Westhampton Beach, NY - An effort by officials of the Hampton Synagogue to explain to their Westhampton Beach neighbors why they want to erect an eruv, evoked catcalls, boos and a walkout by about a fifth of the crowd that filled every seat in the temple's main hall. The walkout was set off at the start of the meeting when temple officials read some of the anti-Semitic responses on the Web...

San Francisco, CA - A San Francisco federal judge threw out Savage's earlier copyright and racketeering suit against the Council on American-Islamic Relations last month but gave him a chance to file an amended suit by Friday. . In an unusual court filing, attorney Daniel Horowitz, who had earlier promised a new suit that would pass legal muster, said today that Savage has a legitimate case but...

New York City - Wow! What a evening it was last night. Its about 11:45 PM and I just left Kumzits on the Hudson 2. It was rockin, the boat I mean. Aboard the glorious yacht the Atlantica and her crew. A TeeM production (Teeberg/Moskowitz). The stars were out tonight,Reb Yankel Miller (Yarmer Rebbe Shlita), Yeedle, Shloime Dachs, Yehuda Green, Reb Michoel Schnitzler, Shloime Taussig, Shmeil...

Colorado - A ruling by an influential federal judge could open the door for more government funding of religious education. In a unanimous decision by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, dated July 23, federal judge Michael McConnell ruled that the state of Colorado could not bar state scholarship funds from going to educational institutions that are steeped in a religious point of view. In...

Jerusalem - The torah's shmita (sabbatical) year's strong message of social justice and egalitarianism often gets lost amid bickering over the best way to circumvent the year's numerous halachic prohibitions. More emphasis seems to be put on what sorts of vegetables one can or cannot eat during the year than on the socially progressive ideals put forward in the Torah, such as the command to...

Williamsburg, NY - NYPD of the 90th Pct and Williamsburg Shomrim Patrol are on the scene at 203 Wilson Street for a woman that has been shot in the leg, possible by a BB-gun, at Division Avenue and Rodney Street and walk over to 203 Wilson Street, Hatzolah BLS and Medics on the scene. U/D: Aided being transported by Hatzolah EMS to Bellvue Medical Center. ...

Manhattan, NY - Mega New Jersey developers the Kushner Companies has pulled out of a controversial plan tear down a century-old synagogue in the East Village and build residences in its place. The board of Adas Le Israel Anshei Meseritz voted last month to give Kushner Companies the rights to demolish the stately structure on East 6th Street in a controversial move that left many involved with...

Georgia - News reports that Georgia's Prime Minister Vladimer (Lado) Gurgenidze called Israel to ask for a blessing from a prominent haredi spiritual leader are totally fictitious and were timed to take advantage of Georgia's plight, said sources close to Gurgenidze Thursday. Georgian Prime Minister... "The Prime Minister never called anyone in Israel for a blessing," said the...

Williamsburg, NY - Brooklyn Democratic Party Chairman Vito Lopez called in to say that he and a small group of the borough's elected officials, including Rep. Ed Towns, Sen. Marty Connor and Assemblyman Joe Lentol, will join UJO Director Rabbi Niederman tomorrow morning at the city Board of Elections to deliver some 4,000 new voter registration forms. The bulk of the new voters are from...

New York City - A prominent Shliach Tzibbur was viciously attacked yesterday by the New York Post. Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, a prominent Askan and devoted servant to Klal Yisroel for over 35 years was named in The New York Post newspaper as being under inquiry by the City Clerk’s office for his advocacy on behalf of the Klal. He is innocent of any wrongdoing, legal or judgmental. Even the...

Staten Island, NY - Public officials gathered at a synagogue in Staten Island's Bay Terrace neighborhood this afternoon to speak out against the vandals who spray-painted hateful symbols on the house of worship just hours earlier. "We're all here in solidarity to condemn this disgusting sign of hatred," said state Sen. Andrew Lanza, of the swastika painted on the exterior of Congregation B'Nai...

New York City - Two years ago, Joel Newman realized he wanted out of the housing industry. After college, he'd gotten a job at a company in upstate New York that installs wood floors in new homes. For a while, he enjoyed his work as a project manager; working with contractors and developers played to his natural talents as a networker. But by 2006 his initial excitement was fading. No...

Teaneck, NJ - Asserting that there are more victims of an alleged sexual abuser than the four teens who have come forward to the police, the rabbi of an Orthodox synagogue in Teaneck, N.J., is calling on congregants to help an investigation in the case of Adam Melzer, 34, who was arrested several weeks ago for child endangerment. Melzer, a married parent and member of the Orthodox community in...

New York City - As the number of mosquitoes that have tested for West Nile virus grows, health officials warn people to “take this treat seriously” because the risk of human infections is nearly five times higher than in previous years. New York City Health Commissioners warned residents to take steps to avoid contacting the illness, which is transmitted through mosquito bites. In order to...

Brooklyn, NY - A motor vehicle accident with a pedestrian that was struck by hit-n-run motorcyclist on Flushing Avenue and Washington Avenue, Hatzolah responding BLS and Medics on a rush due to numerous calls, aided isn't likely. NYPD of the 79th Pct are holding one possible perp...