For the first time in many years, new members of have been added to the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisroel of America. Their names have been released for the first time in a Kol Korei on Sunday afternoon. A statement released to YWN by the Agudah stated the following: “At the time of Agudas Yisroel’s founding in Katowitz in 1912, it established a body known as the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, consisting of gedolim from across Europe to stand at the helm of the movement. It has always been the hallmark of the Agudah, whether in pre-war Europe or post-war America, that its policies have been guided by the words of the Moetzes.

Prime Minister Netanyahu held A Sunday evening press conference together with Corona Commissioner Professor Ronni Gamzu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein regarding the upcoming lockdown that the government is issuing for all residents of the country. The Prime Minister began by praising Israel’s actions during the first wave of Corona back in the spring when Israel went on lockdown early and shut the economy down early. The lockdown is now set for three weeks, with the potential to extend it. It is set to begin on Friday at 2:00 p.m. in order to give families time to prepare for Rosh Hashanah. The public sector will function in a scaled-down fashion similar to the way it did in March and April.

Israel’s Health Ministry confirmed 2,715 new coronavirus cases on Sunday morning, a typically lower rate seen on Sunday due to the lower number of tests performed on Shabbos. There are currently 38,008 active cases, which is an increase of almost 14,000 cases just over the past week. There are 513 seriously ill patients, of whom 139 are ventilated – the highest number of seriously ill patients since the pandemic began. The death toll has risen to 1,108. The government convened on Sunday to vote on a nationwide lockdown beginning on erev Rosh Hashanah on September 18.

Housing and Construction Minister Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) resigned as minister on Sunday in protest of the anticipated lockdown over the Yamim Noraim. “My heart is with the thousands of Jews who attend shul once a year and this year won’t come at all due to the lockdown,” Litzman wrote in his resignation letter he sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday morning. “I warned against a lockdown during the Chagim in every possible forum and stressed that if there is a need for a full lockdown, it shouldn’t wait for the rise of infection to reach this rate.” Litzman claimed that a lockdown should have been implemented a month ago instead of during the Chagim and the government failed to do because it would ruin summer vacation for Israeli tourists.

Israel’s Health Ministry stated on Motzei Shabbos that 3,961 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the previous 24 hours. There are currently 37,926 active patients, of whom 1,018 are hospitalized, with 495 seriously ill, of whom 138 are ventilated. The death toll has risen to 1,101. The Health Ministry announced on Thursday that at least 20 coronavirus patients, and possibly dozens more, were present at anti-Netanyahu demonstrations over the past month. At least 55 coronavirus patients were present at the demonstrations over the past three months. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher since they are based on only partial data since there are no questions regarding protests in epidemiological investigations. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

It is exactly nineteen years ago when that moment in history changed the world for ever. Of course, when it happened, many of us knew we’d never forget that day. Yet time dulls even the most painful memories. Many Relatives of Sept. 11 victims are marking the anniversary of the terror attacks at ground zero with grief, gratitude and appeals to keep the toll front of mind after the passage of 19 years. Among the heroes of 9/11, which included the FDNY, NYPD, PAPD, EMS and other agencies, were the volunteers of Hatzolah. Chevra Hatzalah played a pivotal role in the World Trade Center rescue operations. The very first ambulance to arrive at the World Trade Center following the first plane crash on September 11, 2001 was a Hatzalah ambulance.

Following the violence at the Kever of Reb Nachman of Breslov in Uman earlier this week, two Israelis were expelled from Ukraine. Deputy Minister at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs Anton Herashchenko said, “The national police and the immigration authority have decided to expel two Israelis who were acting aggressively and incited violence. If actions such as these, that are akin to hooligan actions, are perpetrated by other foreign citizens, they too will be expelled from the country.” The Minister posted to social media and said, “Pilgrims, please remember that you are guests in Ukraine. Ukrainians are a tolerant people but we will not tolerate rude and uncivil behavior and violence on your part.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

On Thursday morning, a train inspector at the Bat Yam train station ordered a Chareidi couple not to board the train. “Chareidim don’t board,’ he shouted. Secular bystanders intervened, telling the couple to board the train anyway and started filming the scene while the inspector shouted at them not to record it. The video was uploaded to social media, where it created quite a stir on Israeli media. Chareidi politicians slammed it as another display of anti-Chareidi sentiment and Transportation Minister Miri Regev ordered an immediate investigation into the matter. But as it turned out, the “train inspector” was an imposter.

President Trump tells Bob Woodward he believes there is institutional racism in America that impacts peoples’ lives and that it is “everywhere” and “unfortunate.” But when the veteran Washington Post reporter asks Mr. Trump whether white privilege prevented him from fully understanding that impact and the anger it causes, the president mocks him for drinking “the Kool-Aid.” The conversation is part of Woodward’s second book about President Trump, titled “Rage,” and was reported from on-the-record interviews Woodward says he was permitted to record. “Do you think there is systematic or institutional racism in this country?” Woodward is heard on tape asking the president. “Well, I think there is everywhere,” Mr.

The Ministerial Committee on the coronavirus on Thursday evening decided on a two-week full lockdown on the entire country that will begin before Rosh Hashanah next week. The lockdown is expected to start Tuesday, September 15. Eight cabinet members supported Netanyahu’s proposal and four objected to it. The full details of the lockdown – such as how long it will last – are yet to be released. The full cabinet is to convene Sunday to approve the measures. Israel’s Health Ministry issued an update to the daily number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel, and for the first time, more than 4,000 people tested positive for the virus in one day. The total thus far, for Thursday is 4,013 new cases, and the day isn’t over yet.