Slain Israeli Professor Saved Others in Va. Tech Massacre

Blacksburg, VA — As Israel observed Holocaust Day, thousands of miles away, A Rumanian-born Holocaust survivor gave his life in another senseless murder – and apparently in an act of heroism.

Among the 32 people killed by a lone gunman at Virginia Tech Monday is 77-year-old engineering professor, Liviu Librescu, a citizen of Israel. According to eyewitness accounts, Librescu ran to the door of his classroom and blocked it with his body – preventing the gunman from entering but getting shot to death himself as a result.

ROCKIN’ RABBI

Brooklyn, NY — He was European rockin’ royalty until he saw the light of the rebbe.

Now Isaac Bitton’s former bosses at Le Marais, a French kosher steakhouse in Manhattan, may use his fast-living past against him in their $10 million lawsuit denouncing allegations they failed to maintain a kosher kitchen.

More in the Extended Article.

NJ Shluchim Praying for Governors Recovery

Princeton, NJ — Last week N.J. Gov. Jon S. Corzine broke his left leg in two places, as well as six ribs, his sternum and a vertebra – and after seeing crash photos, his doctor says he’s “lucky.”

Israeli Lawyer Caught in Romanian Scandal

Bucharest, Romania — A haredi lawyer from Kfar Chabad is embroiled in a scandal in Romania that threatens to bring down the government, after he briefly represented a Syrian-born businessman who was indicted by Romanian authorities for terrorist activity and corruption.

A few days ago, attorney Mordechai Tzivin informed the Romanian legislature he was prepared to address its Parliamentary Control Commission for SRI (the Romanian Information Service) regarding alleged corruption in the country’s secret services and government.

An Extraordinary Ordinary Man

Remembering a Crown Heights fixture who synthesized Jewish learning and secular knowledge in a singular way.

In the deepest early morning of March 7, on California’s Pacific Coast Highway, a gold Cadillac driven by a drunk ran a red light, hit a bus and then spun around until it smacked into a white rental car driven by a man named Gedaliah Shaffer. Shaffer had flown into California from Brooklyn that evening, and as an inveterate traveler began the journey to a professional conference with a little sightseeing on one of the country’s more scenic drives.

But when the Cadillac hit him, Shaffer was instantly killed.

Rival: Splenda claim confuses consumers

The marketers of Splenda have made millions by confusing consumers into thinking the yellow packets contain a natural product and not an artificial sweetener, its chief rival told a jury Tuesday in a trial that pits Splenda against its rivals in the $355 million market for sugar substitutes.

Splenda has cornered the $1.5 billion market for sugar substitutes since its 2000 debut through false advertising that implies Splenda contains sugar, the manufacturer of Equal says.

Pesach Terror Attack Narrowly Avoided

Jerusalem, Israel — Recent interrogations of arrested members of Hamas in the West Bank town of Qalqilya produced information that the Islamic organization there was planning imminent terrorist attacks against Israel, including one using a large truck bomb, the Israeli Shin Bet internal security service said Tuesday.

Hamas, which is now the dominant faction in the Palestinian government, has not conducted suicide attacks within Israel since 2004 and has been committed to an Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip since November. People who usually speak for Hamas would not react to the Shin Bet report on Tuesday, apparently in an attempt to not lend the allegations any credence.

Jewish Mezuzahs OK at Lauderdale condo

Fort Lauderdale, FL — Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum gave a Fort Lauderdale condo association until 5 p.m. today to change a policy that prohibited display of a Jewish symbol outside the door of a unit.

Earlier this year, the Port Condo Association told tenant Laurie Richter to remove the mezuzah she had attached to her doorframe. The association told her that she was in violation of its policy that forbids residents from placing anything on the exterior of common property.

NYC’s Letter Carriers to Watch Out for Their Elderly Customers

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New York, NY — When mail and newspapers build up at an elderly person’s home, it can be a sign that something is wrong.

Now, the city’s seniors can sign up to have letter carriers keep an extra eye on their mailboxes, and if the bills and magazines are accumulating, emergency contacts are notified so that someone can check on them.

The Carrier Alert program was created decades ago in New York and many other cities nationwide but fizzled out over the years. In some areas, it has experienced a recent resurgence, and now New York is rejoining the initiative, linking it with the city’s 311 telephone information hot line so that carriers have one central place to call.

More in the Extended Article.

OK Kashrus Administrator is Special Guest on Zev Brenner Show

On Monday evening, March 26, Rabbi Don Yoel Levy, CEO and Kashrus Administrator of OK Kosher Certification, along with OK Rabbinic Coordinator, Rabbi Yitzchak Hanoka, appeared as special guests on the Zev Brenner show.

Brenner spoke with Rabbi Levy and Rabbi Hanoka about various kashrus concerns and current events in the kashrus world. One of the main kashrus issues covered by Rabbi Levy is the use of “Kosher Books” for Passover. These “Kosher Books” list household products and food products that do not have a Passover designation on the label, but are permissible for Passover. The “Kosher Books” also discuss cosmetics and medications that are, or are not, acceptable for use during Passover. Rabbi Levy explained the OK’s position on “Kosher Books,” saying he is not in favor of their use. He spoke about his father, Rabbi Berel Levy (ob”m), who was the first Kashrus Administrator to visit factories in the Far East, because he insisted on personally checking out every detail of the facility’s operations, including double-checking all of their ingredients.

Today: First Yohrtziet of Reb Mendel Shemtov A”H

Today, the 13th of Nissan, marks the first Yartzeit of Reb Mendel Shemtov. Reb Mendel’s personality and his message that came through in all his actions, words, and thoughts were dedicated to the Rebbe and his Shluchim. He was not an official Shliach although on many occasions he was given specific missions from the Rebbe. He was a businessman. However, his real business that continuously burned in his soul – was Shluchim, Shlichus and to bring Nachas Ruach to the Rebbe who he loved with every single fiber of his Neshama.

Open Letter from a Member of the Community

To the residents of Crown Heights,
“Where Hashem has commanded His blessing”,

Greetings and Blessings,

Our community has unfortunately experienced numerous tragedies of late; with one calamity closely followed by yet another (may Heaven protect us). Included in the unfortunate string of events have been the deaths of loved ones, honored Chassidim, as well as Shluchim of the Rebbe…