The Trump administration has referred New York Attorney General Letitia James for criminal prosecution, accusing her of mortgage fraud related to property purchases dating back decades. According to documents obtained by Fox News, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice, addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. FHFA Director William Pulte alleged that James falsified records to secure favorable loan terms for two properties. The first involves a Virginia property James allegedly claimed as her principal residence in 2023, despite serving as New York’s attorney general, a role requiring New York residency.

FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker and senior officials from the Department met with Jewish community leaders from across New York City on Tuesday, to discuss fire safety ahead of the Passover holiday. The meeting took place at FDNY Headquarters in Brooklyn and focused on proactive measures to help ensure a safe and joyous celebration. “We want everyone to have a happy Passover, and that means being smart when it comes to celebrating,” said Commissioner Tucker. “The FDNY will be out in your community ensuring you have a safe holiday.” The Commissioner emphasized the Department’s ongoing commitment to working closely with community organizations to promote fire safety awareness during the Yom Tov season.

A man was taken into custody early Friday morning after attempting to rob a deli cashier at machete-point near New Utrecht Avenue and 55th Street. The incident unfolded around 1 a.m. when Boro Park Shomrim received a hotline call about a suspicious individual. Volunteers kept a close watch as the suspect entered a local deli. After being refused by the cashier, the man reportedly pulled out a large machete and demanded money. Shomrim immediately alerted the NYPD and helped guide responding officers, who arrested the suspect moments later on 13th Avenue. The large machete was recovered from the suspect’s pocket, as seen in the video below. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

The IDF is finalizing plans to evacuate civilians from the city of Rafah and establish a strategic buffer zone along Gaza’s southern border, with Israeli officials saying the move is critical to dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities in the area. At the heart of the plan is the construction of the Morag Corridor, a new security strip that will stretch from the Mediterranean coast through the site of the former Israeli settlement of Morag and connect with the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border, according to multiple Hebrew media reports. The corridor is expected to reach up to five kilometers (about 3.1 miles) into Gaza, effectively encircling Rafah. “Rafah will be evacuated.

As the Passover holiday approaches, community leaders from Jersey City’s Orthodox community gathered at the Hudson County Sheriff’s Headquarters today to meet with Sheriff Frank X. Schillari and Commissioner Bill O’Dea. During the meeting, community leaders expressed their gratitude to Sheriff Schillari and Commissioner O’Dea for their decades of service to the community, particularly in ensuring the safety and security of houses of worship during the holiday season. “We are grateful for the dedication and commitment of Sheriff Schillari and Commissioner O’Dea in protecting our community and our places of worship,” said Moshe Eidlis, a school administrator.

A routine afternoon along the Hudson turned into a horrifying scene on Thursday, as a helicopter plummeted into the river near Pier 40 in a harrowing crash that claimed at least one life. At approximately 3:15 p.m., witnesses watched as the chopper appeared to “split in half” midair before slamming into the water just off West Houston Street and West Street. The impact sent shockwaves through the area, with bystanders reporting a “loud thumping noise” as the aircraft hit the surface, trailing a shattered propeller in its wake. “I saw it break apart in the sky—it didn’t look real,” one witness posted on social media, sharing footage of the helicopter as it spiraled down, pieces flying, before vanishing into the river.

Over the past few weeks, as Jewish families prepared for Passover amid soaring food prices, Met Councilled a massive food relief effort to ensure that more than 250,000 food-insecure Jewish Americans could celebrate the holiday with dignity. With grocery costs skyrocketing—some items increasing by 40% since last year and over 200% from pre-pandemic prices—Met Council distributed millions of pounds of free kosher-for-Passover food across 185 distribution sites in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida. Working in partnership with local food pantries, synagogues, and community organizations, Met Council’s coordinated efforts helped struggling families access the essential foods needed for a proper Seder.

Chabad Headquarters marked the 123rd birthday of the Rebbe—with Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky announcing the next round of thirty-five new Shluchim couples who will be supported with seed grants to expand the Rebbe’s life’s work in some of the most unexpected corners of the world. From Mykonos to Kenya, West Adams to Tanzania, they are planting seeds of Jewish life—some where Jewish infrastructure once existed, others where it never did. Each of these couples is receiving seed funding from Keren Hashluchim to help establish new Chabad centers and build Jewish communities, carrying forward a vision that has, for generations, redefined what it means to be there for another Jew. Yud Aleph Nissan has long served as a catalyst for expansion.

Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen from Brooklyn, NY, was sentenced Wednesday to 230 months in federal prison—nearly 19 years—for recruiting people to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), obstructing justice, and failing to appear in court. Ceasar pleaded guilty to the three federal charges in 2017, 2019, and 2022, respectively. ISIS is officially designated as a terrorist organization by the United States government. “Today’s resentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago,” said Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s national security division.

Hatzolah of Central Jersey, the Lakewood Fire Dept., Chaveirim of Central Jersey, and Lakewood Shomrim have issued an urgent reminder to take proper precautions and avoid serious – and entirely preventable – dangers associated with carbon monoxide poisoning. Each year in the United States, thousands of people are treated for accidental carbon monoxide exposure, and tragically, some do not survive. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer – invisible, tasteless, and odorless – and it can accumulate quickly when proper care is not taken. This time of year brings intense cleaning and kashering activities – but they must be done with awareness of physical safety.