Merkos Book Finalist at National Jewish Book Awards

Likened to the Jewish Pulitzer Prize, the National Jewish Book Awards have chosen Merkos Publication’s “The Last Pair of Shoes” as a runner-up for the Louis Posner Memorial 2005 Prize.

Judges selected “The Last Pair of Shoes” in the category of illustrated children’s books, for skillfully drawing the readers in and managing to “convey the moral value” without “being preachy.”

Author Sashi Fridman, who lives in Russia, was not at the National Jewish Book Awards ceremony last night, but her delight in the award comes through across the continents. Not only is the award a pat on the back for Fridman’s first foray into children’s prose, but the award promises a wider audience for “values of kindness and sharing the book tries to convey.”

Librarians from around the country contact the National Jewish Book Council for their list of award winners and finalists which were honored at last night’s ceremony at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan. “They use them as a guideline for ordering” their Jewish book selections, said Program Director Miri Pomerantz. Copies of the book are dressed up with the National Jewish Book Award’s glossy seal.

Va’ad HaKohol Responds To Comments

After many readers commented on the letter issued by Moshe Rubashkin in the name of the Va’ad HaKohol, we received a response from the Va’ad addressing issues raised by individual’s comments.

Presented in the extended article are the responses to the comments along with letters from Rubashkin in response to; R. Mangel, Nash and Sprelin. Update: Letter From Nuchie Gross.

Dangerous and Reckless Police Chase

Tuesday Evening our infamous Police car number 1474 pulled a real dangerous one. A guy on a motorcycle went down the wrong way on Kingston Ave coming from Eastern Pkwy. Then turned right onto Union St.. That is when the Police car saw him and went after him in hot pursuit down Union St. going the wrong way untill New York Ave. where they made a right towards Eastern Pkwy. where they finally stopped the motorcycle.

The motorcycle is a small one that we see black teenagers ride around; these bikes are illegal for street use. That, coupled with the way the teen was driving prompted this wild chase.

The chase was one of the greatest displays of recklessness on behalf of the NYPD, the dangers it put everyone in, at the intersection of New York and Union they nearly got into a triple accident, all of which would have been head on, pedestrians that would have not been looking that way when crossing, and being that Union St is so narrow it can only accommodate one car and that’s not mentioning how fast they were driving. It’s a miracle nothing happened.

More pictures and the rest of the article in the Extended Article!

Vandals Topple Headstones

Bellingham, WA – Bellingham resident Barbara Howard, 72, takes her dog Happy for a walk almost every day in the Bayview Cemetery where her son is buried.

During her walk last Wednesday, she bore a somber look as she observed the work of vandals who knocked down 45 headstones during Easter weekend.

“I’m furious because this is sacred ground,” Howard said. “I don’t care whether you call it a hate crime or a prank, it’s not all right.”

Letter From The Vaad Hakohol Regarding the Upcoming Elections

To: All members of Crown Heights ANASH
From: Crown Heights Jewish Community Council
Subject: Beis Din Election this coming Sunday IY”H

We are pleased to announce that the elections for additional Rabbonim to the Crown Heights Beis Din will take place IY’H as scheduled this coming Sunday, 2 Iyar (April 30th.)

We are indeed fortunate that the election managed and monitored by a large contingent of Netzigim including, but not limited to, Benny Raskin, Moishe Haber, Alexander Weiss and Reuven Lipkind as well as by the highly respected Election Services Corporation.

The Election Services Corporation has been contracted to monitor the election process and assure absolute integrity to the entire process. Their credibility and reporting will hold up in any Beis Din or civil court, should such testimony ever be required.

Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum Passes Away at 91

Joel Teitelbaum had transplanted the tattered remnants of Satmar from post-Holocaust Europe to Williamsburg, giving the sect new life. Under Moses Teitelbaum, Satmar more than doubled its ranks, to an estimated 100,000 worldwide, building schools and expanding real estate holdings that are now worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Rabbi Solomon Gelbman, a Satmar historian, said that Rabbi Teitelbaum, known to his followers by his Hebrew name, Moshe, had likened himself to the biblical Jacob, who considered himself custodian of the great works begun by Isaac and Abraham before him.

UPDATE: Pictures of the Levaya now online.