Iran’s nuclear threat was the main topic at the America Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference in Washington, DC, this weekend. Two options for blunting it were debated — strong sanctions against Iran or congressional legislation authorizing American military action. Eli Hertz, a member of the Executive Council of AIPAC for 25 years, more

March 4 13th Annual Claire Kamhi Hachnossat Kallah Breakfast At the home of Nicole and Marc Gleitman, 128 Willlow Road, Woodsburgh Guest Speaker, Charlie Harary, Introductory remarks by Rabbi Eli Brazil 9:15 a.m. For more information please call (516) 650-0498 more

“One of the most important things, from a religious and psychological perspective, is to take care of our family. This is what I’m supposed to be doing. That’s what I’m here for, to take care of our own parents and our own children.” more

Feb 9, 16 Chabad of the Five Towns at Brandeis School Friendship Circle, Sports Night A three week sports session with our experienced instructor Coach Michael and the students of the Brandeis school.  Together all will have a ball and practice basketball skill, kickball, and much more. Sibs welcome. Fee: $25 per child for all 3 sessions. For more information please call 516-295-2478, ext. 13 or email Batsheva@chabadfivetowns.com. more

The things I love about coming home after being away are: eating my own home-cooked food, sleeping in our comfortable bed, getting back into a “normal” routine, and, well, that’s about it! more

The black and white pictures of Jewish personalities and scenes float, shuffle, and gather across the velvet-black background as the violin-led strains of the theme from Schindler’s List plays. Albert Einstein, Eli Weisel, a street in Europe, an Israeli flag unfurled at the Kotel and then the cursive words “What It Means to Be a Jew” appear and fade. more

When I was a child I dreamt that I’d marry into an immigrant family very similar to my own. My children would grow up speaking Spanglish and we’d continue the traditions I grew up with. But other than my extended family I really didn’t know many other Jewish Cubans living in Brooklyn. Little did I imagine I would later go to Israel, meet and then marry a totally different type of Jewish immigrant, one from Africa, who speaks Afrikaans and a bit of Zulu, but no Spanish at all. I continue to cook for my family some of the traditional Cuban dishes of my childhood. Our children’s Spanish, however, comes straight out of the textbooks from three years of forced high school Regents preparatory classes. Their attempts at hablando espanol can make me laugh; compared to them I sound like a real Cuban native! more

Jan. 29 Eating Disorders Among our Young People Congregation Aish Kodesh, Woodmere Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, radio personality, author, syndicated columnist and Director of the Center for Torah Initiatives and Assistant Professor of Judaic Studies at the Lander College for Women is keynote speaker at 8 p.m. Panel of experts including Dr. Ditza Berger, professor of Psychology at Lander College, Dr. Alan Perry, chair of the Department of Psychology at Lander College, and Rabbi Jonathan Morgenstern, the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Scarsdale who holds a Master’s Degree in Addiction Counseling will respond following Rabbi Goldwasser . Congregation Aish Kodesh is located at 894 Woodmere Place. more

In commemoration of Hadassah’s upcoming centennial milestone, Long Beach’s Tziporah chapter held a “ Stories to Share, Recipes to Savor” event on Thursday, January 12. Coordinated by Program Vice President Carole Pearlman, and Co-Chair Maxine Klein, six women, who were born and raised in foreign countries spoke about the trials and tribulations in their native lands. These Hadassah members representative of Paraguay, Greece, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Scotland, and Cuba conveyed their stories in a group discussion and through recipes shared in a cookbook that was compiled and distributed as part of the centennial program. more

The recession has had a profound affect on individuals and families and the Five Towns community is no exception. Since the meltdown in 2008 many area residents have found themselves without a job, or working for less than what they had been earning. Many find it hard to make ends meet, or find a job. more