Feed aggregator

[COMMUNICATED]

Tired of opening your electric bill just to watch the rates climb higher every year? It feels like throwing money into a black hole that only gets deeper.

But what if your roof could actually pay you back?

Switching to solar isn’t just about going green—it’s about putting more green in your pocket. Every panel up there is working for you, turning sunlight into savings month after month.

Here’s why homeowners are making the jump right now:

• Slash (or erase) your monthly bill. Most homeowners see their electric costs drop dramatically from day one, some all the way to zero!

• Tax credits = real cash back. The solar tax credit puts thousands of dollars back in your pocket, and it’s still on the table for now.

• Lock in today’s rates. Utility companies raise prices nearly every year. Solar lets you freeze your energy costs while everyone else keeps paying more.

Pro Tip: The best time to go solar was ten years ago. The second best time is today, before local incentives and net-metering programs hit their caps and the window closes.

Ready to see how much you could save? A free quote takes minutes, and there’s zero obligation! You’ll only regret not having done it sooner.

Check us out: https://www.powermontsolar.com

Call to get started: 917-564-5775

Reach out directly on Whatsapp

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is dramatically widening its authority to block people from entering the United States for public health reasons, including lawful permanent residents, as officials scramble to contain concerns surrounding the ongoing Ebola outbreak in central Africa.

Under a new interim final rule issued Friday, lawful permanent U.S. residents who have recently traveled through the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan will temporarily be barred from entering the country if they were in those nations within the previous 21 days. The restriction is expected to remain in effect through mid-June, according to the agency.

Federal officials said the move was prompted by the expanding Ebola outbreak currently affecting the region.

One administration official, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, warned that enforcing the new policy could prove highly problematic.

“It will be extremely challenging to implement without chaos and confusion.”

The order significantly broadens already-existing travel measures tied to the spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a version of the disease for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

Earlier this week, the CDC announced that foreign nationals who had recently been present in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan would be prohibited from entering the United States.

American citizens returning from those countries are still permitted entry, but they must arrive through Washington Dulles International Airport, where federal authorities have implemented heightened health screening procedures.

The restrictions rank among the toughest travel controls ever imposed by the United States during an Ebola outbreak. Since Ebola was first identified in the 1970s, more than 30 outbreaks have been recorded worldwide, including the deadly west Africa epidemic between 2014 and 2016 that killed more than 11,000 people.

“The rule does not permanently bar lawful permanent residents from returning to the United States,” a Friday statement from the CDC said. “Instead, it gives CDC discretionary authority to restrict entry when needed and allowed by law.”

According to a report in the New York Times that Politico said it could not independently verify, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials earlier this week diverted an Air France flight carrying a passenger from Congo, forcing the plane to land in Montreal instead of its scheduled destination in Detroit.

Health authorities say the outbreak has already resulted in more than 700 suspected infections and over 150 suspected deaths, with the overwhelming majority of cases reported inside Congo.

Officials at the World Health Organization fear the virus may have been spreading undetected for months before being identified, partly because health workers initially were not testing for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli news commentator Yishai Cohen is urging Israeli Police Commissioner Danny Levy to announce immunity protections for yeshiva students who come to police stations to file complaints, warning that cooperation between police and the military could create a dangerous situation in which bochurim become afraid to approach law enforcement.

Speaking during an appearance on the “Kipot Barzel” program on the Srugim site, Cohen sharply criticized the growing coordination between Israeli police and the military police regarding yeshiva students classified as draft evaders.

According to Cohen, the commissioner’s decision to cooperate with military enforcement efforts came only after pressure stemming from a High Court ruling, despite months of resistance from police leadership.

“The police commissioner opposed this for months, but ultimately the High Court ruled and he was forced to comply,” Cohen said.

At the same time, Cohen argued that a clear distinction must be made between ordinary enforcement encounters and situations in which yeshiva students are simply trying to seek help from authorities.

“The police commissioner needs to declare that immunity will be granted to yeshiva students who come to file police complaints regarding crimes. It cannot be that yeshiva students are unable to file complaints with police because they fear being arrested.”

Cohen stressed that the current situation could discourage victims from reporting crimes or seeking police assistance.

“There is a difference between a yeshiva student who is stopped by a traffic officer and a yeshiva student who comes to file a complaint with police. Yeshiva students must not be afraid to come to a police station.”

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of residents of Bnei Brak filled the streets late last night for the heartbreaking levayah of Mrs. Ayala Davidson a”h, the young wife of Reb Shlomo Zalman Davidson, who passed away during Shavuos after battling severe injuries sustained in last week’s devastating crash on Highway 1.

The horrific accident had already claimed the life of her young son, Avinoam Meir Davidson z”l. Since the crash on Erev Shabbos last week, Mrs. Davidson had remained in critical condition as doctors fought to save her life. Tragically, during the Yom Tov, she was niftar, leaving her family, friends, and the broader community shattered.

The levayah began shortly after midnight outside her parents’ home on Rechov Harav Kook 22 in Bnei Brak and proceeded to the cemetery in Elad, where she was laid to rest.

Scenes of overwhelming grief unfolded throughout the funeral, particularly during the hespeidim, when her injured husband, Reb Shlomo Zalman Davidson, temporarily left the hospital in order to participate in the levayah and eulogize his wife through tears.

In emotional remarks, he described her extraordinary devotion to Torah, her home, and her children.

“Every evening she would make a personal accounting of how devoted she had been to Torah and to the children. She never wasted her time on emptiness. Spirituality stood above everything else for her. She studied works of mussar.”

Her son also delivered a tearful farewell that left the crowd weeping.

“Please daven for us, that Father should have a complete recovery and the strength to raise us in the service of Hashem, and that the Ribbono Shel Olam should redeem us from all suffering and send the Geulah soon.”

Mrs. Davidson’s father, Reb Aharon Seller, also delivered emotional divrei hesped. Among the rabbanim and public figures attending the levayah was Ateres Shlomo rosh yeshiva Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin, who addressed the mourners as well. A son of the Davidson family studies in the Ateres Shlomo Talmud Torah network.

The passing of Mrs. Ayala Davidson a”h, only days after losing her young child in the same tragedy, has plunged the family, the community, and much of Bnei Brak into deep mourning. Residents accompanied her on her final journey amid profound pain and heartfelt prayers for the recovery of the injured and comfort for the grieving family.

Meanwhile, thousands of people have already mobilized to assist the shattered family and support the five orphaned children left behind. Officials at Kupat Ha’ir said they have been astonished by the outpouring of support, noting that the tragedy has touched the hearts of Jews across the country in an unusually powerful way.

At the same time, organizers stressed that despite the widespread generosity, the funds collected so far remain far from sufficient to cover the family’s enormous needs — including the care of the orphaned children and the ongoing medical rehabilitation of the father, who remains injured, widowed, and mourning the loss of his young son.

Gedolei Yisroel have called on the public to join the special fundraising campaign established for the family.

{Matzav.com}

Senator Ted Cruz is raising sharp concerns over the developing agreement between the United States and Iran, warning that any deal allowing Tehran to retain nuclear ambitions while remaining under Islamist control would be a dangerous failure.

In a message posted on social media, Cruz said he was troubled by reports surrounding the negotiations and cautioned against concessions to the Iranian regime.

“I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran ‘deal,’ being pushed by some voices in the administration,” Cruz wrote.

The Texas Republican praised President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, calling it one of the defining moments of Trump’s current term.

“President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary military results-including destroying all of their missiles & drones and sinking their entire navy,” added Cruz.

Still, the senator warned that those battlefield gains could be squandered if Iran emerges financially strengthened and capable of rebuilding its nuclear infrastructure.

“If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime-still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’-now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake.”

Cruz also pointed to support for the agreement from former Biden administration adviser Robert Malley as a troubling signal.

“The details are still coming out-and I pray the early reports are wrong-but the fact that Biden’s Rob Malley is praising the deal is not encouraging,” continued the Senator.

He closed by urging Trump to maintain a hard line against Tehran and continue enforcing the administration’s stated red lines.

“President Trump believes in peace through strength, and his strong leadership has already made America much safer. He should continue to hold the line, defend America & enforce the red lines he has repeatedly drawn,” concluded Cruz.

Cruz’s remarks came shortly after President Donald Trump announced that the final framework of a pending agreement with Iran could be unveiled soon.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump detailed a broad series of conversations with leaders across the Middle East and beyond regarding what he described as a regional peace understanding connected to Iran.

“I am in the Oval Office at the White House where we just had a very good call with President Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of The United Arab Emirates, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, of Qatar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of Türkiye, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt, King Abdullah II, of Jordan, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE.”

Trump added that negotiations are largely complete, pending final approval and additional discussions.

“An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed. Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

According to Reuters, the emerging proposal would unfold in three phases, beginning with an official conclusion to the conflict, followed by efforts to stabilize and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and then a 30-day negotiating period aimed at hammering out a broader agreement, with an option to extend the talks if needed.

A later report from the New York Times said the central pillar of the developing framework revolves around Iran’s nuclear program. Citing two U.S. officials, the report stated that Tehran would be required to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of the agreement — a condition Iran has reportedly agreed to accept.

{Matzav.com}

A tense confrontation erupted at Spain’s Bilbao Airport over the weekend when police forcefully removed Gaza flotilla activists who allegedly blocked passengers from exiting an aircraft after landing from Turkey following their deportation from Israel.

Videos circulating online showed officers using batons against several activists and dragging some of them across the airport floor as the situation spiraled into chaos.

WATCH:

We demand an explanation from the Spanish government regarding its treatment of the flotilla anarchists. pic.twitter.com/RHMPVAWbwz

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) May 23, 2026

According to reports from Spain, the clash began when members of the flotilla group stopped near the aircraft exit to stage a photo opportunity, preventing other travelers from disembarking. Authorities said the activists refused repeated instructions to clear the area so passengers could safely leave the plane.

Spanish police arrested four activists after the disturbance. Officials said they face accusations including serious disobedience, resisting arrest, and assaulting police officers.

The Basque regional police force, known as the Ertzaintza, later announced an internal review into the officers’ conduct during the incident.

“Following what happened at the airport, the Ertzaintza internal affairs division has launched an investigation to determine whether the officers’ conduct complied with procedures.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry quickly seized on the footage, posting video of the confrontation online while mocking Spain’s criticism of Israel’s handling of previous flotilla activists.

“We demand an explanation from the Spanish government regarding its treatment of the flotilla anarchists.”

The controversy comes just days after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir drew international criticism for releasing footage in which he taunted activists connected to the Gaza flotilla effort.

A growing wave of Republican criticism erupted last night over the emerging agreement between the United States and Iran, with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo leading the charge and warning that the proposed arrangement could hand Tehran money, leverage, and renewed nuclear capabilities.

Pompeo, who served during President Donald Trump’s first administration, sharply attacked the reported framework in a post on X.

“The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world.”

He also rejected the agreement as incompatible with Trump’s “America First” agenda.

“Not remotely America First. It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region,” he said. “Overdue. Let’s go.”

The White House fired back almost immediately. Communications Director Steven Cheung issued a blistering response dismissing Pompeo’s criticism.

“Mike Pompeo has no idea what the fuck he’s talking about. He should shut his stupid mouth and leave the real work to the professionals. He’s not read into anything that’s happening, so how would he know.”

Other Republicans also voiced alarm over the developing agreement, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who warned that early details surrounding the deal were deeply troubling.

“I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran ‘deal,’ being pushed by some voices in the administration.”

Cruz praised President Trump’s earlier military actions against Iran but cautioned against allowing Tehran to emerge strengthened after the conflict.

“President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary military results-including destroying all of their missiles & drones and sinking their entire navy,” added Cruz.

He warned, however, “If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime-still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’-now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake.”

Cruz also pointed to the support of former Biden administration official Robert Malley as a troubling sign.

“The details are still coming out-and I pray the early reports are wrong-but the fact that Biden’s Rob Malley is praising the deal is not encouraging,” continued the Senator.

“President Trump believes in peace through strength, and his strong leadership has already made America much safer. He should continue to hold the line, defend America & enforce the red lines he has repeatedly drawn,” concluded Cruz.

The backlash came just hours after President Donald Trump announced that negotiations with Iran were nearing completion and that the final terms of a broader agreement would soon be unveiled.

In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump described a series of calls with Middle Eastern leaders and regional allies regarding what he called a Memorandum of Understanding tied to peace efforts involving Iran.

“I am in the Oval Office at the White House where we just had a very good call with President Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of The United Arab Emirates, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, of Qatar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of Türkiye, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt, King Abdullah II, of Jordan, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE.”

Trump added that negotiations had largely been completed and that discussions were entering the final stages.

“An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed. Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

According to a Reuters report, the proposed arrangement would unfold in three phases, beginning with a formal end to the war, followed by efforts to resolve the crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, and then a 30-day negotiating period focused on a wider agreement, with the possibility of extending talks beyond that deadline.

The New York Times later reported that a central component of the emerging agreement would require Iran to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. According to two U.S. officials cited in the report, Tehran has already indicated its willingness to give up the dangerous nuclear material as part of the framework under discussion.

In this episode, Rabbi Reinman discusses the continuing war with the Greeks and the diplomatic maneuvers of the Maccabees.

WATCH:

Chapter Forty-four: Enemies and Allies

Even as the Maccabees cleansed and purified the Bais Hamikdash, the decrees of Antiochus banning the practice of Judaism remained in place. Before embarking on his campaign against the Parthians, Antiochus had not seen fit to fulfill his promise to rescind them. Perhaps he wanted to keep his options open until the results of the campaign became clear. They became clear quickly enough. Antiochus died, and the Parthians soundly defeated the Syrian army. Nonetheless, as long as the Jewish people were in control of their own land, the decrees were irrelevant.

Instability in the Seleucid Empire gave Judea a short period of respite. After the death of Antiochus IV, his ten-year-old son Antiochus V inherited the throne. Lysias, one of the generals who had fought against the Maccabees, was appointed regent. There were other pretenders to the throne, and Lysias had his hands full protecting the life of the young Antiochus and preserving the throne for him.

In 163 b.c.e., Lysias returned to Judea with a massive army of 20,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry and dozens of war elephants. The Maccabee forces were defeated. Judah’s brother Elazar mistakenly thought he saw Lysias in a tower atop a huge elephant. He ran under it and plunged his  sword into its belly. The elephant collapsed on top of Elazar and killed him. The rest of the Maccabees did not fare much better. They withdrew in defeat and barricaded themselves in Jerusalem.

The Greeks besieged Jerusalem, but shortly afterward, Lysias received word that Philip, a rival for the throne, was attempting to seize power in the capital of Antioch. Alarmed, he informed Yehuda that, by his power as royal regent, he was rescinding the restrictions on Jewish religious practice. Then he took most of his army and hurried home. After returning to Antioch, Lysias ordered the execution of Menelaus, the extreme Hellenizer who had bought the office of Kohein Gadol from Antiochus IV, even though he was not a Kohein, and tyrannized the Hasidim. In effect, Lysias was granting the Jewish rebels the religious victory they were seeking in the hopes that Judea would thus be pacified, that it would remain a tax-paying part of the Seleucid Empire ….

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.