Crime

Lakewood

Lakewood mother charged with murder of two children

The local prosecutor’s office said 27-year-old Naomi Elkins drowned her two toddlers.

Antisemitism

Arrest made in attempted ramming attack on Hasidic yeshiva students

Asghar Ali charged with attempted murder as a hate crime and yelling antisemitic slurs.

Politics

Judge contradicts accusation of anti-Trump bias: criminal trial won’t conflict with Passover

Right-wing pundits accused the judge of trying to prevent Orthodox Jews from serving on the jury in his upcoming criminal trial

Courts

Lev Tahor Weingarten brothers convicted for role in 2018 kidnapping of two children

The U.S. government has now convicted all nine people involved in the scheme, through testimony of former Lev Tahor member Shimon Malka

Lakewood

Police arrest suspect in Lakewood kidnapping attempt after another criminal incident in Toms River

The teenage girl was able to break free and run home, and the suspect was arrested the next morning after a high-speed police chase

New Square

Ramapo police recover $14,000 shtreimel stolen from a car in New Square

The pricey fur hat, traditionally worn by Hasidic men on Shabbos and holidays, was returned to its owner, and two suspects were arrested

Crime

Man sentenced to decades in prison for attempted murder of Midwood rabbi

Matthew Karelefsky received 25 years to life for setting fire to the home of Rabbi Jonathan Max, a teacher at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin

Chabad

Participants in Chabad tunnel mayhem appear in court, cheered by peers

Three men were charged with criminal mischief and obstruction of government proceedings, as a lively group of friends carried signs saying “Expand 770!”

Courts

Key witness in kidnapping case describes horrors of Lev Tahor life

Shimon Malka, 24, fled the group in 2018, but later assisted in a kidnapping scheme organized by Lev Tahor leaders

Satmar

Satmar rebbe honors notorious sex abuser with a visit to daughter’s wedding

At the wedding of Nechemya Weberman’s daughter, Satmar rebbe Zalmen Teitelbaum was an honored guest. Many Satmar Hasidim still believe the convicted rapist is innocent

Courts

Fraudster Eli Weinstein indicted again, three years after rabbis lobbied Trump on his behalf

Weinstein and his business associate Aryeh Bromberg allegedly ran another Ponzi scheme targeting fellow Lakewood Haredim and others