Montreal, Canada - Some members of Montreal's Jewish community are not pleased with the timing of the federal election, which falls on Sukkot, a religious holiday. Tuesday is the first day of Sukkot, a seven-day festival of giving thanks for the fall harvest, where observant Jews build an structure in which they eat meals, entertain guests, and sometimes even sleep. Helen, a Jewish Montrealer...

Spring Valley, NY - A Jewish congregation that was allowed to start enlarging a single-family home then later denied a special permit to continue the project has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $1 million against Mayor George Darden and three village board trustees, as well as an additional $5 million in punitive damages against Darden individually. The suit, filed earlier in the U.S. District...

New York - Stocks bounced back from their worst week ever as investors cheered a global cash infusion designed to help avoid a global meltdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up nearly 938 points, to close at 9,389.00 At this rate, the Dow is on track for its biggest one-day point gain ever. The record is a gain of 499.2 points, set on March 16, 2000. Monday's rally was a welcome...

Norfolk, VA - A vice president of Norfolk-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said today that his group was not behind any e-mails that a Brooklyn, N.Y., rabbi claims contained anti-Semitic messages in protest of the method of killing for Kappores, a ritual to atone for sin before Yom Kippur. As reported first here on Vos Iz Neias, the rabbi said that some of the people who...

New York, NY - Trying to fight a shocking spike in murders and shootings, the NYPD has launched a blue blitz against violent crime by boosting overtime for patrol cops and narcotics detectives. Two weeks ago, the department added 300 overtime shifts a week for patrol cops at the 17 precincts where the rise in violence is highest. This is in addition to 500 overtime shifts added in the...

New York - A Big Hug "Shalom everyone, I'm home!" "Abba, Abba!" The little children are so excited to see their father that they practically jump out of their skins. "Give me a big hug, Abba." "Sure thing, Eli." The father picks up his little son Eli, and gives him a big, long hug. "I love you so much, Abba." "I love you, Eli." Rav Shimshon Pincus zt"l calls the mitzvah...

Washington - Israel's Haredi weekly B'Khila featured in their Sukkos edition an interview with Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Chabad's well-connected Shliach in Washington DC, who shared "secrets of the Oval Office." On my second day visiting Washington, near the end of the year, I pass by the White House. Police vehicles stationed on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue communicate that this is the world's...

New York - Being that there are an abundance of performances this Chol Hamoed Succos, Jewish Insights Magazine has a listing of all concerts that will be available on a daily basis in alphabetical order. Click here ...

Jerusalem - Former IDF Chief Moshe Yaalon has a lot in his mind: Israel's leaders are corrupt, the political discourse is defeatist, media spins are the rule and too many people have inappropriate pull over power. But it's not personal, he says, it's a matter of principle IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon was relieved of his command on February 14, 2005. Then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and...

New York - Every year before the High Holidays, synagogues all over the world search for cantors who will stand up in front of the congregation and amaze the audience with stirring renditions of renowned prayers. Until now, leaders of the different communities would have to go over candidates with a fine tooth comb, in order to find the cantor who was "just right." But now, with the help...

New York - At this time of year, most of us are willing to fork out a goodly sum of money to acquire a beautiful mehudar esrog to honor the festival of Succos. But how many of us realize how valuable the esrog truly is, as a cure for many ailments? For further information, Mishpacha Magazine turned to Jerusalem’s renowned expert on the subject, Uzi Eli Chezi — better known as “The Esrog...

Borough Park, NY - Reviewing the monthly statistics of the intake sheets revealed shocking facts. The sheets keep track of how many meals are given out each day and categorize them by children, adults and seniors. While the senior’s stayed the same and the adult had a slight increase the children column had a forty percent increase for the month of September over August. “These numbers...

New York - The downturn in the stock market has clearly affected the Torah world as well. One Gvir recently remarked, “I have lost more money in the past two weeks than most people make in their entire lifetime.” With all the tumultuous events happening on Wall Street, many religious Jews are re-examining some of their assumptions about the permissibility of many of their investments...

Jerusalem - The indecisiveness is a thing of the past, as far as the Simchas Beis HaShoeva in Yerushalayim is concerned. The Beis Din ruled that the Simcha will begin in the Shul- for men only, and then continue out into the streets as per the Rebbe's instructions. The entire street will be closed off to traffic. This change in the usual mode of celebration is due to the statement issued lately...

New York, NY - The four manmade waterfalls of New York's East River are about to dry up — much to the relief of critics who say salty water from the art installation has destroyed waterfront foliage. The waterfalls are scheduled to be shut down Monday after a 15-week run that began in late June. Hours of the exhibit were cut in half in September after residents complained that the mist...