Simcha's Big Week, And Other News...

Hi folks,

Last week in Albany, a state senator held up the entire New York budget trying to exempt Hasidic yeshivas from state education standards.

This week, I went on the radio to talk about it.

I wanted to send along that segment, plus some of the other stories I've been working on.

One note: The Forward has a paywall these days, so if you're trying to read one of the linked pieces and finding you can't, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Simcha's Big Week
State Senator Simcha Felder just became the most powerful person in New York State politics. I went on Brian Lehrer's WNYC show on Wednesday to talk about Felder's yeshiva power play. Hasidic groups are claiming a major victory. But I have the inside story on how the Governor's call to the Satmar rebbe led to a watered-down compromise.

Malcolm Hoenlein's Secret Energy Company Ties: Revealed!
The powerful head of the Conference of Presidents has a side gig on the board of an Israeli energy giant that he kept all-but-secret until I wrote about it last month. The interests of the energy firm and the Conference of Presidents overlap not-infrequently. Later, some members of the Conference raised concerns about transparency at the organization.

A Very Bad Movie
Haven't seen "7 Days In Entebbe"? Don't! But do read my review.

Banned From Birthright, But Still At Hillel
A colleague and I broke the story last week of the odd case of a Hillel director who has kept his job after Birthright banned him for making inappropriate comments.

Secret Rules Keep Jewish Organizations From Attacking Each Other
I got my hands on secret rules that top Jewish groups agreed to last year, in which they promised not to attack each other in public.

AEPi's Top Executive Advises Right Wing Campus Group
You know the far-right campus group that everyone makes diaper jokes about on Twitter? The head of AEPi, a notionally bipartisan Jewish fraternity, is on their advisory council. 

Thanks for reading! Interested in any feedback.

Best,

JNK