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Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld 

The Possibility of Joy – Saying Yes to Life in Spite of Everything: Imagination Dreaming and Power of Optimism

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Federal authorities searched the homes of New York City’s newly named interim police commissioner and seized materials unrelated to his police work, he said. The unexplained and unexpected search comes as the administration of Mayor Eric Adams reels from other federal law enforcement investigations. Thomas Donlon, who became the interim commissioner just one week ago after the resignation of his predecessor, issued a statement late Saturday through the police department. “On Friday, September 20, federal authorities executed search warrants at my residences. They took materials that came into my possession approximately 20 years ago and are unrelated to my work with the New York City Police Department,” the statement said. “This is not a department matter, and the department will not be commenting,” he added. The statement did not address what the investigation was about, which federal authorities were involved or what materials had been seized. Fabien Levy, the city’s deputy mayor for communications, said: “As we have repeatedly said, we expect all team members to fully comply with any law enforcement inquiry.” Just a week ago, the previous police commissioner, Edward Caban, resigned after federal authorities seized his electronic devices as part of an investigation that also involved his brother, a former police officer. Federal agents also have seized phones in recent weeks from the head of the city’s public schools, a top deputy mayor, Adams’ top public safety adviser and others. Previously, investigators searched homes connected to Adams’ top campaign fundraiser and the Democrat’s Asian affairs director. Last autumn, federal agents also seized Adams’ phone as he left an event. Charges have not been brought in connection with any of those searches, and it was unclear whether there was any connection to the search involving Donlon, who wasn’t part of the Adams administration until a few days ago. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment. An email seeking comment from a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney in Manhattan was not immediately returned. A text sent to Adams’ top spokesperson late Saturday night also wasn’t immediately returned. Donlon spent decades with the FBI, where he worked on terrorism cases including the investigation into the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and a 2000 attack on a U.S. Navy destroyer. Roughly 20 years ago he was a top counterterrorism official for the FBI in New York. From 2009 to 2010, Donlon led New York state’s Office of Homeland Security before going into the private sector security industry. Adams appointed Donlon as his commissioner last week and he assumed the post on Sept. 13, one week ago Friday. The choice of an outsider with a long career in federal law enforcement — but no history of working with the NYPD — appeared at the time to be a potentially stabilizing move for the police department after Caban’s resignation. Caban and his brother, James Caban, who runs a nightlife security business, had both denied any wrongdoing through their lawyers. Through it all, Adams, who is in his first term, has said he won’t be distracted by the investigations and will continue to serve the city. (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron held a difficult conversation last week over the escalating situation in Lebanon, Israel’s Channel 12 reports.

According to the report, Macron, who initiated the call, hurled harsh accusations at the Israeli premier for leading Israel and Lebanon to the brink of a full-scale war.

“The responsibility to prevent escalation is yours. You can opt for a diplomatic solution. This is the moment to show leadership and responsibility. Your activity in the north is pushing the region to war,” Macron was quoted in the report as saying.

Netanyahu replied: “Instead of putting the pressure on us, it’s about time you pressured Hezbollah. We will bring our residents back home [in the north]. This is the decision we made this week and we will act on it.”

On Thursday, France voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution proposed by the Palestinian Authority to impose sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel.

Israeli officials expressed their disappointment over Paris’s stance, including its inability to put diplomatic pressure on Hezbollah to end its hostilities, Channel 12 reported.

“You, the French, do what you still think you must diplomatically do and we will do what we must do,” senior officials in Jerusalem said in the report.

A French source noted that “a diplomatic agreement in the north is still possible, on condition that all sides take responsibility. The latest security developments are worrying because they fuel a new dynamic of escalation.”

Macron expressed his sympathies with the Lebanese people in footage uploaded to X, saying that “escalation is in no one’s interest.”

In the wake of the two-day attack across Lebanon in which pagers and walkie-talkie communication devices held by Hezbollah operatives exploded, killing dozens and injuring thousands more, Macron noted that Lebanon should not “live in fear of an imminent war.”

He said that “nothing—no regional adventure, no private interests, no faithfulness to any cause whatsoever—is worth launching a conflict in Lebanon over. Lebanon’s integrity, security and sovereignty must be preserved,” he added.

This was not the first time Macron has been critical of Israel and Netanyahu.

In March, he said that the forcible transfer of Gazans from Rafah ahead of a prospective Israeli military operation in the city would constitute a “war crime.”

The French president further stated that Paris was planning to circulate a draft resolution at the U.N. Security Council calling for “an immediate and lasting ceasefire.” JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

A senior Iranian official has reportedly revealed that Tehran was involved in purchasing the pagers used by Hezbollah operatives that exploded across Lebanon last week in a devastating attack widely attributed to Israel. The official also hinted that a similar device could have been responsible for the helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in May. In a post on X, Europe-based Iranian journalist Mohamad Ahwaze reported that Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, confirmed that Hezbollah’s communications had been compromised in the attack. “Hezbollah had been hacked,” Ardestani reportedly said, adding that Raisi had one of the compromised pagers. The explosions, which took place last Tuesday and Wednesday, targeted pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah operatives. The coordinated attack, which left at least 30 dead and thousands injured, has been widely blamed on Israel after months of escalating cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Earlier this month, an official Iranian investigation into Raisi’s fatal helicopter crash concluded that the May accident was caused by bad weather. The helicopter, carrying Raisi and his entourage, crashed into a fog-covered mountainside in northern Iran, killing the president and seven others, and prompting snap elections. However, Ardestani’s recent comments raise the possibility that the crash may have been linked to a cyberattack involving the same compromised communication devices used by Hezbollah operatives. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

We have mixed feelings. Although the angels didn’t sing Hallel when the Egyptians drowned, the Jewish people sang Shira. When G-d sticks up for His people we have to show Him that we appreciate it. We might shed a tear for those who are suffering, for those who may be a little innocent.

Rav Chaim Mintz:

The head of the U.S. Postal Service expressed frustration Thursday with ongoing criticism by election officials of how it handles mail ballots while also seeking to reassure voters that it’s ready to handle an expected crush of those ballots this fall. U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told reporters that it’s difficult for the Postal Service to address “generalities” about perceived problems and said some election officials don’t fully understand its efforts to deliver ballots in time to be counted. He said the service will collect and deliver mail ballots more frequently in the days before the Nov. 5 presidential election and would keep processing centers open the Sunday before Election Day. The Postal Service, he said, would take extraordinary measures to “rescue” ballots that are mailed late and at risk of missing state deadlines to be received by election offices. Elections officials have said for weeks that they are concerned about the Postal Service’s readiness. They’ve cited ballots arriving late or without the postmarks required by some state laws during the primary season. “We engage in heroic efforts intended to beat the clock,” DeJoy told reporters during a virtual news conference. “These efforts are designed to be used only when the risk of deviating from our standard processes is necessary to compensate for the ballot being mailed so close to a state’s deadline,” he added. “This is commonly misunderstood in the media and even by election officials.” DeJoy and state and local election officials do agree on one thing: They are urging voters who want to use mail ballots to return them as early as possible and at least seven days before a state’s deadline. DeJoy also encouraged voters to go to post office counters to get their ballots postmarked. “I want to see high turnout and low drama,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat and the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, said Thursday. In 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic, election officials reported sending just over 69 million ballots in the mail, a substantial increase from four years earlier. While the numbers this year may be smaller, many voters have embraced mail voting and come to rely on it. NASS and the National Association of State Election Directors told DeJoy in a letter last week that the Postal Service had not fixed persistent problems that could disenfranchise some voters. “It’s extremely troubling that the USPS dismissed our concerns about disenfranchising voters by failing to postmark and timely deliver ballots, rather than working with us to find solutions,” Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican and the past NASS president, said this week. On Thursday, DeJoy cited a report from the Postal Service’s inspector general at the end of July saying about 98.2% of the 10.3 million ballots mailed to election officials from Dec. 1, 2023, through April 1, 2024, arrived on time. The Postal Service’s standard for on-time delivery of first-class mail is three to five days, and DeJoy has said the average is 2.7 days. Schwab has said about 1,000 mail ballots from the state’s Aug. 6 primary election couldn’t be counted because they arrived too late or were not postmarked. In Lawrence, in northeastern Kansas, Jamie Miller discovered that her primary election ballot took more than three weeks to go from […]

Israel’s rapid attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon have left operatives of the Iranian-backed terrorist organization feeling like they are being hunted down, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared on Sunday.

“Hezbollah has begun experiencing the impact of some of the IDF’s capabilities, and they sense that they are being pursued,” Gallant told troops during a visit to an undisclosed Israeli Air Force command-and-control base.

The Israel Defense Forces’ achievements have been “extremely impressive in both defense and offense at all levels,” according to the defense minister.

Attacks on Hezbollah targets across the region “will continue until we reach a situation where we can return the residents of the north to their homes safely—this is our goal, this is our mission, and we will employ the means necessary to achieve it,” Gallant said, according to a readout.

Israel dealt Hezbollah “a series of blows it couldn’t have imagined” over the past days, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in similar remarks published earlier on Sunday afternoon.

“If Hezbollah did not understand the message, I promise you: It will understand the message,” he said in remarks published by his office.

Thousands of terrorists were wounded and at least dozens were killed when their pagers and radio devices exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, with Hezbollah immediately blaming the Jewish state’s intelligence agencies for both attacks.

On Friday, the IDF took credit for a targeted airstrike that killed senior Hezbollah terrorist commander Ibrahim Aqil—alias Al-Hajj Abdul Khader—in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

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Standing at the precipice of despair, your world crumbles beneath your feet. The whispers of darkness grow louder, drowning out any flicker of hope. This is the reality for countless individuals in our community—people grappling with the suffocating weight of mental health crises, addiction, trauma, and abuse. In these moments of utter darkness, when all seems lost, there’s one beacon that refuses to let the light go out: Amudim.Amudim: Not a Helpline, A Lifeline

Amudim isn’t just an organization; it’s a constant presence, a lifeline that reaches into the abyss, grasping firmly to pull you back from the brink. When someone reaches out—voice trembling, spirit broken—they’re not met with cold statistics or impersonal advice. They’re embraced by a dedicated clinical case manager who becomes their unwavering ally in the fight for their life and hope for their future.

Saving Lives, Every Case, Every day.

For Amudim’s case managers, each ring of the phone is a new challenge, a new opportunity to make a difference. These dedicated professionals are more than just trained experts; they’re companions, confidants, and guides. They’re there every step of the way, providing support, important resources, and a listening ear.

Meet Sarah, an Amudim case manager. Last month, she received a call from a young mother contemplating suicide. Sarah didn’t just talk her off the ledge; she became the ledge—a solid foundation of support that lasted well beyond that harrowing night. For weeks, Sarah was there, guiding not just the mother but her entire family through the turbulent waters of recovery, one day at a time.

Take David’s story. Trapped in the merciless grip of addiction, he had lost his job, his family, and nearly his will to live. His Amudim case manager, Michael, didn’t just point him towards rehab—he walked every step of the journey with him. From late-night crisis calls to accompanying him to court dates, Michael was the constant presence that reminded David that he was worth fighting for.

A Network of Support

Amudim’s impact extends far beyond individual cases. With case managers stationed in communities across 66 countries, they’re a network of support that’s always within reach. 

Amudim is on the case to prevent crises and build stronger communities. Through education and awareness, they aim for prevention and to create our world as a place where lifesaving support for those struggling with mental health, abuse, addiction and trauma is easily obtainable. With thousands of new cases a year,  our annual campaign is the lifeblood of our organization, fueling our ability to assign case workers to each person in need and to serve our people.

The Power of You

Now, imagine yourself standing not at the edge of that abyss, but at the precipice of change. The work Amudim does is monumental, but they can’t do it alone. It takes Amudim. It takes their tireless case managers. And it takes you—yes, you—to make miracles happen.

Your support isn’t just a donation; it’s a lifeline thrown to someone drowning in despair. It’s the difference between a child lost to addiction and a family reunited. It’s the whisper of hope in the darkest hour that says, “You are not alone.”

Get on The Case

The time to act is now. Will you answer the call? Will you stand with Amudim and declare that in our community, no one fights alone?

Your support can help save lives, every case, every day. It can be the hand that pulls someone back from the brink, the voice that breaks through the silence of suffering, the light that pierces the darkest night.

Amudim is On the Case- By their side, every day; Our case managers are giving them the strength to stand again.

With thousands of new cases a year, our annual campaign is the lifeblood of our organization, fueling our ability to assign case workers to each person in need and to serve our people.

It’s a case of life and death.  Of helplessness or hope.

And you can be part of the deciding factor.

Get on the Case Today.

Showcasing the Best of Amudim

September 22- 23

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36 HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT AS WE RAISE ESSENTIAL FUNDS!

UNITETOHEAL.COM

Israel struck Hezbollah in its Beirut stronghold in ways the group never anticipated, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu declared on Sunday, speaking after an airstrike killed a senior terrorist leader in the city and days after thousands of operatives were wounded in attacks attributed to Israel.

“If Hezbollah did not understand the message, I promise you: It will understand the message,” the prime minister said in remarks shared by his office.

Israel dealt Hezbollah “a series of blows it couldn’t have imagined,” he said.

“We are determined to return our residents to their homes in the north safely. No country can tolerate shooting at its residents, shooting at its cities, and we—the State of Israel—will not tolerate it either,” Netanyahu said.

Israel’s government remains determined to do “everything necessary to restore security” along the country’s northern border, he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during a visit to an IAF base said that the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist army had begun “to sense some of the capabilities of the Israel Defense Forces.

“Our moves will continue until the goal is achieved. We will use everything necessary to fulfill the mission, until we reach a situation where we can return the residents of the north to their homes safely,” he said.

Thousands of terrorists were wounded and at least dozens were killed when their pagers and radio devices exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, with Hezbollah immediately blaming the Jewish state’s intelligence agencies for both attacks.

The IDF has declined to comment on the two waves of explosions—the first of which came hours after the Israeli Cabinet added the return of residents displaced from their homes in the north to the country’s war goals.

On Friday afternoon, the IDF took credit for a targeted airstrike that killed senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil—alias Al-Hajj Abdul Khader—in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.

Aqil was a high-ranking member of Hezbollah’s top “military” body, the Jihad Council, which is subordinate to the Shura Council and under the direct control of Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog revealed in an interview with Britain’s Sky News on Sunday that Aqil and his associates were targeted as they were discussing plans for an Oct. 7-style invasion of Israeli territory.

Hezbollah “has been armed to its teeth by the Iranian empire of evil, and all of these leaders who were eradicated on Friday by the Israeli attack, all of these leaders, were meeting together in order to launch the same horrific, horrendous attack that we had on Oct. 7 by Hamas,” Herzog said.

Hezbollah has attacked Israel nearly daily since Oct. 8, 2023, firing thousands of rockets, missiles and drones. The attacks have killed more than 40 people and caused widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians remain internally displaced due to the violence.

Several people were hurt when Hezbollah launched more than 100 rockets and drones at northern Israeli towns and cities in waves of attacks overnight and Sunday morning.

Hezbollah took responsibility for the launches, saying that it had sent “dozens of Fadi 1 and Fadi 2 missiles” at the Ramat David Airbase and a Rafael Advanced Defense Systems facility near Haifa. This reportedly marked the first time that it has used this type of weapon since Oct. 8.

Hezbollah said that the projectiles launched were “in response to the repeated Israeli attacks that targeted various Lebanese regions and led to the fall of many civilian martyrs,” in reference to last week’s device blasts. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

Apple is giving more people the chance to test a software update that will implant artificial intelligence into its virtual assistant Siri and automate a variety of tedious tasks on the latest iPhone coming out Friday. The free update was made available Thursday to an audience that has signed up to test Apple’s software before it’s released to all iPhone owners next month. As of Thursday, only two premium iPhones that came out last year contain the souped-up processor required to power the AI features included in the update, but that will change Friday when four new iPhone 16 models reach store shelves. All the iPhone 16 models, with starting prices ranging from $800 to $1,200, are equipped to handle the new technology, which the company is marketing as “Apple Intelligence.” That branding is part of an effort to distinguish the iPhone’s AI from similar technology already available in smartphones released earlier this year by Samsung and Google. The AI features are being promoted as one of the main reasons to buy an iPhone 16, so releasing a test version of the software powering the technology now may prod more consumers to splurge on one of the new models as soon as possible The AI technology is coming out in U.S. English only for now, but will expand into localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. in December. Apple plans to expand into other languages and countries next year. The testing of the AI software is beginning just a few days after Apple released its latest mobile operating system, iOS 18, to all its earlier iPhones. Once the iOS 18.1 upgrade is installed, the often bumbling Siri is supposed to become more conversational, versatile and colorful, with a glowing light that will rotate around the iPhone’s screen as it responds to requests. While Apple is promising Siri will be able to perform more tasks and be less prone to becoming confused, it won’t be able to interact with other apps installed on the iPhone until another software update comes out at a still-unspecified date. Other AI features in the software update will handle a variety of writing and proofreading tasks, summarize the content of emails and other documents. The AI also will provide a variety of editing tools to alter the appearance of photos and make it easier to find old pictures. But the initial update doesn’t include other AI tricks still to come, such as the ability to create customized emojis on the fly or conjure other fanciful imagery upon request. Apple also plans to eventually enable its AI suite to get a helping hand from OpenAI’s ChatGPT when users want it. Besides the new iPhone model, Apple’s AI features also will work last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max because they have the special computer chip that’s required. The update will also bring the ability to record spatial video on those two iPhone 15 models that can be watched on Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset. But the AI won’t work on hundreds of millions of other iPhones that are still in use, a drawback that investors are betting will juice Apple’s recently slumping sales of the ubiquitous device. That expectation is the main reason that Apple’s stock price has climbed […]

A 17-year-old Israeli boy died and four others were injured in a car crash in the Lower Galilee early Sunday morning, amid a barrage of Hezbollah rocket attacks from Lebanon, authorities announced.

The teenager, identified as Noam Yechiel from Moshav Achiezer in central Israel, was killed when a driver veered off the road and hit a wall on Route 77, between the Ramat Yishai Junction and the community of Zarzir.

Noam’s father is singer Erez Yechiel.

“He was a cute boy, he was on his way to the yeshivah. This is difficult news for us, the whole moshav is in shock,” Moshav Achiezer said in a statement on Sunday afternoon.

The other four victims sustained light-to-medium injuries. The Magen David Adom emergency-response service evacuated a man in his 20s in moderate condition to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center.

An initial probe showed that the accident occurred when air-raid sirens sounded across northern Israel, and police were said to be investigating whether this distracted the driver and caused the vehicle to crash.

Yaron Ben-Yishai, the commander of the Israel Police’s Migdal HaEmek station, urged all drivers to avoid the north amid the Hezbollah attacks.

“There are many scenes we are currently dealing with,” he said of the 140-plus projectiles launched at Israel on Sunday morning. “I call on all drivers: During a siren, stop by the side of the road, cross over the barrier, lie down and wait for 10 minutes from when the alarm sounds.”

At least six people were hurt when Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists launched over 140 rockets and explosive drones at northern Israel overnight and Sunday morning.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, rockets hit Kiryat Bialik, near Haifa, and Moreshet, a town in the Lower Galilee. The IDF’s aerial defense array intercepted some of the projectiles.

Hezbollah took responsibility for the launches, saying that it had fired “dozens of Fadi 1 and Fadi 2 missiles” at the Ramat David Airbase and a Rafael Advanced Defense Systems facility near Haifa. This reportedly marked the first time that it has used this type of weapon since Oct. 8.

Hezbollah has attacked Israel nearly daily since Oct. 8, 2023, firing thousands of rockets, missiles and drones. The attacks have killed more than 40 people and caused widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians remain internally displaced due to the violence. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

According to a report from Israel’s Channel 12, each Hezbollah pager that exploded was individually set to detonate, with those behind the attack having precise knowledge of their targets’ locations and movements to minimize collateral damage. “Each pager had its own arrangements. That’s how it was possible to control who was hit and who wasn’t,” an unnamed foreign security source told the TV station. The attackers reportedly ensured that only the person carrying the pager was harmed, sparing civilians who may have been nearby at the time of the blasts. Footage from the incident showed one man being killed by his pager while standing next to a fruit and vegetable stand, but, as Channel 12’s report notes, great care was taken to prevent injuries to bystanders. “They knew who he was with and where he was, so that the vegetable seller in the supermarket would not be hurt,” the report explained, citing foreign sources. The attack, which Hezbollah has blamed on Israel, marks an unprecedented event in the ongoing conflict between the two. While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility, the report adds new details to an already complex situation, revealing that tens of thousands of pagers had been manufactured with explosives specifically for this operation. According to the Channel 12 report, Hezbollah had increased its use of pagers after its military chief Fuad Shukr was killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike in Beirut in July. Growing wary of using mobile phones, which could be intercepted, Hezbollah operatives had relied more heavily on pagers, unaware that they were carrying Trojan Horse devices. Ronen Bergman, an investigative journalist for The New York Times and Yediot Achronot, was also interviewed for the report. He described how a brilliant female intelligence operative, under the age of 30, somewhere in the Middle East, had masterminded the entire scheme. “It was decided to set up a factory to build the devices from scratch so that ‘it won’t be a device that we will tamper with; it will be a device that we will produce,’” Channel 12 reported. The decision to detonate the pagers this week may have been driven by concerns that Hezbollah was about to discover the Trojan Horse devices, though a foreign security source disputes this claim. The report also suggests the attack was strategically timed, with former IDF intelligence chief Amos Yadlin emphasizing that the goal is to send a message to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that his ongoing attacks on northern Israel are costing him dearly, both in manpower and public support within Lebanon. The coordinated attack is not considered a strategic strike, however, with sources indicating that Israel possesses far more sophisticated capabilities for dealing with Hezbollah and Iran. According to the report, these capabilities have been in development for years, but their potential was not fully utilized against Hamas, which partly explains the failure to prevent the October 7 attacks. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Fox News host Mark Levin describes the Kamala Harris campaign as ‘fraud’ and ‘deception’ on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’

WATCH:

The effort to save the pale blue dot called Earth is all about the green — that is, the money to finance a transition to renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The annual Climate Week NYC and United Nations General Assembly combination is putting special emphasis on how to generate trillions of dollars to help poorer countries move away from gas, oil and coal that emit greenhouse gases and heat the planet. They also need financial aid to deal with the damage the warming is already causing. There’s also a special U.N. summit of the future, which connects climate change and biodiversity to other pressing issues like war, and another U.N. special session on the threat of rising seas. And the presidents of climate negotiations in 2023, 2024 and 2025 are seeking to push nations into a new round of dramatic pollution cuts with their own efforts. This week starts a two-month sprint in which three different cities on three different continents host high-level meetings that may be humanity’s “last chance” to avoid exceeding globally agreed upon warming limits, according to one expert. After Climate Week in New York, Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku hosts the U.N.’s 29th climate negotiation conference. Then, leaders of the 20 biggest countries head to Rio de Janeiro. And early next year, all the world’s countries must submit new national targets to cut emissions of heat-trapping gases. “A lot of the failure or success of (the landmark 2015 Paris climate agreement) is going to be determined in the next, eight or nine months as countries put forward their next round of″ proposed emission reduction goals, said longtime climate negotiations analyst Alden Meyer of the European think tank E3G. ”If these don’t step up and meet the mark, it’s really our last chance.” Yalchin Rafiyev, lead negotiator for the presidency of November’s U.N. climate conference in Baku, said the week in New York is “a very important milestone event for us.” Not only will climate negotiators be in New York, but so will their bosses, their heads of states, Rafiyev told The Associated Press. So when often informal talks hit a snag or new ideas come up, especially on the sticky issue of finances, negotiators can quickly check with their leaders, which may help move things, he said. Underscoring everything is the money to fix the problems. “It’s definitely about the greens,” said World Resources Institute President Ani Dasgupta. “”It is about greening the world and not getting the green to green the world.” And where better to talk about it than in New York City, the capital of capital, Dasgupta said. Developing countries — where more than 80% of the world population lives — say that they need financial help to curb their increasing use of fossil fuels. Otherwise they can’t afford to. Poorer nations point to historical emissions — carbon dioxide stays in the air for hundreds of years — that came mostly from the industrialized world. Those wealthier countries now can more easily afford to switch to renewable energy such as solar and wind. As they do, close to two-thirds of current carbon dioxide emissions come from nations not considered industrialized. This is the week that “the cries of the global majority will make it very loud and clear” that this climate financial […]

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This Motzei Shabbos, September 28th, Living Kiddush Hashem invites you to experience an event that will transform your Yomim Noraim. The worldwide Selichos event promises to be a gripping, heartening, and life-changing program, designed to reshape your perspective on living with purpose.

Through three captivating stories, you’ll witness:

• A grave dilemma
• A courtroom drama
• Security impressions

The event also features inspiring divrei chizzuk and an uplifting musical production.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to elevate your Selichos night and reflect on the essence of living Kiddush Hashem.

Watch live at: https://livingkiddushhashem.org/ on September 28th, and let this powerful program be your guide for the Yomim Noraim.

Mark your calendars and prepare for an unforgettable night of inspiration!

Gilad: Thank you, Debra, for that wonderful introduction.   Debra, Nate, I’ve stood before world leaders and hardened diplomats, but I must admit – I’m a bit starstruck. Not because of your fame, but because of your raw courage. In a time when supporting Israel could cost you business, friends and followers, you chose to follow your conscience. I’m in awe of the two of you and I thank you both for all that you do!   Noa, Oshrit, and all the other inspiring women here this evening, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You are the spirit of our nation – the spirit of Israel! Thank you – Todah Rabah!  Friends, this is my first time speaking to you in New York, not as a Member of Knesset, not as a Minister, and not as an Ambassador, but as the Global President of Magen David Adom. I want to take the opportunity tonight to explain why this new role perfectly complements everything else I have dedicated my last 21 years to.  On October 7th, Israel suffered the most brutal massacre since the Holocaust. But this attack laid bare more than just the brutality of our enemies. It unveiled their strategy – a two-pronged assault on our very existence. Our enemies know they cannot defeat us on the battlefield. They don’t have a chance! So, they’ve devised a sinister plan:  First, they target our home front, aiming to break our spirit through terror. They slaughter innocents, hoping to drive us from our homeland in fear. Second, they weaponize international organizations to isolate Israel and tie our hands. Two sides of the same coin – both aimed at our annihilation!  For 21 years, I fought for Israel on the political, diplomatic, and global stage. I’ve defended our legitimacy and countered lies. I combatted one aspect of our enemies’ strategy. But now, today, I’ve chosen to combat the other side of this vicious strategy. And I do so by leading Magen David Adom – Israel’s ONLY national emergency service.   Just as the IDF is charged with defending Israel’s borders, MADA is charged with safeguarding the lives within them! With every life we save, every wound we treat, we send a powerful message: We will not be driven out. We will not be broken! The bravery of our first responders is truly unparalleled.   Amit Mann is just one example, whose story not only broke our hearts, but also strengthened our resolve. Amit’s story, a story of commitment – even in the face of death, was one I wanted to share on the UN stage. When I spoke with Amit’s mother Rachel, to ask for her permission and support to share Amit’s story at the UN, she cried for several long minutes, and then said to me, “Whatever you need to do to show the dedication of Amit and her friends in MADA, you must do.” And this, friends, is the spirit of Magen David Adom – selflessness and unwavering bravery.  From the peaks of the Golan Heights to the Red Sea in Eilat, our volunteers strengthen every Israeli’s resolve. We thwart our enemies’ plans with every life we save. MADA is the backbone of Israel’s resilience, and we are an unstoppable force for good!  Friends, while I fought for […]

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of committing “shameless crimes” against children rather than combatants, urging Islamic nations to unite in efforts to eliminate it.

On Shabbos, Khamenei claimed that Israel was openly committing various “shameless crimes” in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria. He asserted to a group of Muslim diplomats in Tehran, in remarks aired on state television, that Israel was not targeting “fighting men, but ordinary people.”

“Unable to hurt the real fighters in Palestine, they are venting their malicious anger on small children, on hospital patients, and on schools filled with young children,” he stated.

He called for Islamic countries to “completely cut off their economic relations” with Israel and to “weaken political ties.”

“This inner strength can eliminate the Zionist regime, this malignant cancerous tumor, from the heart of the Islamic community in Palestine and get rid of US domination and coercive interference in the region,” he added.

These statements followed an Israeli airstrike on Beirut that killed several high-ranking commanders of the Hezbollah terror group, including its operations chief.

Israel confirmed that at least 16 prominent Hezbollah fighters were killed in this strike, which targeted key leaders of the elite Radwan Force, including Ibrahaim Aqil, who was orchestrating plans for an invasion of Galilee. According to the Lebanese health ministry, the airstrike resulted in at least 31 fatalities, among them three children and seven women.

Friday’s airstrike marked the deadliest incident in a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been launching attacks on Israel’s northern border since October in support of Hamas in Gaza.

This airstrike came after two days of incidents where pagers and walkie-talkies utilized by Hezbollah operatives exploded. Lebanon attributed these blasts to Israel, which has not confirmed or denied its role in the incidents.

Additionally, on Saturday, Iran showcased its “Jihad” single-stage liquid-fuel ballistic missile, featuring a high-explosive detachable warhead with a range of 1,000 km, according to state television.

The missiles were presented alongside various military equipment during a parade commemorating the anniversary of the start of the Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988.

An upgraded one-way attack drone was also revealed. The Shahed-136B drone represents an enhanced version of the original Shahed-136, boasting new capabilities and an operational range exceeding 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles), as reported by state news agency IRNA.

Western governments have accused Iran of supplying both drones and missiles to Russia for its conflict in Ukraine, a claim that Iran has consistently denied.

New President Masoud Pezeshkian was present at the annual parade in Tehran.

“Today, our defensive and deterrent capabilities have grown so much that no demon even thinks about any aggression towards our dear Iran,” he stated.

“With unity and cohesion among Islamic countries… we can put in its place the bloodthirsty, genocidal usurper Israel, which shows no mercy to anyone, women or children, old or young,” he continued.

{Matzav.com}

An explosion at a mine in eastern Iran has killed at least 51 people and injured 20, Iranian state television reported, adding that several workers were still trapped. The blast struck a coal mine in Tabas, about 540 kilometers (335 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran, on Saturday night. By Sunday, weeping miners stood alongside mine cars that brought up the bodies of their colleagues, all covered in coal dust. Around 70 people had been working at the time of the blast. State television later said that 17 were believed to be trapped at a depth of 200 meters (650 feet) down a 700-meter (2,300-foot) tunnel. However, figures kept changing throughout Sunday regarding the disaster in the rural area with some reports suggesting the death toll was higher. A provincial emergency official, Mohammad Ali Akhoundi, told the state-run IRNA news agency Sunday afternoon that the death toll had reached at least 34 as rescue efforts continued. Survivors interviewed by state TV, still smudged in coal dust, described chaotic scenes after the blast. “We were in the mine, working. Suddenly there was some smoke rising … then I noticed I had difficulty breathing,” said one miner, whom state TV did not identify. “I jumped off from the workshop and I scrambled until I reached somewhere (safe). My friends (remained) in there.” Authorities blamed the blast on a leak of methane gas. Such gases are common in mining, though modern safety measures call for ventilation and other measures to protect workers. It wasn’t immediately clear what safety procedures were in place at the privately owned Mandanjoo Co., which operated the Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine. The firm could not be reached for comment Sunday. Iran’s new reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to travel to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said that he ordered all efforts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families. He also said an investigation into the explosion had begun. “I spoke with the ministers of health, interior and security and ordered that the issues of the families of the victims and the injured be quickly resolved,” Pezeshkian said, according to a statement from his office. “I also requested to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents by improving work standards in the country’s mines.” But Iran’s mining industry has been struck by disasters before. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people. Then-President Hassan Rouhani, campaigning ahead of winning reelection, visited the site in Iran’s northern Golestan province and angry miners besieged the SUV he rode in, kicking and beating the armored vehicle in a rage. In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed in several incidents. Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas were often blamed for the fatalities. Oil-producing Iran is also rich in a variety of minerals. Iran annually consumes around 3.5 million tons of coal, but only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year. The rest is imported, often consumed in the country’s steel mills. (AP)