The Top News Stories of 5774

As we prepare to enter the new year, let us take a journey through the top headlines published on CrownHeights.info over the year of 5774.

The top 20 most read stories of 5774:

1. The tragic murder of Reb Yosef Raksin, OBM, in North Miami Beach, and his daughter’s assertion that it was a hate crime.

2. The firing of two Oholei Torah staff-members amid the fallout from the controversy that erupted over the Call of the Shofar seminars.

3. The tragic death of 26-year-old Gedalia Greenzayd, who was run over by a city snow plow on Kingston Avenue.

4. The tragic death of 2-year-old Levi Nemon, who fell out of the window of a 580 Crown St. condo, and his heart-wrenching funeral.

5. The Three Crown Heights Lubavitchers who were arrested in an FBI drug sting.

6. The tragic and sudden death of Shlucha Mrs. Rashi Minkowicz of Alpharetta, GA, as well as her funeral in Crown Heights.

7. Two Tishrei guests were critically injured on the first day of Rosh Hashanah by a car crash in front of 770.

8. The heartbreaking news that the three Israeli teenagers who had been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists were found dead.

9. The Signs posted along Kingston Ave. asking for Tznius that caused a lot of controversy among the local populace. A sign put up by a member of the community in response received even more attention.

10. Beis Rivkah’s announcement that they would not be opening on the scheduled date after summer vacation.

11. The father and his 5-year-old son who were brutally targeted in a knockout attack on their way to his first day at school.

12. The announcement by Jewish Community Watch that they would be ceasing operations due to lack of funds.

13. The tragic death of 28-year-old Ezzy Kestecher in Melbourne, Australia.

14. The declaration of the ‘Rosh,’ Rabbi Ezra Schochet, that it is Halachically forbidden to attend a speech delivered by R. Shmuley Boteach.

15. The baby boy who was named after all three slain Israeli teenagers.

16. The Miracle that Saved the Residents of Kibbutz Sufa from a horrifying terrorist attack.

17. The shameless Chilul Yomtov of some hot-headed Tishrei guests.

18. The tragic death of Peretz Yehuda Sontag, 50, of Monsey, NY, who had gone missing for a full week, during which the entire Jewish community mobilized to search for him.

19. The video of a tremendous Kiddush Hashem on ABC News.

20. The rare Friday afternoon Chuppah, and the story behind it.

The top 10 most-commented-on headlines of 5774:

Controversy Erupts Over Signs Asking for Tznius – 207 comments.

Oholei Torah Asks Two Staff Members to Step Down – 187 comments.

Three Lubavitchers Arrested in FBI Drug Sting – 183 comments.

Op-Ed: The Other Victims of Child Abuse – 168 comments.

Rosh: Prohibited to Hear R. Shmuley Boteach Speak – 160 comments.

Picture of the Day: Tznius Sign Response – 145 comments.

About Face: Oholei Torah Reinstates ‘Fired’ Teachers – 143 comments.

Op-Ed: Should Teachers Be Saying ‘Yechi’ with Students? – 138 comments.

Vaccine Developer Urges Orthodox Jews to Vaccinate – 134 comments.

Court: Head Shliach’s Lawsuit Can Go Forward – 133 comments.

The top 5 most viral Facebook posts of 5774:

Breaking: Bodies of 3 Kidnapped Israeli Teens Found – reached 145,472 people and got 4,003 comments, likes and shares.

A Lubavitcher from Crown Heights was shot and killed while walking to Shul in N. Miami Beach, FL – reached 132,864 people and got 3,048 comments, likes and shares.

Picture of the Day: Tznius Sign Response – reached 50,688 people and got 899 comments, likes and shares.

Crown Heights Boy Named After Three Slain Israeli Teenagers – reached 25,000 people and got 870 comments, likes and shares.

Because he insisted on keeping Shabbos, Alex Clare found himself weeks away from Bankruptcy – reached 14,184 people and got 301 comments, likes and shares.

Mazal Tov!

Over the year 5774, CrownHeights.info reported the engagements of 280 couples. We also reported the births of 304 baby boys, 201 baby girls and 5 sets of twins.

(Note: Baby boys are more commonly reported due to Sholom Zochor announcements).