Chaverim of Brooklyn and the Catskills has officially expanded into Manhattan, bringing a dedicated team to the borough for the first time. Until now, Chaverim responded to calls in Manhattan by dispatching volunteers from Boro Park, Williamsburg, or Flatbush—which often resulted in longer wait times. With this expansion, Manhattan will now have its own dedicated team, allowing for faster response times and improved service for those in need. This new division will operate across the East Side and Washington Heights, ensuring that anyone requiring assistance—whether it’s a lockout, a flat tire, or another emergency—will receive help more quickly than ever before. Chaverim continues to serve Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Catskills with its 24/7 hotline at 718-431-8181.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a Statement of Interest in support of Orthodox Jewish developers who claim the Town of Forestburgh, New York, engaged in a blatant, anti-Semitic campaign to block a large residential development project. The case, filed in the Southern District of New York, centers around the actions of Forestburgh’s municipal leaders, who allegedly used zoning laws as a tool to prevent the construction of 2,627 homes by Lost Lake Holdings, LLC—homes that the developers contend were meant to be sold to Chasidic families. The DOJ’s filing argues that Forestburgh’s conduct goes beyond land use issues and represents religious discrimination. The statement outlines a series of actions by town officials that appear to deliberately hinder the project.

The 17-year-old bochur involved in the tragic accident on Route 17 in Chester, which claimed the life of his father, R’ Mordachai Zafir Z”L, has been discharged from the hospital. The crash occurred shortly before 2 a.m. on March 5th near Exit 126, when a Nissan Altima, driven by Sydnie M. Haines, 25, was traveling the wrong way in the westbound lanes and collided head-on with a 2014 Honda Odyssey driven by Zafir. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. The 17-year-old passenger sustained serious injuries and was initially transported to Garnet Medical Center in Middletown before being transferred to Westchester Medical Center, where he remained in serious but stable condition. ​ After receiving medical care, the bochur has been discharged from the hospital.

An overnight search for two missing children in the dense woods of Sullivan County ended in relief early Monday morning when Catskills Hatzolah members located the pair near Weissman Road and Stump Pond Road in Livingston Manor. The search began Sunday evening when two local children, ages 12 and 15, failed to return home after venturing into the heavily wooded area surrounding Livingston Manor. As night fell and temperatures dropped, concerns mounted, prompting Sullivan County Emergency Personnel to activate a full-scale search and rescue mission. More than 10 fire departments, Forest Rangers, and New York State Police mobilized, combing the rugged terrain under the cover of darkness.

A devastating accident on Route 17 has left the Vishnitzer community in mourning after a horrific collision claimed the life of a beloved Yungerman, returning from a Vishnitzer Rebbeisha chasunah in Monsey. Sources tell YWN that R’ Mordachai Zafir Z”L, 54, and his 17-year-old son were traveling back to the Vishnitz (Gibbers) community in Kiamesha after attending the chasunah of the granddaughter of the Viznitzer Rebbe of Monsey and the grandson of the Viznitzer Rebbe of Kiamesha when tragedy struck. At approximately 1:45 AM, near exits 126/127, a wrong-way driver collided head-on with their vehicle in a fatal crash. R’ Mordachai Z”L was tragically niftar at the scene.

After nearly a week of extensive search efforts, Stewart “Stewie” Mandel, a former president of the Swan Lake Shul, has tragically been found deceased. Mr. Mandel, who was 69 years old, had been missing since last Tuesday, last seen in Presidential Estates in Swan Lake, NY. Law enforcement and volunteers had been actively searching for Mr. Mandel throughout the Catskills region, but efforts yielded no leads. On Sunday morning, a Catskills Hatzolah volunteer spotted his vehicle off-road in the Harris area. Upon further inspection, authorities found Mandel inside the vehicle, but tragically, he was no longer alive. The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation, and officials have not yet released further details on the apparent accident.

Sullivan County Sheriff Michael Schiff has officially launched his reelection campaign, announcing his bid before a packed crowd of approximately 80 supporters at Albella’s Restaurant in Monticello. Schiff, who has served as sheriff for 19 years, highlighted his administration’s successes and innovations, crediting much of the department’s achievements to the dedicated men and women under his command. He emphasized key initiatives, including the highly successful Youth Division, which operates School Resource and DARE programs in local schools. He also spoke about the establishment of the Emergency Services Unit and the acquisition of the BearCat armored vehicle for handling high-risk situations.

Deputy Mayor Joseph Gross of Spring Valley narrowly survived unharmed in a serious accident on Sunday afternoon when his vehicle veered off NY-17 near Exit 114. The car plunged down a steep embankment, overturning multiple times before coming to a stop. Bichasdei Hashem, Gross walked away from the crash without injury. Dashcam footage of the incident shows the shocking sequence of events. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New York Judge John Hubbard sentenced 23-year-old Zachary Kowatch to five years of probation for attempted reckless endangerment in the first degree, a Class E felony. Kowatch, who had pleaded guilty on Oct. 21, was accused of swerving his car at a Jewish teenager while shouting antisemitic slurs in the village of Fleischmanns, N.Y., on May 9. Shawn Smith, acting district attorney for Delaware County, expressed frustration with the increasing frequency of similar incidents, telling JNS, “I have another one almost identical going on right now, and I don’t understand what’s the matter with people.” Smith referenced another case involving Joseph E. VanBlarcom, a 20-year-old who allegedly swerved his car at Jewish individuals while shouting bigoted insults on July 29, also in Fleischmanns.

Woodbourne, Catskills: – Firefighters battled a large fire at the Kossener Shul on Riverside Drive in Woodbourne early Sunday morning, CATSKILL SCOOP REPORTED. The blaze caused a collapse of the building which was caught on dramatic video footage below, but Bichasdei Hashem, no injuries have been reported. Quick-thinking individuals managed to safely remove the Sifrei Torah from the shul before the situation worsened. The fire broke out as the summer season came to a close, with the camp already empty, minimizing the potential for casualties. It was unknown what sparked the blaze. THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE CATSKILL SCOOP STATUS – SIGN UP NOW TO NEVER MISS A STORY IN LIVE TIME 24 HOURS A DAY!