Shavuos celebrates the betrothal of G-d and the Jewish people through the giving of the Torah, but this Shavuos at TheZone, we celebrated a real wedding as well. The spouse of one of the TorahMates who joined us for Shavuos had just converted and the couple asked to be married at TheZone! So erev Shavuos, amid preparations for the big Yom Tov, we were celebrating the marriage of a new Jewish couple. A first for TheZone! May the newlyweds see much bracha in their bayis neeman b’Yisrael and may we share many more simchos together!
Dear Oorah Family
To all the Rabbis, their wives, children and fellow Torahmates, words fail us, we can only say Thank You, but it is so little, compared to the overwhelming depth of our gratitude to all of you. Each and everyone of you made the day that Hashem choose for Steve and I, into an amazing spiritual journey. Beautiful, fulfilling, meaningful and all because of the angels that Hashem sent to us from Oorah. We pray for all of you to have only Brachas, Simchas, good health and continued success in your outreach to fellow Jews. We pray for Hashem’s Blessings upon all of you and your families.
Steven, Ruth, Gefen and Shir’el Bekoff
Congratulations, except for one thing. Gefen and Shir’el do not have the last name”Bekoff”—— their last name is Efrati.
Ehud Efrati
their father
Hello, to our Oorah family, We hope and pray that everyone is doing well and growing in their learning and observance of our beautiful Torah!
I had to just make a small correction to our” thank you” blog of June 1, 2012. Our children Gefen and Shir’el’s- last name is Efrati, not Bekoff. However, as everyone knows our lives are really never our own, only Hashem controls our true destiny. So, after the pain, bitterness and darkness of my divorce from Gefen and Shir’el’s father, Hashem brought an incredibly kind, loving, man of faith, morals, values and honor, into our lives. Steven has brought joy, laughter, love and security to our lives. However, the greatest gift he has given to us is his commitment to living a Torah Observant life. There is a great saying,” any man can be a father,BUT, it takes a very special man to be a daddy”. Thank you again to our Oorah family for the beautiful and meaningful Torah experiences we had at the zone during Shavous and for the beautiful wedding and Sheva Brachas!! We hope for only Simchas and Brachas for all of you!
Ruth Bekoff
I was born in Jerusalem, this happens to be in Israel——–I was brought up by loving, honest, caring people who were TRULY religious beings and did not get on the internet writing lies and SLANDERING people then calling themself “religous”——they did not utilize their time by trying to destroy another man’s character. There are two sides to every story and I suggest you cease and desist using slanderous lies about Gefen and Shir’el Efrati’s FATHER. My children do not need to grow up with such hostility around them. My children think I am the most loving daddy in the world—- and for you to write vicious lies, as you have above, about their father does not reflect a “happy, peaceful Jew” but a bitter human being trying to convince people I will never meet hatred toward another human being. That is also considered defamation of character by the way.
I did nothing above but wish you congratulations, I am thrilled you are married, make no mistake. However, putting another man’s name at the end of my children’s names was inaccurate, and had I not cared, it would have not been addressed. None of what you responded to above was hardly necessary……….only a change of name.
Ehud Efrati
My 17 year old daughter CELIA Efrati also happened to read what you have written above and found it upsetting as she is almost in college and does get online.
Your remarks about HER father doing this, and doing that UPSET HER, even though she knows the truth from fiction.
I want the hateful remarks stopped this is hurting all of my children and I have peace and happiness in my life now~~~go celebrate your “new” life vs’ focusing on the past.
Ehud Efrati