Yeshiva World News

The NY Post reports: Shmura matzohs may look the same but they don’t taste the same. Each major Hasidic sect in Williamsburg has its own matzoh bakery and each bakery zealously guards its methods and its recipe. But which factory produces the tastiest shmura (if those words aren’t themselves a contradiction in terms)? We put our stomachs (and bowels) on the line for our first-ever Shmura Matzoh Smackdown.

Kerestir Passover Hand Matzohs

32 Lynch St.

The package promises that each round is “baked in a brick oven with ash firewood to enhance crispness” and, to a degree, the rabbis are right. The matzohs are “crisp,” only “lightly smoky” and you can really taste the ash. This factory also enjoys cache in the Brooklyn Heights crowd, having been recommended by Democratic District Leader Steve Cohn.

Overall comment: Crispy, but unsatisfying.

Satmar Bakery (Zalmanites)

427 Broadway

The only bakery to source its grain locally, specifically from Long Island, these matzohs are “dense” and “heavy” with a classic wheat aftertaste and grainy texture. However, some tasters could not differentiate the product from the box that contained it.

Overall comment: Thicker than a Talmud.

Satmar Bakery (Aaronites)

322 Rutledge St.

The newest bakery in Williamsburg, this Satmar factory pioneered the use of Arizona-based wheat after the rebbe visited the state and proclaimed its flour more kosher. Matzohs have a “bold wheat flavor,” a “sharp texture” and were among the tastiest sampled.

Overall comment: Crispy and thin.

Pupa and Zehlem Matzoh Bakery

346 Broadway

The winners in the taste test, the Pupa matzohs were “light,” “crisp” and “not at all burnt.” For Williamsburg families that have to eat 20 pounds of the stuff during Passover, these matzohs are the easiest to digest.

Overall comment: Just like grandpa used to make.

(Source: http://www.nypost.com/ HPO-4705)

NYS Senate Democrats want to legalize medical marijuana as a way to generate nearly $15 million in licensing fees to help plug the state’s $9 billion budget gap.

“It is the right thing to do and there is revenue attached to it,” said state Sen. Thomas Duane (D-Manhattan). Duane and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan) are behind the plan to make it legal for folks with serious medical woes to score limited amounts of weed from state-certified distributors – or grow it themselves.

The Senate still needs to approve the provision, though Dems included revenue projections from the sale of medical marijuana in their 2010-2011 budget proposal. “It’s ludicrous,” needled Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn).

(Read More: http://www.nydailynews.com/)

Infantino LLC is recalling more than 1 million baby slings following reports of three infant deaths. According to CNN, Consumer Product Safety Commission is recommending that parents stop using the baby slings immediately for children under four months of age to avoid the risk of suffocation.

“Infantino sold the slings in the United States and Canada from January 2003 through March 2010 at stores including Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500), Burlington Coat Factory, Target (TGT, Fortune 500), Babies “R” Us and online at Amazon.com (AMZN, Fortune 500) for between $25 and $30.”

The company is offering a replacement product. Consumers can contact Infantino at (866) 860-1361 or visit their at www.infantino.com to receive a free replacement product.

(Source: Gather.com / YWN-112)

Smoking may be bad for your health, but it could be great for New York bottom line.

Th state Assembly is considering  a dollar tax increase on cigarettes to close the ever-widening budget gap.

The move would bring the total tax on a pack of cigarettes to $3.75, a national high, and raise more than $200 million dollars in revenue.

It’s one proposal among many, that lawmakers will meet in Albany today to discuss.

Governor Paterson is not supportive of the Senate’s plans vowing to make big cuts to short term budget extensions if lawmakers miss the state’s April 1 budget deadline.

(Read More: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/)

The US Census Bureau Tuesday reported the estimated resident population change for New York counties from April 1, 2000 through June 1, 2009 and Orange County had the largest percent population growth in the state with a 12.4 percent increase.

County Executive Edward Diana said the statistics prove his point. “I have always said that people will not do things and will not go places they do not like, and obviously people moving to Orange County, over 42,000 people doing that in those nine years, is a testament to the quality of life in Orange County,” he said. “We will continue to do that as long as I am the county executive. You have to control the growth and you have to plan for properly, but I think we have done that in Orange County.”

Orange’s growth in recent years has been driven by a massive influx of commuters who work in New York City and its immediate suburbs, and the rapid growth of the Satmar Chasidic Village of Kiryas Joel, where residents tend to have large families.

Dutchess County ranked 10th in the state followed by Rockland at 11th. Putnam County came in 15th, followed by Sullivan County at 19th place, Ulster at 22nd, Greene County at 25th and Columbia County in 44th place.

(Source: MidHudsonNews.com / YWN-112)

The State Assembly’s Democratic majority is reportedly looking to restore some school aid.

A source told the Associated Press that under the Assembly’s budget proposal, which is expected to be unveiled today, $600 million in funding would be restored to public schools.

That would ease some of the $1.3 billion in school funding cuts proposed by Governor David Paterson and supported by Senate Democrats.

The state is looking for ways to close a $9 billion deficit by the time the budget is due on April 1.

The state’s severe fiscal woes could have dire consequences for the city.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s budget director Mark Page has asked city agencies to cut their budgets for the eighth time in two years, to offset the possible loss of $1.3 billion from Albany.

Uniformed service agencies, including the New York City Police and Fire Departments, are being asked to cut their budgets by 3.6 percent.

The Department of Education is being asked to make 2.7 percent in cuts and other agencies will have to cut their budgets by 7.2 percent.

While it will be up to individual agency heads to determine how the cuts will be made, they will likely include layoffs.

The mayor warned in January the state budget could force the city to lay off 18,000 workers.

Bloomberg has also proposed eliminating four fire engine companies, closing four swimming pools and cutting funding for libraries.

Each agency must submit a proposal by Wednesday, April 7.

(Source: http://www.ny1.com/)

1:49AM EST: YWN has just learned that just moments ago, the verdict was given to Yakov Yosef ben Reizel, one of the bochurim detained in Japan.

The prosecutor had requested a 13 year prison sentence (including forced labor), while the defense attorneys requested a full acquittal. Of the 13 years demanded by the prosecution, he received 6 years. Being that he already sat 2/3 of 2 years, the remainder of his sentence is 4 years.

Askonim are confident that he will be transferred to Eretz Yisroel in the immediate future. Once there, they are hopeful that the Israeli Government will deduct another 2 years.

The tzibur is requested to continue davening for: Yosef ben Ita Rivka (recently transferred to an Israeli prison to serve another 18 months), Yoel Zev ben Mirel Reesa Chava (trial scheduled to start at the end of May, and still in imprisoned in prison) and Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel.
 
Further details will be posted as soon as they are available to us.
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: CLICK HERE TO BE MEKAYEM PIDYON SHIVUYIM IN ASSISTING THE BOCHRIM STILL IN JAPAN PRISON! ASKONIM TELL YWN THAT OVER $2 MILLION HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON THEIR DEFENSE TO DATE, AND MUCH MORE IS STILL NEEDED.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

[PHOTO LINK BELOW] A few thousand residents of Boro Park crowded into a large warehouse on Monday to receive food for Pesach at no cost. Large and needy families were able to obtain cases of eggs, potatoes, onions, carrots, matzos, children’s nosh, grapefruits and oranges. Also available on the second floor of the warehouse was brand-new quality clothing and shoes at prices that were cut by 90% or at no cost at all.

This effort was undertaken by the newly established sub-division of the Bikur Cholim of Boro Park, Olam Hachesed.  Reb Naftali Teitlebaum, the noted askan and Director of Olam Hachesed, worked with tremendous mesiras nefesh over the last 10 days to obtain large quantities of food and new quality clothing from local vendors. Vouchers were distributed to over 100 representatives of kehillos who comprise Olam Hachesed, for those in their kehillos with BL”H large families and who need assistance in preparing for Pesach.

When word got out that this effort was underway, the Bikur Cholim office was flooded with requests for vouchers; and all requests were met. Thousands of vouchers were distributed.

The heimishe olam in Boro Park has been galvanized by the Olam Hachesed initiative and is tremendously supportive of this undertaking.

Local politicians and choshuva Rabbonim who visited the warehouse on Sunday were mesmerized at the amount and quality of clothing and food that was available. Various Dayanim and Admorim stopped by late Sunday and expressed amazement at the large quantity of shoes, dresses and other clothing that were being made available to the kehillos at discounts of 90%, or totally free of charge. This, along with the free food, they said, would be a huge benefit to many needy families in our community.

Councilman Brad Lander was so touched by what he saw that he promised to see whether government assistance might be available for future endeavors of this sort.

“People came over to me with tears in their eyes, thanking Bikur Cholim for making their lives a little easier for Yom Tov”, said Chaim Schoenblum, President.

Bikur Cholim of Boro Park would like to thank the many vendors that contributed to this effort and to those who sold to us at discounted prices.  Your generosity has made a lot of needy families extremely happy this Yom Tov.

YWN PHOTO LINK: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/photos.php?albumid=5451903406287728913

(YWN Desk – NYC)

If you park in Manhattan, be sure to have a few more quarters handy.

New York City is raising the rates on parking meters, and some drivers say the hike may drive them out of town.

On the crowded streets of the city, parking can be a pain. Drivers say the city is adding insult to injury by asking them to pay more to park.

In some high-traffic areas of Manhattan, the city is raising parking meter rates from $2 an hour to $2.50 an hour for commercial and non-commercial vehicles.

By raising the rate, the Department of Transportation projects the city will make an additional $12 million in revenue in the next fiscal year.

But that’s no consolation to drivers.

As many as 1,500 non-commercial meters below 86th Street, river to river will be affected, as well as a combination of commercial and non-commercial meters between 14th and 60th streets from Second to Ninth avenues.

You can still park for a couple bucks an hour in some areas. The increased rate will be phased in over the next few months and completed by the end of June.

The combined revenue from parking and ticket and towing fees brings the city more than $1 billion a year.

(Source: http://wcbstv.com/)

EL AL President Eleyzer Shkedy recently met with HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita at his home in Bnei Brak to consult with the Rav on a wide range of issues. During the meeting, HaRav Kanievsky praised EL AL and made the following statement, “Without a doubt, all Jews, especially those who are Shomerei Torah and Mitzvos, should prefer EL AL over all other airlines. Only on EL AL are there Kashrus and Shmiras Shabbas. Therefore, it is clear that those who fly EL AL are protected by a double Siyata D’shmaya.”

EL AL President Shkedy expressed his gratitude for the kind words and the opportunity to meet with the Rav. Shkedy is proud of EL AL’s identity as the world’s only Shomer Shabbos and kosher airline.

HaRav Kanievsky wished the EL AL President bracha vehatzlacha in his important new position.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Washington, DC – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has taken steps to educate its personnel as to the nature, contents and use of tefillin, adding information about them to briefing materials for security officials across the nation.

Agudath Israel of America’s Washington Director and Counsel, Rabbi Abba Cohen, called the TSA move “a welcome development that should go far in clearing up potential misunderstandings on the part of agency employees and the public regarding a religious article that Jewish travelers sometimes may carry or wear aboard aircraft.”

Representing the national Orthodox Jewish organization, Rabbi Cohen first raised the tefillin issue with the TSA several years ago, when a number of constituents reported problems they encountered at airport security checkpoints.  At that time, Rabbi Cohen explained to agency officials the religious obligation to wear tefillin, what the ritual entails, and — using a pair of dismantled tefillin — showed officials how the items are made and what they contain.

At that time, the TSA responded positively to Agudath Israel’s presentation, and undertook to include within its training manuals information to familiarize its officers with tefillin, and to offer guidance on screening procedures.  Work on the specific issue of tefillin training continued while TSA addressed complex concerns regarding headwear screening procedures – another area of importance to the Orthodox Jewish community and of cooperation between Agudath Israel and TSA.

In the interim, other Agudath Israel efforts were undertaken to help better acquaint airline industry personnel with Jewish practices.  A special brochure was even produced by the Orthodox group that described Jewish prayer, rituals and customs.

“We are gratified by the TSA’s sensitivity on this issue,” says Rabbi Cohen, “and are pleased to have collaborated with it in developing the new guidance.

“Better information can only lead to our mutual goals – not only of religious sensitivity but of more effective security.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)

The Bloomberg administration is gearing up for a massive round of layoffs and job cuts.

Albany’s financial ineptitude has turned into a nightmare for New York City residents.

Anticipating cuts of up to $1.3 billion in state aid, Mayor Michael Bloomberg Tuesday asked agency heads to tighten their belts, again, for the eighth time in two years. This time, there may be nothing left to cut but jobs.

It was a letter every city commissioner was dreading, a demand for a new round of cuts to make up for a drop in revenue from the state. Up to $1.3 billion needs to be cut, including 19,000 fewer jobs.

Sources tell CBS 2′s Marcia Kramer that if all the cuts are taken in personnel it would mean:

- 3,150 fewer NYPD officers.

- 1,000 fewer FDNY firefighters (which means the closure of 42 engine companies).

- 8,500 fewer teachers in city classrooms.

- The elimination of 900 sanitation workers.

- 500 fewer parks workers.

- 500 fewer Transportation Department employees.

- 400 fewer librarians.

- Cuts to all five district attorneys offices.

- 13 Staten Island Ferry trips per day could be cut.

Budget Director Mark Page says there is no way to accurately predict what cuts the state will ultimately impose, so it’s best to prepare for the worst. The commissions have until April 7 to tell the mayor exactly what they propose to cut.

(Source: http://wcbstv.com/)

On video captured by multiple media network cameras, Vice President Biden introduces President Obama, and then can telling to the president: “This is a big (word removed by YWN) deal.”

Not long after, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs sent out a  Twitter message, and appeared to acknowledge the hot-mic moment, writing: ” And yes Mr. Vice President, you’re right…”

The crack puts Biden in good company: On “60 Minutes” last Sunday, profanity-prone White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said that he’s only cussed in the Oval Office around Obama once, and that he tries to keep his verbiage clean in the presence of the president whenever possible.

(Source: Politico)