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

America is fighting a war against Islamic terror. The economy is on the abyss of collapsing under its own debt and growth slow and/or non-existent. The IRS is targeting American citizens because of their political views, the Department of Justice is targeting the press just because. Obamacare is driving health care costs up. No one in the administration seems to be honest about the deaths of four hero Americans who were killed in Benghazi. And we can't find out who authorized the sale of automatic weapons to the Mexican drug cartels. more

Growing up in Brooklyn, I don’t remember ever having a barbecue. We ate “hockfleish,” which was basically a hamburger, pan fried. It was thick and juicy and we ate it without a bun … at least that’s how I remember it. I could be wrong; I’ll let you know after my sister reads the column. more

The color blue has always played a role in both the religious and political traditions of our faith. This can be seen in the references in the ritual requirements of the mitzvah of Tzitzit in scripture, in prayer, and in ritual practice. more

In addition to being one of the more colorful characters in the Torah, Korach is even more colorful as he is portrayed in the Talmud and Midrash. A simple look at the commentaries brings one to understand his brilliant mind, his ability to twist Torah, mitzvot, and halacha to conform to his agenda of criticizing Moshe’s leadership (which is less apparent in the Torah) and Aharon’s role as Kohen Gadol, his primary objection. more

Carolyn McCarthy, who represents most of the Five Towns in Congress, revealed this week that she has been diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer — and that she’s committed to beating this latest challenge. more

Students in Rambam Mesivta in Lawrence had the special privilege of hearing divrei Torah from HaRav Simcha HaCohen Kook this week. Rav Kook, who serves as the Chief Rabbi of Rechovot, davened Shachris with the talmidim and spoke afterwards about the special mission they all have. He recounted the leadership qualities of Kalev ben Yefuneh who stood up to the crowd against the overwhelming tide of the other meraglim (spies). more

They asked him for a bracha (blessing). He raised his eyebrows, his eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses clear, gentle and still the same intensity as years ago. Pointing to himself and shrugging his shoulders, he shook his head slowly as if to say, “who me?” After some persuasion, he accedes to the father’s request, a young rebbe from Yeshiva Darchei Torah, and stands and blesses each of the children, gently placing his hands on each boy’s head, standing bowed in front of the girls. more

A few weeks ago, at a now much publicized Rosh Chodesh prayer service at the Kotel, things got ugly. As they have been doing for nearly 25 years, a group of women from a range of Jewish backgrounds, known as the Women of the Wall, gathered at the Kotel to pray the special morning prayers of Rosh Chodesh, celebrating the new month in the Jewish calendar. This group included women wearing tallitot and Tefillin, and reading from a Torah scroll. Many ultra-Orthodox Jews (a label that needs defining--beyond the scope of this article) arrived to protest, and things soon got out of hand. more