Short Takes

Reversal Of Fortune

08/20/1999 | by Lawrence Cohler-Esses  | Staff Writer

New York State Assemblyman and former kingmaker Dov Hikind survived a criminal indictment and massive legal fees — and still came out in the black to the tune of $400,000, thanks in part to a bang-up legal defense fund.

Now, Noach Dear, his longtime rival for top Orthodox pol in Brooklyn, has been hit hard, thanks to problems he has had with federal campaign finance law.

An Anthem For Kosovo

04/30/1999 | by Lawrence Cohler-Esses | Staff Writer

A vibrato chord. A splash of cymbal. And then a drum beat and bass introduce a spooky voice with a warning: The malicious gossip and envious backbiting of “normal” life, sings Mark Star, is but the tip of human darkness; just beneath this lie horrors such as the murders and mass ethnic expulsions now taking place in Kosovo.

Send In The Clowns

01/21/1999 | by Steve Lipman | Staff Writer

Hospitals and Hollywood are belatedly discovering what the Psalms declared millennia ago — that “A joyful heart makes for good health.”
Medical studies show that “joyful laughter” strengthens one’s immune system, helps circulation and stimulates the body’s natural pain killers.

Israel Likely To Host Future GAs

11/27/1998 | Gary Rosenblatt | Editor and Publisher

Jerusalem — Charles Bronfman, the increasingly high-profile Canadian Jewish philanthropist who chaired last week’s General Assembly of the UJA Federations of North America here, is the leading candidate to chair the new superagency, made up of the United Jewish Appeal, the Council of Jewish Federations and the United Israel Appeal, sources at the GA said.The merger is expected to take place early next year, and though Bronfman has his own highly active family foundation, the word in the halls at the GA was that he will agree to give the new entity the kind of high-recognition, m

Teitelbaum’s Dov-ish Tone

11/06/1998 | by Lawrence Cohler-Esses | Staff Writer

Is Bruce Teitelbaum, the mayor’s chief of staff, sending out peace feelers to acquitted Assemblyman Dov Hikind?

During Hikind’s two-year fight against federal bribery charges, the Brooklyn Democrat more than once laid the blame for his prosecution at Teitelbaum’s feet, though he publicly never cited him by name. Teitelbaum vigorously denied any involvement in the case, but made little effort to hide his disdain for Hikind, who once tried to get him fired.

The Three Amigos

10/02/1998 | Gary Rosenblatt | Editor and Publisher

The handsome, charismatic head of state has somehow maintained public support despite a series of incredible, seemingly fatal setbacks — from political scandals to being labeled a liar within his own party to well-publicized extra-marital affairs. He’s been counted out a dozen times in the last year alone, but he has survived and now even seems to be gaining ground. How does he manage to do it?It’s a question Benjamin Netanyahu and Bill Clinton could have asked of each other when they met at the White House this week.