Jewish Mystery Machine Comes to Auraria

Auraria, CO — If you were on campus Oct. 12 between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. you may have passed by the sukkah van parked near the P.E. building and thought, “What’s a sukkah van?”

The Chabad of Auraria, a campus Jewish student organization affiliated with the Chabad of Colorado, set up the van in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which means “booths” in Hebrew.

Sukkot celebrates the beginning of fall and the Biblical wandering of the Jews during the Exodus. The holiday started Friday night.

Rabbi Yisrael-Moshe Ort, who is a member of the Chabad of Colorado, said it is a mitzvah, or Jewish commandment, to live in a sukkah for a week.

Rabbi Ort and his family observe the holiday by eating, drinking and spending time in the sukkah, but do not sleep in it.

Analysis: Playing Politics in Moscow

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert waded deep into the divisive Russian political scene during his recent trip to Moscow, attending two different affairs sponsored by two different Jewish organizations supporting two different chief rabbis and funded by two different Jewish billionaires.

On Wednesday night he went to an event under the patronage of Arkadi Gaydamak at Moscow’s central synagogue, and on Thursday he attended a similar affair sponsored by Lev Leviev.

Two Confess Involvement in Attack on Orthodox Jew

Melbourne, Australia — Two men accused of an alleged antisemitic attack on an Orthodox Jew earlier this month have confessed their part in the incident, the AJN has learned.

The men, who are both players with Ocean Grove Football Club, last week told club officials they participated in the attack on Menachem Vorchheimer after an end-of-season trip to Caulfield Racecourse on October 14.

Hollywood Temple’s Neighbors File Federal Appeal of Settlement

Hollywood, FL — City officials made their peace with Chabad Lubavitch earlier this year, but a turf battle between the Orthodox Jewish synagogue and its Hollywood Hills neighbors is not over yet.

Six neighbors have taken their dispute to a federal appeals court, complaining that the synagogue, City Hall and a federal judge each cut them out of the picture when Hollywood in July settled a discrimination case filed by Chabad.

In their appeals brief filed last month, neighbors argued the settlement created a “zoning change” that affects their enjoyment of their homes.

Spielberg Urges Jews: “Return to Roots.”

Kiev, Ukraine — If you want to ensure continuity of Ukrainian Jewry, Stephen Spielberg told an audience of 2,000, a majority among them Jewish, you must “return to your roots.” Spielberg shared these thoughts last week when he made his debut in his ancestral home, to attend the screening of his documentary film, Spell Your Name. Ukraine’s President, Viktor Yuschenko, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and heads of Parliament turned out to preview the film.