The Levaya of the Klausenberger Rebbitzen was held on Monday in Netanya, Eretz Yisroel. Due to the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic which has already taken the lives of around dozens and dozens of Yidden around the globe, the Sanzer Rebbe enforced the social distaning rules for the Levaya. Normally, this Levaya would of had thousands of people attending, but the Rebbe only allowed his sons to attend, and everyone else to listen on phone-hookup. See the attached video and photos of the Levaya and Kevura. Meanwhile, various Levayos in NY are turning into national headlines. Naturally, when YWN published one of the articles showing how the NYPD attempted to shut down one of those Levayos, YWN was accused of being self-hating Jews and publishing “hate”.

Eicha – How has it happened that the season of renewal and optimism has become a period of indescribable pain and devastation? Eicha – How is it that a yeshiva recently filled with men learning and davening has become transormed into a hospital setting filled with respirators? Eicha – How is that with shuls on nearly every street corner, not a minyan can be found around the globe? Eicha – How is it that loving and devoted children cannot be there to tend to the basic life needs of their parents who are struggling to survive? Eicha – How is that wholesome, happy families with endless dreams for the future have become shattered from one day to the next? Eicha – How is it, that at a time most appropriate for gracious hospitality, we are forced to keep our doors shut?

The government’s stockpile of critically needed medical supplies and equipment is nearly drained just as the numbers of people infected with the coronavirus and in need of critical care is surging. Back in January, the first alarms were sounding about the outbreak in China. In time, it would become a global pandemic. An Associated Press review has found that the Trump administration squandered precious months before bolstering the federal stockpile of urgently needed medical supplies and equipment. A timeline of events in the administration’s response to the outbreak: DEC. 31 — Chinese health officials alert the world of a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases of unknown cause, in the first report from Wuhan. JAN.

A tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the new coronavirus, in what is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the U.S. or a tiger anywhere, federal officials and the zoo said Sunday. The 4-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia — and six other tigers and lions that have also fallen ill — are believed to have been infected by a zoo employee who wasn’t yet showing symptoms, the zoo said. The first animal started showing symptoms March 27, and all are doing well and expected to recover, said the zoo, which has been closed to the public since March 16 amid the surging coronavirus outbreak in New York. The test result stunned zoo officials: “I couldn’t believe it,” director Jim Breheny said.

Dear Acheinu Kol Beis Yisrael Hanisunim Batzara Ubashivya, The extraordinary display of compassion and chessed born of the current crisis, R”L, has be an exceptional kiddush sheim Shamayim. So many chessed organizations and yichidim have not only stepped up to the plate, but have gone to bat to hit homeruns for the various causes. Their, proactively, being there for the yesomim, almanos, choilim, homebound, and so many others, showed that we truly strive to fulfill the mitzvah of vihalachta bidrachav. We can truly beseech HASH-M and declare mi kiamcha Yisrael. I feel an obligation to relay a disturbing incident that occurred last night. I had the opportunity to speak with a nurse in one of the local hospitals.

After receiving countless calls from family members desperate for status updates on their loved ones in the hospital, Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein is calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to issue an executive order requiring all hospitals to communicate and provide medical updates to families on a regular basis. Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, hospitals have implemented no-visitors policies. This has led to a lack of communication between medical providers and patient’s families due to the families not being allowed in the hospitals. Patient representatives need to be given the access and ability to communicate updates at a minimum every 24 hours to desperate families eagerly awaiting information on the medical status of their loved ones.

The President April 5, 2020 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: As you are aware, the New York City area is entering the most dangerous point in this pandemic. As a front line physician in Brooklyn and Manhattan I feel compelled to let you know how dire the current situation is. Aside from the dramatic numbers of deaths in the hospitals, many are simply dying at home before accessing hospital care. We do not have adequate ventilators or high flow nasal canulas so critical in the care of COVID patients. Javits Center is being established as a “low acuity” site for patients recovering from COVID who no longer need a critical level or even a high level of care.

Hagaon HaRav Tzvi Hirsh Meislish ZATZAL, the Av Beis Din of Shopron was Niftar on Sunday from COVID-19 at the age of 80. The Levaya is taking place on Sunday night on Hewes Street in Williamsburg. Hundreds of people showed up to the Levaya on Hewes Street, only to be met with a massive NYPD Level 1 Mobilization response. A police chopper was hovering overhead as police began trying to move people off the streets. This is the second Levaya on Sunday to be met with NYPD resistance. The first Levaya was for the Kozlover Rebbe at his Bais Medrash in Boro Park at 55th St and 12th Avenue. At that Levaya, multiple eye-wittiness tell YWN that the police requested that the crowd – 95% of whom were not wearing masks – maintain social distancing, who adamantly refused.

I am awe struck by the medical professionals efforts and thank them daily and greatly. This letter is directed to the all other community members as the medical professionals work tirelessly. We need to sharpen our focus and act more to make it through the remaining weeks. I want to start off by addressing the concern regarding funerals. As a practicing LMSW, I was on the phone with a single mother whose daughter is immunocompromised. This mother, a traditional Jew stated fearfully to me that she saw many religious men gathered for a funeral in Brooklyn. I assured her that this choice to gather was the horrific opposite of Jewish values and that we are working as a community to take action to protect her daughter and others.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday that the state will return more than 400 ventilators of the 500 it has received from the federal government so they can go to New York and other states hit harder by the coronavirus. The Democratic governor said Sunday his statewide stay-at-home order and weeks of social distancing have led to slower rates of infections and deaths in Washington. Sunday evening the state Department of Health said Washington had nearly 8,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 338 deaths. New York has more than 122,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,000 deaths. Washington received 500 ventilators last month from the Strategic National Stockpile. “I’ve said many times over the last few weeks: We are in this together,” Inslee said.