As is their annual “Minhag”, the Neturei Karta members living in Meah Shearim protested against the State of Israel on Thursday evening. The group of around 200 people, many of them identified as local misfits, consisted of half adults, and half children. Some were wearing sackcloth as they mourned the 73rd birthday of Israel. Most were holding black flags, while others held Palestinian flags. Some children held posters in Arabic, while others held signs in English. One man holding a bullhorn and leading the massive protest, chanted remarks which were followed by the usual “Gevald!” reponse from the crowd.

As YWN reported before Pesach, students who were studying in Israel before Pesach will be allowed to return to Israel afterward if they have valid visas and they have documentation that they were vaccinated in Israel or recovered from the coronavirus. There is now more good news as Israel has also now approved the return of married students accompanied by unvaccinated children, the Chaim V’Chessed organization stated on Wednesday. This accomplishment is due to the considerable efforts of Rabbi Nechemia Malinowitz of the Igud of Yeshivas and Seminaries. Currently, only the Igud can obtain permits for yeshivah bochurim and seminary students. Students should contact their institution, which will submit their information to the Igud.

HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky visited the Kosel on Monday, the first day of Chol Hamoed in Israel, for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, HaRav Chaim visited the Kosel twice a year, on Chol Hamoed Sukkos and Pesach. Thousands excitedly waited for HaRav Chaim to approach the Kosel, eager to catch a glimpse of the Gadol HaDor on a rare trip outside Bnei Brak. The visit was documented by photographer Ezra Tervalisi. As per his minhag, HaRav Chaim also visited the home of his talmid, HaRav Yisrael Meir Druck, in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem. כמידי חג בחג: מרן שר התורה הגר"ח קנייבסקי הגיע כעת לביקור בבית תלמידו הגרי"מ דרוק בשכונת גבעת שאול בירושלים.

On Monday morning, the first day of Chol Hamoed in Israel and exactly a year after the Chareidi sector in Israel was amid the worst coronavirus outbreak in the country and the city of Bnei Brak entered its first lockdown, the Health Ministry confirmed 128 new coronavirus patients, with only one of those cases from the Chareidi sector. Furthermore, the positivity rate in the Chareidi sector is only 0.8%, while the rate in the general population has decreased to 1.5%. The reproduction or R number in the general population in Israel had dropped to 0.55% in the general population and it stands at 0.44% in the Chareidi sector. All Chareidi cities, including Bnei Brak, Beitar Illit, Modiin Illit, Elad, Rechasim, Emanuel and Telzstone, continue to be “green,” with very low infection rates.

(By Sandy Eller) Businesses, caterers and volunteer groups are among the many who are geared up for a busy Pesach in Orlando, with as many as 100,000 people making their way to Central Florida for yom tov. With few formal hotel programs operating and an ideal Chol Hamoed for day tripping, this year’s Pesach created the perfect storm, with Orlando at its epicenter. COVID-weary families eager for a change of pace set their sights on the Sunshine State months ago, with some looking to enjoy a relatively simple yom tov, while others have found ways to create a more luxurious experience.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 22-year-old man has been indicted for assault, reckless endangerment and other charges for allegedly causing a car crash that seriously injured a Brooklyn mother of six. A dashboard camera captured the driver allegedly running a red light at a Bedford-Stuyvesant intersection and colliding with a livery cab that carried the 32-year-old victim. District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant chose to drive his car in a highly dangerous and reckless manner, allegedly speeding and ignoring a traffic light, and caused a devastating crash that nearly killed a beloved mother. We believe this was not an aberration – videos he allegedly posted online show him driving the same vehicle in an extremely reckless fashion.

The United States launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday, targeting facilities near the Iraqi border used by Iranian-backed militia groups. The Pentagon said the strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops. The airstrike was the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, which in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist. Biden’s decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq.

The International Criminal Court said Friday that its jurisdiction extends to territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, potentially clearing the way for its chief prosecutor to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions. The decision was welcomed by the Palestinians and decried by Israel’s prime minister, who vowed to fight “this perversion of justice.” The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, said it opposed the decision. The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in 2019 that there was a “reasonable basis” to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement activity in Judea and Samaria. But she asked the court to determine whether she has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding.

In the wake of unfounded rumors that coronavirus vaccines can cause fertility issues, the question was asked to HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky. HaRav Chaim’s grandson, Yanky Kanievsky, repeated the question to his grandfather: “Young men and women who don’t yet have children or are hoping to have more children are afraid that if they will be vaccinated they won’t have more children. Is there what to fear?” HaRav Chaim responded “no” and gave a bracha for those who are vaccinated. Earlier this week, Israel’s Health Ministry updated its previous recommendations regarding pregnant women only being vaccinated after the 15th week of pregnancy.

President Donald Trump, a man hyperaware of his achievements and place in history, added a first to his record on Wednesday. A week before he will leave office, Trump became the first president impeached by the House twice. The chamber charged him with high crimes and misdemeanors for inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol seven days ago. The president’s behavior in the 13 months since the first impeachment left House Democrats making a more clear-cut case than the first time around. The chamber charged Trump in a 232-197 vote, as all Democrats and 10 Republicans backed the measure.