Each and every time we commence our studies, we must strive to view ourselves as we stood at Mt. Sinai, when we declared “Na’aseh v’nishma”–“We will fulfill the Torah–study and plumb its infinite wisdom.
By: Rabbi Osher Jungreis
In this week’s parsha (Numbers 8:1), Aaron is commanded to kindle the lights of the menorah, but a most unusual word is used in this connection–“behaaloscha” which, literally translated means “when you elevate” rather than “K’sheh tadlik”–“When you light.”
There is a profound teaching therein. The menorah is symbolic of the Torah, and we must at all times bear in mind that studying the Torah is not just undertaking another study; observing the mitzvot is not just another life style, but it is the very essence of our lives, the very fiber of our being through which we are elevated and realize our purpose in life. Therefore, the words that is used is “elevating” rather than “lighting”.
In this week’s parsha (Numbers 8:1), Aaron is commanded to kindle the lights of the menorah, but a most unusual word is used in this connection–“behaaloscha” which, literally translated means “when you elevate” rather than “K’sheh tadlik”–“When you light.” Photo Credit: Temple Institute
Every aspect of the service is significant. When the Kohen lights the menorah, he must do so standing on a step although the menorah was only fifty four inches in height and it would have been a simple matter to kindle the light without standing on a step-stool. But here again, is a symbolic teaching–we cannot just open the books and start studying.
Rather, we must prepare ourselves emotionally, mentally, and spiritually for the awesome task of immersing ourselves in G-d’s Book. Each and every time we commence our studies, we must strive to view ourselves as we stood at Mt. Sinai, when we declared “Na’aseh v’nishma”–“We will fulfill the Torah–study and plumb its infinite wisdom. If we adopt such as attitude, we will discover that absolutely nothing can limit our spiritual growth, and we will truly experience spiritual elevation.
Following the instructions regarding the commandment of the menorah, the passage goes on to say, “Vayas Kein Aharon”–“And Aaron did thus…” (Numbers 8:30)
Rashi, the great commentator states that this verse is in praise of Aaron who fulfilled the command exactly as instructed. This is difficult to understand, for even a lesser person than Aaron wouldn’t have deviated from G-d’s command, how much more so Aaron.
But once again the Torah teaches us an important lesson. It is easy to be enthusiastic when we undertake a new project, but to keep that enthusiasm going when the novelty wears off is a real test of character. We all have visions when facing new challenges. We go under the chuppah certain that we will be the best husbands and wives.
When we become parents, we are certain that we will be the best mothers and fathers, but very soon, our dreams are shattered, our enthusiasm fades, and we revert back to our old ways. Aaron however, was different. Throughout his thirty-nine years of service, he retained his enthusiasm as on the day when he first received the commandments. Indeed, “Aaron did thus…”
There is yet another teaching to the menorah. The soul of man is a candle of G-d (Proverbs). Buried deep in the crevices of our neshamas is the light of G-d–a love of Torah. We need only kindle it. So if we seek meaning and purpose in life, elevation and spirituality, we need only kindle the light of Torah in our souls. It’s as easy as that.
The number of deaths in the top six countries, as a percent of all the deaths worldwide, is the United States (about 28%), the United Kingdom (about 10.5%), Italy (almost 9%), Brazil (almost 8%), France (about 7.75%), and Spain (just over 7%). Russia is in 14th place and has about 1.5% of the total deaths. Photo Credit: AP
By: Ariel Natan Pasko
Just recently, the Jewish people experienced the Revelation of God at Mount Sinai, AGAIN!
The holiday of Shavuot just occurred. Jewish holidays are called a Moed, a private appointment time with the God of Israel, the God of their fathers and mothers.
Fifty days after Pesach/Passover, leaving slavery, leaving the Egyptian exile, the exile of the spirit behind; Moses leads the people to Mount Sinai, where they experience an unimaginable, synesthesiatic revelation, “seeing” God’s voice, the thunder, and sound of the shofar.
“And all the people saw the voices…”
“The voices: They saw what was audible, which is impossible to see elsewhere. Voices emanating from the mouth of the Almighty. Many voices, voices coming from every direction, and from the heavens, and from the earth,” (Rashi on Exodus 20:15, from Mechilta d’Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai).
A spiritual experience, of a magnitude never encountered by any other nation, before or after. As Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi, author of “Sefer HaKuzari” said, all other religions started with a “prophetic revelation” to one individual, who told others about it, and then believers started to follow the “prophet.” Not so, with Am Yisrael, the Jewish people, an entire nation experienced the prophetic revelation of God at Mount Sinai, and Jews have remembered this for over 3,300 years.
And what did they SEE? “I am the Lord Your God [the God of creation], who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage [the God of history]” (Exodus 20:2).
The Rambam (Maimonides), in his Sefer HaMitzvot, lists Positive Commandment #1, the First Mitzvah, to believe in the Divinity: to believe that there is a cause and a reason, which is the maker of all creations. As The Exalted One has said, “I am the L-rd, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
Rambam then asks, Why does God identify Himself as the One who took us out of Egypt? Why not as the Creator of the universe? Certainly the creation of the universe, is a far greater feat than the Exodus from Egypt.
He answers, We did not witness creation, but we did witness the Exodus from Egypt. Because of this, we owe it to God to believe in Him and follow His commandments.
Demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, near the White House in Washington. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
When God created the world, He created nature. When He took us out of Egypt, He broke the system of nature, and we saw this happen. Every day we must remember that God not only created the universe, but that He continues to create it ex nihilo every single moment, and can transcend nature at will. The fact that the First Commandment is given in the singular (“I am your [singular] God”), tells us that God cares about the welfare of each individual person, and therefore continues to bring us out of our personal Egypt, our constraints and challenges, every single day.
The Rambam then points out, that the fact that God mentions the Exodus from Egypt in His First Commandment, reassures us that just as He took us out of the Egyptian exile, so will He take us out of this final exile [as He is doing in our day] with the coming of Mashiach, the Messiah.
Just as the God of Israel is Redeeming the Jewish people from its global exile and suffering today, showing how He is constantly involved in Jewish history and destiny, so too, is he punishing those who most oppressed the Jewish people, throughout the ages.
Recently I saw the data from John Hopkins University, for the CoronaVirus pandemic, the total number of confirmed cases has exceeded 6.23 million globally, almost 30% in the United States. The top seven infected countries are the US, followed by Brazil (about 8%), Russia (almost 7%), the United Kingdom (about 4.5%), Spain (almost 4%), and Italy (almost 4%), and France (about 3%).
The number of deaths in the top six countries, as a percent of all the deaths worldwide, is the United States (about 28%), the United Kingdom (about 10.5%), Italy (almost 9%), Brazil (almost 8%), France (about 7.75%), and Spain (just over 7%). Russia is in 14th place and has about 1.5% of the total deaths.
Three other countries near the top, who receive dishonorable mention are Germany, Iran, and Turkey.
After China, the first major epicenters of the virus outbreaks were in Korea, Iran and Italy.
It was very evenly spaced out across the globe by-the-way, to go into all Asia, E. & W. Europe, and from Europe and China ==> into USA. God’s Hand could be seen again.
But why Korea? North Korea has been helping Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas for years with, nuclear, missile, and tunnel technologies. North Korean pilots flew Egyptian MIG-21s against Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and always supported the PLO, i.e. Palestinian statehood. See my article,
“North Korea: There is an Israeli Connection.”
Why Iran? Well threatening Israel’s destruction for over 40 years, and then a nuclear holocaust for the last 10 years, means something. The God of Israel “neither slumbers nor sleeps,” (Psalms 121:4).
And Italy? The Romans burnt down the Second Temple, robbed the temple treasury, destroyed Judea, murdered over a million Jews and dragged countless others off to slavery. The Coliseum in Rome, was built by Jewish slaves with money from the temple treasury. Christianity set up headquarters in Rome at the Vatican, and the Catholic Church has persecuted Jews for 1,600+ yrs.
Notice, most of the worse CoronaVirus outbreaks, have been in Catholic areas of Europe. The God of Israel is remembering the Church’s millennia long persecution of Jews, the Crusades, the Inquisitions, etc. For example, Italy (the Vatican), France (Burnt Talmuds), Spain (the Inquisition). The Catholic areas of Germany, have been hit worse than the Protestant areas, and we know what Germany has done to Jews in the past.
But why Brazil? As a Portuguese colony, Catholicism was the official religion, and anti-Semitic persecutions followed the Jews from the old world to the new world. Brazil was not free of the inquisition until Brazilian independence in 1822. Roman Catholicism remained the state religion, but the constitution proclaimed some tolerance of other religions, yet anti-Semitism persisted.
Anti-Semitism grew in Brazil in the 1900s, and reached its peak during 1933–1945, with the rise of Nazism in Germany. Brazil locked its doors to Jewish refugees from Europe during the Holocaust. Between 1937 and 1950, more than 16,000 visas to European Jews, most attempting to escape the Nazis, were denied by Brazilian governments.
England, the United Kingdom, Britain? Well that one’s obvious, they were pretty bad to us too…
The first blood libel in Europe occurred in England in 1144. The English participated in the Crusades, killing and looting Jews, in England itself, on their way to the liberate the Holy Land from the Muslims.
Then, Jews were forcibly thrown out of England from 1290 until the 1650s.
The British declared the Balfour Declaration in 1917, to support the Zionist goal of establishing a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, and received the Palestine Mandate from the League of Nations to carry out that mission.
Yet, during the mandate period, they perfidiously helped the Arabs living in the mandate to thwart Jewish national aspirations. They allowed many Arabs from the surrounding countries to enter the mandate area, while limiting Jewish immigration to it, even during the darkest days before and during the Holocaust. Their policies toward Israel have been lukewarm at best, since.
Russia, the former Soviet Union, why them? Again obvious, pogroms, persecution, and the Pale of Settlement, under the Czars, and things only went downhill from there under the communists. The Soviet Union persecuted Jews, for wanting to learn Hebrew and practice Judaism. They supported the Arab states politically and militarily during the Cold War period, against Israel, and denied Jews the right to make Aliyah, i.e. leave the Soviet Union and move to Israel.
Even today’s Russia, is playing a two-faced game. Although Putin has had better relations with Israel than during Soviet times, he’s been allied with Iran and Turkey in Syria. Certainly no friends of Israel.
Which brings us to the United States. Why has God hit America so hard? Hasn’t America been good to the Jews, isn’t it the “Goldene Medina?” Maybe that’s the problem?
First of all, America refused entry to the MS St. Louis, a ship laden with Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. Then, America did nothing in particular to save Jews during the Holocaust. Roosevelt even ignored all requests to bomb the railroad tracks leading into the murder camps.
On one hand America has been so good to the Jews that they’re assimilating in record numbers (a Silent Holocaust), yet anti-Semitism has sizzled under the surface for decades, and has been boiling over more recently. How long before the current riots turn anti-Semitic?
President Trump has been good to the Jewish people, and done God’s will, in recognizing Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and towns in Judea and Samaria. But Trump went too far (something HaShem, the God of Israel, didn’t want), in talking about a “Palestinian” state, and Netanyahu has sinned also, in agreeing to recognize other’s “rights” to our/HaShem’s Land.
Like an overconfident poker player, Trump has overplayed his hand… “Deal of the Century” get it?
He’s also made the biggest blunder, in talking about keeping the status quo on the Temple Mount, i.e. denying Jewish rights, when we all know that God’s House, the Third Temple, is going to be built there soon.
If you think about it for a moment, there’s definitely a pattern here. Starting in mid-January 2020, each weekly Torah reading, since the beginning of Sefer Shemot (the Book of Exodus), has related HIGHLY to what had been going on in the world at the time. The plagues, the exodus, the golden calf, building the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and soon the “Sin of the Spies.”
Back at the beginning of February, I was telling people out here, in Israel, that the Coronavirus hit America at about the same time, as the ten plagues had been being read in the weekly Torah readings, and the announcement that Trump’s partition plan, was going to be unveiled the following week, on January 28th. See my article, “The Likud and Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook.”
The exact chronology is: on Tuesday of that week – the first announced case of CoronaVirus was found in Washington state (no coincidence, note the name). On Thursday of that week, the White House announced that they were inviting Netanyahu, the following week, to unveil the “Deal of the Century.”
Do you see God’s Hand?
The return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the redemptive process, as promised by God, through his prophets (see the Hebrew Bible), has been unfolding in the last couple generations, it won’t be stopped by the Trump Plan, the CoronaVirus, or anything.
Many Rabbis have given three causes, for the CoronaVirus, (a slightly too GALUT/EXILE-CENTRIC perspective, because it ignores the most important reason) in my humble opinion.
The World’s Sexual Promiscuity (Health)
2.LaShone HaRa (Slander/Evil Speech) (Hate)
Excessive Materialism (Money)
I’ve been telling people similar things, for the last several months…
But, let me end with this, and what about you? The Jews still in Galut?
HaShem is shaking the YIDDEN up worldwide!!! He’s brought:
Disease – the CoronaVirus ==> Health.
Rising anti-Semitism ==> Hate.
Economic collapse ==> To end Money/Power Idolatry & Jews’ false sense of security.
Interestingly, we read about the Golden Calf during this period too, and what symbolizes, modern idolatry, more than money today!
Now, the biggest reason (in my humble opinion) for this pandemic, and all that’s occurred in the last six months.
The God of Israel is carrying out Kibbutz Galuyot (the ingathering of the exiles), just as He promised in the Book of Ezekiel, “…So says the Lord God: Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side, and I will bring them to their land,” (Ezekiel 36:21). The redemption of the Jewish people continues.
All this will lead the Jews in the exile to:
Think really seriously, about moving to Israel ==> a massive wave of Aliyah is brewing.
Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Isaac Herzog recently said, “…We are preparing for increased Aliyah once the crisis is over…”
Aliyah, is itself TSHUVA, it is the Tikkun (repair) for the “Sin of the Spies,” who despised the GOOD LAND! That Torah reading by-the-way, Parshat Shlach, is coming up in less than two weeks.
Pesach (Chag HaGeula – the holiday of redemption) culminated in the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, on Shavuot. But the plan was to bring the Jews into the Land of Israel, if not for the “Sin of the Spies.” Remember, 80% of the Jews never even made it out of Egypt…
The author writes: “For years I felt rejected by my Hasidic neighbors. The pandemic changed all that.”
By: Joseph Rosen
I live on a Montreal block in Mile End, once the neighborhood of Mordecai Richler, which is now 50-per-cent Hasidic Jews – an ultra-Orthodox sect that prays three times a day, and wears black hats imitating 18th-century Polish aristocracy.
While I live among them as a secular Jew, and have friendly relations with some neighbors, the Hasidim separate themselves from me and my social world. For many in the neighborhood, including me, social distance with our counterparts is nothing new.
But COVID-19 quarantine protocols, while physically distancing me from secular society, have brought me socially closer to my Hasidic neighbors. Morning and night, their voices sing out in prayer: ancient Middle Eastern melodies float through the pandemic-emptied street, bringing archaic echoes of spiritual yearning to the urban streetscape. Fathers, sons, grandfathers and grandsons – it’s only ever men – cluster together on front stoops, lean out from balconies, and dot the sidewalk. Melancholic songs ring up and down the street in passionate call and response, and passersby stare in wonder. After weeks of this outdoor synagogue, I see that the Hasidim have something to teach us seculars about what it means for a community to reconnect in a COVID-19 world.
My first response wasn’t so romantic. Hearing noises coming from my balcony, I stepped outside and was surprised to see four Hasidic brothers praying on the adjacent balcony. I went downstairs to see that my neighbor’s front stoop was the center of the service, and immediately worried that this religious ritual might increase my family’s risk of infection.
Years ago, my neighbor put up a green plastic fence to separate our front stoops. I felt rejected. Since COVID-19, the same neighbor brings out a Torah scroll on a portable table, and I find the front of my house at the heart of their religious services. Because Orthodox Jews must pray communally in a “minyan” of at least 10 men, the Hasidim were in a bind when the government shuttered all religious buildings and forbade religious services. Rabbis, in accordance with government directives, forbade having minyans in person. Improvising, as Jews have often done living under regimes that forbid Jewish practice, my Orthodox neighbors took to the streets so that, while remaining two meters apart, they could continue to pray together. Instead of hiding in caves and basements – as Jews sometimes had to do in centuries past – the new coronavirus has driven them outdoors.
One morning my curiosity overcame my fear and I walked out to the sidewalk when I heard them chanting. As much as I enjoy secular life, I found myself missing a sense of spiritual connection. It was cold, with a smattering of April snow on the ground. In addition to COVID-19, we have to survive what Montreal calls “spring” together.
My neighbor had started praying with his son, and he watched for others to emerge from their front doors. White tallit – prayer shawls embroidered with silver and blue – covered their heads. They wore tefillin: black leather boxes containing parchment inscribed with Hebrew verses, which are wrapped with leather straps onto the forehead and arm. My neighbor walked up and down the sidewalk looking to connect with other Hasidim as they came out across the street and down the block. Silent, so as not to interrupt the order of prayers, they made hand gestures to each other like third base coaches, holding up fingers to indicate how many were praying. My neighbor signaled to a man a few houses away who peeked into his neighbor’s window: two fingers. When they identified a minyan of 10 they said Kaddish. The prayer is recited by mourners for 11 months after a close relative dies. In Judaism, one doesn’t mourn alone – but surrounded by community.
The first Montrealer to die of COVID-19 was a 67-year-old Hasid who went to a synagogue two blocks away from me. Online news articles about the community became a hotspot of anti-Semitic ranting. The Hasidim felt immediately targeted. “The level of hatred, the level of focus, of scapegoating, has gone beyond anything we have seen before,” said one Hasid. When a janitor was seen cleaning a synagogue, a neighbor called the police and eight cop cars showed up. There are reports of verbal attacks on the street, and Hasidim being told to stick with “Jewish stores.”
A few unfortunately timed weddings, big families and travel back and forth may explain why my co-religionists were initially hit harder than other communities. And as friends and I joked, after Justin Trudeau warned against “speaking moistly,” energetic schmoozing might have been a factor in the Jewish transmission rate (JR0).
Some argue that they have been socially irresponsible, but the Hasidim are not libertarian yahoos: It is their communal commitments that have made them – and potentially my front yard – more vulnerable to the coronavirus. We worshippers of the secular indulge in unnecessary COVID-19 risks, too. Some go for runs in busy parks. Others order delivery from Pizza Pizza. My COVID-19 vices are social: ringing a friend’s doorbell to sing happy birthday to their child, midnight scotch drinking with friends (at two meters) and visiting my girlfriend across town (at nowhere near two meters). The risks we take are based on what we value most.
The Hasidim pray together. And my neighbors, facing the green fence, sing loudly right onto my stoop, potentially increasing my viral exposure. The coronavirus highlights how permeable the borders are between our bodies, and how much our private choices affect everyone around us.
After stepping onto the sidewalk that morning, I strolled up and down the block, seeing a Hasid every three or four houses. The silver embroidery on their tallit flashed brightly in the sun, imparting a splendor one does not see indoors. One man shouted his prayer from out of his open window on the second floor. I didn’t understand the words, and the singing wasn’t classically “beautiful” like the choirs in more mainstream synagogues and churches. But his voice rang out with a pained yearning that resonates in this time of uncertainty. At various points congregants yelled, so that all can hear, “Amen,” pronounced “Oh-MAIN,” meaning “so be it!”
In the era of COVID-19, minyanim are being formed in compliance with social-distance guidelines. These guidelines may preclude men from being called to the Torah and standing next to the reader.
In the era of COVID-19, minyanim are being formed in compliance with social-distance guidelines. These guidelines may preclude men from being called to the Torah and standing next to the reader. So, the question arises whether it is acceptable to recite the blessings on the Torah from afar.
This is essentially the same as a question posed to me some years ago by a rabbi of a Jewish Old-Age Home:
On Shabbat morning we have an average of fifteen male Jewish residents joining us for services. Many of these men are not quite mobile, and find it challenging to come forward to the bimah to have an aliyah. But we want to give aliyahs to as many as possible!
So we’d like to look at the following options: a) the residents are called out by name by the gabbai, but remain in their places and recite blessings from afar; b) the able-bodied men that are present are given more than one aliyah.
Answer:
The practice of Torah reading in the early Mishnah era was that a series of seven men would actually read from the Torah. The first of the seven men would say the opening blessing before he would start reading from the Torah, and the last one would recite the closing blessing after he finished the reading of the Torah. A later development was that each honoree says these two blessings, before and after his portion is read. Another significant change is that previously, each man would read his portion aloud. Only when it became evident that many men lacked the confidence to read their portion aloud, it became standard practice to have a set reader, with the honorees only reciting aloud the opening and closing blessings.
The question now arises: What exactly is the nature of the blessings recited by those called up to the Torah? Presumably they have recited the Torah blessings as part of the morning blessings, so what’s the need to repeat the same blessing again?
There are two contrasting approaches:
The Rosh1 writes that one called to the Torah should read along in an undertone together with the reader. The blessings he recites are for the privilege of his reading from the Torah in public. It follows that according to the Rosh, one cannot give an aliyah to a man incapable of reading along.
Responsa Mas’at Binyamin2, however, challenges the rationale of the Rosh: since the congregation cannot hear the reading of the honoree, it seems unconvincing that special blessings are recited for what is really still a private reading.
Instead, the Mas’at Binyamin conceives a novel explanation for our recital of the blessings when called to the Torah:
Imagine a situation where none present – aside for the reader – are able to have an aliyah. The procedure is that the reader himself should have seven aliyahs, and he says the appropriate blessings before and after each reading.3
The blessings recited by those called up to the Torah – posits the Mas’at Binyamin – are actually on behalf of the reader! Accordingly, it is acceptable to call to the Torah one who is unable to read along for whatever reason.
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Lyadi (the Alter Rebbe) sides4 with those who rule that one can receive an aliyah, even if they are unable to read the Torah. However the Responsa Tzemach Tzedek5 defends the Rosh’s position, suggesting that the blessings were instituted for one listening to the Torah reading in a manner similar to one reading in public, i.e. that he’s standing next to the reader.
Coming back to our question of whether the blessings may be recited by an honoree who is sitting or standing afar: according to the Mas’at Binyamin this is acceptable, whereas according to the Rosh it is imperative that the honoree is able to read from the Sefer Torah along with the reader.
One application of the above debate is whether an aliyah may be given to a blind man: the Rosh would not allow it; the Mas’at Binyamin would.
How are we to rule?
In Shulchan Aruch,6 Rabbi Yosef Karo rules that a blind man cannot be called to the Torah. Even if he is able to recite the parshah by heart, this is to no avail, because the Written Torah may not be read orally.
In the glosses of the Rama, we find a comment in parentheses.7 Quoting Maharil, he writes that nowadays we do give an aliyah to a blind person, much as we give an aliyah to one who is unable to read Hebrew.
The custom recorded by Maharil does not jibe well with the position of the Rosh, but does seem to concur with that of the Mas’at Binyomin.
In summation: Reciting blessings from afar has sound base in tradition, but it is not unanimously accepted.
I pray that by the time this article goes to print, we will see a dramatic turnaround for the good, making all of the above merely a halachic-academic exercise.
Wishing you all to re-accept the Torah on Shavuot in a joyous and meaningful manner.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Raskin serves as the dayan of the Lubavitch community in London, U.K. A version of this article appeared in the Jewish Tribune (London).
Photo by Shai Halevi, Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority on 3 June, 2020
By: TPS Staff
The decoding of DNA extracted from fragments of parchment of the Second Temple era Dead Sea Scrolls indicates that 2,000 years ago, Jewish society was open to parallel circulation of diverse versions of scriptural books.
The findings support the notion that for contemporaries, the most important aspects of the scriptural text were its content and meaning, not its precise wording and orthography.
An interdisciplinary team from Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Oded Rechavi of TAU’s Faculty of Life Sciences, Prof. Noam Mizrahi of TAU’s Department of Biblical Studies, in collaboration with Prof. Mattias Jakobsson of Uppsala University in Sweden, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) Pnina Shor and Beatriz and others has successfully decoded ancient DNA extracted from the animal skins on which the Dead Sea Scrolls were written.
By characterizing the genetic relationships between different scrolls fragments, the researchers were able to discern important historical connections.
The research, conducted over seven years, sheds new light on the Dead Sea Scrolls.
“There are many scrolls fragments that we don’t know how to connect, and if we connect wrong pieces together it can change dramatically the interpretation of any scroll,” Rechavi explained. “Assuming that fragments that are made from the same sheep belong to the same scroll, it is like piecing together parts of a puzzle.”
The Dead Sea Scrolls refers to some 25,000 fragments of leather and papyrus discovered as early as 1947, mostly in the Qumran caves but also in other sites located in the Judean Desert.
The Scrolls contain the oldest copies of biblical texts. Since their discovery, scholars have faced the significant challenge of classifying the fragments and piecing them together into the remains of some 1,000 manuscripts, which were hidden in the caves before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.
Today, the thousands of Dead Sea Scrolls fragments are preserved by the IAA, where their condition is monitored by advanced scientific methods, in a designated climate-controlled environment.
Researchers have long been puzzled as to the degree this collection of manuscripts, a veritable library from the Qumran caves, reflects the broad cultural milieu of Second Temple Judaism, or whether it should be regarded as the work of a fringe sect, identified by most as the Essenes, discovered by chance.
“Imagine that Israel is destroyed to the ground, and only one library survives – the library of an isolated, ‘extremist’ sect: What could we deduce, if anything, from this library about greater Israel?” Rechavi says. “To distinguish between scrolls particular to this sect and other scrolls reflecting a more widespread distribution, we sequenced ancient DNA extracted from the animal-skins on which some of the manuscripts were inscribed. But sequencing, decoding and comparing 2,000-year old genomes is very challenging, especially since the manuscripts are extremely fragmented and only minimal samples could be obtained.”
To tackle their daunting task, the researchers developed sophisticated methods to deduce information from tiny amounts of ancient DNA, used different controls to validate the findings, and carefully filtered out potential contaminations.
The team employed these mechanisms to deal with the challenge posed by the fact that genomes of individual animals of the same species, for instance, two sheep of the same herd, are almost identical to one another, and even genomes of different species such as sheep and goats are very similar.
The Dead Sea Scrolls Unit supplied samples, sometimes only scroll “dust” carefully removed from the uninscribed back of the fragments and sent them for analysis to the paleogenomics lab in Uppsala, which is equipped with cutting-edge equipment.
To orthogonally validate the work on the animals’ ancient DNA, a lab in New York studied the scrolls’ microbial contaminants.
Textual Pluralism Opens Window into Second Temple Culture
Rechavi noted that one of the most significant findings was the identification of two very distinct Jeremiah fragments.
“Almost all the scrolls we sampled were found to be made of sheepskin, and accordingly, most of the effort was invested in the very challenging task of trying to piece together fragments made from the skin of particular sheep, and to separate these from fragments written on skins of different sheep that also share an almost identical genome,” he said.
“However, two samples were discovered to be made of cowhide, and these happen to belong to two different fragments taken from the Book of Jeremiah. In the past, one of the cow skin-made fragments were thought to belong to the same scroll as another fragment that we found to be made of sheepskin. The mismatch now officially disproves this theory,” he elaborated.
“What’s more: cow husbandry requires grass and water, so it is very likely that cowhide was not processed in the desert but was brought to the Qumran caves from another place. This finding bears crucial significance, because the cowhide fragments came from two different copies of the Book of Jeremiah, reflecting different versions of the book, which stray from the biblical text as we know it today.”
“Since late antiquity, there has been almost complete uniformity of the biblical text. A Torah scroll in a synagogue in Kiev would be virtually identical to one in Sydney, down to the letter. By contrast, in Qumran, we find in the very same cave different versions of the same book. But, in each case, one must ask: is the textual ‘pluriformity,’ as we call it, yet another peculiar characteristic of the sectarian group whose writings were found in the Qumran caves? Or does it reflect a broader feature, shared by the rest of Jewish society of the period? The ancient DNA proves that two copies of Jeremiah, textually different from each other, were brought from outside the Judean Desert. This fact suggests that the concept of scriptural authority – emanating from the perception of biblical texts as a record of the Divine Word – was different in this period from that which dominated after the destruction of the Second Temple,” he said.
“In the formative age of classical Judaism and nascent Christianity, the polemic between Jewish sects and movements was focused on the ‘correct’ interpretation of the text, not its wording or exact linguistic form,” he added.
Findings Suggest Prominence of Ancient Jewish Mysticism
Another surprising finding relates to a non-biblical text, unknown to the world before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a liturgical composition known as the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice that was found in multiple copies in the Qumran caves and in Masada.
There is a surprising similarity between this work and the literature of ancient Jewish mystics of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Both Songs and the mystical literature greatly expand on the visionary experience of the divine chariot-throne, developing the vision of the biblical prophet Ezekiel. But the Songs predates the later Jewish mystical literature by several centuries, and scholars have long debated whether the authors of the mystical literature were familiar with Songs.
“The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice were probably a ‘best-seller’ in terms of the ancient world: The Dead Sea Scrolls contain 10 copies, which is more than the number of copies of some of the biblical books that were discovered. But again, one has to ask: Was the composition known only to the sectarian group whose writings were found in the Qumran caves, or was it well known outside those caves? Even after the Masada fragment was discovered, some scholars argued that it originated with refugees who fled to Masada from Qumran, carrying with them one of their Scrolls,” Rechavi said.
However, “the genetic analysis proves that the Masada fragment was written on the skin of different sheep ‘haplogroup’ than those used for scroll-making found in the Qumran caves. The most reasonable interpretation of this fact is that the Masada Scroll did not originate in the Qumran caves but was brought from another place. As such, it corroborates the possibility that the mystical tradition underlying the Songs continued to be transmitted in hidden channels even after the destruction of the Second Temple and through the Middle Ages,” he offered.
Once arriving in Milford, start your day off exploring downtown. Walking Tours of Historic Milford are self-guided tours you can enjoy at your own pace. Photo Credit: poconomountains.com
By: Rachel Camaerei
Our area continues to be a haven for family and friends to visit together for reconnecting and relaxation. From delicious food to specialty shops, Pocono towns have something for everyone. When you’re ready to visit, choose the trip that’s right for you: visit midweek, weekend or a day trip.
On our second road trip, we’re travelling to the town of Milford. Located in the northeastern part of the Poconos, Milford is known as the birthplace of the American Conservation Movement. Continuing that legacy today, Milford also melds outdoor, heritage and cultural activities throughout the town.
Be sure to call ahead to your destination for accurate information to confirm trip details. Read on and save future trip ideas for a three-day itinerary vacation to Milford, Pa.
Day One: Discover Downtown
Morning: Once arriving in Milford, start your day off exploring downtown. Walking Tours of Historic Milford are self-guided tours you can enjoy at your own pace. Stroll the streets and learn about the town’s history with markers and museums like the Columns Museum.
Get some food at Apple Valley Restaurant. Just off the main street, they feature American-style cuisine in a friendly atmosphere in addition to their gift shops and Koi pond.
Afternoon: Milford is the north gate to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which can be accessed just two blocks from downtown. Hike three miles from town to see PA’s tallest waterfall, Raymondskill Falls!
Evening: While visiting, you must experience the farm-to-table fine dining scene. Maintaining a culinary legacy since the late 18th century, The Delmonico Room at the Hotel Fauchere continues to innovate their menu and create delicious dishes. These signature plates are often seasonally crafted with locally sourced ingredients.
Harrington House, a historic Victorian home built in 1860, is located just steps from the center of the quaint and historic town of Milford. Photo Credit: poconomountains.com
When you’re finished with your meal, check in to your room upstairs at the Hotel Fauchere. The Harrington House is also located downtown, and is another option to book in town to stay close to the action.
Day Two: Experience a Day of Adventure
Morning: Up for a little more adventure? Drive into the neighboring Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and explore the network of hiking trails and waterfalls. From Dingmans Falls to Hornbecks Creek Trail, discover a new trail or falls off the beaten path.
Afternoon: While in the recreation area, stop by Bushkill Falls and the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC). Bushkill Falls features eight waterfalls throughout its hiking trails in addition to gold mining, maze running, mini golfing and paddle boating activities. PEEC not only has its own trails and waterfalls, but they also host workshops, events and guided tours during the year.
Dingmans Falls is the second highest waterfall in the state, with a plunge of 130 feet. Photo Credit: poconomountains.com
Make your way back to Milford and refuel at 403 Broad or Bar Louis at the Hotel Fauchere. 403 Broad makes its own flour for pastas, pizzas and baked goods while Bar Louis offers a creative menu, which is known for its sushi pizza.
Evening: Choose from three different activities with Kittatinny Canoes on water, land or air. Open until 8 p.m., you can whitewater raft, canoe or kayak on the Delaware River, play paintball, or take to the dual zip lines which are one of the largest zip lines in the country! Be sure to call ahead and make your reservation to guarantee your spot.
Ran by Kittatinny Canoes, River Beach Campsites is located along the scenic Delaware River. Offering tents, cabins and RV sites, pick your campsite and relax among nature with a fire and some s’mores.
Day Three: Explore National Landmarks
Morning: Start your historic day off with a visit to where American conservation took root; Grey Towers National Historic Landmark. Self-guided tours of the grounds are available year-round from sunrise to sunset.
Afternoon: Take a self-guided tour of the Upper Mill, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still turns today. You can even sit and observe the mill through glass walls while eating at the Waterwheel Cafe Bakery and Bar.
Evening: As you leave Milford, try to make a stop at the Roebling Aqueduct Bridge. This is oldest wire-suspension bridge in the country and is designated as both a National Historic Landmark and National Civil Engineering Landmark. Less than 20 miles from Milford, the bridge is located on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River – perfect for a vacation photo opt.
This itinerary is modeled after a Friday through Sunday schedule, but you could create your own Milford itinerary for any day of the week! We recommend calling businesses to confirm their current offerings and operation status.
Find more information on Milford hotels and things to do while visiting including maps of the town and surrounding areas. You can also explore other accommodations, activities and restaurants in the Pocono Mountains.
NYC Health + Hospitals recently announced the success of its telehealth expansion in response to COVID-19, which within a week of documented community spread of the virus in NYC, converted all routine face-to-face visits to televisits, or scheduled telephonic visits. Photo Credit: AP
City’s public health system managed nearly 57,000 televisits in the first three weeks of the pandemic and over 235,000 televisits to-date; up from only 500 prior to the outbreak
Edited by: JV Staff
NYC Health + Hospitals recently announced the success of its telehealth expansion in response to COVID-19, which within a week of documented community spread of the virus in NYC, converted all routine face-to-face visits to televisits, or scheduled telephonic visits. The City’s public health system was able to quickly scale up its telemedicine services, going from just 500 billable virtual visits in the month prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, up to nearly 57,000 in the first three weeks of the pandemic, and over 235,000 televisits to-date.
Additionally, the health system handled approximately 13,000 patient messages over six weeks during the pandemic via its patient portal, which allows patients to directly communicate with their care teams. Prior work under the public health system’s transformation strategy, including laying telehealth groundwork starting in 2017 and transitioning to a unified electronic medical record system, led to the rapid and successful expansion of telemedicine.
“Our priority during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic was to ensure that the City’s public healthcare system continued to provide New Yorkers the care they needed where it was safest – at home,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President for Ambulatory Care Ted Long, MD. “We were fortunate to already have a strong foundation to quickly scale up and expand these telehealth services, including other necessary services we provide our diverse patient base, such as financial counseling and coordinated care. NYC Health + Hospitals provides patients a one-stop-shop to live their healthiest lives, and this pandemic proved our commitment.”
Other areas of patient care and support that were successfully transitioned to virtual interactions included:
COVID-19 Hotline: NYC Health + Hospitals developed the clinical arm to NYC’s newly created 311 informational hotline dedicated to COVID-19 inquiries. Calls were routed to clinicians to screen patients for COVID-19, triage requests for COVID-19 testing, or direct patients to necessary medical care. Starting in mid-March, the system’s call volume grew from just over 1,000 calls per day to a peak volume of over 7,000 calls a day. By answering over 75,000 calls in the first month of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotline providers helped avoid a large number of non-urgent ED visits at a time when it mattered most.
Electronic Specialty Referrals: The COVID-19 surge also accelerated NYC Health + Hospitals’ plans of expanding its eConsult system, a tool that makes it easier for primary care providers and specialists to communicate about patients. During the surge, the public health system was able to add a total of 29 specialties to the existing list, now facilitating electronic referrals within a total of 203 specialty care areas. This expansion included over a dozen new pediatric specialty areas, in addition to urology, gastroenterology, and hematology/oncology. The proportion of referrals that were managed with an electronic eConsult electronically rose from 12 percent to 18 percent during the peak of the pandemic.
Behavioral Health: While NYC Health + Hospitals clinics remained open for urgent mental health needs, Behavioral Health services were similarly converted to telehealth. Within two months NYC Health + Hospitals psychiatrists and therapists provided more than 30,000 behavioral health and addiction treatment phone and video visits. This major shift into telemedicine was enabled by policy changes from New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).
Coordinated Care: In addition to medical care, NYC Health + Hospitals transitioned its financial counseling workforce to televisits, providing essential support so that ability to pay would not be a barrier to care. Eligible patients could continue to receive health insurance guidance and enroll in programs like NYC Care telephonically. Social workers and the care coordination workforce also transitioned to providing essential patient outreach and support via telephone, helping ensure that patients’ social needs were met during this difficult time.
Monitoring Patients After Discharge: NYC Health + Hospitals implemented a texting-based post-discharge symptom monitoring program through which patients would self-report symptoms daily. Any alarming results would trigger a physician callback, targeting this higher level of care to patients who needed it most. Text messages provided a low-cost, scalable and patient-centered means of communication, allowing the public health system to direct its provider resources toward those patients most in need.
“Given what we know about how chronic diseases and healthcare disparities increase a person’s risk of succumbing to coronavirus, it was imperative for our public health system to maintain access for our nearly 500,000 clinic patients, many of whom are particularly vulnerable,” said Janine Knudsen, MD, Medical Director of Primary Care Transformation at NYC Health + Hospitals’ Office of Population Health. “We are committed to ensuring that all patients have the ability to access care safely from home, whether it be for routine appointments, renewing prescriptions, or social service needs.”
“Our prior investments in crucial technological infrastructure, such as a unified EMR system, an online patient-portal, and text-based communications helped us stay connected and provide New Yorkers the high-quality care they needed during a deadly pandemic,” said Jen Lau, Senior Director of Primary Care Transformation at NYC Health + Hospitals’ Office of Population Health. “Smart investments from the past, and a deep understanding of our patients’ needs and access, allowed our telehealth expansion to be all the more successful.”
“The ability to scale up and expand existing telehealth services to New Yorkers required an all-system’s approach and collaboration,” said Hannah Jackson, MD MPH, Assistant Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Office of Ambulatory Care at NYC Health + Hospitals. “With more than half of our ambulatory care staff redeployed to inpatient services and public-facing COVID-19 testing, our clinics relied heavily on telehealth to maintain essential services for our patients and ensure that those with serious medical issues were getting care in a timely and safe way. Together, we were able to manage and balance the ever-changing demands of this unprecedented pandemic.”
Virtual tools also helped NYC Health + Hospitals mitigate the emotional toll of being isolated in the hospital during these challenging times. Using over 1,000 donated tablets, patients who were unable to receive visitors due to strict but necessary restrictions, were able to connect with their loved ones through a newly implemented patient-family community program. NYC Health + Hospitals helped facilitate over 500 video calls a day to connect patients and their loved ones.
NYC Health + Hospitals began building its system-wide telehealth strategy in 2017. A patient survey that year revealed that over 65 percent of existing NYC Health + Hospitals patients were interested in telehealth, including 40 percent of respondents over the age of 65. In addition, the survey found 75 percent of respondents used their cell phones to access the internet, highlighting the need for mobile interventions.
Famotidine, sold under the brand name Pepcid, appeared to improve symptoms in a group of 10 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, researchers reported online June 4 in the journal Gut.
By: Dennis Thompson
An over-the-counter heartburn remedy is showing some potential as a symptom reliever for COVID-19, a small study finds.
Famotidine, sold under the brand name Pepcid, appeared to improve symptoms in a group of 10 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, researchers reported online June 4 in the journal Gut.
The patients’ self-reported symptoms began to feel better within a day or two of taking famotidine, the study authors said.
“A clinical trial is now needed to formally test if famotidine works against COVID-19,” said lead researcher Dr. Tobias Janowitz, a medical oncologist and cancer researcher with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York.
But don’t rush out to stock up on Pepcid just yet, warned Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore.
“This is a very small study that was observational in nature,” Adalja said. “It is very hard to draw any conclusions from it.”
A clinical trial in which Pepcid’s effectiveness is compared against a placebo is essential to prove that the medication works, since it is being used in mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, Adalja said.
“These are mild cases and mild cases do get better over time, so these cases have to be compared to placebo in order to see if this was actually just the natural course of infection or the famotidine,” Adalja explained.
Famotidine is an H2 blocker, a type of heartburn medication that works by decreasing the amount of acid the stomach produces.
Early in the outbreak, doctors found that many older people in Wuhan, China, who survived COVID-19 had been taking heartburn medications, researchers said.
Reviewing patient records, the investigators found that survivors suffering from chronic heartburn had been taking Pepcid rather than the more expensive omeprazole (Prilosec), Northwell Health Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research president Dr. Kevin Tracey told the Science journal in April.
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who’d been taking Pepcid were dying at about half the rate of those not taking the drug, 14% versus 27%, Tracey said.
Janowitz said, “Patients who were taking this medication coincidentally were having less severe COVID-19.”
For the new study, Janowitz and his team used a symptom tracking method used for patients with cancer, in which sick people chart how they’re feeling day by day.
The group in the study included six men and four women ranging in age from 23 to 71. They came from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds, and most had chronic health conditions that increase a person’s risk of severe COVID-19.
The researchers developed a 4-point scale for five common COVID-19 symptoms, and the patients scored those symptoms every day.
Nearly all patients reported improvement in these symptoms after taking famotidine — cough, fatigue, headaches, loss of smell or taste, and shortness of breath, the researchers said.
Five patients also reported that their body aches improved after they began taking famotidine, and three felt less chest tightness, the study findings showed.
“This method of quantifying symptoms and tracking them over time, which we use in cancer medicine, may be of help to understand the natural course of COVID-19,” Janowitz said.
A clinical trial of famotidine’s effectiveness with COVID-19 is underway at Northwell Health in New York City, Tracey noted.
They’re clear plastic or plexiglass shields that cover the entire face, from the forehead down to the chin or lower. An elastic headband holds the shield in place.
By: Dennis Thompson
Face masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but some people find them awkward, uncomfortable or downright unbearable to wear.
There’s another good option available for people who just can’t get used to strapping on a face mask while out in public, experts say.
Plastic face shields offer another means of deterring COVID-19 that some might find easier, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, in Baltimore.
They’re clear plastic or plexiglass shields that cover the entire face, from the forehead down to the chin or lower. An elastic headband holds the shield in place.
Face shields have been shown to reduce viral exposure by 96% when worn within 18 inches of a cough, and by 92% at the currently recommended 6 feet of social distancing, according to a recent editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
“Face shields may supplant these masks, eventually,” Adalja said. “I think there’s much more evidence supporting their use.”
While not as popularly promoted as face masks, face shields are available for purchase online. Amazon offers many different brands of face shields, including one developed by its own engineers.
Shields offer a number of benefits over masks, but also a few drawbacks, experts said.
Because they extend down from the forehead, shields protect the eyes as well as the nose and mouth, said Dr. Frank Esper, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Center. Viruses can enter the body through the eyes.
Adalja noted that face shields also can be more comfortable for people to wear. “It feels less obstructive on their mouth and nose than a mask,” he said.
Esper pointed out that “you don’t get to feel the breeze on your face, but you do get some fresh air, rather than trying to breathe through a cloth mask.”
Person-to-person communication is better with a face shield. People can see your whole face through the shield, making it easier for folks to talk, Adalja said.
“Many people when they’re talking to people will take off their mask or bring it down. People reflexively do that because their voice is muffled by the mask,” Adalja said. “You can see people’s facial expressions much better with a face shield.”
The shields are relatively lightweight and comfortable to wear. They’re also reusable, if a person takes the time to clean them with an antibacterial wipe or soap and water after an outing, Adalja and Esper said.
Esper stressed that regular cleaning will be necessary because one drawback of the shields is that they provide an apt surface upon which the virus can survive.
“We know this virus likes to live on plastic a lot better than it likes to live on porous materials like cloth, paper or cardboard,” he explained.
The type of protection a face shield provides is also very different from that of face masks, the experts said.
Masks protect others around you from germs you are carrying. Face shields do the opposite, protecting you from being infected by the people around you.
Although your contact with other people may be limited, your pet can provide some of that missing emotional and mental support that can keep you healthy.
Edited by: JV Staff
June is time for people to bond with their pets, the American Heart Association says.
Throughout the month, the AHA encourages people to make pets part of their workday as routines shift during the coronavirus pandemic.
Although your contact with other people may be limited, your pet can provide some of that missing emotional and mental support that can keep you healthy.
Here, the association offers five reasons pets can help mental health:
Pets help lower work-related stress. For 2 out of 3 employees, work stresses them out, and for 40% their job affects their health. Pets at work may help reduce stress, increase productivity and boost employee satisfaction.
Pets can help increase productivity. A dog in a meeting increases trust, team cohesion and camaraderie.
Pets help manage anxiety. They provide companionship and unconditional love.
Pets keep pet people active. Dog owners are likely to be more fit than those who don’t have a dog. Social distancing keeps people at home all day, but pets and their need for regular walks and exercise get owners outside for fresh air and activity.
Pets give a sense of togetherness. Bonding with a pet helps you not to feel alone. Seeing, touching, hearing or talking to animals can bring a sense of goodwill, joy, nurturing and happiness.
“Cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer of all Americans. To turn the tide, we must tackle the problem in innovative ways,” said Dr. Glenn Levine, a volunteer medical expert for the American Heart Association’s Healthy Bond for Life.
Last year, the AHA began a campaign to bring your pet to work once a week, called “Best Friend Fridays.”
“The Best Friend Fridays concept is simple — human and pet interaction can lead to better physical and mental health,” Levine said in an AHA news release. “Studies have shown that pet ownership is associated with increased exercise and fitness levels, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, decreased stress and greater overall happiness and well-being.”
Pets give a sense of togetherness. Bonding with a pet helps you not to feel alone. Seeing, touching, hearing or talking to animals can bring a sense of goodwill, joy, nurturing and happiness
“If you’re feeling down or struggling with your mental health, your pet companion can help,” Levine said. “Spend some time with them playing or just petting them. You may find that you feel better, and your pet will love the bonding time, too.”
In a related development, Health Day News reported that COVID-19 is taking a heavy toll on Americans’ mental health, a new nationwide survey shows.
Overall, psychological distress more than tripled between 2018 and this spring — from 4% of U.S. adults in 2018 to 14% in April.
Beth McGinty, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said the findings, from a survey of 1,500 adults, suggest the need to prepare for a wave of mental illness once the pandemic passes.
“It is especially important to identify mental illness treatment needs and connect people to services, with a focus on groups with high psychological distress including young adults, adults in low-income households, and Hispanics,” McGinty said in a university news release.
The survey used a scale to gauge feelings of emotional suffering as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression.
It found that distress was especially acute among younger adults. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 24% reported feelings of distress this spring, compared to 4% in 2018, researchers found.
Lower-income households also were keenly feeling the impact of the pandemic. Distress rose from less than 8% in 2018 to 19% in homes with a yearly income of less than $35,000, the survey found.
And 18% of Hispanics reported psychological distress in 2020, up from 4% in 2018.
Among Americans age 55 and older, psychological distress nearly doubled between 2018 and April — rising from nearly 4% to over 7%.
“The study suggests that the distress experienced during COVID-19 may transfer to longer-term psychiatric disorders requiring clinical care,” McGinty said.
The shocking news arrived via Harvard Medical School on Monday June 8th that satellite images of Wuhan indicate the coronavirus was spreading as early as August 2019. The ramifications of this discovery are astounding. The perfidiousness of the Chinese government in suppressing this information for five months is more deliberate than previously thought. The new study cited by CNN reveals a significantly higher number of parked cars in Wuhan hospitals in the late summer of 2019 as compared to a year earlier. Researchers led by Boston Hospital’s chief innovation officer, Josh Brownstein, counted 171 cars in one of Wuhan’s largest hospitals, Tianyou Hospital, in October 2018 as compared to 285 vehicles in the same spot a year later-an increase of 67%. Other Wuhan hospitals showed an increase in volume of 90%.
During September and October of 2019 the explosion of cases in China was accompanied by a sharp increase in China’s Baidu search engine of terms “diarrhea” and “cough”- symptoms associated with coronavirus. China originally misled the globe into believing the virus was a zoonotic spillover from Wuhan’s Seafood market in December 2019. It only notified the world of the pandemic on December 31st and waited until January 20th to confirm human-to-human transmission. China recently acknowledged that early samples of the virus were destroyed and they were unable to identify Patient Zero. They delayed releasing the genome sequence of the virus for weeks and shut down a Shanghai laboratory for publicly sharing this information. This new data reveals that China has continued to blame others in one of the largest cover-ups in history.
Firstly, it is impossible that China only became aware of clusters at the end of December since they heavily monitor hospitals and patients as well as their own search engines. They unequivocally knew in August that hundreds of patients were coming down with unusual pneumonia-like symptoms. They hid this information for nearly half a year, allowing millions of Wuhan residents to flood the globe with this highly contagious disease. Had they locked down Wuhan in August there would have been no pandemic. In fact, a University of Southampton study found that 95% of coronavirus infections could have been prevented if China instituted containment measures three weeks earlier than late January. If implemented in late August the term coronavirus would be nonexistent. Moreover, if publicized in the summer, a vaccine would currently be available, along with accurate testing early on, completed clinical trials on effective therapeutics and proper protective equipment distributed to all. It is highly unlikely, the WHO was equally ignorant of these developments until January 20th when they declared human-to-human transmission possible.
China obfuscated the identity of Patient Zero in order to conceal their malicious malfeasance in denying the disease for months. It is rational to conclude that they purposely waited until the Chinese New Year in late January to notify the world- after millions of Wuhan residents had fled to the United States. This resulted in devastating consequences to the health and economic well being of the United States in previously unimaginable ways. During August through November they were able to hide the severity of the virus since the warmer weather masked its lethality. They only came forward the last day in December when the virus had spilled into the halls of the hospitals. The Chinese government is hiding its origination for inexplicable reasons. It is doubtful it derived from the wet markets which were undoubtedly a convenient breeding ground due to their filth and lack of oversight. Perhaps it originated in an insufficiently secured Wuhan laboratory. The possibility has even been raised that China deliberately unleashed the virus to inflict severe economic damage on the United States; ensuring nemesis President Trump’s chances for re-election would be obliterated. Some researchers have raised the possibility that the virus began outside Wuhan. However, unless the pathogen’s origins are adequately identified our society is in danger of another pandemic with consequences potentially far more devastating.
Over 50% of New York City workers take public transportation to work (AP image)
By: Walter Sorensteen
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has unveiled a 13-Point Action Plan for a Safe Return as New York City begins Phase 1 reopening on Monday, June 8.
The MTA moved more than 8.3 million riders prior to the pandemic across New York City Transit, Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road. Since dropping more than 90 percent systemwide – ridership has started to return in advance of Phase 1 with subways and buses now moving 1.5 million customers.
To continue moving essential workers, welcome back additional riders and invest in the future of the system, the MTA is reimagining operations with one core mission: doing everything possible to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers. Its 13-Point Action Plan for A Safe Return includes:
Increased Service
Unprecedented Cleaning & Disinfecting
Mandatory Face Coverings
Enhanced Safety & Security
Nation-Leading Employee Safety Initiatives
Innovative Cleaning Solutions
Hand Sanitizer
Floor Markings, Directional Arrows and New Signage
Staggered Business Hours
2 Million Mask Contribution from State & City
Contactless Payments
New Partnership & Technology to Make System Safer
Data Dashboard
“The MTA, a global leader among transportation agencies and the largest in North America, has acted expeditiously since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival in New York,” officials said in a release. “To date, the agency has distributed 2.6 million masks, 5.1 million pairs of gloves, 35,000 gallons of hand sanitizer and 112,000 gallons of cleaning solutions to its heroic frontline employees and implemented an unprecedented cleaning and disinfecting regimen across subways, buses, commuter rails and stations.”
“As more New Yorkers return to work, the MTA continues to lead the nation in customer and employee safety and we are doing everything possible to transform our system and operations for the future,” said Patrick J. Foye, Chairman and CEO of the MTA. “This aggressive plan includes global best practices, input from the business and labor communities and public health officials, and is the product of months of work from the talented team at the MTA. We thank our frontline employees – the heroes moving heroes – whose dedication has been unwavering.”
“We understand our critical duty to provide safe and reliable transportation to our customers and help the New York metropolitan region get back on its feet,” said Mario Peloquin, MTA Chief Operating Officer. “A lot of planning and careful attention to detail went into figuring out how to strategically reopen the MTA for Phase 1, and our top priority remains the same: to continue to be the vehicle by which the entire region not only recovers, but thrives once again.”
“Safety is our north star and will always be the top priority for all of us at the MTA,” said Sarah Feinberg, Interim President of New York City Transit. “We’re ramping up service as we head into Phase 1, and we’ll be there every step of the way to ensure customer and employee safety going forward. We’ve been working closely with our partners in labor and I thank the incredible 54,000 men and women of NYC Transit for their unwavering dedication.”
Israelis shop at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, June 3, 2020. Some wear masks, some don't. (Flash90/Olivier Fitoussi)
A report by Israel Hayom revealed Monday that some Israeli retail chains and shopping centers aren’t maintaining health guidelines, like checking customers’ temperatures, enforcing mask wearing, and social distancing.
In the central city of Kfar Saba, Israel Hayom observed that everything appeared to be pre-coronavirus business as usual, with lax enforcement of the health guidelines. At the local branch of a national fast food chain restaurant, nobody checked customers’ temperatures.
A branch of a chain home goods store offered hand sanitizer at the entrance to the store, but no temperature checks took place. Employees wore masks dangling from their ears, not covering their noses and mouths. No one was counting the number of customers inside the store at one time or enforcing social distancing.
Inside a Kfar Saba mall, many customers were unmasked or improperly wore their masks, not covering their noses and mouths. Some employees followed suit, wearing masks under their chins.
Within the stores and common areas in the mall, there appeared to be no limit to the number of customers in one place and no social distancing.
Israel Hayom contacted the retail chains’ and mall’s management for comment, who all said something like, “This is an exceptional case, which we’ll deal with shortly.”
In the southern city of Beer Sheva, customers streamed in and out of the municipal post office without having their temperatures checked. There was no enforcement of social distancing inside the post office, and customers were not required to wear masks. Post office employees wore masks, but under their chins.
Security guards in Beer Sheva’s central bus station, which sees tens of thousands of passengers transiting through the desert hub daily, did not check temperatures of those entering the station.
Passengers weren’t required to wear masks and there was no hand-sanitizer available. When an Israel Hayom reporter asked a security officer why the health guidelines weren’t being enforced, he said, “We are under no commitment to follow them.”
The report comes on the heels of a spike in new coronavirus infections, which some experts have called the beginning of a “second wave” of infections. The uptick in cases should mean that businesses strictly commit to health guidelines, but Israel Hayom found the opposite to be true.
In May, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that businesses would need to participate in the Purple Badge program in order to reopen.
The Purple Badge standard means that businesses commit to abiding by Ministry of Health guidelines, such as checking customers’ temperatures at the door, enforcing the wearing of masks, having alcohol-based hand sanitizer available, and limiting the number of people inside a store so that social distancing can be maintained. (World Israel News)
Attorneys representing Britain’s Prince Andrew have lambasted U.S. justice authorities, Monday June 8, 2020, for what they described as a violation of commitments to confidentiality in their discussions with him about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, FILE)
By: Arthur Popowitz
Prince Andrew’s life will apparently never be the same in the wake of revelations of his friendship with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The latest involves an important federal prosecutor basically suggesting the prince doesn’t always tell the truth.
Attorneys for the royal family member say he’ll be glad to answer questions relating to an investigation into sex trafficking – in writing. But the prosecutors insist they need an in-person interview.
Geoffrey S. Berman, the US attorney in Manhattan, said during a press conference three months ago that the prince had “completely shut the door” on assisting his office with the investigation. In fact, he used the phrase “zero cooperation.”
Now, the prince’s representatives are claiming that’s a lie – that the price is happy to help, but in writing. Next came dueling statements.
AP reported that Andrew’s lawyers said in a statement that he has offered three times this year to speak with U.S. investigators after being assured that he “is not and has never been a ‘target’ of their criminal investigations into Epstein.”
That offer, though, came with a request that “our co-operation and any interview arrangements would remain confidential,” said the firm Blackfords LLP in London.
“Unfortunately, the DOJ has reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the Duke has offered zero cooperation. In doing so, they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered,” the lawyers said.
Berman noted in his statement: “Today, Prince Andrew yet again sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate with an ongoing federal criminal investigation into sex trafficking and related offenses. If Prince Andrew is, in fact, serious about cooperating with the ongoing federal investigation. Our doors remain open, and we await word of when we should expect him.”
“Under mutual legal assistance treaties, the British government could compel the prince to submit to an interview with its own officials if he were to persist in refusing to grant one to the federal prosecutors in New York,” the New York Times reported.
AP reported that Attorney General William Barr told Fox News on Monday that prosecutors are not seeking to extradite Andrew.
“I don’t think it’s a question of handing him over,” Barr said. “I think it’s just a question of having him provide some evidence, but beyond that I’m not going to comment.”
The world got even more complicated for the royal today when it was learned that a charitable trust supporting his work must give back in excess of $445,314 (£350,000) in payments made to a trustee after a public watchdog intervened.
“The Charity Commission has revealed the Prince Andrew Charitable Trust broke the law by handing over large sums to the prince’s household to compensate for time spent on other activities by one of his employees,” reported The Guardian. “The Charity Commission has revealed the Prince Andrew Charitable Trust broke the law by handing over large sums to the prince’s household to compensate for time spent on other activities by one of his employees.”
The problem, the piece continued, “emerged last year following publicity over the prince’s interview on BBC Newsnight about his friendship with the disgraced financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The highly critical report is a further blow to his position.”
Gunfire went off like firecrackers in Brooklyn during the nighttime hours. The body count: at least eight people wounded, the not-yet-defunded police said. Photo Credit: YouTube
By: Chaim Relsky
It just might be possible that defunding the NYPD is not the wisest choice that New York City could make.
At least, it looks that way in the wake of eight shootings in a period of just three hours.
Gunfire went off like firecrackers in Brooklyn during the nighttime hours. The body count: at least eight people wounded, the not-yet-defunded police said.
Unperturbed by the bloodshed, Democratic Mayor Bill DeBlasio continues to bow before Black Lives Matter leaders and promise to downsize the police force.
Among the victims of de Blasio’s enlightened leadership were a 23-year-old woman, a 17-year-old man, a 35-year-old man and 50-year-old man on Bristol Street in Brownsville. Next came a pair of men who were reportedly shot in the leg on Bainbridge Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. A 35-year-old man was shot in the back at the corner of Ditmas and Flatbush avenues in Flatbush. Yet another fellow was shot in his leg and stomach around 2 a.m. near Avenue K and East 36th Street in Flatlands.
New Yorkers may be getting shot down like dogs in the streets, but de Blasio has more important things to think of. Just two days ago he announced a series of new reforms to the New York City Police Department to “strengthen trust between New Yorkers and officers.” The City will shift funding from the NYPD to youth and social services for communities of color, move vendor enforcement out of the NYPD, and establish a community ambassadors program within the NYPD. The Mayor also announced his support of the new 50-A reform bill introduced in Albany. The Mayor also lifted the citywide curfew effective immediately.
“While we have taken many steps to reform policing in this city, there is clearly more work to do to strengthen trust between officers and the New Yorkers they serve,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These will be the first of many steps my Administration will take over the next 18 months to rebuild a fairer City that profoundly addresses injustice and disparity.”
Other steps include;
Shifting funding from NYPD to Youth and Social Services. The City will find significant savings in the NYPD budget. This funding will go towards youth development and social services for communities of color. The amount will be finalized with the City Council during the budget process.
50-A Reform: The Mayor announced that he supports the State Legislature’s efforts to take away the provisions in 50-A that prevent transparency while still protecting the personal information of police officers. The Mayor also commended the Legislature for taking this step to ensure more accountability in the Department’s disciplinary system and give the public confidence.
Move Vendor Enforcement Out of NYPD: The City will shift enforcement for street vending out of NYPD so our officers can focus on the real drivers of crime instead of administrative infractions. This will further the Administration’s de-escalation agenda by reducing interactions between uniform officers and New Yorkers, particularly immigrant communities and communities of color.
- In this June 3, 2020, photo, protesters rally Wednesday, June 3, 2020, in Phoenix, demanding that the Phoenix City Council defund the Phoenix Police Department. Key Democrats, including presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, are rejecting liberal calls to “defund the police” as President Donald Trump and his allies point to the movement as a dangerous example of Democratic overreach.(AP Photo/Matt York)
Edited by: Fern Sidman
President Donald Trump and his allies have seized on calls to “defund the police” as a dangerous example of Democratic overreach as he fights for momentum amid crises that threaten his reelection, as was reported by the AP.
Key Democrats, including presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, are distancing themselves from the “defund” push, which some supporters say is a symbolic commitment to end systemic racism and shift policing priorities rather than an actual plan to eliminate law enforcement agencies.
But confusion over the proposal’s intent has created an opportunity for the Republican president, who has struggled to navigate the delicate debate over racial justice, risking support from people of color, suburban women and independents less than five months before Election Day.
In this June 7, 2020, photo, people walk on the words ‘defund the police’ that was painted in bright yellow letters on 16th Street as demonstrators protest Sunday, June 7, 2020, near the White House in Washington, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis. Key Democrats, including presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, are rejecting liberal calls to “defund the police” as President Donald Trump and his allies point to the movement as a dangerous example of Democratic overreach. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
Facing increasing pressure to weigh in, Biden addressed the issue Monday in an interview with “CBS Evening News.”
“I don’t support defunding the police. I support conditioning federal aid to police based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency, honorableness and, in fact, are able to demonstrate they can protect the community, everybody in the community,” Biden said.
AP reported that other opponents of the movement include Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a former presidential candidate and one of two black Democratic senators, and Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., head of the Congressional Black Caucus.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson, in an interview, also declined to endorse calls to defund the police.
“I support the energy behind it. I don’t know what that substantively means. As I’m talking to people about the concept, I’ve gotten three different explanations,” said Johnson, who has criticized Trump. “We know there has to be a change in the culture of policing in this country.”
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press conference Sunday that the city would move funding from the New York Police Department to youth initiatives and social services in its next budget, according to a report on The Hill web site. He did not say how much he plans to divert from the police department, which has an annual budget of $6 billion, or more than 6 percent of de Blasio’s proposed fiscal 2021 budget, The New York Times noted.
“The details will be worked out in the budget process in the weeks ahead,” de Blasio said. “But I want people to understand that we are committed to shifting resources to ensure that the focus is on our young people.”
– On Monday, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said that he is “1000 percent” behind a proposal to shift police department funds to city youth groups. “To help the kids of our city, I’m 1000 percent behind shifting some funding from the police to youth programs,” Shea said on Twitter. “It’s incumbent upon all of us to dig down and do what’s needed.” Photo Credit: AP
“I also will affirm, while doing that we will only do it in a way that we are certain continues to ensure that this city will be safe,” he added.
The Hill reported that the announcement came just hours after de Blasio said a citywide curfew would no longer be in effect. The mayor said the end to the policy stemmed from protests being largely peaceful in the city over the weekend.
A group of social justice anti-police activists compromised of allegedly city hall workers appeared on the Instagram social media platform and announced their intentions to rally against the mayor Monday morning.
Identifying themselves as the City Workers for Justice Group, they laid out their demands on Instagram.
They wrote: “Police exacerbate systemic failures, they don’t resolve them. Our communities need investment & support, not overpolicing. #DefundNYPD & reallocate funds to housing support, rental relief, food assistance, education & healthcare.
We are outraged by the NYPD’s rampant violence against black & brown communities, protesters, bystanders, essential workers, medics & legal observers. These officers are a danger to the communities they claim to serve. Each of them must go.
For far too long, police have abused our communities and violated the rights of New Yorkers with near-impunity and little public accountability. This changes now. #Repeal50a and release all disciplinary records for public review.”
On Sunday, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo also weighed in on the issue of defunding the police and his opinion was in stark contrast to that of the mayor. Speaking to reporters in Albany, the governor said: “You have New York City, that is still reeling from the COVID virus, and now you have this night of looting, that I’m telling you shook people in the city to the core. You don’t need police? You don’t need police? That’s what happens when you don’t have effective policing.”
On Monday, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said that he is “1000 percent” behind a proposal to shift police department funds to city youth groups. “To help the kids of our city, I’m 1000 percent behind shifting some funding from the police to youth programs,” Shea said on Twitter. “It’s incumbent upon all of us to dig down and do what’s needed.”
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to cut as much as $150 million that was part of a planned increase in the police department’s budget. Photo Credit: AP
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to cut as much as $150 million that was part of a planned increase in the police department’s budget, as was reported by the AP.
In a recently published op-ed piece on the subject of defunding the police that appeared on the JNS.org web site, editor and columnist Jonathan S. Tobin wrote:
“While some will cheer if this money is diverted to programs to benefit the African-American community, it may not sound like such a good idea to some of the city’s citizens who want more security, rather than less, after this week’s protests led to rioting and looting. Among them are the LA Jews who were cleaning up the anti-Semitic and anti-Israel graffiti on one synagogue, as well as the owners of Jewish businesses that were attacked and looted.
In the wake of increased incidents of anti-Semitic violence in the last two years, including two murderous shooting attacks inside synagogues, American Jews have been rightly focused on providing greater security for their institutions. This has meant communities and Jewish organizations have been relying on greater cooperation with law-enforcement agencies and seeking a greater police presence at potential Jewish targets.”
A Minneapolis city councilmember said in a tweet on Thursday that the city would “dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response.”
“We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department,” Jeremiah Ellison wrote. “And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together.” He did not explain what would replace the police department.
AP reported that a majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city’s police department. Nine of the council’s 12 members appeared with activists at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end policing as the city currently knows it.
“It is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe,” Lisa Bender, the council president, said. “Our efforts at incremental reform have failed, period.”
Disbanding an entire department has happened before. In 2012, with crime rampant in Camden, New Jersey, the city disbanded its police department and replaced it with a new force that covered Camden County. Compton, California, took the same step in 2000, shifting its policing to Los Angeles County.
AP reported that Democrats are well-positioned to win over the political center this fall, according to Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who said Trump’s uneven actions and rhetoric at a time of sweeping social unrest are “killing him.”
Luntz added, however, that Democrats risk their advantage by embracing policies viewed as radical following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The handcuffed black man died after a white officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes.
Municipal officials in Minneapolis have endorsed the “defund the police” language backed by some civil rights activists and a handful of progressive House Democrats. Protesters over the weekend also painted “DEFUND THE POLICE” in large yellow letters on a street close to the White House.
But there was little evidence that the effort was gaining momentum in Congress. Some Democrats described it as bad politics, even if most Democrats shared the desire to overhaul policing.
AP reported that former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., a white moderate who lost her 2018 reelection bid, said “defund the police” is “a horrible name” that misconstrues the goal.
“By starting with the word ‘defund,’ you’ve left the impression that you are doing something much more radical than what needs to be done,” said Heitkamp, a leader of the One Country Project, which is trying to help Democrats connect better with rural voters.
She said the term left her frustrated that “there’s going to be somebody who’s going to try to find an opportunity in this, especially among the Republican Party, and use it now as an excuse not to address what is a very real problem in America.”
That’s largely what played out as the Trump campaign and congressional Republicans sought to link Democrats to the defund effort.
“This year has seen the lowest crime numbers in our Country’s recorded history, and now the Radical Left Democrats want to Defund and Abandon our Police,” Trump declared on social media. “Sorry, I want LAW & ORDER!”
AP reported that the House GOP campaign arm sent out emails condemning “defund the police” and connecting it to Democratic candidates.
“No industry is safe from Democrats’ abolish culture,” said Michael McAdams, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “First they wanted to abolish private health insurance, then it was capitalism and now it’s the police. What’s next, the fire department?”
Democrats on Capitol Hill unveiled a sweeping proposal Monday to address police brutality that did not include plans to strip funding from the police. The Justice in Policing Act would limit legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force incidents and ban chokeholds, among other changes, as was reported by the AP.
Rep. Greg Meeks, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and a group of moderate House Democrats called the New Democrat Coalition, said Trump’s tweets accusing Democrats of seeking to abolish the police are a diversion.
“It sounds like the guy that’s the 45th president is trying to distract from what the real issue is, the brutality and the murder of George Floyd,” said Meeks, who represents New York. “And we’re not going to allow them to do that.”
Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright, who is white and represents a Trump-leaning district in northeastern Pennsylvania, rejected calls to defund the police outright.
“I don’t care how it’s named, I’m not for that,” he said, while noting he’s joined protest marches in his district.
Asked if GOP use of the term “defund the police” might erode his support, Cartwright said, “If they can get voters to believe that lie about me, I suppose. Am I afraid of it? No.”
AP reported that Trump, meanwhile, is grasping for a strategy that might generate some momentum. A NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll this weekend found that 80% of Americans believe the country is out of control.
Some Trump advisers have considered having the president deliver an address on police-community relations and racial injustice, while others believe it would do little good, according to two White House officials and Republicans close to the White House. They also discussed creating a task force featuring Housing Secretary Ben Carson, the only black member of Trump’s Cabinet, but that has yet to get off the ground, according to the AP report.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.
Before the pandemic, Trump advisers believed the president had a real chance of making inroads with black voters, given his support for criminal justice reform and the strength of the economy. They’re less confident now. (AP)
