Around the Israel Center

Re: The Israel Center and Torah Tidbits 
NOTICE: The OU Israel Center and Torah Tidbits do not necessarily endorse the political or halachic opinions of its advertisers, nor do we guarantee the quality of their service. Nor do we endorse any party or candidate.

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 dispute to the Beth Din, and those where a complainant wants the Beth Din to summon the second party. Yitzhak Fund, Esq. • Rabbi Emanuel Quint Chairpersons , Ita Rochel, Administrator

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, and a cold drinks (cans) machine on the first floor near the library. 

The Arnold Abroms Memorial Lending Library: Hours - SUN., MON & WED: 10-5, TUES: - 10-4; THURS: 1-3,MON & WED eve.: 5-8pm

Yankel Winet z”l Torah Tape Libraries including the Israel Center Torah Tape Library and the Aish HaTorah Tape Library at the Center• Sunday, 11:00am-1:00pm, 3:00-5:00pm; Monday - Wednesday, 10:00am-1:00pm

Join 100,000 Jews in reciting the Prayer for IDF soldiers daily and help raise funds to benefit our Israeli soldiers. Buy Tefila L'chayalei Tzahal cards (for yourself, family, and friends) for 5NIS each and be a part of this mitzva! All proceeds benefit injured and needy soldiers. Cards are available at the Israel Center - just ask for them at the front desk

At the OU/NCSY’s Ben Zakkai Honor Society Dinner held on Sunday night, February 2nd in New York City, two very special Israel Center couples were honored.Ilse & George B. Falk, who founded the Center more than 20 years ago in memory of Bernhard and Sarah Falk a"h, and continued to take an active role in the development of the Center for many years, received the Enid and Harold H. Boxer Memorial Award, in memory of the Founding Chairman of the Orthodox Union’s Youth Commission and his wife. Mr. & Mrs. Falk were born in Germany, but were fortunate enough to be able to get out after Hitler came to power. Mr. Falk developed great expertise in international trade, while Ilse worked as a nurse and became involved in bringing Holocaust survivors to America. The Falks were among the vanguard of American Jews who developed close contact with Israel in its early years, which resulted in their decision to found the Israel Center as a home away from home for Americans and others. Mr. Falk has served as Treasurer and in a variety of other high positions OU positions. The Falks’ two sons, Bernard and Elliot, are both members of the OU Board of Directors.

Adele & Rabbi David Cohen received the Ezra Ben-Zion Lightman Memorial Award, named for a charismatic NCSY leader. Rabbi Cohen has occupied many significant positions in both New York and Israel. Since 1999 he has served as Director-General of the OU Israel Center, where he has revitalized the Center’s operations and lay leadership. Early in his career Rabbi Cohen was Associate Executive Director of NCSY, which he helped to build into a vibrant national organization. He then served as OU National Director, initiating adult weekend programs and public affairs conferences, among other achievements. Rabbi Cohen was the founding Director of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, which he turned into a leading chesed organization in New York. Adele Cohen has served as a teacher of special children and engaged in social work activities at various Jewish institutions in the Far Rockaway, NY area while raising a family of four children.

If you are a member of the Israel Center...Thank you; If you were a member and your membership lapsed...Please renew; If you’ve never been a member...Please join

Yearly membership is 225NIS (family included); LIFE MEMBERSHIP - $500 (payments poss.) • Membership includes lower rates for all Israel Center programs, tiyulim, etc.and a subscription to Jewish Action, the Orthodox Union’s popular quarterly magazine - You can cut and send this form to us atP.O.B. 37015, Jerusalem 91370 or call us (566-7787 ext. 204) with the details and arrange credit card payment by phone or email to trochel@netvision.net.il; Special note to TT readers who do not regularly participate in Israel Center activities (or never): You actually do participate in an Israel Center activity... called: Torah Tidbits; Many people feel that just for Torah Tidbits alone, it’s “worth it” to become members of the Israel Center.We hope you feel that way too.

Membership Form
Today’s date:
Title (circle one): Mr. Mrs. Miss Ms. Rabbi Dr. Mr. & Mrs. Rabbi & Mrs. Dr. & Mrs. other (specify) ____________________
Name(s)
Full address:
Phones (regular & cellphone)
email:
Category (circle one): Yearly LIFE
Status in Israel (circle one): Citizen Resident Visitor Student
How long have you lived in Israel? 
Country (State, City) of Origin (curiosity & stats)
Comment:

NESTO - Native English Speakin Teen Olim
Our very own chanich, or shall I refer to him as a senior - senior, gave a pe’ula this Tuesday. We started the activity with mind teasing riddles. Once we were warmed up and alert, every chanich had the tough assign- ment of evaluating his fellow NESTOer. Each chanich ended up with a small paper pad bearing his name. Inside the pad were things written by every chanich. Only positive things were allowed to be written, we all returned home with a paper pad filled with compliments. This was a great activity for boosting one’s ego.

On Wednesday, Senior NESTO decided to rendezvous again. We met at the new Hirsch Theater, where we watched David Fischer, a former NESTOer, perform brilliantly. He was outstanding. We know without a doubt, that his talent and inspiration generated from NESTO.
With elections just a day before, Junior NESTO got political!
Are you pro or against the Seatbelt Law? Two professional teams of 'lawyers' got together. The main arguments for those against seatbelts:
1) Seatbelts violate the bill of rights; every individual has the right to determine his health care standards.
2) In some cases, people have been severely injured or killed because of forced seatbelt use.
Pro seatbelts: safety belts have saved on estimated 65,300 lives. It slows the body down with the car and prevent the passenger from being thrown out of the windshield.
After reviewing all the facts and newspaper articles, each team had its limited amount of time to argue his case. Both teams, whether for or against the seatbelt law, had the same interesting mind: safety. We must take good care of ourselves, so that we can fulfill our life's goal: keeping Hashem's Mitzvot.
V'NISHMARTEM ME'OD L'NAFSHOTEICHEM
The judge concluded that although there are specific events where not wearing a seatbelt would be wise. For example: During the Intifada, in places where there is a high risk of being attacked, one shouldn't wear a seat- belt so he can escape from the vehicle. But aside from those situations, seatbelts should be worn at all times, so that we can continue to go B'DERECH HASHEM in this world.

I think it's about time Jeremy Saltan receives a big thank you from all of us here at NESTO. Thank you for always setting things straight in Beit Shemesh and being such a dedicated Madrich. 

Do you want to write something for our outgoing Senior/Junior news- letters? You know what to do! E-mail us your article - anything is welcome. 
That's all from us, Shabbat Shalom
The Israel Center's youth program for Anglo-Israelis • tel. 566-7787 ext. 250 • fax: 561-7432 • chaveabrahams@hotmail.com • Chaim Pelzner, Director, Chave Herschberg, Coordinator, Mimi Edel, Bat Sherut, NESTO is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel