Street protests rocked New York City for a third straight day Saturday, even as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pleaded for calm after a demonstration the previous night left people bloodied and vehicles burned. A large crowd marched through Harlem, chanted outside a police precinct then blocked traffic on the highway along Manhattan’s East River. Farther south in Manhattan, thousands of demonstrators paraded around Union Square. Other groups marched through Brooklyn and Queens. Demonstrations during daylight hours were mostly peaceful, but as evening fell protesters hurled objects at officers, set numerous fires, torched and smashed police vehicles and blocked roads with garbage and wreckage. Dangerous confrontations flared repeatedly.

An initially peaceful demonstration in New York City over the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minnesota, spiraled into chaos as night fell Friday, as protesters skirmished with police officers, destroyed police vehicles and set fires. In Brooklyn, activists who had marched from Manhattan chanted insults at officers lined up outside the Barclays Center and pelted them with water bottles. Police sprayed an eye-irritating chemical into the diverse crowd multiple times, then cleared the plaza. Video posted to social media showed officers using batons and shoving protesters as they took people into custody and cleared streets. One video showed on officer slam a woman to the ground as he walked past her in the street.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Saturday granting death benefits to the families of police officers, public health workers and other front-line workers who have died of the coronavirus. “You gave your lives for us, we will be there for your families going forward,” Cuomo said as he signed the legislation at his daily briefing on the virus. The bill passed by state lawmakers this past week provides an accidental death benefit that is more substantial than the regular death benefit that public workers’ families receive. Dozens of police officers, public health workers, transit workers and paramedics have died of COVID-19 in the months since New York became the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.

As NYC and the nation is set ablaze by “protestors” looking for “justice” in the murder of George Floyd, a reporter by the name “Eliza Shapiro” decided to tweet the following: “Just drove through Hasidic Williamsburg. Saw at least 250 people, and not a *single* person was wearing a mask. The Hasidic community in NYC has suffered a horrifying death toll from the virus. I didn’t see any police.” The reporter then linked to a NY Times article from May 7th headlined “Scrutiny of Social-Distance Policing as 35 of 40 Arrested Are Black”.  

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(By: Frimet Blum) It’s been months since anyone entered a Chesed 24/7 Hospitality Room. But on Wednesday, May 26, the long-deserted rooms in Mount Sinai and Lenox Hill hospitals came alive, as family members of patients swarmed in seeking food and comfort. Just hours had passed since Governor Cuomo announced that the hospitals would be part of his pilot visitation program. Yet already, the giant percolators were filled and the rooms were stocked and ready. On Thursday, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Hackensack University, and Northern Westchester hospitals joined the list. “When we heard we could come into the hospitals, we sprang into action,” said Rabbi Shalom Greenberg, founder of Chesed 24/7.

The U.S. surpassed a jarring milestone Wednesday in the coronavirus pandemic: 100,000 deaths. That number is the best estimate and most assuredly an undercount. But it represents the stark reality that more Americans have died from the virus than from the Vietnam and Korea wars combined. “It is a grim milestone,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington. “It’s a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be.” Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 5.6 million people and killed over 350,000, with the U.S. having the most confirmed cases and deaths by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Europe has recorded about 170,000 deaths, while the U.S.

A plan to hike tolls on the Garden State Parkway by 27% and New Jersey Turnpike by 36% was adopted by the Turnpike Authority on Wednesday; the tolls hikes were rammed through without the public being able to participate in person due to the ongoing statewide ‘stay at home’ order. The proposed toll hikes would take effect Sept. 13. They would result in an average increase by about $1.30 on the Turnpike, while cash tolls at mainline toll plazas on the Parkway would rise by 40 cents, to $1.90. The extra revenue would be used to fund a $24 billion construction plan, which includes widening 15 sections of the Turnpike and Parkway, and installing cashless tolls.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Hagaon HaRav Shmuel Miller ZT”L, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel. He was 81 and suffered from an illness the past few months. He was the son of Hagaon HaRav Avigdor Miller ZATZAL. Unfortunately, his wife, Rebbitzen Miriam (nee Pancer) was Niftar 5 weeks ago from COVID-19. The Niftar was a massive Talmid Chachom and Masmid. He was a Talmid Muvhak of Hagaon HaRav Arhaon Kotler ZTZAL in Lakewood Yeshiva, studying by the Rosh Yeshiva for numerous years. He then studied under HaRav Berel Soloveitchik‧ ZTAAL in Brisk. He began his life in Chinuch as a Rebbi in Yeshiva of Eastern Parkway. He then opened Yeshiva Gedolah Bais Yisroel in Flatbuh together with his father, where he delivered Shiurim to his Talmidim for decades.

(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com) There are numerous stores in New York City that are facing severe economic disaster.  Although some businesses have been allowed to remain open because they have been classified as essential businesses, others may not be open. Thus, candy stores and convenience stores are all open.They are considered essential.  Clothing shops and shoe stores in Boro Park and Williamsburg are told to be closed. It is random and unfortunate. Many, in fact, argue that the law should not decide to destroy a person’s livelihood, and that these business owners should at least be given the chance to open safely – mandating masks and social distancing. This is particularly true, when so many other venues have been allowed to be open.