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As part of the year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary, Touro University is focusing on the future as well as the past. A special anniversary conference held at Touro’s Lander College for Men highlighted this viewpoint. Perspectives on Individual Autonomy and Community Responsibility explored the legal, ethical, and halachic issues related to the individual’s right to make decisions. The conference was chaired by Dr. Stanley Boylan, Touro Vice President of Undergraduate Education and Dean of Faculties. and Dr. John Loike, Professor of Biology and Interim Director of Bioethics at Touro’s New York Medical College.

Lag BaOmer, which is the 33^rd day of S’firas HaOmer, and the 18^th of Iyar, is a festive day celebrating two prominent, yet connected events:

May 1 marked a span of roughly 26 years since the alumni of Yeshiva Institute, now Yeshiva Primary, attended the well-known kiruv school that began the foundation of learning about Jewish religion and its practices for many New York City immigrants. The reunion, beautifully catered by New Life Catering, was held in the Tov Shul of Kew Gardens Hills and attended by many graduates from years 1995-1997.

Yeshiva University has secured a $1 million federal grant to renovate Weissberg Commons, a central gathering place on Yeshiva’s Wilf Campus in the Washington Heights section of New York City.

These days there seems to be an app for everything, so when Sholli Kestecher, travel enthusiast and entrepreneur, searched for a short-term booking platform customized for a Jewish kosher traveler, he was surprised to discover that no such thing existed. He decided to create Jstay, a global app modeled after the Airbnb concept, that offers options for lodging complete with all the amenities needed to enjoy a vacation within the confines of an Orthodox lifestyle.

Much of the following originally appeared in the Queens Jewish Link (January 3, 2019) in an article by Sima Mandelbaum, when Rabbi Neuman and his Rebbetzin were honored at Bais Yaakov Ateres Miriam’s Dinner.