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NYPD Accused of Focusing on Plugging Media Leaks Instead of Corruption

By
Sholom Schreirber
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By Benyamin Davidsons

Members of the NYPD’s top-brass Internal Affairs Bureau have been focusing their energy merely on plugging leaks in the media more so than on corruption, as per police sources.

As per a recent article in the NY Post, The IAB has spent much of its time in the past few months, questioning cops over photos and videos leaked to the press. In particular, there were three, high-profile investigations that were played out by the press, and two of those cases led the IAB to discipline police officers, sources told The Post.

Two weeks ago, two officers were stripped of their guns and badges for sharing unnerving videos, which were then leaked to the press, of a cop-hating madman who opened fire in a police station. The Bronx’s 41st precinct shooting had left a lieutenant wounded, and the source comments the focus there should not have been to censure the lawmen for negative publicity. In December, a photo was circulated of a civilian who broke into Brooklyn’s 71st Precinct station house, wore a police officer’s unattended uniform and pretended to be a cop. The IAB reportedly grilled one detective who was in the photo’s background and temporarily placed him on modified duty. He told investigators that he didn’t know who had taken the picture. “Instead of worrying about who put a video out, they should worry about precinct-house security,” one source said of the incident. “But they won’t talk about that.”

The source complained that the IAB’s effort to shush and censure the officers comes at the expense of more serious probes which it should be focused on. As per the NYPD website: “The Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) is dedicated to preserving integrity, which is critical to the function of the Police Department, and fighting corruption within the NYPD. The department cannot successfully serve the public without maintaining the public’s trust.”

In another example of media plugging, in October, after photos surfaced depicting the gory quadruple homicide at a Brooklyn gambling den, the IAB tried to identify the source of those leaked pictures. It went so far as to subpoena the Twitter account for the Post’s Police Bureau Chief Tina Moore, only withdrawing the request after being contacted by the Post’s lawyers.

Meanwhile, earlier in the month, the NYPD issued a strong new social-media policy for its officers, underlining that cops should not post any case details or images from crime scenes, that have not officially been made public.

An NYPD spokesman defended the policy saying “Inappropriate postings can damage a case, alert a suspect [or] further wound a victim”.

Parshas Terumah–The Mishkan Gifts Are Listed In Descending Order

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

By: Rabbi Yissocher Frand

The verse lists the various materials that were donated to the Mishkan. The Torah mentions “gold, silver, and copper; turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool; linen and goat hair; red-dyed ram skins, tachash skins, acacia wood; oil for illumination, spices for the anointment oil and the aromatic incense; shoham stones and stones for the settings, for the Ephod and the Breastplate.” [Shmos 25:3-7].

The Or HaChaim notes that this list appears to be presented in descending order of value — until the end, when the shoham and other precious stones are mentioned. If so, he asks, why is it that the shoham stones and the setting stones are placed at the end of the list? These precious stones were perhaps the costliest items required for the construction of the Mishkan and the associated vessels.

The Or HaChaim suggests three answers to this question.

His first answer relates to the “story behind” the Shoham stones and the setting stones. Rashi cites the fact that the Nesi’im [princes], when solicited to donate to the Mishkan, told the solicitors to collect from everyone else first. They would volunteer, they said, to fill in the gaps of whatever was lacking at the end of the building campaign. The general populace, however, contributed everything necessary for the building–even to the point of having a surplus. The Nesi’im therefore gave the precious stones that were not part of the main building fund. However, the Torah was critical of their “laziness” in contributing, and dropped a letter from the name Nesi’im [Shmos 35:27].

We would look at their offer as very admirable. If we were conducting a building fund campaign and we received an offer from a donor “to make up any deficit remaining at the end of the campaign” we would consider that a tremendous offer. The Torah, however, is critical of their actions. What was wrong with their approach?

The problem with that approach is that they should have realized that in building the Mishkan, there could be no such thing as a deficit. A deficit means a lack, something missing. But G-d did not need our money in the first place. He merely gave us the opportunity to have the merit of participating in the mitzvah. There was going to be enough in this case no matter what. The question was only who will have the mitzvah of building the Mishkan. The princes were criticized for losing the opportunity to participate in the mitzvah.

In a similar vein, someone once came to the Chofetz Chaim and offered to underwrite the entire budget of the Radin Yeshiva. The holy sage refused the offer. The Chofetz Chaim told the donor that he could not allow one person to take away the merit of all the other donors and potential donors to his Yeshiva.

Rabbi Zev Leff explains the significance of the punishment given to the Princes for their ‘laziness’ in contributing to the Mishkan. The punishment was that a letter was taken away from the word Princes (Nesi’im — Nun Sin Aleph Yud Mem), leaving it to read Nisaim (Nun Sin Aleph Mem). The difference between the two words is dramatic. Nesi’im means those who carry. Nisaim means those who are carried. The Princes were taught that they forgot a basic and fundamental lesson: The Ark of the Torah carries those that carry it, not the other way around. A person who donates to a Torah institution or to a Torah scholar should not think “I am supporting Torah.” Rather, he should realize that “Torah is supporting me.” Therefore, to impress this lesson upon the Princes, their title of “Carriers” was removed and they were called “Those Who Needed To Be Carried.”

According to the Or HaChaim’s first answer, this is why the Shoham stones are mentioned last in the sequence of donations. Even though they were precious, since this was a gift that came about with a lack of excitement and enthusiasm, it was relegated to last place, so to speak, in the enumeration of the Mishkan’s donations.

The second answer that the Or HaChaim gives to this question is that everything else in the list was sanctified (Kodesh) and could not be used for any secular purpose. However the Shoham stones and the setting stones were on the Priestly garments. The Priestly garments may be used for non-sacred purposes [Yoma 68b]; the Kohanim may wear these clothes (at least for a short time) even while “off duty.” As such, these gifts did not wind up in as sanctified a state as the other materials, and hence are mentioned at the end of the list.

Finally, the Or HaChaim mentions a third answer: that according to at least one Midrash, the Shoham stones were not donated by human effort. They were brought to the Camp of Israel on heavenly clouds. Therefore, they were in a different category than the other donations and were mentioned last.

We might ask how the answers of the Or HaChaim address his original question. The original question was that since the items were listed in descending value, why were the valuable shoham stones listed last. How do any of the answers address that reality?

We must say — according to all the answers of the Or HaChaim — that in fact the listing IS in descending value. But value is not determined by monetary value. Value is determined by other measures–by self sacrifice, by how much work went into it, by the way in which it was presented and how it was given. That is value.

The list IS based on value. As to the premise of the question–aren’t precious stones more valuable than spices? The answer is–it all depends. These particular stones were not worth more than spices, for any of the reasons provided.

A Jew that scrapes together his money and donates spices with much love and much self-sacrifice may be donating a gift that at face value is worth a fraction of the value of the Shoham stones, but in the Heavenly measure, the spices may very well be more valuable. Value is not determined by what the “street value” will bring for the commodity. Value is determined by a totally different standard. G-d has a standard regarding how an item is given, which is why the gift of the poor Jew given with enthusiasm surpasses the gifts of the Princes given lazily. G-d has a sanctity standard, which is why the spices are worth more than the Stones worn as part of the priestly garments. G-d has a standard regarding that which is given of what is given through self-sacrifice and toil, rather than as a G-d sent gift that arrives on the clouds.

The Or HaChaim is answering that his original observation was correct. The gifts are enumerated in descending order. We just need to understand the standard or scale by which the hierarchy of value is measured according to each of the Or HaChaim’s answers.

            (Torah.org)

Parshas Terumah – Building G-d’s Sanctuary

By
Sholom Schreirber
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In this week’s parsha, we find the commandments to build the mishkan and all the vessels that were contained therein, including the ark, the menorah and the altar. But interestingly enough, as the parsha enjoins us to offer our contributions, it interrupts the sequence by teaching us the ultimate purpose of the mishkan - “so that I may dwell in your midst.”

By: Rabbi Osher Jungreis

In this week’s parsha, we find the commandments to build the mishkan and all the vessels that were contained therein, including the ark, the menorah and the altar. But interestingly enough, as the parsha enjoins us to offer our contributions, it interrupts the sequence by teaching us the ultimate purpose of the mishkan – “so that I may dwell in your midst.” Thus, by connecting the purpose of the sanctuary with the command to build it, the Torah is imparting to us a profound teaching which is at the root of all our mitzvot. Even as the mishkan, the sanctuary, had to be constructed with reverence, devotion and commitment so that it might be worthy of G-d’s presence, similarly, we must perform all our mitzvot with devotion and sanctity so that through the performance of those mitzvoth, the spirit of G-d may permeate our homes, our very lives.

Every aspect of the construction of the sanctuary is laden with meaning and timeless teaching. Our parsha opens with the puzzling command “Vayikchu L’terumah”–“and take for Me an offering.” This command is puzzling, because it would have been more appropriate for the Torah to say: “Give Me an offering”–“Bring Me an offering”. But HaShem wanted us to understand that when we give, we are, in essence, taking – receiving. Surely, G-d does not require our offering–but in His infinite boundless kindness, He allows us to give, so that through that act, we may become elevated–godlike. The very name of the parsha–Terumah, – offering, testifies to this, for literally translated, it means “elevation”–giving us an opportunity for growth, for becoming better, kinder individuals and lending purpose and meaning to our lives.

The Talmud relates that the Roman tyrant, Turnus Rufus once mocked Rabbi Akiva. “If your G-d loves the poor so much,” he taunted, “why doesn’t He provide for them?”

To which Rabbi Akiva responded that, of course, G-d could easily have eliminated poverty, but in His infinite mercy, He granted man that merit – to give is a privilege. Thus, our sages teach that the poor man does more for the rich, than the rich do for the poor. Again, the very word tzedukah – charity, impresses this upon us, for literally translated, it means “righteousness”, “justice”. Through the process of giving, we become more righteous and more just.

There is an amazing story about the Chofetz Chaim (the great Torah sage of modern times who died in 1933). The Chofetz Chaim had a yeshiva in Radin, Poland, which was struggling for survival. A noted philanthropist volunteered to underwrite the entire budget, but the Chofetz Chaim declined his generous gift, stating that every Jew must be given the opportunity to give, and therefore he could not allow the philanthropist to deprive his fellow Jews of this great merit. So let us appreciate the opportunities to give that come our way. Instead of being annoyed at those who seek our help, let us seek them out and let us say “Thank you for the privilege”.

(Hineni.org)

When God is Hidden: The Meaning of Purim

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The Book of Esther teaches us that even in the darkness of exile, even in the looming shadows, we must never fear. God is watching over us. Photo Credit: OU

By: Slovie Jungreis-Wolff

“These days will be remembered and kept in each generation, in every family, land and city. These days of Purim will never be abandoned by the Jews, nor shall their memory die out among their children.”

Every year the Scroll of Esther must be read aloud in public, usually in the community synagogue. All adult Jewish men and women are given an obligation to hear every single word to fulfill the mitzvah.

Why? Don’t the other Jewish holidays have miracles far greater and wondrous? And why is Purim uniquely celebrated specifically through reading the Megillah?

Here is the message that sears into the heart and soul of every Jew throughout the centuries. The message that whispers to us in the silence of the night: “Do not be afraid. Even if it feels as if I am so far away, hidden and concealed. I will never abandon you, My dear children.”

The miracles of Chanukah and Passover, the shelter of Sukkot all speak openly about the hand of God in our lives. Divine intervention swooped down and saved the nation of Israel. We sing about the revealed miracles. There is no denying the obvious. How could one not believe? A scroll is not necessary.

But what happens when there is miracle after miracle yet no one seems to see the explosion of God’s mighty hand in this world? When God’s voice is masked by nature seeming to take its natural course?

Purim’s miracles were intentionally hidden. Esther happened to be chosen. She happened to be Jewish. Achashverosh happened to be taken by her. We had one of our own in the palace and wow, were we lucky! Mordechai happened to hear the plot to kill the king. Haman happened to erect the gallows upon which he was eventually hanged.

There is no luck or coincidence here. It’s all meant to be, directed behind the scenes by God’s guiding hand.

The name of God is nowhere to be found explicitly in the Book of Esther. It is only alluded to, hidden, waiting to be found. God purposefully concealed His name to teach us that there are times that great miracles are camouflaged, waiting to be discovered.

We all go through times that we believe that we are alone, on our own. Sometimes they are moments of great success. We think it’s all about being at the right place in the right time, karma, or our very own abilities.

We are ignorant or indifferent to God’s mighty hand in our lives. Propelling us forward, showering us with blessing. It is up to us to truly see and recognize the Source of life in our days.

Then there are those moments of darkness. We are bewildered. What happened to me? How am I ever going to get out of this? Where is God? I feel so abandoned. Why is God hiding?

Our people thought the same when the holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. We were sent into exile. Dispersed as the smoke and fire rose over our once glorious Temple. Fear spread from one to another. Can it be that God has abandoned us forever?

The Book of Esther teaches us that even in the darkness of exile, even in the looming shadows, we must never fear. God is watching over us. Perhaps His hand seems hidden. Perhaps the healing seems to be taking forever. We wonder, does God even care?

Beneath the heavy clouds is the hand of God, tenderly watching over us.

I was born upon the ashes of the Holocaust. My birth and the birth of my siblings were all hidden miracles. And each day we must only look to see God peering at us through the curtains of the heavens. Guiding us. Protecting us. Calling out to us. Granting us life.

We each have our own personal scroll to write. Purim gives us the message of courage and strength to seek the hidden hand of God through the dark clouds. This is the true definition of faith.

  (Aish.com)

Slovie Jungreis Wolff is a noted teacher, author, relationships and parenting lecturer. She is the leader of Hineni Couples and daughter of Rebbetzen Esther Jungreis. Slovie is the author of the parenting handbook, Raising A Child With Soul. She gives weekly classes and has lectured throughout the U.S.,Canada, Mexico, Panama, and South Africa. You can reach slovie at [email protected]

“Megilat Esther”–Background & Summary – Part 1

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

By: OU Staff

The Story of Purim

Introduction

Purim is known as the Holiday of the “nes nistar,” the “hidden miracle.” This is because HaShem saved the Jewish People without splitting any seas, or making mountains dance and catch fire, as he had done with Mt. Sinai, when he gave His Torah to the Jewish People there some thirty three hundred years ago. In the miracle of Purim, nothing that strange happened.

Megillah

It was rather the way that events were tied together – overheard conversations, the pride of a tyrant that “went before his fall,” the sleeplessness of a King, the watchfulness of the King of Kings, that allowed the People to be saved, once they had done “Teshuvah,” Repentance, for a sin only alluded to in Megilat Esther.

Megilat Esther is the story of men and women, some very righteous, some terribly wicked, and how they interacted – with the Holy One, the Producer and Director of the Play, Who miraculously allows freedom of choice, watching from behind the scenes.

The End of the Babylonian Empire

In the Book of Daniel, Chapter 5, we find the scene of the last Babylonian ruler, Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, at the center of a party. The purpose of the great feast is to celebrate the abandonment of the Jewish People by their G-d. For the Prophet Yirmiyahu had prophesied that the Jewish People would be in Exile in Babylonia for seventy years, following which they would be redeemed. Belshazzar had calculated the seventy years, he thought, and no redemption had come for the Jews. Hence he thought it safe to take out the vessels that were taken from the Temple by his father, and they could be used and abused by the party-goers.

Then a hand had appeared and had written upon a wall the enigmatic phrase “Mene Mene, Tekel Upharsin.” Not one of his magicians or advisors had been able to read, let alone decipher those words. But Belshazzar’s wife had reminded him of the presence in the palace of a Jew from the Captivity of Judea, Daniel, who was able to interpret things that were above the comprehension of other men. Daniel was summoned and told him that the words were a message from the L-rd that the time of the Kingdom of Babylonia had ended. And indeed, that night, there was an invasion by the Persians and Medes, and Belshazzar was slain. Persia and Media were the new ruling nations of the World, and Darius the Mede was the first King of the new Empire.

The Beginning of the Megilah – Another Feast!

The Megilah begins by informing us that its historical context is the Persia-Media of King Achashverosh, who then ruled over the Empire. That MegillahEmpire encompassed one hundred twenty seven states and provinces (definitely not to be confused with the one hundred twenty seven righteous years of our Mother, Sarah); in effect, the entire (more-or-less) civilized world at that time.

Achashverosh is making a feast for all of his Kingdom, and for the same reason that the unfortunate Belshazzar made one! Again, Achashverosh has done his homework, and is convinced that Yirmiyahu’s seventy years are by now certainly over (wrong again!).

Actually, there are two reasons for Achashverosh’s feast. The most important one is to celebrate the supposed abandonment of the Jewish People by their G-d.

The second reason for the feast has to do with the fact that he wants to keep his population, especially the most powerful members of it, including the army, its officers and all the princes and princesses, dukes and duchesses, etc., happy. For, the Midrash tells us, Achashverosh is not of “royal blood.” Rather, he has come to power through a revolution. Therefore, he is never totally sure of himself in his role as King. His wife, Vashti, the Queen, is however a genuine “blue-blood,” being from the House of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and World Conqueror, as she does not hesitate to remind her husband, as we shall see.

Also on the guest list are the Jewish People. Achashverosh goes all out to make them comfortable; he has “glatt kosher” meat, under impeccable “hashgacha,” perhaps under the “OU” of the time. The Jews, on the other hand, have weighed their options. A beautiful catering hall, great food, terrific smorgasbord, and the King’s probably correct in his calculations. They feel a little queasy about celebrating with vessels from the Temple not only on display, but in use. But the majority of them have come.

And it is their presence at a feast celebrating their abandonment and mocking their Temple that, according to the Midrash, has made them guilty of treason against G-d, and therefore candidates for destruction!

“Also Queen Vashti Made a Feast for the Women”

The Tale (Tail(?)) Continues

Not to be outdone, Queen Vashti made a feast for the women of the Kingdom. Her purpose was to show off her great beauty, since she had been one of the most beautiful women in the world. But HaShem spoiled her party. She developed a full-blown case of leprosy. Others say she actually grew a tail!

These blemishes were appropriate punishments for Vashti, for her abuse of her captive Jewish girls. She had made them work for her on Shabbat completely naked, thus greatly offending them from the point of view that they would have to violate the Shabbat, and also by preventing them from practicing the characteristic of “tzniut,” modesty, which was a major part of their life-style. So HaShem punished her “Midah K’neged Midah,” “Measure for Measure,” by not allowing her to make a display of her “pritzut,” her total immodesty.

“Bring Vashti the Queen,…, with (only) the Royal Crown”

Her predicament became worse. On the “seventh day,” the Shabbat, Achashverosh, now totally drunk, demanded that Vashti appear before him and his guests. Of course, in her present state, Vashti refused, not out of a sense of modesty, but out of a sense of embarrassment over her appearance. Not only did Vashti not come – she also sent the King an insult – “Who was he, just a commoner, to tell her royal self what to do?”

This had never happened before! No one, certainly not the queen, had ever been summoned to come before the King, and refused. What a humiliation! One of the King’s advisors, named “Memuchan” in the Megilah, but identified in the Midrash as none other than Haman, suggests that Vashti should be severely punished. Not only has she made a fool of the King before all his royal guests, but soon the story will spread across the Kingdom, that wives don’t have to obey their husbands any longer!

(OU.org)

(To be Continued Next Week)

Extension of High-Speed Rail to Old City Jerusalem Expected to Alleviate Traffic, Boost Tourism

By
Sholom Schreirber
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Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former Transportation minister and Foreign Affairs Minister at the first ride of the the new high-speed train between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, at Yitzhak Navon train station in Jerusalem on December 18, 2019. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

“Jews from around the world will be able to land at Ben-Gurion and in a short amount of time be at the Western Wall to be spiritually uplifted. It’s the perfect blend of modern technology and ancient spirituality,” said Rabbi Steve Burg, CEO of Aish HaTorah.

By: Josh Hasten

In what is being dubbed as a historical development, Israel’s Transportation Ministry announced this week that is it moving forward with plans to extend the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed rail line in order to connect Ben-Gurion International Airport directly to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

A view of heavy traffic in Jerusalem on a main route to the city exit and entrance on Nov. 25, 2019. Photo by Hadas Parush/Flash90.

The new route for the railway extension was approved by the National Planning and Construction Commission. It will feature a 1.8-mile underground tunnel with two new stations, including one adjacent to the Khan Theatre Complex in downtown Jerusalem and the other inside the Old City.

Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich hailed the announcement, saying the new line would help ease Israel’s transportation crisis. In fact, recent studies show that Israel suffers the worst traffic congestion out of all OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) nations.

At the same time, the minister said that new line “allows us to advance a Zionist and Jewish ideology.”

Tourists arriving in Israel will be able to hop on a train straight to the Western Wall as their first destination while visiting the country.

In response to the new rail line, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum told JNS “we are thrilled that the Transport Ministry has decided to build the train line from Tel Aviv directly to the center of our capital city and the beating heart of our people. This is the modern expression of King David’s vision of Jerusalem and the Old City as the place where people ascend to from Israel and indeed across the world.”

Rabbi Steve Burg, CEO of Aish HaTorah, with headquarters based in the Old City of Jerusalem, told JNS that “the extension of the high-speed rail to the Old City of Jerusalem is a major achievement for Israel. Jews from around the world will be able to land at Ben-Gurion and in a short amount of time be at the Western Wall to be spiritually uplifted. It’s the perfect blend of modern technology and ancient spirituality.”


‘Might Improve Hotel Prices in Jerusalem’

Interior of the Yitzhak Navon high-speed train station in Jerusalem, Dec. 18, 2019. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

But not everyone is praising the approval. As JNS reported earlier this week, Jordan officials called the move a “flagrant violation of international law.”

Its foreign ministry spokesman, Daifallah al-Fayez, insisted that the international community “assume its responsibilities to resist the illegitimate and illegal Israeli steps.”

Jerusalem resident Yomi Groner, a licensed tour guide with Israel’s Ministry of Tourism for the past 11 years, hailed the project, telling JNS that “Israel has a massive problem, especially in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem vis-à-vis public transportation. With the planned development of a business center at the entrance to Jerusalem, you are going to have major problems getting from one part of the city to the other. But if you can ride a train across the city, it will be more beneficial to the majority of people.”

He added that “unless you are going to tell people not to drive cars inside the city of Jerusalem, this is the only solution which is realistic and effective.”

Groner said colleagues in the tourism and travel industry, including bus drivers and mini-bus drivers, as well as tourists themselves have been complaining about the situation for years. He noted that some of the problems include not only the traffic itself, but a lack of parking available near tourist sites around the Old City.

View of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed train seen over the HaArazim Valley (“Valley of Cedars”) just outside of Jerusalem, Dec. 22, 2019. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

He did acknowledged that while under construction the train project will most likely be a headache for Jerusalem residents, but in the end, it is a must to alleviate the congestion.

At the same time, he mentioned, it “might improve hotel prices in Jerusalem.”

Groner said “if people know they can stay outside of Jerusalem, and hop onto a train and get to the Old City, maybe it will start pushing hotels in Jerusalem to bring down their prices.”

Smotrich concluded his comments on the announced approval, saying “the Temple Mount and the last standing remnant of the Holy Temple, the Western Wall, represent our [the Jewish] right to exist here. Millions of visitors come on pilgrimages and are forced to hike to the Western Wall due to a lack of proper transportation. The Jewish state cannot allow such a reality, and today, we have taken an important step towards a solution.

A schematic of the new high-speed line between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Blue are tunnels; red are bridges. Image courtesy of Israel Railways

“A rail line to the Western Wall is a huge development for Israeli citizens and millions of tourists who enter the gates of Jerusalem,” he continued. “This is an exciting moment for the State of Israel and for future generations. This is a true expression of Zionism.”

            (JNS.org)

Tourism/Hospitality Leaders Appointed to Guide Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Bill Colavito, General Manager of Great Wolf Lodge’s Pocono location, was elected Board Chair. He has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality field, successfully leading Great Wolf Lodge the last 11 years and recently overseeing a full $15 million property renovation. Former Board Chair Genevieve Reese, President and General Manager of The French Manor Inn & Spa, was appointed Vice Chair. Reese has owned her business for 25 years and has served on the PMVB Board of Directors for 14 years. Barbara Green, President of Blue Mountain Resort, serves as Board Treasurer. She brings more than 30 years of business management experience and has doubled Blue Mountain’s revenue since joining the resort in 2007.

Edited By: JV Staff

The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) is pleased to welcome its new 2020 Board of Directors, which includes many well-respected members of the tourism and hospitality industry. The Board of Directors oversees the PMVB, helping the organization fulfill its mission and objectives while guiding strategic direction. The following three individuals make up PMVB’s Executive Committee.

Bill Colavito, General Manager of Great Wolf Lodge’s Pocono location, was elected Board Chair. He has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality field, successfully leading Great Wolf Lodge the last 11 years and recently overseeing a full $15 million property renovation. Colavito presents a significant background that will help shape the work of the board over the next year.

Former Board Chair Genevieve Reese, President and General Manager of The French Manor Inn & Spa, was appointed Vice Chair. Reese has owned her business for 25 years and has served on the PMVB Board of Directors for 14 years. Her longtime guidance and leadership, especially on the former Executive Committee, was visionary in ensuring a strong future for the PMVB.

Barbara Green, President of Blue Mountain Resort, serves as Board Treasurer. She brings more than 30 years of business management experience and has doubled Blue Mountain’s revenue since joining the resort in 2007. Green will be a fantastic asset to the PMVB.

“The Pocono Mountains welcomes nearly 30-million guests annually and is the fastest-growing tourism region in Pennsylvania” said Chris Barrett, President/CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. “Our Board of Directors combined brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will continue propelling the Poconos forward as a top destination with sound leadership that the region has come to depend on.”

In 2019, the previous Executive Committee created a special committee to review the overall governance structure and bylaws of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. This 8-month process lead the committee to recommend that the board be fundamentally reorganized and governed by a new set of bylaws. The new Board of Directors held its first meeting on January 31, 2020. At this meeting, new board members were appointed and the new bylaws were approved.

About the Pocono Mountains

With 2,400 square miles encompassing Pennsylvania’s Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Carbon counties, the Pocono Mountains region is home to rolling mountain terrain, breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, thriving woodlands and 170 miles of winding rivers. Winters offer guests the opportunity to ski, snowboard, snow tube and even snowshoe their way through snowy wonderlands encompassing more than 163 ski trails, while summers also cater to the active traveler allowing exploration of 261 miles of hiking and biking trails, more than 30 golf courses, whitewater rafting, boating, fishing and open access to nine state and two national parks.

Pocono Mountains visitor information is available online at PoconoMountains.com or by phone at (570) 421-5791. Follow @PoconoTourismPR on Twitter to stay current with up-to-date information. Established in 1934, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is a private, non-profit membership organization. The PMVB is the official destination marketing organization for the four counties of Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Carbon in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Education Reform Must Take a Seat at the Front of the Class

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
We must increase school choice through expanded 529 savings accounts, direct educational savings accounts (ESAs), charter schools, and expanded federal & state scholarships. Photo Credit: Wikipedia.org

By: Ken Abramowitz & Jon Sutz

President Trump called for education reform in his recent State of the Union address. He specifically emphasized the need for school choice, which he proposed to aid with one million federally-financed scholarships. He also called for more technical classes in high schools, to build job skills, helping to enable non-college-bound graduates to gain well-paid jobs, or go on to trade schools to get advanced training and certifications, leading to even higher pay. Read and watch President Trump’s 2020 State of the Union speech here.

However, our schools — both secular and religious — are failing to educate and protect our distinctly American culture.

A recent research report, “Meet Today’s Typical Millennial,” by SaveTheWest consulting editor & videographer Jon Sutz, lays waste to the notion that our schools are preparing new generations of Americans to understand even basic U.S. history, the virtue of freedom, and the stark difference between the free market and a government-dictated economy.

So what can we do to fix this growing mess?

There are 9 changes that should be made now:

(1) We must increase school choice through expanded 529 savings accounts, direct educational savings accounts (ESAs), charter schools, and expanded federal & state scholarships.

(2) We must ensure that America’s children are fluent in basic literacy and analytical thinking skills before they can graduate from high school. As it is, not only is this standard not being met, quite the opposite: According to a 2016 report by the American College of Trustees & Alumni, most of our college graduates struggle with tasks they should have mastered in the high school, if not earlier:

“A survey of employers showed that over 70% found college graduates were not well-prepared in skills such as ‘written communication,’ ‘working with numbers/statistics,’ ‘critical/analytical thinking,’ and second-language proficiency.”

(3) We must prohibit all foreign funding of American schools, for the same reason that we do not allow foreign entities to contribute to U.S. political campaigns. Most urgently:

(a) We must stop all monetary and in-kind donations from Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia (whether by their governments or individuals). One of the many examples of the insidious nature of such external influence is Georgetown University’s “Bridge Initiative,” which has engaged in chronic whitewashing of jihad and Islamist extremism, which is having a profoundly disturbing impact on students.

(b) We must also stop the communist Chinese government from creating cultural subversion centers on our college, high school and elementary school campuses, known benevolently as “Confucius Institutes” — and stop taxpayer-funded schools from paying China to set up such subversion centers. While Americans are told that these centers are “providing Chinese language and cultural teaching resources and services worldwide… and contributing to the development of multiculturalism and the building of a harmonious world,” a recent report by the U.S. Senate revealed that they are created and utilized to spread pro-communist propaganda among American children. We must also stop Chinese grants to U.S. scientists, especially given China’s long history of stealing/pilfering the most advanced, cutting-edge American defense technologies.

(4) We must fix school textbooks in public schools, and any private schools that get any government financing, and prohibit schoolbooks from companies that have any ownership by any foreign shareholders.

(5) We must ensure that, as President Trump recent policy announcement formalized, no U.S. taxpayer money can be used to enable any educational institution to fund/allow the incitement of hate against Jews, or boycotts against Israel (or any other nation).

For example, we must make sure that the anti-Israel indoctrination of third-graders in an Ithaca, NY elementary school, recently exposed by Prof. William Jacobson at the Legal Insurrection blog, can never be allowed to be repeated. Here is one of the videos that Jacobson was finally able to obtain, after nearly a year of legal wrangling with the school district, of what was allowed to go on in that classroom — enabled by U.S. taxpayer money.

(6) We must hire Christian and Jewish history experts to root out anti-Christian and anti-Semitic bias in schoolbooks and other educational materials shown to our children, including documentaries and films.

(7) We must hire Constitutional experts to review all high school books for anti-Constitutional and anti-American incitement & historical bias — especially in an age in which, as even CNN pointed out, “Americans know literally nothing about the Constitution.”

For more detailed information on the anti-Constitution, anti-America, anti-freedom perceptions and values that are being inculcated in our children, see another report by STW editor Jon Sutz, “America At The Precipice” – A special report by Jon Sutz.

(8) We must enforce affirmative action against universities that do not allow professors with differing opinions to be represented.

One recent study showed that leftist professors outnumber conservatives by an almost 12-1 ratio; in history departments, the ratio is more than 33-1.

Here is one notable recent example of this homogenization and intolerance: Prof. Jason Hill (notably, a multi-racial, gay legal immigrant from Jamaica), describing the escalating harassment and threat campaign from students at DePaul University. Why? Because he wrote an essay for a conservative website, in which he articulated a moral defense of Israel’s right to control the territories lost by the nations that attacked it, until they agree to stop attacking it.

Learn more about Prof. Hill’s plight, and his prescription for how to stop it from happening to other educators who dare to stray from, let alone challenge the anti-American, anti-Israel orthodoxy that prevails at America’s schools, here.

(9) We must close down the U.S. Department of Education’s highly biased propaganda program called “Access Islam.”

In net, we must firmly resolve to fix the anti-American false narratives that are infecting our youth now, before it’s too late.

Ken Abramowitz is the President and Founder of SaveTheWest. Jon Sutz is SaveTheWest’s consulting editor and videographer.

UCLA Under Investigation for Anti-Semitism

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced last month that it will investigate a Jewish student’s complaint of anti-Semitism at UCLA in connection with the University’s decision to host the 2018 Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) National Conference.

A watershed moment in the battle against campus Jew-hatred

By: Sara Dogan

The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced last month that it will investigate a Jewish student’s complaint of anti-Semitism at UCLA in connection with the University’s decision to host the 2018 Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) National Conference. That student, Justin Feldman, filed the complaint with the help of the Zachor Legal Institute alleging that invited speakers at the SJP conference promoted and glorified terrorism and violence.

The OCR investigation represents a crucial step forward for opponents of Jew hatred on campus. The charges that Feldman and the Zachor Legal Institute have brought against SJP are the same ones that the David Horowitz Freedom Center has exposed and publicized for over a decade. It is the cumulative work done by the Freedom Center and other organizations in publicizing these outrages combined with President Donald Trump’s firm stance against Jew hatred, that has led to this critical juncture.

As the Freedom Center has voiced in numerous articles and reports, and in direct action taken on college campuses, Students for Justice in Palestine is funded by the anti-Israel terrorist organization Hamas, whose goal, as stated in its charter, is the genocide of the Jews and the destruction of the Jewish state. Hamas uses SJP and its collegiate network to promote the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel on campuses across the United States.

Hamas, for its part, employs a network of Islamic “charities” and front groups, most notably the organization American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), to funnel large sums of cash and provide external support to assist SJP chapters in promoting the genocidal and anti-Semitic BDS movement at American colleges.

The funding Hamas provides to SJP is a matter of federal record. In testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Jonathan Schanzer, an expert who previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst for the United States Department of the Treasury, revealed, “At its 2014 annual conference, AMP invited participants to ‘come and navigate the fine line between legal activism and material support for terrorism.’”

Schanzer described AMP as “arguably the most important sponsor and organizer for Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which is the most visible arm of the BDS campaign on campuses in the United States” and revealed that AMP “provides speakers, training, printed materials, a so-called ‘Apartheid Wall,’ and grants to SJP activists” and “even has a campus coordinator on staff whose job is to work directly with SJP and other pro-BDS campus groups across the country.” He added, “according to an email it sent to subscribers, AMP spent $100,000 on campus activities in 2014 alone.”

AMP is headed by the notorious anti-Semite and jihad supporter, UC Berkeley professor Hatem Bazian, the co-founder of SJP. AMP’s board, as Jonathan Schanzer has shown, is dominated by former leaders of the Holy Land Foundation which was successfully prosecuted by the US government for funding Hamas. SJP is the chief campus sponsor of BDS—a Hamas orchestrated campaign to isolate and financially strangle the Jewish state.

Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Gilad Erdan has backed up Schanzer’s findings, declaring that, “The relationship between terrorist organizations and the BDS movement has never been closer, ideologically or operationally.”

Despite this ample evidence that Students for Justice in Palestine is an anti-Semitic hate group allied with known terrorists, universities across the nation continue to provide funding, support and institutional privileges to SJP.

Even among the 200 or so campuses in the United States that officially sanction chapters of SJP, UCLA stands out for its cooperation with SJP’s genocidal agendas and its failure to protect Jewish students and their right to pro-Israel speech on campus. The UCLA SJP chapter has repeatedly and violently disrupted pro-Israel events in violation of UCLA’s community standards. Not only did the UCLA administration choose to ignore this despicable conduct, they still aided SJP in bringing their national conference to campus.

For more than a decade UCLA chancellors have funded and defended this terrorist support organization and attacked the Freedom Center’s efforts to expose their sinister agendas. When the Freedom Center distributed anti-BDS posters on campus exposing SJP’s affiliations with Hamas, UCLA Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Jerry Kang sent an email to the 50,000 members of the UCLA community attacking Horowitz and calling the posters “repulsive” and “hateful.” Kang has been an open supporter of SJP and its campaign of hate.

“This case … [is] about incitement to violence being exported to campuses all around the country,” UCLA student Feldman told the Jewish Journal.

“If you want to have rightful advocacy for Palestinian self-determination on campus, you can,” Feldman added. “Just make sure it’s not affiliated with funding terror groups, and this is what we’re fighting against with this civil rights case.”

A spokesman for UCLA contested Feldman’s claims, stating that “That conference was exclusively sponsored by Students for Justice in Palestine, one of our 1,200 registered student groups — not the university,” and adding that “No public funds or student fees were used” to hold the event. But this attempt at deflection is clearly a lie.

Marc Greendorfer, founder of the Zachor Legal Institute and one of the attorneys handling Feldman’s complaint, points to documents acquired through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request which prove that UCLA funded the event through both the UCLA Office of Equity Diversity and Inclusion’s Bruin Excellence and Transformation (BEST) program. The University also paid for security and barricades at the event and there is email evidence that administrators discussed how best to “minimize and or counter the impacts of backlash.” From all available evidence it appears that UCLA was far from a disinterested party to the SJP conference.

“UCLA clearly had their hands all over this,” attorney Greendorfer stated. “They say that they had nothing to do with it. That’s an absolute lie.”

While Feldman and the Zachor Legal Institute deserve much of the credit for filing the specific complaint leading to the OCR investigation, it is important to recognize the larger cultural shift that has enabled such complaints to be taken seriously. Groups like the David Horowitz Freedom Center and the Canary Mission have spent years exposing SJP’s links to terrorism and that continual stream of truth-telling has finally begun to take root in the public consciousness.

            (FrontPageMag.com)

Coronavirus Pushes Beyond Asia, Taking Aim at Europe, Mideast

By
Sholom Schreirber
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A man wearing a sanitary mask walks past the Duomo gothic cathedral in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. Italy has been scrambling to check the spread of Europe's first major outbreak of the new viral disease amid rapidly rising numbers of infections and calling off the popular Venice Carnival, scrapping major league soccer matches in the stricken area and shuttering theaters, including Milan's legendary La Scala. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

By: Kim Tong-Hyung & Matt Sedensky

The new virus took aim at a broadening swath of the globe Monday, with officials in Europe and the Middle East scrambling to limit the spread of an outbreak that showed signs of stabilizing at its Chinese epicenter but posed new threats far beyond.

In Italy, authorities set up roadblocks, called off soccer matches and shuttered sites including the famed La Scala opera house. In Iran, the government said 12 people had died nationwide, while five neighboring countries — Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Afghanistan — reported their first cases of the virus, with all those infected having links to Iran.

Across the world, stock markets and futures dipped on fears of a global slowdown due to the virus spread, with the Dow down more than 900 points during midday trading.

The number of people sickened by the coronavirus topped 79,000 globally, and wherever it sprung up, officials rushed to try to contain it.

“The past few weeks has demonstrated just how quickly a new virus can spread around the world and cause widespread fear and disruption,” said the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Does this virus have pandemic potential? Absolutely, yes,” Tedros said, but “for the moment we’re not witnessing the uncontained global spread of this virus.”

“I have spoken consistently about the need for facts not fear. Using the word pandemic now does not fit the facts but it may certainly cause fear,” Tedros said, speaking in Geneva.

He said a WHO expert team currently in China believes the virus plateaued there between Jan. 23 and Feb. 2 and has declined since. The team also said the fatality rate in China was between 2% and 4% in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and 0.7% outside of Wuhan.

Clusters of the virus continued to emerge outside China, including in Qom, an Iranian city where the country’s semiofficial ILNA news agency cited a lawmaker as reporting a staggering 50 people had died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The country’s Health Ministry rejected that, insisting the death toll remained at 12, with total infections numbering 61.

The conflicting reports raised questions about the Iranian government’s transparency concerning the scale of the outbreak. But even with the lower toll of 12, the number of deaths compared to the number of confirmed infections from the virus is higher in Iran than in any other country, including China and South Korea, where the outbreak is far more widespread.

Asked about the spike in cases in Iran, WHO’s emergencies program director, Michael Ryan, cautioned that in the first wave of infections reported from a country, only the deaths may be being picked up and therefore be over-represented. “The virus may have been there for longer than we had previously suspected,” he said.

Ryan said a WHO team would be arriving in Iran on Tuesday and in Italy on Monday.

“What we don’t understand yet in COVID-19 are the absolute transmission dynamics,” Ryan said, noting that in China there’s been a significant drop in cases. “That goes against the logic of pandemic.”

Authorities in Iran closed schools across much of the country for a second day Monday. Movie theaters and other venues were shuttered through at least Friday, and daily sanitizing of public buses and the Tehran metro, which is used by some 3 million people, was begun.

Recognition grew that the virus was no longer stemming only from contact with infected people in China.

“Many different countries around the world may be sources of COVID-19 infections,” said Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh. “This makes it much harder for any one country to detect and contain.”

China still has the vast majority of cases, but as it records lower levels of new infections, attention has shifted to new fronts in the outbreak. Chief among them is South Korea, where President Moon Jae-in placed the country under a red alert, the highest level, allowing for “unprecedented, powerful steps” to stem the crisis.

Beyond expanding a delay to the start of the school year from the hardest-hit area of Daegu nationwide, though, it remains to be seen how far the government will go. A Chinese-style lockdown of Daegu — a city of 2.5 million people that is the country’s fourth largest — appeared unlikely, even as signs of the response to a broadening problem could be seen nearly everywhere in the nation.

More than 600 police officers in Daegu fanned out in search of hundreds of members of a church that has been identified as a source for hundreds of infections. The country’s National Assembly was temporarily closed Monday as workers sterilized its halls. At shops and food stalls in the capital of Seoul, a misty fog surrounded crews in protective suits who sprayed disinfectants.

“The changes have been dramatic,” said Daegu resident Nah Young-jo, who described an increasingly empty city of few passersby and closed restaurants.

South Korean officials recommended that courts consider postponing trials of cases not deemed urgent, while Mayor Park Won-soon of Seoul threatened tough penalties for those who defy a ban on rallies in major downtown areas. Work schedules for city employees in Seoul were staggered to reduce crowding on subways, where packed cars could become petri dishes if an infected passenger were aboard.

“If we fail to effectively prevent the spread of the virus into the local communities, there would be a large possibility (that the illness) spreads nationwide,” warned Kim Gang-lip, South Korea’s vice health minister.

Health workers said they planned to test every citizen in Daegu who showed cold-like symptoms, estimating around 28,000 people would be targeted.

In Italy, where 219 people have tested positive for the virus and five have died, police manned checkpoints around a dozen quarantined northern towns as worries grew across the continent.

Austria temporarily halted rail traffic across its border with Italy. Slovenia and Croatia, popular getaways for Italians, were holding crisis meetings. Schools were closed, theater performances were canceled and even Carnival celebrations in Venice were called off.

It was a sign of how quickly circumstances could change in the widening COVID-19 scare. Italy had imposed more stringent measures than other European countries after the outbreak began, barring flights beginning Jan. 31 to and from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

Until last week, Italy had reported just three cases of infection.

            (AP)

New Expresscare Clinic Opens at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
NYC Health + Hospitals recently announced the opening of an ExpressCare Clinic at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem. The clinic will be the public health system’s second location in Manhattan, building on the system’s vision to transform care for New Yorkers in all five boroughs

NYC Health + Hospitals/ Harlem becomes the public health system’s sixth ExpressCare clinic; second location in Manhattan

Edited by: TJVNews.com

NYC Health + Hospitals recently announced the opening of an ExpressCare Clinic at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem. The clinic will be the public health system’s second location in Manhattan, building on the system’s vision to transform care for New Yorkers in all five boroughs. Providing faster access to medical care for patients with non-life-threatening conditions, the new clinic will be open seven days a week, operating from 3:30pm to midnight. The clinic will offer walk-in services for conditions — such as colds, flu, sprains, skin rashes, minor cuts and lacerations, and certain types of infections. Patients who typically use the emergency department for these conditions will find shorter wait times and faster service at the ExpressCare clinic.

The ExpressCare clinic will temporarily share space within the hospital’s pediatric clinic inside of the Ronald H. Brown Pavilion until the new, permanent space is constructed. In the coming months, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem’s will reconfigure its old emergency department to create a permanent space for the ExpressCare clinic using Medicaid’s Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) funds. The location is expected to be completed in December 2020.

“As a level one Trauma Center, the number of patients who utilize our emergency department in lieu of primary care services is striking. The ExpressCare clinic will provide an alternate care setting for patients in need of a lower level of care,” said Eboné M. Carrington, CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem. “Unlike other community-based urgent care settings, our treating providers will know our patients’ medical histories. I am excited that the greater Harlem community will now have continuity of care in a more expedient setting.”

Shifting patients with non-life-threatening conditions to the ExpressCare clinic will shorten their wait times. The clinic will also differ from stand-alone urgent care centers by offering a closer connection to primary care providers. The emergency-trained physicians at the ExpressCare clinic will help ensure patients receive the appropriate follow-up care by connecting them with primary care doctors in the NYC Health + Hospitals system.

Patients visiting the ExpressCare at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem who are assessed as having serious medical conditions that cannot be treated in an urgent care setting or who may require hospital admission will be fast-tracked to the Emergency Department for further treatment.

NYC Health + Hospitals worked with OneCity Health, the State’s largest Performing Provider System, part of the Medicaid Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program, to create the clinical model for the ExpressCare clinics, which are designed to support the DSRIP goal to reduce avoidable hospital use by 25 percent by 2020.

“Far too many New Yorkers rely on emergency rooms for non-life threatening, preventative care because they do not have access to walk-in clinics. As a result, people put off seeking care or they’ll wait in an emergency room, straining its resources. But this will no longer be the case as NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) continues its expansion of ExpressCare clinics here at Harlem. Congratulations to H+H for continuing to provide New Yorkers with efficient and comprehensive care 7 days a week,” said Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Hospitals.

ExpressCare clinics will accept most insurance plans; walk-ins are welcome and no appointments are necessary. Patients should bring photo identification and an insurance card to the clinic. Patients without insurance will be directed to the health system’s reduced fee-scale payment program or receive assistance with insurance enrollment if eligible.

NYC Health + Hospitals plans to expand the ExpressCare model to other public health system facilities in the coming months. Thus far, ExpressCare locations include NYC Health + Hospitals/ Lincoln, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan and NYC Health + Hospitals/ Harlem.

To get more information on ExpressCare or or to make an appointment with a primary care physician or other specialists at NYC Health + Hospitals, please call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692).

 About NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem

NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem provides a wide range of medical, surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and family support services to the residents of Central Harlem, West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood. The Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem provides outstanding emergency care for ill and injured infants, children and adolescents, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The dedicated pediatric emergency space, separate from the adult emergency department, cares for over 16,500 pediatric patients annually. Established in 1887, the Hospital has been providing health care services to the community for 131 years.

About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthandHospitals or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.

About One City Health

OneCity Health is the NYC Health + Hospitals-sponsored Performing Provider System (PPS), formed under the auspices of the New York State Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. Comprising hundreds of healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and health systems, OneCity Health is the largest PPS in New York State.

New, Leading-Edge CT Scanner for Jersey Shore University Medical Center

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
At the ribbon cutting for the new CT Scanner, from left, is Director, Risk Management Doug Campbell; Director, Operations Brian Walch, MS, PT, MBA; Director, Patient Care Dawn Heath, MBA, MHA, BSN, CCRN-CSC, and Dr. Kenneth Sable. Next is Vice President, Operations Annamarie Cutroneo, MHA, CPXP; Director, Patient Care David Clark, R.N., BSN, LSSGB; Director, Imaging Services Michael Messina, and Vito Buccellato.

GE Healthcare Revolution Apex CT Scanner provides significant benefits to patients and emergency teams

Edited by: JV Staff

Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center opened a second computed tomography (CT) scanner in its emergency department in February. Touted by manufacturer GE Healthcare as an “ultra-premium CT system setting a new benchmark in image quality,” the Revolution Apex scanner is an investment in excess of $2 million by the academic medical center to enhance patient care.

Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center opened a second computed tomography (CT) scanner in its emergency department in February. Touted by manufacturer GE Healthcare as an “ultra-premium CT system setting a new benchmark in image quality,” the Revolution Apex scanner is an investment in excess of $2 million by the academic medical center to enhance patient care.

“We’re very happy to be able to provide this leading-edge technology to our patients,” said Vito Buccellato, MPA, LNHA, chief hospital executive, Jersey Shore University Medical Center. “Our medical center has seen a substantial growth of patients needing CT scans in recent years. Adding this scanner helps us better address that volume with a truly innovative diagnostic tool, providing significant benefits to both our patients and emergency teams.”

CT scans combine a series of X-ray images taken from multiple directions and uses computer processing to visualize parts of the body. These detailed images are used in a variety of ways and are particularly helpful for patients who need rapid diagnostic imaging. “Considering the patients who arrive at Jersey Shore’s Level II Adult and Pediatric Trauma Centers, Comprehensive Stroke Center and emergency department, having advanced imaging technology, such as the Revolution Apex, is invaluable for Jersey Shore’s physicians and nurses as they provide the high-level of care needed to treat life-threatening injuries and serious health incidents,” said Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president, Southern Market, Hackensack Meridian Health.

The Revolution Apex’s robust X-ray tube and scanning speed allows for a greatly reduced dosage of radiation and procedure time, improving the care experience. The scanner’s larger size and flexibility also provides more comfort and less confinement for patients. The system’s state-of-the-art imaging tube and advanced software platform produces high-quality images enhancing clinicians’ ability to accurately detect internal injuries or bleeding, diagnose disorders, and identify and monitor diseases, conditions and the effectiveness of treatments.

For information about services, visit https://www.jerseyshoreuniversitymedicalcenter.com/. To make an appointment with a Jersey Shore physician, call the free physician referral service at 800-560-9990.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH JERSEY SHORE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

Located in Neptune, New Jersey, Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center is a not-for-profit teaching hospital and the only Level II Trauma and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in Monmouth and Ocean counties. It is home to K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital – the first children’s hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties. With more than 1,200 physicians and dental staff in 60 specialty areas, Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s team provides quality care in a patient-centered, environmentally-friendly setting.

The team’s commitment to excellence has earned Jersey Shore University Medical Center numerous accolades, including being named the #5 top hospital in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report for 2019-2020. The medical center’s clinical research program and longstanding commitment to medical education is evident through an affiliation with Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University and a new affiliation with St. George’s University School of Medicine. Jersey Shore University Medical Center serves as an academic center dedicated to advancing medical knowledge, training future physicians and providing the community with access to promising medical breakthroughs.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s programs and services have received numerous national recognitions, including designation as high-performing in cardiac, stroke, surgical and oncology services.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s HOPE Tower – a $265 million 10-story medical office building provides a new outpatient healing experience. Guided by a patient-centered approach towards care, and informed by the latest medical breakthroughs, HOPE Tower includes advanced imaging services, a clinical academic center, innovative simulation laboratory, state-of-the-art amphitheater, specialty physician offices, a nine-level parking garage, and a 58,000 square foot cancer facility. The new cancer facility features a range of comprehensive treatment options, including surgical specialties, medical oncology, and the most advanced radiation therapy and minimally invasive interventional therapies. Nurse navigators guide patients through every step and provide an extra layer of support and coordination.

Northwell Launches Second Program to Address Food Insecurity at Southside Hospital

By
Sholom Schreirber
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1
Northwell Health’s Jillian Shotwell and Food as Health Dietitian Sarah Frampton with Southside Hospital patient Charles Howson.

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Northwell Health recently announced the launch of its second Food as Health program at Southside Hospital. Last week’s launch follows the success of its first program launched in 2018 at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Valley Stream. The Food as Health Program is the first New York State hospital-based initiative to comprehensively address food insecurity among patients.

The unique program, is a partnership with Island Harvest Food Bank and includes Long Island Cares Inc.-The Harry Chapin Food Bank, God’s Love We Deliver, US Foods and Baldor and is designed to address the full range of factors that can lead to food insecurity, including affordability issues, a lack of nutritional awareness, transportation/mobility problems and difficulty in preparing meals.

Patients at both Southside and LIJ Valley Stream with a diagnosis impacted by nutrition are screened and those who are identified as food insecure receive a nutrition consultation. In addition, these patients receive “navigation” to community food resources by an on-site Island Harvest Food Bank registered dietitian, either in the hospital’s Food as Health Center or in their hospital room. At discharge these patients are given a two-day supply of fresh produce and non-perishable food (provided by Baldor Foods and US Foods) and a “prescription” for two refills. If patients have transportation or mobility issues, LI Cares will deliver emergency food supplies to their homes.

Northwell Health recently announced the launch of its second Food as Health program at Southside Hospital

“We now have food pharmacies in two of our hospitals and in the next four years we want to put food pharmacies in all of our hospitals,” said Ram Raju, MD, Northwell’s senior vice president and community health investment officer. “As a wellness organization, we believe the only way to make a substantial and lasting difference in the health of the people in our community is by addressing some of the nonclinical factors that are holding them back.”

In the month since Southside first introduced the program, 450 patients have been screened and more than 20 have received nutritional assistance. “Being on a fixed income, I know firsthand how difficult it is to eat well,” said Charles Howson, a Westhampton resident who recently enrolled in the program. “This program has taught me how to eat better and make positive changes to my diet.”

“Having access to healthy food is just as important, if not more so, in treating illnesses as taking medications,” said Donna Moravick, NP, executive director of Southside Hospital. “We can’t address chronic disease in our patients unless we address the food issues that come along with it.”

Research shows that 1.3 million people throughout the New York metropolitan area are food insecure, which increases the risk of chronic disease, lengthens hospital stays, raises the likelihood that readmission will be needed and inflates health care costs. In Suffolk County alone, it is estimated that 95,540 people are food insecure.

“We are honored to be working with Northwell Health in providing people with the knowledge of how to navigate their community’s resources as well as supplying them with food and nutritional guidance,” said Randi Dresner, Island Harvest Food Bank’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Northwell to ensure that the message of access to nutritious food along with good medical care, remains an essential part of ensuring a healthy community.”

For more information about Southside’s Food as Health program, call Jillian Shotwell, Northwell Health’s program manager of population health initiatives, at 516-600-1496.


About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

What Lies Ahead for Recycling After Plastic Bag Backlash?

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By Andy B. Mayfair

More and more Americans all the time are taking a dim view of plastic packaging. As a result, executives at Citigroup Inc save it aluminum container manufacturers and scrap metal recyclers stand to benefit from that trend.

According to the company’s analysts, several companies stand to benefit from negative American attitudes toward plastic products that are more difficult to recycle. Case in point: companies like Dow and lyondellbasell industries NV could feel pressure if the rate at which Americans are recycling continues to below.

“Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, and generally collected and recycled at a higher rate than PET bottles,” noted Citigroup analysts recently.

“Global aluminum producer Alcoa Corp. could benefit from increased use of the metal, though faces challenges such as the heavy carbon footprint of production and the practical features of using a can, they said,” according to Crain’s New York Business. “Growing pollution from plastics has rapidly become an urgent environmental crisis, with more than 60 countries having introduced bans or taxes aimed at reducing waste. With the likes of Berry Global and Sealed Air having joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, plastic’s sustainability message “could be vastly improved,” according to Citigroup. But if current recycling systems stay as they are, the metal packagers could take back share, they said.”

In fact, the future direction of recycling in the United States is posing some tough questions. This country “used to send a lot of its plastic waste to China to get recycled. But last year, China put the kibosh on imports of the world’s waste. The policy, called National Sword, freaked out people in the U.S. — a huge market for plastic waste had just dried up,” noted npr.com. “Where was it all going to go now?”

Less than a year ago, the leaders of several firms that produce or package a host of products gathered in the nation’s capitol “Recyclers and the people who collect and sort trash were there too. It was the whole chain that makes up the plastic pipeline. It was a time of reckoning,” npr.com added. “John Caturano of Nestlé Waters North America, which makes bottled water, said plastic is getting a bad reputation. “The water bottle has in some ways become the mink coat or the pack of cigarettes. It’s socially not very acceptable to the young folks, and that scares me,” he said during a panel called Life After National Sword.”

NJ Officials Warn About Rise in White Supremacy; Worse Threat Than ISIS

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By: Jesse Lesmeier

New Jersey officials are warning about the rise of white supremacist groups in the state in a just-released report.

The 2020 Terrorism Threat Assessment Report from the New Jersey Office Of Homeland Security and Preparedness:

“White supremacist extremists will pose a high threat to New Jersey in 2020 as supporters of this ideology demonstrate their willingness and capability to carry out attacks, direct and inspire sympathizers online, and attempt to network globally,” according to the report.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) is tasked with coordinating counterterrorism, resiliency, and cybersecurity efforts across all levels of government, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. Created by Executive Order in 2006 when the Office of Counterterrorism (OCT) merged with staff from the Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force (DSPTF), NJOHSP bolsters New Jersey’s resources for counterterrorism, critical infrastructure protection, preparedness, training, and federal and State grant management.

In 2019, white supremacist extremists carried out four attacks and participated in at least 19 additional plots, threats of violence, and instances of weapons stockpiling. For example:

* On August 3, Patrick Crusius shot and killed 22 people and injured 24 others at a retail store in El Paso. Police arrested Crusius shortly after the shooting and charged him with capital murder. Prior to the shooting, he posted a manifesto online with white supremacist extremist and anti-immigrant viewpoints.

* In November, federal and State authorities arrested Richard Tobin of Brooklawn (Camden County) after he admitted instructing two members of a loosely organized neo-Nazi network, The Base, to vandalize synagogues in Wisconsin and Michigan. The Base is a collective designed to unify fascists and develop a network to train members for an upcoming race war. Tobin also expressed an interest in attacking black people with a machete at a New Jersey mall.

“Over the summer, Feuerkrieg Division, an international neo-Nazi group that advocates for a race war and calls for violence against their perceived enemies, focused on identifying and recruiting members from New Jersey and New York,” the report makes clear. “The group was established overseas in late 2018 and is attempting to reach American audiences.”

On August 9, federal authorities arrested Conor Climo in Las Vegas on weapons charges. He was arraigned on allegations that he had bomb-making materials in his home and plotted to attack Jewish people and members of the LGBTQ community. Climo closely associated himself with Feuerkrieg Division.

NJOHSP encourages law enforcement, first responders, and private- and public-sector partners to report suspicious activity. The “See Something, Say Something” campaign benefits families, friends, and neighbors by bringing suspicious behavior to the attention of law enforcement. “Reporting suspicious behavior could potentially stop the next terrorist incident. Even if you think your observation is not important, it may be a piece of a larger puzzle.”

Brit Milah Controversy Renewed as 4 NYC Infants Contract Herpes

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By Howard M. Riell

The controversy surrounding metzitzah b’peh is in the news again, as at least for newborns are reported to have contracted herpes in New York City over the past six months after undergoing circumcision.

The practice involves the circumciser, or mohel, cleaning the circumcision wound via oral suction.

According to WPIX 11, referencing New York City Health Department sources, the babies or hospitalized, given intravenous antiviral drugs, and are doing well.

“The spread of neonatal herpes through ritual circumcision is a public health risk,” a Health Department official reportedly commented to WPIX. “To address this risk, we will continue to work with providers and families across our city to keep our youngest New Yorkers safe.”

Adults’ saliva can carry a type of herpes that causes minor symptoms in adults, but potentially serious symptoms in newborns, JTA reported. “A herpes infection in a newborn baby can cause brain damage and death. The custom is rarely practiced outside the haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, community. Other mohels use a sterile pipette for the practice.”

Metzitzah b’peh‎, or oral suction, has for obvious reasons become controversial. The practice has become a controversy in both secular and Jewish medical ethics. The process has the mohel place his mouth directly on the circumcision wound to draw blood away from the cut. The majority of Jewish circumcision ceremonies do not use metzitzah b’peh, but some Haredi Jews use it. It has been documented that the practice poses a serious risk of spreading herpes to the infant. Proponents maintain that there is no conclusive evidence that links herpes to metzitza, and that attempts to limit this practice infringe on religious freedom.

Due to its large Jewish population, New York City has become the center of the controversy. Five years ago, New York officials got rid of a parental consent form that had been put in place by then-mayor Michael Bloomberg. It was replaced with an educational brochure in 2015.

 According to reports, a half-dozen families in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, saw their babies contract the herpes virus from 2015 to the middle of 2017 as a result of metzitzah b’peh. It is also being reported that no fewer than 11 boys were infected with herpes during their circumcisions from 2004 to 2011. It proved fatal in two cases, and led to brain damage in the others.

“Public health experts have found that metzitzah b’peh can put babies at risk of getting a harmful virus called herpes simplex virus type 1 or HSV-1,” city health officials explains. “Some of these babies became seriously ill. Some developed brain damage, and others have died. There is no proven way to eliminate the risk of HSV-1 infection from direct oral suctioning. Many adults carry HSV-1 in their bodies. They may have no symptoms or only mild symptoms, such as cold sores. Unlike adults, babies are too young to fight the virus. When a baby gets the virus, they could have brain damage, develop a lifelong disability or, in some cases, die.”

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