Dear ,

November: daylight savings time (fall back), the presidential election, veteran’s day, Thanksgiving…in other words, a month with no Jewish holidays to celebrate.

After the busy September and October High Holiday filled months, (which of course were preceded by the summer months when everyone was on a different schedule) we are finally settling down and getting back to our ‘regularly scheduled program’. We even gain an extra hour this Sunday!

So what should we do with all this extra time we suddenly find ourselves with? What a better way to truly ‘save time’ but to cherish how precious it is and take advantage of every moment to better not only our own lives, but those of others as well.

This November, as we celebrate days that remind us to value our time, rights, freedom, and to be grateful for all the good in our lives, let us not forget about those in need of a little of our time.

Sheena Levi Director of Outreach sheena@levlalev.com

 Organize a Chanukah Party to benefit the Orphans

The Chanukah candles bring light and joy to our long winter evenings. In the spirit of the Holiday, you can bring joy to others as well! Consider getting your family and friends together to celebrate a special Chanukah party dedicated to raising funds for the orphaned girls in Israel! Ner Shel Tzedakah ("candle of righteousness") is a project in which families and individuals devote the 6^th night of Chanukah, (falling out on Thursday, December 13^th this year), to learning about the problem of poverty. They donate the value of the gifts that would otherwise be exchanged on that night to organizations that assist the underprivileged.

Briana Garden, CA on her mitzvah project this month! Briana is selling hand-sewn pillow cases and gift card pouches at her Temples’ Holiday Boutique as a part of her bat mitzvah project to sponsor all the Bat Mitzvah needs of one girl at the next Lev LaLev Gala Bat Mitzvah celebration.

Hannah Hadassah Zubkoff, CA on her bat mitzvah this month! At Hannah Hadassah’s Candy heaven theme bat mitzvah she will raise funds to go towards the purchase of a Bat Mitzvah girl's new dress, shoes and hairdo for the next Lev LaLev Gala Bat Mitzvah celebration.

Danielle Worthalter, FL on her bat mitzvah this month! At Danielle’s Manhattan theme bat mitzvah she will raise funds to send all the orphaned girls on a special “Night out on the Town” trip to Jerusalem!

Shoshana Edery, Ontario on her bat mitzvah this month! Shana is supporting all the needs of one orphaned Bat Mitzvah girl in Israel.

Anastasia Koorn, CT on her bat mitzvah this month! Anastasia is raising funds to support the Children’s Home in Netanya. 

Orly Rosenthal, NY on her bat mitzvah this month! Orly is selling bracelets to raise funds to send all the orphaned girls on a special ice skating trip. She hopes to knit mittens, scarves, and hats with her friends at her Bat Mitzvah to bring to Israel for the girls to wear ice skating!

Samantha Horowitz, NJ on her bat mitzvah this month! Samantha is making a special craft with her friends at her Bat Mitzvah. Her grandparents and uncle in Israel will deliver the gifts to the girls at the Children’s Home in Netanya to enjoy.

Shoshana Gruenbaum, NY on her bat mitzvah this month! Shoshana is making bracelets with her friends at her Bat Mitzvah to bring to Israel as gifts for the orphaned girls!

November 7- Chana Senesh (Szenes) was executed by the Nazis, 1944.

Hannah Senesh (or Chana Szenes) was born on July 17, 1921 in Hungary. As the daughter of an author and journalist she demonstrated her own literary talent from an early age, and she kept a diary from age 13 until shortly before her death.

Senesh came from an assimilated Hungarian Jewish family and studied at a Protestant school open to Catholics and Jews. Meeting anti-Semitism there, she joined the Maccabea group while in high school. After she graduated in 1939, she came on Aliya to Palestine. She trained in an agricultural school and joined Kibbutz Sdot Yam in 1941. While there she wrote poetry, as well as a play about kibbutz life. She also joined the Haganah. 

The Jews in Palestine were aware of the ongoing murder of European Jewry and pleaded with the British to set up rescue missions. In 1943, Senesh joined the British Army. Senesh was one of the thirty-three people chosen to parachute behind enemy lines. On June 7, 1944, at the height of the deportation of Hungarian Jews, Senesh crossed the border into Hungary.

She was caught almost immediately by the Hungarian police. Despite tortuous conditions, Senesh refused to divulge any information about her mission. She would boost fellow prisoner’s morale by singing. She was tried for treason on October 28, 1944 and executed on November 7th. Throughout her ordeal she remained steadfast in her courage, staring squarely at her executors and her fate. Senesh was only 23 years old.

Her remains were brought to Israel in 1950 and buried in the cemetery on Mount Herzl, Jerusalem. The village of Yad Hannah is named for her. A Hungarian military court officially exonerated her after the cold war ended.

Through her brief but noteworthy life, Senesh became a symbol of idealism and self-sacrifice. Her poems, made famous in part because of her tragic death, reveal a woman imbued with hope, even in the face of adverse circumstances. Hannah Senesh wrote numerous poems that were turned into Hebrew songs, the most popular being "Eli, Shelo Yigamer me'olam" (Lord, May it never end) and "Ashrei Hagafrur" (Fortunate is the match).

November survival tip: Midterms, Finals,
Oh my!

 Lev LaLev Fund
14 Melnick Drive
Monsey, NY 10952
www.LevLaLev.com