New on this Blog: Harlem Jewish Life feature (a list of links to the left)

Being very busy with the chaggim (Jewish holidays) lately, I have not had a chance to go out and make good on my promise to add updated posts including photos, etc. However, in the spirit of the season, I have added a new page element to this blog, featuring elements of what I am calling "Harlem Jewish Life". I am including in my list anything I know about which is colorably Jewish and is in or very close to Harlem; I have ruled things out only based on my sense that they are not close enough to Harlem to be included. (On my geographic standard: I figure there are plenty of places other than this blog that deal extensively with Upper West Side Jewish life, so I have set a pretty strict Harlem-oriented standard -- either actually within Harlem, or within very few blocks of Harlem -- which unfortunately rules out certain wonderfully parent/kid/family-oriented congregations that are not very far at all. Basically if a place outside of Harlem feels to me like a shlep to go with my kids, I've ruled them out.) If you know of anything I've missed that I should have included, please let me know.

Shanah tovah/Happy new year, everyone!

Resurfacing

Well, I learned within the past few days that people have actually read this blog. Which means that my starting it, and then allowing it to lie fallow for 8 months, was in pretty poor form. (I especially regret that I wasn't aware people were actually commenting here; from now on I will receive emails when people comment, and I will belatedly reply to those comments shortly.) In any event, I will be bringing this site up to date very shortly. Please accept this post as a preview/teaser.

Eight months turns out to be a long time in the context of this "Harlem Renaissance". I will start out by updating many of the items previously featured, because the progress is rather stunning. Most importantly to me The Playground With The Dangerous Equipment is no more -- I will report on the exciting groundbreaking of a new playground which will replace it. (Kudos to Friends of Morningside Park, more to come.) The Harriet Tubman Memorial is COMPLETED. Many of the construction sites featured now look like they are nearly ready for occupancy.

The other item I plan to update, and I will preview it right now, is the crime outlook for the 28th precinct, which (knock wood) is enormously improved so far for 2007 over both 2006 and 2005, which is an enormous relief. On a quick glance our trend data looks better than the city as a whole, which was not true the last time I posted. I don't have time to post the pdf right now, and you will have trouble finding the statistics yourself through google (it looks like the city has recently moved the page, so the usual google search doesn't work), but you can link to crime stats for particular precincts and the city as a whole here.