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New bios of Lubavitcher rebbe dig for the man behind the myth

The length of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson's beard in this photograph from his student days is part of a larger debate over whether he had doubts about becoming a Chasidic leader. (TheRebbe.org)

Sixteen years after the death of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a flurry of new publications indicates not only how enduring the interest is in his life and legacy, but how potent the minefield is surrounding his mythology. Read more »

Is Netanyahu alienating Israel's friends in Europe?

The perception in European capitals that Benjamin Netanyahu isn't serious about peacemaking with the Palestinians is hurting Israel's standing in the world and alienating Israel's European friends. Read more »

Visiting the alef garden on Shavuot

Torah all-nighter will leave you refreshed and reconnected, writes columnist Edmon J. Rodman. Read more » EDITORS' PICKS Different reads on Shavuot Jews celebrate different aspects of Shavuot, from conversion to blintzes. Is diplomacy failing the Palestinians? (Al Jazeera) Sixty-two years after Israel's founding, diplomacy has only divided Palestinians and produced no tangible results, writes an Arab professor of political science. Kosher meals-on-wheels too expensive (N.Y. Post) Some charities contracted by New York City say they can no longer pay the extra $2 for kosher meals served to homebound elderly. A Palestinian microbrewery (N.Y. Times) Roger Cohen reports on the comeback of the Palestinian microbrewery Taybeh Beer after the dog days of the intifada. Sholom Aleichem, Chaim Grade (N.Y. Times) Two deaths -- one nearly a century ago, one this month -- prompt The New York Times to take a look at two Yiddish writers, one well known, the other less so. BREAKING NEWS In a political protest, British rocker Elvis Costello canceled his scheduled performances in Israel. The Palestinian Authority has launched a boycott against products manufactured in West Bank Jewish settlements. Jewish institutions in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz are receiving increased protection following an arson attack on the synagogue in Worms. Jewish Democrats launched a petition calling on a columnist syndicate to drop Pat Buchanan. A Polish-language guide to the holiday of Shavuot will be distributed to thousands of hidden Jews in Poland. President Obama is set to meet with the unofficial Jewish caucus in Congress. Israel and the Organization of American States signed a memorandum of understanding consolidating decades of development cooperation. Holocaust survivors met with officials on Capitol Hill to discuss legislation that will help them pursue a lawsuit against a French railroad company. Noam Chomsky will lecture to Bir Zeit University students via video conference from Amman after he was denied entry into Israel and the West Bank. A U.S. congressman introduced a resolution calling for the immediate release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. A Jewish and a Palestinian American group are running a joint intern program.