The first thing you notice when you talk to singer Sholom Jacobs is the accent. I couldn’t quite place it. Perhaps English? A bit South African maybe? I was wrong on both counts. The son of Chabad shluchim, Jacobs, 33, was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, where he began his musical career as a child singing in shul, school choirs and concerts ran by his father. Jacobs left Scotland at 16, spending three years learning in an Israeli yeshiva before finally settling in New York. more

Calendar for the week of July 1, 2011 more

Misaskim, the Brooklyn-based organization best known for providing assistance to grieving families, has recently expanded its services with non-Jewish workers and assistance to fliers stranded on Shabbat in out-of-the-way locations. “Misaskim has a relationship with Continental, and our director is also the chaplain at the Port Authority Police,” said Misaskim coordinator Suri Roth. more

One of the most ancient tales from the Torah has been created in the newest style of computer-generated animation, forming a three-dimensional world of characters and cities. It’s the combination of old text with modern animation that’s turning heads. “Young Avraham: From the Ancient Stories of the Israelites” is a high quality film that relates the story of Abraham and his quest to prove that G-d is not made of stone and can be discovered through the conscious mind. The film spans the first 75 years of Abraham’s life, revealing a little known story from Medrashic texts. more

Many children want to professionally dance or fight fires. For West Hempstead resident Ann Koffsky, the childhood dream has always been to become an artist, which led to her work as a children’s book illustrator. In turn, this led to her becoming an author of the same books. “I realized I wanted to control the whole story,” said Koffsky. “So I started writing some stories.” more

Calendar for the week of June 17, 2011 more

Calendar for the week of June 10, 2011 more

I just returned from Washington, having attended my first AIPAC Policy Conference. This year’s event was the largest yet, with 10,000 delegates participating. I was incredibly proud to be one of these delegates, and overwhelmed by the strength and diversity of the pro-Israel movement. Among the attendees were Jews and non-Jews, both religious and secular, African Americans and Latinos, students and professionals, all there for one reason – to support Israel and keep her safe. more

The art classes at S.K.A. and HAFTR were all filled with student-made banners portraying Israeli flags, kippot and themes of every respective yeshiva. As New York City prepares for the festivities celebrating Israel’s independence, Long Islanders are gearing up for a day of great tribute and emotion. more

Calendar for the week of June 3, 2011 more