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Global sales of personal luxury goods are ”slowing down but not collapsing,” according to a Bain & Co. consultancy study released Thursday. Personal luxury goods sales that eroded to 364 billion euros ($419 billion) in 2024 are projected to slide by another 2% to 5% this year, the study said, citing threats of U.S. tariffs and geopolitical tensions triggering economic slowdowns. “Still, to be positive in a difficult moment — with three wars, economies slowing down, inequality at a maximum ever — it’s not a market in collapse,’’ said Bain partner and co-author of the study Claudia D’Arpizio. “It is slowing down but not collapsing.” Alongside external headwinds, luxury brands have alienated consumers with an ongoing creativity crisis and sharp price increases, Bain said. Buyers have also been turned off by recent investigations in Italy that revealed that sweatshop conditions in subcontractors making luxury handbags. Sales are slipping sharply in powerhouse markets the United States and China, the study showed. In the U.S., market volatility due to tariffs has discouraged consumer confidence. China has recorded six quarters of contraction on low consumer confidence. The Middle East, Latin America and Southeast Asia are recording growth. Europe is mostly flat, the study showed. This has created a sharp divergence between brands that continue with strong creative and earnings growth, such as the Prada Group, which posted a 13% first-quarter jump in revenue to 1.34 billion euros, and brands like Gucci, where revenue was down 24% to 1.6 billion euros in the same period. Gucci owner Kering last week hired Italian automotive executive Luca De Meo, the former CEO of Renault, to mount a turnaround. The decision comes as three of its brands — Gucci, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta — are launching new creative directors. Kering’s stock surged 12% on news of the appointment. D’Arpizio underlined his track record, returning French carmaker Renault to profitability and previous roles as marketing director at Volkswagen and Fiat. “All of these factors resonate well together in a market like luxury when you are in a phase where growth is still the name of the game, but you also need to make the company more nimble in terms of costs, and turn around some of the brands,’’ she said. Brands are also making changes to minimize the impact of possible U.S. tariffs. These include shipping directly from production sites and not warehouses and reducing stock in stores. With aesthetic changes afoot “stuffing the channels doesn’t make a lot of sense,’’ D’Arpizio said. Still, many of the headwinds buffering the sector are out of companies’ control. “Many of these (negative) aspects are not going to change soon. What can change is more clarity on the tariffs, but I don’t think we will stop the wars or the political instability in a few months,’’ she said, adding that luxury consumer confidence is tied more closely to stock market trends than geopolitics. President of Italian luxury brand association Altagamma Matteo Lunelli underlined hat the sector recorded overall growth of 28% from 2019-2024, “placing us well above pre-pandemic levels.” While luxury spending is sensitive to global turmoil, it is historically quick to rebound, powered by new markets and pent-up demand. The 2008-2009 financial crisis plummeted sales of luxury apparel, handbags and footwear from 161 billion euros to 147 billion euros over […]

[COMMUNICATED]

When Akiva Zuravin set out to develop Jerusalem Estates, he wasn’t simply building luxury apartments—he was making a statement. A quiet one, as is his way. But unmistakable. Tucked into the historic Schneller compound in the heart of the frum neighborhoods and within walking distance of prominent Chassidic centers, Jerusalem Estates became more than just a sought-after address. It became a symbol of what’s possible when vision, values, and execution align.

“We weren’t just creating buildings,” Zuravin reflects. “We were shaping something that felt deeply connected to its surroundings—authentic, beautiful, and thoughtfully done.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

It was that mindset that set Jerusalem Estates apart—and that continues to define Zuravin’s approach today. With Ir Olam, his most ambitious development yet, the goal is even broader: not just to build homes, but to shape the rhythm of modern life in Jerusalem.

Located adjacent to Givat Shaul, Kiryat Moshe, and Beit Hakerem, and minutes away from Har Nof, Ir Olam rises from the grounds of the old flour mill—once an industrial area and now envisioned as one of Jerusalem’s most forward-looking quarters for living, working, and gathering.

Where Jerusalem Estates was a residential landmark, Ir Olam is a full-scale quarter:
Three luxury residential towers.
Two LEED Platinum-certified office buildings.
A boutique shopping boulevard.
Green rooftops, shuls, co-working areas, a school, and a central piazza designed to foster everyday connection.

But beyond design and functionality lies a deeper intention: community. At Jerusalem Estates, Zuravin prioritized buyers who shared common values—people who could not only live alongside one another but thrive together. That same care is being applied at Ir Olam.

“When people share the same rhythm of life,” Zuravin explains, “the entire experience becomes more meaningful. The gym, the shul, the party room—they’re not just amenities. They’re points of connection.”

In Ir Olam, where residents will share workspaces, rooftops, lounges, and lifestyle services, community isn’t just a feature—it’s part of the architecture. The goal is a natural, respectful cohesion that allows for privacy and belonging to coexist.

The project was conceived by Yashar Architects, whose signature blends functionality with elegance, and is being built to international standards of environmental sustainability and urban planning. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered, with user experience at the core.

Zuravin builds with intention and with an understanding of what Jerusalem is, and what it still can be.

Ir Olam is the next chapter in that story. A new neighborhood for a city that continues to evolve—thoughtfully, gracefully, and always with purpose.
Crafted for those who know.

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Taglit-Birthright has informed Shomer Shabbos participants of their most recent trip now stranded in Israel that they will not necessarily be offered assistance unless they agree to evacuate on Shabbos. The message came to light through a desperate plea from a young woman currently in Israel on a Birthright program. After she and several friends extended their trip and found themselves stuck following widespread flight cancellations, they reached out to Birthright for help getting home. Birthright’s answer? Get on the evacuation boat leaving on Shabbos—or figure it out yourselves. “We are trying to get back home and when reaching out to Birthright, they put us on an evacuation boat that will be over Shabbat,” the woman told YWN. “We asked our rabbis and they said we are not allowed to break Shabbat for this, and we really do not want to be traveling on Shabbat, even to go back to America.” But when the group asked for an alternative that would not require them to violate halacha, Birthright refused. “The Birthright reps who have organized this boat have made it clear that the boat is not for shomer Shabbos individuals,” she said. “If you don’t go on the boat, Birthright is not guaranteeing to ensure that people who are on their current Taglit will be helped by them to be evacuated from Israel.” In other words: Either violate Shabbos, or you’re on your own. The implications are staggering. Birthright, whose stated mission is “to ensure a vibrant future of the Jewish people by strengthening Jewish identity,” is offering aid only on condition that participants abandon the very mitzvos that define their Jewish identity. It’s a cruel irony. The same program that organizes visits to the Kosel and touts its role in connecting young Jews to their heritage is now punishing those who take that heritage seriously. These are not simply tourists on vacation. These are young men and women who traveled to Israel to volunteer, to serve, and to connect more deeply with their Jewish roots. Now, in their moment of need, they are being told that their halachic observance disqualifies them from assistance. No alternate arrangements. No effort to respect religious observance. Just a blunt ultimatum: travel on Shabbos, or be left behind. At a time when global Jewry is calling for unity, when Jewish identity is under siege around the world, Birthright is drawing a line in the sand—not between Jew and non-Jew, but between religious and non-religious Jews. And the message is clear: if you won’t be mechalel Shabbos, you don’t matter. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a powerful address delivered at the conclusion of a shiur klali in his yeshiva, Rav Moshe Shternbuch spoke about the war with Iran and the fear it has instilled across the country.

Rav Shternbuch urged his talmidim not to fall into panic or fear, emphasizing the need for both spiritual awakening and steadfast emunah. “We are currently in a time of distress,” he said. “The Arabs are launching many missiles toward Eretz Yisrael. There are casualties and injuries — may Hashem protect us. But we must understand that this is not happenstance. It is the voice of the Ribbono Shel Olam — ‘Kol dodi dofek, pischi li achosi ra’ayasi’ — calling on us to open our hearts and examine our actions, and to cry out to Hashem.”

However, he continued, fear and panic are not the appropriate response. “A Jew must have faith and trust. As my rebbi, Rav Moshe Schneider zt”l, used to say during World War II, at the height of the Blitz, when the Nazis, yemach shemam, were bombing London nightly: ‘Every bomb has an address.’ We believe with complete faith that no bomb falls randomly. Each one is sent and directed precisely by Hakadosh Baruch Hu. There is nothing to fear from a bomb.”

Rav Shternbuch emphasized that this principle — that nothing happens by chance — is foundational to Jewish life. “Our duty is not to fear them, but to remember that we are completely dependent on Hashem. As it says: ‘Hinei Keil yeshuasi, evtach velo efchad’. This is the cornerstone of a Jew’s life — to know that there is no such thing as coincidence, that everything is from Him. Ein adam nokef etzba’o milemata ela im kein machrizin alav milemaalah. No one moves a finger below without Hashem’s will above. There is no being without Hashem, and no power outside of His.”

Rav Shternbuch issued a heartfelt plea to his talmidim and the broader Torah world to redouble their efforts in limud haTorah. “We must be vigilant against bittul Torah. Hashem watches us every moment and sees all our deeds. Every word we utter is recorded Above — not a single syllable is missed. At the time of judgment, they present our own words back to us. Therefore, one must be careful not to speak idle or unnecessary words.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Russia’s economy is “on the brink of going into a recession,” the country’s economy minister said Thursday, according to Russian media reports. Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov delivered the warning at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the annual event in Russia’s second largest city designed to highlight the country’s economic prowess and court foreign investors. Russian business news outlet RBC quoted the official as saying “the numbers indicate cooling, but all our numbers are (like) a rearview mirror. Judging by the way businesses currently feel and the indicators, we are already, it seems to me, on the brink of going into a recession.” Russia’s economy, hit with a slew of sanctions after the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, has so far outperformed predictions. High defense spending has propelled growth and kept unemployment low despite fueling inflation. At the same time, wages have gone up to keep pace with inflation, leaving many workers better off. Large recruiting bonuses for military enlistees and death benefits for those killed in Ukraine also have put more income into the country’s poorer regions. But over the long term, inflation and a lack of foreign investments remain threats to the economy, leaving a question mark over how long the militarized economy can keep going. Economists have warned of mounting pressure on the economy and the likelihood it would stagnate due to lack of investment in sectors other than the military. Speaking at one of the sessions of the forum in St. Petersburg, Reshetnikov said Russia was “on the brink,” and whether the country would slide into a recession or not depends on the government’s actions. “Going forward, it all depends on our decisions,” Reshetnikov said, according to RBC. RBC reported Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Central Bank Gov. Elvira Nabiullina gave more optimistic assessments. Siluanov spoke about the economy “cooling” but noted that after any cooling “the summer always comes,” RBC reported. Nabiullina said Russia’s economy was merely “coming out of overheating,” according to RBC. (AP)

At least six people were seriously wounded by an Iranian missile barrage on Israel on Thursday morning. Be’er Sheva’s Soroka Medical Center sustained a direct hit, and impacts were also reported in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and Cholon.

Four serious injuries were caused by a direct hit on a residential building in Cholon, south of Tel Aviv, according to Wolfson Medical Center. The hospital said it was also treating 19 people listed in mild condition.

Two people were seriously wounded in the direct hit in Ramat Gan.

As of Thursday afternoon, the number of injured stood at more than 200, including at least 147 in the greater Tel Aviv region and around 60 in Beersheva. The figures include those injured while running to shelters, individuals suffering from anxiety, and hurt people who arrived independently at hospitals.

In addition to Wolfson and Soroka, victims were evacuated to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital), Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Rabin Medical Center Beilinson Campus in Petach Tikva, Yitzchak Shamir Medical Center (formerly Assaf Harofeh Medical Center) in Be’er Ya’akov, Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak, Assuta Medical Center in Ashdod and Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petach Tikvah.

Shrapnel severely damaged the home of former Health Minister Dan Naveh in Savyon, southeast of Ramat Gan. The president and CEO of Israel Bonds is on a fundraising trip in the United States, but he told Channel 12 News that his children were at home and survived unharmed.

“Our home suffered severe damage today. Thank God, the three children were together in the safe room and are OK; they were truly saved by a miracle. I was on a video call with the children when the explosion was heard—there were many moments of anxiety,” he said, adding, “We are in an important existential war, and our spirit is strong.”

The barrage, composed of some 30 ballistic missiles, was the heaviest launched by the Islamic Republic in nearly 48 hours.

Emergency teams were responding at several sites, searching for wounded and treating several individuals for minor injuries, according to the Magen David Adom emergency medical service. In total, 22 individuals with mild injuries were being transported to hospitals.

Following direct missile strikes on residential buildings in central Israel, United Hatzalah volunteers provided initial treatment to three women in serious condition, two men in moderate condition, and more than 50 additional people who sustained mild injuries, including many suffering from emotional shock.

Officials from the IDF Home Front Command surveyed the damage at the impact site in Holon, with Home Front Command head Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo praising the actions of local residents.

“This incident is an exceptional example of civilian behavior—the civilians heard the alert, went down to the shelter, and that saved their lives,” Milo said.

Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that a suspected leak of hazardous materials on one of the floors of Soroka Medial Center was being investigated and that the area was being evacuated; however, it was later reported that a dangerous leak had been ruled out.

“There has been damage to the hospital and extensive damage in various areas. We are currently assessing the damage, including injuries,” the Soroka spokesperson said, requesting that people not come to the medical center at this time and stating that further updates would be provided as soon as possible.

According to reports, part of the Soroka complex had been evacuated a day before Thursday’s strike by a special order of the Health Ministry, including the floor hit by the missile.

“Just yesterday, they evacuated the old surgical building, which today took a direct hit. It’s a great miracle,” a doctor at Soroka told Kan News.

Israeli Health Minister Uriel Buso called the Soroka strike “an act of terror” that crosses a red line.

“It is a war crime by the Iranian regime, deliberately targeting innocent civilians and medical teams dedicated to saving lives. The Health Ministry was prepared in advance, and thanks to the immediate actions we took, a major disaster was averted,” said Buso.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the Iranian regime “Nazis who launch missiles at hospitals, at the elderly, and at children.” If the regime had nuclear weapons, it would deploy them “without even thinking for a second,” he added.

Israeli security and rescue personnel at the scene after a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit in Ramat Gan, June 19, 2025. Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90.
He called “Operation Rising Lion,” the IDF campaign in Iran, “the most just campaign Israel has ever embarked on in its history.

“I embrace the citizens of Israel and strengthen the hands of the prime minister and my colleagues in the Cabinet during these days. We are all united—to remove this threat once and for all, until the end and until absolute victory! The people of Israel live,” Ben-Gvir said.

IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin noted in a Thursday afternoon press briefing that Soroka serves more than one million Israelis of all backgrounds.

“Iran targeting civilian centers with ballistic missiles is no surprise for us,” Defrin said, adding that the regime in Tehran has long declared its intent to destroy Israel and has now launched over 450 ballistic missiles and hundreds of UAVs at the Jewish state in less than a week.

Defrin emphasized that Israel’s ongoing military operations are focused on eliminating “an existential threat that endangers global security,” targeting Iranian nuclear weapons facilities, missile launchers and military sites.

“We cannot—and will not—allow this regime to obtain nuclear weapons or expand its missile arsenal,” he said. “And we will prevail.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

I was listening to Israeli radio to hear the latest on the war. As I tuned in, there was an interview being conducted with a man who lived in the building in Bat Yam right next to the one that was directly hit by an Iranian ballistic missile. He was describing how powerful the bomb was. He described the deafening boom, the shockwave that shattered every window in his apartment, and how he felt as though he was about to be sucked out through the gaping hole that had once been his dining room window.

The reporter asked him, “So would you say that you were saved by a neis (miracle)?”

The survivor responded, “Lo! No!”

I was wondering how thick-headed he could be to recount such an experience and not realize that it was a miracle that he was alive and whole.

But then he said, “I survived only because Hashem was watching over me!”

The reporter agreed, and I realized that the man had said it better than any sound bite. It wasn’t just a miracle. It was Hashgocha Protis. It was Hashem Himself, not randomness or fate, who had shielded him.

Once again, the peaceful air that had settled over Eretz Yisroel was shattered. On October 7, 2023, Simchas Torah, a day meant for dancing with the Torah and celebrating our eternal bond with Hashem, the Jewish people faced unspeakable horror. Over 1,200 were murdered and thousands more were wounded in the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Men, women and children, and even babies, were slaughtered, and over 240 hostages were dragged into Gaza.

This wasn’t just an attack. It was the launching of a war by Hamas, the genocidal proxy of Iran. Since then, Israel has fought relentlessly to eliminate Hamas and restore security to its citizens. Thousands of soldiers have been wounded. Hundreds have fallen. Ceasefires have come and gone. Hostages have returned—some alive, others in coffins—while others languish in Hamas tunnels and other treacherous surroundings. The trauma remains etched in the soul of the nation.

Although the pain lingers and thousands of men and women have been separated from their families for the war effort, somehow the sharp edge of the pain wore off and most people became accustomed to the situation. Life resumed a fragile routine. Rockets slowed. Schools reopened. People began to breathe again. Shelters stood mostly empty. For a while.

But that changed Thursday night, as Israel began the war it has been planning for over the past decades. After vowing that Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon as it got closer and closer to that very goal, the now or never window was rapidly closing. If that evil regime wasn’t stopped within the next few weeks, they would have the feared weapon and Israel would be their first target.

The red line had been crossed. Iran, the regime that has repeatedly pledged to wipe Israel off the map, was inching ever closer to acquiring nuclear weapons. The world debated. Israel acted.

Israel began attacking Iran. Suddenly, a nation that had gone to sleep with their regular everyday worries were awakened at 3 a.m. by wailing sirens, shaking them out of bed and complacency, and foisting upon them a new, frightening reality.

Within minutes, dozens of ballistic missiles were flying toward Israel, reminding everyone that we are not living in normal times.

No matter how many times a person has rushed to a shelter, you never get used to it. War isn’t just noise and headlines. It is fear. It is disorientation. It is waking up in the middle of the night, clutching your children as you recite pesukim of Tehillim. It is losing all sense of routine. Schools are closed, businesses shuttered, flights canceled, deliveries halted. It is an unrelenting anxiety that clings to the body and soul.

Running to a shelter several times a night is not conducive to sleep or anything other than anxiety. Having your day interrupted by sirens and dashes into a shelter before a ballistic missile hits, is not only uncomfortable and nerve-racking, but frightening and life-altering.

Having no peace, not being able to sit still for any extended period of time, being constantly mindful that a war over your very existence is being waged, can be very unsettling and makes it difficult to properly function.

What do we say? How do we react? What are we supposed to think in times like this?

In the chaos of sirens and explosions, a Jewish heart instinctively calls out: Hashem yishmor. Hashem will guard us. Every rocket intercepted is a reminder of His mercy. Every near miss is a whisper of His will. Hashem alone determines who will live, who will be protected, who will rise from the rubble and testify, “Hashem was watching over me.”

We are a nation that has endured more than any nation in history, not due to might or power, but due to our deep, unwavering connection to the Ribono Shel Olam.

Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah—they are but pawns in a larger story.

As maaminim bnei maaminim, while others fight on a physical battlefield, we fight on the spiritual one through tefillah, teshuvah and tzedakah. Every added kappitel of Tehillim, every act of chesed, every extra moment of Torah learning strengthens the physical combatants far more than we can imagine.

Let the world call it physical luck or coincidence. We call it Hashem Yisborach. Because when the windows blow out, the walls shake, and you walk away alive, you know the truth:

Hashem was watching over me.

And when the war seems unending and the darkness overwhelming, we recall the words of the novi: “Ki lo yitosh Hashem es amo—Hashem will not forsake His people.”

Even now. Especially now.

In times of war, the natural reaction for many is to become amateur geopolitical analysts. Conversations quickly turn into discussions about why the enemy acted, what the real motivation was, and how brilliantly – or foolishly – Israel responded.

Someone inevitably pipes up: “This only happened because Trump won the election.”

Heads nod.

“If Biden – or Harris – had won, Netanyahu would never have pulled this off,” another adds, as listeners admire the sharpness of his insight.

Everyone throws in their two cents, quoting from analysts, Twitter threads, and WhatsApp chats. The group collectively convinces itself that its breakdown of military strategy is more astute than that of actual generals and heads of state.

But in all this noise, one thing is forgotten – the most important piece of the story.

This war, like every war, is happening because Hashem willed it. Not because Trump won. Not because Netanyahu is still in office. Not because of this treaty or that speech. These events don’t cause Divine plans. They serve them.

It’s not that Trump won and therefore the war happened. It’s the other way around. Trump won because Hashem wanted the world to move toward this moment.

Just as Paroh rose to power to set the stage for Yetzias Mitzrayim, so too, modern leaders are placed exactly where Hashem wants them to be to fulfill His ultimate design. The Ayatollah didn’t come to power by mistake because of the actions of an errant American president. The American presidents who empowered Iran ever since, or ignored its threats, didn’t do so by accident. All of this is part of a larger, unfolding script authored by the Ribbono Shel Olam.

The reason Trump won the presidency was so that he could carry out the wishes of Hashem. Because Hashem wants to set up the world for Moshiach to reveal himself and redeem us, He brought the world to this juncture.

He caused the wicked regime to threaten Israel and work towards obtaining the means with which they could actualize their dream of wiping out Israel. He brought the right players onto the scene and allowed Netanyahu to remain in power so that the next step in preparing Eretz Yisroel and the world for Moshiach could get underway.

When we forget that, we get distracted by headlines and forget our headline: Hashem watches over me.

And it’s worse.

The Rambam begins his Hilchos Taanis like this: “Mitzvas asei min haTorah, it is a mitzvah in the Torah, to cry out to Hashem and to do teshuvah when any type of tragedy strikes.” This mitzvah is derived from a posuk we lained last week in Parshas Beha’aloscha (10:9).

We have to know that when there is tragedy, it is because of our sins, and therefore, the way to overcome the calamity is by doing teshuvah.

People who attach natural explanations to what happened and explain the war or catastrophe with political or scientific considerations are cruel. They are engaging in cruelty because by doing so, they are denying Hashem’s involvement and preventing people from recognizing the real cause of what took place and doing teshuvah.

Surely none of us want to be defined by the Rambam as a cruel person, especially knowing that when the Rambam writes something in his sefer, he is not merely offering an opinion, but is articulating halacha and describing the true nature of the world according to the Torah.

In Shaar Cheshbon Hanefesh, the Chovos Halevavos teaches that someone who puts his faith in Hashem is never left alone. Hashem opens the gates of understanding, reveals hidden truths of His wisdom, watches over him with a guiding eye, and never abandons him to the limits of his own strength.

The Gemara in Maseches Avodah Zarah (2b) states that when Moshiach comes, the nations of the world will protest the punishment they are about to receive for their treatment of the Jews. They will claim that everything they did was to benefit the Jews and their service of Hashem and the Torah.

The Gemara says that Poras, Persia, which is today’s modern state of Iran, will proclaim that everything they did was to help the Jews. “We built many bridges, conquered many towns, and waged war,” they will say, “to enable the Jews to learn Torah.”

We can understand the grounds for claiming that they built bridges and other infrastructure to enable the study of Torah, but how does waging war help the Jews learn Torah?

Perhaps this can be understood to mean that they will claim that they waged wars and threatened the Jews in order to scare them into doing teshuvah and to engage in Torah study.

When the ruler of Iran repeatedly proclaims, publicly, to the entire world, that he intends to destroy Israel, we can believe him that he intends to do so. As he was engaged in his feverish race to arm the country with the nuclear weapons and the ballistic missiles needed to carry out his bloody intentions, the world stood by and pretended to work to curtail his ambitions.

And then, in a matter of hours, Israel cleared the way to fly freely over the country, bombing hundreds of targets and eliminating military leaders, nuclear scientists and the nuclear infrastructure.

In just a few days, a nation seventy-five times smaller and vastly outnumbered dismantled decades of Iranian buildup. Despite being a strong and proud country, Iran was unable to stop the repeated Israeli attacks or respond in the way it had planned and desired.

Though Israel took out many of its rocket launchers, Iran answered with fire, shooting hundreds of their deadliest missiles. But Hashem answered louder. Almost all were stopped. The death toll was minimal. Every life is precious and every death is mourned, but comparing what happened to what could have happened cannot be explained by any or all the experts in the world. This only happens because Hashem is on the side of Eretz Yisroel. This only happens because Hashem protects the Jewish people when they are deserving. This only happens because the entire scenario was planned by Him to bring us the promised redemption.

This only happens because Hashem watches over His people.

This is not strategy. This is not luck. This is not political genius.

This is Hashgocha Protis. This is the unfolding of a Divine plan. This is the sound of the approaching geulah.

So let us not waste the moment.

Let us raise our voices in passionate tefillah that Hashem will continue to spare us from the evil intents of the anshei Poras, Yishmoel and Edom.

Let us strengthen our commitment to Torah, to chesed, to tzedakah, and to the refining of our middos.

Let us build zechuyos with every word of Torah learned, every tefillah properly recited, every act of kindness done.

And let us not stop storming the heavens until we merit to see the day we have been waiting for with the coming of Moshiach.

May it happen very soon.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, describes the ‘only question’ being discussed about America’s direct involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict on ‘Kudlow.’

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A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded Wednesday night, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky. The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 p.m. while on the test stand preparing for the tenth flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas. “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” SpaceX said in a statement on the social platform X. CEO Elon Musk ’s SpaceX said there were no hazards to nearby communities. It asked people not to try to approach the site. The company said it is working with local officials to respond to the explosion. (AP)

A piece of missile shrapnel as big as a bus fell in the Shomron following Iran’s launch of a missile barrage on Thursday morning. This is not the first time that a huge shrapnel part fell in the Shomron. Over 100 shrapnel parts have fallen in the area since the beginning of the war, some of them huge. Yossi Dagan, the head of the Shomron Regional Council, slammed the Defense Ministry following the incident, saying that tens of thousands of residents of Yehudah and Shomron lack adequate protection and many homes and even buildings lack bomb shelters. “Tens of thousands of people in Yehudah and Shomron, which has become Israel’s missile target zone, lack protection,” he said. “Every night, interceptor shrapnel falls on homes, yards, and vehicles. We expect the government, in these difficult times, to approve the construction of public shelters as required and as has been done throughout the country. I call on the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister to approve an emergency plan for funding protective buildings in new settlements, and to approve a fortification plan program for the residents of the area, who are a frontline for all intents and purposes.” “Residents of the Shomron, who are on the frontline against both Palestinian Authority and Iranian terrorism, remain exposed without basic protection. Those living five kilometers from the Palestinian Authority are just as much a frontline as those living five kilometers from the northern or southern border. If the security establishment defines Yehudah and Shomron as a front, it is clear to any reasonable person that the residents are part of the front.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

It’ll Put Me in Debt — Still Send Them to Israel? | Ask the Rabbi Live with Rabbi Chaim Mintz

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An Iranian missile fired in the heavy Iranian barrage on Thursday morning hit a residential building in Holon, injuring dozens and causing heavy damage to property. A shul in the city was damaged from the impact. Passers-by rushed to help the gabbai remove the sifrei Torah to a safe place. Holon Mayor Shai Keinan said that the residents who were forced to evacuate the building will be housed in hotels. “The residents were evacuated to a family center at the Gordon School, where social workers and psychologists were waiting for them along with food and drinks. Everything is organized like an army. We are already set with hotels in advance.”   Gil Karnei, a resident of Holon, told Yisrael Hayom: “We were in the safe room and I heard a huge explosion. The house shook. When I went out I arrived here at the scene of the impact sites. Two four-story buildings, old buildings, about 40-50 years old, took a direct hit. One building looks half destroyed; the second building is also destroyed. The whole area is a huge environmental disaster. Residents tried to escape from there. And the whole area was strewn with huge pieces of shrapnel in a radius of 200-300 meters.” Amit, who lives with his parents in the building that was hit in Holon, said, “I live on the fourth floor. We were in the shelter and suddenly we heard a strong boom and then suddenly smoke started to enter the shelter. We opened the door and saw that everything was destroyed, the elevator everything – and there were a lot of stones on the floor. We didn’t see our apartment but they told us it was completely destroyed. There was also a gas leak, and forces arrived straight away and quickly got us out of the building.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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Spain has rejected a NATO proposal to spend 5% of GDP on defense needs that’s due to be announced next week, calling it “unreasonable.” In a letter sent Thursday to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that Spain “cannot commit to a specific spending target in terms of GDP” at next week’s NATO summit in The Hague. Most U.S. allies at NATO are on track to endorse U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that they invest 5% of gross domestic product on their defense and military needs. In early June, Sweden and the Netherlands said that they aim to meet the new target. Spain is the lowest spender in the 32-nation military alliance, directing less than 2% of its GDP on defense expenditure. In April, Sánchez said the government will raise defense spending by 10.5 billion euros ($12 billion) to reach NATO’s previous target of 2% of GDP. (AP)

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In this episode, Rabbi Reinman describes Yehu’s eradication of Baal worship and the eventual collapse and dissolution of Malchus Yisrael.

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Ten Lost Tribes

WATCH:

How far did Baal worship extend in the Kingdom of Yisrael when Yehu arrived on the scene, and how deep did it go? A close reading of the pesukim provides the answer.

When Hashem sent Eliahu on his mission, we read, “And Hashem said to him, ‘Go, retrace your steps to the Damascus desert, and when you come, you shall anoint Chazael as king over Aram. And you shall anoint Yehu ben Nimshi as king over Yisrael, and you shall appoint Elisha ben Shafat of Aveil-mecholah to be your successor as a prophet. And it will be that Yehu will kill those who escape the sword of Chazael, and Elisha will kill those who escape the sword of Yehu. And I will allow to survive seven thousand in Israel, all those who did not bend their knee to the Baal, and all the mouths that did not kiss it.’”[1] Hashem promised to protect these seven thousand from the attacks by Chazael and the Arameans. It would seem from these verses that almost all the people of Israel, except for these seven thousand, had become Baal worshippers.

The long story continues. Eliahu appoints Chazael and Elisha, and then he passes away. Elisha secretly appoints Yehu as king and tells him he must destroy the House of Achav and eradicate the Baal worshippers. Yehu mobilizes his followers and prepares to fulfill his mission.

And then we read, “Yehu called together all the people, and he said to them, ‘Achav served the Baal a little bit, but Yehu will serve him a lot. And now, call to me all the prophets of the Baal, all who serve him and all his priests. Not a man shall be missing, for I am about to offer a great sacrifice to the Baal. Whoever fails to appear shall not live.’ Yehu did this as a ruse in order to destroy the Baal worshippers. And Yehu said, ‘Proclaim an assembly for the Baal,’ and they proclaimed it.

“Yehu sent summonses throughout Israel, and all the Baal worshippers came. There was not a man who failed to appear … and Yehu stationed eighty men outside, and he instructed them, ‘If any of the men I deliver into your hands escapes, you will pay for it with your lives.’ And when they finished making their burnt-offerings, Yehu instructed the soldiers and the captains, ‘Come and attack them. Not a man shall be allowed to leave.’

“They attacked them with swords. The soldiers and captains struck them down … They levelled the temple of the Baal and made it into a latrine until this day. And thus, Yehu eradicated the Baal from Israel.”[2]

So how many Baal worshippers were there in Israel? Apparently, they all fit into the temple of the Baal. Let us even say that the temple was a massive stadium. Let us even say that tens of thousands fit into it. Let us say, conservatively that the population of Malchus Yisrael was several hundred thousand people. If you subtract the seven thousand allowed to survive, there were still too many to fit into even the largest temple.

These two conflicting sets of verses provide a snapshot of the situation in the Kingdom of Israel. It would seem that there were at most several tens of thousands of actual Baal worshippers. But there were only seven thousand who did not bend a knee to the Baal, who rejected the Baal cult totally.

In other words, they made no compromises or acknowledgments of the pagan cult the House of Achav had brought into the kingdom. They did not close their stores on pagan holidays. They did not schedule their vacations during the pagan festivities. They did not wish their pagan neighbors a happy holiday. They did not attend pagan parties and celebrations. They did not allow the pagan cult to have any effect on the rhythms of their lives. God said that these seven thousand people would not suffer during the attacks by King Chazael and the Arameans.

The rest of the population, although only a minority of them were actual Baal worshippers, did bend their knees to the Baal. They did allow the Baal cult to influence their lives. But only the thousands of actual Baal worshippers were packed into the temple of the Baal and slaughtered by Yehu’s men. Once they were gone, the Baal cult was no longer a factor in the kingdom, and life returned to normal …

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

[1] I Kings 19:16-18.

[2] II Kings 10:18-28.

BREAKING VIDEO: An Iranian missile made impact at or near the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva. Damage is seen. There are other reports of missile impacts in other locations as well.