happened on this day. For example, it was on the 17th day of Tamuz that the first Tablets of the Covenant were broken by Moses when he descended from the mountain and saw the worship of the golden calf.<br /><br />In the messianic age, proclaims the Prophet Zechariah, the fast days which commemorate the failures and tragedies of the Jewish people "will be to the House of Judah for joy and for gladness and for happy festivals" (Zechariah 8:18). How is it possible that days of mourning will become joyous festivals? The answer is that through these failures, we will have gained new insights and spiritual strengths which will eventually lead to the renewal of our people and the entire world. These tragic experiences will have become part of the process of change and rebirth; thus, at the final stage of history, these days of mourning will be transformed into days of rejoicing.<br /><br />Shalom,<br />Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen (See below)<br /><br />Related Teachings and Comments:<br /><br />1. In Midrash Genesis Rabbah (3:7), the sages teach that before the Creator made this world, He created other worlds and then destroyed them. Why did the Creator choose to create the universe in this fashion? The Chassidic sage, Rabbi Tzadok Hakohen, explains that the Creator desired to establish a paradigm for all creation: The best construction must come on the heels of previous "failure." To build properly, one has to suffer destruction - to see his handiwork fall apart - and then start building again. When the insights resulting from the failure are used to ensure greater eventual success, than the failure itself becomes an integral part of the creation process.<br />I found the above insight in a lesson by Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann of Project Genesis: <a href="http://www.torah.org/" rel="nofollow" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;" target="_blank">www.torah.org</a> .<br /><br />2. The messengers of evil and death rejoice when they see the suffering that they are able to inflict on the world. The following proclamation of the righteous person is therefore a warning to them: "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for because I fell, I will rise! Because I sit in the darkness, the Compassionate One is a light unto me!" (Micah 7:8) And the day will arrive when the nations and their leaders will discover this light. For the Compassionate One gave to the fallen people of Zion the following promise:<br /><br />"For behold, darkness may cover the earth and a thick cloud the kingdoms, but upon you the Compassionate One will shine, and His glory will be seen upon you. Nations will walk by your light, and sovereigns by the glow of your dawn." (Isaiah 60:2,3).<br /><br /> 3. Rav Yitzchak Hutner's teaching that the tzadik rises "through" his falls is found in a letter of response to a disciple who had written to him about his turbulent spiritual struggles. Rav Hutner's response to his disciple can be found in "Pachad Yitzchak - Letters and Writings," p. 217. This volume includes many letters that he wrote to his students. A Hebrew edition is available, but an English edition has not yet been published.<br /><br />Hazon - Our Universal Vision: <a href="http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/" rel="nofollow" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;" target="_blank">www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/</a> </span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-58413387050790610942008-12-14T08:20:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:38:07.107-07:00Teaching Excerpts<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><b>Fig Tree</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">...Cities serve as economic, cultural, and spiritual centers; however, from<br />the holistic perspective of the Torah, cities must provide their residents with<br />a connection to nature and with the opportunity to cultivate the earth. Even<br />urban dwellers are to experience the following messianic blessing: 'They shall<br />sit, each person under his vine and under his fig tree.'</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Reb Yosef's teaching on Torah and Arts found here.</span></span><br />
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-24182076720505535612008-12-13T19:27:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:38:57.460-07:00MEMORY FLAME<div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- <b>Joy Krauthammer</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Portable Pocket Yahrzeit & Yiskor Memory Flame</span></b> is a card I created for myself and others in mourning.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was Shavuot Yiskor 2007 at a retreat out of town at Isabella Freedman Center with Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, and I didn't have a candle, so I imagined a flame. Reb Dovid Zeller, z'l, had died at that time. I also needed a candle for my husband, z'l.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">The <i>Yiskor </i>teaching was given to us on Shavuot by Reb Zalman. "<i>In memory of loved ones</i>", in each direction, to and from your loved one, z'l, giving and receiving, "<i>feel Forgiveness, Gratitude, Compassion and Love</i>." <i>Hold your beloved's hand in your hand</i>.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I returned home and asked <b>Reb Yosef</b>, zt'l, what would be the best translation for the Psalm 20:27 that I used, and he gave me the English words on the side opposite the flame I painted--following my meditation on the Holy Temple.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In the center of the <em><strong>Ohr</strong></em>, flame painting that I made following a meditation on the Holy Temple, is a Mogen Dovid shaped lotus, a water lily flower. I thought Reb Dovid would appreciate this lily from his India days. The lily /<i> sosannim</i> is found in Old Testament in Psalms and sometimes translated by musicologists as "testimony." </span></b>Do you see inside the other blue Mogen Dovid, is a heart?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because he really liked the finished </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Yahrzeit</i> & <i>Yiskor </i>MEMORY FLAME</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, I sent several cards to Reb Yosef in Jerusalem, for him to share in compassion.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I have this card knowing that Reb Yosef is part of the creation and that feels good. </span></div>
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In locations where candles may not be lit for safety reasons, and in ritual, I and others have used the little Yahrzeit and Yiskor Memory Flame card with my Ohr, flame painting. </span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> (on lower right)</span> </div>
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.JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-25367272357622828712008-12-02T11:11:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:39:22.459-07:00A Modern-Day Patriarch<div style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Dear Ms. Krauthammer,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">You have my full permission to use my essay in any way you think it will bring people to recognize Reb Yosef's contributions and appreciate his life.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">May you, and all his students and friends, bring him much "nachas."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">AS</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: monospace; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;"><a href="http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2011/11/01/a-modern-day-patriarch/" rel="bookmark" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;" target="_blank" title="Permanent Link to A Modern-Day Patriarch">A Modern-Day Patriarch</a> in Ami Magazine, web-based publication.</span></h2>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: monospace; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;">This one sentence from entire article in link represents my sentiments. - Joy</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: monospace; font-size: small; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal Arial;"><i>"And so the anguish at Yosef’s unexpected passing was felt not only by Tehilla but by countless people around the world, in the strangest of places, who had benefitted from his writing—and, in many cases, his personal interaction with them."</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By Avi Shafran on November 1st, 2011</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please see <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">ARCHIVES</span> (lower left) </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">OLDER POSTS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> (on lower right)</span> </span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-56429943509698338282007-01-01T09:52:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:39:35.511-07:00Journey to Heaven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yosef's Ladder</div>
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photos</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> © Joy Krauthammer</span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8722147478147135903.post-12218042657009101232006-01-30T06:36:00.000-08:002013-05-13T15:40:27.334-07:00Photo with Mogen Dovid<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen</b></span><br />
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Yosef</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">© Ruth Broyde Sharon</span></div>
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JOY Krauthammer, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08720282712169644162noreply@blogger.com0