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Medical crises don’t take a break for Yom Tov. This Pesach, hundreds of families in our community will face the overwhelming challenge of navigating hospital stays and medical treatments while trying to maintain the simcha of Pesach.
Lev Rochel Bikur Cholim of Lakewood (LRBC) has been a lifeline for these families, providing comprehensive support through their network of essential services.
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$1,440: Yom Tov seudos for a large family for the entire Yom Tov
$720: Yom Tov seudos for a small family for the entire Yom Tov
$1,000: Stock a hospital pantry for Yom Tov
$360: Yom Tov seuda for a large family
$180: Yom Tov seder for a small family
“Dealing with unfamiliar hospitals, doctors, and treatments while alone is an extremely overwhelming and isolating experience,” shares an LRBC representative.
“When coupled with Yom Tov preparations, the burden becomes unbearable for many families. Your donation ensures that no one in our community faces these daunting medical challenges alone.”
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Friendship House accommodations near hospitals
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For donor advised funds, tax ID: 223251871
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Yesterday, the Egyptian government revealed plans for a high-level summit set to take place in Cairo on Monday, bringing together Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to the formal announcement, the gathering will center on strategies to implement an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and explore renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilizing the region.
During a recent telephone conversation between President Al-Sisi and President Macron, the two leaders stressed “the importance of de-escalation through an immediate ceasefire in Gaza” and called for the swift and unhindered delivery of humanitarian supplies.
The statement further noted that President Macron will travel to El-Arish, a city in northern Sinai, where he plans to meet with humanitarian groups and personally monitor the coordination of aid being sent into the Gaza Strip.
{Matzav.com}
The head of the Shin Bet’s Jewish Division announced on Sunday that he is suspending himself from his position until the completion of an internal investigation regarding statements he made about the arrest of Jews in Yehudah and Shomron without evidence that were revealed by Kan News on Motzei Shabbos. The officer, identified only as A., also referred to settlers in a highly disparaging manner. In an internal statement he sent to the division’s employees, he wrote: “I deeply regret the style of the remarks that were made, which does not characterize my way of conduct with the many other elements with whom we cooperate.” “I completely reject the attempt to create an appearance of work that is not in accordance with the law and the values of restraint of force. I failed in my language in a way that does not match the values of the service and my values, and therefore, in order to allow a thorough examination and out of my duty to set a personal example, I am suspending myself from my position as head of the division until the completion of the comprehensive investigation into the matter.” Religious Zionist Ministers Betzalel Smotrich and Orit Strock sent an urgent letter on Sunday to National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi demanding that the political-security cabinet be convened as soon as possible to discuss the conduct of the Shin Bet towards Jewish suspects in Yehudah and Shomron. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that the United States was revoking all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, accusing the African nation’s government of “taking advantage of the United States.” “Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them,” Rubio said in a statement, adding that “South Sudan’s transitional government has failed to fully respect this principle.” Besides revoking visas, Rubio said the U.S. would “prevent further issuance to prevent entry into the United States by South Sudanese passport holders.” South Sudan’s political landscape is fragile and recent violence between government troops and armed opposition groups has escalated tensions. Last week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged regional and international leaders to prevent South Sudan from falling “over the abyss” into another civil war. Guterres warned that the world’s newest and one of its poorest countries is facing “a security emergency” with intensifying clashes and a “political upheaval” culminating with last week’s arrest by the government of First Vice President Riek Machar. (AP)
Former senior IDF officer Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez Winner, who led the Southern Command’s operational team for 12 years, spoke with Reshet Bet on Sunday morning about what has prevented Hamas’ defeat and the return of all the hostages. Winner said that he had written a plan to defeat Hamas back in January 2014, but “the understanding was that Gaza is a secondary arena. The understanding was that if you break it, you pay for it. That is, if you take the responsibility from Hamas, anyone who comes after it will probably be worse, so let’s leave Hamas alone.” “You probably remember the expressions ‘weakened,’ ‘deterred,’ ‘Gaza is a secondary arena,’ and ‘we must not allow it to grab the attention and resources of the State of Israel.'” “At certain times over the years, I thought that we had to conquer the entire Strip and take down Hamas. But I understood that the State chose differently because it prioritized other arenas. I understood the logic of the decisions of those years, but we still should have acted differently.” Winner noted that he participated in hundreds of discussions at various levels. “It was clear that this was the decision: Gaza is a secondary arena and we need to push it aside as much as possible.” Regarding the post-October 7 war in Gaza, Winner asserted that former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi made a grave error by refusing to impose temporary military rule over Gaza. “The big mistake, which is what led us to prolong the war, is the issue of not applying military rule,” he said. “In other words, our lack of control over civilian aid. We were forced to bring aid into the Strip in excessive quantities at the request of our American friends and others, and we allowed Hamas to maintain control with the help of the aid – the right hand struck Hamas, and the left hand fed and provided for it.” Winner explained: “The plan was a fundamental change in civilian aid. It’s vital that the IDF has full control over what reaches Gaza. Hamas would then lose its power, Gazan civilians will lose their fear, and local elements would rise up. If we combine the voluntary immigration plan of our friend Trump, which I think has a realistic possibility of being implemented, together with action against Hamas outside Israel – Hamas could be defeated in less than three months.” Winner added that the “noise” protesters made around the issue of the hostages deterred the release of the hostages. According to him, what led to the release of the hostages was military pressure. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
In a stunning new twist to the long-running saga of Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, newly surfaced federal documents show that the son of then-Vice President Joe Biden directly sought — and received — help from the Obama State Department on behalf of a Ukrainian energy firm that was paying him a million-dollar salary. The documents show Hunter used his connections within the administration to secure diplomatic assistance for a geothermal subsidiary of Burisma Holdings operating in Italy. The revelation adds fresh fuel to Republican allegations of influence peddling by the Biden family during the Obama years. In July 2016, then-U.S. Ambassador to Italy John Phillips responded to a letter from Hunter with a striking offer: diplomatic assistance in brokering a meeting between Burisma representatives and Enrico Rossi, the president of Italy’s Tuscany region. “I know Enrico Rossi well and have a good working relationship with him,” Phillips wrote. “I’ve asked [a senior embassy official] to be the point of contact, see where our interests may overlap, and facilitate contact.” The letter, obtained and published by The New York Times, follows an earlier message from Hunter in which he asked the U.S. embassy in Rome for help arranging the meeting, referencing a recent visit to the city with his father, then-VP Biden. Phillips confirmed that Hunter appeared to be referring to a three-day official stay at the ambassador’s residence in 2015, during which both Bidens were present. A representative for Hunter claimed the mention of the trip was “heartfelt appreciation” and not an attempt to invoke his father’s political clout. Still, critics argue the timing and tone suggest otherwise. “This is yet another example of the Biden family’s playbook,” said House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), who has led inquiries into alleged Biden family influence schemes. “Hunter cozies up to U.S. and foreign officials, cashes in on the Biden name, and gets the government to grease the wheels for his foreign paymasters.” Burisma hired Hunter Biden in 2014 to help polish the reputation of the company’s pro-Russian owner, Mykola Zlochevsky, following Ukraine’s revolution. At the time, Joe Biden had just taken over the White House’s Ukraine portfolio. Despite having no relevant experience in the energy sector, Hunter landed a lucrative board seat and, as recently as 2019, admitted he likely wouldn’t have been hired “if my last name weren’t Biden.” The newly uncovered records appear to corroborate long-standing claims that Hunter used his family name to secure preferential treatment and high-level access — and that officials in the Obama administration were responsive to his overtures. Compounding the controversy are earlier reports and laptop emails indicating that Joe Biden met with several of Hunter’s business associates — despite his repeated denials. These include alleged meetings with figures from China, Mexico, Russia, and Ukraine. The documents also reignite questions about Joe Biden’s role in the 2016 firing of Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who had been investigating Burisma’s leadership. Biden famously threatened to withhold $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees unless Ukraine removed Shokin — a move Biden has defended as U.S. policy but which critics now view with suspicion, given the potential conflict of interest. Sworn testimony from Devon Archer, a former Hunter business partner, has revealed that Hunter called his father from Dubai during a meeting with Burisma executives in December […]
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy delivered a stern condemnation of the Israeli government yesterday after two Labour Members of Parliament were denied entry and deported, according to a report in The Guardian.
The MPs in question, Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, were stopped at the border and turned away later that day amid concerns over the nature of their visit and suspected ulterior motives.
During interrogation by Israeli officials, the two parliamentarians claimed to be part of a sanctioned British parliamentary delegation. However, Israeli authorities quickly determined that this claim was baseless, as no governmental body in Israel had been informed of any such official visit.
Further investigation revealed that the true objective behind their visit was allegedly to gather material against Israeli defense personnel and promote damaging falsehoods about the country. Consequently, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel of Shas exercised his legal authority to bar the MPs and their team from entering, instructing that they be expelled from the country.
In response to the developments, Lammy issued a public statement Saturday night, saying, “It is unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities.”
He went on to say, “I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support.”
Lammy also reiterated the UK’s diplomatic priorities in the region, with a focus on restoring calm and facilitating negotiations in Gaza. “The UK government’s focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza,” he stated.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump sought to shut down swirling rumors about Elon Musk’s potential departure from the administration, delivering a full-throated defense of his embattled advisor while teasing a mysterious and “horrible” new discovery uncovered by their government overhaul initiative. Speaking to reporters during a flight aboard Air Force One, Trump described Musk as “fantastic,” “a patriot,” and “a smart person,” and insisted he hopes the billionaire entrepreneur remains in his orbit “as long as possible.” “Elon is fantastic. He’s a patriot. I think it’s a shame what they’re doing to him with his car company. It’s a great car, great product. It tells you what a patriot he is,” Trump said, lavishing praise on Musk’s contributions both to the private sector and to his government initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The president hinted that DOGE and Musk had just uncovered a significant — and as yet unrevealed — scandal as part of their sweeping audit of federal spending. “We found hundreds — think of it — hundreds of millions of dollars of fraud and abuse and waste. They are still going. They are going strong. They found something today that is horrible. It is horrible,” Trump said, refusing to elaborate but promising more details “soon.” The president declined to provide a firm timeline for Musk’s expected exit but suggested the tech mogul may step away from his advisory role “within a few months” to focus on his many business ventures. “I would say Elon will stay for a certain period of time, and then he’s going to want to get back to his businesses full-time,” Trump said. “But he’s done a fantastic job.” The president also revealed he’s open to appointing Musk to a formal position. “I would. I think Elon’s great. But he also has a company to run — or a number of companies to run,” he said. Trump’s comments come on the heels of a Politico report claiming the president has been privately telling allies that Musk’s time in the administration is winding down and that DOGE, the agency Musk helped spearhead, would soon take a lower profile. White House officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have dismissed that narrative, insisting that Musk remains a key advisor and that his role at DOGE was always meant to be temporary. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The United Nations Human Rights Council has chosen to renew Francesca Albanese’s mandate as special rapporteur on human rights in what it refers to as the “Palestinian territories,” extending her term for another three years. This decision comes despite ongoing backlash over her consistent record of anti-Israel rhetoric and conduct.
Albanese, who was originally appointed in 2022, had her role reaffirmed after it passed the necessary procedural vote among the 47 member states. Israel strongly opposed the extension, and efforts to block the reappointment were backed by Hungary and Argentina, but those attempts did not succeed, as reported by Ynet.
Within both international diplomacy and human rights advocacy, Albanese has drawn significant controversy. Israeli officials and numerous advocacy groups have persistently accused her of being overtly hostile to Israel and of allowing her personal bias to dominate her professional assessments.
Concerns about Albanese’s stance were first spotlighted in 2022, when she made social media posts asserting that the “Jewish lobby” exerts control over the United States government.
At the time, Albanese denied that these remarks were antisemitic. She insisted they had been “mischaracterized,” though accusations of bias have only intensified since then.
Her antagonism toward Israel has escalated notably following the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, during which more than 1,200 Israelis were murdered and 250 taken hostage. Albanese referred to the atrocity as something that must be seen in “context” and described it as a response to supposed Israeli “aggression.”
In subsequent months, Albanese has gone even further, accusing Israel of perpetrating genocide. She has publicly drawn parallels between the Israeli government and the “Third Reich,” and even compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.
{Matzav.com}
One person was killed Sunday as Russian air strikes hit the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, while the death toll from Friday’s deadly attack on the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih continued to rise. The Kyiv victim was found close to the strike’s epicenter of the attack in the city’s Darnytskyi district, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. A further three people were injured in the strike, which saw fires break out in several nonresidential areas, damaging cars and buildings. In a statement on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the intensifying Russian attacks showed that there is still insufficient international pressure on Moscow. He said Russia has launched more than 1,460 guided aerial bombs, nearly 670 attack drones and more than 30 missiles at Ukraine in the past week alone. “These attacks are (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s response to all international diplomatic efforts. Each of our partners — the United States, all of Europe, the entire world — has seen that Russia intends to continue the war and the killing,” Zelenskyy said. “That is why there can be no easing of pressure. All efforts must be aimed at guaranteeing security and bringing peace closer.” Meanwhile, officials said that the death toll from Friday’s attack on the central city of Kryvyi Rih had continued to grow, with 19 dead — including many children — and a further 75 wounded. Oleksandr Vilkul, head of Kryvyi Rih’s military administration, declared three days of mourning for the attack, starting on April 7. He said that there was “pain in the hearts of millions of people”. “Together we will stand. And no matter how difficult it is, we will win,” he said. “The enemy will be punished for every Ukrainian and for every mother’s tear.” Local authorities said the Kryvyi Rih strike damaged 44 apartment buildings and 23 private houses. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Friday that it had carried out a high-precision missile strike with a high explosive warhead on a restaurant where a meeting with unit commanders and Western instructors was taking place. Russian military claimed that the strike killed 85 military personnel and foreign officers and destroyed 20 vehicles. The military’s claims could not be independently verified. The Ukrainian General Staff rejected the claims. Elsewhere, Russian troops fired 23 missiles and 109 strike and decoy drones across Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said Sunday. Thirteen missiles and 40 drones were shot down, while 53 decoy drones were jammed and did not reach their destinations, it said. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its air defenses had destroyed 11 Ukrainian drones, including eight over the Rostov region and two over the Kursk region. (AP)
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The Northern District Attorney’s Office on Sunday filed an indictment in the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court against Eyal Yaffe, 72, a resident of Gan Ner, for illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. Yaffe was arrested last month after he was caught on video harassing a female Border Police officer at a left-wing protest against the government in Jerusalem. During his arrest, the police discovered a large cache of illegal weapons in his home, including a Kalashnikov rifle and ammunition, a submachine gun with ammunition and two cartridges, a stun grenade, and a tear gas grenade. In addition, 12 cartridges and more ammunition were found in his home. The prosecution stated in its request for Yaffe’s detention until the end of proceedings that it would consider agreeing to his release to full house arrest under the supervision of guardians, the posting of bail, and the relinquishment of weapons the defendant is licensed to own. The police stated that the investigative materials relating to the suspicion of harassing the female officer were transferred to the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office for review. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
About 45 years have passed since a U.S. state last eliminated its income tax on wages and salaries. But with recent actions in Mississippi and Kentucky, two states now are on a path to do so, if their economies keep growing. The push to zero out the income tax is perhaps the most aggressive example of a tax-cutting trend that swept across states as they rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic with surging revenues and historic surpluses. But it comes during a time of greater uncertainty for states, as they wait to see whether President Donald Trump’s cost cutting and tariffs lead to a reduction in federal funding for states and a downturn in the overall economy. Some fiscal analysts also warn the repeal of income taxes could leave states reliant on other levies, such as sales taxes, that disproportionately affect the poor. Which governments charge income tax? The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to levy income taxes. It was ratified by states in 1913. Since then, most states have adopted their own income taxes. Eight states currently charge no personal income tax: Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming. A ninth state, Washington, charges no personal income tax on wages and salaries but does tax certain capital gains income over $270,000. When Alaska repealed its personal income tax in 1980, it did so because state coffers were overflowing with billions of dollars in oil money. Though income tax eliminations have been proposed elsewhere, they have not been successful. “It’s a lot easier to go without an individual income tax if you’ve never levied one,” said Katherine Loughead, a senior analyst and research manager at the nonprofit Tax Foundation. “But once you become dependent on that revenue, it is a lot more difficult to phase out or eliminate that tax.” What is Mississippi doing? Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves recently signed a law gradually reducing the state’s income tax rate from 4% to 3% by 2030 and setting state revenue growth benchmarks that could trigger additional incremental cuts until the tax is eliminated. The law also reduces the sales tax on groceries and raises the gasoline tax. If cash reserves are fully funded and revenue triggers are met each year, Mississippi’s income tax could be gone by 2040. Supporters of an income tax repeal hope it will attract both businesses and residents, elevating the state’s economy to the likes of Florida, Tennessee and Texas. Their theory is that when people pay less in income taxes, they will have more money to spend, thus boosting sales tax collections. The tax repeal “puts us in a rare class of elite, competitive states,” Reeves said in a statement. He added, “Mississippi has the potential to be a magnet for opportunity, for investment, for talent –- and for families looking to build a better life.” Mississippi is among the most impoverished states and relies heavily on federal funding. Democratic lawmakers warned the state could face a financial crises if cuts in federal funding come at the same time as state income tax reductions. The income tax provides “a huge percentage of what the state brings in to fund things like schools and health care and services that everybody relies on,” said Neva Butkus, senior analyst at the nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. What has […]
The Lavi organization submitted an urgent petition to the Supreme Court on Friday demanding that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara be ordered to refrain from dealing with the affairs of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and former Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman. The petition is based on a recent revelation of personal friendships spanning decades between Baharav-Miara and her husband, and Bar and Argaman. The Attorney-General’s husband, Tzion Miara, served as a Shin Bet operative before he became ill 20 years ago and was diagnosed with ALS. Bar and Argaman were Miara’s Shin Bet colleagues and close friends who maintained contact with him after he became ill and homebound. Despite her close personal ties with Bar, Baharav-Miara became involved in his case to a degree that even Supreme Court justices disagreed with. She froze Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s dismissal of Bar and even fabricated a “legal decision” that he is forbidden from interviewing candidates for the position until a hearing is held on the matter. Regarding Argaman, Baharav-Miara is personally involved in a petition he filed regarding the government commission of inquiry on spyware, when she “surprisingly’ refused to represent the government’s position and instead adopted Argaman’s position. The petition filed by the Lavi organization includes tangible evidence of Baharav-Miara’s personal connections to Bar and Argaman, such as reports by Baharav-Miara’s brother-in-law documenting visits and social gatherings and describing the close relationship between the families. The petition details how Baharav Miara’s conduct violates a series of laws, including a section in the Civil Service Regulations that prohibits a public servant from being involved in a matter in which he/she may be in a conflict of interest; the rules of ethics for state employees that require self-disqualification in handling the cases of personal friends; as well as the conflict of interest arrangement that Baharav-Miara herself signed. The Lavi organization stated that attempts were made to resolve the problem out of court. The organization contacted the Ministry of Justice on March 27, 2025, demanding that the conflict of interest be addressed, but the request was completely ignored. A journalist’s inquiry on the matter was also answered with “no comment.” “Every moment in which Baharav-Miara deals with matters in which she is in a personal conflict of interest, which she does not deny at all, contaminates these proceedings,” the petition states. “This conduct harms public trust in the law enforcement system and constitutes a very problematic example for all public servants in the country.” The petition also emphasizes the contradiction in Baharav-Miara’s conduct, which, on the one hand, adheres to strict conflict of interest rules towards other parties, and on the other hand, ignores a significant conflict of interest in her own affairs. The petition demands that the Supreme Court issue a conditional order and a temporary injunction ordering Baharav-Miara to update her conflict of interest arrangement and immediately withdraw from any involvement in petitions related to Mr. Bar and Mr. Argaman. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The US transferred a second THAAD air defense battery and two Patriot batteries to Israel, the Saudi Al-Hadath channel reported on Motzei Shabbos. The report comes amid record tension between the US and Iran and the extensive military operation the US is carrying out against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. A US transport plane, the C-5M Super Galaxy, was tracked landing at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel on Shabbos and remaining there for about eight hours. The first THAAD [Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System], along with about 100 US soldiers, was deployed to Israel by the Biden administration in the wake of Iran’s attack on Israel on October 1, 2024. It was used for the first time at the end of 2024 to intercept a missile launched at Israel from Yemen Army Radio journalist Doron Kadosh noted that “we need to connect the dots and look at the whole picture: the US is transferring a lot of military equipment to the region – both offensive and defensive. This joins the aircraft carriers that are making their way to the region and the large quantity of strategic bombers that are already on the island of Diego Garcia.” “According to publications in international media, the US is placing the systems in question in the area as a possible preparation for an attack in Iran. The meaning: the US is placing a credible military threat in our region against the Iranians, offensive and defensive, as leverage to bring them to an improved nuclear agreement.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump’s administration has decided not to cover expensive, high-demand obesity treatments under the federal government’s Medicare program. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said late Friday that it would not cover the medications under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug coverage. Medicare covers health care expenses mainly for people age 65 and older. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, proposed a rule in late November after Trump won re-election that would have extended coverage of drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy. The rule was not expected to be finalized until Trump took office. Trump returned to office in January. The Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Thursday. CMS did not offer an explanation Friday for its decision, and federal spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been an outspoken opponent of the injectable drugs, which have exploded in popularity due to the potentially life-changing weight loss that some patients experience. Polls show Americans favor having Medicaid and Medicare cover the costs. But many insurers, employers and other bill payers have been reluctant to pay for the drugs, which can be used by a wide swath of the population and can cost hundreds of dollars a month. Biden’s proposal was expensive: It would have included coverage for all state- and federally funded Medicaid programs for people with low incomes, costing taxpayers as much as $35 billion over next decade. Proponents of the coverage have argued that treating obesity can actually reduce longer-term costs by cutting down on heart attacks and other expensive health complications that can arise from the disease. The benefits consultant Mercer has said that 44% of U.S. companies with 500 or more employees covered obesity drugs last year. Medicare does pay for drugs like Wegovy for patients who have heart disease and need to reduce their risk of future heart attacks, strokes and other serious problems. The federal program also covers versions of the drugs that treat diabetes. More than a dozen state Medicaid programs already cover the drugs for obesity. (AP)
New York state officials have pushed back against the Trump administration’s directive to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from public schools, making it clear they won’t comply—even with the threat of losing federal education dollars.
In a letter sent Friday to the U.S. Department of Education, Daniel Morton-Bentley, legal counsel and deputy commissioner at the New York State Education Department, expressed strong objections, questioning the federal agency’s legal basis for such an ultimatum.
“We understand that the current administration seeks to censor anything it deems ‘diversity, equity & inclusion,’” he wrote. “But there are no federal or State laws prohibiting the principles of DEI.”
Morton-Bentley also emphasized that state officials do not recognize any legitimate authority the federal education department has to dictate how states interpret legal rulings or to cut off funding without following a formal process.
As of now, the U.S. Department of Education has not issued a public response to inquiries about the state’s position.
On Thursday, the Trump administration instructed all K-12 schools across the country to submit certifications within 10 days confirming that they comply with civil rights laws and have dismantled what it terms discriminatory DEI programs. These certifications are now a condition for receiving federal education funds, which account for roughly 6% of New York’s overall K-12 school funding.
“Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right,” said Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, when announcing the requirement. He argued that numerous educational institutions have disregarded their legal duties, “including by using DEI programs to discriminate against one group of Americans to favor another.”
The certification form requires education leaders to acknowledge that continued access to federal aid hinges on adherence to federal civil rights statutes. It also includes several pages of legal interpretation provided by the administration.
At the heart of the threat is Title I funding, a major source of federal financial support aimed at assisting schools in low-income communities.
In his letter, Morton-Bentley noted that the state has repeatedly affirmed to the federal government its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, with the most recent assurance sent in January. He maintained that the federal government’s current approach rests on a misreading of the law.
“Given the fact that you are already in possession of guarantees by NYSED that it has and will comply with Title VI, no further certification will be forthcoming,” he wrote.
Morton-Bentley also highlighted the administration’s apparent reversal on this issue, pointing out that the previous Trump administration took a very different view. In 2020, then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos stated that diversity and inclusion were “cornerstones of high organizational performance.” He said no rationale has been given for this sudden change in policy.
Opponents of the certification order argue that it contradicts Trump’s oft-repeated pledge to return control of education to states and local communities.
The federal government’s current threat mirrors actions taken against colleges in recent months, where funding has been wielded as leverage to suppress protests related to Israel that the administration has categorized as antisemitic.
This isn’t the only directive New York has defied. The state has also resisted a federal push to block a congestion pricing plan that would impose higher tolls on vehicles entering Manhattan, a strategy designed to support the city’s mass transit system.
{Matzav.com}
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