France - For eight years the remains of HaRav Yehoshua Heschel Levine lay in a government-owned building in Paris after being exhumed from his grave. Last week, he was reinterred, this time in Jerusalem's Har Hazeisim. "The story began with incredible Hashgachah pratis." tells Paris Av Beis Din Rabbi Yirmiyahu Cohen to Mishpacha, "Another Paris Dayan, Rabbi Schneur, discovered a passage...

Postville, IA - Bernard S. Feldman, 63, a prominent New York attorney, was named the new Chief Executive Officer for Agriprocessors. Mr. Feldman, a resident Long Island, specializes in corporate law, debtor/creditors rights and workouts. As a specialist in the reorganization of many companies, Mr. Feldman’s first task will be to restore production at the plant to the level of pre-May 12th, the...

New York - A complete overhaul of the New York City Noise Code went into effect last year. It was the first such overhaul in over 30 years. One of the main issues tackled by the code is precisely defining how noise levels are measured. With no slight intended to the up-and-coming website, one may ask, “Vos Iz Noise?” The revised code imposes limits on everything from the number of minutes a...

New York - Rep. Charles Rangel has been using a House of Representatives parking garage for years as free storage space for his old Mercedes-Benz - a violation of congressional rules and a potential new tax woe for the embattled lawmaker, The Post has learned. The 1972 silver sedan is registered to Rangel, who is already under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, and is parked in a...

Montreal, Canada - The mother of a man involved in the 2004 firebombing of a Jewish elementary school in Montreal has been found guilty of being an accessory after the fact. But Rouba Elmerhebi Fahd, who has been free on $10,000 bail, might not spend any time behind bars. Her son, Sleiman Elmerhebi, was convicted of torching the United Talmud Torah elementary school library four years...

New York - Financial tremors from Wall Street hit home today with Boston-based Putnam Investments closing an institutional money-market fund due to worldwide liquidity problems and clients yanking funds out of accounts. Putnam, the latest financial firm to suffer money-market woes due to turmoil in the financial markets across the world, said its board of trustees closed the fund as of 5 p.m...

Prague, Czech Republic - An academic institute dedicated to the legendary 16th- Century Jewish scholar Rabbi Judah Loew, also known as the Maharal of Prague, was opening in Prague today. The Maharal Institute plans to educate future rabbis, introducing them to Talmud, Jewish law, ethics and mysticism as well as to Loew's writings, said institute collaborator Tomas Jelinek. Rabbi Loew's work...

St. Paul, MN - Mordecai Specktor says his 19-year-old son, Max, "has never been in a fight" and is "not a violent person." "He's an anarchist," said Specktor, the publisher and editor of Minnesota's Jewish newspaper, the American Jewish World. He's also "a University of Minnesota student, Jewishly educated." His son, he said, is "a wonderful guy." Max Specktor is also now branded a terrorist...

Kiryas Joel, NY - One of the most discussed news articles in the Orthodox Jewish community in recent times was a piece in New York Magazine by journalist Marc Jacobson about the Kiryas Joel Satmar community and a disenchanted young woman who left that enclave. Jacobson himself has confessed to causing a firestorm with his negative article, which was also New York Magazine's most-read article...

Antwerp - Europe's largest community of ultra Orthodox Hassidic Jews is facing a financial crisis. For years many have made their living in the diamond trade in the Belgian city of Antwerp. But now globalisation is changing even that industry many are now having to find new careers. See below report from BBC news ...

New York - Rabbi Simon Jacobson of Brooklyn NY is a sought-after scholar and lecturer on Jewish thought and its contemporary application, speaking to diverse audiences worldwide, he has also undertaken a strong approach on the issue of child abuse in the frum community. VIN News recently exchanged email and phone conversations with the good rabbi to get his opinion on the issue of exposing child...

New York - A long-awaited federal study of an X-ray alternative to the dreaded colonoscopy confirms its effectiveness at spotting most cancers, although it was far from perfect. Medicare is already considering paying for this cheaper, less intrusive option that could persuade more people to get screened for colon cancer. And some experts think the new method may boost the 50 percent screening...

New York, NY - Getting an E-ZPass is about to get a lot easier. MTA Bridges and Tunnels plans on selling $30 "E-ZPass on the Go" tags at corner stores, gas stations and pharmacies citywide - similar to NYC Transit's MetroCard sales. "We are making it as convenient as possible to try E-ZPass because the more tags in use, the faster the trip through the toll plaza for everyone," said acting...

Pittsburgh, PA - A former bookkeeper has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $75,000 from a parochial school in Pittsburgh. Forty-four-year-old Laura Malich, of Johnstown, faces up to seven years in prison when she's sentenced Dec. 4 by an Allegheny County judge. She has pleaded guilty to stealing from Hillel Academy, an Orthodox Jewish K-12 school by forging checks, taking payroll advances...

Monroe, NY - Orange County Legislator Gregory Townsend criticized a State Supreme Court ruling that said that the additional capacity at the expanded Orange County sewer plant in Harriman could not be used by municipalities until a full environmental study has been conducted. The suit was brought by the Village of Kiryas Joel. Townsend said he is “disappointed” by the court’s decision...