Lakewood, NJ - Police Say Sketch And Suspect Look Alike

Lakewood, NJ - Dover Township Patrolman Christopher McDowell, is contracted by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office to do sketches of crime suspects throughout the county.

Police say he certainly got it right this time.
The accuracy of McDowell's sketch of the goateed suspect in the May 7 abduction and assault of a Lakewood woman helped Old Bridge police connect the dots after they arrested Lakewood resident Brandon J. Fritz on Tuesday in connection with a burglary and assault in their town.

They had the sketch in their headquarters and contacted Lakewood police after arresting Fritz. "It's crucial, that composite," Executive Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Robert Gasser said. "I was stunned, startled - not that the composite's (merely) good, but (it is) right on the money."

While interviewing victims and witnesses, McDowell has them pick out facial features from a book of photographs. He then puts the features together in a drawing and modifies them at the direction of the victim or witness.

He said he admires the victim in the Lakewood abduction and assault for the composure she showed and the accuracy of her descriptions following such a traumatic crime.
And he downplayed his own role. "The credit for this - and I hate to use the word credit when there's been a crime - belongs to the investigators and all the legwork they did. The sketch is just another tool in the arsenal we have."

But he conceded that it's nice when his work pays off, as it did in the arrest of James Calhoun, a Lakewood man charged in a 2004 knifepoint abduction in Lakewood. "If my hands fell off tomorrow, it was all worth it," he said.

Israel - Hazbollah Attackes Base

Israel - Hezbollah guerrillas have attacked a military base near the border, wounding one soldier, and Israel forces oust Hizbollah from Maroun al-Ras, key south Lebanon town.

Britain - Group Tells Jews To Be Careful

Britain - The Community Security Trust, which monitors the security of British Jewry and its institutions, warned that the risk of a terrorist attack is heightened by ongoing violence in the Middle East. Anti-Semitic incidents in Britain may escalate due to hostilities in the Middle East, they warned.  

In a statement, the trust urged Jewish communities throughout Britain to "ensure that security measures are followed, and that the fullest cooperation is given to security personnel at this sensitive time."

Queens, NY - Blackout 10 Times Worse Than Originally Reported

Queens, NY - A blackout affecting an estimated 100,000 people in Queens - which entered its fifth day Friday - is 10 times worse than the Con Ed power company had previously reported, Con Edison said.

Manhattan, NY - Judge Tosses Out Bat Mitzvah Lawsuit Against Plaza Hotel

Manhattan, NY - A judge has tossed out a lawsuit by a couple claiming they endured "humiliation, indignity, distress of mind and mental suffering" when they weren't able to have their daughter's bat mitzvah at The Plaza hotel.
Scott and Suzanne Alenick must come to terms with the fact that things change, Supreme Court Justice Herman Cahn wrote in a decision.

Although the hotel gave the family six months' notice and repaid their $12,000 deposit on the planned $20,000 bash, the Alenicks claimed it "made no effort to compensate for the uniqueness of The Plaza."
The judge said their mental distress claims weren't legally viable, and also tossed their claim for "physical discomfort."

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Bias Crime+

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Bias Crime+ Swastikas were found in the apartment building of 80 Ross Street on the 6th Floor, NYPD Detective Squad and Bias Crime Unit are all responding.

Waterbury, CT - ZBA Rejects New Mikvah

Waterbury, CT - In a move that some local Orthodox Jews see as a blow to their growing community, the Zoning Board of Appeals has denied a request to turn a small Roseland Avenue home into a mikvah.

"It's definitely a setback, because the mikvah is really important for the growth of the community," said Shalom Siegfried, vice president of an Orthodox religious school called Yeshiva Gedolah that opened at the former University of Connecticut campus on Hillside Avenue in 2001.

Waterbury already has one mikvah, at the B'nai Shalom Synagogue on Roseland Avenue. But community members say it's small and overtaxed by the growing population, as was reported on VOS IZ NEIAS.

Members of the community bought a small house at 186 Roseland with the intention of rehabbing it for this purpose.
As a religious use, the group could locate virtually anywhere in the city, but the property is only about one-fourth the size typically required by building regulations. So the group sought a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals, which unanimously turned down the proposal.

Neighbors contended that the mikvah would exacerbate parking problems, and complained that the Jewish community did a poor job maintaining the nearby B'nai Shalom synagogue property.
Ultimately, board members turned down the proposal, citing unanswered questions as to how many people would use the property and at what hours. Without this information, the board couldn't assess possible negative impacts on the city, ZBA Chairman Joseph Caiazzo said.
"Before this came up, I had never even heard of a mikvah, I didn't know what it was," Caiazzo said. "They really couldn't pinpoint what it was going to do, so there was a lot of uncertainty."

Caiazzo said he will allow the project proponents to return to the board's September meeting to try and better plead their case.

Malmo, Sweden - Bomb threat to Synagogue

Malmo, Sweden - Police in Sweden’s third biggest city, Malmo, say they’re taking a claim of bomb threat seriously.

A note warning of a future attack was found attached to the building and is now being analysed.
The police have increased security around people connected to the synagogue because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

New York, NY - NYPD's First Hasidic Officer Got Sworn In

New York, NY - At last the New York City Police Department are getting their first Hasidic Jew.

Joel Witriol was sworn in to the Police Academy with 134 others.

He will go through a six-month training program before graduating in December.

Because of his religion, Witriol will need exemptions for hairstyle rules, so he can keep his beard and side locks.

Bronx, NY +Militery Truck With Explosives MVA+

Bronx, NY +Militery Truck With Explosies MVA+ NYPD level one mobilization on the I-95 New England Thruway and south bound of the Hutchinson River Parkway with all lanes closed down, for an accident involving a militery truck carrying explosive devices "inert weapons," all services are not allowed to use radios just landline phones for all their communications. NYPD, Highway, Bomb Squad and FD Full Haz-Mat are all on the scene.

Traffic closed, Traffic Division is removing multiple tractor trailers that diverted off the I-95 from the closure.

U/D:
Investigators have the cargo from the militery truck - a large box 25x30 with Tomohawk Cruise Missiles - on the roadway covered with trap.

Hospital in the area on stand by.

U/D: 15:06
A Navy spokesman said that the 23-foot long Tomakawk test missile consisted of a steel shell and lead filling, was meant for Navy drills, and the test missile was built to look and feel like the real thing, but it was nothing but a dummy.

Israel +Helicopters Crash Midair+

Israel - Two Israeli Apache helicopters crash into each other over northern Israel, there are 3 critically injured and one serious.

Queens, NY +Power Outage in Jail+

Queens, NY +Power Outage in Jail+ Department of Corrections is calling on extra officers to be on duty in Rikers Island due to a power outage in the facility, they operating on generators.

Washington, DC - House Backs Israel In Vote

Washington, DC - The House, displaying a foreign affairs solidarity lacking on issues like Iraq, voted overwhelmingly to support Israel in its confrontation with Hezbollah guerrillas.

The resolution, which was passed on a 410-8 vote, also condemns enemies of the Israel.

New York - Water Supply Need Filtering

New York - Federal officials are worried that the water coming from the largest unfiltered system in the country, is getting muddier and may have to be completely filtered, at a cost of billions of dollars, if it cannot be kept clean.
For much of the last year, the century-old water system that delivers 1.3 billion gallons a day to the city has been clouded by particles of clay, washed into upstate reservoirs by violent storms in quantities that make the water look like chocolate.

To keep the tap water running clear, the city has been dumping 16 tons of chemicals a day, on average, into the water supply as an emergency measure to meet federal water quality standards. The treatment does not change the taste of the water, but the city cannot rely on this stopgap approach forever.

The condition that makes water cloudy and interferes with chlorination to eliminate contaminants appears to be getting worse because of changing weather patterns and increasing runoff from land development upstate.

If the city cannot find a permanent solution to the silt, it may not be able to avoid building a huge filtration plant that could cost about $8 billion.

Israel - Israeli Casualties In Heavy Hizbollah Clash

Israel - Israeli forces took casualties in heavy fighting with Hizbollah guerrillas just inside Lebanon.
There were a number of Israeli casualties and one Hizbollah fighter was killed. Israeli media reported eight soldiers had been wounded.

Al Jazeera reported that three Israeli soldiers had been killed and three wounded in fighting in southern Lebanon. It gave no details.

The Israeli military said the firefight took place near the northern Israeli village of Avivim, near the place where Hizbollah guerrillas killed two soldiers and wounded nine on Wednesday.

U/D:
Israel hinted at a full-scale invasion.

New Square, NY +Pedestrian Seriously Struck+

New Square, NY +Pedestrian Seriously Struck+ A motor vehicle accident with a pedestrian that was seriously struck in front of 4 Bush Lane and Washington Avenue, Hatzolah BLS units on the scene are requesting ALS units to respond with a rush, aided is unconsious, Medivac on stand by.

U/D: 14:54
Medivac has been canceled to the site, due to the severity of the injuries and the aided's grave condition, Aided is a 4-year-old child and is still unconscious and is being transported by ground with Hatzolah and three medics on board to Nyack Hospital, Chopper has been requested to Nyack Hospital.

U/D: 07/25/06 08:24
The 4-year-old girl, was upgraded to fair condition, a spokesman for Westchester Medical Center said yesterday.

Amherst, NH - Swastikas Painted At Amherst Golf Club

Amherst, NH - Swastikas and other markings were discovered painted on the grounds of the Souhegan Woods Golf Club.

Graffiti and swastikas were discovered painted on doors, fencing, and further markings were found on the pavement. The damage has been cleaned up, said Bill Meier, the head professional at the golf club. Such incidents, he said, are "very rare indeed."

Police are investigating the incidents, though it is difficult to apprehend vandals when they have not been caught in the act, the department cautioned.

New York, NY - Councilmember Simcha Felder Voting No On Regulating Changes On Gas Prices Posted On Signs

New York, NY - The Council approved Int. No. 296-A, which says that gas stations must keep their prices the same for a 24-hour period before they can change them again. .
The Department of Consumer Affairs that sends investigators out to monitor prices across the city would enforce the regulation.

The measure was approved by a 43 to 6 vote, with Councilmembers Simcha Felder, Daniel Garodnick, Helen Sears, Dennis Gallagher, Andrew Lanza, and James Oddo, voting no.

Washington, DC - Iranians Witnessed N. Korea Missile Test

Washington, DC - One or more Iranians witnessed North Korea's recent missile tests, deepening U.S. concerns about growing ties between two countries with troubling nuclear capabilities, Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator with Pyongyang said.

Monsey, NY - Hatzlocho Mishomaim Rooming House Volations Corrected

Monsey, NY - The Rockland County Board of Health fined agreed to reduce a $3,000 fine it levied in October against Hatzlocho Mishomaim LLC, owner of 118 Route 59, Monsey, for operating a rooming house without a permit and having garbage and debris strewn over the property. The board reduced the fine to $1,000 after the owner told officials that she had never received notice of the violations. All the violations have been corrected, inspectors told the board.

Brooklyn, NY +Dysfunctional Bridge+

Brooklyn, NY +Dysfunctional Bridge+ The Greenpoint Avenue Drawbridge connecting Brooklyn to Queens got stuck in the up position and they can't bring it back down.
Use alternate route if possible.

U/D: 11:17
NYPD traffic division is reporting, that the bridge is back down.

New York, NY - Beware! Missionary’s Hit Town!!!

New York, NY - In the summer, missionaries, many of them young people from across the country, are descending upon New York City, working in soup kitchens and spreading their believes at street corners, parks and subway stations.

And some groups, will be more visible this summer than usual. And so will those whom the group infuriates. They are setting their biggest campaign in New York in its more than 30-year history. It is their finale task of a five-and-a-half-year effort to conduct campaigns in every city in the world.

This group plans to make its presence known in all five boroughs, as well in Westchester and Rockland Counties, in northern New Jersey and on Long Island. There are also campaigns aimed at Russian-speaking Jews, Israelis and Hasidic Jews.

They have a campaign budget of roughly $1.4 million, and they already sent out mailings to 400,000 Jewish homes in the area and DVD's in Yiddish to 80,000 Orthodox homes, as was reported here on VOS IZ NEIAS. It has launched a marketing campaign with radio spots and subway and newspaper ads.
__________

So Yiden be very careful, for you and your entire family, be more vigilant, be on the look out and wide-awake, more so this year than any other year, they are trying to get to us through any medium possible, and with H'Sham's Help will sail through it with flying colors.


Be well and have a safe summer, guard your children B'Ruchnias and B'Gasmieas.

Shloma Shamos and Pinchas Milach

Manhattan, NY +Traffic Alert Lincolln Tunnel NJ Bound Closed+

Manhattan, NY +Traffic Alert Lincolln Tunnel NJ Bound Closed+ Due to a disabled dump truck in the NJ bound tube of the Lincoln Tunnel, PD has closed down all lanes of the tunnel to remove the truck, expect heavy delays.

Spring Valley, NY - Criticism Of East Ramapo Treasurer's Appointment

Spring Valley, NY - Members of East Ramapo's public school community took the podium to criticize the Board of Education's decision to appoint a new district treasurer and to pay him $25,000. for what had been an unpaid post.
Earlier this month, the board voted 5-2 to appoint Israel Bier of Monsey a former school board member as treasurer, replacing James Rose.

Some questioned why the board had created a new paid position, why others hadn't been invited to apply for the treasurer's post and why there had been so little public discussion by the board on the issue.
"You have an obligation to search for the best qualified person possible. This position should have been opened up to allow members of the public a chance to apply, and their qualifications reviewed by all members of the board," said May Neils, a vice president of the East Ramapo PTA council.

Kalman Weber of Monsey, head of the Southeast Ramapo Taxpayers Association, spoke in favor of the board's decision. Bier, he said, has "an encyclopedic knowledge of education law" and worked for more than 20 years at an international bank.
Weber questioned whether criticism of the board's appointment of Bier stemmed from "open discrimination."
After the meeting, Weber, who described himself as an acquaintance of Bier, elaborated on his statement, saying that it seemed like some in East Ramapo, oppose Bier because his dress is that of a Hasidic Jew. Seven of the nine school board members are from the religious community.

Martha Lerner-Iglody, the president of the East Ramapo PTA council and a critic of Bier's appointment, later dismissed Weber's claim, calling it "way out of line."
Parents are concerned about how Bier's appointment will affect the school district, she said. "It has nothing to do with what he looks like," she said.

Israel - Rockland County Sends Firefighters To Israeli Understaffed Fire Stations

Israel - For Israeli firefighters, the past week has been filled with little sleep, growing tension and round-the-clock action, as firefighters combat the constant barrage of fires caused by Katyusha rocket attacks.

Due to a shortage of manpower in the areas under fire, nearly half the members of fire department have left their regular posts and gone to help in the North. Now with only half of the firefighters remaining throughout the rest of Israel, fire stations in many locations are understaffed.
To help staff the depleted fire houses, 50 volunteers from the Rockland County Fire Department in New York went to serve in Israel for the coming weeks. The volunteers will be placed at understaffed fire houses throughout the Israel.

Fallsburg, NY - Catskills Resort Sold To Hasidic Group

Fallsburg - The Raleigh, one of the last of the famed Catskills hotels, has been sold to a Hasidic group for $5.1 million. The plan is to turn the former landmark, into a religious day camp.

Congregation Khal Bnei Zion Inc, purchased the 320-room hotel and 90 acres on July 18, county records show. The Congregation is affiliated with the Brooklyn-based Bobov sect that own a religious camp across the road.

On June 8, Mendel Lerner and attorney Steve Proyect told the town planning board that the sale to Congregation Khal Bnei Zion was imminent. They asked the town to approve a special use permit to operate a children's camp with 200 children and 20 to 30 staff members. The town asked for more information. The Congregation has not contacted the town since the meeting.

Fallsburg, NY - Catskills Resort Sold To Hasidic Group

Fallsburg - The Raleigh, one of the last of the famed Catskills hotels, has been sold to a Hasidic group for $5.1 million. The plan is to turn the former landmark, into a religious day camp.

Congregation Khal Bnei Zion Inc, purchased the 320-room hotel and 90 acres on July 18, county records show. The Congregation is affiliated with the Brooklyn-based Bobov sect that own a religious camp across the road.

On June 8, Mendel Lerner and attorney Steve Proyect told the town planning board that the sale to Congregation Khal Bnei Zion was imminent. They asked the town to approve a special use permit to operate a children's camp with 200 children and 20 to 30 staff members. The town asked for more information. The Congregation has not contacted the town since the meeting.

Brooklyn, NY +Grenade Found+

Brooklyn, NY +Grenade Found+ NYPD of the 72nd Pct are on the scene in Brooklyn at 15th Street and 7th Avenue, after a call for a suspicious package was confirmed to be a hand grenade, ESU and Bomb Squad are responding.

New York, NY - Demonstrators Protest Israeli Military Offensives

New York, NY - Hundreds of demonstrators in front of Israel's mission to the United Nations yesterday protested the country's military action in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Washington, DC - Republicans Introduce School Voucher Program

Washington, DC - Republicans in the U.S. Congress proposed a national school-voucher program.
The $100 million program would pay for low-income students in weak public schools to attend private or religious schools. The money would go for tuition and private tutoring.

Politically Orthodox Jews back vouchers, saying they increase school choice and help Jewish day-school education. Liberal Jewish groups see vouchers as a breach of church-state separation and say they drain money from the public school system.

Saratov, Russia - Explosion Prevented From Synagogue

Saratov, Russia - The Federal Service of Security prevented an explosion at the Synagogue of Saratov. As the FSB officers conducted a series of operations, it became clear that a 22-year-old member of a local pro-Fascist clandestine organization had been planning to blow up the Synagogue.

The young man planned to make an explosive device and was looking for assistants. The “skinhead’s” plans were disturbed by FSB officers who cautioned him before he could implement his evil plan.

As a result, the would-be terrorist confessed to the police of what he had been planning to do and, while making no secret of his racist ideas.

According to Head of the Department of Federal Service of Security Valery Beklenischev, no charges will be filed according to the Russian laws if a person comes voluntarily with a confession to the police, so this young man has escaped from his first criminal record.

Rochester, NY - Canada-Bound Plane Turned Back, Two With False Passports In Custody

Rochester, NY - Two Sri Lankans - a man and a woman - carrying suspected false passports were taken into custody and an Air Canada commuter plane they had tried to board was diverted back to Rochester's airport because one of their bags was believed to be on board.
During a routine check of passenger information, Customs and Border Protection officers identified two Sri Lankans carrying Canadian passports that were suspected to be fake, Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke said.

Authorities placed the pair in custody for questioning, during which the woman became upset, began complaining of chest pains and indicated she needed her bag, which had already been loaded onto the flight, Knocke said. "There was a significant language barrier with the passengers, and the male is believed to have made a confusing remark about a possible suicide bomb," Knocke said.

Woodbury, NY - Vote On New Village Set

Woodbury, NY - Residents will go to the polls Aug. 10 to determine whether to create a village that would encompass all of Woodbury except its share of Harriman.

The Woodbury village is one of two proposed in 2004 in the midst of rising concern over the potential expansion of neighboring Kiryas Joel.
The other proposal came to fruition last month with an overwhelming vote to create the Village of South Blooming Grove.

Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. at Town Hall, 511 Route 32, Potvin said.

Ellenville, NY +Route 52 Traffic Alert+

Ellenville, NY +Route 52 Traffic Alert+ A serious motor vehicle accident on Route 52 and Center Road with one aided heavily entrapped with serious injuries, Stat Flight Air-2 responding requesting additional man power to set up the L/Z. expect delays on the area.

Iranian Jews Condemn Israeli Rabbi's Statement

Iran - Religious leader of the Iranian Jewish Community Yunes Hammami Lalehzar rejected the allegations of some Israeli rabbis who had claimed that "the Torah allows for the murder of women and children at the time of war."

"The phrase is not a Torah verse, rather it pertains to just the very exceptional case of seven nations who lived in Eretz Yisroel 3500 years ago," he stressed.

The Iranian Jewish Community strongly rejected the allegations of the Israeli rabbis, stressing that no part of the Torah mentioned such claims.

The Jewish Community underlined that the killing of innocent women and children at the time of war is a blatant violation of the religious teachings of the Torah.

Woodbury, NY - Vote On New Village Set

Woodbury, NY - Residents will go to the polls Aug. 10 to determine whether to create a village that would encompass all of Woodbury except its share of Harriman.

The Woodbury village is one of two proposed in 2004 in the midst of rising concern over the potential expansion of neighboring Kiryas Joel.
The other proposal came to fruition last month with an overwhelming vote to create the Village of South Blooming Grove.

Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. at Town Hall, 511 Route 32, Potvin said.

New York City Parking Pain The Worst

New York, NY - The Big Apple has just topped another list - it's the most expensive place to park in the nation.
A survey of 49 American metropolitan areas found that monthly parking rates in Midtown were the most expensive, averaging $574, with downtown coming in second, at $500.

The report, released by the real-estate firm Colliers International, said the nationwide average is $153, up 4.4 percent from last year.
The single highest rate was $888 at a Midtown garage - and the lowest just $20, in Memphis, Tenn.

Albany, NY - You Can Be Chief of G.E. and Still Bounce a Check

Albany, NY - Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman and chief executive of General Electric, bounced a $2,000 check to the failed New York gubernatorial campaign of William F. Weld, according to a campaign finance filing just released.

The Weld campaign filing said that Mr. Immelt, 50, wrote the check in May, on the same day he held a fund-raiser for Mr. Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts, at G.E.’s headquarters in Fairfield, Conn.

So what happened?
Mr. Immelt, after all, earns $15.4 million a year, owns $190 million in G.E. stock and runs the seventh-largest company in the Fortune 500.
“He wrote this on a closed account, so that’s why the check came back and he has replaced it,” Gary Sheffer, a spokesman for G.E., said. “Jeff made a commitment, so he’s going to keep it.”

Walter Breakell, Mr. Weld’s former campaign manager, said, “It’s not uncommon for something like this to happen.”
“It’s not common, but it happens, particularly for people like Jeff Immelt, who have business managers and finance people who take care of a lot of this stuff for them, and then write a check on their own,” he said.

Mr. Weld’s finance office had called assistants to Mr. Immelt to sort out the matter, Mr. Breakell said. “It’s not something where we have Bill call Jeff, and say, ‘Uh, hey, buddy,’ ’’ he said. That was especially so since the Weld campaign raised about $50,000 from G.E. executives at the event.

Kiryas Joel - Pataki Pays His Respects To Mayor Wieder

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - Governor George Pataki and other prominent politicians visited Kiryas Joel to pay respects to Mayor Abraham Wieder, whose son, Boruch, died of brain cancer on Saturday at age 36.

Boruch Wieder was the eldest of the mayor’s 10 children. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor four years ago.
The mayor is sitting shiva for seven days, and visiting him were Pataki; state Senate Democratic Leader David Paterson, who’s running for lieutenant governor; and Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Republican candidate for state attorney general as reported here on VOS IZ NEIAS.

Lakewood, NJ +Suspect In Abduction Of Girl Arrested+

Lakewood, NJ +Suspect In Abduction Of Girl Arrested+ Ocean County prosecutors and Lakewood Police Department have arrested a perp responsible for the abduction and assault of a 19-year-old Chasidic girl from Trim Gym at Route 9 near the Shop Rite supermarket parking lot in Lakewood NJ late at night on May 7th, 2006, and was released behind the building the next morning.

Lakewood PD will give a press conference with more details on the case in Toms River Wednesday.

U/D: 11:44
Lakewood resident Brandon J. Fritz has been arrested in connection with the abduction and assault of the young Orthodox Jewish woman in Lakewood, authorities said.

Fritz, 21, was arrested yesterday in Old Bridge in a separate case in which he faces charges of burglary, robbery, and attempted assault.

He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail in the Ocean County case.

Williamsburg - +CO Emergency+

Williamsburg - +CO Emergency+ Fire Department is on the scene with high Carbon Monoxide readings at 81 Division Avenue on the 4th floor Apt. Hatzolah responding having all people evacuate the dwelling.

Kiryas Joel - Jeanine Pirro Showing Her Respect's For The Late Son Of Mayor Wieder

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - Jeanine F. Pirro, the Republican candidate for state attorney general, in a part of her campaign activities, she scheduled to head out to the the Village of Kiryas Joel in the town of Monroe, NY to pay her respect's to Burach Wieder, 36, the late son of mayor Avruhm Wieder.

Kiryas Joel - Jeanine Pirro Showing Her Respect's For The Late Son Of Mayor Wieder

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - Jeanine F. Pirro, the Republican candidate for state attorney general, in a part of her campaign activities, she was scheduled to head out to the the Village of Kiryas Joel in the town of Monroe, NY to pay her respect's to Burach Wieder, 36, the late son of mayor Avruhm Wieder.

Florida - Several Injured on Cruise Ship Bound To Brooklyn, NY

Florida - A cruise ship listed heavily while on its way to Brooklyn, NY, injuring some passengers, Coast Guard officials said.

The Crown Princess, owned by Princess Cruises, had just departed from Port Canaveral when it experienced problems with its steering equipment.
The cruise ship is on its way back to the port and will be met by Coast Guard officials and medical personnel.

Qom, Iran - Hizbollah Says Ready To Attack US, Israel

Qom, Iran - Iran's Hizbollah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said it stood ready to attack Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide.

"We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year," said Iranian Hizbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli.
"They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardise Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three ... we welcome it," he said.

Brooklyn, NY - The Sweet'N Low Talk

Brooklyn, NY - Arthor Cohen will discuss "Sweet and Low" about his family that invented the sugar packet and then Sweet'N Low.

Cohen is a grandson of Benjamin Eisenstadt, the founder of the company that once produced 50 million packets of the artificial sweetener a day at its Brooklyn factory.
The talk will take place at the Leonard Branch Library, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, NY.

Israel - One Killed And More Injured In The Latest Barrage Of Katyusha Rockets From Hezbollah

Israel - One Israeli was killed in Nahariya in the last couple of hours as Hezbollah guerillas launched a second barrage of Katyusha rockets at towns and cities in the north of Israel. Zaka was working hard and having a though time removing him from the rubble.

Another person was hurt in a rocket strike on Gush Chalav, in the Mount Meron area of the Galillee.

The fresh volleys struck also Tzfed, Teveria, Chatzor, and the Chaifa Bay region, with a total of 29 injured.

Israel - One Killed And More Injured In The Latest Barrage Of Katyusha Rockets From Hezbollah

Israel - One Israeli was killed in Nahariya in the last couple of hours as Hezbollah guerillas launched a second barrage of Katyusha rockets at towns and cities in the north of Israel. Zaka was working hard and having a though time removing him from the rubble.

Another person was hurt in a rocket strike on Gush Chalav, in the Mount Meron area of the Galillee.

The fresh volleys struck also Tzfed, Teveria, Chatzor, and the Chaifa Bay region, with a total of 29 injured.

Brooklyn, NY +Serious MVA+

Brooklyn, NY +Serious MVA+ A serious motor vehicle accident on the Gowanus Expressway right before the tunnel Manhattan bound with some injured on the scene Hatzolah working on the poss MVA.

Tokyo - Toyota Recalls Over 418,000 Vehicles

Tokyo - Toyota Motor Corp. said it was recalling 418,570 vehicles globally, including some Echo and Prius models sold in the U.S., over a faulty engine part.

The faulty part is the latest in a string of problems requiring recalls by Toyota, raising doubts over whether the automaker can maintain quality standards amid booming sales.
The recall affects 268,570 vehicles sold in Japan, about 150,000 cars sold overseas, mainly in the United States and Canada, 24,490 cars sold under the name Echo and Yaris, as well as 8,476 Prius vehicles are affected by the recall.

The faulty part could lead to an oil leak within the engine and cause it to stop completely. There have been no accidents due to the fault, according to Toyota.

Queens, NY +Power Shortage+

Queens, NY +Power Shortage+ Due to power problems is Con-Edison requesting from people to cut back on power usage in this Queens area's Woodside, Sunnyside, Long Island City, Astoria and Hunts Point.

Also in Queens at the Laguardia Airport, they have power and heat related problems, PD were called in and PAPD are on the scene at Concourse "D" American Airlines and Delta Shuttle, expect delays and cancelled flights.

New York - Heat Sets O&R's Second Highest All-Time Electric Demand Day

Grueling temperatures yesterday, coupled with steamy humidity, created the second highest electric demand day in Orange and Rockland Utilities’ history.
O&R’s demand peak yesterday was hit in the hour ending at 5 p.m., when O&R recorded 1505 megawatts of demand on its electric system.

Officials said the utility’s electric transmission and distribution systems responded well to the high demand and electric supplies were adequate.
But at of 6 p.m. about 400 customers in New Square had their electric service interrupted, that service is underground and the cause is under investigation.

A total of 1,800 people in Pomona and New Square who were without power, were all fixed before midnight,

Los Angeles, CA - Court of Appeal Allows Suit Over Rabbi's Alleged Attack on Writer

Los Angeles, CA - A Jewish writer who claims that a local rabbi attacked and injured her after they argued about Middle East politics can sue the organization he works for, the Court of Appeal for this district has ruled.

Reversing a contrary ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James A. Bascue, the panel said there was sufficient evidence for a jury to decide whether Chaim Seidler-Feller was acting in the role and scope of his employment when he allegedly attacked Rachel Neuwirth three years ago.

Neuwirth sued Seidler-Feller, saying that in results of an argument outside Royce Hall on the Westwood campus, following an address by Harvard Law School's Alan Dershowitz, Feller "flew into a rage," called her "a liar," grabbed and twisted her right hand and scratched her thumb and index finger with his fingernails. Neuwirth said she was shocked and outraged, causing her to exclaim that Seidler-Feller was a "kapo".
The rabbi had to be pulled off Neuwirth by "three or four large college men," Neuwirth claims.

The plaintiff asserted that the organization that Feller works for was a co-sponsor for the Dershowitz event; and the rabbi was doing his duties, engaging in public discussion on issues of Jewish interest. She also contended that the organization should have been aware of Seidler-Feller's tendency towards violence.

Justice Fred Woods, in an unpublished opinion for the Court of Appeal wrote. “It is not clear from the allegations whether the attack was personal or business-related. Consequently, whether the attack was attenuated from Seidler-Feller’s work, i.e., whether the attack arose out of Seidler-Feller’s employment or whether he substantially deviated from his duties for personal purposes, and whether the attack was unusual or startling given this rabbi's duties and his prior history are fact issues which cannot be determined at the demurrer stage."

Spring Valley, NY - Amendment Would Allow Bigger Homes

Spring Valley, NY - Larger houses could be built without zoning variances under new regulations being considered.

The village Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing next month on an amendment to increase the ratio between the lot size and the square footage for single- and two-family homes. "There has been a significant demand for larger houses," said Village Attorney Bruce Levine. "We want to make it simpler for people to get that zoning, but we still want to have some regulations and guarantee to the village and the neighbors that nothing bad is being caused by these changes."

The current Village Code allows for a landowner to build on 30 percent of the lot area. Anything more requires permission from the village's Zoning Board of Appeals.
The proposed law would increase the percentage to 55 percent of the lot area, as long as the construction remained within the "footprint" that maintained required distances between the house and the road, as well as side and rear boundaries.

It's a trend seen in villages throughout Rockland County. Earlier this year, Wesley Hills accommodated the construction of larger homes by abolishing lot size- square-footage ratios.

Patricia Caldwell, chairwoman of the ZBA, applauded village officials for the proposed law. She said an influx of ethnic groups with more children needed more space, but landowners still would be required to do studies and be in compliance with state and county regulations. "You're not going to be able to build a castle," she said.

San Francisco, CA - 17 Arrested At Protest In Front Of Israeli Consulate

San Francisco, CA - Seventeen people protesting Israel's ongoing military action in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip were arrested in front of the offices of the Consulate General of Israel in San Francisco.

The arrests, for blocking traffic, were made after a group of people linked arms and sat down in the street in front of the consulate, at 456 Montgomery St.
The group was blocking Montgomery Street between California and Sacramento streets.

The demonstration was organized by three groups -- Jewish Voice for Peace, Jews for a Free Palestine and Break the Silence -- who sought. About 300 people participated in the demonstration.

Lakewood, NJ +Power Outage+

Lakewood, NJ +Power Outage+ A large area of Lakewood is in the dark, a major blackout is affecting a lot of customers in the area of the Beis H'Mordche all lights and electric power is out approximately half mile radius.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Bias Crime+

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +Bias Crime+ One swastika was found on the outside of the house at 245 Hewes Street and Marcy Avenue, NYPD of the 90th Pct, Detectives and Bias Crime Units are all on the scene investigating, Shomrim was also notified.

Kiev - World War II Memorial Vanalized

Kiev - A memorial near the site where Nazis killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian Jews was badly vandalized.
Vandals smashed the inscription plate on the menorah-shaped memorial, erected in 1991 by the Jewish community near the site of the World War II massacre.

In September 1941, Nazis marched tens of thousands of local Jews to the edge of the Babi Yar ravine and shot them.
More than 33,700 Jews were killed in a few days, and within months the toll is believed to have reached more than 100,000, including thousands of Red Army prisoners of war and resistance fighters.

Ramapo, NY - One Of The Top 50 Places To Live In

Ramapo, NY - Money magazine has listed the town of Ramapo as the 49th best place in the United States to live. It based the ranking on the town's income, taxes, education, housing, quality of life, leisure and culture, among other things.

Tzafes, Israel +Rocket Hits Hospital+

Tzafes, Israel +Rocket Hits Hospital+ A rocket fired from Lebanon has hit the Ziv hospital in Tzafes.

Kiamesha Lake, NY +Bugalow On Fire+

Kiamesha Lake, NY +Bugalow On Fire+ Fire Department is on the scene for a bungalow fire at Hochman's Bungalow Colony on Route 42, Hatzolah also responding.

Wisconsin - Government To Deport Nazi Killer

Wisconsin - The U.S. government moved to deport Josias Kumpf, 81, a Wisconsin man, who admitted to a role in a Nazi mass killing in 1943.
A charging document filed with the immigration court asserts that Kumpf served as an armed SS Death’s Head guard at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in Germany; at the Trawniki SS Labor Camp in Nazi-occupied Poland, where 8,000 Jewish men, women and children were murdered in a single day in 1943 as part of a mass-murder operation involving 42,000 victims at three camps; and at construction sites in France at which prisoners built launching platforms for Germany’s V-1 and V-2 missiles.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed a district court decision revoking Kumpf’s U.S. citizenship.

London, UK - Judge Said For Swastika Vandals: I Would Love To Jail You Longer

London, UK - A judge was angry with the law because he could only jail two swastika-spraying vandals for three months.

District Judge David Cooper spoke out after hearing how Paul Lewis and Richard Speak went on a rampage plastering the Nazi emblem over cars, shops, a house and an ambulance. The wrecking spree in their seaside town cost £5,000.
Sentencing them, Judge Cooper said: "Amazingly my powers of punishment are limited to a total of three months for everything... I can do nothing about it.
"I imagine the people of West Mersea will say 'the law is an ass', and in this case, I agree in many ways. I think you should be locked up for a very long time."
Judge Cooper, dubbed Custody Cooper by worried defendants in Colchester, Essex, added: said: "People woke to find swastikas and obscenities written and scratched on their cars. It must have caused great distress."
Speak, 20, admitted 33 charges of causing criminal damage and Lewis, 21, nine. Both are from West Mersea.

Monsey, NY +Burech Diyan Huemas+

Monsey, NY +Burech Diyan Huemas+ With deep sorrow we report of the passing of H'Rav Reb Nusen Yosif Meisels Z"L Rav D'Khal Avnei Shloma

Jerusalem, Israel - Palestinian Suicide Bomber Caught

Jerusalem, Israel - A suicide bombing in downtown Jerusalem was thwarted, after a 25-year-old Palestinian was caught carrying a bomb in a bag on a main city thoroughfare.

A male suspect, from the West Bank, was stopped by police on the city's Jaffa Road near the Jaffa Gate for a routine security check, when an estimated of five kilograms of explosives were found in his bag, he was arrested on the scene.
The suspect confessed that he was carrying a bomb and said that he came to the area to blow himself up in a suicide bombing.

The streets in the area were quickly closed off to traffic, as police sappers neutralized the explosives on the scene.
Police choppers were hovering in the air, in an apparent effort to track any accomplices the suspect may have had as well as to prevent any further attacks.

St Petersburg, Russia - President Bush Uses Colorful Language on the Mideast Crisis

St Petersburg, Russia - President Bush was talking privately to British Prime Minister Tony Blair during a lunch at the Group of Eight summit, about an upsurge of violence in the Middle East, not realizing a microphone was recording what he said. "I think Condi is going to go pretty soon," Bush said.
Blair replied: "Right, that's all that matters, it will take some time to get that together."

The two leaders also referred to an offer by Blair to help. Blair said Rice has "got to succeed" if she goes out to the region.
Bush replied: "What they need to do it to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this ....."

Shortly afterwards Blair noticed the microphone and hastily switched it off, but not before the recording had reached news media.

New York +Heat Advisory+

New York +Heat Advisory+ The National Weather Service has issued a HEAT ADVISORY for 1300 hours until 1900 hours today. .

Very hot and becoming more humid Monday with sunshine is expected to reach dangerous levels. High 98 in Midtown New York City, although some western suburbs will reach 100 and it'll be in the 80s on most coastlines. The Real Feel Temperatures with increasing humidity levels will allow the heat indexto climb to be between 100 and 105 during afternoonhours, with the hottest portion of the day to be between 1400 hours and 1800 hours.
People need to exercise appropriate caution during this heat wave which is likely to last through Tuesday.

California - Rabbi Drops Case Aginst Blogger's

California - Defrocked Rabbi Mordechai Tendler, the former leader of an Orthodox Jewish congregation in New Hempstead, N.Y., has withdrawn the proceeding he filed in Ohio in an attempt to subpoena the identities of four anonymous bloggers who wrote on the Web about his alleged misconduct.

Public Citizen attorney Paul Alan Levy represented the bloggers, the four bloggers had anonymously posted material on their Web sites describing the former rabbi’s alleged misconduct and harassment of congregants whom he had been advising.

Tendler had filed petitions to subpoena the blogger's identities, both in Ohio and California district courts. Public Citizen, which has been a strong defender of First Amendment rights on the Internet, has filed a motion that Tendler’s California petition should be denied because it would violate the bloggers’ constitutional right to free speech.
“This just goes to show the importance of protecting anonymity, because as soon as Tendler found out that we had filed a motion against him, he withdrew his petition,” Levy said. “He was never prepared to prove that the allegations against him were false – he only wanted his critics’ names so that he could go after them. The First Amendment demands this kind of protection for citizens using their right to free speech.”

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +B.Q.E. MVA+

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY +MVA+ A motor vehicle accident eastbound on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and Kent Avenue with a diesel spil in the left lane NYPD Highway units are on the scene waiting for a sander, Hatzolah EMS also on the scene waiting for FDNY EMS, major delays all the way back to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

Wurtsboro, NY +Serious MVA+

Wurtsboro, NY +Serious MVA+ Late last night PD were on the scene requesting BLS units and medics for a serious motor vehicle accident with a car that went into a pole on Route 17 westbound near Exit 114, Hatzolah responding.

Road Rage By The Village of Kiryas Joel

Kiryas Joel, Monroe, NY - The village has been asking the county for two years to turn over a section of County Route 44 that wends through the village's fastest-growing area so it can widen the road and add sidewalks.

Fed up with Orange County lawmaker Diana's administration's silence, the village's frustrated administrator fired off a letter to lawmakers June 27 accusing the county of "ignoring a dangerous situation" and warning that "men, women and children may be injured by the County's failure to address these matters."
"The Village awaits your prompt action on this request," the administrator concluded.

Slow down, Legislature Chairman Bill Lahey says.
The New Windsor Republican said last week that lawmakers can't act until the public works department briefs them on the issue, and the request will likely go to legislative committees next month, by which time he expects to have a recommendation from the county executive.

Israel +Ground Forces Enter Lebanon+

Israel +Ground Forces Enter Lebanon+ Israeli ground forces have entered southern Lebanon to attack Hezbollah bases.

In Beirut, Hezbella says they have brought down an Israeli F-16 Aircraft.

Indonesia +Tsunami Hit Island+

Jakarta, Indonesia - A powerful earthquake sent a 6-foot high tsunami crashing into a beach resort on Indonesia's Java island, damaging hotels and sending boats smashing into houses.

People fled to a local hill to escape the wave on Pangandaran beach in west Java. "All the houses are destroyed along the beach," one witness said. At least five were killed.
The earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 had triggered a tsunami warning on Java and Sumatra islands and Australia's Christmas and Cocos islands.

U/D: 13:06
A Red Cross official has said that at least 69 people have been killed and 86 are missing frpm the tsunami.

U/D: 07/18/06
Officials say the death toll in the Indonesian tsunami has risen to at least 531, and about 300 are missing.

New York, NY - Hezbollah Terrorist Sleeper Cell Suspected In The City

New York, NY - Investigations by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department revealed last that the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah may be plotting attacks, and these attacks may be launched by their sleeper cells in New York and several other US cities. According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Hezbollah's largest headquarters outside of the Middle East is located in Toronto.

Law-enforcement and intelligence officials are quoted as saying that though there is no imminent threat of any attacks, security has been stepped up after the reports of a meeting between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and leaders of Hezbollah and other terror groups during his recent visit to Syria.
Also is the Iranian Mission to the United Nations in New York City being kept under surveillance by federal and local intelligence officers. The New York City Police Department possesses one of the largest intelligence divisions in the world.

Hezbollah's growing international terrorist activity has raised concerns that the terrorist group may be emerging as a more serious threat than previously considered.

New York - Candidate For Governor Suozzi on Israel and NY Casinos

New York - Candidate for governor Tom Suozzi took a break from his attacks on Eliot Spitzer today to weigh in on the escalating Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East. Through his campaign consultant Ezra Friedlander of Brooklyn, the longshot candidate for governor released a strong statement in defense of Israel.

"I feel compelled to speak out in support of Israel as the country is facing an unprecedented attack on its sovereignty, suffering a daily and indiscriminate barrage of attacks. As a nation that shares our Democratic values and that has been a loyal friend to our country in our times of need, Israel deserves our full-fledged and unequivocal support as it engages in a campaign of defense against the attacks it is encountering less than a year after disengaging from Gaza."

And on the domestic front, Suozzi was in Buffalo to announce a one-year moratorium on new casinos, "in order to negotiate a new arrangement to keep casino revenues in local communities.” He was talking about a plan by the Senecas to open a casino in downtown Buffalo, which he said would send a quarter of the public's take to the state and only 6.25 percent to local counties.

Our understanding of the situation is that new casinos in New York are already on hold, due to state and federal court decisions.

New York State Thruway +Traffic Alert+

New York State Thruway +Traffic Alert+ The NY State Thruway NY City bound is shut down, due to a fully involved bus fire.

U/D: 19:28
NYS Thruway south bound is reopened, but with heavy delays.

Washington, DC - Jewish Groups Urges the US Senate for Stem-Cell Bill Passage

Washington, DC - Jewish groups urged the U.S. Senate to pass legislation expanding embryonic stem-cell research.
The Orthodox Union wrote a letter calling on the Senate to approve legislation already passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would expand federally funded research to include surplus stem cells donated to fertility clinics.

The group said they backed the legislation because it rejects the use of stem cells culled purely for research.
The Orthodox Union noted in its letter that "Judaism does not accord embryonic cells outside the womb the full status of humanhood and its attendant protections." President Bush has threatened to veto the bill.

U/D: 07/18/06 17:14
Senate votes 63-37 to loosen President Bush's ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, a move Bush has pledged to veto.

U/D: 07/19/06 14:21
President Bush has issued the first veto of his presidency, rejecting the bill to expand federal research on stem cells obtained from embryos.

Ireland - Man who sent anti-Semitic Mail Has Case Adjourned

Ireland - A paranoid schizophrenic who admitted sending a series of malicious emails to members of the Jewish community in Ireland, has been warned that a sentence will be imposed because of the seriousness of the offences.

David Hughes, appeared before the local district court on 23 summonses relating to offences on dates between the 7th and 30th of May last year.
The court was also told he is making strenuous efforts and is continuing to attend appointments with the probation and psychiatric services.

Judge Flann Brennan adjourned the case for six months so the accused could be further monitored but he added that a punishment must be imposed and it was only a question of whether the sentence would be suspended or not.

Wursboro, NY +Route 17 Traffic Alert+

Sullivan County, Wursboro, NY +Route 17 Traffic Alert+ A overturned vehicle on eastbound of Route 17 between Exit's 110 and 111, all services are on the scene causing some major traffic delays, but no one is trapped.

Freehold, NJ - Woman Admits Stealing $120G From Center In Ocean Township

Freehold, NJ - A Beachwood woman faces a possible five-year prison term after admitting in court that she stole about $120,000 from an Ocean Township Center while employed there as a bookkeeper.

Lisa A. Gordon told Superior Court Judge Patricia Del Bueno Cleary that she pocketed cash provided to the Ruth Hyman Jewish Community Center for membership, activity or camp fees. "You knew that was not your money to take?" Cleary asked her.
"Yes," the 38-year-old replied.

In exchange for her plea, Assistant Prosecutor Edward Quigley told the judge he would recommend a five-year prison sentence and dismiss all charges against Gordon's 40-year-old husband, Christopher. Gordon's lawyer, Kelly Anderson Smith, said she'll ask for a three-year prison sentence.

As part of the plea, she must cooperate with the center in its civil claim pursuits to recover the funds, including providing truthful testimony about who else might have been involved.
The center claims that $480,000 was taken from the center, according to Brian Ansell, the center's lawyer.
Gordon had been charged with embezzling more than $400,000 but told the judge that she stole about $120,000. She had also been charged with laundering the cash, $380,000, by buying chips at casinos in Atlantic City.
When Cleary first asked her how she took the funds, she responded, "Myself and many others . . ."
The judge stopped her, telling Gordon she only wanted to know what Gordon did.

Gordon is "extremely remorseful. She wants to pay as much restitution as she can and wants to . . . do what she can to make this right," Anderson Smith said.
She said Christopher Gordon had no knowledge that his wife was taking funds.
Some of the funds were used to build a new home on an oversized lot in Beachwood.

Monsey, NY - Ladies Chinese Auction Sign by Chaverim of Rockland, Worries Man from Ramapo

Monsey, NY - Eric Lieman, on a recent bike ride has noticed something in his residential neighborhood near his New Hempstead home.

On the corner of Route 306 and Viola Road, erected on three wooden legs, rests a large sign advertising a fundraising event, a Ladies Chinese Auction on July 18, for the nonprofit organization Chaverim of Rockland, which will be at the Atrium Plaza in Monsey.
"It definitely is an eyesore," Lieman said. "In a residential area there's no need for a commercial sign. This is abnormally large."

Town Attorney Michael Klein said the town's regulations for temporary signs are lenient. "The idea is to help organizations promote temporary events," Klein said. "The purpose was to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive way for charitable organizations and residents of the town to put up signs for a limited period."

Putting up signs on private property, like the corner of Route 306 and Viola Road, where the sign has been placed, requires permission from the landowner, filling out a form at the town clerk's office and leaving a $250 security deposit, which is returned when the sign is removed.
The town clerk's office has the deposit left by Friends of Rockland and permission from the property owner. The sign must be removed by July 25.

Klein said that since he began working for the town in 1986, this was the first time anyone has complained about signs. "People have not abused their privilege," he said. "Anyone can file for a temporary sign permit as long as they follow procedures."

But, Lieman said the sign near his Ashlawn Avenue home was excessive and out of place.
"It shouldn't be there. It ruins the aesthetic beauty of Rockland," he said. "Not that I like them on Route 59, but I could understand it there because it's a commercial area."

Yonkers, NY - Parking Lot Shared by Costco and Home Depot Build on Jewish Cemetery, A Year Later There Is Still No Memorial

Yonkers, NY - More than a year ago a developer in Yonkers agreed to build a memorial on the site of a former Orthodox Jewish cemetery that was to be moved to make way for the city's Austin Avenue retail project, for the remains of more than 100 graves on the site.

The deal came after a settlement with state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who in 2004 alleged that the development company may have defied a 1989 state Supreme Court order requiring it to relocate "all" remains from the half-acre cemetery before building the shopping center. The project off the state Thruway now houses Costco, The Home Depot and a Stew Leonard's supermarket.

Now Spitzer is asking for a court intervention to enforce the settlement.

The developer Morris, agreed to build the memorial in January 2005 after the two sides had argued in court over the disputed graves of 135 children, when it was discovered that the remains of only 12 or 13 identified children had been moved, while more than 100 graves for children were marked on the cemetery map.

In the settlement, Morris agreed to pay $100,000 to the Attorney General's Office for the memorial, which would commemorate the approximately 94 adults and 147 children who were buried there.
Morris submitted memorial plans that would place a monument near the rear of the parking lot. But Spitzer spokesman said that was an unacceptable location because the area is near a busy loading dock and Dumpster where trucks and garbage are situated.

New York, NY - Crossing Over The Williamsburg Bridge

New York, NY - A bridge worth the walk.

WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE

This 7,308-foot suspension bridge was the longest in the world when it was completed in 1903. Only the north side walkway is open, so once you get to Brooklyn, walk down South Fourth Street and make a right on Havemeyer Street over to Broadway. Turn left into the gritty kind of business district that seems to exist everywhere elevated trains rattle overhead. Then take the first right down Marcy Avenue.

You’re headed toward Lee Avenue, the main Chasidic strip, a fascinating place to explore on a Sunday (on Saturday, businesses are closed). The signs are in Yiddish and Hebrew, and the restaurants divided into dairy and meat. Conservative dress - long sleeves, long pants - is required for men and women in some places.

That includes Gottlieb’s restaurant, on Roebling Street, which serves pastrami sandwiches and noodle and potato kugel. Your dairy alternative is the signless Cafe W, on Lee Avenue, a busy place with a salad bar, brick oven pizza and sushi. Williamsburg also has a kosher candy store, which opened last March: Chocolate Castle has Israeli brands like Klik and Elite/Megadim.

On your way back over the bridge, don’t miss the "Leaving Brooklyn - Oy Vey" sign.

Brooklyn, NY +Child Struck by Vehicle+

Brooklyn, NY +Child Struck by Vehicle+ A motor vehicle accident with a child that was struck to his leg on Ocean Parkway and Avenue "R" Hatzolah responding now after aided start complaining of leg pain.

Jerusalem, Israel - American Jew Arrested on Suspicion of Threatening Arabs

Jerusalem, Israel - Police on Motzei Shabbos reported an American Jewish youth who was placed under arrest after he was observed in an intoxicated state, threatening two Arabs to stab them, in the Jaffa Gate area of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Police added that during questioning, the suspect admitted he planned to stab the Arabs in response to the destruction of homes in rocket attacks in Tzfas.

Yorktown, NY - Anti-Semitic Pamphlets Left On Mailboxes

Yorktown, NY - A Spring Valley Road couple said they were so disgusted by anti-Semitic literature delivered to their yard, that they drove around their neighborhood collecting copies of the same pamphlets left by their neighbors' mailboxes.

Hallie Wolfe said she and her husband drove around the area to collect the four-page pamphlets when they received two of them - one at each end of their two-entrance driveway.
The literature carries a pre-World War II anti-Semitic mentality and is presented in the form of stories to German citizens and children. "It's old stuff, but you read it, and it just makes you sick," Wolfe said. The Wolfes said they had not seen any similar incidents in the 36 years they have lived on the street.

Wolfe said she called Yorktown police, but an officer who responded, while sympathetic, said there was nothing that could be done.
Yorktown police would not release information on the incident.

The Wolfes said they collected as many fliers as they could, about 25 in all. They found them by mailboxes up and down the rural road, where homes are set back on properties while mailboxes stand at the edge of the street. Each pamphlet was rolled and held with a rubber band. "They're going to make nice kindling," Hallie Wolfe said.

New York, NY +Doctor Suspected In Blowing Up His Building Dies

New York, NY - The New York doctor suspected of blowing up his townhouse rather than lose it in a divorce settlement has died.
Doctor Nicholas Bartha was badly injured in the blast last Monday and died at a hospital in New York. The explosion destroyed the four-story landmark in Manhattan's Upper East Side at 34 East 62nd Street.

Police had been unable to speak to Bartha because of his condition but have said they were investigating whether the blast was intentional.

Somebody had tampered with the gas line in the basement. And Bartha's ex-wife says she got an e-mail from him shortly before the explosion warning she would be, quote. "transformed from gold digger to ash and rubbish digger." The message added, "I always told you I will leave the house only if I am dead."

U/D: 07/17/06
His death was ruled a suicide.

Warsaw - Poland wins Name Change for Auschwitz Camp

Warsaw, Poland - The United Nations has agreed to rename Auschwitz concentration camp to stress that Nazi Germans, not Poles, were responsible for the world’s most notorious death camp, Poland’s Culture Ministry said.
“Auschwitz Concentration Camp,” a UN heritage site, will be renamed “the Former Nazi German Concentration Camp of Auschwitz,” the ministry said.
“This decision marks a victory for both Poland and historical truth,” Culture Minister Kazimierz Ujazdowski said.

Poland asked the U.N. in April to rename Auschwitz, where 1.5 million people, mostly Jews, died in World War Two.

Warsaw objects to references to "Polish gas chambers" at the "Polish concentration camp" in foreign media. Nearly 3 million non-Jewish Poles died at Nazi hands, and Poles see themselves as victims of the war.

Because of this image, the role of Poles in the deaths of millions of Polish Jews, and at Auschwitz, is a sore topic. Some accounts say Poles assisted the Nazis at Auschwitz, where 6,000 died every day during 1944.

Israel - Deadly Rocket Attack in Chaifa

Chaifa, Israel - Lebanese guerillas fired a relentless barrage of rockets into the northern Israeli city of Chaifa on Sunday, killing eight people at a train station and wounding seven others.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed that there would be "far-reaching consequences" for the attack.

At least 20 rockets slammed into Chaifa, and one of them hit a section of the train depot where crews of about 30 people were performing maintenance on the trains, tearing a huge hole in the roof and killing eight people.
Other rockets landed near the city's major oil refinery, gas storage tanks and a major street during the busy morning rush hour.

Israeli authorities warned all residents in the central city of Tel Aviv and north to be on heightened alert, reflecting the longer range of the missile attacks. It was the first time Hezbollah had used this long range Iranian made missiles, in attacking Israel.

Soon after the attack, Israeli warplanes hit the south Beirut stronghold of Hezbollah with at least six airstrikes, shaking the Lebanese capital and sending a cloud of thick smoke rising over the neighborhood.
The Israeli air force dropped leaflets over south Lebanon telling residents to leave immediately before an imminent attack.
"Nothing will deter us," Olmert said at the beginning of his government's weekly Cabinet meeting. "There will be far-reaching consequences in our relations on the northern border and in the area in general."

Kiryas Joel +Burech Diyan Huemas+

Kiryas Joel +Burech Diyan Huemas+ With deep sadness we learned of the untimely passing of Burach Bendit Weider, 37, son of R' Avruhom Weider who passed away after being ill for three years. He is survived by wife (fried) and 5 young kids (Besiros Tovos)