Children with serious illnesses and their families enjoyed a much-needed night out from the comfort and safety of their cars at Chai Lifeline’s Summer Kickoff Concert in Monsey, NY on July 1. The concert was the first in a series of programs and events for “Camp Simcha Without Borders,” Chai Lifeline’s new initiative to bring the magic of Camp Simcha to communities across the country this summer. Social media personality Meir Kay emceed the program, which featured performances by Beri Weber, Avraham Fried, Yoni Z, Eli Gerstner and the Yeshiva Boys Choir, and others. Close to 1,000 excited children and families sang and danced along to the music in their cars and enjoyed boxed dinners prepared by Chai Lifeline volunteers.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Mrs Esther Deutsch, the 4th victim of the horrific crash in New Square two weeks ago. She leaves behind 8 children. The crash took the lives of her husband, Reb Aryeh Shmuel Deutsch Z”L her daughter, Tziporah Deutsch (20) A”H and her son-in-law Reb Shlomo Birnhak Z”L. The accident occurred on Monday June 15th, when the family was heading to a Chasunah in New York, when their van left the roadway and and slammed into a tree. Several of the occupants had to be extricated by members of the Hillcrest and New City Fire Departments. All of the occupants were transported to either Nyack Hospital or Westchester Medical Center by Hatzolah and Spring Hill Ambulance.

“Nolad ben Zachar Nisrapeh Kol Hamishpachah”. Those are the only words that come to mind after hearing the bittersweet news that Reb Shlomo Birnhak Z”L, who was tragically killed in a car crash last night, had a son early this morning. Bichasdei Hashem, the baby is healthy, while Mrs Birnhak is is still being treated for serious injuries. Also R”L killed in the crash was his father-in-law, Reb Aryeh Shmuel Deutsch Z”L, also a Skverer Chosid, and on Tuesday afternoon – his sister in law Tziporah Deutsch A”H, 20-years-old. Both Levayos were held on Monday night in New Square, and were attended by hundreds upon hundreds of people. The Skverer Rebbe attended both Levayos as well. One was held at 8:30PM, and the second one was held at 2:30AM – both at the main Skverer Bais Medrash.

YWN regrets to inform you that a third victim has R”L been Niftar from the horrific crash in New Square on Monday afternoon. Tziporah Deutsch A”H, 20-years-old, was Niftar moments ago after succumbing to massive injuries she sustained in the crash. As YWN previously reported, the Levayos of her father R’ Aryeh Shmuel Deutsch Z”L, and her brother-in-law, R’ Shlomo Birnhak Z”L were held in New Square on Monday night. In a bittersweet twist of this horrific tragedy, Mrs Birnhak, who remains in serious condition, gave birth to a healthy baby boy last night. UPDATE – AN EMERGENCY FUND WAS SET UP FOR THE BIRNHAK FAMILY – PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Tragedy struck the New Square Kehilla on Monday, after the passing of two family members traveling in the same vehicle. Sources tell YWN that two families were in a van heading to a family wedding in NYC, when they were involved in a serious crash just outside of New Square. It happened just before 4:30PM on Route 45 & New Hempstead Road near Freidwald Center. Hatzolah Paramedics arriving on the scene found numerous occupants heavily entrapped in the vehicle, and immediately requested the fire department for extrication. At least 10 victims were transported to various hospitals – including Westchester and Nyack – some of them in critical condition. Two victims, a father-in-law and his son-in-law, both R”L Niftar at the hospital after suffering massive injuries.

The New York State Police says it will crack down on reckless driving for one week beginning June 11. The traffic-enforcement initiative is called “Speed Week” and ends on June 17. During this time, state police say troopers actively patrol highway work zones and target driver’s violating the “Move Over” law. New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett said, “Speeding is a significant safety hazard on our highways, which often results in tragic consequences. We urge all motorists to obey posted speed limits and eliminate distractions while behind the wheel.

New York City is lifting its curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday morning. The 8 p.m. citywide curfew, New York’s first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.

(By: Frimet Blum) It’s been months since anyone entered a Chesed 24/7 Hospitality Room. But on Wednesday, May 26, the long-deserted rooms in Mount Sinai and Lenox Hill hospitals came alive, as family members of patients swarmed in seeking food and comfort. Just hours had passed since Governor Cuomo announced that the hospitals would be part of his pilot visitation program. Yet already, the giant percolators were filled and the rooms were stocked and ready. On Thursday, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Hackensack University, and Northern Westchester hospitals joined the list. “When we heard we could come into the hospitals, we sprang into action,” said Rabbi Shalom Greenberg, founder of Chesed 24/7.

Rockland Chaveirim had launched a search for two missing girls in a wooded area near Monsey, on Tuesday night. Both girls were B”H found a short while later. Sources tell YWN that the girls contacted Chaveirim that they were lost while hiking. They later lost phone communication. They are around 18 years of age, and were lost for at least four hours. At least a dozen specially-trained Chaveirim volunteers were in the forest searching. STAY UPDATED WITH BREAKING UPDATES FROM YWN VIA WHATSAPP – SIGN UP NOW Just click on this link, and you will be placed into a group. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

With the push of a red button, one of the two operating reactors at an aging nuclear plant serving millions of people in the New York City area will shut down Thursday night as federal regulators consider the owner’s proposal to sell it to a company that plans to demolish it. The Unit 2 reactor at the Indian Point Energy Center along the Hudson River will close for good Thursday, and Unit 3 will close in April 2021, as part of a deal reached in January 2017 between Entergy Corp., the state of New York and the environmental group Riverkeeper. The plant generated a quarter of the electricity used in New York City and suburban Westchester County, where the plant is located, in 2017.