Conservative talk show radio host and Republican party icon Rush Limbaugh has died. He was 70 years old. His wife Kathryn announced his passing on his radio show Wednesday, saying Limbaugh died earlier this morning. “Rush will forever be the greatest of all time,” she said. Limbaugh had been battling advanced lung cancer since February. Back in October, Limbaugh provided this somber update on his show: “You know, I wake up every day and thank God that I did. I go to bed every night praying I’m gonna wake up.

In the wake of a sudden notice from the Australian government last week about an impending lockdown in Melbourne beginning on Friday at midnight, three frum families decided to move up their children’s wedding until erev Shabbos, with one wedding taking place on the beach. One set of mechutanim sent the following letter to the members of their community. “Last Friday, after the lockdown was announced, our children made the choice to get married that afternoon, rather than wait until weddings would be allowed again.” “We chose to invite the whole ‏קהילה to the wedding, so that everyone could experience this unusual wedding, and be given the opportunity to be ‏משמח חתן וכלה.” “We are forever grateful for the way in which the ‏קהילה responded to this.

At least 30 Israeli children are currently hospitalized due to post-COVID-19 syndrome (also known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), news reports said on Tuesday. Three young children are seriously ill and a 14-year-old boy is critically ill, according to a Kan News report. Doctors are warning parents to be on the alert for symptoms of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), including high fever, a rash on the hands or feet, red eyes, and a red or swollen tongue. A senior doctor in the pediatric ICU at the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, Dr. Shir Malach, told Kan that post-COVID-19 syndrome has been appearing in children with no pre-existing health issues.

Jerusalem children spent the day Wednesday in excited anticipation for a rare snowstorm in the capital city, although some of the excitement was lost due to a “snow day” from school just being another day at home during the pandemic The abrupt change from almost summer-like weather, which Jerusalem has enjoyed for weeks, began on Tuesday night, when temperatures began to drop and heavy rain began falling throughout the country. Israel’s coast had heavy overnight rainstorms and snow began falling in northern Israel in the early hours of Wednesday morning, blanketing areas of Ramat HaGolan and the Upper Galil. The Golan Heights had more snow by Wednesday afternoon than it’s had in years and at least nine highways in northern Israel were blocked to traffic.

Israel’s coronavirus cabinet convened on Monday evening and ministers approved the outline of coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash for celebrating Purim this year as well as a special outline for shuls for Parshas Zachor and Kriyas HaMegillah. In an agreement reached between UTJ MK Moshe Gafni, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, an outline for the opening of shuls was reached, to be implemented beginning this Shabbos, Parshas Zachor. Shuls can either operate with a limit of 10 mispallelim indoors or 20 outdoors or operate at 50% capacity for those with green passports, who have either recovered from the coronavirus or have been fully vaccinated. These regulations apply to Kriyas Megillas Esther as well.

Israel’s coronavirus cabinet convened on Monday and ministers approved the reopening of commercial activity on Sunday, including malls, gyms, hotels and cultural venues. The reopening of the educational system will continue, with 5th-6th and 11th-12th graders in green, yellow and light orange cities to return to their classrooms on Sunday. All Israelis will be able to enter stores, malls, open-air markets, and libraries but non-essential activities such as gyms, hotels, theaters, and other cultural and sports events will be reserved for green passport holders, who have recovered from the coronavirus or have been fully vaccinated.

Some New Yorkers are driving hours to get the COVID-19 vaccine because they are unable to find appointments closer to home through a state website. Residents of the Albany and Buffalo areas in particular have complained on social media and to their local lawmakers that they have had to resort to signing up for appointments in Utica, Rochester, Binghamton or Syracuse. Jessica Muenter, 48, said she lives a short drive away from the SUNY Buffalo site, but instead resorted to booking an appointment in Rochester, which is over an hour away. She was one of several millions of New Yorkers with eligible health conditions that leave them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 who could start signing up for vaccines Sunday.

Following the release of letters from the Rabbonim of Lakewood and Rabbonim of Los Angeles, the Rabbonim of Chicago have also released a letter ahead of Purim. The Rabbonim are requesting that no one travel to Chicago to collect as they do every Purim, and even Yeshiva Bochrim who are in Chicago, should refrain from doing so this year. The letter follows: L’chavod Roshei Yeshiva shlit”a and Roshei Mosdos shlit”a, Purim is around the corner and we all turn our eyes to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for Him to protect us from all difficulty and distress and to send bracha and hatzlacha to all our endeavors. We all understand the need to strengthen the sustainability of our Torah and chesed institutions, especially in trying times like these.

The decision of Israel’s coronavirus cabinet to reopen the economy on Sunday was approved despite the objections of senior health officials, including coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash, who told ministers on Monday that if anyone had told him two months ago that the economy would be reopening when the infection rate and the number of seriously ill patients are so high, he would have called them crazy. “An irresponsible opening of the economy will lead to another lockdown,” Ash warned. “By next week, we’ll have vaccinated three million people but that is only a third [of Israel’s population] – far from herd immunity.” Prof.

Chief Rabbi HaRav Dovid Lau, who also serves as the Nasi of the Beis Din HaGadol, suspended a dayan on Tuesday due to the fact that he refused to be vaccinated. “HaRav Lau believes that it is obligatory for all dayanim to be vaccinated, and as long as it is legally viable, dayanim who are not vaccinated cannot serve in their positions and endanger those who use the Beis Din,” a statement from Rav Lau’s office said. The dayan served on the Beis Din responsible for the giyur of IDF soldiers. Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Tuesday morning that by the end of the day, four million Israelis will be vaccinated with at least the first dose of the vaccine. As of Tuesday morning, 2,612,000 Israelis had received both doses of the vaccine. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)