News

The New York State budget recently passed with historic funding allocations for nonpublic schools, including yeshivas and Jewish day schools in New York. The budget includes $470 million for nonpublic school funding, an increase of $90 million from the previous year, and specifically increased the STEM allocation from $73 million to $75.5 million. In a year where security was a major advocacy focus for schools, the state legislature made a point to invest in STEM funding, ensuring that schools will keep investing in the education of all students.

NEW YORK NEWS

 Former President Donald Trump’s recent rally in the Bronx, which drew thousands of supporters, is a significant warning for President Biden and the Democratic Party, according to former New York Democratic Governor David Paterson. Highlighting a Siena College poll that shows Trump within striking distance in New York, Paterson emphasized that Democrats cannot rely solely on criticizing Trump’s past actions or downplaying current issues like inflation.

The media, vaping companies, and politicians are lying to the Jewish community and our children.

On a recent visit to Waterbury, Connecticut, we spent a wonderful Shabbos with our son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. I always bring treats for the kids, and among the treats I brought was a picture book titled Please Be Patient by Susie Garber, our local writing teacher, and illustrated by Glenn Zimmer. Susie coaches teachers in teaching writing and teaches writing skills in a variety of yeshivas and Bais Yaakovs. She has written books and serials for middle-school students and teens, including Denver Dreams, Befriend, The Road Less Traveled, Secrets in Disguise, A Bridge in Time, and Flight of the Doves. Susie’s other picture book is Please Be Polite. Susie has had fiction serials and features in Binah Magazine and Binyan Magazine, including “Moon Song” serial (2021-2022) and “Alaskan Gold” serial (2023-2024) in Binyan.

Recap: Akiva’s leg is broken and there’s a blizzard that’s preventing his parents from flying to Alaska for his bar mitzvah. Also, he lost the silver dollars that his Zeidy’s friend gave him for his bar mitzvah.

Recap: Jordie gets a text message to come to Zevi’s house and bring the envelope. Aunt Ellie is wary, but the boys decide to go. When they get there, a woman in a burka answers, and she seems familiar. Zevi sees a mole on her finger and realizes that she’s Alikah Ahmar, the terrorist. Her voice sounds like the woman he’d lent his phone to. He makes an excuse that he forgot the envelope. The woman calls for someone named Omar. Zevi and Jordie run away. They pass a little girl named Shaindy, and they tell her to take the envelope and give it to her mother. Then they run away and shimmy up a tree. They call the police and, while they are sitting in the tree waiting for the police, Zevi takes out Nana’s journal and they begin to read.