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The Israel Center's Beth Din to adjudicate and arbitrate monetary disputes, according to Jewish law There is a registration fee of 200nis per case No other charges for this service Please call 566-7787 ext. 204 for further information We have forms for two types of cases: Those where both parties agree to submit their disputeto the Beth Din, and those where a complainant wants the Beth Din to summon the second party. The first batch of cases have been processed and "invitations" have been issued. The Beth Din is now in full swing.. Yitzhak Fund, Esq. • Rabbi Emanuel Quint Chairpersons

Kashrut Questions
If you find a discrepancy between the Hebrew labeling and the original packaging... or if you have any other OU kashrut questions, call this toll-free number (from Israel to NY) 1-800-949-0123 From 4:00pm - midnight, you get a human; other times, leave a voice- message OU Kashrut in Israel office at the Center: 5667787

Israel Center Cafe
After nourishing the soul, come nourish the body serving coffee, sandwiches, toasts, pizza, french fries, salads, eggs, stuffed potatoes, lasagna, soups... and more Located on the lower level of the Israel Center Hours: Sun.-Thu. - 10:00am - 3:00pm Ask about our catering services on or off the Center premises

Thirsty? We now have a hot drinks machine with coffee, tea, & hot chocolate located on the ground floor, anda cold drinks (cans) machine on the first floor near the library.

The Israel Center needs volunteers to help with TT deliveries on Thursdays during the summer. Please call Toni 058 532701

Special Greetings for a happy, healthy,prosperous, peace-filled year to our family & friendsand all of Klal Yisrael; Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Cohen and family, Judy & Ira Shapiro and family, The Goldman family of Petach Tikva, Rabbi & Mrs. Moshe Greenberg
This is a facsimile of the Rosh HaShana greetings that will IY”H appear in Torah Tidbits #535, the Rosh HaShana issue. You can add your name to this list and send your greetings to thousands of TT readers, including family and friends in Israel and around the world (by email and on the internet) Names will be accepted in any of the above formats or something close to them, by Sunday, September 1., 50NIS contribution per entry; Call 566-7787 ext. 204 for further details and to arrange payment, Wishing you and yours a K’tiva VaChatima Tova

Air-Conditioning plaques • Speaking of air conditioning (see ad to the left)... The “air conditioning” plaques are up. You can see them on the first floor of the Center opposite the entrance to the library.

Torah Tidbits This 'n That
Just don’t ask how TTTT is different from An’ FOITHAmaw or Israel Center Miscellany, because there’s too much overlap to explain the difference.

• We received this email recently.
  Last week you mentioned that some have the minhag to start blowing shofar on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, 30 Av but you knew of no one keeping that minhag. Well, I was in K'hal Adath Jeshurun (the Breuer Shul) in Washington Heights, NY for Mincha last Thursday and they, following Minhag Frankfurt, blow the Shofar starting on the FIRST day of Rosh Chodesh Elul. The reason for the minhag of starting early is so that the Shofar can be blown for a period of 30 days before Rosh Hashana. (They blow shofar after shacharis and mincha as brought down in the Mishna Brura.)
  Kesiva Vechasima Tova,
  Sincerely, DL (OU Solidarity Missions Jan. ‘01 and Jan. ‘02)
  Thank you, DL. Very interesting on both counts.
   

• Calling your attention to the announce- ment on page 13 of our TWO Slichot offerings on Motza’ei Shabbat, August 31. Two years ago, even before we moved from the old building on Straus, we held our very first program at the new Seymour J. Abrams • Orthodox Union • Jerusalem World Center (i.e. the OU Israel Center on Keren HaYesod) - namely, Slichot. We chose the more popular timing for the first Slichot, rather than the more ideal time of after Halachic midnight (CHATZOT). Last year, we held two Slichot services in order to accommodate those who would find it too difficult to wait for CHATZOT and those who prefer the later time. And that is what we’ve decided for this year, as well.
  Chazan Gerald Epstein will be leading the 10:30pm Slichot, which will be sprinkled with explanations and comments in English. Note also from page 13, that Rabbi Nachman Kahana will be speaking at 9:30pm.
  David Holstein will be leading the after-midnight Slichot with a combination of traditional Slichot style and Carlebach tunes. This later Slichot will be proceeded by a Mini-Shiur by Rabbi Eddie Abramson.
  Whether you prefer the more “civilized” hour for Slichot or the after-Chatzot time, the place to be on Motza’ei Shabbat Parshat Nitzavim-Vayeilech is the Israel Center.
   

• In order to accommodate two different groups of students from abroad who will be using the Center, one on the first days of Sukkot and the other over Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, we will be having Yom Tov davening on Motza’ei Shabbat, (the eve our first day of Chol HaMoed), the eve of the second day of Yom Tov for the Galut, September 21 and on Sunday the 22nd. Similarly, we will have Simchat Torah davening and Hakafot on Motza’ei Shabbat and Sunday, September 28 & 29. There will also be davening on the first day of Chag and Shmini Atzeret (our Simchat Torah). Confusing, no? Simple solution. Let all Jews come on Aliya. But in the mean- time, if you or someone you know, is looking for Yom Tov davening in this area for CHUL-niks (who are holding two full days), tell them about our plans. Call for further details.
   

• In reference to page 18, the Rosh HaShana greetings that will appear, IY”H, in the Rosh HaShana issue of Torah Tidbits (#535) are a great way to send your greetings to family and friends who read Torah Tidbits. For only a 50š donation, your Rosh HaShana wishes will reach thousands of people (the fact that you don’t know most of those thousands should not deter you from adding your name to the list). With so many wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous, and peace-filled year going from Jew to fellow Jews, they all become prayers to G-d at the same time. Happiness, health, prosperity, and peace are nice things to ask of G-d, and nice things to wish on each other. We hope that you will participate in this TT endeavor.
   

• As long as we’re mentioning greetings, let us remind you, dear TT reader, that Torah Tidbits is a special way to mark a yahrzeit or (l’havdil bein chayim l’chayim) a birth, birthday, engagement, wedding, anniversary, happy announcement, etc. Lots of people will see the announcement and you might even reacquaint yourselves with a long-lost cousin or friend. Call us, fax us, email us, or drop by.