Hundreds of Hatzolah members from many different neighborhoods attended the levaya on Wednesday of R’ Yehuda Lindenblatt Z”L, a Holocaust survivor and longtime Flatbush Hatzolah volunteer. He was niftar on Tuesday evening at the age of 88, and was an active responder until a few years ago. READ FULL STORY ON THIS INCREDIBLE BAAL CHESED ON YWN

A new wave of food stamp fraud is devastating the frum community in New York City, with scammers draining millions of dollars from Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts. Dozens of families have reported their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits stolen, leaving them without essential funds to purchase food. The scam, which has hit multiple Brooklyn Jewish neighborhoods this week, follows a similar fraud operation in Lakewood just days earlier. In both cases, fraudsters installed skimming devices on point-of-sale card readers in kosher supermarkets, silently stealing card numbers and PINs. When victims later swiped their cards, scammers were able to remotely access and wipe out their accounts.

In two separate deadly fires this week, New York City firefighters faced critical delays due to illegally parked vehicles blocking fire hydrants—costing them precious seconds in their battle to save lives. The FDNY is now urgently reminding the public that obstructing hydrants is not just a parking violation but a dangerous and potentially life-threatening hazard. The first tragedy occurred on Sunday morning in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Flames tore through the third floor of a four-story apartment building on 80th Street at around 3:30 a.m., ultimately killing a 37-year-old man and leaving a woman and her 2-year-old daughter critically injured. FDNY officials confirmed that firefighters encountered two SUVs illegally parked in front of nearby fire hydrants, delaying their efforts.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams addressed the public for the first time since the Department of Justice moved to dismiss his corruption case, framing the last 15 months as a difficult but humbling period before pivoting to his reelection campaign. “I thank the Justice Department for its honesty. Now you can put this cruel episode behind us and focus entirely on the future of our city,” Adams stated in a six-minute livestreamed address. “Despite the fact that I’m no longer facing legal questions, I also understand that many New Yorkers will still question my character, and I know that I must continue to regain your trust.” Shifting to what sounded like a campaign message, Adams touted his administration’s success in reducing crime and increasing job opportunities.

The world has lost a true hero. R’ Yehuda Lindenblatt Z”L, a Holocaust survivor and longtime Flatbush Hatzolah volunteer, was niftar at the age of 88. A man of unyielding strength and boundless chesed, Yehuda dedicated his life to saving others—continuing to respond to Hatzolah calls when he was already well into his 80s. Known by his unit number F-71, or affectionately as “Seventy Von,” Yehuda was a pillar of the Flatbush Hatzolah community. Even as recently as a year ago, he was still answering emergency calls, often arriving on scene before members who drove, as he sprinted from his daily jog on the Brighton Beach boardwalk. A survivor of the Holocaust, Yehuda was just a young child when he and his two brothers escaped Nazi persecution in Budapest.

Community leaders in Crown Heights hosted a welcome breakfast on Sunday at the home of Yaacov and Shevi Behrman, honoring Congressman Ritchie Torres for his steadfast support of Israel and the Jewish community. Speaker after speaker praised Torres for his bold stance against antisemitism, particularly in the wake of the October 7th terror attacks. Attendees highlighted how rare and reassuring it is to see a government official who is both unafraid and passionate in the fight against Jew-hatred.

A package thief has been arrested thanks to the swift response of Flatbush Shomrim. As Flatbush Scoop reported, a homeowner in the vicinity of Avenue S and East 8th Street witnessed his package being stolen in real-time via his Ring camera and immediately alerted Shomrim. Shomrim volunteers quickly mobilized and tracked down the suspect, who was driving a van loaded with stolen packages. The NYPD later discovered that the thief had been tailing Amazon and UPS trucks, snatching deliveries moments after they were dropped off. Upon apprehension at Ocean Avenue and Avenue T, police also found a significant quantity of Fentanyl and crack cocaine in his possession. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle itself had been stolen, and the license plates had been taken from another car.

In a stunning move, the Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, arguing that his indictment last fall came too close to the 2025 mayoral primary and hindered his ability to assist in President Trump’s immigration crackdown. “You are directed to dismiss” the charges, wrote Emil Bove, the Justice Department’s acting second-in-command, in a letter to prosecutors, according to two people briefed on its contents. The intervention by a Trump-appointed official in a high-profile corruption case raises serious concerns about prosecutorial independence and the administration of justice during Trump’s second term.

Elon Musk claimed early Monday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent $59 million last week to luxury hotels in New York City to house undocumented migrants, a move he says violates federal law and misuses emergency funds meant for American disaster relief. In a post on his social media platform, X, Musk asserted that the allocation was “just discovered” by his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the agency he oversees to curb government overspending. “Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order,” Musk wrote. “That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high-end hotels for illegals.” He added that a “clawback demand” would be issued immediately to recover the funds.

After months of terrorizing the Boro Park community by stealing hundreds of license plates from parked cars, a suspect was finally caught in the act and arrested on Sunday. The thief had been roaming the neighborhood for months, systematically unscrewing back plates from vehicles as he walked up and down the streets. His activity escalated over the past weekend, with reports indicating that he stole over 30 plates between Friday afternoon, Friday night, and Shabbos in the area spanning 16th Avenue and the low 40s. In response to the growing concern, Boro Park Shomrim increased their patrols in the affected areas. On Sunday, a community member spotted the suspect in the act and immediately alerted Shomrim volunteers, who were already monitoring the neighborhood.