YWN regrets to inform you of the passing of HaRav Yonasan Binyamin Halevi Jungreis ZT”L. The Niftar was a Holocaust survivor of Bergen Belsen. He was the son of Rabbi Avraham and Rebbetzin Miriam Jungreis of Canarsie, Brooklyn, and brother of Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis A”H and Rabbi Jacob Jungreis. He was a descendant of the legendary Menuchas Asher- the Czenger Rav, Harav Asher Anshel Halevi Jungreis ZT”L. He was one of 1600 Jews saved on the Kasztner train – a source of pride, yet also leaving him with a profound responsibility to continue saving Jewish souls. After attending Yeshiva Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, he became a prized student at Ponovezh Yeshiva in Israel and Yeshiva University in New York where he received his semicha.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Dr Harvey Hirsch Z”L of Lakewood. He was 68 and was Niftar from COVID-19. Dr Hirsch was a beloved township pediatrician, who worked at CHEMED in Lakewood. He was a real Tzadik who treated his patients with kindness and compassion. He had thousands of patients and was loved by all. “This is so sad. He was a great man,” said Mark Berkowitz, chief operating officer of the Center for Health Education, Medicine and Dentistry (CHEMED) in Lakewood. Besides seeing patients all day at CHEMED, Dr Hirsch was always treating patients in his home on Shabbos, anytime of the day or night. It didn’t matter if they were his patients or not, anyone who knocked on his door was treated as if they were his long-time patient.

This is not the America, I once knew. I used to be immensely proud to be an American. This country provided oxygenation to me and all its citizens, based on the fundamental principals of the first amendment. We were a nation that fought for civil rights and social justice and valued personal freedom and democracy. The key tenets of the constitution are still in place. Recently they have been violated by the Governor of New York, during the current coronavirus pandemic, thus failing to uphold the inalienable rights that Americans have trusted for decades – Civil Liberties and Human Rights. On March 18, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued an advisory regarding hospital visitations. All visitations were suspended, except where end of life decisions needed to be made.

Mayor Deblasio spoke at a press conference on Wednesday morning, and tried to explain his tweets which have now gained national attention, and caused the Levaya of the Tola’as Yaakov Rebbe ZT”L to become national headlines. The Mayor says that “if you say anger and frustration (in his tweets), you’re right. I spoke out of of real distress. People’s lives were in danger before my eyes, and I was not going to tolerate it. So, I regret if the way I said it, in anyway, gave people the feeling of being treated the wrong way, that was not my intention. It was said with love, but it was tough love, it was anger and frustration. “And no, it has not happened in other places. Let’s be honest. This kind of gathering has happened in only a few places, and it cannot continue.

HaRav Chaim Aryeh Zev Ginzberg, was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday evening, after he was in critical condition and on a respirator from COVID-19. HaRav Ginzberg is the Rov of the Chofetz Chaim Torah Center of Cedarhurst and the founding Rav of Ohr Moshe Torah Institute in Hillcrest, Queens. A statement from the family says: הודו לה כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו We are so filled with gratitude to be able to share with you that Rabbi Chaim Aryeh Zev Ginzberg was discharged from the hospital this evening. It is so clear to us how all of your nonstop tefillos have brought about this tremendous נס and we can never possibly thank you enough. You stormed shamayim and brought our husband, father and zaidy home to us.

Where do we go from here? With coronavirus numbers slowly starting to decline, elected officials and medical professionals throughout the United States are all wrestling with the same issues as they try to map out a plan for a return to some semblance of normalcy without compromising public health. With few facts on the ground but questions aplenty, Agudath Israel of America took advantage of an invitation extended by Israel’s Office of the Consul General in New York to discuss the ongoing situation with Minister of Health Rabbi Yaakov Litzman, whose public health decisions have played a part in keeping fatality rates relatively low during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

The following statement was provided to YWN following the Levaya on Tuesday night which has now become a national story – thanks to the double standard of Mayor Deblasio. As YWN reported, Deblasio singled out the Jewish community in NYC by name, but ignored the tens of thousands of New Yorkers that packed parks in NYC to watch the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels fly over NYC just hours earlier. April 29, 2020 We regret that the funeral today of our Rabbi of blessed memory ended in chaos and in controversy, and we feel that it’s incumbent on us to explain what happened. Our Rabbi was revered by thousands as a holy, humble and caring person, and they wanted to participate in the funeral.

When all airplanes said no, Hatzolah Air said “Let’s Go!” Hero US Vet Robert had been in combat in Vietnam and was exposed to Agent Orange. This led to Robert having many respiratory issues that ultimately led to throat cancer and a stroke. After a long battle with cancer, Robert ultimately required a trach in order to breathe. Robert and his wife ran a successful floral business for many years. Under the careful watch of his wife and longtime partner it was decided that they would permanently relocate to Florida for ongoing medical care. With the looming threat of Coronavirus and his debilitating illness they did not find a way to make that happen.

R’ Yaakov Moshe and Blimie Shchreiber of Lakewood, New Jersey, celebrated the birth of a daughter on Sunday, their second child after an agonizing wait of 11 years, B’Chadrei Chareidim reported. A year ago, R’ Yaakov Moshe visited the home of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky to request a bracha for a child. He reminded Harav Chaim that the year before Rav Chaim had instructed him to begin using wine for Havdalah on Motzei Shabbos to be zohech to a child. Although R’ Yaakov Moshe had followed the instructions he still wasn’t zocheh to a yeshuah. Harav Chaim immediately responded by saying that R’ Yaakov Moshe should grow a beard and payos. R’ Yaakov Moshe asked: “Does the Rav promise?” and Harav Chaim nodded and said that he promises.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of the Toa’as Yaakov Rebbe, HaRav Chaim Mertz ZT”L. He was 73, and was Niftar from COVID-19. The Rebbe was a tremendous Tzadik, and one of the most Choshuva Admorim in New York. His Shul in on Bedford Avenue. He was the son of HaRav Yechezkel Shraga Mertz ZT”L. Additional information will be published when available. Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… STAY UPDATED WITH BREAKING UPDATES FROM YWN VIA WHATSAPP – SIGN UP NOW Just click on this link, and you will be placed into a group. (YWN World Headquarters- NYC)