Brookline police are investigating after a person allegedly vandalized a sign outside Temple Ohabei Shalom on Beacon Street with a marker on Monday. The sign outside 1187 Beacon Street contained a Star of David and the words “We support the people of Israel, the dignity and safety of all human beings, and pray for peace,”… Continue reading Police investigating graffiti on sign outside Temple Ohabei Shalom
Category: Religion
Brookline.News Podcast, Episode 2: ICE comes to Brookline, a synagogue’s zoning victory and matcha mania
Episode 2 of the Brookline.News podcast is out now. On this episode, Brookline.News editor Sam Mintz and Jessica Smyser of Brookline Interactive Group discuss the latest news, including ICE arrests in Brookline, a synagogue’s zoning victory, an artificial blood philanthropist and matcha mania. Click the arrow below to listen, or find us on your favorite… Continue reading Brookline.News Podcast, Episode 2: ICE comes to Brookline, a synagogue’s zoning victory and matcha mania
Chabad Center wins legal fight over plans for new South Brookline synagogue, set to start construction
A state Land Court judge has ordered the town to issue a special permit for construction of a new synagogue for the Chabad Center at Chestnut Hill, clearing one of the final hurdles for the Orthodox Jewish group’s controversial plans to build a new house of worship on Bellingham Road. The June 25 ruling comes… Continue reading Chabad Center wins legal fight over plans for new South Brookline synagogue, set to start construction
Food, art and community feature at Brookline’s second annual Eid Fair
On a rainy Saturday afternoon, the smell of kebabs and samosas wafted through the air outside town hall. At Brookline’s second annual Eid Fair, locals and out-of-town visitors celebrated Eid al-Adha—-the holiday marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca—with traditional food, music and Islamic art. Brookline Muslim Friends hosted the festival, officially sponsored… Continue reading Food, art and community feature at Brookline’s second annual Eid Fair
Police investigating after brick marked “Free Palestine” thrown through window of Jewish grocery store
Brookline police are investigating after a brick marked “Free Palestine” was thrown through the window of The Butcherie, a Jewish grocery store, early on Sunday morning. Police say that at least two people wearing masks came from the direction of Coolidge Street, threw the brick through the store’s window, and fled back down Coolidge Street.… Continue reading Police investigating after brick marked “Free Palestine” thrown through window of Jewish grocery store
At St. Mary of the Assumption, pastor and parishioners remember Pope Francis and pray for his successor
Pale light illuminated the stained glass windows over the sanctuary at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish in Brookline on Wednesday morning as a multigenerational group of about 50 parishioners gathered for a special mass to pray for the papal conclave. The days since Pope Francis’ death have been a mixed bag of sadness and… Continue reading At St. Mary of the Assumption, pastor and parishioners remember Pope Francis and pray for his successor
How a Korean church in Brookline became a spiritual anchor and home away from home for Boston-area students
In the basement of the Korean Church of Boston on a recent Sunday afternoon, the congregants gathered after services to share plates of bulgogi, kimchi and other traditional Korean dishes. The scene is warm and inviting, with college students mingling alongside congregants of all ages, enjoying traditional delicacies. For many young attendees, this weekly fellowship… Continue reading How a Korean church in Brookline became a spiritual anchor and home away from home for Boston-area students
Faith groups and activists mobilize in Brookline to support immigrant families
Around 100 people gathered last Monday night at First Parish in Brookline to learn about ways they can help immigrants in the Boston area. They filled the first 10 pews in the sanctuary — a room with arched entryways, stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden rafters. “It’s hard to know where to… Continue reading Faith groups and activists mobilize in Brookline to support immigrant families
Eight Jewish organizations in Brookline get state funding to increase security
Eight Jewish organizations in Brookline have received funding from the state to increase security, as part of a grant program intended to protect against hate crimes or terror attacks. The administration of Governor Maura Healey announced on Wednesday that it was granting nearly $5 million split among 102 organizations across the state. “These organizations offer… Continue reading Eight Jewish organizations in Brookline get state funding to increase security
Police investigating after stickers depicting Israeli flag, swastika placed near Coolidge Corner
Brookline police are investigating after more than a dozen stickers depicting swastikas on an Israeli flag were placed on light poles, street signs and a storefront on the north side of Harvard Street over the weekend. Photos posted on social media show one of the stickers on a light pole at the corner of Harvard… Continue reading Police investigating after stickers depicting Israeli flag, swastika placed near Coolidge Corner
Synagogue’s lawsuit over demolition delay leads to swift concession from town
A flurry of legal filings on Thursday ended with victory for a South Brookline synagogue that has been fighting with its neighbors and the town for the right to demolish two homes it owns on property where it plans to build a new synagogue. After the Chabad Center at Chestnut Hill filed a lawsuit against… Continue reading Synagogue’s lawsuit over demolition delay leads to swift concession from town
Inside a Brookline monastery, where 18 monks pray, translate religious texts, and bake bread
If you’ve been to Brookline Booksmith, you might have seen bread for sale that says it was made at the Holy Transfiguration Monastery. What are monks doing in Brookline – and why do they make bread? Brookline.News set out to find out. Holy Transfiguration, at 278 Warren St., is an Eastern Orthodox monastery that’s part… Continue reading Inside a Brookline monastery, where 18 monks pray, translate religious texts, and bake bread
Local Jewish leaders grapple with tragedy and hope in High Holiday sermons
Brookline’s Jewish community just celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and now, is preparing to mark Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. But sandwiched between those two holy days is the one-year anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, making it a challenging time for the spiritual leaders in the community.… Continue reading Local Jewish leaders grapple with tragedy and hope in High Holiday sermons
Preservation Commission stands by its decision to stall South Brookline synagogue project, as legal battle looms
The town’s Preservation Commission is standing firm in its ruling that the Chabad Center at Chestnut Hill must wait a year before demolishing two houses it owns in South Brookline, where it plans to build a new synagogue. The decision came on Tuesday despite a warning from a town attorney that the delay could violate… Continue reading Preservation Commission stands by its decision to stall South Brookline synagogue project, as legal battle looms
As a Jewish congregation grows in South Brookline, neighbors challenge plans for a new synagogue
A brewing development conflict on Bellingham Road has all the tension points that have become common in Brookline: Neighbors pushing back against a proposed new project, legal challenges and town boards and commissions deliberating as the town weighs its options. But there’s a new wrinkle to this familiar back-and-forth: It’s not a fight over condos… Continue reading As a Jewish congregation grows in South Brookline, neighbors challenge plans for a new synagogue
Rabbi whose Israel signs were repeatedly stolen says family was scared, calls for hate crime charges
Danielle Eskow, a rabbi who has lived in Brookline for 13 years, says repeated thefts and vandalism of signs supporting Israel at her family’s home left her and her children shaken. Eskow said that the incident, which Brookline.News reported on earlier this month after police charged a 24-year-old woman with the crimes, made her feel… Continue reading Rabbi whose Israel signs were repeatedly stolen says family was scared, calls for hate crime charges
Hundreds flock to Butcherie, a Passover food hub for families, students
Jacob Kline, a third-year student at Northeastern University, perused the aisles of the Butcherie looking for a shank bone. An employee ushered Kline over to a refrigerator that held packages of bones wrapped in plastic as if they were juicy, red cuts of meat, ready to be displayed on Passover seder plates on the first… Continue reading Hundreds flock to Butcherie, a Passover food hub for families, students
Town committee recommends spending $7 million on Community Preservation Act projects
A town committee voted this week to recommend that the town spend more than $7 million in Community Preservation Act funds on 11 projects. The funds would be used to boost affordable housing, historic preservation and open space in Brookline. The vote capped a months-long process by the volunteer committee to sort through requests from… Continue reading Town committee recommends spending $7 million on Community Preservation Act projects
Jewish, Israeli high school seniors wrestle with college decisions amid campus antisemitism fears
As reports spread about increased incidents of antisemitism on college campuses since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, some Jewish high school seniors are rethinking the mix of schools to which they are applying. The shifts range from ruling out specific schools to making plans to avoid American colleges altogether. “I want to feel safe… Continue reading Jewish, Israeli high school seniors wrestle with college decisions amid campus antisemitism fears
Palestinians, Muslims say they feel ‘invisible,’ ‘unwelcome’ in Brookline amid Israel conflict
As the war in Israel and Gaza continues to unfold, many Palestinian and Muslim residents of Brookline say they have experienced Islamophobia and feel isolated in a town with a substantial Jewish population. The conflict in the Middle East, which was ignited by an attack on Israel by the terrorist group Hamas, has claimed thousands… Continue reading Palestinians, Muslims say they feel ‘invisible,’ ‘unwelcome’ in Brookline amid Israel conflict