YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of the Glogover Rebbe, HaRav Aryeh Leibish Rubin ZATZAL. He was 67. The Rebbe contracted COVID-19 in March, and was hospitalized and placed on a ventilator at the time. He unfortunately never recovered, was placed on dialysis, and was in and out of the hospital. He was Niftar at his home on Friday morning. The Rebbe served as a Menahel at the Spinka Cheder in Boro Park for more than 40 years. The Levaya was held on Friday morning at his Bais Medrash on 1814 55th Street. Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Hisachudus HaRabbanim (CRC), originally founded by the Satmar Rov (Divrei Yoel) ZATZAL, published a pubic announcement on Thursday condemning the recent protests in Boro Park in the strongest terms and calling to adhere to all health regulations, including the wearing of masks. “The difficult situation we’re facing recently is well-known, with the coronavirus spreading and many succumbing to it,” the Rabbanim stated. “We hope to Hashem Yisbarach, the Healer of the sick, that we won’t suffer further tzaar but it is from Hashem that recently the virus has begun to spread anew. The government published strict warnings regarding several frum neighborhoods and ordered the closing of shuls and Torah institutions and the restriction or closure of businesses.

El Al Airlines won a tender to fly a joint Israeli-US delegation on Sunday for discussions on finalizing the normalization agreement signed between Israel and Bahrain as part of the Abraham Accords last month in Washington. Israir Airlines also bid for the tender, Globes reported. Israir had also submitted a bid to fly the joint delegation to the United Arab Emirates last month but lost to El Al due to the fact that its planes lack business class seats. Following that loss, Israir reconfigured its A320 airbuses with eight business class seats in order to nab the next tender but lost to El Al for the Bahrain trip.

Sudan has reportedly agreed to normalize ties with Israel after the U.S. issued an ultimatum for it to agree to recognize Israel within 24 hours in order to be removed from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. Sudan is desperate to be removed from the terrorism list in order to receive international aid to rehabilitate its battered economy. The U.S. ultimatum includes a number of appealing offers to the beleaguered African country, including removing Sudan from its terrorism list; a commitment to making efforts to remove Sudan from the list of travel ban countries; efforts to increase international aid and facilitate private investment in the financially strapped country; and debt forgiveness of $3 billion owed to the U.S., among other offers.

This video below says it all. It was taken today, October 15, on Fillmore Avenue and Marine Parkway at the Marine Park basketball court. Zero compliance. No masks. No social distancing whatsoever. Yet – there is no Sheriff, no Police, no DOH, no DOB, no FDNY, no media. NO ENFORCEMENT WHATSOEVER. Is it because these are non-Jews playing in this park? Or is it because just about every single NYC inspectors is busy shutting down Shuls and Jewish-owned business? Why during a pandemic only some communities lose their constitutionally protected rights while others don’t? (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden will compete for TV audiences in dueling town halls on Thursday night instead of meeting face-to-face for their second debate as originally planned. The two will take questions in different cities on different networks: Trump on NBC from Miami, Biden on ABC from Philadelphia. Trump backed out of plans for the presidential faceoff originally scheduled for the evening after debate organizers said it would be held virtually following Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis. The town halls offer a different format for the two candidates to present themselves to voters, after the two held a chaotic and combative first debate late last month.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert has announced a new Commissioner’s Standing Order related to COVID-19. This order requires that all educational institutions, childcare programs and school transportation companies, are responsible to require and ensure that all children and students over age two cover their noses and mouths with acceptable face coverings at all times, other than during approved mask breaks where students can maintain social distancing. “It is critical that we do everything within our power to protect the children of our community,” said County Executive Ed Day. “This Order gives our inspectors the ability to issue fines to the businesses and institutions responsible for the safety of our children.

Three Rockland County Shuls are suing New York state and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying he engaged in a “streak of anti-Semitic discrimination” with a recent crackdown on religious gatherings to reduce the state’s coronavirus infection rate. The Manhattan federal court lawsuit filed late Wednesday accused the Democrat of making negative, false, and discriminatory statements about the Jewish Orthodox community as he imposed new coronavirus measures to counter the state’s rising infection rate in so-called “red zone” areas. Cuomo’s statements and actions were painful for residents in an area north of New York City where a man invaded a Chanukah celebration in December and stabbed or slashed five people, the lawsuit said. Grafton Thomas awaits trial after pleading not guilty.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com On the one hand, he is perceived by many asboth lovable and adorable.  His speech patterns, his angelic and child-like facial countenance, remind us all of that cutey-pie roly-poly little boy who was cutely defiant of the teacher and principal back in fifth or sixth grade – a defiance that always exacerbated both of them.  It is just that that cutey-pie little boy is now 58 years old. On the other hand, his antics and statements have inspired hundreds to openly defy authority.  The first time that most Jews outside of Boro Park really heard about him was when he went around with bolt-cutters in hand, opening parks that the city had bolted shut.  There were cheers, praises, and ovations.

The Palestinian prime minister said Tuesday it will be disastrous for his people and the world at large if President Donald Trump wins re-election next month. Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said the last four years of the Trump administration have greatly harmed the Palestinians. “If we are going to live another four years with President Trump, G-d help us, G-d help you and G-d help the whole world,” Shtayyeh said Tuesday, repeating comments he made a day earlier in a remote meeting with European lawmakers. The comments were earlier posted on his Facebook page. The Palestinians have traditionally refrained from taking an explicit public position in American presidential elections. Shtayyeh’s comments reflected the sense of desperation on the Palestinian side after a series of U.S.