Opinion

The curvy windy road leading to the northern entrance of Efrat passes by an adjacent Arab town. The town extends from a nearby hill downwards and then ascends upwards almost reaching the Dagan and Tamar neighborhoods of Efrat. The town has no name, but it has schools, and nearby homes. Some of the buildings have not been completed as many of its window frames are empty revealing no residency within its walls. They are unoccupied structures.  Piles of garbage line the sides of a nearby road. It must be cleaned, so Efrat taxpayers have it removed at their expense. Given that these buildings are constructed illegally, it is safe to say there are no building codes observed. As the road approaches the security gate at entrance of Efrat, lanes narrow due to the excessive building, only allowing one lane, with traffic squeezing the city’s entrance adding to rush hour traffic.

The Republican Presidential candidates descended on the Iowa State Fair last week, and the 2024 primary is ramping up.  With a comfortable lead in polling and no shortage of supporters, former President Donald Trump looks like he will comfortably take the nomination once again.  He will not be on the debate stage in a couple weeks, and refuses to sign the loyalty pledge vowing support of any nominee should he lose. So the question for anyone wanting to see Joe Biden out of office is: Can Trump pull off another miracle?

With four indictments, a packed debate stage, investigations into shady dealings, and the leadership of the free world in the balance, it’s not surprising that much of the national focus is on 2024. By the time next November rolls around, Americans will likely be deciding between one candidate in a jail cell and the other in a hospice. Well before that happens, though, there are elections remaining this year, which have a profound impact on New Yorkers’ day-to-day life.

The City University of New York, comprising more than two dozen colleges throughout the five boroughs, has an anti-Semitism problem. For years, Jewish professors and students at several campuses have felt targeted and harassed for their religion and their Zionism. Now, for the great crime of complaining about this, four Jewish professors are the subject of investigations.

Former President Trump received his fourth, and likely last, indictment this past week, setting the stage for 2024 to have the most focus on courtroom drama since the OJ trial of 1995. Trump will literally be stuck in courtrooms while Republicans head to the primaries to vote for him, which is exactly what the Democrats want. Before breaking down these final indictments, let’s do a quick recap of the other three indictments and their merits.

The upcoming election offers us a crucial opportunity to make a difference in our community, and Sam Berger, a moderate Democrat, stands out as the candidate who can represent our interests effectively.