Today, Eric Adams was endorsed for Mayor by a “major voting block”, the Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance and other leaders of the Queens Jewish Community. They follow the powerful Crown Heights Jewish community, who endorsed Adams a few days ago. [YWN has confirmed that other major Jewish leaders and communities will be endorsing Eric Adams in the next few days.] Joining today’s announcement are State Senator Joseph Addabo Jr., Assembly member Stacey Pheffer Amato and Council member Selvena Brooks – Powers, all of whom have previously endorsed Eric Adams. The FRJA chairs include leaders of the Far Rockaway community Richard Altabe, Yoni Dembitzer, Baruch Rothman, Dr. Eli Shapiro and Pesach Osina.

The UN Rights Council voted on Thursday to launch an international probe into alleged Israeli “war crimes” during the 11-day conflict between Israel and terror groups in the Gaza Strip and “systematic discrimination and repression” in Israel, the Gaza Strip and Judea and Samaria via a permanent Commission of Inquiry (COI), the council’s most powerful tool. It is the first time the UNHRC has approved a permanent “ongoing” commission regarding a U.N. member state. The resolution did not accuse Hamas of committing war crimes by indiscriminately launching rockets at Israeli civilians from military sites embedded in crowded civilian areas in the Gaza Strip.

Israel is conditioning the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip on the advancement of the release of Israeli citizens held by Hamas, according to a report in the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar on Thursday morning, quoted by Ynet. Israeli officials and representatives of the Hamas terror group are expected to meet for indirect talks in Cairo on conditions for a long-term ceasefire, facilitated by Egyptian officials. If the talks do take place, the Israeli delegation will be led by National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat.

The Jerusalem Beis Din has imposed an ongoing weekly fine on a woman who refuses to accept a get from her husband The fine of NIS 1,250 a week was approved by Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau and also received the legal approval of Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut. The couple involved in the case married 30 years ago in the United States, have eight children and immigrated to Israel about 15 years ago. They have had ongoing marital problems and over the years many attempts have been made to resolve their disputes. Eventually, the members of the Jerusalem Regional Rabbinical Court concluded that the couple’s differences are irreconcilable and both parties wanted a divorce. However, the woman has repeatedly refused to accept a get until a number of financial and property demands are met.

Keeping to their word to increase the police presence in Jewish communities in New York City, the NYPD Chief of Community Affairs, Jeffrey Maddrey, took a few hours out of his busy schedule to personally walk the streets of Flabush this week. It was an incredible visit, as the Chief was joined by two dozen Officers of the NYPD Brass. Every Commanding Officer from the local precincts, as well as the Commanding Officer of Community Affairs Outreach, Deputy Inspector Richie Taylor was there. From the Jewish community, the Chief was joined by Flatbush Shomrim Coordinator Tzvi Weil, Flatbush Hatzolah Coordinator Moshe Wulliger, Councilman Kalman Yeger, Senator Simcha Felder, Yehuda Eckstein, Police Liaison, Josh Mehlman from the FJCC and many others.

The office of Attorney General Avichai Mandeblit informed Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman on Thursday that the attorney general has approved a preliminary indictment against him for charges of obstruction of justice and breach of trust. Mandelblit’s approval is necessary for filing an indictment against an incumbent minister. The charges are related to two cases, with the first one involving Australian teacher Malka Leifer, who was extradited from Israel to Australia in January to be tried for charges of abuse. Litzman, who was serving as Deputy Health Minister and Health Minister while Leifer was in Israel, is suspected of influencing the district psychiatrist in his decision regarding Leifer’s mental condition and her ability to stand trial.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar told journalists on Wednesday that he’d rather be eliminated by Israel than die of an illness. “The greatest gift Israel can give me is to assassinate me,” he said. “I’d rather die a martyr from an F-16 than die of COVID or some other disease.” Sinwar was responding to Israel’s threat following the ceasefire to “come for Sinwar’s head” if Hamas violates the truce. Finance Minister Israel Katz said earlier this week that even the slightest breach of the ceasefire will lead to a forceful response and even the elimination of Sinwar. Sinwar also told journalists that there are “10,000 suicide bombers in Israel” who are ready to respond if Israel carries out any violations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Har Habayis in Jerusalem.

Tzemach Dovid, a “shul” and “Beis Medrash” in the Bram Center in the heart of downtown Jerusalem is actually a missionary training center with teachers dressed as Orthodox Jews, teaching missionaries how to live a religious Jewish lifestyle, the anti-missionary organization Yad L’Achim stated this week. Tzemach Dovid appears like a standard Jewish shul, with an Aron Kodesh and Sifrei Torah instead of crosses. The Bram Center is the “Jerusalem ministry” of the First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ) organization, established in the US in 1992 to disseminate “Messianic Judaism.” Yad L’Achim has discovered that Tzemach Dovid is just the tip of the iceberg of extensive Christian missionary activity among the Israeli public that has intensified in recent times.

Eitan Biran, 5, the only survivor of the cable car disaster in Italy woke up from his coma on Wednesday with his aunt Aya and one of his doctors by his bedside. “He’s ventilated and is regaining consciousness,” a doctor at Regina Margarita Hospital in Turin, said. “It will be a gradual restoration of consciousness, which requires time and psychological support. He already opened his eyes and it’s very important that he sees a familiar face next to him.” According to Italian media reports, a psychiatrist has been tasked with breaking the news of the loss of his family members to Eitan and a team of psychologists will be available for his treatment. Eitan’s parents, younger brother, and great-grandparents were killed in the crash along with nine other people.

A “pro-Israel” rally scheduled for Flatbush this Thursday has the potential to have serious implications for the local Jewish community in Flatbush and elsewhere. The rally was announced by an anonymous person on social media, someone who clearly lacks the guts to sign their name on the flyer. It calls for a car rally on Coney Island Avenue near Avenue J, just two blocks away from a major Mosque and a huge Muslim community. What this reckless individual doesn’t seem to know or care about, is the delicate peaceful coexistence both community’s have enjoyed living side by side in harmony for decades. That this unidentified person would choose to put the safety and well-being of the Orthodox community at this moment of fear and tension at risk demands explanation and repudiation.