What makes a book popular? Posted Friday, December 9, 2016 9:18 am LARRY KATZ After the death of Leonard Cohen, sales of a rather recent biography of him spiked. However, I don’t recommend dying in order to make one’s book popular – especially since it doesn’t always work. Another strategy to increase a book’s popularity is to have it reviewed, and the Jewish Book Council (JBC) publishes many reviews on its website, jewishbookcouncil.org. It is there that you can find reviews of “A Broken Hallelujah: Rock and Roll, Redemption and the Life… Read More

HOME›JCC CIRCLE›On our nightstands On our nightstands Sam Tananbaum | November 7, 2016 0 November is Jewish Book Month, which started back in the 1940s, when our friends at the Jewish Book Council moved what once was Shavuot-related book sales, to the month prior to Hanukkah. Many JCCs continue to host their annual cultural arts and book festivals at this time of year. There’s a reason we’re called the People of the Book, so a call out to JCC Association staff for recommendations for Jewish books—that is, books that has either a… Read More

Queens Residents Learn about the History of Kiryas Joel by Jason Cohen Share What began as a “vampire bill” passed by Governor Mario Cuomo in 1989 erupted into a 10-year battle between the state of New York and a former Cuomo aide Louis Grumet. Grumet, a former director of the New York State School Boards Association, took a major issue with a school district for one specific group of people. Grumet successfully sued New York three times between 1994 and 1999, challenging that the Village of Kiryas Joel (KJ) in Orange County… Read More

Man at center of Kiryas Joel suit to speak in W. Nyack Peter D. Kramer , pkramer@lohud.com4:07 p.m. EDT October 27, 2016 (Photo: Mike Groll, AP) It used to be said that there were two issues you didn’t talk about in polite society: religion and politics. Louis Grumet tackles both in the 2016 book he wrote with John Caher: “The Curious Case of Kiryas Joel: The Rise of a Village Theocracy and the Battle to Defend the Separation of Church and State.” And he’ll tackle both, again — and The First Amendment, Supreme… Read More

THE CURIOUS CASE OF KIRYAS JOEL NOVEMBER 1 @ 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ABC: ARTS, BOOKS & CULTURE OPENING NIGHT THE CURIOUS CASE OF KIRYAS JOEL: THE RISE OF A VILLAGE THEOCRACY AND THE BATTLE TO DEFEND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. The Board of Education of the Village of Kiryas Joel v Grumet, stands as the most important legal precedent in the fight to uphold the separation of church and state. In his book, plaintiff Louis Grumet opens a window into the Satmar Hasidic community and details the inside… Read More

Louis Grumet  THE CURIOUS CASE OF KIRYAS JOEL: The Rise of a Village Theocracy and the Battle to Defend the Separation of Church and State Monday, October 31, 1:30 p.m. Twenty years ago, in the middle of the night, the NYS Legislature created a publicly funded school district for Satmar Hasidim in a village called Kryas Joel in update New York.  Marking the first time in American history that a public school district was established for a religious group, the Legislature’s action eventually led to a landmark Supreme Court case, which still… Read More

Tuesday, October 04, 2016 Search “Curious Case of Kiryas Joel” hits on East Ramapo issues By dskriloff on September 29, 20160 Comments BY KATHY KAHN Louis Grumet (seated) speaks with NYS Assemblyman James Skoufis after briefing the public on his book, “Curious Case of Kiryas Joel” A school district deemed unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court thrives to this day, thanks to the political finagling of Albany. Louis Grumet, along with former Albany-Times Union political reporter John Caher, co-authored “The Curious Case of Kiryas Joel.” It’s a must-read for those who want… Read More

8 p.m. | The Berman – Louis Grumet – The Curious Case of Kiryas Joel: The Rise of a Village Theocracy and the Battle to Defend the Separation of Church and State Twenty years ago, in the middle of the night and on the last day of session, the New York State Legislature created a publicly funded school district to cater to the small village of Kiryas Joel. Virtually everyone who lives there is a Satmar Jew, and the village exerts extraordinary pressure over both political parties. Marking the first time in… Read More

LOCAL PARTNERSNEW JERSEY: THE JEWISH STANDARD THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 ELUL 26, 5776 2:19 PM EDT ABOUT US ADVERTISE WITH US Publisher: Jamie Janoff Editor: Joanne Palmer Associate Editor: Larry Yudelson Ad Director: Natalie Jay Jewish Standard THE TIMES OF ISRAEL PARTNER IN NEW JERSEY HOME NEWS FEATURES BLOGS CALENDAR JEWISH STANDARD DAILY SPOTLIGHT Freedom of and from religionAuthor talks about his fight against unconstitutional Satmar school district BY JOANNE PALMER September 29, 2016, 11:52 am Joanne Palmer Maybe it’s not surprising that it took the son of a Jewish alcoholic from… Read More