Rav Nissim Yagen zt”l calmly faced a $26,000 shortfall for kollel salaries, saying simply, “Hashem will take care of me.” Without panic or frantic calls, he continued his day of learning and teaching. Moments before deadline, a stranger delivered exactly $26,000 in cash, an open miracle born of pure bitachon.

The ideal time to light Chanukah candles is at nightfall (about 15 min after sunset) or within the following half-hour, to maximize pirsumei nisa. If missed, one may still light with a bracha all night long, per Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 672). Strive to light promptly!

After losing her grandparents, Ilanit Zakowski began recording their Holocaust survival stories in a messy Google Doc. Joining the Holocaust Museum LA’s DOR Program helped her transform scattered memories into a structured presentation. She urges everyone: start now, write the stories for future generations.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children Archie and Lilibet volunteered at OBKLA, a kosher nonprofit kitchen in Pico-Robertson, rolling cookie dough alongside rabbis and locals. Producing 105,000 meals annually, OBKLA teaches values through action, reminding us that service bridges divides and transmits dignity. Visit obkla.org to volunteer.

At a bar mitzvah kiddush, yeshivish boys chanted “ICE, ICE, ICE” at a Hispanic worker who asked them to wait. The only one with dignity was her. They can probably beat me in Gemara, but they have no middot, no derech eretz. Torah without character is priceless wine poured into a cracked cup, it all spills. Derech eretz kadma l’Torah isn’t a slogan. It’s a warning.

Parshat Vayetzei: Yaakov worked 14 patient years for Rachel. Laban changed wages 10 times. Guess who left rich? Short-term tricks look like wins on the spreadsheet. Long-term trust builds empires. Be a Yaakov marketer, not a Laban.

One Year to the 2026 Midterms: Trump Must Get Serious With Nov. 3, 2026, immigration, affordability, and Latino voter shifts (Trump now -38 pts underwater per CNN) will test his leadership. Midterms aren't just races, they're a national referendum on direction. Will Congress partner or block? The clock's ticking, governing meets judging.

The feminine doesn’t bloom in chaos – she blossoms in safety. When a woman feels truly protected (emotionally & spiritually), she can finally soften. A husband is called a מָגֵן – a shield. Be the man who stands tall so she can finally let go and bloom.

Parshat Vayetzei’s Lavan is the ultimate gaslighter: he promises one thing, delivers another, then rewrites reality to keep control. Yaakov defeats him not with tricks, but with truth, boundaries, and emunah. Lesson for today: document facts, set limits, seek support, and never let a manipulator define your reality. Stay grounded in truth – just like Yaakov.

Ayala Shkuri, who lost her daughter Mor on Oct 7 and husband Roni in a later attack, shared: “I’m not alone – Mor and Roni are with Hashem now. My answer is: do more, choose life, appreciate your loved ones while they’re here.” To mourn…and then vayakam – rise.

A promise is a little seed planted with all one’s heart. It grows each time you follow through on what you said you’d start. If you keep your promise, and stick to your word, it grows so big and true. It shows those you know that without a doubt, they can count on you.

I used to push rigid diets, strict cleanses, and one-size-fits-all acupuncture plans. Then I realized: healing isn’t cookie-cutter. Today I lead a dream team of acupuncturists, chiropractors, PTs, and cupping experts who listen first, treat second, and tailor every plan to the unique body, mind, and soul in front of us. Wellness isn’t a protocol; it’s a partnership. Come experience the difference

“They told my parents: ‘If she dares divorce our son before three years, he will NEVER give her a get. We’ll make sure she’s an agunah. And we’ll fight for custody of the baby.’ I was holding my infant, hearing that the people who abused me could raise my child and control my future forever. That day I learned: some families weaponize the get not for halacha, but for image and revenge. I’m still not free. But I’m speaking so the next woman isn’t threatened into silence.”

This week’s Quick Vort: Avraham = mountain 🔥, Yitzchak = field 🌾, Yaakov = home 🏡. The ultimate Avodas Hashem is creating a בית – a space where we can go inside and experience Hashem directly!” Parshas Vayeitzei | Torah Sparks by Rabbi Ori Strum

Over 1,000 joined our Mega Challah Bake with Aryeh Kunstler, spirited assemblies, heartfelt CHAVER Shabbat dinners, powerful Kehillat davening, and a soaring Havdalah concert with Bentzy Marcus. From matching sweatshirts to the final dance, we roared together: Am Yisrael Chai – Hillel Chai!

A wrong-number call from police woke Mr. David at 2:30 a.m. Instead of getting upset, he said, “If Hashem woke us, someone needs tefillos.” He opened Tehillim and finished the entire sefer at exactly 5:30 a.m. Minutes later his son called: “Mazel tov on the baby… but the doctors just told us that for hours neither Mommy nor baby would survive; then suddenly, at 5:30 a.m., everything turned around.” Sometimes the most important call you’ll ever get is the one that was meant fo

Shabbulb went viral, &Collar shirts repelled red wine AND rain, Borekas’ brown-butter boureka = 88/100, and La Bottega’s Godfather prime-rib sub just scored a kosher 91. LA kosher Italian deli dreams are alive and I’m stuffed!

Are your tefillin shel rosh in the right place? The Shulchan Aruch is clear: the bayis must sit above the original hairline (not on the forehead), and even a small part descending below invalidates the mitzvah l’chatchila. The knot in the back belongs at the base of the skull (above the neck), with no part in the hairless nape. A quick check and adjustment every day ensures we fulfill this precious mitzvah mehudar!

Playing Rummikub in La Jolla with Holocaust survivor & legendary therapist Dr. Edith Eger, she beat me (again) and dropped this gem: “You don’t have to experience someone’s pain to be compassionate.” She taught me to stop asking “How can I help you?” (which can feel like “you’re broken”) and instead ask: “How can I be useful to you?” That tiny shift turns therapy into true partnership and compassion into solidarity. Forever grateful for my mentor’s wisdom, and yes, I’m coming

Big news from the Vegas Wild West! After decades in LA, Rabbi Yitzchok Summers (formerly of Anshe Emes) is moving to Henderson, NV to become the new rav of Ahavas Torah Center. “It’s quieter, cleaner, the people are warm and hungry for growth, and the streets have no graffiti and no billboards!” From Pico traffic to Arroyo Grande calm – welcome to the next chapter of West Coast Torah life!