Congressman Josh Gottheimer is urging both the U.S. Department of Justice and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to investigate what he describes as a “coordinated series of governmental actions” targeting the Chasidic Jewish community in Linden, NJ. The letter comes on the heels of Agudath Israel representatives meeting with Justice Department officials earlier this month to discuss the repeated discrimination Chasidic Jews have been subjected to in Linden, as well as the advocacy group’s public slamming of Linden’s discrimination. Gottheimer’s letter cites a range of zoning changes, enforcement policies, and public meeting practices that disproportionately and adversely impact Orthodox Jewish families living in the area.

A new, highly transmissible COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, linked to a significant spike in hospitalizations in China, has been detected in the United States, raising concerns among health officials. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the variant has been identified in multiple states, including New York, California, Washington, Virginia, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Hawaii, primarily among international travelers arriving from countries such as China, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, France, the Netherlands, and Spain. The strain, first noted in the U.S. in March 2025, is now showing signs of local spread, with cases reported in communities across the country.

Sarah Milgrim, one of two Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot last week in an anti-Israel ambush in Washington, D.C., was remembered Tuesday during a private funeral in the Kansas community where she grew up. Milgrim, a 26-year-old from the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas, was leaving a reception for young diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum alongside 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky on May 21 when they were shot to death. A suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was arrested and shouted “Free Palestine” as he was led away. Charging documents said he later told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” Lischinsky had bought an engagement ring before the shooting and was planning to propose to Milgrim in the coming days, those who knew the couple have said.

A quiet but concerning development has surfaced that may significantly impact one of the most recognizable elements of traditional Orthodox Jewish attire: the black felt hat. For over 40 years, a Spanish company—Fernandez y Roche, based in Seville, Spain—has supplied tens of thousands of black hats annually to yeshiva bochurim, avreichim, and balabatim in communities across America. These hats, worn daily by bnei Torah from the age of bar mitzvah and onward, are not merely a garment, but a statement of identity and dignity. But that longstanding partnership is now at risk. Due to newly imposed trade tariffs by the U.S. government on European goods, including imported felt hats, Fernandez y Roche has been hit with a 10% import fee, with a looming possibility of an additional 50% tariff.

In response to the tragic helicopter crash on April 10 that claimed the lives of a Spanish family of five and their pilot, U.S. Reps.  Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) have introduced the bipartisan “Improving Helicopter Safety Act.” The proposed legislation aims to prohibit all non-essential helicopter flights—including those for tourism, recreation, and luxury commuting—within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty. Essential flights, such as those for emergency services, law enforcement, news coverage, and research, would still be permitted. If enacted, the bill would take effect 60 days after being signed into law.

A man accused of brutally assaulting an off-duty NYPD officer in a shocking weekend attack has been captured hundreds of miles away. Taveon Hargrove, 23, was taken into custody Tuesday morning by members of the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force in North Chesterfield, Virginia, bringing a dramatic end to a multi-day manhunt. He now awaits extradition to New York City, where charges are pending. The arrest comes just days after the violent incident rocked the Bronx. Early Saturday morning, near St. Peters Avenue in the Parkchester section, Hargrove and another still-unidentified suspect allegedly ambushed a 27-year-old off-duty officer, knocking him to the ground before punching, kicking, and robbing him at knifepoint.

The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) reported today that the 800th aircraft in a massive military airlift operation touched down in Israel on Tuesday morning, delivering critical equipment and weapons to support the nation’s ongoing war efforts. The operation, launched immediately after the war’s outbreak, is a coordinated effort led by the IMOD’s Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) through its International Defense Transportation Unit. It involves collaboration with the IMOD’s Mission to the U.S., the IDF Planning and Force Build-Up Directorate, and the Israeli Air Force (IAF). According to the IMOD, the operation has transported over 90,000 tons of military supplies to Israel through 800 flights and approximately 140 maritime shipments.

An Orthodox Jewish man was violently attacked on Motzei Shabbos behind a condominium complex in North Baltimore, in what officials are investigating as an attempted carjacking. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. in the rear parking lot of Park Towers West. According to Baltimore City Councilman Yitzy Schleifer, two masked individuals ambushed the 62-year-old victim as he walked through the lot. “They just came up and punched him in the face,” said Schleifer, who was notified shortly after the attack and helped coordinate a police response. The assailants reportedly knocked the Jewish man to the ground and began striking him repeatedly. The victim ultimately drew a legally registered firearm, at which point the suspects fled.

A phone call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump turned unexpectedly tense last week, according to a report from Israel’s Channel 12, exposing stark disagreements over how to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions—despite earlier claims of consensus between the two leaders. Sources familiar with the exchange described it as a heated conversation in which Trump reportedly told Netanyahu, “I want a diplomatic solution with the Iranians. I believe in my ability to make a good deal.” Trump is said to have emphasized that he was aiming for a resolution that benefits both nations—a statement that reportedly stunned the Israeli side. The revelation sharply contradicts the tone of official readouts released by both camps after the call.

Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan has made many outragous statements in his political career, including comparing Israel to Nazis, calling Religous Zionists “subhuman” and of course, accusing Chareidim of being money-hungry and backwards. He also has repeatedly and openly called for a civil rebellion against the government, including doing “illegal things.” But his most recent irresponsible and libelous statements, including that “IDF soldiers kill babies as a hobby,” were a step too far, igniting such ire among Israelis that Golan has been unable to carry out routine political activities. Last week, he traveled to Kiryat Shmona to speak at a conference and was met with calls of derision by residents, which angered Golan so much that he pushed an elderly man.