Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, like many of the world’s leading rabbis, has been overwhelmed in recent months with stories of families whose lives have been overturned by the pandemic.  Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, like many of the world’s leading rabbis, has been overwhelmed in recent months with stories of families whose lives have been overturned by the pandemic. The situation has become urgent. Recently, 28 of the biggest rabbis in Israel gathered to discuss the dire need to help the staggering numbers of impoverished people. The group included Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Rabbi Dovid Cohen, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, and many more revered religious leaders.

Macy’s got more people to shop on its website and app, but it wasn’t enough to make up for plummeting sales inside its department stores. Online sales were up 53%, and the company said it attracted 4 million new online customers. But sales sunk 61% inside its stores, which reopened in June after being temporarily closed due to the pandemic. Macy’s is the country’s largest department store operator, offering a glimpse into what America’s are buying. With people spending more time at home, shoppers bought fewer dresses, luggage and men’s suits. But they spent more on comfy athletic wear, as well as decor to spruce up their homes. Macy’s said luxury goods did surprisingly well, too, such as high-priced mattresses, perfumes and diamond jewelry.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com On account of the COVID-19 pandemic – there are Torah institutions that have closed down shop.  There are other institutions that have closed down sections or departments, and there are institutions that have cut salaries. How does all of this fit into Halacha? There is something in Halacha called a Makas Medina – a strike on the entire country, or a national emergency.  In a Makas Medina, it is not just the employer’s company that cannot work – it is in the entire city or locale that the business is out of commission. Most Poskim have considered the COVID pandemic a Makas Medina.  But what is the halacha of a Makas Medina?

The Israeli delegation in Abu Dhabi returned to Israel on Tuesday, again flying over Saudi airspace in another historical flight – the first direct passenger flight from Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv. During the groundbreaking visit, the Emirati and Israeli officials engaged in talks about many possible collaborative projects between the two countries, including space exploration, aviation, finance, health, tourism, culture, and foreign policy. An official normalization agreement is expected to be signed in Washington D.C. later this month. A joint space mission was even discussed as part of a broader discussion on scientific cooperation.

A Chareidi couple was chosen to be the first emissaries to the Jewish community of Dubai by the World Zionist Organization (WZO). The appointment follows the historic normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and the visit of the Israeli-US delegation to Abu Dhabi. The WZO  made the appointment at the request of the heads of the Jewish community in the UAE and the Orthodox Union (OU). The couple, Yaakov and Zalti Eisenstein, will establish and manage a Jewish kindergarten, conduct classes and lectures on Jewish traditions, establish a Hebrew language study program, and organize community events. The Eisensteins will be part of the “Ben Ami” emissary project run by the Center for Religious Affairs in the Diaspora at the WZO.

Gyms in New York City can start reopening Wednesday with a slew of virus-related restrictions, the latest step the city is taking in a phased reopening after being the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic earlier this year. Gym members will need to wear a mask at all times and stay 6 feet apart, and gyms can only operate at one-third capacity. Group fitness classes are still not permitted. Gyms in other parts of the state were allowed to open at restricted capacity starting Aug. 24, but New York City officials delayed the reopening until Sept. 2 so that the health department could conduct safety inspections by video. Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed gyms statewide in March as New York shut down nonessential businesses to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

IDF soldiers arrested a suspect who crossed from the southern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, near the perimeter fence on Wednesday evening. The soldiers found an object that was suspected of being an IED near where the man was apprehended. The IDF spokesperson’s office issued a statement that said that “the suspect is being questioned by the forces and the suspicious object is being investigated.” Towards the beginning of the week, Hama announced that they had reached a preliminary agreement to a cease-fire with Israel. According to the ceasefire, the terror organization would cease firing rockets and balloon bombs at Israel and the IAF would, in turn, cease to attack targets in the Gaza Strip.

Following a directive that came from Hagaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky telling Roshei Yeshivos that yeshiva students should stop being tested for coronavirus because it could lead to “mass Bitul Torah”, Coronavirus Commissioner Ronni Gamzu, chastised the Gadol Hador, and said that his words could “endanger the Chareidi public”. Rav Kanievsky was reportedly worried about the testing causing masses of students to be put in isolation until after Yom Kippur which would cause a massive amount of Bitul Torah. Recent statistics have shown that there has been a large spike in the number of Chareidim who have contracted the virus, especially in Yeshivos. One Yeshiva in Carmiel had 200 students test positive for the virus on Tuesday.

United Airlines said Wednesday it plans to furlough 16,370 employees in October, down from an earlier target of 36,000 after thousands of workers took early retirement, buyouts, or long-term leaves of absence with the industry facing a slow recovery from the pandemic. Airline officials said the final number could come down further before Oct. 1, when a prohibition on furloughs ends. They said the furloughs would be postponed if Washington approves another $25 billion to help passenger airlines cover payroll costs. Flight attendants will bear the brunt of the cuts, with 6,920 getting furlough notices. About 2,850 pilots, 2,010 maintenance workers and 1,400 management and support staff would also lose their jobs.

Authorities are investigating a Long Island bar that posted on Instagram that it was taking bets on whether Chicago or New York City would see more shootings over Labor Day weekend. The Cliffton, a bar in Patchogue, New York, shared photos of a paper grid hung in the bar with patrons placing bets on the number of shootings in the two cities, Newsday reported Tuesday. The winner would take home an unspecified cash prize. The betting is “not only sickening, but also appears illegal under the Alcoholic Beverage Control law,” the State Liquor Authority said in a statement to the newspaper. The state’s alcohol and beverage law prohibits gambling at establishments with a liquor license, with few exceptions.