Ferrer Defends Sharpton Ties

At Agudath Israel forum, Democrat asked about activist’s endorsement; Bloomberg names liaison to Jewish day schools.

Both major candidates for mayor appeared separately before national officers of the Orthodox group Agudath Israel last week, fielding questions about housing, private school tuition and other matters.

But Democrat Fernando Ferrer faced the toughest question of the evening when he was asked about his relationship with the Rev. Al Sharpton, whom many Jewish leaders have shunned because of his role during black-Jewish flashpoints in the ‘90s. Ferrer in turn mentioned a controversial ally of Bloomberg.

Tree Falls On 2 Cars

This Shabbos Crown Heights experienced some sever weather, a lot of rain and wind. A part of a tree collapsed on Montgomery St. landing on 2 cars and appears to have damaged them. Another tree fell on President St. but didn’t damage any cars.

Three teens charged with vandalizing synagogue

MONTICELLO, N.Y. — Three teenagers were charged with felony hate crimes in the vandalism of a synagogue in a colony of Orthodox Jews, state police said.

Being held without bail following their arrests Wednesday were Dominick DePreizio, 16; Anthony Wingert, 18; and Raymond Surerus, 18. They face charges of third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief as hate crimes, along with misdemeanors of making graffiti, possession of graffiti instruments and possession of burglar’s tools.

Jewish community celebrates Rosh Hashanah

Local Jewish residents had the opportunity to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year with visiting Rabbis from the Chabad Lubavitch organization. Rabbis Daniel Denburg and Zalman Shneur, from new York, hosted an orthodox service, song and kosher food at the Marriott Resort Grand Cayman on 3 October, the eve of the celebration.

There were numerous medical students at St Matthews University School of Medicine who wanted to celebrate the Jewish New Year and as a result they contacted Chabad Lubavitch, a non-profit Jewish organization, which sponsors rabbis to visits rurul Jewish communities all over the world.

Egypt Shakes Its Finger; Lulavs to Suffer for It

American legislators, Israeli officials and Jewish groups are working diplomatic channels in an effort to stave off a looming lulav shortage ahead of Sukkot.

Their efforts follow a surprise move by Egypt, which – after years as the world’s primary supplier of the palm fronds that form the spine of the ritual lulav – said it no longer would provide the leaves to suppliers in the United States, Israel and beyond.

“We’ve got everybody on the case, and I told them to shake a leg,” Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) said, pun intended.

Russian rabbi named to top body

President Vladimir Putin named one of Russia’s two chief rabbis as one of his personal choices to sit on a new advisory body.

Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar of the Federation of Jewish Communities and main Chabad emissary in the region was one of several religious leaders appointed to the Public Chamber alongside clerics representing Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Pentecostalism.

$13.5M museum dedicated to Jewish Heritage
to open tuesday

BEACHWOOD, Ohio — The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, a $13.5 million facility illuminating the achievements, history, and traditions of the Jewish community will hold its grand opening here Tuesday.

The museum will feature thousands of artifacts and archival texts and photographs along with film, interactive computers, special effects, and other state-of-the-art technology to tell the personal stories of Ohio Jews.

“This museum will give both Jews and non-Jews a deeper understanding of the compelling Jewish story — its religious values, its history of both oppression and accomplishment, and its remarkable power of survival,” said Milton Maltz, who, with his wife, Tamar, donated $8 million toward the project.

After synagogue shooting, painful memories for woman who may have been target

The gunfire that shattered a quiet hour of prayer in a synagogue haunts a woman who thinks the bullets were ultimately intended for her.

But Marta Pinto left the holiday service early, unable to withstand the angry glare of a man she says snared her in an abusive relationship, with its violent unraveling documented in court records.

“He destroyed me. My spirit is on the floor,” Pinto, 52, said in a brief phone interview Thursday.

Randolph, NJ Jewish center runs into zoning troubles

A new Jewish center on West Hanover Avenue will be allowed to remain open during the High Holidays but will then have to shut until it gains required zoning, building and fire safety approvals.

Township officials said on Friday, Sept. 30, that the center known as Chabad of Randolph, failed to obtain zoning, building and fire safety approvals before opening its doors. Neighbors have complained that the center will add to traffic on busy West Hanover Avenue.

Chabad of Randolph relocated its worship and educational programs to a large home at 48 W. Hanover Ave. in the Mount Freedom section of town from the previous site in a home on Andrews Road.

Steely resolve on the rails

CBS2 Interviews R. Boruch Keivman

Straphangers rode the rails with steely resolve Friday, saying they had no choice but to live their lives as they normally would.

“I’m not scared,” declared Boerum Hill resident Alexa Mahnken, 41, as she boarded the train in Brooklyn to go to her consulting job at Rockefeller Center. “There are subway fires and car crashes everyday. The risks are there. You just have to go about your business.”

More Pictures in the extended article.

FBI: Jews need not apply for Arabic linguist jobs Despite shortage, loyalty issues, bureau snubbed 90 N.Y. applicants

Despite a shortage of Arabic translators, the FBI turned down applications for linguist jobs from nearly 100 Arabic-speaking Jews in New York following the World Trade Center attacks, WorldNetDaily has learned.

The FBI’s New York office in October 2001 asked a local charity that works with Arab Jews to submit applications for the linguist jobs, which are crucial to anti-terrorism investigations.

But not one of the more than 90 applicants was hired, even though some had helped translate Arabic for Israeli radio and TV news stations and the Israeli army before coming to America, the charity’s director says.

How do we Enter our Falsehood in the Realm of Truth

Rabbi Shlomo Zarchi, mashpia of the central Tomchei Temimim in 770 held a farbrengen last night with the temimim and guests in honor of the Ten Days of Repentance. The farbrengen was arranged by the International Temimim Committee and took place in the Colel of the Secretariat. In the farbrengen which started out considerably early concluded late at night, Rabbi Shlomo expressed his guidance in his special style, “A bochur must realize where he is, he is in the ‘four cubits’ of truth”.

Jewish celebration begins tonight

An end and a beginning during new year holiday

For Jews, the year 5766 officially begins today on the eve of Rosh Hashana.

For all Judaism, the celebration puts aside failures of the past year and embraces a new commitment for a better year to come.

At Chabad Jewish Center of Cape Coral and Temple Judea Conservative of Fort Myers, the high holiday marks a particular end and beginning.

“Rosh Hashana is a time that the soul gets called,” said Rabbi Yossi Labkowski of Cape Coral after he practiced blowing the shofar, a ram’s horn.

NYPD Steps Up Security After Subway Threat

Authorities stepped up mass transit security Thursday after receiving what city officials called a credible threat that the New York City subway may be the target of a terrorist attack in the coming days. But Homeland Security officials in Washington downplayed the threat, saying it is of “doubtful credibility.”

Despite the differing takes on the seriousness of the threat, New York officials mobilized police officers to begin looking through commuters’ bags, brief cases, baby strollers and luggage.

Water & electricity go out for Bochrim Erev Yom Tov

As the Bochurim that are staying at the Hachnosas Orchim house were preparing for Rosh Hashana, the lights went out and the water stopped running. The house, located between New York Ave. and Union St., was donated for this use by the Jewish landlord. The building is also home and business to a Laundromat owned by an Arab. This year he decided that he did not want the Bochurim staying there and he made that point very clear when he cut off all the main energy sources one needs to live.

It was an hour before Yom Tov and the Arab man felt that since he lived there full time he had the right to choose who else can live there; he went down to the basement and shut off the water and hacked out all the electrical wires directly from the power meters. The landlord came and quickly had an electrician come to repair the damage. They were then confronted by the Arab man who wanted the Bochurim out of the building. The Police were called when it was clear that they were not dealing with a rational human being and the arguing began to escalate. The Police told the angry tenant that if he has a problem with who his landlord allows to reside in the building, he has take his complaints to court.

After a few more interruptions by the Arab man the work was completed and electricity was restored. The rest of the Yom Tov went by quietly and with water and electricity.

‘New beginning’ for Jewish community

Glazier Center will serve a growing population.

Over the last year, a former Baptist church in Newtown Borough has slowly been transformed into what its owners hope will become a spiritual hub for Judaism in Bucks County.

The image of a silver menorah adorns the steeple, the stained glass windows dance with Torahs and dreidels, and the front wall of the lobby is covered with slabs of Jerusalem stone.

The Glazier Jewish Center celebrated its grand opening yesterday on the eve of the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah.

“It’s a new year, a new beginning, and a great time to be opening,” the center’s executive director, Rabbi Yehuda Shemtov, said last week.

Simchas Beis Hashoeva United Once More

Despite the fact that in recent years two separate Simchas Beis Hashoeva events have been held in Crown Heights, Rabbi Yisroel Shemtov, organizer of the Simchas Beis Hashoeva in front of 770, resolved to unite the event this year with the Simchas Beis Hashoeva on Montgomery St. “It is high time that we see all of the Chassidim dancing together all night joyfully, as per the wish of the Rebbe, until the early morning hours – without barriers between them”.