Sergey Kadinsky

A white picket fence that exemplifies suburban streetscapes was found vandalized with spray paint on Monday morning with “Zionism is Nazism,” “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine.” Facing the busy Merrick Avenue, its writer intended to share the anti-Semitic messages with a large audience.

The call from the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County intended to send a “strong message” ahead of a planned anti-Israel picket of ZAKA volunteer commander Simcha Greiniman speaking at Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck this past Monday.

This year’s Pesach recognizes that more than 130 captive Jews remain unaccounted, in our prayers, along with thousands of men and women in uniform, defending and volunteering in the Jewish homeland. Many of us will have the Seder at home or close to home, and this Chol HaMoed Guide offers perennial favorites with updated exhibit information, along with lesser-known places in the city and nearby.

In the “world’s borough,” every language can be heard, and for Jewish languages, the epicenter of this diversity is Rego Park. I experienced it in my youth, in which the barber spoke Bukhori, the baker spoke Hungarian, the rabbi spoke German, elders spoke Yiddish sprinkled with Romanian and Ukrainian words, classmates spoke Russian, and many other such anecdotes within a short walking distance.

The sense of frustration with leaders pressuring Israel was expressed outside the UN this past Sunday, when more than 7,000 people attended a rally of solidarity for the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

The century-old mansion-turned-shul that is the Young Israel of Wavecrest and Bayswater was filled with lights this past Motza’ei Shabbos, matching the dancing and energy of the New York Boys Choir, as it expands to include participants from Queens.