Brooklyn Politics: The Changing Same

In a race marked by racial tensions and the declining fortune of the Brooklyn Democratic machine, Yvette Clarke squeaked out a Democratic primary victory in central Brooklyn’s 11th Congressional district on Sept. 12. Clarke came in with 31 percent of the vote, just ahead of insurgent candidate David Yassky’s 26 percent.

A new staff for Moses

From the living room of his Scripps Ranch home, with an iced green tea from Starbucks and an iBook laptop plugged into cyberspace, Rabbi Dovid Smoller is ready for another evening of making like Moses.

For three hours each Thursday evening, Smoller uses the keyboard to lead people out of the wilderness of questions to a Promised Land of answers.

He is one of 40 Jewish scholars from around the world who take turns fielding online chats for AskMoses.com, a Web site sponsored by Chabad of California and named for the prophet who, among other accomplishments, led the Hebrews out of Egypt and delivered the Ten Commandments.

Canoe Team Member Chooses Rosh Hashana Over Race

Honolulu, HI – To build the abs, the muscle and cardio endurance it takes to cross 41 miles of Pacific blue in an outrigger canoe race, Karen Dunai maintained a punishing fourteen hours a week training regimen, but a spiritual crisis that pitted her sport against Rosh Hashanah nearly pushed her to the limit.

Open Door Policy Draws Newcomers To Shul

Monroe, NJ – Sometimes it takes 40 years for Chabad’s open door, no tickets required policy on the High Holidays to bear fruit.

At Debbie’s Luncheonette on Troy Avenue in Brooklyn, in the 1960’s, there was pot roast on the menu and a young Jacob Roitman behind the counter, helping out whenever Debbie, his mom, needed an extra hand.

Presidential Message: Rosh Hashanah, 5767

I send greetings to those around the world celebrating Rosh Hashanah.

During these holy days, Jewish people begin the new year by answering the call of the Shofar and gathering in synagogues. It is a time to reflect on the past, celebrate the beginning of life, and welcome the promise of the future with a spirit of renewal and hope.

On this sacred holiday, I appreciate the Jewish people for your efforts to ensure that your values and traditions are passed on to future generations. As you begin the Days of Awe, your faith in the Almighty reminds us of the gift of religious freedom in our country and helps make the world a more hopeful place.

Laura and I send our best wishes for a peaceful Rosh Hashanah.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Kinnus Hashluchim Registration Opens

As everyone is preparing for the high holidays there are some Shluchim that are thinking a month ahead.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Merkos Vaad Hakinus Hashluchim who have been working all summer to arrange and organize this years Kinnus.

The registration for this year’s Kinnus and banquet has opened which will be held in a new and much bigger facility that could accommodate up to 4000 people in order to handle the growing number of Shluchim and Balibatim.

Robbery of a Bike Lands a 12 Year Old in Police Custody

Wednesday afternoon at Mincha in the Darchei Menachem Yeshiva on Eastern Parkway one of the students alerted one of the staff members, CP, to three Black youths hanging out in the schools front yard and eyeing the bikes that were parked there. CP made his way downstairs with a few of the students to ask the youths to leave when one of the students noticed his bike was missing.

Immediately after CP saw one of the youth fleeing on the bike and began chasing after the youth who was fleeing up Kingston then made a right turn onto St. Johns Pl. with CP hot on his trail when he called out to the thief that if he leaves the bike police would not be involved, which is when the youth dropped the bike and continued running on foot yet the pursuit continued with the thief now on foot and the pursuer on the bike.

New 2.3 Million Dollar Shlichus Initiative Now Underway!

After months of extensive planning, preparation and training, the first 10 Shluchei Mivtzah Torah will now be embarking upon their new groundbreaking shlichus. An additional six Shluchei Mivtzah Torah are being finalized shortly, while seventeen others are in the midst of the interview process.

The first 10 Shluchei Mivtzah Torah will be taking up positions in Atlanta, GA, Palo Alto, CA, Great Neck, NY, Portland, OR Providence, RI, Chicago, IL, Florida, and three additional locations in Canada.

Yet Another Attempted Mugging At Gun Point, In Broad Daylight

Yesterday [Wednesday] afternoon at around 4:00 a woman pushing a stroller with her child on Crown St between Brooklyn and Kingston was approached by two Black males one of which was brandishing a gun when they demanded her purse. The woman reacted by running out to the middle of the street and began screaming for help.

The two perps began fleeing towards Brooklyn Ave when the police was notified and responded immediately. The gun toting mugger was apprehended and taken down to the Precinct where the victim successfully picked the perp out of a lineup.

Challah challenge

Venice, FL – Rivka Schmerling grew up in Brooklyn with a grandmother who would bake challah for everyone. If they needed more, they could walk to a bakery down the block.

Schmerling, 23, started the Chabad of Venice and North Port with her husband, Rabbi Sholom Schmerling, in 2005. As host of holiday and Sabbath dinners often for more than a dozen people, Schmerling had no access to a kosher bakery and no choice but to start baking the traditional Jewish yeast bread.

First full-time Chabad rabbi comes to Asheville

Asheville, NC – Rabbi Shaya Susskind, together with his wife, Chana, have moved to Asheville in order to establish Chabad Lubavitch of Western North Carolina, a Jewish outreach organization.

Nelson Locked Up – Car Windows Still Being Broken

Yesterday Nelson, the infamous perpetrator terrorizing our residents cars, was picked up and arraigned on charges for breaking into cars and was sent off to Rikers Island detention facility for 90 days.

We don’t believe that nelson was the only one breaking into cars, victims and eye witnesses have given 2 other descriptions of a group and a individual observed breaking into cars. Residents are urged to remain vigilant, if you see something say something. Call Shomrim anytime at (718) 774-3333.

Letter To The Community

As someone who has lived in the Schunah of Crown Heights-Kan Tziva Hashem Es HaBracha-for a number of years, and as I read the almost daily reports of violence going on in our community and the comments from the readers, I would just like to write a few lines.

First of all, the fact is that Crown Heights is a mixed neighborhood. Crown Heights used to be an upper class, predominately white neighborhood. President Street used to be called Doctors Row if I recall correctly. At that time many different groups of Frum Yidden lived here including Bobov, Skulen etc. When the Blacks started moving in and everyone started running away (White Flight) the Rebbe said to stay and we, as Lubavitcher Chassidim listened to the Rebbe.

Israelis seek shelter with Chabad

Bangkok, Thailand – As more than a dozen tanks were encircling Thailand’s Parliament building in a military coup d’etat, hundreds of Israeli backpackers were seeking shelter in the local Chabad House a mile or so away.

The four-story establishment on Khao San Road, Bangkok’s famous backpacker district popular with young Israelis, generally pulls down its shutters after 10 p.m. On Tuesday, though, it stayed open well into the night. Hearing rumors of an impending coup in the late afternoon, Rabbi Nehemya Wilhelm began warning Jews and Israelis to stay off the streets.

At around 7 p.m., “a Singaporean friend called to tell me that a large convoy of tanks and armored vehicles were heading toward Bangkok,” Wilhelm said.

New Historic Designation for Crown Heights Would Worry Some Residents

The Landmark Preservation Commission will today consider adding Crown Heights to the list of landmarked city neighborhoods, a list that includes much of the Upper East and West Sides, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenwich Village, and TriBeCa.

Crown Heights has a more troubled reputation than those neighborhoods, dating back to the riot there in 1993 that included the stabbing death of Yankel Rosenbaum.

The proposed Crown Heights North historic district, which roughly includes the area around Dean Street between Bedford and Kingston Avenues. The proposed district contains more than 470 buildings — the largest historic district the commission has proposed in more than decade.