The Auschwitz Jewish Center (AJC) is bringing kosher food back to this once-flourishing Jewish community and adding tefillos to its program in time for the annual March of the Living pilgrimage of tens of thousands of Jews from around the world starting April 23rd. In addition to providing access to the shul and guided tours of its museum, the Auschwitz Jewish Center’s kosher concession will offer shelf-stable packaged kosher meals for purchase starting just after Pesach. The meals will be available for a nominal fee, and visitors wishing to reserve meals, participate in tours, or attend tefillos can contact the center via https://ajcfus.org/programs/#contact-popup.

Ten elected officials who once demanded Andrew Cuomo’s resignation from the governorship over harassment allegations are now endorsing his political comeback. The reversal includes several female lawmakers, sparking criticism from advocates who say the move undermines the Me Too movement and the fight against workplace harassment in government. “Electeds’ support for Cuomo is a slap-in-the-face betrayal to government workers everywhere, including their own staff,” said Erica Vladimer, founder of the Harassment Working Group.

In a poignant tribute to one of the youngest victims of the October 7 Hamas-led massacre, the Academy of the Hebrew Language has officially renamed a species of butterfly in honor of four-year-old Ariel Bibas. The butterfly, previously known in Hebrew as Kitmit Yerushalayim (Orange Yerushalayim), will now be called Kitmit Ariel (Orange Ariel), commemorating the child who, along with his mother and baby brother, was murdered after being taken hostage. The Academy announced the name change on Friday, noting that the new designation carries deep symbolic meaning. The name “Ariel” is one of the 70 poetic names for Yerushalayim, thus maintaining a connection to the original name while creating a lasting memorial.

In a high-stakes Oval Office meeting on Monday that spanned diplomacy, defense, and economic reform, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump announced a sweeping commitment to deepen U.S.-Israel ties—starting with trade and extending into negotiations with Iran, the Gaza war, and the broader Middle East. Netanyahu began with a bold pledge: Israel will eliminate all trade barriers with the United States, a move he said would also “eliminate the trade deficit.” “Israel can serve as a model for other countries that strive to do the same,” Netanyahu said, expressing support for Trump’s broader tariff policies.

Bochurim, young couples, and families across the U.S. are scrambling to find flights back to Eretz Yisroel following Pesach—and many are finding themselves stuck. With El Al flights virtually booked solid on all the prime travel dates, travelers are facing mounting difficulty in securing affordable and direct options to return to yeshiva and their homes. YWN has received multiple reports of travelers resorting to creative—and often complicated—workarounds, including multi-stop itineraries through various European and Middle Eastern countries. Alarmingly, some of these itineraries pass through destinations known to be less than friendly to Jewish passengers, posing potential concerns for safety and comfort, particularly for visibly frum travelers.

New York State Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein introduced legislation at the State Legislature that would amend a discriminatory NYC Department of Sanitation regulation that unfairly penalizes New York City’s Jewish community. Last year, the NYC Department of Sanitation enacted a rule requiring residents to place their trash on the curb after 8:00 PM in an effort to combat the city’s rat problem. However, this rigid policy ignores the needs of religious New Yorkers who are prohibited from handling trash on Shabbos. As a result, many residents have been subjected to steep fines of $50-$300 simply for observing their faith. “This policy is unacceptable and must come to end,” declared Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein.

A high-level White House investigation has revealed that The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a confidential group chat about planned U.S. airstrikes on Yemen, after National Security Adviser Mike Waltz accidentally saved the journalist’s phone number under a senior official’s contact, according to a report published Sunday by The Guardian. The mishap occurred last month when Waltz, intending to add National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes to a secure Signal chat discussing strikes on Houthi rebels, instead included Goldberg.

Nearly 7,000 Jewish voters in New York City have newly registered as Democrats since January — a surge that could have a huge influence on the outcome of June’s high-stakes mayoral primary and pose a challenge for far-left candidates seen as soft on antisemitism. According to the Jewish Voters Action Network (JVAN), 6,695 Jewish voters have joined the Democratic rolls in recent months, including more than 4,130 who switched from Republican, independent, or other party affiliations. An additional 2,564 are first-time registrants. “We think this registration drive is a big deal. Jewish voters are a sleeping giant in New York politics,” JVAN founder Maury Litwack told the NY Post. “And they are awake. Jews are showing up to play. We’re not ignoring this election.

A Virginia man who spray-painted “Hamas is coming” on a federal monument outside Union Station during a riot tied to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit has been sentenced to 10 days in prison and six months of supervision, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced. Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, of Richmond, pleaded guilty to destroying government property, a federal misdemeanor, after admitting he defaced a statue, tore down an American flag, and scrawled an inverted red triangle—a symbol used by Hamas to mark targets—on July 24, 2024. His actions were part of a violent demonstration outside the historic transportation hub, held during Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress.

In preparation for the upcoming Pesach holiday, COJO of Staten Island held a security and community coordination meeting with leadership from the NYPD, FDNY, Staten Island Shomrim, Hatzolah, the Department of Sanitation, and the NYC Mayor’s Office, focusing on the safety and logistical needs of the Jewish community. NYPD Assistant Chief Melissa Eger of Patrol Borough Staten Island assured community leaders that there is currently no credible threat. The NYPD is actively monitoring developments on both a national and global scale and stands ready to respond as needed. Chief Eger also acknowledged the ongoing leadership and communication efforts of COJO Security Chairman Ari Weiss, with whom she remains in constant contact.