L’Accuse! Turkey frees bird charged as Israeli spy Authorities in Turkey have exonerated and freed a bird that was accused of being a spy for Israel. According to Turkish daily Hurriyet, residents of the village of Altinavya in the eastern province of Elazig became suspicious when they found the kestrel, a common Eurasian bird belonging to the falcon family, with a metallic ring stamped with the words “24311 Tel Avivunia Israel.” The villagers immediately delivered it to authorities, who proceeded to bring the bird to Firat University for medical examinations, including x-rays, to determine that it wasn’t carrying microchips or other spying devices. more

He’s low-key, reassuring and rabbinic, speaks easily to his charges and could easily be one of them, as he brings North American Jews closer to geulah [redemption]. In ten years, through Nefesh B’Nefesh, Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, along with Tony Gelbart, has succeeded in moving 35,000 Jews along the path to accomplish their dream of living in Israel. more

JCC appoints Joel Block as exec director From JCC of Greater Five Towns The JCC of the Greater Five Towns has announced the appointment of Joel Block as executive director. Block will provide strategic direction for the JCC and rely on his expertise in program development and community relations to expand JCC’s curriculum, strengthen its community ties and encourage overall growth. more

The excessive heat on Tisha B’Av Tuesday dropped a political intern to the pavement in Williamsburg, hijacking a press conference by mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, igniting a debate over New York City’s emergency preparedness, and bringing kudos to Hatzalah for its rapid response. more

Challenging someone to step forward and forge unity across the varied streams of Torah observant Judaism in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway, Stephen Savitsky declared the need for achdut (unity), in a talk following Shabbat mincha at the Young Israel of Woodmere. more

Leibel Zisman was a survivor, of Kovno, of Auschwitz, of slave labor. He was a refugee from murder, genocide, and unbridled anti-Semitism. He was a Chabad chasid who was destined to survive all the difficulties of life to arrive at these blessed shores, learn English, receive a college degree, teach math, go into business, marry, establish a family, and spend the rest of his life helping others and making the giving of charity the hallmark of his life’s work. more

Students of Gan Chamesh, Chabad of the Five Towns preschool, displayed the compassion and charity they learned throughout the school year during their graduation march on June 14. more

A Cedarhurst native who davens in Agudath of the Five Towns, won an Emmy award for a daytime travel adventure show, but his principal focus is on Jewish themed videos. The winning show, “Born to Explore” with Richard Wiese, has not been seen by the Torah observant community since it airs on Shabbat mornings on ABC, but David Jasse’s DMJ Digital Media on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst edits the footage for the half hour program and produced the graphics for the show’s opening animation. Jasse and DMJ are better known in the community for their videos for Darchei Torah, TAG, Hatzalah, Achiezer and Chai Lifeline. more

An organization whose goal is to facilitate care and aid for residents in need in the Five Towns and Rockaways is now calling on the community to help raise money to continue its mission. Achiezer, founded in 2009 to coordinate communal resources to assist 24/7 with medical, mental health, financial and physical issues, will hold a dinner this Sunday, June 2, 6:30 p.m., at the Sands in Atlantic Beach. more

Pain may be one of the realities of cancer treatment, but an organization founded to empower children undergoing cancer care by using martial arts techniques is making great strides in alleviating and controlling their pain. Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg of Detroit, who founded Kids Kicking Cancer in 1990, will speak at the Young Israel of Hewlett on Shabbat Parshat Korach, June 8, and will present his technique that Sunday. more