On Monday morning, the first day of Chol Hamoed in Israel and exactly a year after the Chareidi sector in Israel was amid the worst coronavirus outbreak in the country and the city of Bnei Brak entered its first lockdown, the Health Ministry confirmed 128 new coronavirus patients, with only one of those cases from the Chareidi sector. Furthermore, the positivity rate in the Chareidi sector is only 0.8%, while the rate in the general population has decreased to 1.5%. The reproduction or R number in the general population in Israel had dropped to 0.55% in the general population and it stands at 0.44% in the Chareidi sector. All Chareidi cities, including Bnei Brak, Beitar Illit, Modiin Illit, Elad, Rechasim, Emanuel and Telzstone, continue to be “green,” with very low infection rates.

(By Sandy Eller) Businesses, caterers and volunteer groups are among the many who are geared up for a busy Pesach in Orlando, with as many as 100,000 people making their way to Central Florida for yom tov. With few formal hotel programs operating and an ideal Chol Hamoed for day tripping, this year’s Pesach created the perfect storm, with Orlando at its epicenter. COVID-weary families eager for a change of pace set their sights on the Sunshine State months ago, with some looking to enjoy a relatively simple yom tov, while others have found ways to create a more luxurious experience.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 22-year-old man has been indicted for assault, reckless endangerment and other charges for allegedly causing a car crash that seriously injured a Brooklyn mother of six. A dashboard camera captured the driver allegedly running a red light at a Bedford-Stuyvesant intersection and colliding with a livery cab that carried the 32-year-old victim. District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant chose to drive his car in a highly dangerous and reckless manner, allegedly speeding and ignoring a traffic light, and caused a devastating crash that nearly killed a beloved mother. We believe this was not an aberration – videos he allegedly posted online show him driving the same vehicle in an extremely reckless fashion.

The United States launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday, targeting facilities near the Iraqi border used by Iranian-backed militia groups. The Pentagon said the strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops. The airstrike was the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, which in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist. Biden’s decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq.

The International Criminal Court said Friday that its jurisdiction extends to territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, potentially clearing the way for its chief prosecutor to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions. The decision was welcomed by the Palestinians and decried by Israel’s prime minister, who vowed to fight “this perversion of justice.” The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, said it opposed the decision. The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in 2019 that there was a “reasonable basis” to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement activity in Judea and Samaria. But she asked the court to determine whether she has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding.

In the wake of unfounded rumors that coronavirus vaccines can cause fertility issues, the question was asked to HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky. HaRav Chaim’s grandson, Yanky Kanievsky, repeated the question to his grandfather: “Young men and women who don’t yet have children or are hoping to have more children are afraid that if they will be vaccinated they won’t have more children. Is there what to fear?” HaRav Chaim responded “no” and gave a bracha for those who are vaccinated. Earlier this week, Israel’s Health Ministry updated its previous recommendations regarding pregnant women only being vaccinated after the 15th week of pregnancy.

President Donald Trump, a man hyperaware of his achievements and place in history, added a first to his record on Wednesday. A week before he will leave office, Trump became the first president impeached by the House twice. The chamber charged him with high crimes and misdemeanors for inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol seven days ago. The president’s behavior in the 13 months since the first impeachment left House Democrats making a more clear-cut case than the first time around. The chamber charged Trump in a 232-197 vote, as all Democrats and 10 Republicans backed the measure.

The man believed to be responsible for the Christmas Day bombing that tore through downtown Nashville blew himself up in the explosion, and appears to have acted alone, federal officials said Sunday. Investigators used DNA and other evidence to link the man, identified as Anthony Quinn Warner, to the mysterious explosion but said they have not determined a motive. Officials have received hundreds of tips and leads, but have concluded that no one other than Warner is believed to have been involved in the early morning explosion that damaged dozens of buildings. “We’re still following leads, but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved,” said Douglas Korneski, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis field office.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned 15 people, including Republican allies, a 2016 campaign official ensnared in the Russia probe and former government contractors convicted in a 2007 massacre in Baghdad. The pardons included former Republican Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and Chris Collins of New York. Collins, the first member of Congress to endorse Trump to be president, was sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison after admitting he helped his son and others dodge $800,000 in stock market losses when he learned that a drug trial by a small pharmaceutical company had failed.

The following important update was released by the Chaim VChessed Organization: In October, the Health Ministry of Israel released rules which would have granted quarantine exemptions to travelers arriving from Red countries, based on serological (antibody) testing. This news was a significant breakthrough for those who had suffered from Corona abroad but did not have PCR documentation. Disappointingly, in an embarrassing turnaround, this dispensation was suspended just a few days after it was established. However, in a new missive issued late on December 16, Dr. Sharon Elrai-Preis, Director of Public Health Services, announced that exemptions for travelers based on serological testing will be reinstated, effective Sunday, December 20. The details of the new process are still unclear.