While many find videos like this disturbing, it should be used as a learning lesson. This frightening incident occurred on “Beirach Moshe Street” in Kiryas Joel on Tuesday. Watch how a young child runs across the street directly in front of a car. The driver is heard shrieking in fear on his dash-cam as he slams on the breaks. Bichasdei Hashem the child makes it across in a hair-splitting second. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED: The driver was driving at a safe speed and was alert of his surroundings and had sufficient time to stop in time. Children should be taught how to properly cross a street, and parents should be aware where their children are at all times. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former Obama housing secretary Shaun Donovan has filed papers to run for mayor of New York City in 2021. Donovan, 54, registered a campaign Monday to succeed Mayor Bill de Blasio, who by law cannot run for a third term. Donovan, a native New Yorker, served as federal secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2009 to 2014 and as director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2014 until Democratic President Barack Obama left office in 2017. Prior to that Donovan served as a deputy assistant HUD secretary under President Bill Clinton and as commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

After lots of effort to shut down a vile anti-Semitic Facebook page operating in Ocean County (near Lakewood), New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal today announced that Rise Up Ocean County has been shut down permanently. “We just learned that Facebook has decided to take down the public page on the company’s social network called ‘Rise Up Ocean County.’ Facebook’s action comes ten months after the Director of our Division on Civil Rights, Rachel Wainer Apter, first sent a letter to Facebook expressing concerns about racist and anti-Semitic statements on the page.

An October trial date was set Monday for two associates of Rudy Giuliani who are charged with making illegal campaign contributions. Lev Parnas was the only defendant among four men facing trial to be at a Manhattan courthouse when U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken set the Oct. 5 trial date. If the trial begins on time, it will occur a month before the presidential election. Parnas was smiling and wearing an American-flag pin in court. Outside court, he declined to say if he was cooperating. He said he believes the truth will emerge. Parnas and fellow defendant Igor Fruman had worked with Giuliani to try to convince Ukraine to announce an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden. Biden is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of HaRav Meir Reuven Berkowitz ZATZAL, the Rov of Whispering Pines in Lakewood, after a lengthy illness. The Levaya will be at his Shul at 12:00PM, and the Kevura in Kiryas Yoel. Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The post Lakewood: Levaya of HaRav Meir Reuven Berkowitz ZATZAL, Rov of Whispering Pines appeared first on The Yeshiva World.

YWN regrets to inform you of the sudden Petira of R’ Shlomie Pinchas Ritterman Z”L of North Miami Beach, Florida (previously of Flatbush). He was 58. R’ Shloime was on a flight with his wife at Forth Lauderdale Airport, when he suffered a massive heart attack. He was rushed to the the closest hospital (Broward Hospital) where he was R”L Niftar. The Niftar Grew up in Flatbush on East 3rd Street near Avenue M, and lived on East 10 between Avenue’s N-O before moving to North Miami Beach. He was one of the original members of Flatbush Shomrim, and was a member of the Chevra Kaddisha in Flatbush. He leaves behind his wife Mrs. Leah Dini and children Chesky, Moshe, Eli, Tzvi and Gitti. Chesed Shel Emes was instrumental in ensuring proper Kavod Hames and a timely Levaya.

A second person in New York City is being tested for coronavirus, the Health Department reports. Officials say the 60-year-old, who is currently hospitalized at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, had recently been in mainland China, and displayed fever symptoms and shortness of breath. Meanwhile, New York City health officials are awaiting test results on a possible first case of coronavirus as the TSA issues new travel restrictions for people coming to the U.S. from China and the number of cases continues to climb. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a hotline Sunday for New Yorkers to call about the coronavirus. The hotline, staffed by Health Department experts, is 1-888-364-3065.

It’s a heart stopping moment. A toddler, barely 2 years of age, has gone missing. The family is frantic, and for good reason. A two year old child roaming the city streets is a recipe for disaster. “After the waves of panic made way for hysteria, I picked up the phone and called Shomrim. That was the smartest phone call I’ve ever made. Within minutes, my house was flooded with volunteers and within the hour, my baby was back home safe and sound. I shudder to think of what could have been. “ Without fanfare or commotion, Shomrim saved a child’s life and a mother’s sanity. The calls don’t stop. “Someone is in my basement. He’s carrying a knife.” “My vehicle was stolen.” “My elderly parent is lost.” Shomrim is ready for every call. Shomrim is ready to help every Jew.

Rabbi Micky Mellul, a Chabad shaliach in Creteil, France was in the US recently with a group of members from his community to spend “Shabbos by the Rebbe” in Crown Heights. The group visited Manhattan on Motzei Shabbos and had a disturbing encounter there, Rabbi Mellul told Collive. A homeless man approached Rabbi Mellul in Times Square and asked him if he was a rabbi and when Rabbi Mellul confirmed that he was, the man said: “I found something in the street. I want to make sandals from it but I first would like to know if it’s valuable.” The homeless man then proceeded to show him a blue velvet Tefillin bag with kosher Tefillin inside it.

As part of a school project, the fifth through eight grade students of Yeshivas Boyan in Boro Park wrote warm personal letters to NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea. The letters were accepted on Thursday, January 30 by NYPD officials on behalf of the Commissioner. Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein joined the session and delivered remarks of gratitude to the NYPD for protecting his constituents. The NYPD’s Deputy Inspector Paul Valerga from the Community Affairs Bureau, representatives of the Commissioner’s Office, and Neighborhood Coordination Officers from the 66th Precinct joined Assemblyman Eichenstein at the Boyan Yeshiva as the students presented them with their letters.