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Watch the moment a dash cam from a car driving down an Israeli highway catches rockets impacting just ahead.

The Home Front Command directions for what to do if rocket alert sirens sound while one is driving are as follows: Stop the vehicle on the side of the road, turn off the engine, and get out of the vehicle as safely as possible.

If it is possible to reach a nearby building, do so. If not, move away from the vehicle, to the side of the road or safety barrier, and lie on the ground with your hands covering your head for 10 minutes.

Recent wastewater samples have detected elevated levels of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), a respiratory virus associated with rare cases of paralysis in children, raising concerns about a potential rise in infections across the U.S., according to a report from WastewaterSCAN. Enterovirus D68 is one of over 100 non-polio enteroviruses, according to the Cleveland Clinic. While the virus itself is common and usually causes mild symptoms, such as a runny nose, cough, and fever, it has been linked to neurological complications, including a rare condition called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), which can cause paralysis. “It affects the nerves and can cause paralysis across the spinal cord,” said Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in New York. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Nachman emphasized that while neurological complications are rare, the recent data suggests that this may be an “on year” for the virus, which tends to have cyclical peaks. WastewaterSCAN, a nonprofit organization that monitors wastewater samples for infectious diseases, has detected moderate levels of EV-D68 in 306 out of 400 samples collected in the last 10 days. The organization partners with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide data for the National Wastewater Surveillance System, which helps track potential public health threats. “Wastewater is a good surrogate marker for whether a virus is circulating in the environment,” Nachman explained, noting that the recent data indicates that the virus is actively circulating. In most cases, EV-D68 causes mild, cold-like symptoms. However, in rare instances, the virus can lead to severe respiratory illness and AFM, which can cause muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, and even paralysis. Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, New York, described AFM as “a rare but potentially very serious illness that can mimic polio and cripple children.” Fortunately, most cases of paralysis are temporary and can be treated with physical therapy. Children, particularly those with asthma, are at higher risk of developing severe symptoms from EV-D68, according to the CDC. The virus typically spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing and can also be contracted by touching contaminated surfaces. To prevent the spread of EV-D68, experts recommend good hygiene practices, such as regular hand washing, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, and avoiding sharing cups and utensils. If a child experiences muscle weakness, especially in the legs, parents are advised to seek medical attention. “Your child’s pediatrician is an expert on your child, and that’s a better choice than just an urgent care walk-in center who doesn’t know them,” Nachman said. There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for EV-D68. In cases where symptoms are severe, supportive care and physical therapy may be required. A blood test, spinal tap, or MRI may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis after ruling out other illnesses like the flu or COVID-19, according to Cleveland Clinic. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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Everyone knows Agudah does a lot for the Klal.

But not everyone understands what Agudah means to their personal life.

From daf yomi shiurim to safe schools, mortgage assistance, business entrepreneurship and end-of-life

concerns, Agudah’s work impacts every Jewish person living in the USA.

With all the lobbying, legal advocacy, political partnerships, court happenings, and day to day tasks, the Agudah works for you every single day of the year.

Please help us this year so that we can continue to build and strengthen Klal Yisroel.

Transportation

In the past year, Agudah procured millions of dollars in funding for busing to and from school in state across the country. Whether it’s creating school routes on the MTA system in Baltimore, the first-time-ever busing in Lakewood and Florida, or fighting to keep busing in Rockland, Agudah is committed to ensuring every child gets to school on time, safely, and efficiently. 

Learning Programs

Pirchei Agudas Yisroel launched Mishna Rishona, a phone learning system for boys to finish Shishah Sidrei Mishnah at their own pace – with over 20,000 mishnayos learned monthly. Pirchei also ran a Hasmadah Challenge over Chol Hamoed Sukkos and Pesach and celebrated the many boys who finished the entire Mishnayos before their bar mitzvahs. 

PCS

Professional Career Services (PCS) provides career courses, job placement, and business consulting services. PCS offers highly rated courses for men and women in a variety of competitive fields and provides consulting services to both new and existing businesses. PCS also makes objectively well-suited matches between individuals looking for a job with employers looking to hire. 

Yeshiva Services

As a member of the Committee, Yeshiva Services has secured tens of millions in Title funds to benefit our schools. These funds allow for updated school facilities, counseling and mentoring, professional development, and extracurriculars – all to guarantee our children a complete and well-rounded education. 

Security

This year more than ever, we have needed our security to be top notch. Agudah advocated for an increase of funding from the national Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), in addition to advocating for an increase in security budget in specific states. Agudah’s advocacy secured hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to increase the security of our communities across the country. 

Lunch Programs

In the tri-state area and beyond, Agudah is constantly working to expand the National School Lunch Program to cover more students and more food in more states. Chief among this year’s accomplishments is the NJ Legislature expanding free lunches to children in public schools – thanks, Agudah! 

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After the dreadful attacks of October 7, 2023, Israel and the Jewish people went to war on three fronts. While the army fights the war of bodies, and government officials and journalists wage the war of minds, every Jew on earth is a soldier in our war for wellness.We’re all combating anxiety, distraction, and stress. We’re all searching for meaning inside the madness. If we don’t invest in the war for wellness, we might lose the health, resilience, and faith we need for fighting the other wars. We can get obsessed with what’s happening “over there,” forgetting that our lives are happening right here. As individuals and as a nation, we might fall into anxiety and depression, or lash out irresponsibly in anger. More than ever before, Israel needs healthy Jewish people who value and love their land. Even after the guns go quiet — hopefully soon — the war for wellness will continue as our emotional and spiritual wounds slowly heal. Although our bodies will again be safe and secure, our disturbed souls will yearn for peace and balance. We’ll wonder why we must suffer to live in this little corner of the Middle East. We might even ask if it’s worth all the trouble. Land of Health teaches how to win your personal war for wellness: Part One shows how the Land of Israel is the healthy body of the Nation of Israel, and appreciating it holds the solution to our crisis. Part Two shares practical strategies for healthy living in challenging times. We’ll cover all areas of life: eating, exercise, emotional health, and, of course, spirituality and faith. The book also features dozens of stunning full-color pictures, many taken over the past year, that portray the beauty and spirit of the Land of Israel even during the most trying times. “Rabbi Naiman masterfully shows how every aspect of the physical Land of Israel expresses profound spiritual concepts — and teaches how to live within it. This book is filled with intriguing insights as well as practical suggestions for healthy living even under the most challenging conditions.” —Miriam Kosman, senior lecturer at Olami and author of Circle, Arrow and Spiral: Exploring Gender in Judaism BUY YOUR COPY TODAY! A foraging walk in the ancient town of Beit Natif, just outside of Ramat Bet Shemesh. Notice the pottery sherds everywhere: this was the local clay lamp factory. Walking around these ruins, we can eat the plants whose ancestors were eaten here by our ancestors. Almost 2,000 years before Hamas dug terror tunnel under Gaza, Jews dug escape tunnels in Israel to hide from marauding Roman troops during the Bar Kochva revolt. This one is tucked inside a cistern in an unknown corner of Shfelat Yehuda. The view of the Elah Valley from Khirbet Qeiyafa, and ancient town dating back to the era of Dovid and Golias. About the Author: Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Naiman is mashgiach ruchani of Yeshivas Lev HaTorah in Ramat Bet Shemesh, and a certified health teacher and foraging guide. Check out the Healthy Jew website to subscribe to his weekly email newsletter, The Healthy Jew, and to book your foraging walk in Israel.

Another clip released by the IDF shows an airstrike on a home where a rocket launcher was hidden.

Iran is prepared to renew indirect nuclear talks immediately if “other parties are willing” to do so, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed on Monday, speaking from the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

“I will stay in New York for a few more days than the [Iranian] president and will have more meetings with various foreign ministers. We will focus our efforts on starting a new round of talks regarding the nuclear pact,” Araghchi said in a statement published on his Telegram channel.

Araghchi announced that the Islamic Republic sent messages to the United States via Switzerland and issued a “general declaration of readiness,” but warned that the “international conditions make the resumption of talks more complicated and difficult than before.”

Iran’s top diplomat also declared he would not meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying the new government in Tehran is “still a long way from holding direct talks” with Biden administration officials.

“I do not believe it would be expedient to hold such a dialogue,” he stated in the video, the Reuters agency reported. “There were such meetings before but there is currently no suitable ground for that.”

Araghchi is currently in the U.S. for the 79th Session of the U.N. General Assembly, which opened two weeks ago and will conclude on Sept. 10.

Earlier this year, it was reported that, in the wake of Tehran’s April 13 drone and missile attack on Israel, the Islamic Republic was trying to restart talks with Washington on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The 2015 JCPOA agreement saw the Iranian government agree to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal was short-lived, as former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in May 2018, citing concerns over its effectiveness.

Since that collapse, Iran has steadily moved away from limits on its nuclear program, raising alarm bells in the international community.

Iran has continued to step up uranium enrichment in recent months, while arguing that its nuclear program is peaceful. Tehran’s stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium has increased by at least 20.6 kilograms (45.5 pounds) since February, AFP reported on May 27, citing an IAEA report.

The confidential document, which was also seen by the Associated Press, revealed that Tehran had accumulated at least 142.1 kilograms (313.2 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%. This level of enrichment is just a technical step from 90% enrichment, considered weapons-grade.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency definition, it is technically possible to create a bomb with 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% if the material is further enriched to 90%.

Iran has also threatened a push towards the nuclear bomb. On May 9, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would weaponize its nuclear program if Israel “threatens its existence.”

Also in May, a lawmaker affiliated with the Islamist regime suggested that Iran might already possess an atomic bomb, saying: “In my opinion, we have achieved nuclear weapons, but we do not announce it.”

An expansion underway at the Fordow enrichment plant could allow Iran to accumulate several bombs’ worth of nuclear fuel every month, The Washington Post reported in June, citing confidential documents.

While Tehran has restricted the IAEA’s ability to monitor its nuclear program, inspectors witnessed technicians installing advanced IR-6 centrifuges, per a confidential file shared with the agency’s members.

Last week, Araghchi vowed to keep up Tehran’s “unlimited support” for terrorist groups throughout the Middle East, including in the Gaza Strip.

Some 500 terrorists affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad trained in Iran ahead of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, The Wall Street Journal reported last year. Iran has officially hailed the attacks as a “success.”

(JNS)

Police in northern Switzerland said Tuesday that several people have been detained and a criminal case opened in connection with the suspected death of a person in a “suicide capsule.” The “Sarco” capsule, which has never been used before, is presumably designed to allow a person sitting in a reclining seat inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber. The person is then supposed to fall asleep and die by suffocation in a few minutes. Exit International, an assisted suicide group based in the Netherlands, said it is behind the 3D-printed device that cost over $1 million to develop. Swiss law allows assisted suicide so long as the person takes his or her life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive,” according to a government website. A law firm informed prosecutors in Schaffhausen canton that an “assisted suicide” involving the Sarco had taken place Monday near a forest cabin in Merishausen, regional police said in a statement, adding that “several people” were taken into custody and prosecutors opened an investigation on suspicion of incitement and accessory to suicide. Dutch newspaper Volkskrant reported Tuesday that police had detained one of its photographers who wanted to take pictures of the use of the Sarco. It said Schaffhausen police had indicated the photographer was being held at a police station but declined to give a further explanation. The newspaper declined to comment further when contacted by the Associated Press. In an email, the Dutch Foreign Ministry told the AP that it was in contact with the newspaper and Swiss officials. “As always, we cannot interfere in the legal process of another country. At the same time, the Netherlands stands firmly for press freedom. It is very important that journalists worldwide can do their work freely,” it said. Exit International, the group behind the Sarco, said in a statement a 64-year-old woman from the U.S. Midwest — it did not specify further — who had suffered from “severe immune compromise” had died Monday afternoon near the German border using the Sarco device. It said Florian Willet, co-president of The Last Resort, a Swiss affiliate of Exit International, was the only person present and described her death as “peaceful, fast and dignified.” Dr. Philip Nitschke, an Australian-born trained doctor behind Exit International, has previously told the AP that his organization received advice from lawyers in Switzerland that the use of the Sarco would be legal in the country. In the Exit International statement on Tuesday, Nitschke said he was “pleased that the Sarco had performed exactly as it had been designed … to provide an elective, non-drug, peaceful death at the time of the person’s choosing.” The claims of Nitschke and Exit International could not be independently verified. On Monday, Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider was asked in Swiss parliament about the legal conditions for the use of the Sarco capsule, and suggested its use would not be legal. “On one hand, it does not fulfill the demands of the product safety law, and as such, must not be brought into circulation,” she said. “On the other hand, the corresponding use of nitrogen is not compatible with the article on purpose in the chemicals law.” In July, Swiss newspaper […]

Jordan refuses to export tomatoes to neighboring Israel, even after the Israeli Health Ministry reinstated produce imports under certain conditions, Ynet reported on Tuesday. The imports were suspended last month over concerns about cholera.

The ministry’s National Food Services requested a halt to shipments of some fresh fruits and vegetables from Jordan after they tested positive for the cholera bacteria, in runoff from the Yarmuk River, the largest tributary of the Jordan River.

Sources in Israel’s Agriculture Ministry said that “the Jordanians were offended by the unilateral announcement and are awaiting an apology from the Health Ministry.”

According to the sources, Amman could be using the incident as an excuse to “punish” Yerushalayim over its prolonged conflict with terrorist groups in Gaza and Lebanon.

“With a global shortage of tomatoes and rising demand, Jordanian growers have no issue finding alternative markets,” the sources added.

Israel turned to Jordan for tomatoes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan banned exports to the Jewish state in support of Ankara’s Hamas allies.

Turkey’s boycott and a drop in domestic crop yields due to extreme heat this past summer are contributing to a tomato shortage in Israel.

Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security said on Monday that it would open an additional import quota for 5,000 tons of tariff-free tomatoes effective until December. A similar 5,000-ton quota was approved in mid-August by the Health Ministry, with 2,500 tons already entering Israel, mostly from Poland.

Despite the tariff exemptions, prices are steep due to a global shortage and high demand in Israel, with regular tomatoes selling in most stores at 12 shekels (just over $3.00), and up to 15 shekels ($4.00) in some stores and cluster tomatoes going up to between 25 ($6.50) and 45 shekels ($12.00) per kilogram (2.2 pounds), contributing to a 10% increase in the Consumer Price Index.

Israelis consume around 14,000 tons of tomatoes per month on average. Local production usually meets most of the demand, supplemented by imports, but this year it’s not the case.

Jordan, with a predominately Palestinian population ruled by the Hashemite kingdom, has displayed open hostility to Israel since the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7., including demonstrations in the capital Amman.

Mass rallies were held throughout Jordan over the weekend in support of terrorist Maher al-Jazi, a Jordanian truck driver who carried out the shooting attack at the Allenby Crossing earlier this month, in which Yochanan Shchori, 61, Yuri Birnbaum, 65, and Adrian Marcelo Podsmesser, 57, were murdered.

Despite Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s insistence that the attacks in Lebanon are against Hezbollah terrorists and not the Lebanese people, Jordanian King Abdullah II spoke against the Israeli operation in a phone call on Monday night with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Abdullah said that “Jordan stands with Lebanon in facing Israel’s war against it” and warned of “Israeli escalation.” He also stated, “Stopping the escalation in the region starts with ending the war in Gaza.”

(JNS)

Israel has carried out devastating attacks on Hezbollah in recent days, taking advantage of its expertise in intelligence and technology. However, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday, “a ground war between the two, if it occurs, would likely be a different story.” Hezbollah, considered the world’s most heavily armed terror group, has a massive arsenal of rockets, drones and antitank missiles, including its most dangerous, an Iranian-made guided antitank missile called Almas which is far more precise than any missile Hezbollah used against Israel during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. A ground war would mean that Israel “would have to fight on a battlefield in southern Lebanon that plays to Hezbollah’s strengths” and risks turning into a quagmire, like the war in Gaza. “It’s a little like saying to the United States in 1980, ‘Let’s go back into Vietnam,’” said Daniel Byman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and former U.S. government official, who co-wrote a recent study of Hezbollah’s arsenal. In recent months, Hezbollah has expanded its network of tunnels in southern Lebanon and smuggled in more arms, building on its advances since the 2006 war. “The south is like a beehive right now,” said a former Hezbollah military officer referring to the military preparations. “Everything the Iranians have, we have.” Since 2006, Iran has transferred thousands of new missiles and drones to Hezbollah, along with guidance kits to attach to older, unguided rockets. Hezbollah terrorists have also learned war tactics from combat in the war in Syria, where they fought along with Russian and Iranian forces against Syrian opposition fighters. “It’s not going to be a walk in the park” if there’s a full-scale war, said Assaf Orion, a retired brigadier general from the Israeli military. “There’s no way we’re not getting a bloody nose.” Although Israel could use its air superiority to cripple Lebanon’s civilian infrastructure like it did in 2006, Hezbollah isn’t seeking a conventional victory over Israel but rather wants to mire IDF forces n a war of attrition, the report says. “Israel can cause destruction in Lebanon, it’s not up for discussion. There is a gap in the military balance,” said Elias Farhat, a retired general from the Lebanese army. “But Hezbollah has asymmetric weapons. They proved their skill in using antitank missiles in 2006. They are well-trained.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Anti-Jewish hate crimes in the United States soared 63% in 2023, the highest on record, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The statistics come amid an unprecedented burst of antisemitism around the globe, including in the United States, following the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel.

According to FBI figures, which are considered to be conservative since many hate crimes go unreported, there were a total of 1,832 antisemitic incidents in the United States last year, as compared with 1,124 in 2022, though the number in 2023 doesn’t indicate whether the crimes occurred before or after the single largest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

There were some 236 anti-Muslim hate crime incidents reported last year, up from 158 the year before.

Although Jews make up about 2% of the U.S. population, antisemitic incidents comprised 15% of all hate crimes officially recorded in the country in 2023, and 68% of all religion-base hate crimes, a figure in keeping with previous years.

“At a time when the Jewish community is still suffering from the sharp rise in antisemitism following Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, the record-high number of anti-Jewish hate crime incidents is unfortunately entirely consistent with the Jewish community’s experience and ADL’s tracking,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, in a statement Monday.

The ADL, which independently tracks hate attacks against Jews, counted 8,873 antisemitic incidents last year, a 140% jump from 2022, and the highest number since the group began collecting such data in 1979.

Antisemitic assaults increased 45% last year, the ADL said.

“Although it’s encouraging to see more law enforcement agencies participating in reporting hate crimes data in 2023, we still have a long way to go toward ensuring comprehensive data collection that provides a more accurate picture of the lived experiences of targeted communities across the country,”Greenblatt said.

“As the Jewish community is still reeling from Hamas’s brutal attack against Israelis on Oct. 7, we are simultaneously contending with an earth-shattering increase in antisemitic violence,” said Ted Deutch, CEO of the New York-based American Jewish Committee, in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that in America of all places there are nearly five antisemitic hate crimes on average per day.”

He noted that the official record-breaking FBI figures were likely under-reflecting hate crimes against Jews.

Both American Jewish organizations called on the U.S. Congress to pass the Improved Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, requiring law-enforcement agencies to report hate crimes to the FBI to be eligible for types of federal funding.

The FBI found that African Americans remain the top target of racial hate crimes in the United States.

(JNS)

Donald Trump is expected on Tuesday to pledge not only to stop U.S. businesses from offshoring jobs, but also to take other countries’ jobs and factories. Among the ideas he is planning to pitch is luring foreign companies to the U.S. by offering them access to federal land. He teased the plan earlier this month when he proposed a cut to the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15%, but only for companies that produce in the U.S. His opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, wants to raise it to 28%. The corporate rate had been 35% when he became president in 2017, and he later signed a bill lowering it. Trump has pressed Harris on the economy and proposed using tariffs on imports and other measures to boost American industry, even as economists warn U.S. consumers would bear the costs of tariffs and other Trump proposals like staging the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Up until now, Trump has mostly framed his economic approach with measures to punish companies that take their businesses offshore. But on Tuesday, he is set to reveal incentives for foreign firms to leave other countries and migrate to the U.S. The former president wants to personally recruit foreign companies and to send members of administration to do the same. A senior Trump adviser shared advance excerpts of Trump’s speech, which the former president could still change. It is unclear whether foreign companies would be attracted by some of these incentives he says he will adopt if elected to the White House. The former president also had a spotty record in the White House of attracting foreign investment. For example, Trump promised a $10 billion investment by Taiwan-based electronics giant Foxconn in Wisconsin, creating potentially 13,000 new jobs, that the company never delivered. It’s also not clear how possible it is for a president to offer these perks to foreign corporations. The Bureau of Land Management has restrictions on foreign entities looking to lease lands. Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to an inquiry Monday night about whether companies from China would be excluded, given his longtime accusations that China is hurting American business. The Republican presidential nominee is set to discuss his plan in Savannah, Georgia, which has one of the busiest ports in the country for cargo shipped in containers. It is Trump’s first visit in this battleground state stop since a feud between the former president and the Republican Gov. Brian Kemp came to an end last month with the popular Georgia governor finally endorsing Trump. Some Republicans have said they fear Georgia has gotten more politically competitive in the two months since Vice President Kamala Harris launched her presidential bid after President Joe Biden abandoned his reelection efforts. Harris gave a speech in Atlanta last Friday, calling Trump a threat to women’s freedoms and warning voters he would continue to limit access to abortion if elected president. Trump’s running mate JD Vance is holding a rally later this week in Georgia as well as paying a visit to Macon. Before Trump’s remarks, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told the crowd that the former president is a “successful businessman that gave us the best four years of our life.” Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones assailed Harris for calling Trump a threat to democracy, […]

“Telling your wife your needs and wants” is a complete waste of time for married men who want happiness and I’ll tell you why. So many marriage experts claim they have the secret to a happy marriage and that it all comes down to communication, boundaries and bringing in more money. They tell you to help out more at home, talk about the past, go together to a marriage professional but never stop to take inventory of whether ANY of these methods are actually WORKING in creating happiness and joy! I am not saying those strategies don’t work at all, but they are the long… slow… painful way of having a happy home. And for the few that make it with these strategies, they’ve done it while he doesn’t get what he needs, and she doesn’t get what she needs.  Meanwhile, we’re helping our clients connect with their wives on the highest level, living lives full of happiness and excitement and it gets more and more joyful by the day where both husband and wife feel happiness and excitement… … all without needing their wife to meet them halfway! To check out how they do this, click below to watch my free presentation where I share all the details … you’re going to thank me for it! 5 Steps Married Men Use to Get Rid of Friction and Create Happiness and Excitement… Without Needing Their Wife to Meet Them Halfway!

Speaking at an IDF intelligence base on Tuesday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed to continue striking Hezbollah, warning that any home in Lebanon harboring weapons will be destroyed. “We will continue striking Hezbollah. Whoever has a missile in the living room and a rocket in the garage will no longer have a home,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the base, where he received an intelligence briefing from Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder, head of IDF Intelligence, and Brig.-Gen. Yossi Sariel, commander of Unit 8200. Netanyahu stressed that Israel’s conflict is not with the Lebanese people but with Hezbollah, urging citizens to distance themselves from the terror group. “Our war is not with you. Our war is with Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said. “Nasrallah is leading you to the edge of the abyss. He is putting your country in danger. Free yourselves from Hezbollah’s grip, free yourselves from Nasrallah’s grip, for your own good.” Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli strikes would focus on locations where Hezbollah stores and launches its arsenal of missiles and rockets, often hidden in civilian homes. Netanyahu’s visit to the IDF intelligence base was part of ongoing efforts to monitor and assess the situation on Israel’s northern border. He praised the intelligence officers and soldiers for their critical role in ensuring the nation’s security. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The United States on Monday voiced its opposition to a potential Israeli ground maneuver in Southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah terrorists away from the border.

“We obviously do not believe that a ground invasion of Lebanon is going to contribute to reducing tensions in the region, to preventing an escalatory spiral of violence,” a senior American official told the AFP news agency a day before the high-level General Debate of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The official said that the United States was against IDF troops crossing the border as it works on a diplomatic “off-ramp” to the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

“We’ve got some concrete ideas we’re going to be discussing with allies and partners this week to try to figure out the way forward on this,” the official said, adding that Washington wants to find an “off-ramp that will first and foremost prevent further escalation in the fighting.”

He said that the hope is that the U.S. proposals “reduce tensions and will segue into a diplomatic process that allows communities on both sides of the border—on both sides of the Blue Line—to safely return home in the near future.”

Hezbollah has fired more than 8,800 rockets, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) toward Israel since Oct. 8 when it joined the war in support of Hamas in Gaza. The strikes have forced over 60,000 Israelis to evacuate from northern communities, severely impacting daily life in the region.

Jerusalem has ramped up its rhetoric and escalated attacks on Hezbollah since recently adding the return of residents to the north as an official war goal.

The U.S. official also disagreed with Jerusalem’s stance that military pressure creates the conditions for a diplomatic resolution. He said that the Biden administration was focused on “reducing tensions…and breaking the cycle of strike-counterstrike.”

The official added: “I can’t recall, at least in recent memory, a period in which an escalation or intensification led to a fundamental deescalation and led to profound stabilization of the situation.”

Over the weekend, the United States asked Israel to ensure the safety of Americans in Lebanon if Washington decides to evacuate thousands of its citizens amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

This was reported by Axios, citing two Israeli officials and one American official.

The last time that the United States evacuated its citizens from Lebanon was during the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

(JNS)

A significant brush fire has broken out on the outskirts of Safed, sparked by multiple rocket impacts in nearby forested regions. Emergency services are responding to the blaze.  

Hezbollah announced on Telegram that it launched 50 missiles at the Dado military base, located near Safed. According to the group, this base serves as the operational headquarters for the Israeli army’s Northern Command. The Israeli military has not yet responded to the claim. However, earlier today, the army confirmed it was conducting an “extensive” series of strikes on targets in Lebanon.

Multiple iron dome interceptions seen in the Tzefas area. No injuries reported. More than 270 rockets have been fired from Lebanon at northern Israel today, according to the IDF.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

As a recent retiree who has joined the masses and relocated to Lakewood, I have encountered many situations that amaze me. However, what I recently experienced, although not unique to this community, compels me to speak out. I am not one who usually raises issues in protest, nor do I desire to be a mekatreg before the Yomim Noraim—I have never written before. But please, help me understand!

Recently, I had the occasion to participate in a Shabbos kiddush for a simcha. It was a warm summer day, and we walked approximately 45 minutes in each direction to join in the celebration. I am a senior in my seventies, and I arrived after the kiddush had already begun. To my astonishment, not a single young member of the family, nor any of the next generation of children, who were gathered around the table immersed in their kugel and cholent, offered me a seat, asked if I needed a drink, or invited me to make kiddush. I eventually found a seat and helped myself to cups of water. (They were aware of the distance I had walked.)

My shock at the total lack of derech eretz and basic mentchlichkeit shook me to my core! The yeshivos dismiss this as the parents’ responsibility, while the parents have long abdicated their role to the chadarim and yeshivos. The bottom line is that we have raised generations of children who live in their own selfish worlds, without any concern for basic derech eretz. Last I checked, the Chazal of Derech Eretz Kodmoh L’Torah still holds true in Maseches Avos.

Please refer to the Gemara in Kiddushin regarding the obligation of Mipnei Seivah Tokum and Rashi’s strong words for one who ignores or fails to notice a senior.

Another recent incident: I daven and learn in a shul that is quite comfortable and not overly crowded. The seats are plush, the beis midrash is well-lit, and there is an ample supply of seforim. Recently, during davening, a teenager who was apparently dissatisfied with a regular padded seat decided to switch to a more comfortable chair. Fine. However, after switching chairs, he left his original seat smack in the middle of the aisle, leaving the task of clearing the way to someone else. Perhaps he was one of the children from the kiddush who had grown up quickly!

As I mentioned earlier, this situation is not unique to Lakewood. Years ago, in a different community, I attended my shul’s kiddush downstairs. A group of young boys sat around a table, enjoying themselves. There was an empty seat, which I moved to take, only to be told in strong terms that it was reserved. I replied that it was indeed reserved—for me—and proceeded to sit. The incredulous looks on their faces seemed to say, “This fellow must have recently landed from Mars!” Or, better yet, “The nerve of this man!”

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A YID WHO YEARNS TO UNDERSTAND

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American consumers are feeling less confident this month as concerns about jobs rose significantly. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 98.7 in September, from 105.6 in August. It was the biggest month-to-month decline since August of 2021. The survey was conducted before the Federal Reserve announced a bigger-than-expected half-point interest rate cut last week. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market fell to 81.7 from 86.3 in July. A reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. “Consumers’ assessments of current business conditions turned negative while views of the current labor market situation softened further,” said Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economist. Consumers were also more pessimistic about future labor market conditions, Peterson said. The labor market has been loosening lately, with jobs numbers steadily declining in recent months. Employers added a modest 142,000 jobs in August, up from an even weaker 89,000 in July. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.2% from 4.3%, which had been the highest level in nearly three years. Hiring in June and July was revised sharply down by a combined 86,000. July’s job gain was the smallest since the pandemic. On top of the tepid jobs numbers from July and August, the government reported earlier this month that the U.S. economy added 818,000 fewer jobs from April 2023 through March this year than were originally reported. The revised total added to evidence that the job market has been steadily slowing. The labor market data — along with receding inflation — played a significant part in the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut its benchmark borrowing rate by 50 basis points, double the usual amount. The rate cut, the Fed’s first in more than four years, reflected its new focus on bolstering a softening job market. The central bank’s action lowered its key rate to roughly 4.8%, down from a two-decade high of 5.3%, where it had stood for 14 months as it struggled to curb the worst inflation streak in four decades. Inflation has tumbled from a peak of 9.1% in mid-2022 to a three-year low of 2.5% in August, not far above the Fed’s 2% target. Fed policymakers also signaled that they expect to cut their key rate by an additional half-point in their final two meetings this year, and they envision four more rate cuts in 2025 and two in 2026. The Conference Board reported Tuesday that consumers’ view of current conditions fell to 124.3 in September from 134.3 last month. Consumer spending accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. economic activity and is closely watched by economists for signs how the American consumer is feeling. (AP)