This is Ellie Bennett, your neighborhood doctor. (May 7, 2020) I’m not a politician. I am not a government official. I’m not a Rabbi. I have no sway on when the economy (or shuls) reopen. My one and ONLY concern is the safety of my family, friends and neighbors. Initial predictions were over a hundred thousand deaths. I truly believe that would have been a reality if not for the social distancing that people have adopted and adhered to. I do believe we have turned a corner here in New York. Hospital admissions are down. And the number of deaths are declining each day. Let us pray that continues. I wish I could unsee many events from the last few weeks. I’ve watched 30 year old’s come to my ER and die within hours.

It started with a tweet by NY Governor Cuomo: #BREAKING: New York State will extend the moratorium on evictions for those facing COVID-related hardship for an additional 60 days – until August 20. Cuomo then said he is banning late fees on rent, and he’s allowing tenants to use their security deposit as a rent payment. Ok. Fair. It’s hard times. But then NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio put his ultra progressive hat on, and tweeted the following: YES! Yes! Yes! Yes! From putting security deposits towards rent to expanding eviction bans, we’ve been pushing Albany to take bold action for tenants. Thank you @NYGovCuomo for heeding the call. But wait! You think THAT was progressive? Look at what the super dee duper socialist Mayor from NYC then tweeted: Now’s the time to go even further.

The NYPD is investigating a disturbing string of incidents that occurred in Williamsburg on Thursday morning. Sources tell YWN that at approximately 12:00PM, a man assaulted at least five women in the area of Sanford Street near Willoughby Ave. Some of the women were in other locations, and the victims may have been inappropriately touched by the suspect. The victims contacted 911 and Williamsburg Shomrim, who responded in seconds and began canvassing the area for the suspect. He is described as a black male in his 20’s, was wearing a black shirt, grey-white jeans, red sneakers, grey hoodie, has a goatee, ‘braids in a bun (hair)’ and may have a tattoo on his left forearm. He was last seen running east on Nostrand Avenue towards Flushing Avenue.

Iran is behind a cyber attack on Israeli water authority sites last month, Fox News reported Thursday. It is unclear whether the attack was successful. According to the channel, Iranian hackers routed the attack through servers located in the United States. It cited a senior official with the Energy Department as stressing US President Donald Trump administration’s commitment to keeping the US and its allies secure. The attack targeted several Water Authority facilities and was thwarted by the authority’s cyber division, according to an internal departmental report. Israeli cyber security officials gave an immediate order to all sites effected to change passwords and take steps to stop any breach of their systems while some sites were instructed to go offline.

A member of the US Navy who serves as one of President Donald Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus, raising concerns about the President’s possible exposure to the virus. The valets are members of an elite military unit dedicated to the White House and often work very close to the President and first family. “We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus,” deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement. “The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.” (YWN World headquarters – NYC)

The coronavirus pandemic has caused many incidents that conjure up tales of yore of Jews being moiser nefesh to fulfill mitzvos under difficult situations due to the enemies of the Jewish people. Currently the global enemy – the coronavirus pandemic – is the background of the stories. A baby boy was born to Rav Yair and Geulah Baitz, Chabad shaluchim in the city of Limassol, Cyprus, a month and a half ago. All of R’ Baitz’s efforts to bring a mohel to Cyprus failed and traveling to Israel to have the bris performed there would have forced him, his wife and the baby to be quarantined for two weeks. The father turned to Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) who took the problem to heart and left no stone unturned to find a solution for the problem, B’Chadrei Chareidim reported.

Rosh HaYeshiva Hagaon Harav Gerson Edelstein delivered a sichas chizuk from his home in Bnei Brak on Tuesday night. “We have to understand something,” the Rosh Yeshiva said. “In Israel and throughout the world, Chareidim died from the coronavirus at a higher rate than everyone else. The Chazon Ish said that secular people are “tenikos she’nishbu” – when someone who’s not Chareidi sins, it’s b’shogeig but a Chareidi that sins is b’meizid. Therefore the Midas HaDin harms the Chareidim more than others.” “The situation of those ill in Israel improved due to the zechus of Eretz Yisrael,” Harav Edelstein continued. “There’s a Gemara on Rebbe Yochanan who said that a murder committed out of anger happened across the Yarden and [could not have happened] in Eretz Yisrael.

Officials said on Wednesday that the number of children who have been hospitalized in New York City with symptoms consistent with a rare disease possibly linked to the coronavirus has nearly quadrupled to 64. Health officials said the illness has features of Kawasaki disease, a serious illness previously noted in children with COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. “Thankfully most children with COVID-19 only experience mild symptoms, but in some, a dangerous inflammatory syndrome can develop,” New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said.

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may form a new government while under indictment for corruption charges, clearing the way for him and his main rival to join together in a controversial power-sharing deal. The unanimous decision, released just before midnight, ended a more than year-long political stalemate and prevented the country from plunging into a fourth consecutive election in just over a year. Netanyahu and his rival-turned-partner, Benny Gantz, said they expected their coalition to be sworn into office next week. After battling to three inconclusive elections, Netanyahu and Gantz announced their “emergency” government last month, saying they would put aside their rivalry to steer the country through the coronavirus crisis.

Health care workers that came to New York to help fight the coronavirus pandemic at its epicenter will have to pay state taxes, according to NY Governor Cuomo. Even though the state government asked thousands of people to come to New York from out of state to help fight coronavirus, they will have to pay New York state taxes, even on income they might make from their home states that they’re paid while in New York. Cuomo said he needs help from Washington in order to cover budget deficits from COVID-19, let alone subsidize state income tax for essential workers that flocked to New York’s aid. READ MORE: PIX11