The members of the state commission of inquiry into the Meron disaster slammed the head of the Meron HaGalil Regional Council during his testimony last week for failing to fulfill his responsibilities regarding the Meron site. Council Head Amit Sofer told the commission that although the Meron site is officially part of his jurisdiction, it is “an extra-territorial zone,” referring to the fact that so many interested parties were involved in the happenings at the site Sofer claimed that other bodies such as Va’adas HaChamisha, the “Committee of Five,” which is in charge of the Kever Shimon Bar Yochai complex, and the National Authority of Construction Law Enforcement, are responsible for the Meron site.

Reform Rabbi MK Gilad Kariv (Labor) took cynical advantage of his parliamentary immunity to smuggle a Sefer Torah into the women’s section at the Kosel during Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan tefillos on Thursday morning. His act was part of the monthly provocation the Women of the Wall (WOW) group engages in every Rosh Chodesh. Kariv then read from the Torah amidst the women in the WOW group. Blue and White MK Alon Tal also participated in the provocation. ראש חודש חשון, זעזוע וביזיון בכותל: ח״כ גלעד קריב מנצל את החסינות שלו ומנסה להכניס ספר תורה לעזרת נשים בכותל המערבי .

Two Chareidi families from Bnei Brak recently sold their apartments and moved to Guatemala to join the Lev Tahor cult, B’Chadrei Chareidim reported. The families sold their apartments, and the proceeds, as well as their personal funds, were transferred to the cult in Central America. The identities of the families are currently unknown. The families were recruited and “assisted” in their endeavor by Lev Tahor leader Eliezer Rompler, who managed to escape Israel mid-trial in December and return to Guatemala despite a restraining order against him.

President Biden sat down with the newly installed Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Friday, roughly 24 hours after the deadly suicide bombing in Kabul. The president and the prime minister’s meeting, originally scheduled for Thursday, was postponed in the wake of the attack. In a brief media availability kicking off the closed-door encounter, both Biden and Bennett started by acknowledging the “brave sacrifice” by the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul bombing. Biden told Bennett that he prefers diplomacy when it comes to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but he said if that fails, the U.S. will consider “other options” to ensure Iran “never” gets nuclear bombs.

The U.S. gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Monday, potentially boosting public confidence in the shots and instantly opening the way for more universities, companies and local governments to make vaccinations mandatory. The Pentagon promptly announced it will press ahead with plans to require members of the military to get vaccinated amid the battle against the extra-contagious delta variant. Louisiana State University likewise said it will demand its students get the shot. More than 200 million Pfizer doses have been administered in the U.S. under special emergency provisions — and hundreds of millions more worldwide — since December.

Eighteen-year-old Samuel Fussell continues to remain at large for the shocking murder of Denver Yeshiva Bochur Shmuel Silverberg Z”L. As YWN previously reported, four alleged co-conspirators are already custody. The individuals in custody are Isaiah Freeman, eighteen; Seth LaRhode, 21; Aden Sides, eighteen; and Noah Loepp-Hall, nineteen. They’re being held on suspicion of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree auto theft, felony menacing, first-degree burglary and burglary YWN notes that in the attached TV report by Fox 31 reports what YWN has been reporting since the murder, that Shmuli Z”L was chased down INSIDE the Yeshiva where he was shot. Police still say he was shot outside the Yeshiva.  Here are booking photos of the four suspects in custody.

After a frightening six hours, Bichasdei Hashem, missing Yosef Shapiro was found by search volunteers – just 25 feet away from the Atlantic Ocean, in a marsh, unable to walk. Sources tell YWN that a Hatzolah member searching near the beach heard a child saying “Tatty”. In the pitch dark, additional resources were sent to that location. Sure enough, Yosef was found. He was taken to Maimonides Hospital for observation, and is in good health. He was being discharged at around 11:30PM. Hundreds of volunteers broke out in dancing as they sang “Chasdei Hashem” when he was brought out to his mother and a waiting Hatzolah ambulance. The incredible outpouring of Achdus was felt by everyone involved as hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers joined forces to find him.

A major investigation is underway after Sullivan County Emergency Radio Frequencies were interfered by children using illegal radios. Law enforcement sources tell YWN, that multiple times over the past few days, children have been interfering with the Sullivan 911 Frequency, the Sheriff Department and other emergency frequencies in the area. The Sheriff Department has since contacted the FCC, and a heavy investigation is underway. YWN sources confirm that the interference is coming from the Monticello area, and law enforcement are pretty close to finding the culprit(s), as they have narrowed down the area. YWN is in possession of recordings of the radio communication, and we can confirm that it is unfortunately children of the Orthodox Jewish Community – most likely Hasidic children.

New York state health officials said Friday that mask-wearing will be optional in K-12 schools starting Monday, but the country’s largest school system, New York City, plans to keep its universal mask policy in place. New York will move forward with the plan unless the CDC provides data or science that “contradicts” that change before Monday, state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker wrote in a Friday letter to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Republicans had urged Cuomo to drop the mandate this week. The release of the letter on Friday afternoon caught school leaders and teachers unions by surprise.

Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, announced Tuesday he is seeking the Republican nomination for governor of New York, potentially setting up a battle with third-term incumbent Democrat Andrew Cuomo. “Giuliani vs. Cuomo. Holy smokes. It’s Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier,” the 35-year-old said in an interview with the New York Post. He also posted a video on Twitter that assailed Cuomo for, among other things, barring gatherings and closing businesses and schools as the coronavirus began killing thousands of New Yorkers last March. “At the first sign of a problem, they chose to shut us down. They take away our freedoms. They quarantine healthy people,” Giuliani said.