Purim at Penn!

There was a Megillah reading party at the Alpha Epsilon Pi house on the campus of Drexel University attended by the members of AEPi and the Jewish girls “ABY” Society.

Later that evening, some 15 students (some in costume) gathered in the front of the freshmen Quadrangle to distribute some 400 packets of Mishloach Manot to the freshmen there. The response from the students was very positive.

At the same time the festivities took off at CopaBanana, where the Megillah was constantly being read outsides due to the overflow crowd at the venue.
Scores of people were heard drowning out Haman’s name on 40th Street at 1am on a week night.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

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Winner floats on ‘Mediterranean’

Sun News


Tuesday was a joyous day for 13-year-old Hindy Naparstek (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina).

After nine rounds, the Chabad Academy student won The Sun News’ 18th annual Regional Spelling Bee held at Myrtle Beach High School Music and Art Center.

Afterward she was nearly speechless about her win on Purim, a Jewish holiday.

“I was nervous. I didn’t think I would win,” said Hindy. She correctly spelled Mediterranean to win after two final rounds, which were held because the finalists did not correctly spell their last words.

Hindy, who advances to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee set for the end of May, competed against 53 other top spellers from Horry and Georgetown counties including last year’s winner, Morgan Gilliam.

Purim In Pictures Throughout Crown Heights

In what started as a murky and rainy day, quickly turned into a nice warm and sunny day bringing everyone out in their costumes with their Shalach Manot!

Currently there are over 110 pictures in the Extended Article! You can still submit your Purim pictures to Webmaster@CrownHeights.info

Reader Pictures Added!

The Annual Purim Banquet in Oholei Torah

Click to see the picture in full size.

With the main ballroom designated for family seating, it was packed to the brim, with loads of trees in between tables, families sat down for a full Purim Seudah. Singles were seated separately in the lunchroom. The crowd was entertained by lively music with singing by Yossi Fraenkel and a surprise performance by the world renowned Chazzan Leibel Blesofky who had droped in by suprise!

Rabbi Osdoba came in and addressed the crowd with something about Purim, other distinguished visitors included: Part of our local Police Precinct upper brass namely; Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Vega, Executive Officer Cap. Shouldis, Lt. Cantwell and Community Affairs Officer Martinos , also attending were R. Segal, R. Bogomilsky, R. Shimon Hertz, Shaya Bomilgreen, and R. Aron Rubashkin and family.

During the visit by the NYPD, Moshe Rubashkin called up Inspector Vega to address the crowd. At one point Moshe Rubashkin said “and anyone that got a ticket this Purim can bring it to the police station and the inspector will void the ticket”, Inspector Vega just smiled.

More Pictures in the Extended Article!

Hatzalah Ambulance In An Accident

At 4:20am one of the 3 Crown Heights Ambulances (CH3) went out on a call and was headed down Albany Ave. with lights and sirens all on and blaring. When arriving at the intersection of Albany Ave. & Empire Blvd. a Volvo coming from Kingston Ave. being ‘piloted’ by young black male with a young black male passenger at speeds in excess of 70MPH, ran a solid red light and got hit in the front corner with such force that the car spun around striking the Ambulances side with the rear end of the car.

The Ambulance is equipped with a heavy duty front bumper that can withstand extremely heavy impact, and therefore sustained no damage to the front, but the side of the Ambulance, where the rear end of the car hit it, got smashed in. The driver of the Ambulance, who was wearing his seatbelt didn’t sustain any injuries, then got out of the Ambulance to go and help the people in the car.

The 2 occupants of the car who were obviously at fault and knowing so got out of the car and ran, leaving behind the wreckage. It took police 10 minutes to arrive at the scene of the accident.

More picutures in the Extended Article.

So Who Got A Ticket Special for Purim?

Only in our wonderful neighborhood, Crown Heights, can we all be terrorized and not a single governing body take any action against it! Let alone make a public outcry!

Today, Purim, the known 2 officers (Kennedy and Mintz) along with a blue “Traffic Enforcement” police car occupied by 2 black officers one male and the other female, were observed ticketing motorists for double parking (to give out Shalach Manot) and any other violation they can pick off anyone on. In a number of meetings the Commanding Officer of the 71st precinct had said that selective enforcement (ticketing only Jewish motorists) is not only not tolerated, it’s also illegal. But residents couldn’t help but notice that the only people that were being pulled over, were Jewish.

Israel raids prison, takes 6 militants

The Boston Globe

Palestinians lash back for ‘provocation’

JERICHO, West Bank — Israeli forces stormed a Palestinian prison yesterday, capturing six radical militants and provoking a wave of retaliatory attacks and hostage-takings in the first major security crisis since Hamas won Palestinian elections.

Tanks and bulldozers surrounded the Jericho prison shortly after 9 a.m. just minutes after a team of US and British advisers walked away from their posts as monitors at the prison, saying that Palestinian officials had failed to provide adequate security under a complex international agreement.

Israel’s government, just two weeks away from elections, laid siege to the Jericho prison for nine hours, lobbing shells and demolishing parts of the complex with bulldozers until the wanted men inside surrendered shortly after nightfall.

VeHair Hong Kong Tzahalah Vesameicha

Over 250 people packed Chabad of Hong Kong Yesterday evening for an annual Purim party. The event is said to be among the best ever. The theme was safari and many took to the theme dressing the part. The hall was decorated with jungle like decor and a live African band played African music. After the party some stayed on for some ‘Purim Jamming’ with Moshe Kamhin Avi Meer and Stefan Betesh.

More pictures in the Extended Article!