A public hearing is set to convene on August 3rd at Khal Toras Chaim Viznitz Shul Gibbers, located at 169 Barnes Blvd in Kiamesha Lake to address a petition seeking the incorporation of a new village within the Town of Thompson. The reason for this joint hearing lies in the fact that some of the proposed village’s parcels extend into the neighboring Town of Fallsburg, necessitating the involvement of both Thompson Town Supervisor, Bill Rieber Jr., and Fallsburg Supervisor, Katherine Rappaport. Named the “Village of Ateres,” the proposed community is expected to house over 500 inhabitants, with the majority coming from the Chasidic community.

Torah Umesorah’s Vaad Roshei Yeshiva convened for a meeting at the summer home of Mrs. J. Rajchenbach in Chalet Estates, Woodbourne, NY. Mrs. Rajchenbach’s husband, Rabbi Yaakov Rajchenbach zt”l, of Chicago, was the beloved and long-time President of Torah Umesorah. Roshei Yeshiva present at the meeting were Rav Hillel David (Yoshev Rosh of the Vaad), Rav Malkiel Kotler, Rav Elya Brudny, Rav Chaim Y. Hoberman, Rav Yosef Eichenstein, Rav Shlomo Halioua, Rav Yaakov Bender, and Rav Dovid Goldberg who participated via TeleConference. Many significant issues pertaining to chinuch were deliberated. The meeting concluded with Ke’sivas Osios for a Sefer Torah being written l’iluy nishmas Rabbi Yaakov Rajchenbach zt”l.

Thanks to great work by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, a vehicle stolen from the Satmar Boys Camp, was located and returned to its owner, and a suspect taken into custody. The Sheriff Department tells YWN that they responded on Friday to a reported burglary at the Satmar Boys camp, located on the grounds of the former Stevensville Hotel on Briscoe Road in Swan Lake. Residents at the camp noticed the burglary and promptly alerted the authorities. Deputies promptly arrived at the scene and conducted a thorough investigation, reviewing footage from the camp’s security system. The video evidence revealed a male suspect entering the building around 4:30 am and stealing a box of raw chicken that was thawing in the kitchen.

Avraham Yosef Weiss z”l, the 11-year-old Boro Park boy who suffered a massive allergic reaction in Camp Arugas Habosim in the Catskills nearly three weeks ago, has tragically passed away. Doctors at Westchester Medical Center valiantly fought to save the life of the young boy, who had suffered multiple cardiac arrests during the incident, but were sadly unsuccessful. Avraham Yosef z”l returned his neshama to its Creator on Sunday morning. The levaya is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Kiryas Joel cemetery, 82 Raywood Dr., Monroe, NY. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A hotel in Hunter, NY, is coming under allegations of anti-Semitism after it tossed out nearly 40 members of a single Orthodox Jewish family on Shabbos over a noise complaint that may have never even occurred. According to people familiar with the matter, the family – which considered of several generations, including grandparents and young children – booked a weekend stay with Bluebird by Lark in Hunter. Prior to confirming the booking, the family outlined to hotel staff how many people they were, how many children there were, and what could be expected from them as guests. The stay ran into almost immediate problems, as angry hotel staff told the family on Friday night that they had received a noise complaint about the family from a hotel patron.

Hatzalah needs no introduction. The dedicated volunteers ensure the safety of hundreds of thousands of people vacationing in the Catskills each summer. This summer alone, Catskills Hatzalah has already responded to hundreds upon hundreds of emergencies, and saved many lives including drowning victims, people injured in serious car crashes, critical trauma victims, cardiac arrest victims, heart attacks, choking victims, stroke victims and many other critical emergencies. The fact is, that Catskills Hatzolah has seen an incredibly staggering increase in emergencies, and the summer started just three weeks ago. The call volume is like nothing they have ever seen before. The fleet of the 18 Catskills Hatzolah ambulances are being used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – literally.

Monticello, New York – A serious accident involving multiple vehicles occurred today on Route 17B in Monticello. Emergency personnel swiftly responded to the scene, where they encountered a harrowing situation requiring immediate medical attention. Reports indicate that an overturned vehicle was the focal point of the crash, with several other vehicles involved in the collision. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation by local authorities. A chopper has been placed on stand-by to potentially airlift a victim to a trauma center, however, it was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. Tragically, one victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The New York State Police have reached out to YWn regarding the series of road closures in Rockland and Orange counties in response to recent flooding and extensive road damage caused by the severe weather conditions. Motorists are urged to exercise caution and avoid the affected areas until further notice. Additionally, State Police officials are concerned about chaos on the roads on Friday due to the traffic that will be diverted onto the NY State Thruway, as parts of the palisades parkway remain closed. As a result of the flooding and road damage, several prominent locations and roadways have been closed for public safety. Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park, popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts, are currently closed to visitors until further notice.

The Homowack Lodge Resort, a relic of the famed Borscht Belt era, has fallen victim to yet another devastating fire. The once-popular destination, which had managed to hold out as one of the last remaining icons of its time, now sits in ruins as flames consumed the property for the second time in less than a week. The most recent fire erupted on Tuesday night, unleashing a fierce blaze that continued to smolder well into the morning hours of Wednesday. Firefighters from surrounding counties were summoned to the scene, with over 150 responders battling the inferno that raged through the abandoned structures.

For the past number of years, I had been unable to spend my summers in the Catskills, with work constraints forcing me to remain in the city. This year, for the first time in probably 25 years, I’m back in the Catskills, enjoying the relatively breezy weather. I’m happily stunned by the amenities that now exist in the once-backwards Catskills, but one thing seriously bothers me. I haven’t done a scientific review of it, but it seems to me that many grocery store do not have prices listed! I’m not a multi-millionaire, and even if I were, I imagine I’d be careful about my spending. And when I or my wife have to go grocery shopping, we like checking the prices to inform us whether to purchase an item, and to ensure we know what the bill will be at the register.