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Trump Claims Iran’s Nuclear Program “Permanently Set Back,” Warns Against Restart

Yeshiva World News -

President Trump on Iran’s nuclear program: “I would say it’s set back permanently. If there were to do it again, they might as well start in a different location because that location is totally demolished. They could start, but I would think they would have to start at a different location, but if they did start it would be a problem. We wouldn’t allow that to happen.”

Have You Always Wanted to Get Smicha? This Is The Program For You

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[COMMUNICATED]

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Machon Smicha’s next semester begins on July 6th, 2025

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HATE DOWN UNDER: Shul Set On Fire, Israeli Restaurant Attacked In Melbourne

Yeshiva World News -

A shul in Melbourne, Australia, was set on fire on Friday night while 20 people were inside. B’Chasdei Hashem, only the door was burned, and no one was injured in the incident. Those inside the shul evacuated through the back of the building. The incident began when a man entered the grounds of the East Melbourne shul at around 8:00 p.m. on Friday night, poured a flammable liquid on the entrance door, and set it on fire. It is one of the oldest shuls in the city, founded in 1870. Only minutes after the arson attempt, pro-Hamas rioters stormed the Miznon restaurant in Melbourne, throwing chairs and shattering a window while shouting “Death to the IDF.” The group of rioters arrived at the restaurant after a demonstration attended by about 100 pro-Hamas rioters on a nearby street. Kan News reported that it is believed that the restaurant was targeted not only because it is an Israeli restaurant, but also because of the connection of its owner, Shahar Segal, who serves as a spokesman for the “Humanitarian Fund for Gaza” (GHF), an aid fund for Gaza with Israeli-American support. Sasha Roytman, CEO of the Movement to Combat Anti-Semitism, said, “This is another escalation within the unprecedented wave of anti-Semitic events taking place in Australia. Since October 7, there has been a rise of hundreds of percent in the number of anti-Semitic and hate events in the country. The arson occurred when there were about 20 worshipers inside the synagogue; this is an attempted murder in every sense of the word that miraculously ended without casualties, and it should be treated as a terrorist event.” “We will soon hold an emergency conference in Australia to convene local leaders and mayors and give them tools to combat antisemitism at the national and local level. We call on the Australian government, local authorities, and leaders from all sectors to take these serious events seriously. The government in Australia must take immediate action to protect the Jewish community, which has lost its sense of personal security and fears that the situation will escalate further.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded sharply to the events: “I view with great severity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included an attempted arson of a synagogue in the city and a violent attack on an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters.” “The despicable anti-Semitic attacks, while shouting ‘Death to the IDF’ and attempting to harm a place of worship, are serious hate crimes that must be uprooted. ‘The State of Israel will continue to stand by the Jewish community in Australia, and we demand that the Australian government act in every way to bring the rioters to justice and prevent such attacks in the future.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

Israeli Delegation Headed To Doha After Hamas Agrees To Ceasefire Proposal

Yeshiva World News -

An Israeli delegation will be sent to Doha on Sunday after Hamas submitted a positive response to the recent ceasefire/hostage deal proposal, an Israeli official said on Motzei Shabbos. The official said that Israel has received Hamas’s response from the mediators and is reviewing its details. Although the terror group responded positively to the proposal, they requested minor changes. Israel’s security cabinet met at 10 p.m. to discuss the talks and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US on Sunday. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

Dutch Intelligence: Russia Routinely Using Banned Chemical Weapons in Ukraine

Yeshiva World News -

Two Dutch intelligence agencies said on Friday that Russia is increasing its use of prohibited chemical weapons in Ukraine, including the World War I-era poison gas chloropicrin. The Netherlands’ military intelligence and the security service, together with the German intelligence service, found that the use of prohibited chemical weapons by the Russian military had become “standardized and commonplace” in Ukraine. According to the findings, the Russian military uses chloropicrin and riot control agent CS against sheltering Ukrainian soldiers, who are then forced out into the open and shot. Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans called for more sanctions against Moscow, and continued military support for Kyiv. Brekelmans, who stayed on in a caretaker role after the Dutch government collapsed last month, said that he doesn’t want to see the use of chemical weapons become normalized. Lowering the threshold for use “is not only dangerous for Ukraine, but also for the rest of Europe and the world,” he said in a statement. Russia has signed up to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans the use of chloropicrin and CS as weapons. The convention’s watchdog, The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, has found several incidents in Ukraine involving CS, but the group hasn’t conducted a full investigation, which must be requested by the member states. The executive committee for the OPCW is holding a regular meeting next week, where it’s expected to discuss the conflict in Ukraine. Russian authorities didn’t immediately comment on the findings, but they have denied using chemical weapons in the past, instead alleging that Ukraine has used the banned substances. According to Ukraine, Russia has carried out 9,000 chemical weapons attacks in the country since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. In 2024, the U.S. State Department said that it had recorded the use of chloropicrin against Ukrainian troops. (AP)

Hamas Agrees To Ceasefire Core, Seeks Minor Tweaks

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Hamas officially responded on Friday night to the latest offer aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitating a hostage release agreement.

In a public statement, the terrorist faction said, “Hamas has completed its internal consultations and with the Palestinian factions regarding the latest proposal from the mediators to halt the aggression against our people in Gaza.”

The group went on to say, “The organization has delivered its response to the mediating brothers, and it is characterized by positivity. The organization is ready, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework.”

An Israeli source confirmed that the response from Hamas had been received via intermediaries, and that Israeli officials were now reviewing the content of the reply.

Qatar’s Al-Arabi channel was the first to report, based on its own sources, that Hamas’s message to the mediators expressed openness to the latest proposal involving a cessation of fighting and the exchange of hostages.

A top Hamas representative told Reuters that the response to the initiative had been formally submitted and emphasized that it “is positive and could help reach an agreement.”

Earlier in the day, an individual affiliated with Palestinian terror factions had told Al Arabiya that Hamas was anticipated to convey its position Friday night. The source also noted that there was widespread backing among the various terrorist factions for a 60-day pause in fighting, during which discussions would continue regarding a permanent ceasefire and a total pullout of Israeli troops from Gaza.

In a report aired by Kan 11 News, it was noted that Hamas would likely present its reaction as generally favorable but intends to push for changes on three crucial elements.

The first issue is related to reinstating a previous system for humanitarian aid, one that would permit Hamas to oversee some of the supplies entering Gaza.

The second demand is that should negotiations stall or collapse during the 60-day timeframe, the pause in fighting must automatically continue, rather than violence breaking out again.

Finally, Hamas is insisting on changes to the proposed extent of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza, seeking a more comprehensive retreat.

On Thursday, Reuters cited an Israeli source indicating that Israeli leadership is actively preparing to move forward with a formal ceasefire deal in the coming days.

Details of the proposed arrangement between Hamas and Israel emerged earlier this week.

The New York Times, quoting both an Israeli defense contact and an individual linked to Hamas, revealed that the framework includes the release of ten hostages believed to still be alive, along with the transfer of the remains of 18 others held by Hamas. Both sources, who were briefed on the matter, spoke anonymously given the delicate nature of the talks.

One key difference between this outline and an earlier American plan put forward in May is the phased release schedule. Instead of completing the hostage releases within the first week of the truce, this plan envisions five separate handover stages spanning the full 60 days.

In addition, the deal reportedly includes a clause prohibiting Hamas from holding public, televised transfer events, a practice widely criticized during the January truce period.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Trump Signs ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Into Law After Saluting B-2 Pilots Who Joined Iran Strikes

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President Trump officially enacted his “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” during a festive Independence Day celebration on the White House lawn Friday, punctuated by a powerful military flyover featuring B-2 bombers and fighter jets, marking the recent airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

“After that spectacular display of American power, let me just say God bless the United States military and God bless the USA,” Trump said from the Truman Balcony.

“As we enter our 249th year, America’s winning, winning, winning like never before… The Golden Age of America is upon us.”

At one point during the event, Trump asked the flight crews from Missouri who were involved in the Iran operation to identify themselves. “They don’t want to be in disguise,” he said, referencing their role in halting hostilities from Tehran through military pressure in support of Israel, just moments before signing the comprehensive legislation.

“In a few moments, we’re going to make official the greatest victory yet when I sign the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’,” the 79-year-old president said to an audience that included lawmakers and families of service members.

“It’s really promises made, promises kept — and we’ve kept them. Here’s a triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy, and I have to say that the people are happy.”

Before finalizing the bill, Trump criticized Joe Biden and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), using the opportunity to contrast their leadership with his own. The legislation itself includes wide-ranging tax relief, such as exemptions on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits, along with new deductions on car loan interest for American-made vehicles and an increase in allowable SALT deductions.

Trump accused Biden of leading “four horrible years of embarrassment,” citing failures on immigration policy and the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan in 2021.

Mocking Jeffries, who delivered an extended speech opposing the bill the previous day, Trump remarked, “had a towel. He’s wiping his face. That’s not too elegant,” and derided Democratic pushback on the legislation. “Democrats opposed to the bill developed a standard line — and we can’t let them get away with it — ‘Oh, it’s dangerous. Oh, everybody’s going to die.’”

“It’s all a con job… just like the con job of ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ and all of the other things they did — the 51 intelligence agents said the laptop from hell came from Russia,” he said.

The president encouraged GOP lawmakers to speak plainly about the bill’s merits, asserting that “just say what it is, because it’s the most popular bill ever signed in the history of our country.” He defended reductions in Medicaid and SNAP, criticized by opponents, by claiming Americans “won’t even notice” because “it’s just waste, fraud and abuse.”

“We have the greatest country in the world and we’re back — we’re back like nobody thought possible this quickly,” the president said.

“I can say very proudly, and I don’t have to quote the polls, that our country is more proud right now than it’s been in many, many years,” Trump added. “We have pride. We have dignity. We have something that has happened miraculously, so fast.”

{Matzav.com}

National School Choice Signed into Law by President Trump

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Dear Friends,

Just moments ago, on Independence Day, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which includes the first national scholarship tax credit!

Working together, this new opportunity can generate hundreds of millions of dollars for yeshiva tuition and will have a dramatic impact on families across the country.
Today’s victory was the culmination of decades of advocacy by Agudah and its coalition partners to address one of our community’s number one priorities: the ability of parents to afford tuition at the school of their choice.

I am personally indebted to my amazing colleagues at Agudah and to the support of so many of you! Whether you joined the hundreds of thousands of people who sent emails to Congress, joined us on our missions to Washington, or supported our efforts around the country we thank you! We had great coalition partners in state and national school choice groups, nonpublic school advocates, and other faith leaders who trusted us and ensured that we had input in the bill drafting and at every stage of the process. Most importantly, we are grateful to our champions in Congress who worked for the last six months to ensure that school choice was included in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

We will send additional information tomorrow night about the scholarship tax credit and other items in the bill.

Have a Good Shabbos!

AD Motzen
National Director of Government Affairs
Agudath Israel of America

Trump Begins Rolling Out ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs Of Up To 70%: ‘We’re Giving Them A Bargain’

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President Trump revealed that starting Friday, his administration will begin issuing notices to multiple nations that haven’t yet secured provisional trade agreements with the United States. These new tariffs are expected to reach up to “60 or 70%,” he stated.

“We’re going to start sending letters out to various countries starting [Friday]. We’ll probably have 10 or 12 go out,” Trump told reporters after midnight upon returning from a campaign event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

“I think by the 9th [of July] they’ll be fully covered, and they will range in value from maybe 60 or 70% tariffs to 10 and 20% tariffs.”

These elevated figures suggest that Trump is willing to go beyond the initial framework he rolled out on April 2, when he announced his “Liberation Day” trade initiative. That plan introduced a base 10% tariff—more than three times higher than previous levels—and imposed harsher rates on countries running large trade surpluses with the U.S.

In that announcement, some of the steepest proposed reciprocal tariffs included 49% on Cambodia, 48% on Laos, and 47% on Madagascar—each selected due to their trade imbalances and reliance on U.S. markets for textile and footwear exports.

“We’ve done the final form, and it’s basically going to explain what the countries are going to be paying in tariffs,” Trump told reporters early Friday.

“It’s a lot of money for the country, but we’re giving them a bargain. … I don’t want to stretch it too much, we want to keep it pretty reasonable.”

Trump mentioned he plans to dispatch roughly a dozen letters per day until the self-imposed deadline of Wednesday, giving countries limited time to finalize deals or face tariffs.

“As we get to the smaller countries, we’re pretty much going to keep the tariffs the same,” he said.

“They’ll start to pay on Aug. 1. The money will start to come into the United States on Aug. 1 in pretty much all cases.”

The administration hasn’t yet confirmed which countries will be subject to the highest rates of 60–70%, but the aggressive trade stance coincides with a string of favorable economic news. Job creation once again exceeded projections in June, inflation held steady at 2.4% in May, and stock markets surged to all-time highs in recent days.

Detractors, however, have cautioned that these sweeping tariffs could raise prices for American consumers, particularly on imported products.

Thus far, Trump has reached tentative trade arrangements with China, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. He’s also negotiated a “roadmap” with India and secured significant trade gestures from both Israel and Taiwan. However, several major trading partners—such as Japan and the European Union—have not yet finalized deals and remain exposed to the looming tariffs.

Trump has voiced skepticism regarding negotiations with Japan, which currently faces a proposed 24% duty. The European Union, meanwhile, may be hit with a 50% tariff, a hike from the initially proposed 20%, in retaliation for the EU’s pending digital tax targeting U.S. tech giants.

Even the agreements that have been outlined thus far only partially reduce the newly announced tariffs.

Under the provisional UK deal, the new 10% baseline tariff will remain on most goods, though certain British exports—like steel, aluminum, and most cars—will be exempted from the more severe 25% rate. In exchange, the UK has reportedly agreed to greater market access for U.S. agricultural products, including meat and ethanol.

The agreement with China resulted in a rollback of retaliatory tariffs while discussions continue on a more far-reaching pact. Trump also said the Chinese government has pledged to increase its imports of American goods.

As for Vietnam, the country will be spared from a proposed 46% tariff, but will still face a 20% rate on its own exports and a 40% rate on goods that originate from third-party countries like China before being routed through Vietnam.

Goods from Mexico and Canada are largely governed under the USMCA framework and are therefore exempt from most of the new levies. However, Trump did apply a 25% tariff in March to specific products not covered by the agreement, a move he said was intended to combat the trafficking of fentanyl and illegal border crossings.

Trump’s note that smaller countries will face similarly structured rates follows a period in which his administration concentrated on securing deals with the top 15 trading partners, even as smaller economies—especially in Asia—continue to export large volumes of inexpensive consumer goods due to their low labor costs.

On May 26, Trump emphasized that his broader tariff agenda was about strengthening the competitiveness of American industries—not about bringing back basic manufacturing jobs like those in the apparel sector.

“We’re not looking to make sneakers and T-shirts. We want to make military equipment. We want to make big things. We want to make, do the AI thing,” Trump said.

“I’m not looking to make T-shirts, to be honest. I’m not looking to make socks. We can do that very well in other locations. We are looking to do chips and computers and lots of other things and tanks and ships,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

North Korean Dashes Across Military Demarcation Line To South Korea In Brave Bid To Escape

Yeshiva World News -

An unidentified North Korean man crossed the heavily fortified land border separating the two Koreas and is in South Korean custody, the South’s military said Friday. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military identified and tracked the individual near the central-west section of the military demarcation line and conducted a “guiding operation” before taking the person into custody Thursday night. It said authorities plan to investigate the border crossing and did not immediately say whether they view the incident as a defection attempt. The Joint Chiefs said it notified the U.S.-led United Nations Command about the incident and had not detected any immediate signs of unusual military activity by the North. According to the Joint Chiefs, a South Korean military team approached the unarmed North Korean man after detecting him and, after identifying themselves as South Korean troops, guided him safely out of the mine-strewn Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas. Border tensions have flared in recent months as the two Koreas traded Cold War-style psychological warfare, with North Korea sending thousands of trash-filled balloons toward the South and South Korea blasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda through loudspeakers. Since taking office last month, South Korea’s new liberal President Lee Jae Myung has made efforts to rebuild trust with North Korea, halting the frontline loudspeaker broadcasts and moving to ban activists from flying balloons carrying propaganda leaflets across the border. In April, South Korean troops fired warning shots to repel about 10 North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the military demarcation line. The South’s military said the soldiers returned to North Korean territory without incident and that the North didn’t return fire. In June last year, North Korean troops crossed the border three times, prompting South Korea to fire warning shots. Experts suggested these crossings may have been accidental, occurring as North Korean troops added anti-tank barriers, planted mines and carried out other work to bolster border defenses amid escalating tensions between the Koreas. Diplomacy between the war-divided Koreas has derailed since the collapse of denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang in 2019, which prompted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to accelerate the expansion of his military nuclear program and threaten nuclear conflict toward Washington and Seoul. South Korea’s previous conservative government responded by strengthening its combined military exercises with the United States and Japan, which the North condemned as invasion rehearsals. (AP)

Russia Becomes The First Country To Formally Recognize Taliban’s Latest Rule In Afghanistan

Yeshiva World News -

Russia on Thursday became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban’s government in Afghanistan since it seized power in 2021, after Moscow r emoved the group from its list of outlawed organizations. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had received credentials from Afghanistan’s newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan. The official recognition of the Afghan government will foster “productive bilateral cooperation,” the ministry said in a statement. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry called it a historic step, and quoted Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as welcoming the decision as “a good example for other countries.” The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces. Since then, they have sought international recognition while also enforcing their strict interpretation of Islamic law. While no country had formally recognized the Taliban administration until now, the group had engaged in high-level talks with many nations and established some diplomatic ties with countries including China and the United Arab Emirates. Still, the Taliban government has been relatively isolated on the world stage, largely over its restrictions on women. Although the Taliban initially promised a more moderate rule than during their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, it started to enforce restrictions on women and girls soon after the 2021 takeover. Women are barred from most jobs and public places, including parks, baths and gyms, while girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade. Russian officials have recently been emphasizing the need to engage with the Taliban to help stabilize Afghanistan, and lifted a ban on the Taliban in April. Russia’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, said in remarks broadcast by state Channel One television that the decision to officially recognize the Taliban government was made by President Vladimir Putin on advice from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Zhirnov said the decision proves Russia’s “sincere striving for the development of full-fledged relations with Afghanistan.” (AP)

A Strike By Air Traffic Controllers Is Disrupting Travel To, From And Over France

Yeshiva World News -

About 40% of flights were canceled Friday at all Paris airports and tens of thousands of passengers were rearranging plans at the height of the summer travel season because of a strike by French air traffic controllers seeking better working conditions. Disruptions started hitting airports around France on Thursday and intensified Friday. The national civil aviation authority asked airlines to cancel 40% of flights Friday at Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais airports serving Paris, half of flights in Nice and 30% of flights in Marseille, Lyon and some other cities. Despite the preventive cancelations, the authority warned in a statement that ″disruptions and long delays are to be expected at all French airports.” Ryanair was among airlines that announced widespread disruptions, saying in a statement it canceled more than 400 flights affecting 70,000 passengers. The company said the strike affects all its flights over French airspace, as well as traffic in and out of French airports, and urged the European Union to reform air traffic rules. One of the two unions leading the strike, UNSA-ICNA, said in a statement there are not enough employees to handle surging air travel and that inflation is eating away at salaries. The unions also are protesting new reform measures aiming to more tightly monitor their work, prompted by a near-collision at the Bordeaux airport. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called the union demands — and their decision to strike just as French schools close for the summer and many families head on vacation — ″unacceptable.″ (AP)

Trump Criticized For Using Antisemitic ‘Shylock’ To Describe Bankers

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During a speech celebrating the passage of his tax-cut and spending plan, President Donald Trump came under fire for using the term “Shylock” while talking about certain bankers — a word widely recognized as antisemitic.

“Think of that: No death tax. No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker — and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people,” Trump remarked while speaking at an event in Iowa late Thursday.

The term “Shylock” originates from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, where the character is a greedy Jewish moneylender. Over the centuries, the name became synonymous with predatory lending and has been broadly criticized as an antisemitic slur.

In response, the Anti-Defamation League condemned Trump’s comments in strong terms. “The term ‘Shylock’ evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous,” the ADL said. “President Trump’s use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible.”

Representative Dan Goldman of New York, who is Jewish and a member of the Democratic Party, reacted forcefully, stating, “This is blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he’s doing.”

When asked by reporters aboard Air Force One about the term and whether he understood its implications, Trump claimed ignorance. “No, I’ve never heard it that way. To be Shylock is somebody that, say, a money lender at high rates,” he said. “I’ve never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. I’ve never heard that.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Monticello Police Chief Defends Hatzolah After Bystander Questions Their “Noise For Fun”

Yeshiva World News -

A medical emergency in Sullivan County this morning underscored the critical work of Hatzolah’s volunteer responders and the trust they have earned across the community. On Friday morning, a woman flagged down a Hatzolah volunteer after another woman nearby began feeling faint. The volunteer quickly began medical care and called for additional assistance, including an ambulance and paramedics. While a paramedic was still responding from about a mile away, a bystander stopped Monticello Police Chief David Lindsay, who happened to be waiting at a traffic light, to complain about emergency vehicles using lights and sirens. “Why are these people always driving around with lights and sirens? It’s just noise for fun. Why are we allowing this?” the bystander asked, referring to Hatzolah. Chief Lindsay later described his calm response to the woman. “In my experience, Hatzolah responds to thousands of real emergencies in Sullivan County every year,” he said. “With the most up-to-date equipment and technology, I know they’re for real.” Lindsay followed the paramedic to the emergency scene out of concern, and said what he saw confirmed Hatzolah’s professionalism. “When I arrived,” he explained, “I saw a patient — a non-Jewish woman — being treated with the utmost dignity and professionalism by Hatzolah volunteers. This was clearly not a game. This was lifesaving work.” He added that if he encountered the same bystander again, he would share what he saw: “Hatzolah is out here saving lives, and they do it for everyone, not just their own.” Hatzolah noted that its members respond to people of all backgrounds, 24/7, whether on holidays, weekends, or in the middle of the night. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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