The last of a generation passed away on veterans’as it coincided with the weekend of Memorial Day, an apparent fit for Loretta Z. Weiss, 103, longtime member of multiple veterans’ organizations and supporter of civic causes. She would have celebrated her 104th birthday on June 2.
In the decade following the collapse of communism in Romania, the city of Cluj had a nationalist mayor who painted park benches in the national colors and signs written only in Romanian. Such tactics were designed to make the city’s ethnic Hungarians feel like outsiders, suffering discrimination and humiliation in their native city. Author Edith Pollak can relate to this experience of alienation.
The most visible way to demonstrate support for Israel is by showing up. This Sunday, the Celebrate Israel Parade along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue will honor the 75th anniversary of Israel’s restored independence with “Renewing the Hope” as this year’s theme.
In contrast to New York City, where many functions of government are decided by the City Council, in Nassau County there are multiple layers, such as school boards, fire districts, the town councils, and the county legislature. Their roles and members are not as well known to voters as their state and federal representatives, and one young candidate hopes to raise awareness of local government.
In his first foreign trip since being elected, Long Island’s three Republican Congressmen joined Speaker Kevin McCarthy on a trip to Israel this week to promote ties and highlight the importance of the country as an ally.
There are 49 days of counting between Pesach and Shavuos, the period known as S’firas HaOmer. There are 50 states in the union. Following up on the popularity of our Chol HaMoed travel guide and my other job teaching American history at Touro College, I am sharing this guide, which combines Jewish observance with Americana.