Bloomberg Says a Soda Tax ‘Makes Sense’

The New York Times

As the battle over the state budget and the looming multibillion-dollar gap becomes more intense, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has stepped up his call for the Legislature to pass a penny-per-ounce tax on soda to stave off major service cuts to education and health care.

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Turkish Police Accost Sabbath Worshipers in Synagogue

The main sanctuary of the Hemdat Israel synagogue.

ISTANBUL, Turkey [INN] — A Turkish newspaper reports that police burst into an Istanbul synagogue during recent Sabbath services and demanded worshipers’ ID’s.

‘Creepy Caller’ Continues ‘its’ Sicko Calls

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — Residents be warned, after receiving tens of new complaints from Chabad women it seems that the creepy caller, which we first reported about a month ago, is back and up to his same old sick tricks.

NY’ers in Prague Get Insider’s Glimpse of Jewish Rebirth

by Natan Edelsburg – Chabad.org

Each semester, some 150 undergraduates from New York University study in the Czech Republic capital of Prague.

In the center of the Czech Republic capital of Prague sits the appropriately-named Male Namesti, literally the “Small Square,” where two buildings sport the trademark purple flag of New York University. Inside, some 150 undergraduates from the school’s main campus in Greenwich Village spend their semester abroad learning about Prague and, for the students of professor Kateřina Čapková’s Modern Jewish History class, the rebirth of the storied city’s historic Jewish community.

Mazal Tov! – 5 Sholom Zochors this Week!

Chaim and Baila (nee Shpigelman) Greisman
IYH at Anshei Maseh, 1466 Union St [between Kingston and Albany Ave]

Yehudah Leib and Batsheva (nee Bronchtain) Borenstein
IYH at 1592 Carroll St [between Troy and Schenectady Ave]

Tzvi and Shayna Margo
IYH at 1384 Carroll St, Apt 16B [between Kingston and Brooklyn Ave]

Shmuel and Talit Schneerson (Crown Heights)

Yaakov and Rivka Sidorov
IYH at 1065 Lincoln Pl [between Kingston and Albany Ave]

Please stay tuned as we update this list when information becomes available. However, in an unfortunate event that we do not get all the Sholom Zochors this week, we are sorry. But you can help! If you know of any Sholom Zochors or Mazal Tovs you can email it to us at MazalTov@CrownHeights.info. Thank You!!

The Sin Behind the Sin, Clinging To Bad Ideas

by Rabbi Yoseph Kahanov Jax Fl.

Weeping uncontrollably a distraught mother one day called on a Chassidic Rebbe. “Rebbe,” she exclaimed, “It’s my son; he’s acting really strange; I think he needs a psychiatrist!”

“What’s the matter,” asked the Rebbe, visibly concerned.

“The matter?” cried the woman, “he’s behaving like a lowlife! He was observed dancing with gentile women and dining on swine! I’m telling you, he went Mishuga.

The Rebbe pondered the crisis for a quiet moment. “My dear lady,” he then declared: The good news is that your son is far from Mishuga.”

“You see, if your son were dancing with pigs and dining on women, I’d say that he is indeed insane, but that’s not what you describe. The characteristics you present are that of ‘sinfulness’ not ‘insanity.’”

“No, no; your son is not crazy. He has rather become a crude and lascivious young man, and there’s nothing crazy about it. ”

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Yankel appeared in Shul one day with both his ears heavily bandaged. “I was ironing a shirt when the phone rang,” he sheepishly explained. “That explains one ear,” blurted a fellow congregant, “But what about the other?” “My luck,” came the reply, “the guy decided to call back.”

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Video: Mindsets – An Amazing Video from the FC of NJ

This ‘shorty’ was the feature video presentation at the 2010 Friendship Circle Annual Banquet

This past Tuesday, over 900 people came together at NJPAC to pay tribute to the New Jersey FC teen volunteers and to honor two incredible families. Shereen, Nathan and Jenniffer Mandelbaum and Betty and Howard Schwartz.

Op-Ed: Heeding to the Cry of the Unborn

by Rabbi Pinchas Allouche

Illustration Photo.

The Shrinkage of Our Population and Why It Must Stop

Let’s face it: it is unusual and somewhat bizarre nowadays, to encounter a family with more than two children. It is almost as if a war is launched against the unborn after the ‘red limit’ of two or three children, has been reached. Instead of enriching our world with the unparallel innocence and joy of children, we have invaded it with various ways of contraception. It is no wonder that the birth ratio of our global population is rapidly deteriorating. In the United States, it stands at 2.11 children per family. Europe’s birth ratio is even lower: it currently stands at 1.38 children per family, and if not for the massive influx of immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East, it could have been much worse.