It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of R’ Sheya Mendlowitz z”l, renowned music producer who greatly influenced the tenor and direction of Jewish music for many years. He was just 61 years old and battled illness and various ailments for years.
A pioneer and creative force in the Jewish music industry, Sheya was responsible for producing numerous music albums and events, including those of Mordechai Ben David and Avraham Fried.
Sheya was the musical genius behind the iconic HASC concerts, setting the stage – quite literally – for some of the most memorable musical gatherings of the last half century that spawned the concerts and events that followed in more recent years.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Hagaon Rav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ateres Yisroel and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah in Eretz Yisroel. He was 94.
The rosh yeshiva had been hospitalized since Shabbos Parshas Pinchas. The following Sunday, his condition deteriorated and he fell into a coma and stopped breathing. During the last four months, his condition showed ups and downs, and in the last week, there was even a slight improvement in his health, but his heart troubles overcame him, and the rosh yeshiva passed away this morning.

Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim has issued an important announcement to the parents of their talmidim from overseas.
In the communiqué, the yeshiva unveils its decision to end the operation of its satellite branches in the United States, which opened due to the war.
In a reflection of the rapidly evolving circumstances, the yeshiva leadership conveyed their firm belief that the current conditions on the ground in Eretz Yisroel have finally converged to create an environment conducive to a confident and seamless return to Eretz HaKodesh.
The letter reads as follows:
With chadei Shomayim, we have witnessed a distinct siyata diShamaya at work in the learning established for the bochurim of the yeshiva here in the United States.

Maran Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, rosh yeshiva of Philadelphia Yeshiva, who had not been feeling on Shabbos and was hospitalized, underwent a procedure this morning.
Bechasdei Hashem, the doctor feels that the procedure was a success. The rosh yeshiva is now recuperating in his room at the hospital.
The rosh yeshiva has expressed his appreciation for everyone’s continued tefillos on his behalf and requested that these tefillos continue that he have a total refuah.
The rosh yeshiva will need to spend time convalescing, with further intensive physical therapy at home. All are asked to continue to allow the rosh yeshiva his privacy.

At Bais Haknesses HaRivaz in Ashdod, Yidden performed a special tikkun using the Daled Minim as a zechus for the hostages and those in harm’s way during the current eis tzarah.
 

Maran Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, rosh yeshiva of Philadelphia Yeshiva, was not feeling well once again on Shabbos and was brought back to the hospital.
The rosh yeshiva is undergoing a procedure this morning. The doctors feel confident that the rosh yeshiva is up to it and that this will resolve the issue.
All are asked to daven for the complete recovery and full strength of Rav Shmuel ben Itta Ettil.
{Matzav.com}
 

Due to the heightened security situation and the ongoing conflict, the annual Kever Rochel memorial service on the yahrtzeit of Rochel Imeinu will not take place as usual.
The Kever Rochel complex will remain closed. Instead, special tefillah sessions will be broadcast live to all Yidden by the Chief Rabbis and additional prominent rabbonim on the eve of the yahrtzeit.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Shimon Alster, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah of Cliffwood, NJ, and rov of Bais Medrash Torah U’tefillah in Flatbush, following an illness.
Rav Alster was a son of Reb Yosef Shmuel Alster and Gittel Alster. Reb Yosef and Gittel, originally from Galicia, Poland, were raised in Antwerp and were married there in 1935. They were childless for many years before they finally celebrated a blessed event, the birth of their first, and only, child, Shimon.

The Jewish people everywhere are in mourning over the events of this past Shimini Atzeres. At the same time, we are consumed with worry over the future. Our young men will be in harm’s way – Hashem Yishmor Osam.
We place our faith in Aveinu Sh’bashamaytim, the Hashem Ish Milchamah.

Our obligation is Chessed Torah U’Tefilah. We plead to HaKodesh Boruch Hu for a time of great rachmei shomayim.

We ask every member of the Flatbush community to come together for an Atzeres Tefilah, this Sunday, on Av L & east 9th Street, to join in Tefilah B’rov Am on behalf of our brethren in Artzeinu HaKadoshah.