From Across the Oceans
From Montreal and Manchester, Buenos Aires and Teaneck, each of these very different people had made their own way to the same destination
As the outpouring of grief across Israel and beyond has made clear, Meron 2021 will go down as a tragedy of the entire Jewish People 45 holy souls, Jews of all types, who died minutes after beseeching kera ro’a gezar dineinu.
But of the many thousands drawn to the elevation of Rabi Shimon last week, and the hundreds who entered the horror that was the tunnel of death, one group stands apart.
From different cities, countries, and continents, they’d waved goodbye as they boarded a plane to learn in yeshivah and grow in kollel, to spend time in Eretz Yisrael or go directly to Meron. From Montreal and Manchester, Buenos Aires and Teaneck, each of these very different people had made their own way to the same destination.
Sing, dance, and reconnect along with the Thank You Hashem nation
Photos: Naftoli Goldgrab
Its a frigid winter night, but inside this comfortable Lawrence home there’s a warmth generated by something other than the heating system. It’s a spark that emanates from a group of friends huddled around, kumzitz-style, jamming and brainstorming their newest ways to spread a message of ahavas Yisrael, spiritual connection, and, above all, THANK YOU, HASHEM!
Yep, these are the guys Aryeh Blumstein, his brother Elimelech, singer Joey Newcomb, and Yakov Josephy, with the help of a cadre of friends and supporters who launched that quintessentially grassroots, infectiously exuberant movement to promote gratitude, positive thinking, and chassidic ideas throughout the Jewish community. You’ve surely seen their swag: the stickers, bracelets, hoodies, and keychains sporting the logo of a little crown and the words “Thank You Hashem!” Their online posts compel thousands. Every song the