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Nearly 30,000 new Olim have arrived in Israel since the Oct. 7 massacre, according to figures released Tuesday by the World Zionist Organization.

The wave of Aliyah coincides with the nearly 11-month war against Hamas in Gaza and a surge in global antisemitism, including in North America. The war began when thousands of Hamas terrorists infiltrated southern Israel, slaughtering 1,200 people and abducting another 250. Of these, 108 still remain captive in the Strip.

“On Oct. 7, a war erupted not against the state of Israel but against the Jewish people,” said WZO chairman Yaakov Hagoel, who greeted the latest group of French immigrants upon their arrival at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Monday. “Today, in many countries around the world, it is hard to be a Jew, whether at school, at work or at prayer.”

Hagoel noted that Israel has seen a “dramatic increase” in Aliyah in the wake of the massacre, which, he said, “is a testament to the recognition of the global Jewish community that Israel is not just a refuge, but a beacon of hope and faith.”

Most of the immigrants who made aliya since the war came from the former Soviet Union, with nearly 17,000 from Russia and over 900 from Ukraine, according to figures from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. 2,385 Olim came from the US and 1,581 from France.

Immigration from the US in the first seven months of the year is up 16 percent compared to the same period the year before, while the numbers from France represent a 50 percent hike, according to data from the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency for Israel.

The number of Israelis who emigrated from Israel has fallen during the war after peaking during the summer of 2023 when the country was awash in turmoil over the contested judicial overhaul.

About 63,000 Israelis who left the country between November and May have not yet returned, compared to 67,000 in the same period before the war broke out, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.

A recent report details a 355% increase in potential immigrants opening Aliyah files in France, compared to the same period last year. In the United States, the number of immigration files rose by 62%, totaling 6,000 people, while Canada saw an 87% uptick, or some 800 people, expressing their desire to move to Israel.

“The strong response we are witnessing through this wave of Aliyah is a powerful affirmation of our collective resolve to stand with Israel, now more than ever,” he said.

(JNS)

The IDF on Tuesday released footage from the rescue operation that freed Israeli-Bedouin hostage Qain Farhad Alkadi from Hamas bondage after 362 long days in harrowing captivity. The moment an IDF helicopter landed in the Gaza Strip to whisk away Alkadi Video from inside an IDF armored vehicle and helicopter shows Alkadi being transported to safety by his rescuers Bodycam footage from Shayetet-13 special forces shows Alkadi being loaded onto the helicopter back to Israel Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen, Commanding Officer of the 162nd Division, describes the rescue of the Bedouin-Israeli hostage Photos released by the IDF from the rescue operation

The world’s deadliest animal can be squashed flat with a quick slap: It’s the mosquito. The buzzing insects are more than annoying — they spread disease. When they bite and drink blood from a person or animal they can pick up viruses or germs too. If they can go on to bite someone or something else, they deposit the germ right under the skin. People in some areas of Massachusetts have been warned to stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active after a rare case of eastern equine encephalitis was discovered. And Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, was recently hospitalized after he came down with West Nile virus. Both are nasty diseases spread by mosquitoes — though thankfully they are relatively rare. The best way to avoid getting sick is of course to avoid getting bitten, which means taking steps like using repellent, wearing clothing with long sleeves and long pants and staying indoors when the mosquitoes are out. Local health departments also work to reduce mosquito numbers, including spraying neighborhoods with insecticide. Authorities in Massachusetts are using trucks and planes this week to spray vulnerable areas. Here’s a look at some common — and not so common — mosquito-borne diseases. Eastern equine encephalitis Most people infected with eastern equine encephalitis don’t develop symptoms, but some can come down with fever or swelling of the brain and about one third of people infected die. There have been three cases of eastern equine encephalitis in the U.S. this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one each in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont. The worst year for the disease was 2019, with 38 cases. It is caused by a virus and is not very common around the world. The virus typically spreads in certain swamps, including red maple and white cedar swamps in Massachusetts. West Nile virus About 2 in 10 people infected with West Nile virus develop symptoms, which can include fever and swelling of the brain. About 1 in 10 people who develop severe symptoms die. There have been 216 West Nile cases so far this year. West Nile virus was first reported in the U.S. in 1999 in New York. It gradually spread across the country. In 2003, there were nearly 10,000 cases. Malaria Malaria infected nearly 250 million people globally in 2022 and killed more than 600,000, mostly children. It is caused by a parasite carried by mosquitoes and mainly infects people in tropical regions, especially Africa. A vaccination campaign has been launched in recent months that health officials hope will help reduce cases and deaths. Dengue Also known as “break-bone fever” because it can be so painful, dengue is becoming more common. The World Health Organization says that about half the world’s population is at risk of getting the disease, and there are 100 million to 400 million infections every year. Not everyone gets symptoms, which can include fever, severe headaches and pain in the muscles and joints. Most U.S. cases are in people who have traveled to other countries, though the CDC says there have been about 2,600 locally acquired cases so far this year. (AP)

The United States provided “some intelligence surveillance reconnaissance support” to Israel ahead of the latter’s preemptive strike on Hezbollah on Motzei Shabbos, but it “did not conduct any kinetic operations, as they were not required,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, told reporters on Monday.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered an extension of the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group “given the tensions in the Middle East and given our commitment to continue to support Israel’s defense and deter potential aggression,” Ryder said.

“For operation security reasons, I’m not going to go into what that timeline looks like other than to say, again, he has ordered the two carriers to remain in the region,” he added.

Both Washington and Israel were “closely monitoring the situation” with Hezbollah, according to Ryder. “The fact that there was an attack clearly was demonstrative of the fact that they intended to attack,” he said. “But as for the decision calculus on, you know, why and when, I’d—I’d refer you to the IDF.”

Pressed on whether Washington accepted Israel’s characterization of its attack as “preemptive,” Ryder said, “Clearly there was a threat emanating. They took action.”

In response to a different question, Ryder said that “Israel was able to do that with its own organic capabilities and systems. Should there have been a need for us to do that, certainly we are posed and ready to go.”

(JNS)

Israel’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, in its neverending efforts to singlehandedly rule the country, ordered Justice Minister Yariv Levin to convene the Judicial Selection Committee “in the coming days” in order to elect a new Supreme Court president and two new justices or they will issue a ruling on the matter on September 1. Following former Supreme Court President Esther Hayut’s resignation in October 2023, a long-standing dispute developed between Justice Minister Yariv Levin and the Supreme Court regarding the appointment of a new president. Traditionally, the next most senior justice becomes president. However, there is no law mandating this. The next most senior justice, Yitzchak Amit, is a liberal, and Levin wanted to prevent his appointment as president. In a surprise move last August, Justice Yosef Elron, who is considered right-wing in his views, became the first justice in Israeli history to submit his name to the Judicial Selection Committee for the position of president despite his lack of seniority. He did so because he believes that the court has lost its direction in all spheres – constitutional, national, and criminal – and he wanted to prevent Amit from being elected, whom he views as unfit for the position. However, Acting President Justice Uzi Fogelman refused to consider Elron’s appointment or either of Levin’s nominees for the position: Dr. Aviad Bakshi of the Kohelet Forum and Dr. Rafi Biton. Fogelman also refused Levin’s recent proposal for a compromise – to appoint Elron for one year, until his scheduled retirement in September 2025. Meanwhile, Levin has repeatedly pushed off convening the Judicial Selection Committee to appoint a new President and new justices as the majority of the committee is left-wing and will not approve his candidates. Changing the makeup of the Judicial Selection Committee, which currently is a leftist echo chamber since the justices themselves appoint their cronies, was a key part of the coalition’s judicial reform plan that was never passed into law due to the left-wing riots and the October 7 assault and resulting war. Levin’s office responded to the Supreme Court ruling by stating: “It was a predictable decision, in conflict of interest and without authority. They are the judges of themselves. They refuse to accept anyone who is not one of them and are simply proving how justified the judicial reform is.” Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi (Likud) responded by advising Levin to ignore the Supreme Court’s ruling. “Even if such an absurd verdict is issued, the Justice Minister must act per his authority mandated by law and not heed those who try to tamper with its foundations and certainly not resign from his position,” Karai said. “We must be strong and determined in the face of the hostile takeover attempt by unelected officials over Israeli democracy and law.” “This is the embodiment of legal tyranny, contrary to every democratic value on which they supposedly rely as justification for their judicial activism – the height of legal oligarchy. This is not law – it’s a coup!” Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded by repeating the absurd left-wing lies about the government “destroying” democracy. “Justice Minister Levin announced today that in his view, the war is over, and he is returning to the coup d’etat and the attempt to obliterate Israeli democracy,” he stated. ” The Judicial Selection Committee […]

A Greek-flagged tanker repeatedly attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea remains ablaze but hasn’t sprung a major oil leak in the waterway, a European Union naval command said Monday. Images published by the EU’s Operation Aspides, whose mission is to protect shipping in the area, showed smoke rising from multiple points along the Sounion’s deck and its bridge Sunday. Fires could be seen burning in at least nine different locations on the deck of the vessel, which had been loaded with 150,000 tons of Iraqi crude oil — roughly 1 million barrels. Some flames appeared near hatches of the tanker’s oil tanks. “So far there are no obvious signs of an oil spill,” the EU mission said. The Sounion “is both a navigational and an imminent environmental hazard. This situation underlines that these kinds of attacks pose not only a threat against the freedom of navigation but also to the lives of seafarers, the environment, and subsequently the life of all citizens living in that region.” The U.S. State Department similarly warned about the ecological danger to the Red Sea, home to coral reefs and other natural habitats and wildlife. Footage showing explosions on board the Sounion released earlier by the Houthis and later analyzed by The Associated Press suggested that the rebels again boarded an abandoned vessel and rigged it with explosives in an attempt to sink it. “While the crew has been evacuated, the Houthis appear determined to sink the ship and its cargo into the sea,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement Saturday. “Through these attacks, the Houthis have made clear they are willing to destroy the fishing industry and regional ecosystems that Yemenis and other communities in the region rely on for their livelihoods, just as they have undermined the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the region through their reckless attacks.” For their part, the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel highlighted the EU’s photographs and described the Sounion as being targeted for “punishment to the company that owns the ship for violating the decision to ban access to the ports” of Israel. The Sounion came under repeated attack last week by the Houthis. A French destroyer operating as part of Operation Aspides later rescued the Sounion’s crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, and took them to nearby Djibouti. The attack on the Sounion marks the most serious assault in weeks by the rebels, who continue to target shipping through the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have disrupted the $1 trillion in trade that typically passes through the region, as well as halting some aid shipments to conflict-ravaged Sudan and Yemen. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets. The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection […]

Attendees of the Democratic National Convention are testing positive for COVID-19. Those include members of Kamala Harris’ campaign staff, according to NBC News—though the network’s sources reported that the cases were so far mild and that there were no concerns about it affecting the overall operation.

It wasn’t just staff who got sick after the event, either. Attendees began posting online about contracting the virus after the DNC wrapped on Thursday.

“You put 20,000 people in an 18,000-person building, it’s bound to happen,” said Jaimey Sexton, a political consultant who attended the convention, adding that he knew people personally who are now sick. “You could ask anybody who was planning an event, they know somebody who has Covid,” he added.

The convention, which experienced overflow crowds throughout its multi-day festivities, had no health-related requirements for attendees. Read more at NBC.

Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi, 52, the first Israeli hostage to be rescued alive from a tunnel, looked gaunt after being released from 326 days in captivity on Tuesday. He was rescued from a tunnel in southern Gaza, where he was held alone. However, doctors at Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva say that although he lost a lot of weight, he is in good condition. Al-Qadi, who has two wives and 11 children, held emotional reunions with his family members, including his one-year-old son, who was an infant when he was abducted. Qadi’s relatives, who didn’t even know until today if he was still alive, said that he “ate mainly bread in captivity and not every day. But he is on his feet and he’s coherent. He was constantly thinking about the family and never stopped believing that he would get out of there. We don’t know how he survived, but he survived and he’s alive, and that’s the most important thing.”   The IDF released footage of the first moments after Al-Qadi was rescued: (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Iran’s supreme leader opened the door Tuesday to renewed negotiations with the United States over his country’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, telling its civilian government there was “no barrier” to engaging with its “enemy.” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remarks set clear red lines for any talks taking place under the government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and renewed his warnings that Washington wasn’t to be trusted. But his comments mirror those around the time of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Tehran’s nuclear program greatly curtailed in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Yet it remains unclear just how much room Pezeshkian will have to maneuver, particularly as tensions remain high in the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and as the U.S. prepares for a presidential election in November. “We do not have to pin our hope to the enemy. For our plans, we should not wait for approval by the enemies,” Khamenei said in a video broadcast by state television. “It is not contradictory to engage the same enemy in some places, there’s no barrier.” Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, also warned Pezeshkian’s Cabinet, “Do not trust the enemy.” Khamenei, 85, has occasionally urged talks or dismissed them with Washington after then President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018. There have been indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in recent years mediated by Oman and Qatar, two of the United States’ Middle East interlocutors when it comes to Iran. Khamenei’s remarks came a day after Qatar’s prime minister visited the country. Asked for comment, the U.S. State Department told The Associated Press: “We will judge Iran’s leadership by their actions, not their words.” “We have long said that we ultimately view diplomacy as the best way to achieve an effective, sustainable solution with regard to Iran’s nuclear program,” it said. “However, we are far away from anything like that right now given Iran’s escalations across the board, including its nuclear escalations and its failure to cooperate” with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog. “If Iran wants to demonstrate seriousness or a new approach, they should stop nuclear escalations and start meaningfully cooperating with the IAEA,” it said. Since the deal’s collapse, Iran has abandoned all limits that the deal put on its program, and enriches uranium to up to 60% purity — near weapons-grade levels of 90%. Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the Vienna-based agency’s most experienced inspectors. Iranian officials also have increasingly threatened that they could pursue atomic weapons. Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have hit a new high during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Tehran launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel in April after years of a shadow war between the two countries reached a climax with Israel’s apparent attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and others. The assassination in Tehran of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh also prompted Iran to threaten to retaliate against Israel. Pezeshkian, a former lawmaker who won the presidency after a May helicopter crash killed hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, campaigned in part on a promise to reengage the West with negotiations. Khamenei’s […]

In a heartfelt conversation with President Isaac Herzog, rescued hostage Farhan al-Qadi shared his harrowing experience and urged for the return of all remaining captives. “The suffering for captives is immense and everyone else still held there must be brought home,” al-Qadi emphasized. Expressing deep gratitude, al-Qadi said, “I am very grateful to the State of Israel, to the army.” He passionately appealed for the return of all remaining hostages, saying, “People are suffering there, every minute… do everything to bring people home.” Al-Qadi recounted his own ordeal, describing the unbearable conditions he endured. “I experienced 24 hours without sleep, people are suffering, suffering, you can’t imagine it,” he said. The moment of his rescue was a turning point, as he recalled, “When I heard Hebrew outside the door, I couldn’t believe it, couldn’t believe it.” Praising the IDF, al-Qadi acknowledged their bravery, stating, “They are doing holy work, risked their lives, did everything to rescue me.” His words serve as a poignant reminder of the ongoing plight of captives and the need for continued efforts to bring them home.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I’ve read the discussions on Matzav.com about prices, overpaying, and trying to save a few dollars here and there. But I have a different problem, and I need to speak from the heart because this is weighing on me in a way that I can barely describe.

I’m making over $300,000 a year, and as a frum Yid, I’m in debt. Yes, you read that right. I’m in debt! And before you start thinking I’m spending money on extravagant vacations or driving a fancy car, let me tell you—I don’t overspend. I’m not living a lavish lifestyle. I’m just trying to keep my head above water, to live an ehrlich Yiddishe life, and support my family of seven children.

And I’m drowning.

Let’s break it down.

First, everything I earn is on the books, so the IRS siphons off an insane amount of my income for taxes. It hurts beyond words.

Between my mortgage, car payments, health insurance (which, by the way, is sky-high for a family our size), car insurance, and tuition—oh, the tuition!—it’s a miracle if I have anything left over.

Then add in simchos, groceries (you know what it costs to feed a large family today?), basic household items, clothing for the kids, medical bills, utility bills, camp fees, and a thousand other random everyday expenses that pop up out of nowhere.

I’m telling you, it’s not possible.

It’s just not possible to make it.

Imagine—who would have ever thought that a person making $300,000 a year could not support his family? Not normal! Mamish not normal.

I sit at the end of the month, looking at my bank account, and I feel like I’m in a bad dream. How did we get here? How is it that the money I work so hard for, that I thought would secure my family’s future, doesn’t even stretch to cover the basics?

I thought maybe I was losing my mind, that something must be wrong with the way I’m budgeting or planning. But then I started talking to friends, other hardworking Yidden in the same income range, and you know what? They’re in the same boat! One friend told me he just made a bar mitzvah and a wedding, and he’s earning even more than I am, and he’s in chovos up to his neck. He can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel either.

Years ago, if someone would have told me I’d be making this kind of money, I would have thought I’d be a gvir. I would have been thrilled, thinking I’d be able to give tzedakah generously, help others, and live comfortably. And now, I’m just struggling to make ends meet. I’m literally not making it to the end of the month. The money is gone before I can even take a breath, before I can even think about how to stretch it further.

I’m not writing this letter for sympathy from Matzav readers. Actually, I don’t know why I’m writing it. Maybe I’m just in pain and feel so alone. There are so many of us out there, Yidden who are working hard, earning what used to be considered a respectable income, and still, we’re sinking. The pressures on a frum family today are immense, and the costs are overwhelming.

We’re just trying to live an ehrlich, Torahdige life, to raise our children b’derech haTorah, and somehow, the system is broken. Something has to change, because this is not sustainable. We can’t keep going on like this, constantly worrying, constantly stressed, constantly in chovos, even when we’re supposedly making good money. It’s not right. It’s not what any of us expected, and it’s certainly not what we were promised.

So what do we do? I don’t have the answers, but I know this conversation has to keep going. We need to speak up and share our struggles, because only when we’re honest about the challenges we’re facing can we hope to find some kind of solution.

Sincerely,

A Broken Breadwinner

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{Matzav.com}

Rav Gershon Ribner, rosh kollel of Kollel Nesivos Hatorah and son-in-law of Rav Shneur Kotler, has succeeded in applying classical Talmudical analysis and methodology to understanding all areas of Yiddishkeit, bringing out its profundity and sense.

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It’s been a wild week of weather in many parts of the United States, from heat waves to snowstorms to flash floods. Here’s a look at some of the weather events: Midwest sizzles under heat wave Millions of people in the Midwest have been enduring dangerous heat and humidity. An emergency medicine physician treating Minnesota State Fair-goers for heat illnesses saw firefighters cut rings off two people’s swollen fingers Monday in hot weather that combined with humidity made it feel well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius). Soaring late summer temperatures also prompted some Midwestern schools to let out early or cancel sports practices. The National Weather Service issued heat warnings or advisories across Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. Several cities including Chicago opened cooling centers. Forecasters said Tuesday also will be scorching hot for areas of the Midwest before the heat wave shifts to the south and east. West Coast mountains get early snowstorm An unusually cold storm on the mountain peaks along the West Coast late last week brought a hint of winter in August. The system dropped out of the Gulf of Alaska, down through the Pacific Northwest and into California. Mount Rainier, southeast of Seattle, got a high-elevation dusting, as did central Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor resort. Mount Shasta, the Cascade Range volcano that rises to 14,163 feet (4,317 meters) above far northern California, wore a white blanket after the storm clouds passed. The mountain’s Helen Lake, which sits at 10,400 feet (3,170 meters) received about half a foot of snow (15 centimeters), and there were greater amounts at higher elevations, according to the U.S. Forest Service’s Shasta Ranger Station. Tropical storm dumps heavy rain on Hawaii Three tropical cyclones swirled over the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, including Tropical Storm Hone, which brought heavy rain to Hawaii; Hurricane Gilma, which was weakening; and Tropical Storm Hector, which was churning westward, far off the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico. The biggest impacts from Tropical Storm Hone (pronounced hoe-NEH) were rainfall and flash floods that resulted in road closures, downed power lines and damaged trees in some areas of the Big Island, said William Ahue, a forecaster at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. No injuries or major damage had been reported, authorities said. Deadly Alaska landslide crashes into homes A landslide that cut a path down a steep, thickly forested hillside crashed into several homes in Ketchikan, Alaska, in the latest such disaster to strike the mountainous region. Sunday’s slide killed one person and injured three others and prompted the mandatory evacuation of nearby homes in the city, a popular cruise ship stop along the famed Inside Passage in the southeastern Alaska panhandle. The slide area remained unstable Monday, and authorities said that state and local geologists were arriving to assess the area for potential secondary slides. Last November, six people — including a family of five — were killed when a landslide destroyed two homes in Wrangell, north of Ketchikan. Flash flood hits Grand Canyon National Park The body of an Arizona woman who disappeared in Grand Canyon National Park after a flash flood was recovered Sunday, park rangers said. The body of Chenoa Nickerson, 33, was discovered by a group rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, the park said in a statement. Nickerson was […]

The Israeli Yated Ne’eman newspaper, aligned with the Degel Hatorah faction of the Yahadut Hatorah party, sharply criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in its paper today, labeling him as a “pyromaniac politician.”

This rebuke follows Ben Gvir’s recent endorsement of establishing a shul on the Har Habayis in Yerushalayim’s Old City.

The newspaper emphasizes the enduring stance of leading gedolei haposkim across generations who categorically prohibited Jews from ascending the Har Habayis.

The publication condemns Ben Gvir’s statements as “severe” and accuses him of “endangering the residents of the Holy Land.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Dear Friends & Supporters: Approximately 30 years ago, Rav Zechariah Gelley zt”l, Rav of K’hal Adas Yeshurun in Washington Heights, was invited to join the rabbinic presidium (Nesius) of Agudas Yisroel of America and to participate in the upcoming meeting of the Nesius. Rav Gelley graciously accepted the invitation, but he had a question: “What is accomplished at these meetings? I’m sure it’s very nice to drink coffee or tea with rabbonim and roshei yeshiva from different backgrounds, but does anything tangible, l’maaseh, come out of these meetings?” To which Rav Elya Fisher zt”l, Rosh Kollel of Ger and fellow member of the Nesius, replied; “There is much l’maaseh, as you will see. But even if the Nesius existed for the sole purpose of creating a table at which we all sit together and drink coffee and tea, that itself would be a great thing.” From time to time, even today some three decades later, we at Agudas Yisroel hear a slight variation on Rav Gelley’s question: “L’maaseh, what does the Agudah do?”  The reality is that Agudah is very much a l’maaseh-focused organization. Hence the theme of our upcoming fifth annual Charidy fundraising campaign: THIS IS WHAT WE DO We will tell you about Agudas Yisroel’s advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. and throughout the country that help bring in millions upon millions of dollars in government programs, services and funding to the yeshiva community across the USA. We will tell you about the central role Agudah plays in the battle to preserve the independence of our yeshivos against inappropriate governmental intrusion. We will tell you about the work Agudas Yisroel does in promoting the legal rights of our special needs population, and about the trailblazing activities of the growing national network of Yahalom offices servicing this population. We will tell you about Agudah’s essential role in combatting antisemitism in America, with special emphasis on the growing cancer of anti-charedi’ism. We will tell you about Agudah’s immensely popular “H3” business halacha seminars in venues across the United States, and even in the UK, which have given essential halachic guidance to thousands of businessmen and professionals from all types of backgrounds. We will tell you about the remarkable work of our Chayim Aruchim division, dealing with end-of-life halachic and legal challenges; about our recently started Zahav division to help seniors and their families in navigating the federal and local bureaucracies for various forms of government assistance programs; about the numerous court cases in which we have filed legal briefs to make sure that our community’s interests are protected. There’s more — lots more  — but enough for now.  The bottom line, as the unforgettable President of Agudas Yisroel Rabbi Moshe Sherer would often say, is that while it is true that the Agudah is an ideological organization — the ideology is an ideology of activism! In short: l’maaseh! And so, dear friends, please read the literature and watch the videos we will be publishing for Agudas Yisroel’s upcoming Charidy fundraising campaign. Learn more about what we do, about the many thousands whose lives are directly impacted by our work, about the wonderful tangible accomplishments that are the hallmark of the Agudah.  And then, open up your hearts and your pockets to enable us to continue doing what we do to meet the needs of a growing […]

IDF Spokesmen Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari speaks following the successful rescue of Qaid Farhan Alkadi from Hamas captivity in southern Gaza. This was the first successful hostage rescue mission in a terror tunnel.

Photos of the emotional meeting between Farhan Qadi, who was rescued from being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza today, and members of his family at Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva. Credit: Yossi Ifergan

The chief of Ukraine’s army said Tuesday that the country’s troops have gained control of nearly 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russia’s Kursk region since their surprise incursion three weeks ago. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi also said that Ukraine has captured 594 Russian prisoners in its operation. “The enemy drags troops from other directions, in such way weakening them. They attempt to create a ring of defense around our offensive group of troops and plan counteroffensive actions,” Syrskyi said, commenting on the situation in the Kursk region. The seized territory is roughly the size of Los Angeles. His claim, which could not be independently confirmed, came hours after Ukraine endured a second consecutive barrage of nighttime air and missile attacks from Russia. Five people were reported killed and 16 injured in the attacks, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said included 81 drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles. He said four people died, but the governor of the Zaporizhzhia region later said a fifth person had died there from burns in the attacks. “We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished.” Zelenskyy wrote on X. The Kursk operation, the largest incursion into Russia since World War II, forced some 130,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Russia has sent reinforcements into the region, but it was not clear to what extent these movements might be weakening Russia’s position in eastern Ukraine, where it was making slow advances in efforts to gain ground in the Kharkiv region. The Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday that Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk — some 6,600 troops either killed or injured — and that more than 70 tanks have been destroyed along with scores of armored vehicles. Those figures could not be independently confirmed. In the Kyiv region, which had struggled with blackouts after Monday’s onslaught that targeted energy facilities throughout the country, five air alerts were called during the night. The regional administration said air defenses destroyed all the drones and missiles but that falling debris set off forest fires. After Monday’s barrage across Ukraine of more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said “the energy infrastructure has once again become the target of Russian terrorists” and urged Ukraine’s allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia. President Joe Biden called Monday’s Russian attack on energy infrastructure “outrageous” and said he had “reprioritized U.S. air defense exports so they are sent to Ukraine first.” He also said the U.S. was “surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of Ukraine’s energy grid.” The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks used “long-range precision air- and sea-based weapons and strike drones against critical energy infrastructure facilities that support the operation of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex. All designated targets were hit.” In Russia, meanwhile, officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region. The fighting in the region has raised concerns about the nuclear power plant there. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi arrived inspected the plant on Tuesday, but did not immediately give a public assessment. (AP)

General Charles Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed Reuters on Monday that the immediate threat of a wider conflict in the Middle East has lessened following recent exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, though Iran remains a serious concern as it contemplates a possible strike on Israel.

Brown’s remarks came after a three-day visit to the Middle East, which included a stop in Israel where he met with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. His visit coincided with Hezbollah’s launch of hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, prompting the IDF to retaliate against Lebanon to prevent a more extensive assault.

Brown highlighted that Hezbollah’s attack was one of two significant threats to Israel that have emerged recently. Iran is also threatening a response following the killing of Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, an incident Israel has not officially acknowledged.

When asked whether the risk of a regional war had decreased, Brown responded, “Somewhat, yes.”

“You had two things you knew were going to happen. One’s already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out,” he explained.

“How Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not,” Brown said. He also warned of the potential danger from Iran’s allies in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, who have attacked U.S. troops, as well as Yemen’s Houthis, who have targeted shipping in the Red Sea and even launched drones at Israel.

“And do these others actually go off and do things on their own because they’re not satisfied – the Houthis in particular,” Brown remarked to Reuters.

Brown further mentioned that the U.S. military is now in a stronger position to support Israel’s defense, as well as its own forces in the Middle East, compared to April 13, when Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel.

“We’re better postured. We try to improve upon what we did in April,” Brown told Reuters.

John Kirby, White House National Security Council spokesman, recently stated on CNN that U.S. intelligence suggests Iran has not withdrawn its threat to attack Israel.

Earlier, Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder informed reporters that an Iranian attack on Israel is “certainly possible,” stressing that the threat must be taken seriously, prompting the deployment of additional resources to the region.

{Matzav.com}