A decades-old photograph showing a young Elon Musk celebrating a Jewish holiday has surged across social media, igniting renewed discussion about the billionaire’s background.
The image depicts Musk as a child wearing a red outfit trimmed in white, complete with a hood that some viewers likened to a Santa Claus costume. Visible behind him is signage referencing Purim, according to the original post that shared the photo.
Musk himself weighed in on the viral post, confirming its authenticity by noting that it was taken “at Purim.”
The resurfaced image has prompted a fresh round of speculation in online comment sections about Musk’s ethnicity, with some users wondering whether the entrepreneur might be Jewish, despite his repeated statements to the contrary.
In earlier public remarks, the businessman has said that he attended Rachel Spiro Hebrew Kindergarten in Pretoria, South Africa, a detail that often resurfaces in such discussions.
Although Musk has faced criticism in the past over statements that some have labeled antisemitic, he has consistently expressed positive sentiments toward Jewish people. The SpaceX founder has even described himself as “aspirationally Jewish.”
{Matzav.com}
Jim Beam has announced that it will suspend operations at its primary bourbon-making facility in Kentucky beginning January 1, even as the broader whiskey industry grapples with slowing demand and shifting consumer habits.
In a statement sent to CBS News, the company said its Clermont, Kentucky distillery will shut down production for a limited period “while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements.” Despite the pause, Jim Beam noted that the James B. Beam campus will remain open to the public throughout the shutdown.
While activity at the main site will be paused, distilling will continue at other company facilities. Production will carry on at the Fred B. Noe craft distillery in Clermont as well as the Booker Noe distillery located in Boston, Kentucky.
The temporary shutdown comes during a challenging period for the spirits industry. Americans are drinking less overall, with Gallup reporting that only 54% of U.S. adults now consume alcohol — a level close to a 90-year low.
International sales have also taken a hit. According to an October report from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, exports of American-made spirits dropped 9% in the second quarter. The report pointed to the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, noting especially sharp declines in shipments to Canada. Exports to that market plunged 85% after Canadian retailers removed U.S. spirits from store shelves in response to President Trump’s trade measures.
Domestic production data reflects the slowdown as well. Through August, whiskey makers produced 55 million fewer proof gallons than during the same period last year, a decrease of 28%, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. A proof gallon is defined as one U.S. gallon of liquid containing 50% alcohol by volume.
Even so, consumers are unlikely to see shortages anytime soon. Kentucky distilleries are currently storing a record 16.1 million barrels of aging bourbon, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. Reported in October, that figure represents the highest total since Prohibition ended and marks a 27% increase compared with 2024.
Industry groups attribute the buildup to both a growing number of distillers operating in Kentucky and a recent cooling in demand. Trade uncertainty, softer export markets, and changes in drinking patterns have all contributed to the slowdown, the association said.
To qualify as bourbon, whiskey must meet specific U.S. legal standards. Among other requirements, it must be aged in new, charred oak containers and made from a grain mixture containing at least 51% corn, according to the whiskey tourism site Bourbon Country.
{Matzav.com}
For those who crave serious Torah, total immersion, and an atmosphere charged with intensity and purpose, the announcement of the Agudah 5786 Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim lands like a jolt of electricity. This winter, Agudath Israel of America will once again bring together lomdei Torah from around the world for five unforgettable days of learning in Yerushalayim, from Sunday, February 15 through Thursday, February 19, 2026.
The Yarchei Kallah is a full-throttle ascent into a single sugya, treated with focus, clarity, and discipline, from the first seder to the last. In the span of one week, participants work toward real mastery, guided by a carefully structured program that pairs high-level shiurim with serious hachanah and in-depth preparation.
At the center of the week are shiurim from Gedolei Yisroel, whose presence sets the tone and elevates the entire experience.
The atmosphere is unmistakable. Hundreds of bnei Torah learning shoulder to shoulder. The hum of chavrusos locked in debate. Tables filled from early morning until late at night. A sense that every moment matters, that this is time reclaimed and used properly.
And while the learning is intense, everything around it is designed to support it. Comfortable hotel accommodations, gourmet meals, and seamless logistics allow participants to stay focused, energized, and fully present in the beis medrash, without distractions pulling them away.
The Yarchei Kallah has long been known as a place where people come to reset their learning, raise their level, and reconnect with why they learn in the first place. In Yerushalayim, during these charged winter days, that impact is felt even more sharply.
For those ready to push harder, think deeper, and experience what a week of real Torah immersion can feel like, the Yarchei Kallah 5786 is on the calendar — and it promises to be nothing short of powerful.
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu warned on Monday of a “very severe response” should Iran take action against Israel, while emphasizing that the Jewish state is “not seeking confrontation.”
Speaking at a joint press conference in Yerushalayim alongside the leaders of Greece and Cyprus, the premier said that Israel is aware of recent Iranian “exercises,” referring to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile drill which, according to Axios, Israel has warned the Trump administration could be a cover for a strike against Israel.
“We are following this and we are making the necessary preparations,” said Netanyahu. “I want to make it clear to Iran here, any action against Israel will be met with a very severe response.”
Netanyahu spoke following a trilateral summit with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
Asked if the Islamic Republic would be on the table during his sixth meeting with President Donald Trump, scheduled for Dec. 29 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Netanyahu affirmed that it will be discussed, saying that “we are not seeking confrontation with anyone … we seek stability, prosperity and peace.” The premier added that there were “great achievements” during the 12-day war with Iran in June, stressing that “our basic expectations from Iran have not changed,” a position that Washington shares, namely, “the level of enrichment and other activities, the ending of the proxy wars against us.”
Huckabee: Iran didn’t get Trump’s full messageIn a video aired on Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee responded to reports that the Islamic Republic is attempting to rebuild its nuclear and missile programs just six months after the joint Israeli-American operation, arguing that Tehran’s actions pose a threat to the entire world, not just the Jewish state.
“Iran, I don’t know if they ever took him [Trump] seriously, until the night that the B-2 bombers went to Fordow. I hope they got the message, but apparently they didn’t get the full message,” he said during an interview with the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. “They appear to be trying to reconstitute and find a new way to dig the hole deeper, secure it more,” he added.
Huckabee stressed that Iran threatens not just Israel, but the United States and Europe, and warned that if the Europeans fail to comprehend this, “then they’re dumber than I sometimes think they are.” At the same time, he said he was pleased that snapback sanctions were recently reimposed against the regime in Tehran, calling them “very important” and saying that more of these types of actions “will help to maybe choke off Iran’s ability to do what they’re trying to do.”
Huckabee emphasized that the Iranian regime has “threatened America for 46 consecutive years” since 1979, when the ayatollahs took power.
“They’ve always said, ‘Death to Israel, death to America,’ in the same sentence. This was never a separation. Israel is only the appetizer because you’re closer and you’re an easier target than the vast geographical expanse that represents the United States,” said Huckabee.
“But they’ve never hidden the fact that the real entrée, their ultimate goal, is to destroy the United States, because if you want to destroy Western civilization and move the world back to the 7th century and take us back to a place that, thank God, doesn’t exist anymore, then you cannot do that without taking the United States down,” the diplomat continued. “And that’s why they have said for all of these 46 years, ‘Death to America.’” JNS
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A head-to-head clash between Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the 2028 Republican primary is unlikely, Rep. Mike Lawler said Monday, suggesting instead that the two could ultimately join forces.
Speaking on CNN’s “The Arena” with Kasie Hunt, the New York Republican said, “frankly, I think it’s more likely that you’ll have a Vance-Rubio ticket than anything else.” While stopping short of a formal endorsement, Lawler said the vice president would enter the race with a clear advantage, calling him a “formidable candidate” who has a “leg up” should he decide to run.
Lawler also framed the next cycle as crowded and competitive. “It’s going to be a robust 2028 cycle,” he said. “I know many of the players involved and considering it, and like and respect many of them. But of course, it’s always healthy to have debate and discussion.”
Vance has not declared his intentions but has left open the possibility of a presidential bid. He received a prominent endorsement last week from Erika Kirk, the CEO of Turning Point USA and the widow of Charlie Kirk, during the organization’s AmericaFest gathering in Phoenix. “We are going to get my husband’s friend, JD Vance, elected as 48 in the most resounding way possible,” she told the crowd.
Recent polling underscores Vance’s early strength. In Race to the White House’s national polling average, the vice president holds more than 45 percent support among potential Republican contenders. He is followed by Rubio, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump Jr., and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, with support levels of 10.9 percent, 9.4 percent, 8.6 percent, and 4.2 percent, respectively.
Reports have also pointed to a cooperative relationship between the vice president and the secretary of state. Politico said last month that Rubio would support Vance if he entered the race, and Vance told the New York Post in October that Rubio is his “best friend” in the Trump administration.
Not everyone in the party is on board. Sen. Rand Paul suggested in an interview with ABC News on Sunday that Vance would not be his top choice for 2028, pointing to disagreements with the administration’s protectionist trade agenda.
Despite policy differences, Lawler praised the vice president’s abilities, describing him as “one of the smartest and most articulate” Republicans in national politics. He added that a general-election debate between Vance and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would be a “debate for all ages.”
Ocasio-Cortez last week drew attention to a survey showing her narrowly ahead of Vance in a hypothetical 2028 matchup, with 51 percent support to his 49 percent.
{Matzav.com}
