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NY Emergency Medicine Physician Claims COVID-19 Is An Oxygen Deprivation Disease Not Like Pneumonia

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. (NIAID-RML via AP)

Dr. Cameron Kyle-Sidell,  an emergency medicine physician in Brooklyn and is affiliated with the Maimonides Medical Center,  posted a very interesting video  on you-tube. He is making the claim that COVID-19 is an an oxygen deprivation disease ,  and in some cases  the  ventilators themselves, due to the high-pressure methods they are running, may be damaging the lungs and leading to widespread harm of patients & they should be operated in a different method.  He is making the claim that COVID-19 is not a pneumonia-like disease at all.

 

He says that COVID-19 is like nothing seen before
The Jewish Voice editors are not doctors, we can not say if this gentleman is correct or wrong, however we found it interesting and is worth  listening to his views.   Listen to Dr. Kyle-Sidell below 

 

Cuomo Updates New York on Coronavirus; “You cannot handle this without your brothers and sisters. You can’t.”

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Here is the latest information available from Gov Cuomo’s Sunday press conference.

  • 22,031 total positive cases (including 10,841 new)
  • 16,479 current hospitalizations
  • 4,376 patients in ICU
  • 4,159 deaths (up from 3,565 yesterday)
  • Cuomo says there were 594 coronavirus deaths in New York state in the last day for a total of 4,159, but deaths have gone down from 630 a day prior.
  • “We could be either very near the apex or the apex could be a plateau and we could be on that plateau right now,” Cuomo says. “We won’t know until you see the next few days.”
  • Cuomo said he would seek to shift patients from overloaded hospitals to other facilities with lighter workloads and more equipment. This was needed, he said, to address shortages in capacity and equipment in various parts of the state. “I can’t say to a hospital I will send you all the supplies you need, all the vents you need. We don’t have them,” he said. “You are going to have to shift and deploy to different locations based on the need of that location.”
  • Cuomo says 74% of those hospitalized have been discharged and notes that new hospitalization rates are down from around 1,400 a day on Thursday to 574 on Saturday.
  • The governor says the 2,500 beds at the Javits Center, which has been converted to a temporary field hospital, will be a major “relief valve” for Covid-19 patients.
  • the state is “working on aggressively” using hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment.
  • Cuomo says that rapid testing that can be deployed at scale will help the United States return to normalcy.
  • So far, the governor said, the state has not redeployed any ventilators or equipment.
  • I would love to see sports back,” Cuomo says. “It would help with cabin fever. But this is not about hopes and dreams and aspirations and what you would like to see. None of us like being here. Follow the data, follow the science. Let the doctors and health-care professionals tell you when it’s safe to reopen and that’s when you reopen.” This was a response to him being asked about Trump hoping the NFL would have a season
  • In response to a reporter’s question, the governor said he had not invited Mr. Trump, a lifelong New Yorker until recently, to visit the state, which is the epicenter of the crisis. “He’s welcome to come,” Mr. Cuomo said. But, he added, “my guess is they are trying to keep the president’s health protect

QUOTE: We talk about the family of New York, right?” the governor says. “I must have said that one million times: family of New York. What does family of New York mean? Mutuality, cooperation, sharing benefits and burdens. This is the time the family needs to come together, not just out of spirit and love, but out of necessity. You cannot handle this without your brothers and sisters. You can’t.”

Trump Says ‘Toughest’ Weeks Ahead as Coronavirus Spreads

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President Donald Trump speaks during a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House, Saturday, April 4, 2020, in Washington. From left, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

By: Kevin Freking & Colleen Long

President Trump warned Saturday that the country could be headed into its “toughest” weeks yet as the coronavirus death toll mounts, but at the same time he expressed growing impatience with social distancing guidelines and said he’s eager to get the country reopened and its stalled economy back on track.

“There will be a lot of death, unfortunately,” Trump said in a somber start to his daily briefing on the pandemic. “There will be death.”

Joining Trump were Vice President Mike Pence, virus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s foremost infection disease expert. Each stood far apart from one another on the small stage.

Trump added a twist on his familiar push for a drug that hasn’t been clearly shown to work to stop the virus — he said he may start taking it as a preventative measure after consulting with his doctor, even though there’s no evidence to show it works for that, either.

The president initially had suggested the country could reopen by Easter but pulled back seeing projections of a staggering death toll even if restrictive measures remain in place. But just days after extending tough national guidelines through the end of April, staring down historic levels of unemployment and economic standstill, he was talking about reopening as soon as possible, and speaking Saturday with leaders of professional sports leagues about filling arenas again.

“This country was not designed to be closed,” he said. “The cure cannot be worse than the problem.”

The number of people infected in the U.S. has exceeded 300,000, with the death toll climbing past 8,100; more than 3,500 of those deaths are in the state of New York. For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

Much of the country is under orders to stay home, including professional sports leagues that were among the first to clamp down in the pandemic. Trump spoke by phone with top leaders including Roger Goodell of the National Football League and the NBA’s Adam Silver, telling them he hoped to get people back in seats as soon as possible.

“I want fans back in the arenas,” he said. “Whenever we’re ready, as soon as we can.”

The virus has decimated the sports world with the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League suspending their seasons indefinitely and Major League Baseball postponing the start of its season. The NCAA basketball tournament was also canceled; so were college spring sports.

A person with knowledge of the call said some of the commissioners weren’t quite as optimistic as Trump because of the concerns raised by public health officials but appreciated the president’s desire to give people hope and fans a reason to be optimistic. The person requested anonymity to discuss the private call.

California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has three NFL teams in his state, was asked if he thought the NFL season would start on time in September. “I’m not anticipating that happening in this state,” he said.

Hard-hit states were seeing cases rise. Trump suggested that some states were asking for more medical supplies than they really needed. He said the goal was to stay several days ahead of critical medical needs in each state.

“The fears of the shortages have led to inflated requests,” he said.

Louisiana officials have said New Orleans is on track to run out of ventilators by next week. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose state is at the epicenter of the national pandemic with over 113,700 confirmed cases as of Saturday morning, has pleaded for ventilators for days. New York is poised to get more than 1,100 ventilators from China and Oregon.

Health officials did offer some hope that social distance measures were working. Fauci said he saw the efforts in action as he went out for a walk in Washington, D.C., and noticed people waiting six feet apart for restaurant take out.

“As sobering and a difficult as this is, what we are doing is making a difference,” Fauci said.

But even as Fauci urged Americans to be patient and let mitigation efforts work, Trump said: “Mitigation does work. But again, we’re not going to destroy our country.”

The previously booming economy had been among Trump’s biggest talking points as he heads into the 2020 presidential election, but the past few weeks have seen precipitous drops as the U.S. deals with the fallout from the virus that has shuttered businesses, gutted airlines and forced people into their homes.

The president also continued to tout hydroxychloroquine, a drug long used to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, after very small preliminary studies suggested it might help prevent the coronavirus from entering cells and possibly help patients clear the virus sooner. But the drug has major potential side effects, especially for the heart, and large studies are underway to see if it is safe and effective for treating COVID-19.

Trump suggested he may consider whether he should start taking the drug, though he also said he’d ask his doctor first. Some studies are testing whether hydroxychloroquine can help prevent infections in health care workers, but none has suggested that others, such as the president, should take it to prevent infection.

With Congress away, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pressed for the next aid package to be ready for an April vote in a letter to House Democrats.

“We must double down on the down-payment we made in the CARES Act by passing a CARES 2 package,” she wrote about the just-passed $2.2 trillion bill, pushing for another additional unemployment benefits, small business loans and direct payments to Americans. (Associated Press)

WH Suggests Firing Intel Watchdog was Payback for Impeachment

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President Trump called the inspector general for the intelligence community, Michael Atkinson a “disgrace” after informing Congress late Friday night that he intended to fire him. In letters to the House and Senate intelligence committees, Trump wrote that he had lost confidence in Atkinson but gave little detail. Photo Credit: AP/Scott Applewhite(

By: Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking & Deb Riechmann

President Trump suggested on Saturday that he fired the inspector general for the intelligence community in retaliation for impeachment, saying the official was wrong to provide an anonymous whistleblower complaint to Congress as the law requires.

Trump called Michael Atkinson a “disgrace” after informing Congress late Friday night that he intended to fire him. In letters to the House and Senate intelligence committees, Trump wrote that he had lost confidence in Atkinson but gave little detail.

A day later, Trump was more blunt, telling reporters at the White House: “I thought he did a terrible job, absolutely terrible.” The president added: “He took a fake report and he took it to Congress with an emergency, OK? Not a big Trump fan, that I can tell you.”

The whistleblower report was not fake, but a detailed complaint written by an anonymous intelligence official who described Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to investigate Democrat Joe Biden and his son. Atkinson determined the complaint was urgent and credible and therefore was required by law to disclose it to Congress, but he was overruled for weeks by the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire.

After a firestorm sparked by media reports of the complaint, it was turned over and made public. A congressional inquiry led to Trump’s impeachment by the House in December. The GOP-led Senate acquitted Trump in February.

On Saturday, Trump questioned why Atkinson didn’t speak to him about the complaint, though Atkinson’s role is to provide independent oversight.

“Never came in to see me, never requested to see me,” Trump said. He added: “That man is a disgrace to IGs.”

Atkinson’s removal is part of a larger shakeup of the intelligence community under Trump, who has always viewed intelligence professionals with skepticism. His ouster came under immediate fire from Democrats and a handful of Republicans.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Iowa Republican who leads the Finance Committee, said that Congress has been “crystal clear” that written reasons must be given when inspectors general are removed for a lack of confidence.

“More details are needed from the administration,” Grassley said.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a GOP member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she didn’t find Trump’s reasoning in his Friday letter to be persuasive, and said Atkinson’s removal “was not warranted.” Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., said an inspector general “must be allowed to conduct his or her work independent of internal or external pressure.”

Trump’s criticism Saturday came after Atkinson’s peers had rushed to his defense. Michael Horowitz, the inspector general at the Justice Department, said Atkinson was known for his “integrity, professionalism, and commitment to the rule of law and independent oversight.” He said that included Atkinson’s actions in handling the Ukraine whistleblower complaint.

Asked during his daily coronavirus briefing about firing Atkinson, Trump returned to his attacks on the Democratic-led impeachment investigation and trial and his defense that his phone call with Ukraine’s president was “perfect” but had been inaccurately described in the whistleblower’s account. In fact, the partial transcript later released by the president largely supported the whistleblower’s account.

Atkinson is at least the seventh intelligence official to be fired, ousted or moved aside since last summer. In his letters to the intelligence committees informing them of the firing, which were obtained by The Associated Press, Trump said that it is “vital” that he has confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general, and “that is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general.”

Trump said Atkinson would be removed from office in 30 days, the required amount of time he must wait after informing Congress. He wrote that he would nominate an individual “who has my full confidence” at a later date.

According to two congressional officials, Atkinson has been placed on administrative leave, meaning he will not serve out the 30 days. One of the officials said Atkinson was only informed of his removal on Friday night. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Atkinson’s administrative leave had not been announced.

Atkinson’s firing thrusts the president’s impeachment back into the spotlight as his administration deals with the deadly spread of the coronavirus. As Trump was removing Atkinson, the number of U.S. deaths due to the virus topped 7,000. By the time of his remarks Saturday, it was over 8,100.

The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence panel, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, said it was unconscionable that Trump would fire Atkinson in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We should all be deeply disturbed by ongoing attempts to politicize the nation’s intelligence agencies,” Warner said.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who led the House impeachment inquiry, said “the president’s dead of night decision puts our country and national security at even greater risk.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the firing “threatens to have a chilling effect against all willing to speak truth to power.” And Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Trump “fires people for telling the truth.”

Tom Monheim, a career intelligence professional, will become the acting inspector general for the intelligence community, according to an intelligence official who was not authorized to discuss personnel changes and spoke only on condition of anonymity. Monheim is currently the general counsel of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Atkinson had hinted of frustration on the job in a March letter to Schumer, in which he said “the past six months have been a searing time for whistleblowers.” Atkinson was responding to a letter Schumer had sent to agency inspectors general asking them to document and investigate any instances of retaliation after Trump had threatened the anonymous whistleblower.

In the letter to Schumer, obtained by the AP, Atkinson said support for whistleblowers would be rendered meaningless if “whistleblowers actually come forward in good faith with information concerning an extraordinary matter and are allowed to be vilified, threatened, publicly ridiculed, or — perhaps even worse, utterly abandoned by fair weather whistleblower champions.”

Late Saturday, Schumer tweeted that he had spoken to Atkinson and thanked him for his service. Schumer said he told Atkinson that “history will remember him as a hero and those who retaliated against him as scoundrels.” (Associated Press)

China Donates 1K Ventilators to NYC; Nets Owner Joe Tsai Adds Another Thousand

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Nets owner Joe Tsai (Photo Credit: nba.com)

By: Jennifer Peltz, Amy Forliti & David Rising

The New York governor said Saturday the Chinese government was facilitating a shipment of 1,000 donated ventilators to his state, highlighting the extreme measures leaders are taking in what has become a cutthroat scramble to independently secure enough lifesaving devices during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a sign of the disorganized response to the global crisis, Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised the Chinese government for its help in securing the shipment of the breathing machines that was scheduled to arrive at Kennedy Airport on Saturday, while acknowledging that the U.S. government’s stockpile of medical supplies would fall drastically short.

“We’re all in the same battle here,” Cuomo said, noting that the state of Oregon also volunteered to send 140 ventilators to New York. “And the battle is stopping the spread of the virus.”

The rush to secure supplies has prompted intense squabbling between the states and federal government at a moment the nation is facing one of its gravest emergencies. Leaders like Cuomo have been forced to go outside normal channels and work with authoritarian governments and private companies.

Trump said states are making inflated requests for medical supplies when the need isn’t there and suggested he had a hand in the ventilator shipment arriving from China to New York. Trump also said he’d like to hear a more resounding “thank you” from Cuomo for providing medical supplies and helping quickly to add hospital capacity. Cuomo acknowledged he asked the White House and others for help negotiating the ventilators.

“We have given the governor of New York more than anybody has ever been given in a long time,” Trump told reporters in Washington.

While the state of Massachusetts used the New England Patriots’ team plane to pick up over a million masks from China, Russia has also sent medical equipment to the U.S. Meanwhile, Trump has said he’d prevent the export of N95 protective masks to Canada and other nations, prompting a rebuke from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said his country won’t bring retaliatory measures as it continues to ship gloves and testing kits to the U.S.

The number of people infected in the U.S. has exceeded 300,000, with the death toll climbing past 8,400; more than 3,500 of those deaths are in New York state, including more than 1,900 in New York City. In addition to getting ventilators from China and Oregon, Cuomo ordered private hospitals in the state to redistribute breathing machines to those most in need.

“I want this all to be over,” Cuomo said, noting that while it’s been roughly 30 days since the state’s first case, “it feels like an entire lifetime.”

Trump said the federal government is setting up a 2,500-bed field hospital at New York’s Javits Convention Center that will be staffed by the military. He said similar hospital projects are being built in Louisiana and Dallas.

“There will be a lot of death, unfortunately, but a lot less death than if this wasn’t done,” Trump said. He later added that the federal government is “a backup … the greatest backup that ever existed for the states.”

As the number of people infected has grown to more than 1.1 million worldwide, health care systems are straining under the surge of patients. In China, air raid sirens sounded across the country Saturday and flags flew at half staff in tribute to victims of the coronavirus pandemic, including the health care “martyrs” who have died fighting to save others.

With the highest number of infections in Europe and their hospitals overwhelmed, Spain and Italy struggled to protect medical staff on the front lines, while 17 medics in Egypt’s main cancer hospital tested positive for the virus.

Italy and Spain, with combined deaths of more than 25,000 and nearly a quarter-million infections, have reported a high percentage of infections among health care workers.

Carlo Palermo, head of Italy’s hospital doctors’ union, fought tears as he told reporters in Rome of the physical risks and psychological trauma the outbreak is causing, noting reports that two nurses had killed themselves.

“It’s a indescribable condition of stress. Unbearable,” he said.

Overall, new infections continued to slow their once-exponential pace in Italy, with 4,805 new cases registered Saturday that brought the country’s official count to 124,632. The death toll continued to mount, with 681 new victims bringing the world’s highest toll to 15,362.

In France, 7,560 people have died of coronavirus-related issues including at least 2,028 in nursing homes, health director Jerome Salomon said. More than 440 of the overall deaths happened in the last 24 hours.

In the U.S., the outbreak is deepening in other areas beyond New York. More than 400 people have died in Louisiana, and state authorities have been sprinting to find ventilators similar to New York. Michigan has more than 14,000 infections and 500 deaths, with Detroit being the state’s epicenter.

With the arrival of the weekend and spring weather, many Americans struggled to adhere to social distancing and stay-at-home orders that cover most of the country. The sheriff in San Diego issued about two dozen citations to people, saying violators were breaking the rules by having picnics near the beach.

And officials from the major sports leagues had a phone call with Trump about resuming competition. Asked if he thought the NFL season would start on time in September with fans in the stands, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, said: “I’m not anticipating that happening in this state.”

In China, where the coronavirus was first detected in December, authorities have cautiously lifted restrictions amid dropping numbers of infections. On Sunday the government reported just 30 new coronavirus cases, including 25 people who had arrived from overseas. The other five were in the southern province of Guangdong, which borders Hong Kong. There were three new deaths for an official total of 3,329.

Spain’s Health Ministry reported 18,324 infected health workers as of Saturday, representing 15% of the total number of infections in the country.

As Spain completes its third week in a state of emergency, there were signs the number of new infections were slowing. But they were still high, with 7,026 new cases reported overnight Saturday and 809 deaths.

Worldwide, confirmed infections rose past 1.1 million and deaths exceeded 63,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Experts say both greatly under-count the true number of victims because of lack of testing, mild cases that were missed and governments that are underplaying the crisis.

At the same time, more than 233,000 people have recovered from the virus, which causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. (Associated Press)

Israel’s Corona Death Toll Climbs to 44, Almost 100 Patients on Ventilators

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A funeral of a man who died from coronavirus in Ashkelon, Israel. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Israel locked down the hard-hit community of Bnei Brak, but the death toll continued to rise in other parts of the country on Saturday.

By: WIN Staff & AP

As of Saturday evening, 44 people in Israel had died from COVID-19, with 7,589 cases diagnosed and 98 people on ventilators.

The casualties on Saturday ranged in age from 67 to 88 years of age.

One of the deceased was named as Holocaust survivor Dr. Nelia Kravitz, a physician who worked at Beersheba’s Soroka Medical Center for two decades, various Israeli outlets reported.

The condition of Israel’s youngest corona victim, a 22-year-old patient who had been treated at Ashdod’s Assuta Medical Center, continued to worsen on Friday. The young man was placed on life support and transferred to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv to receive additional treatments.

By Friday, the city of Bnei Brak, which is close to Tel Aviv, had become the country’s worst hot spot and was virtually sealed off from the rest of the country by Israeli authorities. The military sent troops in to assist, with one expert estimating that nearly 40% of the city’s population might already have been infected.

On Thursday, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, a powerful ultra-Orthodox politician helping to lead the battle against the virus, was confirmed to be infected.

This forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the ministry’s director general and reportedly the head of the Mossad spy agency, into quarantine because of exposure to Litzman. Netanyahu, who tested negative, went through an identical experience after a previous exposure to an infected aide.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia that can be fatal.

Ran Saar, who runs the Maccabi Healthcare Services, a leading provider, told parliament he estimates some 75,000 people in Bnei Brak, or 38% of the population, could be infected. He said the city has many elderly residents and called for urgent action.

The government declared Bnei Brak a “restricted zone” on Thursday, limiting movement in and out of the city. Earlier in the day, police patrols were out in large numbers to make sure residents remained indoors.

In order to protect its more vulnerable residents, the elderly, Israeli government ministers decided to approve an operation to move thousands of them out of the city.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Defense Minister Naftali Bennett decided that 4,500 residents 80 years-old and above will be taken to special quarantine hotels where they will ride out the pandemic in better health circumstances than if they remained in the city where the coronavirus rages.

An entire IDF division, the 98th, has been deployed to Bnei Brak. It will help with the transfer.

Reports say the government debated imposing a total lockdown of the city but decided against it for the time being. Channel 13’s Barak Ravid reports that Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan has prepared an emergency ordinance for the government’s approval that would give it the power to declare Bnei Brak and cities like it “restricted areas.”

According to Ministry of Health statistics, one out of seven confirmed coronavirus patients in Israel are residents of the city of Bnei Brak.

Ran Sa’ar, CEO of Maccabi, one of Israel’s largest health providers, made a shocking declaration on Thursday, estimating that 38 percent of Bnei Brak residents, or 75,000 people, are infected with the coronavirus. (World Israel News & AP)

Read more at: worldisraelnews.com

Another Cruise Ship With Virus Victims Docks in Florida

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Another cruise ship with coronavirus victims on board, including two fatalities, docked in Florida on Saturday. Princess Cruises spokeswoman Negin Kamali said in an email that the Coral Princess ship was docking in Miami. The ship with 1,020 passengers and 878 crew members had been in limbo for days awaiting permission to dock. Photo Credit: AP

By: AP

Another cruise ship with coronavirus victims on board, including two fatalities, docked in Florida on Saturday.

Princess Cruises spokeswoman Negin Kamali said in an email that the Coral Princess ship was docking in Miami. The ship with 1,020 passengers and 878 crew members had been in limbo for days awaiting permission to dock.

As of Thursday, Kamali said, seven passengers and five crew members had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Anyone in need of hospitalization would disembark first, the cruise line said, although it wasn’t immediately clear when that would happen. Those who are fit to fly will begin leaving on Sunday, while others who have symptoms of respiratory illness will remain on board until cleared by ship doctors.

A day earlier, the cruise ships Zaandam and Rotterdam were permitted to dock at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, with 14 critically ill people taken immediately to hospitals. The remaining passengers were slowly being allowed to board flights for home.

The Coral Princess had been on a South American cruise that was due to end March 19 in Buenos Aires. Since then, the ship has encountered obstacles to docking because of various port closures and cancellation of airline flights, the cruise line said.

Passengers have self-isolated in their staterooms and meals have been delivered by room service. Crew members also have remained in their quarters when they are not working.

The Coast Guard said in a news release Saturday it has been involved with processing about 120 vessels carrying some 250,000 passengers over the past three weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Coast Guard statement said as of Saturday there are 114 cruise ships, carrying 93,000 crew members, either in or near U.S. ports and waters. That includes 73 cruise ships, with 52,000 crew members, moored or anchored in U.S. ports and anchorages. Another 41 cruise ships, with 41,000 crew members, are underway and close to the U.S.

The cruise line industry announced a voluntarily suspension of most ship operations from U.S. ports on March 13. The next day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a “no sail” order to all cruise ships that had not suspended operations.

“We commend the decision by the cruise industry to cease operations. However, pausing a global tourist industry does not happen instantaneously or easily,” said Vice Admiral Dan Abel, Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations. “The federal, state, local and industry cooperation to achieve this feat truly represents the whole-of-nation approach directed by the president and is essential to fighting the spread of this virus and working to minimize the loss of life.”

Princess Cruises is a brand of Miami-based Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise company. (Associated Press)

How Social Distancing Can Impact Your Mental Health

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Man walks past a sign advising social distancing at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market in San Francisco. Photo Credit: AP

By: Dora Mekouar

Social distancing and isolation can be hard, as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently pointed out during a daily briefing on the status of COVID-19 in his state. 

“Don’t underestimate the personal trauma, and don’t underestimate the pain of isolation. It is real,” Cuomo said. “This is not the human condition — not to be comforted, not to be close, to be afraid and you can’t hug someone. … This is all unnatural and disorienting.”  

Experts already know that years of loneliness or feelings of isolation can lead to anxiety, depression and dementia in adults. A weakened immune system response, higher rates of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and a shorter life span can also result. 

Children who have fewer friends or are bullied or isolated at school tend to have higher rates of anxiety, depression and some developmental delays. 

But when it comes to a global pandemic like COVID-19, there is no documentation to which medical experts can refer.  

“The studies that we have are more about forced isolation and no support,” said Elena Mikalsen, chief of the Psychology Section at Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. “The situation we’re in now, there’s a lot of social support … and social support is one of the big predictors of good health and mental health outcomes.” 

She adds that it is helpful that the entire world is basically in the same situation, a commonality that is leading to the rapid development of coping strategies from multiple sources, including friends, schools and businesses.  

During this period, Mikalsen is advising her patients to stay connected with people,  exercise regularly, and keep to a schedule so that everybody in the household has some sort of purpose in their day. Waiting around and worrying about getting sick can lead to increased anxiety. 

A key factor driving people’s decisions on whether to isolate could come down to personality.  

“Extroverts have this strong need to always be around other people. … The idea of being in a quiet place with no entertainment is extremely anxiety provoking,” Mikalsen said. 

“Versus, you know, an introvert is perfectly happy in a tiny little room with nothing. You can lock up an introvert in a New York City apartment and have them not come out for two months and they’ll be perfectly happy.” 

Meanwhile, Cuomo told reporters that he is focusing on the positives in the current situation, like having his grown daughter, Cara, 25, working with him during the crisis.  

“They’ll come for the holidays. They’ll come when I give them heavy guilt,” he said of his three grown daughters. “But I’m now going to be with Cara, literally, for a few months. What a beautiful gift that is, right? I would have never had that chance, and that is precious. … This crazy situation, as crazy as it is, gave me this beautiful gift.” (VOA News)

Pesach Tours Refund Money as Israel Confronts Eggs-istential Crisis

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By Lieba Nesis

As Passover looms, what was once a joyous holiday where thousands would gather to sing and eat is now looking like a gloomy custom with minimal socialization.  Forced to hold lockdown seders with small family gatherings at best, the Jewish community will face one of its biggest challenges yet.  Hopefully, they will heed the warnings to self isolate so as not to repeat the mistakes of Purim which led to hundreds of unneeded hospitalizations.

Since there are currently no Passover programs proceeding, each tour took a different course concerning refunds.  The Doral Miami, owned by President Trump, which cost $12,000 for room and food for two adults, gave back 100% of the money to its participants.  The sold-out Waldorf Orlando which costs $10,000 for a double occupancy room with food, returned 75% of the money since they were still on the hook with vendors-allowing an additional 10% towards next years payment.  The Biltmore Arizona returned 70% of the money or allowed 100% of the payment carried towards the following year.  The “Kosher Travelers” tour in Havana, Cuba refunded 70% of the money.  Unlike the decency these tours displayed, Magen David Yeshivah is still waiting for its $2.3 million refund from the Eden Roc, after it booked 621 rooms for 1,200 guests to eat and enjoy the beautiful Miami Beaches.  Hopefully, this deposit will be imminently returned or else a permanent stain on the Eden Roc’s reputation will ensure the Jewish community boycotts this hotel in the future.  The best option for families staying home is ordering take-out from restaurants such as Kosher Marketplace who are doing a brisk business due to the increased demand.

As for eggs in Israel, it appears they are unfortunately experiencing a shortage due to coronavirus hoarding and difficulties importing eggs from hard-hit countries such as Spain and Italy.  Consequently, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon announced they will be subsidizing egg importation from Europe with over ten cargo planes flying over 30 million eggs.  Over the past couple of weeks Israel has prohibited customers from buying more than one of two dozen eggs with some conditioning the sale on purchases of over NIS 150 ($42) in groceries.  A dangerous black market in eggs has developed as Jews clamor to obtain eggs to dip in salt water for the Seder or as a main ingredient in matzah ball soup.  Many who have ordered eggs online have been left empty-handed and tips for egg substitutes are trending on social media.  Israel, sufficiently burdened with its 7800 coronavirus cases, is now being left eggless-a dire situation that is no “yoke”.

Finding the Spirit of Jewish Unity During the Corona Crisis

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Illustration of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt, guided by the prophet Moses, 1907, the Providence Lithograph Company. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

By: Alex Traiman 

 

Our reflection right now should bring us towards a spirit of unity. Unity between secular and religious. Unity between Israel and the Diaspora. Unity between Jews and our neighbors. Unity among our religious leaders, communal leaders and politicians.

 

After managing to slow the onset of COVID-19, Israel is now beginning to record thousands of new cases on a daily basis. While Efrat, a small community mostly made up of former Americans, was among the first to register a mini outbreak with several dozen people infected, it is now the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak and parts of Jerusalem with the fastest-growing numbers of new cases.

Many nursing homes across the country—with both secular and religious residents—have also been hit particularly hard, accounting for the majority of the so far few but too many funerals that have already been performed.

Around the world, Jewish Diaspora communities are also among the hardest-hit. France and the United Kingdom, where together more than 750,000 Jews live, are now following the same dangerous coronavirus pattern that is ravaging Italy and Spain.

The United States is now just beginning to feel the pain felt across Europe. In particular, New York and New Jersey are among the first states to exhibit massive outbreaks. Jewish communities in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Lakewood, N.J., are quickly spreading the virus among themselves.

There is almost nowhere in the world where large communities of Jews are safe from corona’s path.

In Israel, the country has been moving steadily towards a full lockdown with police and military enforcement. In the United States, state governors are starting to move in the same direction, although there are some, mainly in the South, that do not have mandatory restrictions.

Large economies have ground to a halt as individuals are forced indoors. Life as we know it has been suspended. We don’t know when this pandemic will end, how many of our loved ones will fall victim to this somewhat deadly plague, and what will be required of us as some semblance of order is restored and schools and marketplaces reopen.

For families with young children, now is a time when parents are forced to spend the quality time many haven’t been able to due to busy work schedules. For those without small children, now is a time to finish or invent projects to keep hands busy and minds sharp. We are all sharing knowledge and engaging with one another via technology that instantly bridges geographic distances in a moment when being across an ocean seems like being across the street.

For everyone, and particularly for the Jewish people, who have a long and storied narrative of coming closer towards as well as further away from God—and have suffered major calamities and secured triumphant victories along the way—now is also a time for reflection.

In the past several years, the tone across many of our communities has been bitterly divisive. Social media has simultaneously brought out the best and worst, where Torah and modern wisdom share space with harmful content and anti-Semitic trolling, where education and connectivity meet the useless and extraordinary wasting of precious moments. Too many of those moments are lost with loved ones just an inch further beyond our noses.

Politics are no longer about policies, and seemingly endless political campaigns are filled with toxic rhetoric. Our leaders are criminalized by the media and guilty until proven innocent. Middle ground has turned into an abyss, and political opposition has demonstrated a willingness to tear down our democracies for the sake of removing those elected to power by the public.

And yet our communities are simultaneously stronger than ever. America is a melting pot of all peoples and faiths, where nearly half of world Jewry has lived comfortably and prosperously following the horrors of World War I and World War II in Europe. Israel has blossomed into a melting pot of Jews from the four corners of the earth, where at least 12 diverse tribes of our people live together as one people while balancing varied customs and levels of tradition. In a little more than 70 years, the “Startup Nation” has quickly emerged from a resource-poor developing country into an economic, technology and military superpower.

Jewish birthrates from secular to religious are on the rise. Hebrew is spoken by more people than ever before. And the teaching of Jewish tradition and wisdom is beginning to thrive in the land of our ancestors.

During the coronavirus crisis, Jews are using their hyper-creativity to develop solutions to critical problems. Others are going out of their way to help those in need in abundant acts of kindness. Individuals are spending more time with their loved ones and reaching out to friends and family who are similarly trying to navigate the unknown.

Yet for all the good, too many members of our collective tribe are hanging on to bad habits. As global anti-Semitism is sharply on the rise placing Jews around the world in real danger, even among ourselves we demonize each other.

Israelis are trashing haredim, who are now spreading the virus faster than other elements of society. Their large families and insular community settings have quickly turned them into the first Israeli victims. They will not be the last. In the weeks ahead, the coronavirus will strike religious and secular alike, as well as the Arab populations both within Israel and in the West Bank, which until now have not been strictly observing any rules of social distancing.

 

Haredim are not the enemy. They did not create the coronavirus, and they did not import it into Israel. They did not wish to get sick at all—let alone first. And they certainly do not want to spread sickness to others. Nevertheless, they are being harshly demonized in the bitterest of tones. And they are suffering the most right now.

 

While they want exemptions from army service and stipends for learning Torah—expectations that many Israelis rightly deem unfair—they are also part of the Jewish narrative and genuinely love living among the nation of Israel, even as they poorly attempt to pushback against Israel’s rapid modernization.

Israel’s politicians are so far managing the coronavirus crisis efficiently and with great ingenuity. Under the leadership of the Jewish state’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the government is mobilizing its agencies and empowering the best minds to develop instant solutions that are saving countless numbers of lives. They are communicating effectively with the public. The media’s coverage of the coronavirus crisis has, by and large, been superlative.

Still, political allies turned foes continue to wrestle publicly with each other. They have taken large taxpayer salaries while refusing for more than a year to form a functioning parliamentary majority. Democratic norms, and critical checks and balances, are being wantonly violated. The coalition system and judicial authority need to be reformed. Yet there are seemingly no straightforward solutions or the willingness to work together to make meaningful change.

Jews in America proudly visit Israel and support numerous Israeli institutions to a tune of billions of dollars a year. Israelis have provided a significant return on investment. As measures of appreciation, Israelis are developing methods of engagement and sending post-army graduates across the ocean to help American Jews who truly want to remain committed to their identity.

And yet politicized and well-funded forces are advancing dangerous narratives aimed specifically at creating and magnifying divisions between the two largest Jewish communities, as if the Atlantic Ocean wasn’t a great enough divide.

This week, as Jews around the world now get set to celebrate the joyous holiday of Passover, we will hold traditional our previously large seder dinners alone, with only the nuclear families in our homes. The situation is eerily similar to the original night of Passover, in which Jews baked matzahs and ate the sacrificial lambs huddled up in their homes, worried for their lives as a plague was taking the lives of Egyptian firstborn all around them.

That plague was the final phase before the redemption of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. Today, the modern redemption of the Jewish people has already begun with the miraculous rebirth of the State of Israel. But we remain slaves to many of our own, self-induced bad habits.

The coronavirus should give us the time we need to reflect on all that we have to be appreciative of, and to take meaningful steps to shed behaviors that don’t help us and to foster those that do as the individuals, nation and peoplehood we strive to be when this pandemic comes to an end.

Our reflection should bring us towards a spirit of unity. Unity between secular and religious. Unity between Israel and the Diaspora. Unity between Jews and our neighbors. Unity among our leaders: religious leaders, communal leaders and politicians.

We must also strive for greater unity between our people and our land—of which immigration and the application of sovereignty are critical components.

Most importantly, as this crisis humbles our understandings of life in so many respects, it is also an appropriate time to strengthen the unity between us and our Creator. (JNS.org)

Alex Traiman is the managing director and Jerusalem bureau chief of Jewish News Syndicate.

 

Now More Than Ever, ‘Prayer is the Highest Form of Existence’

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It was recently published in English by Maggid Books and titled "Prepare My Prayer" Recipes to Awaken the Soul," after being adapted by Reut Brosh and beautifully translated with a readable, flowing text by Leah Hartman..

“Prepare my Prayer” is a spiritual, emotive and also practical how-to guide for ascending in one’s level of prayer and making each word count, reassuring comfort that G-d is with us and we must search for Him always, even if He seems far away.

By: Rochel Sylvetsky

(The following article has been republished with the permission of the Arutz Sheva editorial staff)

Rabbi Dov Singer is the charismatic dean of Mekor Chaim Yeshiva High School in Gush Etzion and founding head of the Beit Midrash Lehitchadshut (Study Center for Renewal). He is renowned for his innovative and inspiring ability to deepen the connection of students and educators to Torah-true life and for planting the desire to be closer to Hashem through spearheading a revival of Hassidic thought, especially that of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, in Israeli non- hassidic circles. 

“Prayer is the highest form of existence,” he asserts and his pocket-book sized handbook of prayer “Tikon Tefillati” – possibly the only book of its kind extant– published in 2017, sold like wildfire in Israel. Its strength lay in an emotive analysis and presentation of the different forms and experiences of prayer, spiritual in nature, while including practical, behavioral suggestions on how each kind of prayer can enter the reader’s heart to become an integral part of his life.  It was recently published in English by Maggid Books and titled “Prepare My Prayer” Recipes to Awaken the Soul,” after being adapted by Reut Brosh and beautifully translated with a readable, flowing text by Leah Hartman..

Each chapter and subheading awakens us to thoughts about prayer which we will be aware of from now on, using a rich medley of sources as set induction. There are excerpts from classic Judaic texts, biblical verses, midrashic insights, Talmudic discourse, the Rambam, the Zohar, Rabbi Nachman’s Likutei Tefillot, Rabbi Kook, as well as modern poetry, always followed by a lyrical, flowing poem-essay by Rabbi Singer that seems to emanate from his very soul. Every topic ends with practical “recipes” and skills, for as the Baal Sefer Chinuch instructs, “our hearts follow the path of our actions.”   These are behaviorist tips that will aid the reader in reaching the goal set by each of the eleven chapters.

The chapters include thoughts like these:

Let me enter Your house: Don’t rush into shul and begin to pray, prepare for speaking to the Creator, just as a musician tunes his instrument before he begins to play. 

Soul Movements in Prayer: Traverse the range of prayers from the song of the heart to crying out, a form of communication which precedes language.

The elevator metaphor: As we being morning prayers, we can imagine ourselves in an elevator, ascending from level to level, beginning with prayers dealing with body awakening on the first floor to the wonders of the world in Pesukei dezimra, up to the world of the angels in the paragraphs before Shema and then to the world of closeness and whispered intimacy in the Silent Prayer, the Amida.

The Body’s Gestures: Know that bowing is itself a prayer, one performed by the body, as is standing, lifting up one’s hands to heaven, falling.

The Torah Reading – the entire Torah is names of G-d, and the word for “reading” is also used for “calling out” in Hebrew, so the entire Torah reading calls out G-d’s Name.

The Priestly Blessing is a change in direction because now G-d is the Speaker, while we listen and receive.

Prayer differs from other commandments in that by definition, it needs kavana, intention (although there are those who say that the words themselves have mystic, intrinsic power.)  In fulfilling other mitzvot, intention is important but performance is the only requirement. One cannot say that about prayer, which is all about addressing the Almighty in a meaningful way. The intention requirement is what makes daily prayer a challenging mitzva to fulfill.

The handbook addresses the problem of intention, especially relevant since opposition to praying at set times with set words is a common problem among many of today’s young people, who are so used to individuality and self-expression that they find it hard to be tied to the words written centuries ago. Rabbi Singer gently guides them back:

The written prayer is a fixed prayer, We must make it new, To bring the ancient words inside, To say them again – refreshed, renewed…to reveal the movement from which the words were born before they were expressed, before they were written.

That is the most basic meaning of intention in prayer: To transform mumbling into facing, to turn the word toward their destination, to aim them in the right direction…The Reading of the Shema can be read as a public declaration… and alternatively, it is possible to read it as a quiet statement to myself, to listen to the secret of existence whispering from within reality: G-d is One.

To each verse a different address, a different melody. Don’t make your prayer fixed.

I gave a copy of the Hebrew book to each of my children’s families and therefore can vouch for the fact that the English version, which I read for this review, is true to the original. In English, as well as in Hebrew, the book is a soul-lifting spiritual trek.

But nothing happens by chance in this world. Full disclosure: This article was almost done, timed for posting a few days after Rabbi Singer’s flight to the US for the launching of the English edition. Other responsibilities intruded before it could be finished, and by then Rabbi Singer was back in Israel and in isolation, having contracted coronavirus while out of the country. I  could not bring myself to continue writing the article until yesterday, when, baruch Hashem,  Arutz Sheva ran an interview with the beloved Rabbi as he convalesces in one of the rest homes Israel has set aside for those recovering from the virus. 

Perhaps that delay is all for the best, because as the coronavirus pandemic erodes our security in so many ways, it seems fitting to be able to suggest finding sustenance and strength in a book which raises spiritual consciousness as we approach G-d – now, sad to say, most often in supplication.

People for whom prayer is part of everyday life and who, like all of us, sometimes let their minds wander, are now concentrating on their daily prayers as if every day is Yom Kippur- and rightly so. My heart tells me that, like the radically secular MK who revealed years ago that as an IDF soldier he said Shema when he thought it was the end, many people for whom prayer was not part of everyday life have begun feeling that they want to talk to G-d. 

In that vein, yesterday morning, the first day of Rosh Chodesh Nisan, the month of renewal*, I joined hundreds in festive, inspiring prayer online by Rabbi Singer’s Beit Midrash Lehitchadshut – with only ten socially distanced people in view and religious singer Yitzchak Meir leading the service. Rabbi Singer spoke from where he is recuperating.

Festive prayers are one of the best known activities of Rabbi Singer’s welcoming Beit Midrash, one of whose stated goals is increasing motivation to pray and elevating feelings during prayer. The services take place, as do lectures and workshops, in a house of prayer in memory of Segen David Golobechich Hy”d in the picturesque Nahlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem – a gathering place for young adults and for famous Israeli musicians and singers who often join the Rosh Chodesh services.

May G-d hear all our prayers and may we see a full recovery for all those who are ill and be worthy for the Redemption in this Month of Redemption.

Notes: The book is also available at Koren Publishers.

*In the Book of Exodus, Nisan is called the Month of Springtime and Rabbi Kook wrote that “The Exodus from Egypt will forever remain the Springtime of the entire world,” alluding to the Bible’s introduction of the concept of liberty.

**A discordant  note: It is unfortunate that the introduction by Elchanan Nir does what Rav Singer would never do – claims the book is important because other existing Torah messages and ideologies are not successful in reaching today’s youngsters (the ideology refers to is clear to Israeli readers, but this is not the place to argue his point). However, any educator knows that no one message reaches everyone, and truth is not measured by the number of adherents to a particular ideology. Rabbi Singer would be the first to say that he wrote his book not instead, but in addition, to the paths to G-d paved by others. (Israel National News)

Rochel Sylvetsky is Senior Consultant and op-ed and Judaism editor of Arutz Sheva’s English site. She is a former Chairperson of Emunah Israel,1991-96, was CEO/Director of Kfar Hanoar Hadati Youth Village, member of the Emek Zevulun Regional Council and the Religious Education Council of Israel’s Education Ministry as well as managing editor of Arutz Sheva (2008-2013). Her degrees are in Mathematics and Jewish Education.

 

Seder for One: How to Make it Meaningful

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All alone for Passover Seder? Don't despair!

By: Aleeza Ben Shalom

When I think of a Passover Seder I imagine my family around the table, gathered together, retelling how we left Egypt as slaves and emerged as a free people. I can taste the tears as we pass the salt water around the table, I can hear the laughter as we connect and I can feel the comfort of being together.

But this year Passover will be very different. Not all of us will be surrounded by family and friends as we retell how we left Egypt. Some of us will be having a Seder for one.

I’ve asked around and have compiled some ideas on how to make your Passover celebrations meaningful, even if you’re celebrating alone.

Set an extra place setting or a few.

 

Who would you want at your Seder if you could have them? You are not limited by time! It can be someone from the past, present or future. It can be someone you know or someone you can’t wait to meet (like your soulmate). Or perhaps you’ll host a relative who passed away that you miss seeing.

We did this recently at our Shabbos table and set an extra place for my mom who passed away the day before Passover four years ago. It was a powerful moment to have a physical space reserved for her at the table. And somehow, we were all comforted in the moment.

So go ahead and set a place for someone or a few people at your Seder table. Don’t just visualize having them with you, bring this to your reality by laying about plates and silverware. Set the table for you and the guests you’d most like to be with you.

 

The Haggadah is built around questions. In fact Jewish law states that even if you’re alone at the Seder table, you should still say the Exodus story through questions and answers. Nothing opens your heart and mind to new ideas like a good question, even you’re the one asking and answering!

Make some comfort food.

 

Maybe it’s matzah and matzah ball soup. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple recipe or more complex. Whatever it is, make one food that’s your comfort food, your happy food, the food that puts a smile on your face. It’s your menu and your job to fill it with food that will help you to properly celebrate this holiday and bring you joy.

And if you’re not a great cook or unable to cook kosher for Passover food, this is the time to cater a yummy meal, even if it’s a bit pricey.

Sing out loud!

 

Is Dayeinu your favorite song? Belt it out! Sing and get into the moment. Make an effort to sing all the Passover songs you know; they will fill the silence and your heart.

Say it out loud!

 

The Haggadah is built around questions. In fact Jewish law states that even if you’re alone at the Seder table, you should still say the Exodus story through questions and answers. Nothing opens your heart and mind to new ideas like a good question, even you’re the one asking and answering!

Focus on something positive about this unique opportunity.

 

“I will definitely finish the Seder before midnight for the first time ever!” said one single I know. Whether you’re looking forward to moving through the Haggadah at your own pace or looking forward to buying or making exactly what you like to eat, remember to find the good in this moment. This is likely to be your first and last Seder for one. Look for something that makes you smile about this situation and write it down or make a mental note. This memory will help to carry you through your Seder for one.

L’chaim, drink my friend!

 

It’s our obligation to drink 4 cups of wine to show our freedom. Make sure to have your favorite wine by your side. Enjoy your four cups of wine. Sometimes freedom looks different than what we imagined. True freedom is the ability to worship God. Thank God we live in times where we are free and not slaves. We are able to connect with God and observe our festival. So sit back and relax, lean to your left and embrace freedom as you have your 4 cups is of wine.

At the end of the Seder we say “Next year in Jerusalem.” I’d like to add to that next year may you celebrate in Jerusalem, together with your soulmate. (Aish.com)

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Jewish, pro-Israel Groups React to Overturned Sentences in Murder of Daniel Pearl

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Jewish and pro-Israel organizations expressed shock and contempt over a Pakistani court on Thursday that overturned the four convictions related to the 2002 killing of Wall Street Journal Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl.

Three were handed life sentences, and a fourth, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, was awaiting execution. The Karachi court reduced Sheikh’s sentence to seven years for kidnapping following the hearing of an appeal last month.

We are deeply saddened and outraged by Pakistan’s acquittal of these psychopathic killers. Daniel Pearl’s father is a close friend of ours. He won CAMERA’s courage award last year. Our hope is that the media gives this harrowing injustice the full attention it deserves,” the organization’s communications director, Jonah Cohen, told JNS.

Pearl’s father, Judea Pearl, blasted the Karachi court’s decision.

It is a mockery of justice,” he tweeted. “Anyone with a minimal sense of right and wrong now expects Faiz Shah, prosecutor general of Sindh to do his duty and appeal this reprehensible decision to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”

It is unclear if all four will be released immediately. Shah said he would appeal the decision to Pakistan’s Supreme Court. The four men will remain behind bars for at least 90 days due to “public safety,” according to a ruling issued by the Home Department of Sindh province.

“We are outraged by the decision of the Sindh High Court in Karachi, Pakistan to acquit Ahmed Omar Sheikh and three others involved in the barbaric murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl [may his memory be for a blessing] in 2002,” said the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in a statement. “It is unconscionable for these barbaric killers to go free.”

We urge the U.S. government to press the government in Pakistan to reverse this injustice and hold the murderers of an American citizen to account,” added the Conference.

A Twitter post by the U.S. State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, signed with the initials of Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Alice Wells, read: “The overturning of the convictions for Daniel Pearl’s murder is an affront to victims of terrorism everywhere. We welcome Pakistan’s decision to appeal the verdict. Those responsible for Daniel’s heinous kidnapping and murder must face the full measure of justice.”

I find this action of a court filled with Muslim judges releasing Muslim murderers of a Jew to be nothing less than evil barbarism and grotesque Jew-hatred,” Zionist Organization of America president Mort Klein told JNS. “Polls have shown that well over half the Muslims in that part of the world to be anti-Semitic.”

“This court has just lent more validity to those polls,” he continued. “And the leaders of Pakistan and world and religious leaders are deafeningly silent.”

“The Pakistani court’s decision to free four men found guilty in Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl’s murder is an insult to victims of terrorism everywhere,” B’nai B’rith International CEO Daniel Mariaschin told JNS. “We call for an immediate reversal of this outrageous verdict.”