Leaders say a 'news desert' threatens the health of their communities as Diaspora Jewish journalism dwindles alongside an advertising drought

Oldest Jewish media outlet being purchased by consortium led by Sir Robbie Gibb, ex-head of communications at 10 Downing Street; rival Jewish News to continue publishing as before

The Gerer Rebbe emerged after a month-and-a-half of not being able to see his followers due to the health restrictions in place in Israel, and stood at the window of the Beis Medrash Hagadol on Yirmiyahu Street in Yerushalayim in order to participate from afar in the Levaya of Reb Efraim Landau Z”L. Rabbi Landau was one of the main people responsible for helping to build the Bais Medrash in Yerushalayim. He recently passed away after a long ordeal with an illness. The last time the Gerer Rebbe was seen in public was during the Yartzheit for a previous Admor of Gur, just after Purim. Then also the Gerrer Chassidim were very limited in attending in order to protect the Rebbe and only his immediate family were allowed to participate.

Some people named in consortium behind offer say they don't know who the actual funder is; liquidation of JC and rival Jewish News pushed off to midweek

Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News announced last week that they were going into liquidation; Chronicle editor resigns to support outside consortium's takeover attempt

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times “Yes, Mommy, but what does the key mean? Why do we put it in the Challah dough?” Last Shabbos, we would have read a fascinating Pasuk in Shir HaShirim – the standard reading for Chol HaMoed Pesach. The verse (Shir HaShirim 5:2) states, “”I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one!..’” In this verse, Hashem is talking to Klal Yisroel.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com Most people know to avoid Chometz sh’avar alav haPesach – Chometz that was owned by a Jew over Pesach (henceforth – C-Shaap).  How do they do this?  They find out which stores are considered to be Jewish-owned and determine whether the owner sold the Chometz that belonged to them.  The issue is not just about the store owner, however.  If the store purchased it Chometz from a Jewish wholesaler, then that too can present a problem. The following list is based upon Star-K’s research.

'The Jewish Enquirer,' now streaming in the UK, US and Israel, features a protagonist that's nicer than Larry David but still finds himself in the same hilarious situations

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com The year was 1984, and the place was Beis Midrash Gavoah in Lakewood, New Jersey.  A special day of Tefilah was established for Iosef Berenshtein, a prisoner of Soviet Russia and on trial.  His crime?  He taught Torah to children in Kiev, Russia. The Mashgiach of BMG, Rav Nosson Wachtfogel zt”l, spoke.  What he said then, can shed enormous insight into our current situation now – facing the COVID-10 virus.  These were his words: “We must know that we are davening here on behalf of a Jew who was moser nefesh for Torah – for chinuch.  His entire trial that he faces is on account of the fact that he taught Torah to children. Yisro left all the honors of the world and came to learn Torah.

This Torah article is dedicated in memory of Elisheva Kaplan a”h and Yisroel Levin z”l, whose second Yartzeit is tonight. Miss Kaplan was the author’s student. (By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times) There is a minhag in many families of Klal Yisroel to avoid eating gebrochts. And yet, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 461:4) writes that one fulfills the Mitzvah of Matzoh with matzoh shruyah – gebrochts, soaked Matzah – as long as the Matzoh remains intact and whole.  This is based upon the Gemorah itself (Psachim 41a) which states the very same law. WHAT IS THE SOURCE What then is the source for the custom of avoiding Gebrochts – dipped or wetted Matzoh?