A sister’s battle with a serious disease and the emphasis on kindness ahead of Rosh Hashana has inspired a Queens resident to design pottery, aimed at raising awareness and funding. “I met a lot of amazing vendors and crafters,” said artist Abbey Wolin, who grew up in Long Beach. “I wanted to put together something amazing, something for Etta.” more

The Talmud in Kiddushin (40b) has a fascinating passage describing the merits process, which is quite applicable to this time of year. more

When Ethel Bauer Katz, a Holocaust survivor and author of “Our Tomorrows Never Came,” told audience members at Nassau Community College that she was the only one to survive out of her family of seven, the room fell silent. more

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a cool greeting at the United Nations General Assembly last week, but he has much to say. Here are some key points of his speech. more

The recession is not the only thing hurting Orthodox Jewish nonprofits. A lack of disclosure on their finances has resulted in a downgrade of ratings from a leading watchdog group. more

In an interview with Foreign Policy Magazine, Bill Clinton said the reluctance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the terms reached at Camp David in 2000, is a main reason for a lack of peace today. more

This past month, I have been honored to attend three weddings that exemplified the solution to the so-called shidduch crisis, couples representing very different backgrounds, with love triumphing. A story worthy of publicizing. I brought my dancing shoes, a shiny Borough Park suit, and practiced my handstands for the mitzvah of sameach chasan v’kallah. But there was one item that I left in my parked car, and for good reason. The facts below have been slightly altered to protect the parties’ identities. more

Calendar for the week of Sept. 23 more

Last week a witness refused to answer any questions that I was asking by pleading the “Fifth Amendment.” Although the case was a civil matter, this witness was fully protected by the Bill of Rights, from responding for fear that his answers might later be used against him in a criminal case. more

The increasing pressure to delegitimize Israel, including this week’s move for Palestinian statehood at the UN and the Durban III conference have raised concerns about renewed anti-Semitism in the mainstream. more