Letter of the publisher Mica Soffer in the Adar 5785 issue of the monthly COLlive Magazine:
When you think of Purim, what comes to mind? The enduring message of the Megillah (as related in the Rebbe‘s letter we feature)? The eclectic costumes people wear (see the photo gallery by Sharon Abeles)? What about the l’chaims—some taken in good spirits, others leading to lifelong missions, like Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman‘s founding of the MASK organization?
Well, this year, there won’t be much time to think. Purim is on Friday, which means we have a packed schedule to fit into a shorter day. Purim is already known for its topsy-turvy nature, but the chaos is real this year. Many of us will be working to bring some order into the day while ensuring we’re fully prepared for Shabbos.
Our humorist, Mordechai Schmutter, provides his take on what he calls a “half-day Purim”—because if there’s one thing people love about a Friday Purim, it’s complaining about it.
But it’s worth noting that the last time Purim fell on a Friday was in 5781 (2021). The world was in lockdown, and our frum communities in New York were unfairly blamed for the spread of Covid. Baruch Hashem, we’ve moved on—yet Andrew Cuomo has reappeared. He donned a yellow Israeli hostage pin while announcing his run against Mayor Eric Adams in the primaries. It’s uncertain if this gesture will earn him forgiveness for his past actions.
Gracing our cover is a shliach who doesn’t need a costume—he runs a full-fledged farm in Upstate New York, tending to his community as carefully as he feeds his goats and chickens. Rabbi Zalman Sandhaus, a born-and-bred Crown Heightser, now lives a life that’s a modern-day venahapoch hu—talk about an upside-down Purim!
Elsewhere in this issue, we feature New Jersey architect Joshua Zinder who builds shuls, a Chassidic wedding where almost everything went wrong (and then right), the story behind the Ohr Chana women’s institute in Yerushalayim and the motivated woman behind it, and some fun facts about singer and recording artist Levy Falkowitz.
As you flip through this issue, enjoy the mix of stories, humor, chinuch tips, recipes and heartwarming inspiration.
Wishing you a happy and healthy Friday Purim!
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There’s a local farm on Kingston and eastern parkway. No one recognizes the hard work he puts in