As the Passover holiday approaches, community leaders from Jersey City’s Orthodox community gathered at the Hudson County Sheriff’s Headquarters today to meet with Sheriff Frank X. Schillari and Commissioner Bill O’Dea. During the meeting, community leaders expressed their gratitude to Sheriff Schillari and Commissioner O’Dea for their decades of service to the community, particularly in ensuring the safety and security of houses of worship during the holiday season. “We are grateful for the dedication and commitment of Sheriff Schillari and Commissioner O’Dea in protecting our community and our places of worship,” said Moshe Eidlis, a school administrator.

A routine afternoon along the Hudson turned into a horrifying scene on Thursday, as a helicopter plummeted into the river near Pier 40 in a harrowing crash that claimed at least one life. At approximately 3:15 p.m., witnesses watched as the chopper appeared to “split in half” midair before slamming into the water just off West Houston Street and West Street. The impact sent shockwaves through the area, with bystanders reporting a “loud thumping noise” as the aircraft hit the surface, trailing a shattered propeller in its wake. “I saw it break apart in the sky—it didn’t look real,” one witness posted on social media, sharing footage of the helicopter as it spiraled down, pieces flying, before vanishing into the river.

A helicopter went down in the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, officials have confirmed.
The New York City Fire Department reported that the aircraft crashed into the water close to Pier 40, near the intersection of West Houston Street and West Street, at approximately 3:15 p.m. Emergency crews rushed to the site and launched rescue efforts.
People who saw the crash and shared their experiences online mentioned hearing a “loud thumping noise” at the moment of impact, and said the helicopter seemed to have a damaged propeller.
According to officials, FDNY’s Land and Marine units quickly arrived and began conducting rescue operations at the location.
At this time, authorities have not released information regarding any injuries or fatalities.

Though the IDF continues to make strides in its battle against Hamas across multiple areas, military officials admitted to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that fully dismantling the terror group could take a year—or possibly several.
The conversation began with mention of the IDF’s recent achievement in eliminating 300 Hamas operatives, and a cumulative total of between 18,000 and 20,000 killed before the January 19 ceasefire. However, those numbers must be considered alongside estimates that Hamas still has over 25,000 fighters, and that the IDF’s current main effort is centered on clearing out the group’s remaining forces in Rafah.

The Prada Group announced a deal Thursday to buy Italy’s Versace from the U.S. luxury group Capri Holdings under terms that value the fashion house at 1.25 billion euros ($1.4 billion). Prada said the addition of Versace’s “highly recognizable aesthetic … constitutes a strongly complementary addition” to its portfolio, which includes the Prada and Miu Miu fashion brands. It said Milan-based Versace offered “significant untapped growth potential.’’ The final value of the deal will be adjusted at closing, expected in the second half of the year. It will be funded by 1.5 billion euros in new debt and has been approved by the Prada and Capri Holdings board of directors.

OAKLAND, Calif.