IN CELEBRATION OF YESHIVA OHR BARUCH, THE VEITZENER CHEDER’S 32nd ANNIVERSARY AND THE INAUGURATION OF THE CHEDER’S NEW HOME, THE VEITZRNER CHEDER PAYS SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO MR. YITZY WEISS.
THE CHEDER IS ETERNALY GRATEFUL TO YITZY FOR MAKING THIS PROJECT A REALITY, AND FOR ALL OF THE EXCEPTIONAL STATE OF THE ART DETAIL IN HIS SUPERB RESTORATION OF THE CROWN JEWEL OF WEST ROGERS PARK.
THE MAGNIFICENT NEW SCHOOL CAMPUS IS THE COMPLETELY REDESIGNED AND TRANSFORMED, ICONIC FORMER IDA CROWN JEWISH ACADEMY BUILDING, IN THE HEART OF THE BURGEONING JEWISH COMMUNITY. THIS LANDMARK HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN REMASTERED FROM ITS VENERABLE MID-CENTURY STATUS TO A MODERN DISTINCTIVE STATE OF THE ART CHEDER EDUCATIONAL FACILITY.
JOIN THE CELEBRATION!
THE BANQUET WILL BE HELD IN THE CHEDER BUILDING’S VERY OWN MITZVAH HALL
2828 W. PRATT BLVD. – CHICAGO.
ON WEDNESDAY MAY 2 AT 7:00 PM.
FOR RESERVATIONS AND JOURNAL ADS CALL 773-262-0885
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A TZADIK
From the pioneering sparks left in Chicago by his illustrious father in law, the Veitzener Rav, Rabbi Unger has created a virtual renaissance of Chassidus in Chicago, with the reintroduction of time honored traditions made available to all seeking meaningful spiritual connection.
Revered customs from the great Jewish communities of Europe, ranging from the time honored complete reading of Mishne Torah on Hoshanna Rabba, to the hallowed baking of Matzos Mitzvah in his special oven at the Hebrew Theological College, to his annual city wide Kapporos before Yom Kippur.
Rabbi Unger’s amazing welcoming Chassidish Kollel, comprised of the most delightful, dedicated young scholars, is part of the long list of his community enriching accomplishments, and are all only second to the success of the Cheder.
His Hallmark - Passion for Others
In the summer of 1999 the intrepid Rabbi Unger received a call from New York relaying the precarious plight of 13 Iranian Jews, arrested allegedly for spying in Tehran in March of that year, and had now been transferred to a prison in the city of Shiraz awaiting trial by Muslim clerics of the revolutionary court. This foreboding development which spelled almost certain death came after months of pleading by the international community to drop these trumped up charges.
Learning that a certain Black Minister, Reverend Jesse Jackson had developed a reputation of successfully negotiating the release of hostages from countries hostile to America, Rabbi Unger swung into action. After numerous calls to the Reverend, identifying himself as an Orthodox Rabbi, Jackson’s personal assistant said the Reverend only has time to see him Saturday morning before he delivers his sermon and press conference at his headquarters, Operation Push, deep on the south side of the city. Without hesitation, Rabbi Unger accepted this Saturday morning invitation to the Minister’s Church. His next call was to Dayan Fuerst, to validate his halachic decision and invite Rabbi Fuerst to join him in this Shabbos morning mercy mission.
Rabbi Unger routinely filled his table with older Russians from the neighborhood, so it was easy to network among them to find a non-Jewish driver for the mission. At 8:45 Shabbos morning, dressed in his finest Shtreimel and brocade Shabbos Bekeisha he and Rabbi Fuerst arrived at Operation Push, and were told to have a seat in the pews. No doubt this was the first Shabbos in a half century that a Jew actually sat in the main sanctuary of what was formerly Kehilas Anshe Maariv. At the mercy of their host they ended up sitting patiently throughout both sermon and press conference until their private audience began in earnest. While appearing sympathetic to the plight of the 13, Rev. Jackson confessed his inability to dialog with the Iranians; however he would be happy to put them in touch with his friend Minister Louis Farrakhan who does have a relationship with the Mullahs. At which point the two dejected envoys committed to intensify their tefilos to resolve this dire impasse.
Ultimately, as a result of backchannel diplomacy, all 13 were freed by the end of 2002, being granted indefinite furloughs from prison or fully pardoned.
Upon arriving in Chicago, with the Veitzener Cheder still in its conceptual stage, the young Reb Moshe Yosef, a Torah scholar of extraordinary sensitivity, recognized a citywide need. He observed the daily financial hardship of many mechanchim, teachers and rabbis, serving the day schools throughout the city, straining to make ends meet.
Touched by their selfless commitment to the education of Jewish children, he took it upon himself as a token of gratitude to ensure that they be able to afford a befitting Yom Tov, and created the “Shearis Yisroel Pesach Fund”. This massive city wide pantry provides the Passover needs of all teachers in the Associated Talmud Torah school system, at or below wholesale prices, and based on need, in some cases completely free. This colossal undertaking of funding, purchasing, warehousing and responsive respectful distribution by Rabbi Unger quickly expanded to cover the Yom Tov needs of many of the less fortunate in the greater community. For over 30 years his Shearis Yisroel Pesach Fund has enhanced the lives of over a thousand families, which translates to tens of thousands of meals. An accomplishment that would have surely pleased the Veitzener Rav.
CELEBRATE WITH US AT THE 32nd ANIVERSARY AND NEW SCHOOL BUILDING MAY 2, 2018
For Reservations call 773-262-0885
