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Rapfogel’s $5 Million Spree; Threat in Mumbai

Plus Mark Rothko and Shel Silverstein’s birthdays, and more in the news

by
Stephanie Butnick
September 25, 2013
Democratic New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind.(Michael Nagle/Getty Images)
Democratic New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind.(Michael Nagle/Getty Images)

• Disgraced former Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty CEO William Rapfogel’s “breathtaking” financial crimes include allegedly stealing $5 million from the organization in a scheme that lasted the duration of his 20-year tenure as CEO. [Forward]

• Jewish establishments in Mumbai have been told to increase security in light of a terror threat from an Islamist militant group in India. [JTA]

• Maimonides Medical Center has been subpoenaed as part of a probe into Brooklyn Assemblyman and Purim enthusiast Dov Hikind’s advertising company, DYS Production. [Crain’s]

• Lebanon may no longer be the safe haven it’s long been for Hezbollah, the Washington Institute’s Matthew Levitt argues. [The New Republic]

• Today would have been late children’s book writer Shel Silverstein’s 83rd birthday. Sarah Weinman compiled an impressive video archive of the legendary author and illustrator last year. [Off on a Tangent]

• Meanwhile, abstract impressionist painter Mark Rothko was born on this date in 1903 in Latvia, and a new book about his work is out just in time to celebrate. [Huffington Post]

Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.