Holidays Renew Debate Over Religious Displays at Oregon Capitol

SALEM, OR — December inside Oregon’s Capitol is filled with a forest of lighted trees, tall toy soldiers and carols sung by school choirs. But requests to add a Jewish menorah and Christian creche to the mix have sent legislative leaders directly to their lawyers.

Donetsk Pilgrimage Honors Rebbe

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia [FJC] — A group of members of the Jewish community of Donetsk took part in a visit to Rostov-on-Don to honor of one of a great Jewish leader of the Chassidic tradition. This visit took place in the lead-up to the anniversary of the birth of the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom-Dovber (otherwise known as Rebbe Rashab). He was born on 20 Cheshvan.

In all, twenty people from the Jewish community of Donetsk visited Rostov-on-Don, where the Rebbe’s ohel – the so-called grave of the righteous – is located. Among the participants were members of the Synagogue’s minyan, students at the ‘Tiferet Zkenim’ Yeshiva, pupils at the Cheder, participants in the ‘STARS’ youth program, and others. The group represented a balanced mix of young and old Jews, including even small children together with their parents.

Rabbis Gather At Jewish Leader’s Grave

NEW YORK, NY [NY1] — Thousands of rabbis from around the world gathered in New York Friday to remember their spiritual leader.

The 3,000 emissaries held their 25th Conference at Manhattan’s Pier 94, the site where their spiritual leader Grand Rebbe Menachem Schneerson arrived from Europe nearly 70 years ago.

Fire Bomb at Chabad House Investigated

The Jewish congregation of Lubavitch Chabad of Niles, which has a synagogue in unincorporated Des Plaines, is planning to install a security system after a “MacGyver” type fire bomb exploded at its front door, authorities reported.

Rabbi Naftoly Hershkovich, co-director of the synagogue, discovered the homemade device the morning of Nov. 9 between the screen door and the front door of the converted house at 9401 Margate Ave., said Penny Mateck, spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff’s Police.