Category: General

June 20, 2008

1. Mazal Tov to Hagar Zar on the marriage of her daughter Shira to Yaakov Cohen from Bat Yam. Baruch Hashem this is Hagar’s third child out of 8 that she is marrying off. Unfortunately, her former husband Gilad was killed in a terrorist attack 6 years ago please see link. Hagar has since remarried and continues to live on Itamar. Enjoy the pictures of the wedding.

2. Dearest friends I have a special request for those interested. Every year Itamar runs a special summer camp program for the children and youth. Unfortunately, the families of Itamar don’t have the means to pay the full cost of the program. If we don’t get help from out friends we will not be able to provide the summer program for the children. It goes without saying that these children, among them orphans, deserve to have a happy summer like other children their age. Anyone, who could help out by sponsoring a child (250 dollars) or to partly sponsor one (125 dollars) will be doing a tremendous Mitzvah! For those who can’t help at this time or have recently helped us Please circulate this e-mail to as many friends as possible. Those who want to find out more about our community send them this link – www.friendsofitamar.org. [total project cost around 15 thousand dollars]

Make out your tax deductible donations to Friends of Itamar and mail them to – Friends of Itamar Attn Lester Goldsmith 1483 East 34th Street Brooklyn NY 11234

3. Please read Leah Goldsmith’s new Torah thought for the week

June 13, 2008

1. This week a memorial service for Itamar’s dear resident Gilad Zar HYD was held in Karney Shomron. Please see this link.

2. Itamar resident Benny Zagron who has been raising raspberries for the last few years on Itamar opened up his field to the public as required on the Sabbatical year. Today a bus load of Russian immigrants from Ber Sheva came to pick themselves some delicious fruit! Benny welcomes anyone friend of Itamar as well who is interested in coming to pick the special fruit with Kiduashat Shiveyit.

3. Itamar wishes a Mazal Tov to Rena and Rabbi Chaim Richman upon the engagement of their daughter Helah. Rena is the brother of Rabbi Moshe Goldsmith the community’s mayor. Helah will, G-d willing, be marrying Yisrael Meir Maan in Early September. Yisrael Meir learned in the Itamar Yeshiva high school Chitzim

4. Mazal Tov to Ariel and Efrat Rekanati who had a baby girl on the Shivuot holiday.

5. Mazal Tov to the Caspi family on the birth of a son this week.

6. Mazal Tov to the Kinarti family on the Bar mitzvah of their son Yitzhkak.

7. Itamar had a very special guest this week Binyamin Kluger, a former French priest, who searched for many years until he found his way to Judaism. He gave an unforgettable lecture to the Itamar women!

June 6, 2008

Mazal tov to our precious city Jerusalem on its 40th new birthday – we had the privilege of visiting the holy city this week. Enclosed is a picture that was taken a day after Jerusalem day.

Mazal tov to the Mydani family upon the birth of their daughter Rinanah – it is their eighth child. We wish them much joy and happiness.

Mazal Tov to our special friends Fischberger Family from Efrat on the birth of their new baby girl Avigayil Eden – it is also their eighth child. May they see a lot of Nachat from their children!

Mazal Tov to the Levi family upon the birth of a son.

Itamar want to wish all our dear friends a chag Sameyach!

May 23, 2008

1. Mazal Tov to Meir and Rinat Cabra upon the engagement of their daughter Orli this week. Itamar wishes them much happiness and success! May they build a Bayit Ne’eman B’iyisrael.

2. Itamar celebrated Lag Baomer last night. Enjoy the pictures and the new Torah thought by Leah Goldsmith about Lag Baomerbased on the teachings of the “Chalban” Harav Chaim Hacohen).

3. Today Itamar held its annual Lag Baomer parade in memory of Matan Zagron(please read about him on the memorial page

May 16, 2008

1. Itamar had the pleasure of hosting Rabbi David Stern together with a group of singles now living in Jerusalem that moved to Israel recently. They came to spend Shabbat in our area and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Shomron. These young men and women hope to get married soon and move to Yehudah and Shomron.

2. Mazal Tov to the Hemo family on the brit milah of their first grandson. Haliluya and Asaf the happy parents named their precious boy – Yibaney Zion – and Zion will be rebuilt! The chief rabbi of the Israeli army, Harav Avi Ronski, was honored as the sandak. Please enjoy the enclosed pictures.

3. Enjoy the picture of a beautiful spring sunset seen on Itamar this week.

May 9, 2008

Itamar held its Memorial Day ceremony this week. The memory of our dear friends that gave their lives for the land of Israel will always remain with us. Their tremendous spirit is a constant driving force behind the continuation of our building the land. Please see the memorial page.

We celebrated our community’s 24th birthday this week on Independence Day. It was a beautiful celebration. We had an out door evening dinner for the entire community. Next year we hope that all of you can join us in our 25th birthday event!

May 2, 2008

1. Itamar held the final stage of the Bible Contest this week. Mazal Tov to the winners Eliyahu Mishulami, Rabbanit Rekenati, and Kinarti together with all the participants. Prizes will be given out next week on Itamar’s birthday – Israel Independence day during the community’s evening celebration.

2. This week we had the privilege of hosting a very special guest speaker on Itamar, Mordechai Pappirblatt. He was invited to our community on Holocaust day to tell us about his amazing survival story. Mordechai spent 900 days in the Auschwitz death camp. Among his many important messages is his living testimony that no obstacle can stand in the way of someone who has a true will to survive. My personal reaction after hearing him was that we must never complain again about anything and always be happy with our lot. No matter how difficult things can sometimes get, nothing can compare to the terrible nightmare of the Holocaust. Let us thank Hashem for the wonderful gift of life and not take one day for granted.

April 25, 2008

1. Safta Charlotte Krantz burns the last of the chametz on Itamar. Charlotte, the mother of Leah Goldsmith, has been a loyal friend of Itamar for the last 22 years.

2. Pesach was very special on Itamar. We enjoyed many visitors from all over Israel and from abroad. They came to participate in a special happening which included different activities like horse back riding, games for children, and a display of Itamar products and other activities as well.

3. Itamar welcomes our dear friends Robbie and Rivky Watman and family from the Anshey Chesed community of Hewlett New York. Anshei Chesed has been actively involved in Itamar projects.

4. Mazal Tov to Rabbi Yaakov and Chani Fingold on the birth of a son.

5. G-D willing this coming Tuesday Itamar will be holding the second and final Stage of the Chidon Tanach (Bible contest). The prizes will be given out at our Independence Day celebration which is the birthday of our community. Anyone wishing to help sponsor the contest is welcome to do so!

April 11, 2008

1. Itamar is speechless over the tremendous Chesed of our dear friends Allan and Barbara Hirsch. In their merit for the last 8 years around 800 families in need from Judea and Shomron have been receiving food packages for the Pesach Holiday. The areas include the entire Gav Hahar region of Shechem and the Gush Etzion Chevron area. Alan works very hard raising the money from different communities from the NY and NJ region. We are grateful as well to all those wonderful people that sent their donations towards such a precious cause. Enjoy the picture of a happy Itamar resident receiving Shmurah Matzo for the holiday.

2. Itamar welcomes Henk Poot and Theo Horneman our very special friends from Holland who are putting together a unique picture book of beautiful landscapes of the different communities of Judea and Shomron. Henk and Theo are great supporters of Israel and have been helpful to many communities in Israel.

3. Itamar welcomes Yosef Ringal from Allentown Pennsylvania. Yosef is a student at Brandeis University and is doing his doctorate on Israel studies. He spent three days this week on Itamar to research the Sfardic methods of Torah study that are being used in the Talmud Torah of Itamar.

4. Itamar had a very special blessing over the last two weeks ten children have been born here! Vchayn Yirboo! Shabbat Shalom

April 4, 2008

Three girls were born on Itamar this week all from the same hilltop called Givat Arnon over looking the Jordan valley! Mazal Tov to The Tuaf, Segal, and Recheli families. Enjoy the picture of the green pasture surrounding the hilltop.

Two Itamar miracles occurred this week. The first happened with the principal of our Yeshiva high school. Rabbi Erez was waiting for a ride along highway 60 across the Shilo Junction together with a young teenager. Suddenly a terrorist with a long knife attacked the young teenager. The Rabbi who is a very gentle man reacted quickly and succeeded in saving the boy by shooting the assailant.

The second miracle occurred on Tuesday night when a fire broke out in a house of one of Itamar’s residents. The community responded very quickly and was able to put the fire out. Thank G-D the children and the parents who were sleeping at the time all got out of the house. The father and three children who were hospitalized with smoke inhalation came home yesterday; one child is still in the hospital with light burn injuries. The house was damaged and the family will be living for the time being in temporary housing. Thank G-D the insurance will cover the damage to the house. Unfortunately, it does not cover the damage to personal possessions like furniture, clothes, books, and electric appliances. The family lives very modestly and doesn’t have the financial means to cover the damage. (Estimated damage around five thousand dollars) Anyone wishing to help out can send a donation to friends of Itamar and have the check earmarked fire damage.

Itamar sends a special thanks to Jessica Katz for three consecutive years of clothing distribution for our community and other communities as well. This week a big delivery of clothes came and was given out. The families were so appreciative. It also came at the perfect time for helping the family with the fire since most of their clothes were damaged.

Itamar welcomed this week a bus load of forty South Africans that came to experience our beautiful community and show us their solidarity.

Itamar resident Rachel Ginsberg designs and sells Hebrew T-shirts anyone interested can visit her site at www.hebrewtshirts.co.il. Her latest design – don’t assimilate illuminate is displayed here with the beautiful Itamar background.