VCJC News & Notes 8/8/25

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

1. Shabbos
   
   

   Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
   Here are the times you need:  
   Shabbos Candles Friday 8/8/25 @ 7:44 pm
   Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 8/9/25 @ 8:47 pm
   If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah please speak to one of the gabbaim.
    

2. Buy a shirt, support VCJC
   JpodPlus, operated by Jack Kleinfeld, will donate all profits made from the sale of its Bring them home, NOW, T-shirt to VCJC.  The shirt is available in adult, youth long sleeve and youth short sleeve tees. The shirts are available in several colors and will be shipped directly to the buyer from the Print On Demand manufacturer.  The adult version in black is shown below along with a few of the available colors.
   Other shirts and Print on Demand products can be seen at the store site.

Our mailing address is:

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave

Bronx, NY 10463

CITY OF NEW YORK LEADS COALITION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PROTECT AFFORDABLE CARE ACT COVERAGE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant announced that the City of New York is leading a coalition of local governments in filing an amicus brief supporting plaintiffs in California v. Kennedy et al., fighting to protect patient coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The lawsuit — brought by a coalition of states, including New York — challenges a recently finalized federal rule that will create obstacles to enrollment in the ACA, result in millions more uninsured and underinsured people across the nation, and ban gender-affirming care as an essential health benefit. The coalition’s amicus details the harmful effects of the rule and supports the states’ effort to stop the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing the rule on August 25.  

  

“Access to health care is a human right codified into law by the historic passage of the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health coverage to millions of Americans. At a time when too many New Yorkers and people across the country are struggling with high costs, stripping away that coverage will only take us backwards,” said Mayor Adams. “Government should do everything in its power to provide and expand access to health care and other essential services, not restrict it, but this federal rule only serves to jeopardize health coverage for New Yorkers and Americans all across the nation. New York City is proud to lead this coalition of localities fighting to protect health coverage for the people we represent.” 

  

“The sweeping regulatory changes to the Affordable Care Act adopted by the federal government are unlawful and a major step backwards for public health,” said Corporation Counsel Goode-Trufant. “As detailed in our brief, this misguided new federal rule will cause millions of people to lose their health insurance and force them to turn to severely strained public hospitals for care, exacting a tremendous human and financial cost on us all.”  

  

The coalition’s brief argues that public hospitals will be rocked by the new rule at a time when steep staffing shortages, as well as soaring demand and costs, are already causing widespread hospital closures across the nation. The brief details how the new federal rule will undermine the ability of local officials to protect public health with devastating consequences across the board, including decreased trust in public hospitals as they are forced to stretch resources to deal with increased number of patients.  

  

The brief further contends that when low-income individuals lose affordable coverage, their medical costs do not simply disappear, as the federal government assumes; they are shifted onto the backs to public health care systems and localities. For example, hundreds of thousands of the nearly 400,000 patients that New York City’s public health care system serves every year are uninsured, and most other patients are insured by public payers that reimburse at below-cost rates, resulting in more than $1 billion in uncompensated costs for the health systems seeing these patients. 

  

If the new rule is allowed to take effect, some safety-net providers will surely buckle under the burden of caring for millions of newly uninsured people and billions of additional dollars in unpaid bills.  

  

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts by 16 states, California v. Kennedy et al. alleges HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy’s actions violate federal laws such as the Administrative Procedure Act, the Separation of Powers doctrine, and the Spending Clause.  

  

Joining the City of New York and NYC Health + Hospitals in filing this amicus are Santa Clara County, California and King County, Washington, as well as the city and county of San Francisco, California.   

BRONX MAN INDICTED IN TWO SHOOTINGS

 

Defendant Fired 17 Bullets on Busy Street, Shot into Apartment Building

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Bronx man has been indicted on Attempted Murder, Attempted Manslaughter and other charges for two separate shootings in which he fired numerous shots and put lives in danger. 

District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant shot across a busy intersection, sending people running for cover, and on another occasion he fired through the front door of an apartment building. Fortunately, no one was physically harmed, but gunfire traumatizes residents, and such brazen disregard for public safety will not be tolerated.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Christopher Gonzalez, 37, of Belmont Avenue, the Bronx, was indicted today on Attempted Murder in the second-degree, Attempted Assault in the first-degree, Attempted Manslaughter in the first-degree, first-degree Reckless Endangerment, three counts of second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon and three counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm by Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. Bail was set at $300,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond. He is due back in court on November 19, 2025. 

According to the investigation, on April 7, 2025, at approximately 4:30 a.m., the defendant is seen on video surveillance approaching 726 East 181st Street in the Tremont section and stopping a few feet from the entrance where he allegedly opens fire with a 9-mm pistol. Four bullets tore through the interior walls. 

On June 7, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m., the defendant is seen on video at the intersection of East 180th Street and Crotona Avenue in the Crotona section, engaged in an argument with an unidentified man, and as the man walks away, the defendant allegedly points a 9-mm pistol in his direction and fires multiple shots. The unidentified male returned fire. 

Families walking with children as well as people sitting on their front stoops can be seen running for cover. In total, 17 shell casings were recovered from the scene by NYPD. 

The defendant was arrested on June 8, 2025, in possession of a loaded pistol. Ballistics testing confirmed that it was the same weapon used in the June 7 shooting.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Mark Ricketts and Pedro Silverio from the 48th Precinct Detective Squad for their work on the investigation.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect Access to Health Services in Western New York

 

UnitedHealth Group Must Sell Home Health Care Providers in Western New York to Prevent Unfair Monopoly and Preserve Choices for Vulnerable Patients

New York Attorney General Letitia James joined the attorneys general of Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey in securing new measures to prevent UnitedHealth Group (United) and Amedisys from dominating home health and hospice care markets and jeopardizing services for vulnerable patients. In November 2024, the attorneys general sued to challenge United’s acquisition of Amedisys, which could have threatened the quality of critical health care services for millions of seniors and others by eliminating competition among providers. As a result of the lawsuit, United and Amedisys must now sell home health and hospice care facilities to other providers in affected states before merging to prevent an unfair monopoly and preserve competition that helps vulnerable patients access high-quality, low-cost services. 

“When big corporations dominate our health care markets, they can cut services and raise prices without fear of losing money, putting New Yorkers in need at serious risk,” said Attorney General James. “Fair competition helps ensure that New Yorkers can get affordable, quality health care wherever they live. Seniors and other vulnerable New Yorkers’ lives depend on access to quality home care services, and today we are preventing United and Amedisys from jeopardizing those services.” 

United and Amedisys are each other’s top competitors in many home health markets across the country, including in upstate New York. This type of competition forces both companies to improve the quality of their services and keep costs low, benefitting New Yorkers who rely on them for care. For example, both United and Amedisys have invested heavily in developing programs aimed at managing specific conditions, such as heart failure or respiratory diseases, in order to attract more patients. As Attorney General James and the coalition argued in their lawsuit, a merger of United and Amedisys without adequate protections to preserve competition would likely leave vulnerable patients and their families with worse care and higher prices.

As part of a settlement with the coalition of states and the Department of Justice (DOJ), United and Amedisys must divest from home health and hospice care providers they own in the same regions to preserve competition before merging. In New York, United will sell three Willcare home health locations in Jamestown, Amherst, and Wellsville to BrightSpring Health Services. A monitor selected by DOJ and the states will oversee the divestments and ensure the companies are complying with the terms of the settlement.

The Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging Oklahoma Law Providing In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens

 

The United States is challenging an Oklahoma law providing in-state tuition for illegal aliens. This law unconstitutionally discriminates against U.S. citizens, who are not afforded the same privileges, in direct conflict with federal law. On Tuesday, Aug. 5, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Oklahoma against the State of Oklahoma seeking to enjoin the State from enforcing the Oklahoma law and bring them into compliance with federal requirements.

In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of an Oklahoma law that requires colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain Oklahoma residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Federal law prohibits institutions of higher education from providing benefits to aliens that are not offered to U.S. citizens. The Oklahoma law blatantly conflicts with federal law and is thus in conflict with the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

This lawsuit follows two executive orders signed by President Trump that seek to ensure illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment. The first, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders" orders all agencies to “ensure, to the maximum extent permitted by law, that no taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens.” The second, “Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens," directs relevant officials to “take appropriate action to stop the enforcement of State and local laws, regulations, policies, and practices favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens that are unlawful, preempted by Federal law, or otherwise unenforceable, including State laws that provide in-State higher education tuition to aliens but not to out-of-State American citizens.” 

Founder Of Tornado Cash Crypto Mixing Service Convicted Of Knowingly Transmitting Criminal Proceeds

 

Tornado Cash Founder Roman Storm Knowingly Operated a Money Transmitting Business That Transmitted More Than $1 Billion in Criminal Proceeds

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the conviction of ROMAN STORM, a co-founder of Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixer that facilitated more than $1 billion in illegal transactions, for willfully conspiring to operate a money transmitting business that moved more than $1 billion in dirty money.  The defendant was found guilty following a four-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.  

“Roman Storm and Tornado Cash provided a service for North Korean hackers and other criminals to move and hide more than $1 billion of dirty money,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “The speed, efficiency, and functionality of stablecoins and other digital assets offer great promise, but that promise cannot be an excuse for criminality.  Criminals who use new technology to commit age old crimes, including hiding dirty money, undermine the public trust, and unfairly cast a shadow on the many innovators who operate lawfully.  This Office and our partner agencies are committed to holding accountable those who exploit emerging technologies to commit crime.”   

As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:

STORM was one of the three founders of Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixer that allowed its customers to engage in untraceable transfers of cryptocurrency.  The defendant and his co-conspirators created the core features of Tornado Cash, paid for critical infrastructure to operate Tornado Cash, promoted Tornado Cash, and made millions of dollars in profits from operating Tornado Cash.  Tornado Cash advertised to customers that it provided untraceable and anonymous financial transactions, and STORM continued to provide this service with knowledge that Tornado Cash was transmitting large volumes of criminal proceeds.  As proven at trial, STORM was personally aware of numerous instances in which criminals transmitted proceeds of criminal exploits using Tornado Cash, totaling more than $1 billion in criminal proceeds.  The transmission of such large sums of criminal proceeds benefitted the operations of Tornado Cash and STORM’s profits from running it.  Ultimately, STORM and his co-founders were able to cash out more than $12 million in profits from the illicit money transmitting business.

STORM designed Tornado Cash to generate profits for himself and his co-founders and continued to operate the business with knowledge that he was transmitting criminal proceeds.  This included his knowing transmission of hundreds of millions of dollars in criminal proceeds from the Ronin hack, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) publicly attributed to the sanctioned North Korean cybercriminal organization, the Lazarus Group.  STORM continued to transmit these hacked funds even after the public attribution of the hack to the Lazarus Group.

STORM, 36, of Auburn, Washington, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. 

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the investigative work of the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.

MAYOR ADAMS UNVEILS $164 MILLION INVESTMENT TO TRANSFORM WEST VILLAGE CORRIDOR INTO NEW RECREATION, CULTURAL, AND FITNESS HUB

 

Project Features Approximately 100,000 Square Feet of Indoor and Outdoor Recreation Spanning Three Properties and Featuring State-of-the-Art Facilities,  Indoor and Outdoor Aquatics, Public Art, and Green Space 

 

New Web-Based Community Input Portal Launched to Solicit Feedback and Inform Project Design 

Builds on Adams Administration’s Efforts to Make New York City Best Place to Raise a Family 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa today announced a transformative vision for the Clarkson Street corridor in the West Village. The city is investing nearly $164 million in the multi-agency project to enhance community health and wellness, develop local recreation space, and build more public space. Made possible, in part, through investments made in the city’s 10-Year Capital Plan as part of Mayor Adams’ “Best Budget Ever,” the project includes funding to build a new fully accessible outdoor pool and pool house on the site of the current Tony Dapolito Recreation Center, preserving the Keith Haring mural, and creating a new indoor recreation center to be located across the street.  

 

“A pillar of any community is its public spaces, which is where families and neighbors develop memories, participate in recreation, and share culture with one another,” said Mayor Adams. “This $164-million investment will revitalize a community that has consistently contributed to the rich history of our city. We will introduce new amenities into this neighborhood, including a fully accessible pool and pool house, as well as more affordable housing, all while honoring the rich history and legacy of the Keith Haring mural and preserving the community spirit rooted in West Village parks, where friends and families have long come together. Our mission is to make New York City a safer, more affordable city that is the best place to raise a family, and visionary plans like this, which invest in local communities, is exactly how we do just that.” 

 

“This is a transformational milestone for this neighborhood and for Manhattan as a whole — and thanks to Mayor Adams’ ‘Celebrate Swimming’ funding, we’re turning that vision into reality,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa. “From a brand-new indoor pool and basketball gym to honoring the legacy of Keith Haring’s mural, we’re celebrating history as we plan for the future with expanded amenities that support community wellness. This project reflects what residents have asked for: inclusive, free, and accessible recreation that inspires healthier, more connected neighborhoods.”  

Aerial view of the full revitalization plan for the Clarkson Street Corridor. Credit: NYC Parks

The holistic plan for the neighborhood will unlock nearly 100,000 square feet of new and improved indoor and outdoor recreation and deliver a new outdoor Aquatics Complex, a new recreation center at 388 Hudson Street, the preservation of Keith Haring’s Carmine Street Pool Mural, and the new passive recreation at Hudson-Houston Plaza. The plan for the Clarkson Street corridor is shaped by feedback from the community about the need for recreation facilities and programming. To build on that input, NYC Parks has also launched a community online input portal, inviting the public to answer questions about the types of recreation programming they would like to see, which will serve as both a feedback tool for future designers and a forum for residents to share ideas.  

  

The nearly $164-million revitalization plan includes:  

 

State-of-the-Art Indoor Recreation Center: The Clarkson Street Corridor vision will deliver a multi-million fully ADA-accessible indoor recreational facility located within the New York City Housing Preservation and Development planned mixed-use development at 388 Hudson Street. It will feature a modern, ADA-accessible indoor pool, gymnasium, and other program spaces. The new design reflects a 60 percent increase in indoor square footage compared to what has been previously available in the community. 

 

Example designs of a new, but different NYC Parks recreation center gymnasium and indoor pool (Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center, Brooklyn; In Construction) Credit: NYC Parks / NYC DDC

New Outdoor Pool Aquatics Complex at Tony Dapolito: Tony Dapolito Recreation Center and the outdoor pool will see a transformation into a modern outdoor aquatics complex. The project will explore ways to honor the site's history, including the potential reuse of exterior building elements along Seventh Avenue and Clarkson Street. The entire site will remain a public park with all improvements dedicated to park use.  

Example of a different, modern accessible NYC Parks outdoor pool (Sheltering Arms; Manhattan) Credit: NYC Parks   

Public Art and Cultural Preservation: The plan reaffirms the city’s commitment to artistic heritage with the restoration of Keith Haring’s iconic Carmine Street Pool Mural. NYC Parks recognizes the deep cultural significance of the mural and will continue to partner with the Keith Haring Foundation, as it has done for over 30 years, to preserve this beloved artwork as part of the site’s reimagining.  

 

Diverse Recreational Programming: With spaces dedicated to both passive and active recreation, the Clarkson Street corridor will host programming that serves the West Village and Hudson Square communities, promoting wellness and offering a welcoming destination for all New Yorkers. 

 

Dynamic New Public Space at Hudson Houston Plaza: This investment will transform an urban corner into newly accessible public open space, in partnership with New York City Department of Environmental Protection and Hudson Square BID. This vibrant, flexible multi-use gathering space inspired by Eduardo Kobra's iconic Ellis mural will feature greenery, shade, seating and art. 

Rendering of Hudson Houston Plaza (Manhattan; Completed design) Credit: NYC Parks / NYC DEP/ HSBID 

The vision underscores the Adams administration’s commitment to fostering spaces where art, history, and active lifestyles intersect. This initiative will be a collaborative effort with the community, integrating thoughtful design and public input to create a strong neighborhood corridor that stands as an example of New York City’s innovation in public space.