A 19-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl was the latest victim of an anti-Semitic incident in New York, and once again, the suspects were members of the black community – not Trump supporters as NY elected officials continue to blame. According to BoroPark24, the incident occurred on a packed F train in Manhattan, and the vicious abuse lasted nearly 10 minutes. What might be as bad as the actual incident – or maybe even worse – was the fact that only one person came to her aid and sat down next to her. Among the expletives & obscenities hurled at the Midwood resident was “you people vote for Trump” and “I would hurt you but you people go straight to the police”. The NYPD is investigating the incident. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The two people who fatally shot a police officer then killed three people at a kosher grocery in Jersey City planned an assault for some time and were equipped to cause greater destruction, authorities said Monday. State and federal law enforcement officials revealed details about the months leading up to the shootings by David Anderson and Francine Graham, a couple who expressed hatred of Jews and law enforcement in notes left at the grocery shooting scene and in online posts. “This was a senseless and cowardly act,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Anderson, 47, and Graham, 50, shot and killed Jersey City Detective Joseph Seals in a chance meeting in a cemetery Dec.

Syria is blaming Israel for an an attack on its T-4 base Tuesday night. As usual, the SANA News Agency is reporting that Syrian air defenses intercepted the strike which they are blaming on Israel The official quoted by the state news agency SANA said the attack targeted the T-4 air base in Homs province shortly after 10 p.m. local time. The official said the attack only caused material damage to the base, saying most rockets were intercepted while only four landed in the targeted area. Some reports state the attack was carried out by warplanes that fired a barrage of missiles at the base, while other reports state it was carried out by drones and missiles.

Rav Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, z’l, was killed in a head-on collision with a commercial vehicle overnight Monday on his way home from a family wedding in Beit Shemesh, Kikar Hashabat reported. Two of his children, ages 12 and 13, were injured in the accident, which occurred close to Tzfat, and were evacuated in moderate condition to Ziv Hospital in Tzfat. A man in his 60s from the other vehicle involved in the accident was also evacuated in moderate condition. R’ Sofer, z’l, 51, a member of Tzfat’s Breslover community, was a melamed in the Breslover cheder for many years and was respected as someone who devoted himself to the children’s chinuch. Four years ago he left his position and joined the Kollel Chatzos in Meron.

Rav Kalman Weinfeld, the OK’s Rabbinic Coordinator for the Food Service Department and the Rav of Manhattan Beer, flew to the Bahamas on Monday to supervise the kashering of a restaurant that is hosting a frum group soon. As he was about to disembark the plane, Rav Weinfeld stopped to thank the pilots and was quite surprised when one responded with “zei gezunt!” Of course, Rav Weinfeld, a Chabad chassid, asked him if he would like to put on Tefillin. The pilot was happy to have the opportunity to put on Tefillin for the second time in his life and as he was wrapping the Tefillin in the cockpit, the co-pilot walked in and remarked that he is Jewish also. The co-pilot was familiar with Shema and said he recited it sometimes but at age 44, he had never put on Tefillin.

Iran’s judiciary said Tuesday arrests have been made for the accidental shootdown of a Ukrainian passenger plane that killed all 176 people on board just after takeoff from Tehran last week. The announcement came amid an upswell of anger and protests by Iranians in recent days over the downing of the jetliner last Wednesday and apparent attempts by senior officials in Iran to cover up the cause of the crash. Iran, which initially dismissed allegations that a missile had brought down the plane, acknowledged only on Saturday — three days after and in the face of mounting evidence — that its Revolutionary Guard had shot down the plane by mistake as the force braced for a possible military confrontation with the United States.

In light of the recent rise in hate crimes against Jews in the Tri-State area, a high-level security meeting took place in Connecticut. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, who has a close relationship with the Waterbury Jewish community, met with the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbonim, and community Askonim from Waterbury regarding safety and security for the Waterbury Jewish community. The Governor made it clear that he would not tolerate any hate against Jews in the State, and that extra security and additional measures have already been taken to ensure the safety of the Jewish communities around the state. The Waterbury Jewish Community has more than 300 families living in it.

Rabbi Yitzy Hurwitz, the tzadik from California, has been suffering with ALS for years. He has been a source of inspiration to thousands despite his tremendous challenges. Tall and trim, with broad shoulders and a wide smile, Yitzy Hurwitz, the 42 year-old Chabad rabbi, was nursing big plans for his community in Temecula when he began having trouble speaking. It took months of tests to rule out other possibilities before a diagnosis of ALS was confirmed. Also known as Lou Gherig’s disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. This evening at Reb Yitzi bedside singers Abie Rottenberg and Shlomo Simcha will be having an amazing Kumzits – which will be streamed right here – live on YWN!

Likud Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin decided on Monday afternoon to remove Tiveria mayor Ron Kobi from office. According to law, a council that does not approve a budget by the [extended] date determined by the Interior Ministry is dispersed. Kobi failed to pass a budget for Tiveria by the original deadline after being elected as mayor over a year ago and failed to pass a budget by the extended deadline granted to him by the Interior Minister.

Federal authorities, including the head of the local FBI, gave stunning new details Monday about the hate-filled shooting in Jersey City last month that left three people at a kosher market and a police officer at a nearby cemetery dead. Authorities said the alleged domestic terrorists in the case, David Anderson and Francine Graham, had a bomb in their van powerful enough to kill or injure people five football fields away, according to NBC4. It was already known that investigators found a bomb in the couple’s van, but the new information sheds light on just how serious of a threat the device posed to the public. Authorities also said they could have made a second bomb with the amount of materials they had in the van.