Outrage and fear swept through the Boro Park community after a young Jewish child was brutally assaulted in a brazen, unprovoked attack Thursday afternoon — but thanks to the lightning-fast response of Boro Park Shomrim and the NYPD, the suspect was tracked down and arrested within minutes. The horrifying incident unfolded on Webster Avenue, where a group of children were playing peacefully on the sidewalk. Surveillance footage shows a man approaching the group, striking one of the boys in the face and knocking his yarmulke to the ground — all without saying a word. The suspect then casually walked away as the children scattered in terror. Terrified and shaken, the children ran to alert nearby adults, who immediately called the Shomrim hotline.

A tragic accident in the heart of the Five Towns on Friday morning claimed the life of Louis Meshonek z”l, a retired NYPD detective and beloved local, after his vehicle overturned at the intersection of Howard Avenue and West Broadway in Woodmere. The crash occurred shortly before 9:30 a.m. and left Mr. Meshonek z”l, approximately 70 years old, pinned alongside his wife inside the vehicle. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, where Hatzalah Paramedics began providing advanced life support as firefighters worked urgently to extract the couple from the wreckage. Mr. Meshonek was confirmed to be in traumatic arrest while still entrapped, and despite life-saving efforts, he was tragically pronounced deceased at the scene.

Agudath Israel is calling for the swift passage of the Honoring Our Pledge to Eliminate Antisemitism (HOPE) Act (A.2139/S.7034A), legislation aimed at strengthening New York’s response to antisemitic incidents. The HOPE Act, introduced by Assemblyman Sam Berger and Senator Kevin Parker, would require all New York State agencies and subdivisions to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when assessing whether an act was motivated by anti-Jewish bias. The bill also mandates that statewide anti-bias trainings incorporate the IHRA definition. Agudath Israel has supported the bill since its introduction and collaborated with Assemblyman Berger on its language during the drafting process.

On Thursday, FDNY Fire Commissioner Robert S. Tucker led a high-level delegation of FDNY officials on a series of visits to key community organizations in Boro Park, aimed at strengthening cooperation and enhancing emergency response coordination. Commissioner Tucker was joined by Chief of EMS Michael Fields, Brooklyn Borough Commander Joseph Duggan, EMS Brooklyn South Commander Chief Kathleen Knuth, Assistant Deputy Commissioner Jim Harding, Lt. Jonathan Haber—Vice President of the FDNY Ner Tamid Society—and EMS Deputy Chief Yonatan Klein, President of the Ner Tamid Society. The day began with a visit to Boro Park Hatzolah headquarters, where FDNY leadership met with Hatzolah coordinators to reinforce ties and discuss enhanced collaboration at emergency scenes.

Zohran Mamdani, the far-left Assemblyman from Queens and a leading candidate in the NYC mayoral race, dropped jaws at Wednesday night’s debate when he flat-out refused to say he supports Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. “I believe Israel has the right to exist, as a state with equal rights,” Mamdani said, sidestepping a direct yes-or-no question about Israel’s Jewish identity — a dodge he’s pulled before. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, leading in the polls, wasn’t having it. “Not as a Jewish state,” Cuomo shot back. “And his answer was no, he won’t visit Israel.” The exchange lit a fire under what had been a sleepy debate — and put Mamdani’s long history of anti-Israel activism front and center just weeks before the crucial June 24 primary.

Let’s stop dancing around the truth. The Jewish community in New York—particularly the frum community—faces a political crisis of historic proportions. This isn’t about whether Andrew Cuomo apologized or whether he was a perfect governor. This is about whether our children and grandchildren will be able to live as Torah Jews in New York a decade from now. We still feel the pain of the unfair red zones imposed by Cuomo in 2020, which targeted our communities and restricted our way of life with heavy-handed measures. That wound lingers, a reminder of how quickly our freedoms can be curtailed. Yet, despite this pain, we must look forward and consider our future as Jews in New York City, where new threats loom larger than past grievances.

A person was critically injured Thursday morning when a wall collapsed at the shuttered T Fusion Kosher Steakhouse, located at the corner of East 33rd Street and Quentin Road in Flatbush. FDNY firefighters and emergency personnel rushed to the scene, with EMS transporting the victim to a nearby hospital while performing CPR. The individual was reportedly in traumatic arrest at the time of transport. Sources tell YWN that the steakhouse has been closed for several months. The building was apparently in the process of being sold, and possible construction work may have been underway when the collapse occurred. The NYC Department of Buildings is investigating the incident alongside emergency crews. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, speaking to the New York Times, said he regrets his 2021 resignation from the governorship amid harassment allegations, suggesting he would have handled the situation differently if given another chance. Cuomo, who stepped down during his third term, said, “If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t have resigned.” “At the time, I thought that I would be a distraction to government functionality, that they would all be involved in impeachment proceedings, blah, blah, blah,” he continued. “Looking back, what has really been done in the past four years anyway, right?” – a pointed critique at his successor, Governor Kathy Hochul.

Yeshiva Mikdash Melech in Brooklyn recently received a threatening letter, allegedly sent by inmate Matthew Karelefsky, 47, who is currently serving a 25-years-to-life sentence for attempted murder and arson. The letter, addressed to the yeshiva on Ocean Parkway in Midwood, warned of planned mass shootings in three zip codes: 11230 and 11210 in Brooklyn, and 06710 in Waterbury, Connecticut. Karelefsky was convicted in 2024 for setting fire to a longtime Chaim Berlin rebbi’s home in 2019, an attack that injured 13 people, including a 6-week-old infant. The NYPD is currently investigating the threat, and it remains unclear whether additional security measures have been implemented in the affected neighborhoods. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Chesed of Flatbush has moved into their new headquarters at Coney Island Ave and Ave I. In under three years, COF has aided nearly 6,300 Flatbush residents through their extensive Gemach, supplying hospital beds, wheelchairs, Hoyer lifts, knee scooters, shower chairs, commodes, specialized recliners, crutches, canes, nebulizers, oxygen concentrators, and more. Their dedicated team of nurses and doctors has also provided vital medical care, addressing a decades-long gap in the community. Powered by over 100 devoted volunteers, COF stands as a beacon of chesed, offering 24/7 assistance at 929-472-0000.