Trailblazing Female Architect Succumbs To Covid-19 & Other Orthodox Jews in the News

How a Nurse Who Gives Last Rites Spends His Sundays
Yaakov Shereshevsky has been saying the Viduy, a Jewish prayer, for terminal Covid patients, since rabbis are not allowed in hospital rooms. Shereshevsky, 34, who is an Orthodox Jew, lives in Georgetown, Brooklyn, with his wife Leah, 33, an occupational therapist, and their four children. In his spare time he volunteers as an E.M.S. and E.M.T. worker.

Senior Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis Rule Berland Committed Sexual Violations
Three highly respected rabbinical judges from the ultra-Orthodox community have through a special court they convened determined that the public should distance themselves from the fraudulent rabbi Eliezer Berland and concluded that he did indeed commit the acts of sexual assault he was convicted of by Israel’s criminal courts. The rabbis said that the “severe” sexual crimes and violations of religious law Berland committed “were done,” and accused Berland’s followers of heresy for claiming in public and in writing that the sexual crimes and sins he committed were permitted.

Lenora Garfinkel, Monsey architect who designed Atrium, Viznitz synagogue, dies of COVID-19
Lenora Garfinkel didn’t just break glass ceilings — she built strong structures. Women architects were not common when Garfinkel started in the field in the 1950s. Her career stretched more than 60 years and delivered distinctive buildings that served the greater Orthodox Jewish community throughout the metropolitan area.

The Split Between the Ultra-Orthodox and Secular Jews Must Be Repaired
As you enter into office, please know that we are eager to work with you to foster peace and acceptance throughout the Jewish world. I trust that you will work diligently to reestablish Israel as a state for all Jews and be a light among nations.

This Ultra-Orthodox Lawyer Is Tasked With Saving Israel’s Diaspora Ties
Lawmaker Omer Yankelevich is the first ultra-Orthodox woman to be appointed to a ministerial position. The mother of five, 42, had been running a small nonprofit when former army chief of staff Benny Gantz recruited her to his new political party last year. How a former Bais Yaakov girl worked her way up the political ladder and into the inner circle of Israel’s next prime minister has naturally sparked curiosity.

Holy Cow! Despite Closed Borders, Argentina to Fly in Rabbis to Certify Kosher Meat
Argentina, which has enforced one of the world’s toughest travel bans against the coronavirus, plans to help charter a private flight to bring in rabbis from Israel to certify meat at the country’s packing plants for kosher markets around the world. The trip is key to Argentina being able to maintain beef exports to key buyer Israel, which has become increasingly important with exports stalled to the European Union and sharply down to major buyer China.

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