Let’s stop dancing around the truth. The Jewish community in New York—particularly the frum community—faces a political crisis of historic proportions. This isn’t about whether Andrew Cuomo apologized or whether he was a perfect governor. This is about whether our children and grandchildren will be able to live as Torah Jews in New York a decade from now. We still feel the pain of the unfair red zones imposed by Cuomo in 2020, which targeted our communities and restricted our way of life with heavy-handed measures. That wound lingers, a reminder of how quickly our freedoms can be curtailed. Yet, despite this pain, we must look forward and consider our future as Jews in New York City, where new threats loom larger than past grievances.

CNN has truly outdone itself this time, publishing a glowing puff piece about Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a man internationally recognized as a terrorist who is now the leader of Syria. Yes, this is the same Jolani who was, as CNN itself admits, sent to Syria in 2011 by none other than Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the infamous founder of ISIS, with a monthly stipend of $50,000. Yet, somehow, Jolani is now being spun as a misunderstood “revolutionary” and potential Western ally. You can’t make this up. The piece details Jolani’s rise, casually noting that he was tasked with establishing Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, and even acknowledges his deep roots in jihadism.

Twice in modern history, Israel has spared the world from the horrors of nuclear proliferation in the hands of rogue regimes. Twice, it has acted decisively where others hesitated, dismantling nuclear threats that could have led to unimaginable global catastrophe. And twice, the world has ultimately benefited from Israel’s courage, even if it wasn’t quick to thank them. In 1981, Israel launched Operation Opera, a daring airstrike that obliterated Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor. At the time, Saddam Hussein’s regime sought to develop nuclear capabilities, a goal that would have dramatically altered the balance of power in the Middle East.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s glaring double standard in addressing hate crimes has reached a disturbing new low. Last Shabbos (the morning after Shmini Atzeres), a Jewish man on his way to shul was shot from behind in West Rogers Park, an attack that authorities describe as unprovoked and marked by the shooter’s shouts of “Allahu Akbar.” Yet, in his public statement, Mayor Johnson avoided any mention of the anti-Semitic nature of the attack. His response was disappointingly vague, calling the shooting merely a “tragic event” and declaring that “all Chicagoans deserve to feel safe,” without a single word acknowledging the apparent targeting of the Jewish victim. This isn’t just disappointing; it’s an insult.

I have seen just in recent days alone, the alarming number of car accidents at the intersection of Anawana Lake Road and Fraser Road, and it’s clear that immediate action is necessary to prevent a tragic loss of life. The status quo is unacceptable, and we must demand change. Every summer the number of accidents increases, and it’s now at a dangerous level. First and foremost, drivers must take responsibility for their actions and adhere to vehicle and traffic laws. Reckless behavior behind the wheel puts innocent lives at risk and has no place on our roads. Secondly, law enforcement must step up and enforce traffic regulations with seriousness and consistency. Strict policing will serve as a deterrent to dangerous driving and help restore a sense of safety for all road users.

The horrific events in Lakewood on Tuesday have brought to light a grave and scandalous issue plaguing our community, one that demands urgent attention and action. Although we are not rabbanim, we have consulted with numerous rabbinic leaders and mental health professionals prior to publishing this piece, and there is unanimous agreement: this is a serious crisis that everyone must understand and address. As is widely known, a severely mentally ill woman tragically took the lives of her two children in Lakewood on Tuesday. The news of this heart-wrenching incident spread immediately as Hatzolah paramedics arrived on the scene and made heroic efforts to save the children.

As we find ourselves collectively at a loss as to how to wrap our minds around what transpired yesterday, there are factors that must be understood and considered. Our difficulties making sense of all of this are only further compounded by the media that are simply reporting facts without context. This reporting only instills unfounded fear in our children. Events such as this cause us to question all that we know. However, There are things that we do know for certain. Mental health issues must be understood and treated appropriately. When they are not, the outcomes are so very unfortunate. As a community we are always looking out for each other and wanting to help. This must extend to mental health as well.

We know that a YWN editorial will do nothing to change a snooty movie star’s twisted perspective, but when one with 14 million social media followers uses her platform to promote hatred against Jews, we must call it out for what it is: A problem with thr Jews.

It is not often that the YWN Editorial Board opines on communal concerns, and it is only following deep contemplation and discussions with the relevant stakeholders that we weigh in on the following matter – and only due to the jarring fact that it is a literal life-and-death issue. As most are already well aware, a group of individuals are launching a new frum EMS squad they have named the Jackson Jewish Volunteer Ambulance Service (JJVAS), after being legally denied the ability to hijack the name “Hatzolah.” Contrary to its altruistic-sounding name, the terrible facts are that the kehilla it ostensibly serves will pay for it in yiddishe blood. To begin with, the JJVAS is one that was arguably formed out of spite rather than goodwill.

(By Richard Altabe) New York City has just completed its investigation of yeshivas. While many details are still shrouded in mystery, this much we know for sure: the City gave most yeshivas a failing grade. If education and educational improvement was the true purpose of the investigation, one would expect that the City would delineate the strengths and weaknesses of the yeshivas it reviewed. Instead, the City leak to the New York Times places 18 schools in same category: failure. And not just failure. It is as if each school got a zero on the final exam. There is no detail, discussion or differentiation. If its purpose was to validate existing stereotypes about yeshivas, the City succeeded.