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Photo Credit: Yaakov Katz Studios (347) 464-5499

Teach Coalition’s End-of-the-Year #Gratitude4Guards Campaign Rallies Children, Parents, and School Officials to Show Their Thanks

From New York and New Jersey to Pennsylvania, Florida, and beyond, more than 500 Jewish day school children, parents, and school staff are ending the school year by offering unique shows of gratitude for their schools’ security guards by bringing them hand-made cards, doughnuts, coffee, and an abundance of “high-fives” as part of Teach Coalition’s first-ever #Gratitude4Guards campaign.

Summer got off to a spiritual and scenic start, when Emet’s Higher Level Men’s Division hosted a four-day retreat in Upstate New York. A sprawling, private lodge in Hancock became the weekend home for a group of students who have advanced in their Torah learning. They were joined by a dynamic Emet team of Rabbi Michael Fuzaylov, Rabbi Ari Hertz, and Rabbi Yakov Musheyev. The plan was to engage everyone with an array of invigorating activities, inspiring learning, and countless opportunities for bonding and fun.

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 2,000 rabbis in matters of American public policy, last Wednesday applauded a decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, upholding an Arkansas state law requiring businesses to affirm that they will not boycott the State of Israel in order to win public contracts. Arkansas is one of 35 states with similar “Anti-BDS” laws, and this marks the first time such a law was evaluated by a full Federal Court of Appeals. The State argued, in part, that firms making “discriminatory decisions on the basis of national origin” harm their own commercial soundness, making such a company an inferior partner. This language, explicitly characterizing boycotts of Israel as a form of racist bigotry, was incorporated by the Court in its decision.

Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. and his state colleagues approved legislation (S.9428/A.1940) to impose restrictions on the purchase, sale, and possession of catalytic converters by vehicle dismantlers, scrap processors, and others.

The Young Israel of Long Beach is excited to announce that we will once again be hosting “Simply Tsfat” for their July Fourth summer kickoff concert! The event has become a community tradition, attracting fans from all parts of the Island and beyond who come to experience the group’s signature energetically inspirational style.