Chicago

An unfortunate local controversy involving the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and the former leadership of the Newberger Hillel at the University of Chicago has attracted widespread attention. Some of the commentary has cast the issue as setting a stodgy, anachronistic establishment up against creative, exciting innovation (“Are We Overly Invested In Bricks And Mortar?” Editor’s column, May 4).

The date selected for Yom Hashoah, 27 Nisan, marks the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Chosen—not without controversy—by the Israeli Knesset in 1953, it serves as an occasion to mark the deaths of those Jews murdered by the Nazis for whom no date of death is known.

But what of those whose dates of death were recorded?

(JTA) -- Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was elected mayor of Chicago.

Emanuel garnered 55 percent of the vote in a five-way race on Tuesday, becoming the city's first Jewish mayor.

The election was the first time in 20 years that incumbent Mayor Richard Daley did not appear on the ballot.

Because Emanuel received more than 50 percent of the vote, he will become mayor without the need for a runoff election in April.

(JTA) -- Flyers with anti-Semitic messages directed against Chicago mayoral front-runner Rahm Emanuel were distributed on a train line that runs through the city.

The flyer, distributed at a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line station, shows a silhouette of Emanuel and reads: "I will run Chicago as I ran Freddie Mac, PROFITABLE (for me, me, me) thirty millions$$$$$$. I was entitled to it, being a Holocaust survivor (I mean my family)."