Lots of rabbis write weekly columns, blogs and inspirational newsletters, which are typed or even dictated with easy-to-use voice-to-text technology. Only one labors letter by letter, typing his words painstakingly with his eyes. Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz, despite being in advance stages of a particularly nasty form of ALS that curtails his movements in totality (he needs a respirator to help him breath), publishes a popular column on Chabad.org that is followed by thousands of readers. Utilizing eye-tracking technology, he writes his column on the weekly Torah portion using the movement of his pupils.

Volunteers from United Hatzalah of Ukraine together with local first responders and Oxford Medical held a mass-casualty incident (MCI) training drill in Uman in a building located close to the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman. The drill, which took place on Thursday morning, was designed to allow first responders from the city and beyond to work together prior to the arrival of the tens-of-thousands of visitors expected in the city for Rosh Hashanah. The drill simulated a fire breaking out in an apartment building and rescue teams had to evacuate and treat hundreds of patients who suffered smoke inhalation and mild burns. The drill came just one day after volunteer EMTs from the organization treated ten tourists for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in a hotel near the city of Uman.

Ahead of Israel’s early parliamentary election next week, Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Kremlin has an interest in who wins power. Putin spoke Thursday at the opening of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the southern Russian city of Sochi. Putin says “over 1½ million immigrants from the Soviet Union live in Israel. We always considered them our people, compatriots. And, of course, we are not indifferent to what kind of people will come into the Israeli parliament.” The Israeli leader said coordination with Russia’s military was important because of Russia’s presence in Syria. Netanyahu says “over the past month we have seen a sharp increase in Iran’s attempts to use the territory of Syria to attack us.” (AP)

Facebook says it has sanctioned the page of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because of a violation of the company’s hate speech policy. Facebook said on Thursday that the social network had suspended for 24 hours the page’s bot, or automated chat function. The page had called on voters to prevent the establishment of a government composed of “Arabs who want to destroy us all – women, children and men.” The post sparked uproar by opposition politicians. Netanyahu denied he wrote the post in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet radio. He said it was a staffer’s mistake and the post was removed. Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival ahead of elections next week and has been shoring up nationalist voters with feisty language and hard-line promises. (AP)

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Hagaon HaRav Shlomo Gissinger ZATZAL, the Rov at Khal Zichron Yaakov, one of Lakewood largest Shuls and kehillas. He was 75. Rav Gissinger suffered from an illness the past few months. He was rushed by Hatzolah to a Manhattan hospital overnight and was admitted with a serious infection. On Thursday afternoon, his condition turned critical and was Niftar at around 6:00PM. Rav Gissinger was involved in dozens of Lakewood organizations, Mosdos and Chesed projects, and was one of Lakewood’s original Rabbonim and Poskim. The Levaya will take place on Friday morning at 10:30AM at his shul located at 175 Sunset Road in Lakewood. Boruch Dayan Ha’Emmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com) The New York City Council is made up of 51 members.  They introduce and vote on legislation that controls all aspects of city life.  Currently, the New York City Council members are  considering legislation that would ban foie gras from being sold in New York.  The reason is that they believe that the way these birds are fed constitutes terrible cruelty to animals. The bill has half of the Council signed on as co-sponsors, and Mayor de Blasio himself said that he supports the intent of the proposal.  The bill may be set to be voted on in the fall, The question is, what does halacha say about all of this?  Is there cruelty to animals involved here?  Are there other kashrus issues in Foie gras as well?

HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen Shlita, head of the Shas Moetzas Chachmei HaTorah, spoke on Wednesday night at an election rally event in the city of Holon. “If the land turns secular, and this is what they wish to do, no Shabbos, nothing. It is a disgrace to HKBH” cried Chacham Cohen as he spoke the words, fearing if the left-wing is elected to power, it will destroy Yiddishkheit in Eretz Yisrael. The rav broke down in tears and added, “How can we agree to this, that HKBH will run from the land?” The rav concluded, “I am davening for everyone, even for Lapid and all those crazies, even on the High Court of Justice, that HKBH wakes them up, their hearts, to return and do teshuvah. I B”H daven for everyone, as the Chazon Ish called to them, ” תינוקות שנשבו'”.

U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu has recommended moving forward with charges against Andrew McCabe, Fox News reports, as the Justice Department rejects a last-ditch appeal from the former top FBI official. McCabe — the former deputy and acting director of the FBI — appealed the decision of the U.S. attorney for Washington all the way up […]

The attached video was taken on Thursday morning on 57 Street between 15th and 16th Avenues, in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn. As the viewer will see, it is “alternate side parking” today on that street, and the cars simply double park to allow the street sweepers to come by. But some cars do […]

The suspect wanted in a vicious attack against a Jewish man in Crown Heights has been arrested. An NYPD source confirmed to YWN that the man was taken into custody this morning. As YWN had reported, 63-year-old Rabbi Abraham Gopin was walking in Lincoln Terrace Park in Crown Heights when he was brutally attacked. The […]