Last week at a private New York City college, Jewish students in a library stood behind locked doors as a group of pro-Palestine and pro-Hamas protesters banged with their fists, shouting “Free Palestine.” Librarians apparently told Jewish students to “hide in the attic if they wanted to,” words that instantly drew haunting parallels to Anne Frank during the Holocaust. more

If you haven’t registered to vote you still have until Saturday to do so before the upcoming general election on Nov. 7. more

Gov. Kathy Hochul was not the only New York resident in Israel during her visit last week. Hundreds of Americans and New York residents visiting Israel and Palestine have been struggling to evacuate with airlines like American Airlines and Delta Airlines canceling flights in the region indefinitely. more

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Councilman Eric Dinowitz joined Jewish leaders and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from Brooklyn last Thursday to support families with loved ones held hostage by Hamas attackers following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. They joined thousands of people in Times Square to demand the release of all hostages being held in the Gaza strip immediately. There are 212 people held hostage in Gaza, said Israel’s military spokespersons on Sunday. At right, Pro-Israeli leaders spoke in front of an electronic ad in Times Square that showed the faces of the hostages. more

Following the Hamas attack on Israel, many feared last week whether they should send their children to school or not. At SAR Academy, however, more than 900 students, faculty, and staff joined in a Tefilot “On The Steps” prayer service for the people of Israel. more

Artificial intelligence has been quickly taking the world by storm, so it was only a matter of time before the New York City government started to make use of it. For the first time in the country, there is an AI tool specifically for business owners to use to obtain resources and links, and get immediate answers to all of their business-related questions, according to Mayor Eric Adams. more

Since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the death toll on both sides has reached more than  4,400 people as of Tuesday. It is because of that bloodshed that several members of Congress are calling on the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire and to send humanitarian aid assistance to Gaza. more

Simchat Torah should have been a day of joyous celebration, dancing and singing, but it was instead filled with grief, shock and mourning over the hundreds killed in Hamas’ strikes on Israel just a day prior. more

Rabbi Avi Weiss of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale — The Bayit found himself with family members in Israel celebrating his wife Toby’s 80th birthday last weekend. more

Many on Saturday woke to shocking footage on their TVs of buildings in Israel tumbling apart from Hamas missiles and women and children being kidnapped and tortured by Hamas militants. more