Delivery Man Killed

NEW YORK — A man delivering meals on wheels for a Jewish charity organization was fatally shot Nov. 10 in New York City. Emanuel Aminov, 55, a Russian immigrant who had worked only three months for the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged, was shot in the chest after making a delivery to a Brooklyn housing project, police said. The father of three died later in hospital. The shooter, who fled and remains at large, was described as a man in his 20s wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Aminov’s wallet was found empty near his body, leading police to suspect robbery as a motive.

Emanuel Apologizes

NEW YORK — Rahm Emanuel apologized to an Arab-American group for his father’s disparaging remarks about Arabs. “From the fullness of my heart, I personally apologize on behalf of my family and me,” Emanuel, president-elect Barack Obama’s chief of staff, said by phone to Mary Rose Oakar, president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.  In an interview with Israel’s Ma’ariv daily, Benjamin Emanuel said of his son: “Obviously, he’ll influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn’t he? What is he, an Arab? He’s not going to be mopping floors at the White House.”

Print Edition Folds

NEW YORK — The children’s magazine Babaganewz will cease its print edition. Amir Cohen, CEO of the non-profit group JFL Media, which publishes Babaganewz, said the magazine will go to an online-only format. One of JFL’s flagship publications, it was published eight times a year and received several awards from the American Jewish Press Association. As part of the move, JFL cut nine members of Babaganewz’s 21-member staff. Cohen said the move wasn’t strictly financial, but the economic situation was a factor. JFL, which also publishes the Jewish teen mag JVibe, has slashed its budget in half over the past year. The other publications would continue as they are, Cohen said.

Hospital Sues to Remove Life Support

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Washington, D.C., hospital is suing for the right to remove a 12-year-old Orthodox Jewish boy from life support.
The National Children’s Medical Center says Motl Brody of Brooklyn, who was diagnosed with a severe form of brain cancer, is brain dead. But his parents, Eluzer and Miriam Brody, say someone whose brain activity has ceased is not considered dead under Jewish law. The boy still has circulatory and respiratory function, with mechanical and other assistance, the Washington Post reported.
The hospital says in court filings that “scarce resources are being used for the preservation of a dead body” and treating him is “offensive to good medical ethics.” Doctors had removed Brody from a ventilator and he made no respiratory efforts.
A court hearing in the dispute was to be held Monday.
The case echoes one earlier this year in which an 84-year-old Orthodox man in Winnipeg died before a court could rule if a hospital had the right to take him off life support after his family sued to force doctors to keep treating him. Doctors said he had minimal brain function. The case sparked a nationwide debate on whether doctors or family members have the right to make the final decision to remove life support in end-of-life cases.