Miriam Sherr, the mother of Yossi Sherr, who 20 years after his passing, writes a letter thanking his school and teachers for keeping his memory alive at the annual Yud Aleph Nissan Mitzvah Tank parade.

Three Modest Thoughts on the Latest Communal and Global Developments

Winds of uncertainty are blowing across the globe. A tsunami in Japan, renewed terrorist attacks in Israel, a middle-east - from Egypt to Libya, Syria to Yemen - in crisis. And the future remains unsure. Will the sun shine again? Will stability re-emerge after the storm dies down?

Pashkevilim against education guru Rick Lavoie were put out in Crown Heights shuls, prompting a heated debate. Yehuda Adelist wrote a response.

We were nearing the end of our Shabbat meal, this past Friday night. Filled with the warmth of the pleasant family atmosphere, our younger children are preparing for bed. Binah, who recently became bat-mitzvah, asks for permission to go to her friend’s house for a Shabbat gathering.

The argument that publicity will give the community a “bad name” and “why air our dirty laundry in public?” does not supersede the obligation to protect the innocent from being hurt. Of course we all agree that our essential concern should be protecting our children and families, not our perceived reputation.

Ripple effects do exist. We don’t usually realize it, but we affect our own life and the lives of the people we encounter on a daily basis. There are many small things that we do or see, and they make a difference in our lives. Sometimes those things are in our control, and at other times they are not. Most of the time we cannot see the results, since it takes so long for the results to be yielded, but seldom are there times that do we see an outcome.

Mrs. Lapine was stabbed to death “al kedush Hashem.” The Rebbe was broken and devastated. But, 19 years later, few leaders showed up to give her honor.

In a letter addressed to the Crown Heights community, a grateful Shlucha thanks residents for their help during the snowstorm.

CrownHeights.info received an email from a concerned member of the community with a letter addressed to the community. Please shovel the snow from the sidewalk in front of your house or building.

NPR was reporting definitively that Representative Gabrielle Giffords had been shot dead, but The Associated Press was holding off. The lines into the A.P. offices, recalled A.P.’s executive editor, Kathleen Carroll, were buzzing with complaints: where was The A.P. on this story? How could it let NPR beat it?

Meanwhile, the lines into the New York Times offices were hot as well, said Greg Brock, senior editor/standards: where was The Times on this story?