For the second day in a row, inspectors from the NYC Buildings Department were out in force on Tuesday in Flatbush and Boro Park, as they enforced the latest COVID-19 restrictions placed on local businesses by NY Governor Cuomo. The summonses stated they were charged with “failure to comply with the governor’s executive orders”. Many store-owners reported being told different things by the inspectors. NYC Councilman Kalman Yeger told YWN “The conflicting advice and opinions from these workers and treating similar businesses very differently is exactly why our community feels we are being unfairly targeted by the city and state.” Many angry store-owners and pedestrians confronted the inspectors on 13th Avenue.

A late-stage study of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been paused while the company investigates whether a study participant’s “unexplained illness” is related to the shot. The company said in a statement Monday evening that illnesses, accidents and other so-called adverse events “are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies,” but that its physicians and a safety monitoring panel would try to determine what might have caused the illness. The pause is at least the second such hold to occur among several vaccines that have reached large-scale final tests in the U.S. The company declined to reveal any more details about the illness, citing the participant’s privacy. Temporary stoppages of large medical studies are relatively common.

Israel’s hospitals determined the death of 18 Bnei Brak residents from the coronavirus in the past six days, an average of three deaths a day. Attorney Moshe Morgenstern, who holds the health portfolio in the Bnei Brak municipality, told Kikar H’Shabbos: “In recent days, Bnei Brak has seen conflicting trends. On one hand, the number of patients in the city is declining, the number of recovered patients is rising…definitely a positive and welcome trend.” “On the other hand, there’s been an average of three deaths a day in the city in recent days – from 88 niftarim on October 7 to 106 niftarim today. And what is no less worrisome is that the number of hospitalized patients hasn’t decreased – it was 57 on October 7 and it’s 61 today.

As the father of Jacob Kornbluh, I wish to express my horror and disgust at the trolls and vile comments and curses directed towards Jacob. Some comments even incite others to murder him for being a Moiser. All you need is one crazed person to take that “Mitzva” on board Chas V’esholom. Has anyone verified the definition of what Mesira is? Suppose a Jew climbs into an apartment building in the dead of the night with an intent to steal and possible injure you or your family in the process, would you consider it Mesira to call Police?

A 22-year-old Israeli-Bedouin mother with no underlying medical conditions passed away due to the coronavirus in Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva a month after giving birth to her second child. Nuha Abu Siam of Rahat was perfectly healthy when she contracted the coronavirus during the ninth month of her pregnancy. She was hospitalized after developing serious symptoms but her condition worsened. The doctors delivered her baby by C-section, which went smoothly and the baby tested negative for the virus. However, the mother’s condition continued to deteriorate and she passed away over the weekend. This is the first incident in Israel (and hopefully the last) of a new mother passing away due to the coronavirus.

HaRav Dovid Yosef, a member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah and head of Beis Medrash Yechave Daas, called to the public on Monday to refrain from flocking to the kever of his father, Hagaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef, z’tl, next week for his yahrtzeit due to coronavirus regulations and the obligation of “V’nishmartem me’od l’nafshoseichem.” HaRav Dovid said that anyone who wishes to go the kever should instead dedicate an hour of limmud Torah l’illui nishmaso of Rebbi Ovadia Yosef ben Georgia, z’tl, on the day of the yartzeit. HaRav Dovid added that anyone who will commit to learning for his father instead of coming to the kever should submit their name for tefilla and he will daven for them at the kever on the day of the yartzeit.

Israel’s oldest resident, Shomo Sulayman, z’l, passed away on Sunday in his home in Netanya at the age of 117 surrounded by his family members, including six children and dozens of grandchildren, great and great-great-grandchildren. Sulayman’s grandson, Gil Radia, said his grandfather, who immigrated to Israel from Yemen in 1949 with his wife and children, was considered an expert in halacha and attended shul every day until the coronavirus pandemic began, Ynet reported. “His mind was clear until his last moment,” Radia said. “People would come and ask him questions about halacha and do exactly as he told them after he looked it up.” Sulayman made his living in agriculture and was one of the founding members of Moshav Avichayil.

Facebook is banning posts that deny or distort the Holocaust and will start directing people to authoritative sources if they search for information about the Nazi genocide. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the new policy Monday, the latest attempt by the company to take action against conspiracy theories and misinformation ahead of the U.S. presidential election three weeks away. View this post on Instagram Zuckerburg says Facebook is banning posts that deny or distort the Holocaust and will start directing people to authoritative sources if they search for information about the Nazi genocide.

Tragedy stuck the Chicago community, as word spread of the tragic Petira of Yoni Kohn Z”L, a well know Baal Tzedakah and Baal Chesed. According to news sources, a car crash occurred around 12:00PM on Monday in northern Van Buren County, Michigan. Yoni Z”L was one of the victims. Two other adults from another vehicle lost their lives in the crash. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Yoni Z”L, who was just 46-years-old, was a beloved father and husband and community member, whose Chesed and Tzedakah were far reaching – not just in Chicago. He was well-known in the nursing home and real estate industries. He resided in Edison, NJ, and Lakewood prior to moving back to Chicago.

A leader of protests against new coronavirus restrictions in Brooklyn was ordered Monday to stay away from a journalist who was chased and trapped by a crowd. Judge Edwin Novillo told Heshy Tischler, who is charged with inciting people to riot and unlawful imprisonment of a journalist, that he would be subject to getting arrested again if he had any contact — or had someone else get into contact on his behalf, including through social media — with Jewish Insider journalist Jacob Kornbluh Tischler, a City Council candidate and activist in the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park, had been arrested in connection with his actions during an Oct. 7 street protest.

Pages