Articles By
Sandy Eller
Sandy Eller is a writer on human interest stories for VosIzNeias.
- New York - Jewish Community Leads Charge To Postpone Rollout Of City’s New Death And Birth Recording System July 17, 2018 09:30 PM | 2 Comments New York - Plans to unveil an updated version of a new electronic system to officially record births and deaths within New York City in just under three months has an interfaith coalition of funeral directors and others who deal with burying the dead extremely uneasy based on the failure of a similar program that was rolled out last fall. The city’s Department of Health launched the new... Read more »
- New Jersey - Multiple Government Investigations By Different Agencies Focusing On Lakewood PD July 16, 2018 10:00 PM | 6 Comments Lakewood, NJ - For the third time in recent months, the Lakewood Police Department t has found itself scrutinized by an official agency, this time as the subject of a Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry. According to the Asbury Park Press, the department’s Traffic Safety Unit was hit with a subpoena in April, ordering the division to give the FBI all records related to serious or fatal... Read more »
- Brooklyn, NY - NYPD Hopes Video Will Help Identify Man Sought In BP Area Rape/Robbery July 14, 2018 11:30 PM | 9 Comments Brooklyn, NY - One day after a Borough Park area woman was raped by an unidentified intruder, the NYPD has released a video of a possible suspect and calling on the public for assistance in its ongoing investigation. Police said that the incident took place on Friday morning at 1 AM in an apartment building located near 52nd Street and 7th Avenue. According to the NYPD, the suspect knocked on... Read more »
- Rockland County, NY - Two Under Arrest In Robbery Of Monsey Chasidic Family’s Home July 13, 2018 03:18 PM | 5 Comments Rockland County, NY - A Monsey area family is heaving a sigh of relief as the two robbers who entered their home last Saturday night have been taken into custody by the Ramapo Police Department. 20 year old Nicholas Kurpick of Montebello and 19 year old Lonney Mathes of Airmont were arrested on Thursday and charged with felony robbery and burglary in the second degree. Police said that the... Read more »
- Alpine, NJ - Parkway Police Chief Suspended After Lengthy List Of Violations Emerges Including Ticketing Incentive Program July 12, 2018 10:52 PM | 13 Comments Alpine, NJ - A nearly eight month long review of the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department has led to a significant punishment for its commanding officer. According to NJ.com, a report released on Thursday afternoon by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office hammered the department on several counts, prompting the 90 day suspension of Chief Michael Coppola effective July 16th. The... Read more »
- Brooklyn, NY - Hikind Investigating Abuse Allegations Against Noted BP Doctor, Asks Victims To Come Forward July 9, 2018 03:51 PM | 29 Comments Brooklyn, NY - Allegations of possible improprieties have surfaced against a Borough Park doctor, according to an elected official from Brooklyn. Assemblyman Dov Hikind took to Twitter this morning to announce that his office is looking into possible instances of abuse perpetuated by “a prominent Boro Park doctor.” Hikind said that he first began researching the matter after being... Read more »
- Monroe, NY - Secular Studies Provision Has Satmar Dissidents School Rejecting Government Bond July 8, 2018 02:15 PM | 16 Comments Monroe, NY - An $8 million bond awarded to a Kiryas Joel area school last summer has been paid back in full after horrified parents discovered that the funds had been awarded exclusively for secular purposes. According to the Times Herald Record, the loan was issued in July 2017 to Congregation Bnai Yoel, which serves families who have long been at odds with Kiryas Joel’s main community... Read more »
- Monroe, NY - Former Town Supervisor And Strong KJ Supporter Doles Dies Unexpectedly July 7, 2018 11:04 PM | 12 Comments Monroe, NY - Harley Doles, the former supervisor of the Town of Monroe, and an outspoken advocate on behalf of the Village of Kiryas Joel, died suddenly on Friday. News 12 reported that the 63 year old Doles, the father of triplet teenage daughters and husband of Supreme Court Justice Maria Vasquez-Doles, was outside his home when he suffered an apparent heart attack. Efforts to resuscitate... Read more »
- Borough Park, NY - Gowns And More Go Up In Flames As Fire Rips Through Dressmaker’s Shop In BP Home July 3, 2018 12:50 PM | 3 Comments Borough Park, NY - A two alarm fire ripped through a Borough Park home that was also the site a popular women’s tailoring business this morning, destroying an unknown amount of high end clothing and wedding gowns. According to the FDNY the fire was caused by an air conditioner. The blaze at 1109 57th Street was reported to the FDNY at 8:54 AM by the home’s alarm system. A pair of fire... Read more »
- Brooklyn, NY - Video: Civilian Chases Down Off Duty Cop Driving Intoxicated On Ocean Parkway July 3, 2018 12:18 PM | 11 Comments Brooklyn, NY - An off duty NYPD officer is under arrest after reportedly crashing into a car on Ocean Parkway while under the influence of alcohol and hitting a witness who confronted him just moments later. Police said that 28 year old Tanvir Ahmed was arrested on Monday at 9:26 PM within the confines of the 62 Precinct which encompasses Bensonhurst, Mapleton and Bath Beach for the incident... Read more »
- Miami, FL - Jewish Florida Dad Dies, Family Members Hospitalized After Vehicle Jumps Curb July 2, 2018 04:15 PM | 3 Comments Miami, FL - A late day trip to the park turned tragic for a South Florida family who were struck by an out of control van as they waited to cross the street. Sources said that Amir Pelleg, his wife Zulma, and their young daughters Aviva and Ariella had gone to the Gilbert Samson Oceanfront Park across from their Sunny Isles Beach home on Sunday evening and were waiting at a bus stop to cross... Read more »
- Kiryas Joel, NY - 183 Days And Counting: Cuomo Approves Bill To Accelerate Town Of Palm Tree’s Creation July 2, 2018 02:01 PM | 13 Comments Kiryas Joel, NY - A bill signed into law today by Governor Andrew Cuomo has bumped up the timetable for the official creation the Town of Palm Tree, which will be officially created a full year earlier than originally scheduled. As previously reported on VIN News, voters approved a proposal last November to remove the Village of Kiryas Joel from the Town of Monroe, spinning it into the Town of... Read more »
- Jerusalem - Brooklyn Yeshiva Student Sustains Critical Head Injury After Being Hit By Falling Object July 1, 2018 08:34 PM | 4 Comments Jerusalem - A Chasidic yeshiva student from Williamsburg is in critical condition tonight in Jerusalem after being struck in the head by an object falling from several stories overhead. The incident took place at approximately 11:30 PM Sunday night at Kikar Shabbos, according to United Hatzalah president and founder Eli Beer who responded to the call. Beer was doing a shift in a... Read more »
- New York, NY - Annual Jewish Heritage Celebration Has New York’s First Couple Categorizing Trump Immigration Policy As Un-Jewish June 27, 2018 11:50 AM | 18 Comments New York - Several hundred people turned out at Gracie Mansion on Tuesday night for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Jewish Heritage reception, an annual celebration of the Jewish community’s contributions to New York City. Amid a strictly kosher barbeque featuring hamburgers, vegetarian burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, salads, pickles, wine, beer, watermelon, brownies and blue and white cookies... Read more »
- Montreal - Video Of Hatzolah Member Saving His Son With Heimlich Maneuver Emphasizes Importance Of Safety Training June 26, 2018 01:00 PM | 1 Comments Montreal - A Montreal Hatzolah member who used the Heimlich maneuver to save his own son’s life is urging people to learn lifesaving rescue techniques in order to avoid future tragedies. Berry Weiss said that he was working in the kitchen of Yeshiva Yam Hatalmud in Montreal yesterday when his 14 year old son paid him a quick visit. Tasting a peach half, Weiss’s son began to choke, as... Read more »
- Jerusalem - El Al To Charedim: Take Your Assigned Seat Or Get Off The Plane June 25, 2018 10:50 PM | 53 Comments Jerusalem - Just days after four Charedi men caused a delay on an El Al flight after refusing to sit next to women, the Israeli airline has announced that it will remove any passengers who refuse to sit in their ticketed seats. Ynet News reported that the abrupt change of policy came about after Barak Eilam, CEO of global software solutions provider NICE Systems, announced on Linked In today... Read more »
- New York - Haredi Bicyclist Critical After Staten Island Crash June 22, 2018 05:14 PM | 2 Comments Staten Island, NY - A 32 year old Jewish bicyclist is in critical condition after being hit by a car this morning in Staten Island. Police said that the collision between the cyclist and the light colored BMW took place at approximately 9:15 this morning at Victory Boulevard and Renwick Avenue. Officers who responded to the scene found the injured cyclist with injuries that were... Read more »
- Bethel, NY - Head Counselor At Pupa Camp Dies In Upstate Collision June 20, 2018 09:02 PM | 3 Comments Bethel, NY - A beloved Borough Park educator died today after being injured in a head on collision in the Catskills. Sources said that 42 year old Reuven Chaim Biller, the long time head counselor of the Pupa’s Yeshiva Kehilath Yakov camp in Swan Lake, was critically injured when a vehicle driven by a 17 year old crossed into the lane of oncoming traffic and struck his car at approximately... Read more »
- New York - Bail Set For Drivers In Devastating Collision That Killed Engaged Jewish Couple June 20, 2018 04:48 PM | 2 Comments New York - Two and a half months after the horrific crash that took the lives of a newly Jewish engaged couple on the Nassau Expressway, the two drivers who caused the collision were arraigned today at the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola. 35 year old Rahmel Watkins of Brooklyn was charged with two felony counts of manslaughter in the second degree and four felony counts of assault in the... Read more »
- New York - NYS Thruway Mincha Area To Open June 21st June 20, 2018 03:00 PM | 2 Comments New York - Once again, travelers making their way up to the Catskills on Thursday nights will be able to stop for Mincha and Maariv minyanim as of Thursday, June 21st at the Sloatsburg Rest Area, located on the northbound Thruway between exits 15A and 16. The gathering area will be open from 5 to 11 PM each Thursday night throughout the summer travel season. Travelers are advised... Read more »
- London - Day Of Prayer For London’s Charedi Schools Draws 7,000 In Stamford Hill June 19, 2018 02:58 PM | 5 Comments London - An estimated 7,000 people turned out in Stamford Hill this afternoon to demonstrate their opposition to potential government interference in the Charedi education system. Multiple calls have been issued for London’s Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Schools, to crack down on Charedi schools because of their failure to include liberal British... Read more »
- New York - Kosher/Halal Meal Program To Roll Out In NYC Schools Under City Council Pilot Program June 18, 2018 09:31 PM | 4 Comments New York - Students in four New York City schools who adhere to kosher or halal diets will be the beneficiaries of a groundbreaking pilot program introduced by the City Council offering them free lunches during the upcoming school year. As previously reported on VIN News, Mayor Bill de Blasio kicked off the 2017 – 2018 school year with an announcement that all public school students would... Read more »
- Brooklyn, NY - Community Meeting Prompts Bais Sarah To Implement Training Sessions And Bring In Third Party Expert On Abuse June 14, 2018 09:05 PM | 8 Comments Brooklyn, NY - More than a month after a storm of allegations arose regarding possible improprieties taking place at a prominent girls’ school in Borough Park, new policies are will be implemented for the upcoming school year in order to ensure greater student safety. As previously reported on VIN News, Assemblyman Dov Hikind announced that he had been contacted by multiple parents whose... Read more »
- Rockland County, NY - Citing Pressure From Overzealous Realtors, Cease And Desist Zone Enacted In Chestnut Ridge June 12, 2018 02:31 PM | 9 Comments New York - Rockland County’s Village of Chestnut Ridge has joined portions of Queens and the Bronx on the state’s list of official cease and desist zones, making it illegal for real estate professionals to approach registered homeowners about selling their property as of July 1st. The designation as an official cease and desist zone was created in response to complaints of “unwanted... Read more »
- Manhattan, NY - Always On Call, United Hatzalah Founder Responds To NYC Emergency On Israeli Ambucycle June 11, 2018 01:20 PM | 2 Comments Manhattan, NY - What should have been a routine commute was anything but when Israel’s United Hatzalah founder Eli Beer found himself responding to a medical emergency on one of his agency’s specialized ambucycles in Midtown Manhattan this morning. Beer was on his way to a 10 AM meeting with a potential donor when he saw a police officer providing medical attention to a man laying on the... Read more »
- Brooklyn, NY - NYPD Investigating Facebook User Vowing To Continue Targeting Chasidic Children June 8, 2018 11:31 AM | 22 Comments Brooklyn, NY - Detectives in the NYPD’s 90 Precinct are investigating a pair of videos posted to social media in recent days showing a black teenager gleefully harassing two Chasidic boys and pledging to continue his anti-Semitic escapades on camera. The first video, posted by user Bryan Jackson on June 2nd, bears the words “Always botherin these jews bad” and shows Jackson making noises... Read more »
- Monroe, NY - Rabbi: Full Recoveries Expected For All Students In Bungalow Explosion/Fire June 8, 2018 09:42 AM | 1 Comments Monroe, NY - All of the students injured in last night’s Monroe area bungalow explosion and fire are expected to make a full recovery, according to school officials. As previously reported on VIN News, a two alarm fire broke out at approximately 12:15 AM last night following an explosion in a bungalow at Quaker Hill Cottages. Multiple Orange County fire crews raced to the scene on Cromwell... Read more »
- New Jersey - Minor Injuries As Yeshiva School Bus Flips On Turnpike Ramp June 7, 2018 04:18 PM | 12 Comments New Jersey - Four people from a Hasidic yeshiva in Brooklyn were taken to area hospitals after the school bus they were riding overturned on a busy New Jersey highway. The students were from Talmud Torah Mevakshei Hashem, located on Ocean Parkway in Kensington between Ditmas Avenue and Avenue F. A woman who answered the phone at the yeshiva said that three students were injured in the... Read more »
- New York - Jewish Councilman Wants Separate Swimming Beach Days In Brooklyn June 7, 2018 09:24 AM | 12 Comments Brooklyn, NY - It will be two days of fun in the sun, with a Brooklyn councilman making the arrangements for men’s and women’s-only hours at a Kings County beach. City Councilman Chaim Deutsch put the plan into play with Kingsborough Community College which will open its secluded beach to men and boys on Friday, June 29th and to women and girls on Friday, July 27th. Beachgoers will... Read more »
- Highland Mills, NY - Orange County Housing Development Facing $7.5 Million Suit For Discriminating Against Hasidic Residents June 6, 2018 02:34 PM | 24 Comments Highland Mills, NY - A lawsuit filed against a private community in the Kiryas Joel area may be just the tip of the iceberg, with Hasidic families alleging that they are being subjected to discrimination and harassment in their quest to find suitable housing. The $7.5 million federal lawsuit brought by 11 Hasidic Jews charges that they were enveloped by a climate of hostility created by the... Read more »
