News

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV) today criticized the Biden administration for abstaining on a UN resolution demanding “compensation” for descendants of Palestinian refugees, who left their homes at the behest of an Arab League bent on genocide, and an unlimited “right of return” that would demographically put an end to Israel as the world’s sole Jewish state. The Trump administration consistently voted No on similar annual efforts targeting Israel.

UJA-Federation of New York has received a $10 million legacy gift from longtime New York-based philanthropists Jack and Shirley Silver that will be directed to help lift vulnerable New Yorkers out of poverty and fund UJA’s anti-poverty initiative “Upward New York.” This gift is in addition to the Silvers’ $20 million legacy gift made in 2017 to support Jewish camping. The Silvers’ gifts are the largest estate pledge commitments made known to UJA during a donor’s lifetime.

On Veteran’s Day, this past Thursday, the Village of Cedarhurst held a morning memorial service at the Andrew J. Parise Park. The event included the participation of Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, Deputy Mayor Ari Brown, Trustees Daniel Plaut, Israel Wasser, and Myrna Zisman. The event also showcased the Lawrence-Cedarhurst American Legion Post 339 under the command of Syd Mandelbaum and his first vice-commander Al Landi, as well as his second vice-commander Mitch Dancyger. Dr. Paul Brody, a well-recognized Great Neck activist, joined presumptive Nassau County Executive-elect Bruce Blakeman at Village of Cedarhurst’s Veterans Day celebration.

On Sunday evening, November 7, Let’s Get Real with Coach Menachem Bernfeld featured a fascinating program with practical suggestions for building a career and dealing with various money issues. The speaker was Adam Lieberman, an experienced sales and finance consultant and brother of Dr. David Lieberman.

The community of East Meadow, Long Island, celebrated the dedication of its first sefer Torah this Sunday, with close to 300 in attendance. In a clear act of hashgachah pratis, an elderly woman left funds in her will for a sefer Torah to be written for a shul with a daily minyan that is in need of a sefer Torah, and Congregation Shaarei Zedek of East Meadow was chosen as the beneficiary. The hachnasas sefer Torah on Sunday was a true milestone for this rapidly growing community, and a source of pride for its members.

Even for those of us who are generally optimistic, it is so easy to focus on all the “wreckage” in our lives (e.g., all the bad decisions we’ve made, all the times we’ve fallen, all the good resolutions that were never kept, all the places where we feel like we have no control). Positive change seems so far away, and we have fully convinced ourselves that there is no point in hoping that we can do any better.