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Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as layoffs in the U.S. remain low despite uncertainty about how tariffs will impact the economy. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims for the week ending June 28 fell by 4,000 to 233,000, less than the 241,000 that analysts forecast. Applications for unemployment aid are considered a proxy for layoffs. In a separate report Thursday, the Labor Department reported that U.S. employers added 147,000 jobs in June, a sign that the American labor market continues to show surprising resilience despite uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s economic policies. The job gains were much bigger than expected and the unemployment rate ticked down 4.1% from 4.2% in May. Analysts had forecast that unemployment would rise to 4.3%. Though the job market is broadly healthy by historical standards, some weakness has surfaced as employers contend with fallout from Trump’s policies, especially his aggressive tariffs. Tariffs raise prices for businesses and consumers and most economists believe they make the economy less efficient by reducing competition. They also invite retaliatory tariffs from other countries, hurting U.S. exporters and potentially driving businesses to freeze hiring or cut staff. Many of Trump’s stiff proposed taxes on imports are currently on pause, but they’re scheduled to kick into effect next week. Unless Trump reaches deals with other countries to lower the tariffs, economists fear they could act as a drag on the economy and ignite another bout of inflation. Companies that have announced job cuts this year include Procter & Gamble, Workday, Dow, CNN, Starbucks, Southwest Airlines, and Facebook parent company Meta. On Wednesday, Microsoft announced that it is laying off about 9,000 workers, its second mass layoff in months and its largest in more than two years. Earlier this month, Google confirmed that it had offered buyouts to another swath of its workforce in a fresh round of cost-cutting ahead of a court decision that could order a breakup of its internet empire. The Labor Department’s unemployment benefits report showed that the four-week average of claims, which evens out some of the weekly volatility, fell by 3,750 to 241,500. The total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits the week of June 21 held steady at 1.97 million. (AP)

The Knesset’s State Control Committee, chaired by MK Mickey Levy, convened yesterday for the ninth time to discuss the enforcement of core curriculum studies in chareidi educational institutions, amid ongoing tensions between government oversight bodies and the chareidi school system.

The hearing was initiated by MK Moshe Kinley Tur-Paz, who opened with strong criticism: “The State of Israel transferred funds to the chareidi education system, yet a report submitted to the High Court reveals that core curriculum subjects were not taught. Specifically, 616 standardized hours were allocated to the Chinuch Atzmai network and not returned. A review showed that 9 out of 42 schools in the network did not teach the core subjects, despite receiving funding for them.”

According to MK Tur-Paz, representatives from the school network responded by saying, “It depends on the gedolei Yisrael — if they approve, we will make the correction.” He continued, “This implies that funds taken from the state for these studies will only be properly used if permitted by rabbinic authorities — irrespective of state funding guidelines.”

He added that while the chareidi education network submitted its portion of the report to the High Court this past Sunday, the legislative branch itself has yet to receive it. “In nine schools, it is explicitly written that any correction will be made only with the approval of the gedolim. In other words — we took the money, didn’t do what was required, and now say we’ll only comply if the rabbis agree,” Tur-Paz said.

MK Avraham Betzalel pushed back against the tone of the discussion. “There are people with no real connection or understanding of the chareidi education system who are using a professional discussion as an excuse to repeatedly bash the chareidi public,” he said. “Over the past 70 years, others far more sophisticated have tried to change the chareidi community — and failed. What we saw here today was a thorough and professional presentation from the chareidi education division.”

Despite repeated requests from the committee, the Ministry of Education has refused to transfer the full report detailing compliance with core curriculum standards in primary chareidi schools. Committee Chairman MK Mickey Levy condemned the ministry’s silence: “The failure to submit the report is a serious violation of the Knesset’s role and its oversight authority. If the report is not delivered within the coming week, I will file a petition with the High Court.”

In response to the concerns raised, the head of the chareidi education division within the Ministry of Education pledged a dramatic shift starting in the upcoming school year, including stricter enforcement and oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance with national education standards. He noted that institutions failing to uphold their commitments would face sanctions.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A federal judge on Wednesday ended an order blocking the deportation of the family of the man charged in the fatal firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, noting government lawyers say the man’s relatives are not being rushed out of the country as the White House originally stated. Hayam El Gamal and her five children were detained by immigration agents on June 3, two days after her husband Mohamed Sabry Soliman was accused of throwing two Molotov cocktails at people demonstrating for awareness of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Prosecutors announced Monday that an 82-year-old woman who was injured in the attack had died. U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garica dismissed the family’s lawsuit challenging their detention by immigration authorities. The ruling noted that El Gamal and her children ages 4 to 18 are not eligible for expedited deportations because they have been in the country for over two years, which he said lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have acknowledged. Soliman is an Egyptian national who federal authorities say was living in the U.S. illegally. He is being prosecuted in both state and federal court for the attack, which prosecutors say injured a total of 13 people. Investigators say he planned the attack for a year and was driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people.” He has pleaded not guilty to federal hate crimes charges but hasn’t been asked to enter a plea in the state case, which now includes a murder charge. On the day El Gamal and her children were arrested, the White House said in social media posts that they “COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT” and that six one-way tickets had been purchased for them, with their “final boarding call coming soon.” Those statements led a federal judge in Colorado to issue an emergency order temporarily blocking the family’s deportation, Garcia said. The case was later transferred to Texas, where the family is being held in an immigration detention center for families. Garcia is based in San Antonio. Because the family is in regular deportation proceedings, there is no longer any reason to block their deportation, Garcia said. Regular proceedings can take months or even years if decisions are appealed. He also turned down the family’s request to be released from the detention center in the meantime, saying they can pursue release through the normal bond process in the immigration system. Lawyers for the family had challenged their detention as unconstitutional because they said it was intended to punish them for Soliman’s actions. According to a court filing by El Gamal’s lawyers, one of the immigration agents who arrested them told her, “You have to pay for the consequences of what you did.” Garcia said immigration authorities have discretion in deciding who to detain and he did not have authority to review their decision to detain El Gamal and her children. Lawyers for the government said they are being lawfully held because they are accused of overstaying their visas. One of the family’s attorneys, Niels Frenzen, said they hoped to get the family released from the detention center while the deportation proceedings continue. An email seeking comment from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement was not immediately returned. (AP)

Iran’s nuclear program has been pushed back by at least one year, and potentially closer to two, after U.S. airstrikes last month devastated three key nuclear facilities, according to the Department of Defense. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters Wednesday that intelligence assessments show significant damage at Iran’s Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan sites. “We believe, and certainly all of the intelligence that we’ve seen have led us to believe that those facilities especially have been completely obliterated,” Parnell said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated that assessment, rejecting early leaked estimates suggesting only months of delay. “That was premature,” Hegseth said, pointing to deeper intelligence reviews indicating Tehran’s nuclear timetable had been set back by as much as two years. The June 21 strikes came after more than a week of tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Iran. President Trump, speaking on Fox News over the weekend, described the strikes as “obliterating like nobody’s ever seen before,” claiming they had put an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions “at least for a period of time.” Trump added he remains open to renewing nuclear negotiations with Tehran, but argued that a formal deal is not essential and warned that more U.S. military action could follow if Iran resumes enrichment. Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi told French broadcaster RFI that while the Iranian nuclear program suffered “enormous damage,” he cautioned that Tehran could restart enrichment “in a matter of months.” Grossi said, “I think ‘annihilated’ is too much, but it has suffered enormous damage.” It remains unclear whether Iran’s existing stockpiles of enriched uranium were destroyed in the U.S. strikes. American intelligence agencies have previously assessed that even with nuclear material, Iran would still need at least two years to assemble a deliverable weapon. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

As optimism grows in Israel over the possibility of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks and a hostage release deal, key details of the proposal currently on the table have been revealed. Under the plan, Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others in five separate phases. In return, Israel would agree to a two-month ceasefire and to the release of high-level Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli officials said Thursday morning that a sense of cautious optimism surrounds the negotiations. According to those close to the process, Hamas appears to be showing signs of “flexibility,” and should the terror group respond positively to the revised proposal, an Israeli delegation is expected to travel to Qatar by the weekend to begin direct negotiations.

Senior American officials, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, are working urgently to finalize the deal ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to the White House next week.

The proposed framework includes a two-month suspension of Israeli military activity in Gaza. If serious negotiations on ending the war are underway at the end of that period, the ceasefire would continue. President Donald Trump has pledged to serve as guarantor of the agreement, ensuring that Israel extends the ceasefire as long as meaningful talks toward a permanent end to the conflict are ongoing.

According to the new terms, Hamas would release eight of the living hostages during the first week of the ceasefire. The remaining two would be freed on the 50th day. Meanwhile, the bodies of 18 fallen hostages would be returned in three separate batches throughout the 60-day truce.

In a significant concession, Israel would release a number of convicted Palestinian terrorists with blood on their hands—prisoners it had previously refused to free.

Reports in Arab media overnight stated that Hamas is “satisfied” with the revised proposal and is expected to deliver its official response by Friday.

In an official statement issued late Wednesday night, Hamas said, “Mediators are making intensive efforts to bridge the gaps between the parties and reach a framework agreement by opening a serious round of negotiations.”

The statement added, “We are acting with the utmost responsibility and are consulting with the Palestinian factions regarding the proposals forwarded by the mediators, in the hope of reaching an agreement that will bring an end to Israeli aggression, ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and secure the flow of supplies to Gaza residents.”

U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the talks Wednesday, saying, “My representatives held a long and productive meeting today with the Israelis about Gaza. Israel has agreed to the terms necessary to implement a 60-day ceasefire, during which we will work with all parties to bring an end to the war.”

He added a warning directed at Hamas: “The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked hard to advance peace, will convey this final offer. I hope, for the sake of the Middle East, that Hamas will accept the deal, because the situation will not get better—it will only get worse. Thank you for your attention to this important matter!”

{Matzav.com Israel}

U.S. employers added 147,000 jobs in June as the American labor market continues to show surprising resilience despite uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s economic policies. The unemployment rate ticked down 4.1% from 4.2% in May, the Labor Department said Thursday. Hiring rose modestly from a revised 144,000 in May and beat economists expectations of fewer than 118,000 new jobs and a rise in the unemployment rate. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. The steady slowdown in U.S. hiring likely continued in June as President Donald Trump’s trade wars, federal hiring freeze and immigration crackdown weighed on the American job market. When the Labor Department on Thursday releases job numbers for last month, they’re expected to show that businesses, government agencies and nonprofits added 117,500 jobs in June, down from 139,000 in May, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet. The unemployment rate is expected to have ticked up to 4.3%, which would be the highest since October 2021 but still low enough to suggest that most American workers continue to enjoy job security. The U.S. job market has cooled considerably from red-hot days of 2021-2023 when the economy bounced back with unexpected strength from COVID-19 lockdowns and companies were desperate for workers. So far this year employers have added an average 124,000 jobs a month, down from 168,000 in 2024 and an average 400,000 from 2021 through 2023. Hiring decelerated after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate 11 times in 2022 and 2023. But the economy did not collapse, defying widespread predictions that the higher borrowing costs would cause a recession. Companies kept hiring, just at a more modest pace. But the job market increasingly looks under strain. A survey released Wednesday by the payroll processor ADP found that private companies cut 33,000 jobs last month. “Though layoffs continue to be rare, a hesitancy to hire and a reluctance to replace departing workers led to job losses last month,” said ADP chief economist Nela Richardson. (The ADP numbers frequently differ from the Labor Department’s official job count.) Employers are now contending with fallout from Trump’s policies, especially his aggressive use of import taxes – tariffs. Mainstream economists say that tariffs raise prices for businesses and consumers alike and make the economy less efficient by reducing competition. They also invite retaliatory tariffs from other countries, hurting U.S. exporters. The erratic way that Trump has rolled out his tariffs — announcing and then suspending them, then coming up with new ones — has left businesses bewildered. Manufacturers responding to a survey released this week by the Institute for Supply Management complained that they and their customers were reluctant to make decisions until they understood where Trump’s tariffs would end up. “That whiplash has to stop and it has to stay stopped,” said Susan Spence, chair of the ISM’s manufacturing survey committee. Trump’s assault on the federal bureaucracy could also show up in June’s job report. Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, expects federal jobs dropped by 20,000 last month, “reflecting a hiring freeze, voluntary quits and retirements.’’ For now, she wrote in a commentary Wednesday, court rulings “have put massive federal layoffs on hold.’’ The president’s deportations — and the threat of them — also are likely to […]

A French couple, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who have been detained in Iran for more than three years, are now facing new charges of espionage on behalf of Israel and conspiring to overthrow the regime, according to reports by the AFP news agency citing a Western diplomatic source. The source emphasized there is “no basis” for the allegations.

The French Foreign Ministry issued a swift and strong condemnation, calling the couple’s detention “completely arbitrary” and demanding their release.

This development comes on the heels of recent reports that a group of Jews residing in Iran had also been arrested by the regime and cut off from contact with family and acquaintances. Rumors spread suggesting they were accused of spying for Israel and maintaining ties with Israeli agents, against the backdrop of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

The reports have sparked serious concern among Iran’s Jewish community, which fears the regime’s notorious record of false accusations and summary executions. However, Homayoun Sameh, the Jewish community’s representative in the Iranian parliament, dismissed the claims.

Sameh stated that the detained individuals were not arrested for espionage, but rather for holding unauthorized family celebrations, and that their release is expected shortly. “Their arrest has nothing to do with spying,” he said.

He added that during the recent “12-day war,” several Iranian Jews were killed and referred to as “martyrs of Zionist aggression,” asserting that this fact demonstrates the local Jewish community’s loyalty and support for Iran.

{Matzav.com}

The government’s top vaccine official working under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently restricted the approval of two COVID-19 vaccines, disregarding recommendations from government scientists, according to federal documents released Wednesday. The new memos from the Food and Drug Administration show how the agency’s vaccine chief, Dr. Vinay Prasad, personally intervened to place restrictions on COVID shots from vaccine makers Novavax and Moderna. Both vaccines were approved by the FDA in May after months of analysis by rank-and-file FDA reviewers. But internal correspondence show Prasad disagreed with staffers who planned to approve the shots for everyone 12 and older, similar to previous COVID vaccines. The scientists had concluded the benefit from the vaccines and the risk of COVID-19 outweighed the risk of possible side effects, which are rare. Instead Prasad decided the shots should be limited to those who face special risks from the virus— seniors or children and adults with underlying medical issues. Prasad explained that the COVID vaccine benefits must be reconsidered in light of falling rates of death and hospitalization and the possibility for vaccine side effects. It’s the latest in a series of vaccine restrictions imposed by officials working under Kennedy, who has long questioned the benefits of vaccines. “Even rare vaccination related harms both known and unknown now have higher chance of outweighing potential benefits” Prasad wrote in a five-page memo explaining his decision. COVID-19 remains a public health threat, resulting in 32,000 to 51,000 U.S. deaths and more than 250,000 hospitalizations since last fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most at risk for hospitalization are seniors and children under 2 — especially infants under 6 months. Top FDA leaders are typically not involved in the review of individual products. Officials like Prasad can overrule staffers, but such cases are rare and often controversial. News of the FDA documents was first reported by the New York Times. Prasad was hired to lead the FDA’s vaccine center in May, after the previous director, Dr. Peter Marks, was forced to resign over disagreements with Kennedy. An academic researcher specializing in cancer therapies, Prasad came to prominence during the pandemic for criticizing public health measures, including the FDA’s approval of COVID boosters for healthy adults and children. Since arriving at the agency he has worked with FDA Commissioner Mark Makary on new guidelines that will limit approvals of future COVID boosters to higher-risk Americans, mainly seniors and those with medical conditions like asthma and obesity. Those limits match the terms FDA recently approved for Novavax’s shot, Nuvaxovid and Moderna’s mNexspike. Novavax’s vaccine is the only protein-based coronavirus vaccine available in the U.S. Moderna’s vaccine is an updated, lower-dose version of its existing mRNA-based vaccine. The review team for the Novavax vaccine pointed to data from a study in 30,000 adults, concluding that “the risk-benefit assessment for this vaccine technology remains favorable.” FDA staff reached a similar conclusion for the Moderna vaccine, deeming it similar in safety and effectiveness to the company’s original shot. Last week, the FDA finalized new warning labeling about the risk of myocarditis, a rare form of heart inflammation, on shots from Moderna and Pfizer, the other maker of an mRNA-based shot for COVID. In his “override memo,” reversing FDA staff’s decision on the Moderna shot, Prasad pointed to the […]

Senior Hamas political leaders based in Qatar have been instructed to relinquish their personal weapons, according to a report by the UK’s The Times on Wednesday. The move reportedly comes in response to increased U.S. pressure aimed at securing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Those affected include Khalil al-Hayya, who heads the Hamas delegation conducting ceasefire talks; Zaher Jabarin, responsible for the group’s financial operations; and Muhammad Ismail Darwish, head of the Hamas religious council and a key representative in diplomatic visits to countries such as Turkey and Iran. According to sources cited by Ynet, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz recently named al-Hayya as next on Israel’s list of targets for elimination. Fear for his life appears to have influenced his approach to negotiations, those close to him say. He has indicated support for the latest ceasefire proposal and is no longer opposing a temporary truce, despite Hamas’s earlier insistence that any hostage release must be contingent on a permanent end to the war. Qatar’s directive that al-Hayya and his security team disarm has reportedly added to his sense of vulnerability, possibly increasing the likelihood that the current proposal will move forward. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

After parshiyos that discussed the tragic accounts of the meraglim and Korach, this week’s parsha begins with an elevated vision of life steeped in Torah. “Zos chukas haTorah, adam ki yomus ba’ohel.” This is the way of Torah: spiritual living demands sacrifice. Those who seek to bind themselves to Torah shed the layers of material life, dedicating themselves to growth, meaning, and eternity. Their lives revolve around Torah, and they steer away from pursuits that distract from their spiritual ascent.

Rashi, quoting the Medrash Tanchuma, tells us that the Soton and the nations of the world mock this mitzvah. They ask: What sense is there in the Parah Adumah? What logic can justify it? The Torah anticipates this, so it emphasizes that this command is a chok, a Divine decree beyond human understanding. We follow it because it comes from Hashem.

We are not expected to explain the Torah to those who mock it. We do not owe the world rationales for our practices. We follow the chok, the word of Hashem, with humility and resolve, and through that, we survive and flourish in a world saturated with falsehood.

A story is told of a lion that encountered a chicken and began to choke it. “Why are you doing this to me?” the chicken cried. “I never harmed you.”

The lion answered plainly, “Because I can.”

For much of our history, that was the attitude of the world toward the Jewish people. For centuries, we were tormented without reason, our loyalty and intelligence questioned, our very existence scorned. The Torah teaches us not to justify ourselves to those who wish only to ridicule. Engaging with them is fruitless. Their questions are not sincere. Their aim is not clarity, but derision.

Torah, the ultimate wisdom, does not conform to conventional logic. Its truths are not confined to what the human mind can grasp. We accept the chukim alongside the mishpotim, with the understanding that our bond to Hashem transcends reason. Torah living is not a matter of intellect alone. It is a covenant rooted in submission, in faith, in eternity.

Greatness in Torah is not achieved through brilliance, but through purity, diligence, and humility. Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach would often recount the story of Rashi, who, before writing his timeless commentary, traveled extensively to ensure that no greater peirush already existed. Only after his search proved fruitless did he begin his monumental work. As he wrote, he fasted hundreds of times, begging that his words would reflect Divine truth and help propel people to the truth.

Rav Shach would become emotional as he retold this story. To him, it represented the essence of Torah greatness: not ego or intellectual conquest, but deep humility, responsibility, and fidelity to mesorah.

Rav Aharon Kotler, in Mishnas Rav Aharon on Parshas Korach, explores the unique role of shevet Levi, the shevet set apart from all the rest to serve in the Mishkon and rule on matters of halacha. They were not given a portion in the land, which would have encumbered them with caring for it, planting and harvesting for their sustenance. Instead, they relied on terumos and maaseros from the rest of the nation.

Rav Aharon asks: If their service was so vital, why were they left financially dependent on others? Wouldn’t this create instability and pressure, especially when considering that the reason for the terumos and maaseros – and them not owning property – was so that they would not be worried about earning a livelihood?

His answer is profound: Precisely because they were spiritual leaders, they needed to be protected from arrogance. Had they been self-sufficient and financially secure, they might have grown proud and disconnected from the people. But Torah leadership demands humility. Financial dependency served as a safeguard against conceit. For without humility, a person cannot merit siyata diShmaya, Divine assistance. Hashem detests arrogance, as the posuk says, “Toavas Hashem kol gevah lev.” Someone who is conceited cannot properly understand Torah and arrive at the proper p’sak halacha. Someone who is conceited will be lacking the siyata diShmaya necessary to pasken correctly.

To grow in Torah, intelligence alone is not enough. Torah is unlike any other form of knowledge. It is a Divine gift, granted to those who approach it with reverence and self-effacement. This principle holds true for communal leadership as well.

A group of askonim devised a solution to a communal issue. Before implementing it, they consulted with a senior communal leader, who told them that he favored their approach but must first consult with Rav Shach before signing off on it. When the plan was presented to Rav Shach, he rejected it outright, saying that he saw from the Chofetz Chaim that their approach is wrong.

The group was convinced that they had thoroughly analyzed the issue and arrived at a perfect solution. Convinced that Rav Shach rejected it because the plan wasn’t properly explained to him, they went themselves to meet Rav Shach to discuss with him their solution to the pressing communal crisis.

Rav Shach told them, “I will not debate your arguments, and for all I know, your thoughts might be correct. But Klal Yisroel is not led by conclusions and thoughts of smart people. Klal Yisroel is led by mesorah, tradition. If the mesorah from the Chofetz Chaim is that we don’t engage in something like that, then we don’t do it, no matter how smart it seems, for following our mesorah is the proper course of action.”

This is a vital truth in every generation. Too often, people believe that they know better than the Torah. They view themselves as visionaries, convinced that their solutions are superior to those passed down through generations. But such confidence often stems from arrogance, not insight. And without humility and mesorah, even the most well-intentioned leader can lead others astray.

We see people who are consumed by a problem and believe that they have the perfect solution. They fail to properly consider it, as they are convinced of their intelligence and leadership abilities, but due to their conceit, they lack the siyata diShmaya required to arrive at proper decisions.

They think that their reasoning is impeccable, but they fail to consider the mesorah—namely, how gedolim who came before them thought and acted.

No one, as smart as he thinks he is and as pressing as the problem he faces is, has a right to present plans that differ from our mesorah. Doing so causes mayhem and fails to solve problems. The logic may be compelling, but it is still wrong.

People in our day are led astray by those who claim to understand the reasoning for different halachos and temper them to mesh with the times.

History has shown us the dangers of this path. The Conservative and Reform movements arose from attempts to modernize halacha—to “rationalize” it, to make it more palatable. The result was a tragedy of assimilation and spiritual confusion, as they caused many to deviate from halacha and mesorah, leading millions of Jews astray.

To us, it sounds ridiculous that they maintain institutions that they refer to as “yeshivos” and have halachic decisors who write so-called teshuvos, as if they are following the Torah. Through the implementation of what they refer to as logic, they have so dramatically twisted halacha as to make it meaningless for their millions of followers.

Once mitzvos are rationalized and twisted to conform to someone’s human understanding of them and their concepts, the halachos become compromised and eventually are totally lost.

Those who study Torah while lacking yiras Shomayim, respect for mesorah and humility ultimately destroy instead of build, obscure instead of reveal, and cause others to repel the Torah instead of drawing closer to it.

When they first began, we regularly reported on the actions and teachings of those in the Open Orthodoxy movement, who follow in the path of the founders of the Conservative movement. Their hypocrisy, true intentions and the sad path they have followed have become obvious to all. We should never cease to remind all that the leaders and clergy of this group are not Orthodox in thought, practice, attitude or approach.

Their teshuvos and drashos mock tradition and halacha, and are fanciful attempts to have the Torah conform with current progressive thought, bearing little relation to the reality of Torah thought and interpretation. Though they claim to uphold the Torah, their reinterpretations and institutions consistently erode its foundations.

Rav Elchonon Wasserman explained the posuk of “Tzidkoscha tzedek le’olam” (Tehillim 119:142) to mean that man cannot fathom the depths of Hashem’s justice, for society and its concepts are ever changing. What is considered just in one generation is viewed as unjust in the next. But “veSorascha emes,” the truth of Torah is everlasting. It neither changes for the times nor conforms to them.

Zos chukas haTorah. Torah is a chok. Torah is neither about impressive dissertations nor social welfare and contracting with a good marketing firm. It is about following the will of the Creator as expressed in Torah Shebiksav and Torah Shebaal Peh.

Chazal say (Taanis 30, et al), “Kol hamisabel al Yerushalayim zocheh veroeh besimchosah.” In order to merit enjoying the rebuilding of Yerushalayim, one must mourn its destruction.

When justice is man-made, there is always going to be inequality, mistakes, and feelings of division, for the system is inherently only as good as the mortals who formulate the laws and enforce and adjudicate them.

What society considers just is ever-changing. But the truth of Torah is eternal.

So when the parsha begins with the words “Zos chukas haTorah,” it is telling us that Torah is not a philosophy, nor is it a social framework or a platform for pontification. Torah represents the Divine truth through which the world was created and which we must follow to exist successfully in the world that was created through it and for it.

The lesson for us is that we cause the flame of Torah to burn brightly within us as a steady blaze that warms everything in its path. Let mitzvos be more than obligations. Let them be the song of our lives. Let us dance to the rhythm of halacha, not out of habit or pressure, but out of deep joy and knowledge that this is the correct way to live our lives.

Let us endeavor for our tefillah to carry the urgency of someone who knows he is speaking to the One who created heaven, earth and us. Let our learning feel like a reunion with eternity. When we sit down to learn, no matter the time of day or night, let the pages of the Gemara pulse in our hands, like living breath, providing us the very oxygen we need to survive.

Let us ensure that our homes and shuls shine with sincerity, the glowing warmth of love and authenticity. Let us raise our children so they see Torah as the heartbeat of life. Let our neighbors feel kindness radiating from us. Let us uplift people and not put people down. Let us be warm and not cold, friendly and not distant.

We are students of Torah, its bearers, its heirs. We are the link in a chain that stretches back to Har Sinai, a chain forged by brilliance and by fire—the fire of bitachon, sacrifice, and unwavering loyalty to Torah, halacha and mesorah.

The fire of Torah that brings life to everything.

The summer sun stretches long across our days, casting a softer light and a slower rhythm upon our lives. With the burdens of routine temporarily lifted, we instinctively breathe a little deeper, hoping to recharge, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

But the Torah doesn’t go on vacation. The weekly parshiyos continue to echo through our lives, each one a reminder of who we are and what we’re here for.

As we review Israel’s miraculous military triumphs that defied logic and revealed the Hand of Hashem, we are reminded that Jewish survival is never natural. It is always supernatural. At the same time, we begin to approach the somber days of Tammuz, entering the shadowed corridor of the Three Weeks, when we mourn not only the loss of the physical Bais Hamikdosh, but also the resulting spiritual distance that has become part of our lives.

And so, this calm season offers more than leisure. It offers clarity. It is a time to pause and ask ourselves the questions we so often silence during the year’s noise: Where am I really headed? Am I living deliberately, or drifting gently in the current? What can I be doing better and how can I accomplish that?

We sit on porches and benches, feeling the stillness, while inside something stirs. A whisper. A nudge. A subtle call to return. To reflect. To realign. Because even as the world seems to slow, the neshomah does not rest. It seeks direction, meaning, and connection. It seeks the fire of purpose, even in the warmth of summer.

This is the time to look inward, to look upward, and to let the sunlight not only warm our skin, but also awaken our hearts and help us prepare for the great day when the new light will shine with the coming of Moshiach very soon.

{Matzav.com}

Ongoing friction between justices on Israel’s Supreme Court has exposed deep ideological divides and is creating mounting pressure for reform within the court’s ranks. The growing tension, particularly over how cases with high public profiles are handled, has placed conservative Justice Noam Sohlberg at odds with Supreme Court President Yitzchak Amit, who is known for his judicial activism.

Recent rulings and hearings have drawn criticism from both legal experts and the media, with many alleging that the court is projecting a one-sided tone and failing to maintain the objectivity and balance expected in major legal decisions.

These concerns were amplified last week as the court deliberated on several sensitive cases, including the outgoing Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, the appointment of General Zini, and matters relating to the Civil Service Commission. During these proceedings, sharp disagreements emerged between the justices, with Chief Justice Amit adopting an assertive, activist stance.

In one notable exchange during the debate over General Zini’s appointment, Justice Alex Stein responded to the Attorney General’s representative by asserting that a prime minister has the right to disagree with the legal opinion of the attorney general. Justice Amit sharply opposed this, stating, “I do not agree. If every minister makes up his own law, we’ll be meeting here every day.”

Tensions reached a new level when Justice Stein accused the attorney general’s position of contradicting a previous Supreme Court ruling, a claim Justice Amit rejected outright. The dispute highlighted not only ideological differences but also a growing frustration within the court’s leadership.

Against this backdrop, legal affairs journalist Netael Bendel of Ynet reported that Justice Sohlberg has held several private discussions with Chief Justice Amit, advocating for more diversity in judicial panels—both ideologically and numerically—when hearing cases of major public importance. Sohlberg reportedly believes that expanding the number of justices and varying their perspectives would bolster the court’s professional integrity and public trust.

However, this proposal presents a serious dilemma for Justice Amit. Agreeing to broader and more ideologically diverse panels could dilute the court’s activist orientation, particularly as some of the newer judges, like Justices Mintz and Elron, lean toward a more conservative judicial philosophy than judges such as Amit or Barak-Erez.

Moreover, moving away from the traditional seniority-based system Amit uses for appointing justices to panels could erode his influence. This was seen clearly during the recent debate on Zini’s appointment, where Amit found himself at odds with Justices Stein and Canfy Steinitz.

Ultimately, the situation poses a fundamental question about the role of the Chief Justice. If Yitzchak Amit cannot effectively guide the outcomes of the court’s most critical discussions, then what added value does his leadership truly bring?

{Matzav.com Israel}

Astronomers are monitoring an object headed our way that may have wandered over from another star system. Scientists have discovered what might be only the third known interstellar object to pass through our solar system, the European Space Agency said Wednesday. The harmless object is currently near Jupiter hundreds of millions of miles (kilometers) away and moving toward Mars, but it should get no closer to the sun than that, according to scientists. It’s too soon to know whether the object, designated for now as A11pl3Z, is a rocky asteroid or a icy comet, or how big and what shape it is. More observations are needed to confirm its origins. NASA said it is monitoring the situation. Astrophysicist Josep Trigo-Rodriguez of the Institute of Space Sciences near Barcelona, Spain, believes it is an interstellar object based on its odd path and extreme speed cutting through the solar system. He estimates its size at roughly 25 miles (40 kilometers) across. The first confirmed interstellar visitor was in 2017. It was dubbed Oumuamua, Hawaiian for scout, in honor of the observatory in Hawaii that discovered it. Classified at first as an asteroid, the elongated Oumuamua has since showed signs of being a comet. The second object confirmed to have strayed from another star system into our own is 21/Borisov, discovered in 2019 and believed to be a comet. (AP)

The families of the hostages Maxim Herkin, 37, and Bar Kupershtein, 23, gave permission for a clip of a Hamas propaganda video to be published on Thursday. The clip is from a longer video which is intended to voice the families’ cry against the possibility of a partial hostage release deal that would include “cruel selections” and “separation between blood and blood.” The clip was taken from a video published by Hamas in April, but at that time, the Herkin and Kupershtein families did not approve its publication. Maxim Herkin, the father of a three-year-old girl, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival. His mother has Russian citizenship. Bar Kupershtein’s abduction was the second major blow in the family in recent years. His father was severely injured several years ago when he stopped to help someone on the side of the road and remains severely disabled. Bar began working full-time after his father was injured to support his parents and four younger siblings. He was working as a guard at the festival when he was abducted. Bar’s mother, Julie, became frum a number of years ago and has been very active in organizing tefillos and other events related to ruchniyus for the release of the hostages. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)    

WATCH:

Four people have died from gunshot wounds and 14 others have been hospitalized following a drive-by shooting in Chicago, police said Thursday. At least three were in critical condition. The shooting happened late Wednesday in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Several media outlets said it happened outside a restaurant and lounge that had hosted an album release party for a rapper. Someone opened fire into a crowd standing outside, police said, and the vehicle immediately drove away. No one was in custody, police said. Preliminary information from police said 13 women and five men ranging in age from 21 to 32 were shot, and that the dead included two men and two women. Those shot were taken to multiple hospitals, police said. Police said that nine people, including the two women who died, were taken to Northwestern Hospital. Five people, including the two men who died, were taken to John H. Stroger Hospital. (AP)

WATCH:

Israel is ramping up efforts to seal a sweeping ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza ahead of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s high-stakes trip to Washington next week, multiple Israeli news outlets reported. For the first time since the war erupted, Israel is prepared to enter negotiations on a comprehensive framework that could secure the release of all 50 remaining hostages held by Hamas, Channel 12 reported, citing sources close to the talks. Even if Hamas signals willingness to move forward — a decision that could come within 24 hours — the path to a deal remains long. Negotiations would shift to Doha or Cairo to work out details on the exchange of Palestinian security prisoners, IDF withdrawals, and humanitarian aid corridors — a process expected to stretch at least another week. At the center of the push are wider-ranging talks led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Qatari officials, seeking to pin down how far Israel is prepared to go toward ending its military campaign, and whether Hamas will bend on core demands. Without Hamas signoff, the odds of a breakthrough remain slim, despite growing optimism, according to the reports. Netanyahu on Wednesday insisted the objectives of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages are not mutually exclusive. “There will be no Hamas. There will be no Hamastan. We are not going back to that,” the prime minister declared at the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company headquarters in Ashkelon. “We will release all our hostages.” Critics who argue Israel must choose between eliminating Hamas or securing hostage releases are spreading “nonsense,” Netanyahu added. “It works together. We will complete this together,” he said. Meanwhile, Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu is expected to ask President Donald Trump at Monday’s White House meeting to press Qatar into threatening senior Hamas officials with expulsion if they do not show flexibility or advance the framework quickly. Senior Israeli officials have grown frustrated over what they see as “preferential treatment” granted to Hamas leadership abroad, and believe targeted sanctions could shift the calculus — particularly against a senior Hamas figure whose name was withheld, currently being hosted by Qatar or Turkey. “Hamas leaders are traveling freely around the world and feel no pressure — that’s why they’re in no rush to make a deal,” one security official told Channel 12. Hamas, for its part, signaled Wednesday it was open to a ceasefire but rejected a U.S.-backed proposal laid out by Trump a day earlier, under which Israel had agreed “to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day truce. Trump described it as a framework that would allow all parties to work toward ending the war for good. The terms largely mirror previous proposals, which have repeatedly collapsed over post-truce security guarantees. Israel insists on maintaining its right to resume operations, while Hamas is demanding a permanent ceasefire. Kan reported that both Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz have privately expressed support for the framework under discussion, though no formal government endorsement has been issued. The framework reportedly includes U.S.-brokered guarantees that negotiations on a permanent end to the conflict would continue beyond the initial 60-day ceasefire, potentially to be announced as soon as next week. Channel 13 said Israel is also preparing for the possibility that a preliminary agreement could […]

A military veteran was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for plotting to attack an FBI office and assassinate law enforcement officers in retaliation for his arrest on charges that he was part of the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, court records show. Edward Kelley was one of the first rioters to breach the Capitol. Nearly two years later, Kelley made plans with another man to attack the FBI office in Knoxville, Tennessee, using improvised explosive devices attached to vehicles and drones, according to prosecutors. Last November, a jury convicted Kelley of conspiring to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and influencing federal officials by threat. Kelley received a pardon from President Donald Trump for his Jan. 6 convictions, but a judge agreed with prosecutors that Trump’s action did not extend to Kelley’s Tennessee case. That makes Kelley, who is from Maryvale, Tennessee, one of only a few Capitol riot defendants remaining in prison after the Republican president’s sweeping act of clemency. U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan handed down Kelley’s life sentence during a hearing in Knoxville, according to court records. The judge denied a request for Kelley to be released pending the outcome of an appeal. Prosecutors had recommended a life sentence for Kelley, saying he was remorseless and incapable of rehabilitation. “On the contrary, Kelley not only believes the actions for which he was convicted were justified but that his duty as a self-styled ‘patriot’ compelled him to target East Tennessee law enforcement for assassination,” they wrote. Kelley served in the Marine Corps for eight years. He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan before his 2015 discharge from the military. On Jan. 6, 2021, Kelley was captured on video helping two other rioters throw a Capitol Police officer onto the ground and using a piece of wood to damage a window, according to the FBI. He was the fourth person to enter the Capitol through a broken window, the FBI said. After a trial without a jury, a federal judge in Washington convicted Kelley last November of 11 counts stemming from the riot. Before Kelley could be sentenced, Trump pardoned him and hundreds of other convicted Capitol rioters. Kelley argued that his pardon was broad enough to cover his conduct in the Tennessee case, but the judge disagreed. Varlan said Kelley’s crimes in the Tennessee case were separated from Kelley’s conduct on Jan. 6 “by years and miles.” Prosecutors reached the same conclusion. In other Jan. 6 cases, however, Trump’s Justice Department has argued that the pardons apply to separate convictions. For instance, prosecutors concluded that a Kentucky man’s pardon for storming the Capitol also covered his conviction for illegally possessing guns when FBI agents searched his home for the Jan. 6 investigation. Kelley has been jailed since December 2022. His lawyer, Mark Brown, said Kelley did not hurt anybody or directly threaten anybody with violence. Brown urged the judge to reject prosecutors’ request to apply a “terrorism enhancement” in calculating his client’s sentence. “Kelley does not deserve the same sentence as an actual ‘terrorist’ who injured or killed hundreds or thousands of America citizens,” Brown wrote. Kelley’s co-defendant, Austin Carter, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in January 2024. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4. Kelley […]

By Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon when I received a phone call from a mother who had just returned from the Waterbury Sunday Baseball League.

“Rabbi Heber,” she said, her voice full of emotion, “I have to share something with you.”

She described a middle school boys’ baseball game she had just watched. Ezzy, a strong hitter known for his power, was up at bat. On the mound stood Yehuda, pitching one impressive throw after another. Ezzy struck out—a rare sight.

But what happened next is what stayed with her.

Instead of reacting with frustration—no bat throwing, no helmet slamming—Ezzy turned to Yehuda and said two simple words:

“Great pitch.”

That was it.

But those two words carried something bigger than baseball. In that short moment, he showed humility, sportsmanship, and awareness. He acknowledged his opponent’s skill with sincerity, even while dealing with his own disappointment. That’s not easy to do at any age.

I recorded the story and shared it. I’ve shared many anecdotes before, but this one resonated. People told me how it sparked real conversations with their children. The simplicity of the moment made the message land: there’s a right way to behave, even—and maybe especially—in competitive moments.

Stories like these remind us what kids are capable of. Not just talent or knowledge, but real depth. When children fall short, it’s often not from a lack of caring—but sometimes, because they haven’t yet been clearly shown what’s expected. That’s where our role as parents and mechanchim becomes so powerful. In a fast-paced world, fundamentals like derech eretz, hakaras hatov, and kavod habrios can easily slip away.

The famous first line of Pirkei Avos is: “Moshe received the Torah from Har Sinai.” It seems almost out of place. Pirkei Avos isn’t about halachah. It’s about middos, values, and interpersonal behavior. So why start with a line about Matan Torah and the handing down of Torah from generation to generation?

Says the Rav on the Mishna: These aren’t just nice ideas. Middos aren’t suggestions. They’re Torah, received at Sinai like everything else. And without them, Torah can’t truly take root.

It’s like placing a perfect diamond in a broken setting. No matter how flawless the gem, it won’t shine the way it’s supposed to. Torah is the diamond. Middos are the setting. Both have to be strong.

This idea of modeling behavior I saw firsthand during our nightly Mishmar program in Waterbury, where nearly a hundred boys and fathers come to learn from Monday through Thursday.

Each night during the learning, I walk around handing out snacks. But I started noticing something. Many boys weren’t saying thank you.

At first, it bothered me. But then I paid closer attention. The boys sitting near their fathers? Most of them were saying thank you. Not because they were better kids—but because their fathers quietly reminded them. “Say thank you.” One soft word. One small prompt. And it worked.

So I tried something. I started pausing after handing out each snack. No instructions, no speeches. Just a short pause to  remind them to say thank you.

And the boys started responding. One by one. Thank you. Thank you. The tone shifted. All it took was a little space. A tiny pause turned into a culture change. For the weeks following, the boys on their own said “thank you”.

As we go through the summer, these are the moments to watch for. Camp. Family time. Sports. These aren’t distractions from chinuch—they are chinuch. These are the places where lessons sink in.

Let’s use this as an opportunity to teach our children, patiently and clearly, what it means to respect others, to show gratitude, and to acknowledge effort. These things take time. They take repetition. But they work.

And the next time a boy strikes out and turns to the pitcher and says, “Nice pitch,” we’ll know it was all worth it.

Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber is a rebbi at Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury and a division head in Camp Romimu. He can be reached via email mdheber@ykwaterbury.org

 {Matzav.com}

Fifteen people were taken to the hospital after a skydiving aircraft radioed it was having engine trouble after takeoff and crashed on landing near an airport in southern New Jersey on Wednesday, according to authorities. The single engine Cessna 208B was carrying 15 people when it crashed at about 5:30 p.m. at the Cross Keys Airport, about 21 miles (34 kilometers) southeast of Philadelphia, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. “The plane did try to circle back and attempt a landing we are told but was unsuccessful in that attempt,” Andrew Halter, with Gloucester County Emergency Management, said during a news conference Wednesday night. The injuries ranged from minor to critical and the plane was severely damaged, Halter said. Some of the people on board were covered in jet fuel and had to be decontaminated before being taken to the hospital, he said. “Just the fact that we have 15 people that are still with us here today, some with minor injuries, I think is fantastic and remarkable,” he said. Aerial footage of the crashed plane shows it in the woods, with several pieces of debris nearby. Firetrucks and other emergency vehicles surrounded the scene. Three people were being evaluated at Cooper University Hospital’s trauma center in Camden, New Jersey, and eight people with less severe injuries were being treated in its emergency department, said Wendy A. Marano, a spokesperson for the hospital. Four other patients also with “minimal injuries” were waiting for further evaluation, she said. She wasn’t able to provide the exact nature of the injuries. Members of the hospital’s EMS and trauma department were at the crash site, she said. Halter said the aircraft is owned and operated by ARNE Aviation out of Virginia and leased to Skydive Cross Keys. Skydive Cross Keys didn’t immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment. When asked about the crash, Tracey Sackett, who confirmed she is ARNE Aviation’s office manager, said to call the office tomorrow. A person who answered the phone at Cross Keys Airport on Wednesday said he had no information and referred questions to Skydive Cross Keys. The National Transportation Safety Board said in a post on the social platform X that it is investigating the crash. Gov. Phil Murphy said on X that he had been briefed on the crash and that there had been “no fatalities at this time.” (AP)