As the new restrictions limiting the number of people allowed into shuls, event halls and bars to up to 50 people went into effect on Monday morning, Israel’s coronavirus cabinet met once again on Monday to discuss imposing further restrictions in light of the increasingly soaring number of virus cases in the country. The Health Ministry and National Security Council initially recommended that all shuls, cultural centers, gyms and bars be closed, restaurants be limited to 20 diners at a time, and summer camps and schools for children in 5th grade and above be closed. The ministry also wanted all beaches and parks closed but due to opposition from ministers, this demand will reportedly be reduced to a restriction on the number of visitors.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com This article addresses a number of issues – COVID-19, the exchange of murderous terrorists for kidnapped soldiers, and dealing with predators in our midst. It deals with our public policy regarding these matters and a certain insight in the Maharsha.  It follows the idea of haphech bah haphech bah d’kulah bah. A recent article published in JAMA by Dr. Scott Halpern pointed out that in the very beginning of the entire COVID-19 pandemic, people went nuts over the apparent lack of ventilators.  It was such a cause of anxiety that the country spent 3 billion dollars on making new ventilators.  Entire companies were re-tooled so that they could either repair or manufactures these devices.

Two serious crashes this morning forced the full closure of Route 17 at Exit 119 – both eastbound and westbound. In one incident, one victim suffered serious injuries after a multi-vehicle crash on Route 17 heading Eastbound. Emergency personnel – including Catskills Hatzolah – were dispatched to the crash which happened at around 9:30AM. The crash involved two vehicles, one of which overturned two times. Hatzolah Paramedics requested a Medevac for one of the victims, who suffered serious injuries. The chopper landed on the highway, and evacuated the victim to Westchester Trauma Center. An additional stable victims were transported by Hatzolah to Orange Regional Medical center. Meanwhile, at 8:00AM, a overturned tractor-trailer dump-truck overturned on Route 17 heading westbound.

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a 1991 law that bars robocalls to cellphones. The case, argued by telephone in May because of the coronavirus pandemic, only arose after Congress in 2015 created an exception in the law that allows the automated calls for collection of government debt. Political consultants and pollsters were among those asking the Supreme Court to strike down the 1991 law that bars them from making robocalls to cellphones as a violation of their free speech rights under the Constitution. The issue was whether, by allowing one kind of speech but not others, the exception made the whole law unconstitutional. The court threw out the exception for government-debt collection and preserved the broader prohibition.

It’s time to do your taxes — no more delays. As the coronavirus pandemic took hold this spring, the federal government postponed the traditional April 15 filing deadline until July 15. The move provided some economic and logistic relief for taxpayers dealing with the disruptions and uncertainty brought on by lockdowns, school closures and shuttered businesses. But now that new deadline is rapidly approaching. Taxpayers must file or seek an extension by the new deadline or face a penalty. The IRS is expecting about 150 million returns from individuals and as of last count, it had received almost 139 million. So for those of you still waiting to file, make a payment or with other questions, a few answers: ___ DO I HAVE TO? Yes. In most cases, you must file and pay your taxes by July 15.

Until five years ago, Shaye was a normal and happy child, with eleven siblings.The day he collapsed, his life and his family life collapsed with him. CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW He was diagnosed with a disease that resulted in the collapse of his liver function, and his life was in immediate danger. His condition had deteriorated to the point where he was suffering of liver disfunction of 99%!! CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOWAfter tremendous efforts and astronomical costs, he has successfully undergone a liver transplant. However, his life continues to be in imminent danger constantly. Therefore, it is necessary to have very expensive medicines and maintain a strictly sterile environment for Shaye. This is in addition to his frequent hospitalizations.

Following a labor dispute between El Al and its pilots’ union last week, the embattled airline canceled all flights and furloughed an additional 500 employees late last week, including 100 pilots. “Since the pilots refuse to staff the flights — which include cargo flights and a limited number of passenger flights — we are forced to make personnel adjustments,” El Al stated. Hundreds of employees of Tamam, an El Al subsidiary which provides kosher airline meals for El Al and other carriers at Ben-Gurion Airport, have also been furloughed. Prior to the breakdown between El Al and the pilots’ union, El Al had stated it was in the final stages of reaching an agreement with the finance ministry but the agreement cannot be finalized without the approval of the El Al workers’ unions.

The shuls in South Africa have been closed since before Pesach and Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein announced last week that shuls will remain closed until further notice. The government has given its approval to re-open shuls but in a meeting of the heads of the Jewish community in Johannesburg last week, it was decided to leave the shuls closed due to a recent rise in the infection rate. “Here in South Africa, we hold small minyanim here and there but the shuls are completely closed,” a resident told B’Chadrei Chareidim. “People in the community don’t like the fact that there are even small minyanim.

    CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW A LETTER FROM RABBI BOCHNER, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BONEI OLAM Dear Friend, Over the years, Bonei Olam have played an unbelievable role to the tune of 8,700 babies. These are babies who turned couples into parents and gave grandparents additional nachas they weren’t sure they’d ever experience. I want to explain to you what is going on right now and what this campaign is all about. I have hundreds of couples waiting for help, and that help is contingent on us raising the necessary funds. As a result of recent global events, Bonei Olam is several months behind in funding and in desperate need of assistance. Hundreds of couples are waiting for help, We desperately need your help now. Otherwise, our avodas hakodesh is unsustainable.

Before Moshiach comes, Hashem will stretch a rope from one end of the world to the other and shake it vigorously…. These turbulent times are testing our faith in Hashem. We must hold on tightly until the end.” -The Chofetz Chaim In a Zoom Press Conference held on June 29, Roy Neuberger’s latest book, Hold On: Surviving the Days before Moshiach (Mosaica Press), was officially launched. Participants included journalists and influential writers who were especially thrilled to hear the news of Roy’s latest offering during these stressful times.