Lag Baomer and Holocaust Memorial

Lag Baomer and Holocaust Memorial

By Betty Nelander
Palm Beach Daily News
Saturday, May 28, 2016

Children hold sticks and marshmallows ready to roast after their Torah presentation led by Rebbetzin Hindel Levitin. From left are Mirel Levitin, Chera New, Rosie Friedman and Max Friedman. Photo by Dr. Gerald Feinstein. Vicki Golstein (left), Rachel Zetouni and Ari Zetouni enjoy watermelon at Chabad of Nothern Palm Beach Island’s Lag B’Omer barbecue. Lag B’Omer trio, from left, are John Agnew, Ronna Salinger, Jim Baxter enjoy the glorious weather and good spirits of Lag B’Omer festivities at Chabad of Nothern Palm Beach Island’s Lag B’Omer. (Photo by Dr. Gerald Feinstein) Mendel Levitin, left, and Gideon Goldstein share the drum as they “kumzits” around the fire. Photo by Hindel Levitin Attending Holocaust Memorial Evening hosted by Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island are, from left, Mirel Levitin, Alta Shula Levitin, teacher Hindel Levitin and Holocaust survivor Ester Kisner, the evening’s keynote speaker.

At the beach — More than 70 guests turned out for Chabad of Northern Palm Beach Island’s Lag B’Omer Bonfire and Kumzits (meaning “come sit!”) May 25 at the beach.

Guest Rabbi Ruvi New of Chabad of East Boca Raton shared stories of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the author of the Zohar, whose anniversary of passing is commemorated on Lag B’Omer and who asked of his disciples that the day he passes be a day of celebration.

In addition to a bonfire and barbecue, children led the Torah passage and enjoyed an art project reflecting the theme of love and kindness.

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Not forgotten — A survivor’s speech highlighted Holocaust Memorial Evening, a program May 19 hosted by The Gary and Terri Schottenstein Palm Beach Torah Institute, a project of The Chabad House.

Ester Kisner of Boca Raton was only 12 when the Nazis invaded her town of Busk, Poland. Her talk noted that today’s children are “the future of living Judaism” and of “keeping our history and the truth about the Holocaust alive.”

The evening also included dinners, prayers by Rabbi Zalman Levitin, and a memorial lighting of six candles in memory of the 6 million Jews murdered.