A devastating tragedy struck the Orthodox Jewish community in Flatbush on Shabbos afternoon, when a mother and her two daughters were fatally struck by a vehicle driven by an individual with a suspended license. The horrific incident occurred just after 1:00 p.m. on Ocean Parkway near Quentin Road, as the family was walking home from shul. According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the crash unfolded when an Audi, driven by 32-year-old Miriam Yarimi, collided with a Toyota Camry operated by an Uber driver. The Audi then veered out of control, careening into a crosswalk where it struck the 35-year-old mother and her daughters, ages 8 and 6, killing them instantly. The woman’s 4-year-old son was also hit and remains in critical condition, battling for his life at a local hospital.

On Wednesday evening, Flatbush Hatzolah welcomed a distinguished group of NYPD Community Affairs Officers to their headquarters on Ocean Avenue for a memorable meet and greet. The event highlighted the strong partnership between the two organizations, fostering mutual respect and collaboration in serving the community. Representing Hatzolah were coordinators Moshe Wulliger, Jack Rothernberg, Avrumi Rubin, Alan Esses, and Issac Unger, who greeted the NYPD delegation with warmth and hospitality. The NYPD was represented by Community Affairs Commanding Officer Chief Richie Taylor, 70th Precinct Commanding Officer Greg Mackie, newly assigned Brooklyn South Community Affairs Lieutenant Duran McLean and NYPD Clergy Liaisons Yehuda Eckstein and Avrumi Brown.

On Tuesday evening, Luis Har, a 72-year-old Israeli grandfather and one of over 250 hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel, spoke before a crowd of hundreds at the Joan & Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Staten Island in Sea View. Har, originally from Argentina and now a grandfather of ten, recounted his 129-day ordeal in captivity after being abducted from a kibbutz near the Gaza border, where he had been living with his girlfriend Clara and her family. The emotional gathering included Borough President Vito Fossella, members of Staten Island’s Jewish community, and local leaders who came to show their support. Har vividly recalled the morning of October 7, when he awoke to the sound of shattering windows.

New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a consumer alert urging New Yorkers to be careful of potential discriminatory pricing practices at car washes in the days leading up to Pesach and warning businesses that this practice is illegal. In previous years, there have been reports of car wash businesses in predominantly Orthodox Jewish communities in New York City and the Hudson Valley raising prices for Jewish customers seeking cleaning services ahead of Pesach. In the days leading up to Pesach, many Jews clean their homes, cars, and other spaces to remove chametz.

HaGaon HaRav Kalman Epstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaar HaTorah-Grodno, has announced his endorsement of Eretz HaKodesh in the upcoming WZO elections. For those unfamiliar, Rav Kalman founded Yeshiva Shaar HaTorah in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, in 1974. His father, HaGaon HaRav Zelik Epstein ZT”L, served as Rosh Yeshiva until his petira in 2009. Over the past 50 years, Shaar HaTorah has produced thousands of Choshuva Bnei Torah, many of whom are now mechanchim worldwide. Just last week, Rav Kalman was featured on the cover of Mishpacha Magazine, where he addressed the urgent issue of the shidduch crisis. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Thanks to the vigilance of Boro Park Shomrim volunteers and a rapid response by the NYPD, a man wanted for committing multiple forcible touching incidents in the Boro Park neighborhood was arrested Wednesday morning at the corner of New Utrecht Avenue and 44th Street. The arrest followed a series of disturbing reports received by Boro Park Shomrim on Tuesday from multiple victims who said they had been inappropriately touched by an unidentified male on the street. Shomrim immediately sprang into action, gathering surveillance footage from the area, advising victims to file police reports, and coordinating with the NYPD Special Victims Unit, which promptly joined the investigation.

(By Alexandra Segal) There’s something about watching history in the making. Seeing a moment in time, knowing you were there as it occurred, and that it would be remembered as monumental for all time. I think it’s safe to say that I, along with close to 6,500 other women felt like we were part of a historic moment, between this Sunday and Monday nights. In an opulent theater built for royals — the Kings Theatre — in the heart of Brooklyn, girls and women of all ages and backgrounds flooded from near and far (many flying in from Chicago, Switzerland, Toronto, Florida, Texas and other places) to hear the soulful sounds of one Shaindy Plotzker, a 28-year-old powerhouse who commands the stage and captivates every audience, event single time.

The Williamsburg kehilla is eagerly awaiting the opening of a magnificent new shul on Throop Avenue, a project spearheaded by noted philanthropist Reb Yoeli Landau. With Pesach fast approaching, efforts are in full swing to ensure every detail is completed on time—including the construction of the mikvah. R’ Yoeli has gone to extraordinary lengths to guarantee the mikvah is filled with kosher water in time for Pesach – by bringing in fresh snow trucked in from the Jay Peak Resort in Vermont! The snow, transported by Imperial Marble, was brought in via a refrigerated truck to ensure it remained pristine and untouched, in accordance with halachic requirements.

State Senator Simcha Felder has been elected to the New York City Council, securing the seat for the 44th District in a closely watched race against Heshy Tishler. The district includes portions of Boro Park, Midwood, and Flatbush. Felder fills the vacancy left by former Councilman Kalman Yeger, who was elected to the New York State Assembly earlier this year. Felder’s City Council term will run through the end of 2025, after which he will need to compete in the June primaries and November general election to win a full four-year term. The outcome marks Felder’s return to the City Council, where he previously served before moving on to the State Senate.

The Aleph Institute’s education initiative, Project 432, recently delivered its Compass Workshop to 150 students at Yeshiva Darchei Torah. The workshop is a groundbreaking initiative designed to teach teenagers and young adults the principles of financial integrity through the lens of Torah and halacha. Since its inception two years ago, the workshop has reached over 2,560 students at 58 high schools and yeshivas in North America and Israel. As part of efforts to equip their talmidim with the tools to lead a life of yashrus, the yeshiva partnered with Project 432 to guide students in navigating financial challenges through Torah-based principles.