Three students from the Five Towns and Long Beach were among nine to receive the distinction of valedictorian at Yeshiva University’s undergraduate commencement exercises in the IZOD Center in East Rutherford. The valedictorian honor reflects exceptional academic achievement. Ayelet Haymov of Cedarhurst and Jonathan Weiss of Lawrence were co-valedictorians of the Sy Syms School of Business and received the Dean Harold Nierenberg Memorial Valedictorian Award. Dan Schindelheim of Long Beach was valedictorian of the Yeshiva Program Mazer School of Talmudic Studies. more

Ninety-five young men and women gathered in Woodmere for a unique singles’ experience last Shabbat. The Shabbaton featured interactive activities, family meals, a dvar Torah, seudah shlishit and a musical havdalah. It was a joint effort by the Young Israel of Woodmere Singles Initiative Committee, YUConnects, JSMatchpoint, and SawYouAtSinai.com. more

Among the classic writings concerning Jewish liturgy are two works from Chabad — an English translation of their prayer book, “Siddur Tehillat Hashem,” by Rabbi Nissen Mangel, and the classic detailed commentary and exposition of Jewish liturgy by Rabbi Dr. Nissan Mindel, zt”l, entitled, “My Prayer,” first published in 1972 and recently reissued by Kehot in a two volume revised edition. “My Prayer,” reflecting scholarship drawn from the works of Maimonides and Chasidic masters, presents a deeper meaning of the prayers and a comprehensive understanding of the moral and ethical teachings contained therein. more

“They came to the Tzin Desert, and the people stopped in Kadesh. It was there that Miriam died and she was buried there.” (20:1) This is all the Torah has to say about Miriam, whose death was comparable to Moshe’s (Baba Batra 17a), Aharon’s, and even Avraham’s, on account of all them utilizing the word sham (there), which even appears twice here (Menachem Recanati on this verse). more

Both children and adults doubled their fun as the beautiful weather and exciting attractions made Kulanu’s annual community fair at Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park the place to be last Sunday. The fair raises money for the Cedarhurst-based Center for Special Services. “It is important to support Kulanu for the wonderful work that they do for the special needs children in the community,” said Jay Goldmark, a Woodmere resident. more

A widening measles outbreak in Brooklyn is being blamed on the refusal of some members of the borough’s Orthodox Jewish communities to vaccinate their children. The city’s Department of Health issued an alert on May 21, announcing 34 cases of measles, 27 in Borough Park and seven in Williamsburg. “It’s a mitzvah to get vaccinated,” Aaron E. Glatt, M.D., assistant rabbi at the Young Israel of Woodmere, told his congregation on Shabbat. “It’s protecting your life.” more

Schools, shuls and individuals from the Five Towns joined hundreds of thousands of people from throughout the tri-state area and beyond to demonstrate support for the State of Israel, at the 50th Annual Celebrate Israel Parade and Israel Day Concert in Manhattan on Sunday. more

Thursday June 6 FDNOW annual dinner Lawrence Yacht and Country Club 101 Causeway, Lawrence, NY 11559 6 PM reception, 7 PM dinner For more information go to fdnow.org more

Challenging students to focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and having them use that knowledge to produce a project which could spur them to a career applying those principles is the mission of the Manhattan-based Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education. The eight-year-old center hosted its second annual Young Engineers conference at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) on May 30. more

The end was as anticlimactic as the controversy was stimulating. In a Lawrence High School guidance room, Board of Education President Dr. Asher Mansdorf read off the results of the May 21 budget vote on May 30. Tova Plaut, who had 426 fewer votes than Jesse Lunin-Pack after the first vote count on Election Night, was officially declared the winner by 37 votes — 1,647 to 1,610 — after two election recounts. Dov Herman finished with 840 votes in the three-way race. Plaut will replace Dr. Solomon Blisko on the board. He declined to run for re-election. more