New York News

E-Rate Under Investigation

03/28/2013 | Julie Wiener | Associate Editor

In February 2013, The Jewish Week’s series of articles on E-rate revealed that in New York State this federal program, designed to make technology accessible to the nation’s schools, disproportionately benefits fervently Orthodox schools.
In 2011, E-rate approved more than $30 million for services provided to Jewish schools in New York State; the overwhelming majority of that money went to haredi schools in Brooklyn and Rockland County that do not give pupils access to the Internet.

Jewish schools received 22 percent of the state’s E-rate funds, even though they enroll only 4 percent of the state’s K-12 students. Most of those funds were channeled through telecom and technology companies that appear to serve an exclusively Orthodox clientele.

92nd Street Y Sheds Pricey Downtown Digs

03/20/2013 | Julie Wiener | Associate Editor

Just five years after spending millions of dollars to create a state-of-the-art performance venue there, the 92nd Street Y has decided to close its Tribeca facility.

BDS Platform A Problem For Liberals

03/20/2013 | Doug Chandler | Jewish Week Correspondent

Promoters of the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement have appeared at colleges and universities, churches and other venues throughout the country, but next month may be the first time that some will take the stage at a local synagogue.

Community Ramping Up Anti-Slavery Activism

03/20/2013 | Steve Lipman | Staff Writer

The Robbins family of Verona, N.J., which has started its own foundation to combat modern-day slavery, isn’t alone. (Its story is featured in the accompanying article.)

Serach The Israelite Survivor

03/19/2013 | Jonathan Mark | Associate Editor

She was a child among the 70 who descended into Egypt with Jacob; the only one still alive when 600,000 left Egypt with Moses; still alive when Joshua entered the Promised Land; still alive even after she died. Legend has it, Serach Bat-Asher left this earth like Elijah, not in a grave but eternal in a chariot bound for Heaven, returning forever to her people somehow, like Tom Joad, Joe Hill or, well, Elijah himself. Unlike Elijah, though, no one opens the door for Serach, or pours her a cup.