Shabbos Nachamu...

Three things to note...

1) Shabbos Nachamu is about getting nechama and so in an attempt to offer comfort I will post a joke that I found online by accident. I laugh every time I read it, but I need your help figuring out why. I'm not sure if the joke is actually funny or I laugh because I imagine how hard Sruli will laugh when he reads it. I think it's the latter.

Here it is:

Who can forget how herring saved the entire Jewish population of Albania? It was over 500 years ago when Zog, the King of Albania, decreed that -- although some of his best friends were Jewish -- all adult Jewish males in Albania would have to have their foreskins reattached. The head Rabbi of Albania, knowing the King's claim that he could solve any riddle, made an offer: he would tell the King a riddle, and if the King could not answer it, the decree would be revoked. The King agreed. The Rabbi asked that famous Jewish riddle: "What is purple, hangs on a wall, and whistles?"

The King retired to his chambers for six days and six nights, but he could not solve the riddle. Finally, in exasperation, he summoned the rabbi and admitted: "I cannot answer the question. What IS purple, hangs on a wall, and whistles?"

The rabbi replied: "A herring, of course."

"A herring?!" shouted the King. "A herring isn't purple!"

"Nu, so this one was painted purple." replied the rabbi.

"But a herring doesn't hang on the wall!" said the King.

"Nu, so someone hung THIS one on a wall."

"But herrings can't whistle!"

"So nu, then it didn't whistle." proclaimed the rabbi.

Unable to defeat the logic, the King revoked the decree.

~
If that did not give you sufficient nechama see the below picture.

2) NCSY Stollel is in Sefed for Shabbat. Last night the fellas went to the Canada Center for all sorts of activities. A number of "specialty staff" remained back in Sefed, tired from the days earlier activities. Myself, Witty, G.I.D., and Chopstix were sitting on a curb eating chumus and rugelach. Rabbi Benovitz pulled up and said, "Why am I not surprised at all to find you guys here?" We offered him some chumus. He laughed and started to drive away and then poked his head out the window and said: "Ashreichem."

Also, some women today asked me if I knew where "The Holy Tzfat Cheese" factory was. I didn't have the heart to tell her that it doesn't exist.

3) This really deserves its own post but for the sake of my laziness, I will not post it separately.

FROM THE OFFICES OF TANUT

I have posted numerous times about Tanut's friend, the Russian Jew. First it was tzitzis, then it was Shavuos Stollel, but this time it's the real deal...

This Thursday he will be getting a bris. Sound crazy? Yes. Anyhow, Tanut asked me to post because he wants to get any chevra (wherever you are...) that is still around to come together for a post bris gathering. The bris is at 8AM in a doctors office in Englewood and then the gathering at Ahavath Torah at 9:30-10:00 AM. Obviously, there will be bagels and lox, doughnuts, mashke, and all sorts of things. Tanut also noted that his friend doesn't have so many Jewish articles so if people could bring things - a book, a yarmulka, a sefer, a picture, a siddur, anything Jewish that would also be helpful.

Anyone interested should contact Tanut via email or phone (718.702.9420)

Tizku LiMitzvoth!