On Monday, January 1, Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita, Rav of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok, delivered a beautiful shiur on this legal holiday to the community. The Greeks wanted to stop B’nei Yisrael from learning Torah; and yet, because of the Greeks, so much Torah is learned on Chanukah. The Chasam Sofer encouraged everyone to learn more Torah on every day of Chanukah. It’s a time of thanks and praise. Chanukah was the time when Hashem revealed the secrets of the Torah to Moshe Rabbeinu. We see how special it is to learn Torah and to do avodas Hashem during Chanukah.

On Tuesday evening, December 17, the Navigating the Medical System Lecture Series spotlighted a semi-annual virtual lecture on the newest things in medicine, hosted by Congregation Etz Chaim. Dr. Mel Breite, Founder and Director of the lecture series, was the featured speaker. He greeted everyone and shared that the lecture would be partly a musar lesson.

 On Monday night, the sixth night of Chanukah, December 30, community members gathered at the Young Israel of Hillcrest to hear a shiur titled “Chanukah: Finding Clarity,” delivered by Rabbi Jonathan Rietti in memory of Sarah Belka bas Reuven Serle, as well as “Brachah bas Yevel,” “Yosef Chaim ben Bity,” and for a r’fuah sh’leimah for “Nekadam bas Bonu,” and for a shidduch for Yonatan ben Osnas. The shiur was hosted by Chazaq.