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Hatzalah South Florida joins the community in mourning Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, ZT”L, esteemed Rabbi of The Shul of Bal Harbour and founder of the Aleph Institute. A visionary leader and dedicated supporter of Hatzalah South Florida, Rabbi Lipskar hosted the historic signing of Governor DeSantis’ Hatzalah bill at The Shul, transforming the region. His profound impact on South Florida and beyond will be deeply felt. YZ”B.

A woman was killed early Saturday in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki when a bomb she was carrying exploded in her hands, police said. The 38-year-old woman was apparently carrying the bomb to place outside a nearby bank around 5 a.m., police said. Several storefronts and vehicles were damaged by the explosion. Police said the woman, whom they did not publicly identify, had a criminal record and had been involved in at least one robbery and thefts in the past. The Greek police’s division for organized crime was investigating the incident, while authorities were also investigating whether the woman might have had ties to extreme leftist groups. Greece has seen occasional bombings, as well as targeted killings, attributed to various organized crime groups. The country also has a long history of politically motivated violence dating back to the 1970s, with domestic extremist groups carrying out small-scale bombings that usually cause some damage but rarely lead to injuries. While the groups most active in the 1980s and 1990s, whose preferred targets tended to be politicians, foreign businesses and diplomats, have been dismantled, new small groups have emerged. Last year, a man believed to have been trying to assemble a bomb was killed when the device he was making exploded in a central Athens apartment. A woman inside the apartment was severely injured. It was unclear what their intended target might have been. The blast had prompted Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrisochoidis to warn of an emerging new generation of domestic extremists. In April, a new group calling itself Revolutionary Class Struggle claimed responsibility for a bomb that exploded in central Athens near the offices of Hellenic Train, Greece’s main railway services operator, and the planting of another bomb near the Labor Ministry in early February. The explosion near the train offices resulted in limited damage to the building and no injuries. It had been preceded by an anonymous call to local media 40 minutes before the blast warning about the device, leading police to evacuate and cordon off the area. The group that claimed responsibility said the bombing was part of an armed struggle against the state. The bombing at the train offices came shortly after the second anniversary of Greece’s worst railway disaster, in which 57 people were killed and dozens more injured when a freight train and a passenger train heading in opposite directions were accidentally put on the same track. The deadly accident sparked widespread anger and exposed severe deficiencies in Greece’s railway system, including in safety systems. Some of the relatives of the victims led mass protests against the country’s conservative government on the occasion of the accident’s second anniversary. (AP)

POTUS: “I am not saying I’ll resort to a military option to seize Greenland, but I’m not ruling anything out… We need Greenland very badly.”

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu vowed that “there will be blows” in response to the Iranian-sponsored Houthi missile assault targeting Ben-Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday.

“We are acting against them,” Netanyahu said of previous IDF military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. “We have acted in the past and we will act in the future. I cannot detail everything.

“The U.S., in coordination with us, is also acting against them. It’s not a one-and-done—but there will be blows,” vowed the Israeli premier.

In a subsequent post on his official X account, Netanyahu said Israel “will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters.”

Sharing a March screenshot of U.S. President Donald Trump holding the Islamic Republic responsible for Houthi attacks across the region, Netanyahu said the American leader was “absolutely right.

“Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran,” stressed the premier.

A ballistic missile fired from Yemen struck near the Jewish state’s main international airport on Sunday morning, lightly to moderately wounding six people and disrupting takeoffs and arrivals.

The attack triggered air-raid sirens across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Shfela/Judaean Foothills. Several attempts were made to intercept the missile, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Defense Minister Yisroel Katz vowed a forceful response to the Houthi attack. “Whoever harms us, we’ll harm them sevenfold,” he said.

Sunday’s attack was the latest escalation by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists, who in recent months have repeatedly launched long-range missiles and drones, targeting strategic sites such as ports and IDF bases.

Hazam al-Assad, a senior member of the terrorist group’s “political” wing, tweeted in Hebrew on Sunday afternoon, “Just as the Port of Eilat was shut down—Ben Gurion Airport will also be shut down until the aggression stops and the siege on Gaza is lifted.

“Airlines would do well to avoid risking passengers and planes at an airport marked as a target,” the top terrorist added in his X post. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

Hamas has carried out executions of people it accuses of stealing amid escalating chaos and the erosion of public order in Gaza, according to insiders.

This week saw a sharp uptick in violence, with reports of armed groups storming warehouses and kitchens distributing food. The surge in looting has underscored the weakening of governance in Gaza. Hamas has claimed—without presenting evidence—that some of those involved were cooperating with Israel. Israeli officials have not commented on these accusations.

According to the Hamas-controlled interior ministry, one of its police officers was killed and others injured during an Israeli drone strike that occurred while they were chasing “suspected criminals” in Gaza City. The ministry promised a firm response to any disorder, continuing to place responsibility on external forces for the unrest.

Hamas media office spokesperson Ismail Al-Thawabta confirmed that executions had taken place involving those accused of robbery. He added that certain individuals were, in his words, “supported by Israel,” a frequent claim by Hamas, though no proof was offered to support this assertion.

In an effort to reassert authority, Hamas has put nightly curfews in place and deployed a 5,000-strong unit focused on clamping down on lawbreakers and opposition elements. Still, their operations have faced setbacks from Israeli drone surveillance and strikes, especially when armed forces are on the move.

The deteriorating conditions come in the wake of Israel’s offensive following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, in which 1,200 people were murdered and more than 250 taken hostage. As negotiations have stalled over further hostage releases, Israel has halted aid deliveries and enforced a blockade, citing repeated abuse of humanitarian supplies by Hamas—an accusation the group denies.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Texas will implement a $1 billion school voucher program, one of the largest in the country, that uses public dollars to fund private school tuition under a bill Gov. Greg Abbott signed Saturday, capping off a yearslong effort by Republicans. School voucher supporters have long targeted the state, where past efforts buckled for decades against resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans. Last month President Donald Trump called lawmakers before a key vote needed to finally get the bill to Abbott’s desk. Texas joins more than 30 other states that have implemented a similar program, of which about a dozen have launched or expanded their programs in recent years to make most students eligible. School vouchers have been Abbott’s primary focus this year, coming off a 2024 election cycle in which he led a campaign to oust GOP lawmakers who voted against a similar bill last session. Republican lawmakers and bill supporters say it will give parents more choice by letting them pull their children out of poor-performing public schools. “Gone are the days that families are limited to only the schools assigned by government,” Abbott said before signing the bill at the governor’s mansion. “The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that is best for their child.” Democrats and Republicans in rural districts have criticized the program, saying it will drain financial resources from Texas’ more than 5 million public school students and subsidize the private education of wealthy families. Beginning next school year, Texas families can receive $10,000 per year to help pay for students’ private school tuition. Children with disabilities can qualify for as much as $30,000 a year. The program will be capped at $1 billion for the first year and cover up to 90,000 students but could cost up to $4.5 billion a year by 2030. (AP)

A revealing article published by New York Magazine’s Intelligencer has brought to light serious concerns from individuals close to Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., who say his recent behavior and abrupt policy changes have created what they describe as a “toxic work environment.”

The piece, titled All By Himself, presents a portrait of a Senator whose demeanor and conduct have reportedly changed significantly since he suffered a stroke in May 2022. Although Fetterman stood by his decisions and defended his voting record in the article, multiple current and former staffers suggested that the man now representing Pennsylvania in the Senate is no longer the same leader they once knew. Among the most striking revelations is an email sent by Adam Jentleson—Fetterman’s former chief of staff—to a physician at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. “I’m worried that if John stays on his current trajectory, he won’t be with us for much longer,” Jentleson wrote, expressing alarm over Fetterman’s dietary habits, refusal to take prescribed medication, and erratic behavior. He went on to describe a pattern of “high highs and low lows,” adding that Fetterman delivers “long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues” and is prone to “lying in ways that are painfully, awkwardly obvious to everyone in the room.”

Sources currently working for the Senator, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, shared their own accounts of unease. Some said they have felt unsafe around Fetterman and were warned explicitly never to ride in a car if he was behind the wheel. This concern was underscored by an incident last August when Fetterman and his wife were involved in a car crash on a Maryland freeway. Law enforcement found him to be at fault. More recently, in February, two of his senior aides—communications director Charlie Hills and legislative director Tré Easton—left their roles. The list of departures has grown so substantially that 16 former aides formed a group called “Fetterman Alumni for Peace,” created specifically to express their discontent over his rightward shift in ideology.

Fetterman’s positions on several key issues have garnered applause from conservatives and backlash from his progressive base. His firm stances on illegal immigration, energy policy, and support for Israel have stood in stark contrast to many in the Democrat Party. When President Donald Trump proposed that the U.S. take administrative control of Gaza, most Democrats denounced the idea. Fetterman, however, endorsed the proposal, saying it was worth exploring and stating he would “fully support” deploying American troops to the region. Just last week, he reinforced his reputation as a foreign policy hawk by calling on the Trump administration to launch strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and abandon efforts at diplomatic engagement.

Although none of his aides directly linked his recent ideological evolution to his health struggles, they didn’t dismiss the possibility either.

On the matter of border security, Fetterman once again parted ways with many of his colleagues by attending President Trump’s signing of the Laken Riley Act. “I believe a secure border creates a more secure nation and it’s just common sense,” Fetterman said in a statement. “I believe a stronger border is fully compatible with my commitment to immigration.”

Despite his growing appeal among centrist and conservative voters, many of those closest to Fetterman view his future in national politics with hesitation. His populist appeal on hot-button issues like immigration and fracking may position him as a potential standard-bearer for the party in 2028, but insiders worry about his capacity to lead. “Part of the tragedy here is that this is a man who could be leading Democrats out of the wilderness,” Jentleson remarked. “But I also think he’s struggling in a way that shouldn’t be hidden from the public.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli security officials said that Israel will respond forcefully to the Houthi ballistic missile attack that hit Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday morning, Kan News reported. In recent months, Israel has refrained from attacking Yemen at the request of the United States. An Israeli source even claimed that “every day since the start of the US operation, the American attacks are about 10 times what we can do in Yemen in a year.” But in light of the escalation in attacks from Yemen over the weekend, including four ballistic missiles and two UAVs, including the hit on Ben Gurion Airport, Israel is no longer willing to ignore the attacks. A senior Israeli official told Kan: “After the hit on Ben Gurion Airport, Israel will not have any restrictions.” “Anyone who harms us will be struck sevenfold in return,” Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said in a statement shortly after the attack. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu scheduled an urgent telephone discussion on the attack with senior government and security officials at 2:30 p.m. A change in Israel’s policy in responding to the Houthi missile attacks will be discussed during the meeting. The Houthis’ military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for the attack on Ben Gurion Airport in a televised statement and issued a warning to international airlines that Ben-Gurion is “no longer safe for air travel.” Senior Houthi member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told the Qatari Al Araby channel that attacks will continue to increase as long as Israel continues its war on Hamas in Gaza. “We’ve proven our ability to deal blows to American, British, and Israeli prestige,” he said. “There are no red lines in our conflict with the Zionist entity, the United States, and Britain. Our strike on the Ben-Gurion airport is proof of our ability to hit fortified targets inside Israel.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The ballistic missile launched on Sunday morning by the Houthis from Yemen towards Israel evaded two layers of advanced aerial defense systems and fell in a field near Terminal 3 near Ben Gurion Airport. The first interception was carried out using an interceptor from the Israeli Arrow 3 long-range air defense, but it failed to hit the target. Another interceptor was launched from the American THAAD system. According to senior officials in Israel, the missile that hit Ben Gurion was not a new or particularly advanced missile, but a known model that has been intercepted in the past. The IDF is conducting an investigation to examine the incident, including an assessment of whether the interception failure was due to a technical malfunction or human error. According to reports, the IDF is also examining the decision not to launch a second interceptor from the Arrow system. It is possible that the decision was influenced by the high cost of each interceptor missile – about $4 million. Defense officials emphasized that the success rates of Israel’s defense systems, especially Arrow 3, are very high, but no system is successful in every scenario. The incident raises renewed questions about Israeli readiness against ballistic fire from distant sectors, especially in times of multi-arena warfare. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Elon Musk has slammed comparisons between himself and President Donald Trump to Nazis, describing the accusations as nothing more than a coordinated attempt to tarnish their reputations and derail their push to reform the federal government.

During a segment on Fox News’ My View with Lara Trump, Musk addressed a moment from President Trump’s inauguration that some critics alleged resembled a Nazi salute. Musk rejected the claim, saying the interpretation was deliberately twisted and completely false.

“Well, I mean, look, it’s a relentless propaganda campaign, which obviously President Trump has experienced for a very long time, 20 years, maybe longer,” Musk said. “And politics is a blood sport, so they’re going to come up with whatever attacks they can to destroy the public perception of someone.”

Musk has come under fire for his prominent involvement in the Trump administration, especially in his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he’s implemented sweeping changes like significant staff reductions and slashing budgets across various federal agencies.

In recent days, Democratic lawmakers have ramped up their attacks, citing both Musk’s controversial behavior during official events and his alleged impact on Germany’s recent elections. Musk rejected the Nazi analogies, calling them baseless and deeply insulting.

“Now, obviously, I’ve not harmed anyone in my life, so it’s an outrageous thing to claim that I’m a Nazi,” he said, defending both himself and President Trump from what he sees as dishonest smears.

The conversation turned to Musk’s upbringing in South Africa during the apartheid era. When Lara Trump asked how that background shaped his response to the accusations, Musk criticized the media’s influence over public opinion.

“It’s disappointing how well propaganda works,” he said. “If you repeat a lie, you know, the sort of ‘he’s a Nazi lie’ enough times, some people actually believe it, especially people that still believe the legacy news, you know.”

He added: “They really are trying every angle to get me … if they could press a button and kill me. In reality, they would press that button immediately. But since … I’m a little difficult to kill. They are doing character assassination instead.”

Although Musk has become a lightning rod for criticism, he has also received endorsements from major international figures, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Anti-Defamation League, who have spoken in his defense.

Speculation has been growing about Musk’s ongoing position in the Trump administration. His current government appointment is set to expire on May 30, but President Trump indicated this week that Musk will have the opportunity to continue in his post as long as he chooses.

“I do consider the president a friend. I think he considers me a friend, and we get along very well,” Musk said. “I think probably if you asked us both the same set of questions in two different rooms, 80 percent of the time, we would come up with the same answer,” he added.

“We almost always agree.”

{Matzav.com}

POTUS: “We are going to make and build a ballroom, which they’ve wanted for probably 100 years, at the White House. And it will be a world-class, beautiful ballroom.” NBC: You will fund it? POTUS: “Yeah. I’m not going to ask the government for money.”

NBC: Would you veto a cut to Medicaid? POTUS: “I would if they were cutting it but they’re not cutting it. They’re looking at fraud, waste, and abuse.”

NBC: Will you talk to Carney about making Canada a 51st state? POTUS: “I’ll always talk about that. You know why? We subsidize Canada to the tune of $200B a year… If Canada was a state, it would be great… It would be a cherished state.”

POTUS: “I have been investigated more than any person in the history of the United States of America… I have been investigated more than Al Capone, more than anybody… And I won.”

The deadline to get a REAL ID is fast approaching after years of postponements and delays. Starting May 7, your license or identification card will need to be REAL ID-compliant to fly domestically in the U.S. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like there will be another delay in the deadline this time. So, if you’re confused about how to get a REAL ID, why you even need one in the first place, and what happens if you don’t have one by May 7, here are some things to know: What is a REAL ID? It’s a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that the DHS says is a more secure form of identification. Besides needing a REAL ID to fly domestically, you will also need one to access certain federal buildings and facilities. Why is this happening? When the REAL ID Act was signed into law in 2005, it enacted a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission that the government set security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and IDs. “REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver’s licenses and identification cards,” John Essig, the Transportation Security Administration’s Security Director for airports in the New York City region said in a press release on April 3. “The improvements are intended to inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.” The REAL ID Act was supposed to begin rolling out in 2008, “but has faced repeated delays due to state implementation challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Nina Ruggiero, senior editorial director for Travel + Leisure. “The combination of varying state processes and shifting deadlines has added to the overall confusion around REAL IDs and likely led some travelers to take the deadlines less seriously.” How do I know if I already have a REAL ID? If you’ve gotten a new ID in the last few years, it could already be REAL ID-compliant. “I also hear from travelers who are confused as to whether or not they already have a REAL ID,” Ruggiero said. “Some people who have recently renewed their license may already have a compliant ID and not know it,” so you may want to double-check yours before starting the process. A REAL ID-compliant driver’s license has a symbol (in most states, a star) in the top corner of the card. If you live in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont or Washington, it’s possible you could have an “enhanced″ ID card instead, which permits you to cross land and sea borders into Mexico and Canada from the U.S. It does not, however, allow you to fly into either of those countries. Enhanced IDs will have an American flag icon, as well as the word “enhanced” at the top of the card. If I don’t have a REAL ID, how do I get one? The requirements vary by state, so you will need to visit the website of your state’s driver’s licensing agency to find out the specific steps, including whether you’ll need to make an appointment at a DMV and what documentation you’ll need when you get there. What happens on May 7? What if I don’t have a REAL ID by then? If you don’t have a REAL ID by the deadline and you’re planning to board a domestic flight, you […]

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Frightening Data: The Left-Wing Bloc Continues to Vote. Since Friday, Approximately 15,000 People Have Voted.

In recent days, many people have reached out to us asking whether there is real data proving a dramatic rise in voting numbers, or if this is just typical campaign rhetoric. We would like to present you with the actual numbers so you can understand the alarming increase, which may even result in a doubling of the number of votes required to maintain Eretz HaKodesh’s power in the Zionist Congress.

This past Friday, the voting data from the previous week was published, revealing a sharp spike of tens of thousands of votes cast during the week.
This morning, updated data showed that since Friday, the number of voters has risen dramatically, with an additional 15,000 votes added on Friday and Shabbos alone. It is clear that the vast majority of these votes came from the left-wing bloc and liberal parties that actively campaign and recruit voters on Shabbos — in contrast to the right-wing bloc and religious parties, whose campaigns are inactive on these days.

The breakdown is listed below.

In light of this increase, projections now estimate that the election will end with over 240,000 total votes — essentially doubling the overall vote count. As a result, each party will need to secure twice as many votes as they did in 2020 just to maintain their current representation in the Congress.

This sharp rise is largely due to a massive online campaign spearheaded by the left-wing parties, particularly the AID Coalition, which targeted secular Israelis living abroad, urging them to vote and recruit others in order to “preserve left-wing values in Israel.”

This surge presents a clear challenge for supporters of Eretz HaKodesh: to use the final remaining hours before voting ends on Sunday at midnight to bring in additional votes, close the gap that has opened in recent days, and ensure that Eretz HaKodesh and the right-wing bloc retain their strength — to continue to be a voice for Torah and Jewish tradition.

We call on you, Klal Yisroel— this is the last day you can still influence the outcome of the election and tip the scales against the tens of thousands of left-wing votes. Each of you can reach out to more friends, neighbors, and community members and bring in one more vote and another — to win this election.

Yes, we can — with Siyata Dishmaya, all of us together — and in the merit of the sanctity of Shabbos — we will do it, for the holiness of Eretz Yisrael.

Vote now, we are running out of time!
Slate #11
EretzHakodesh.org

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Frightening Data: The Left-Wing Bloc Continues to Vote. Since Friday, Approximately 15,000 People Have Voted. In recent days, many people have reached out to us asking whether there is real data proving a dramatic rise in voting numbers, or if this is just typical campaign rhetoric. We would like to present you with the actual numbers so you can understand the alarming increase, which may even result in a doubling of the number of votes required to maintain Eretz HaKodesh’s power in the Zionist Congress. This past Friday, the voting data from the previous week was published, revealing a sharp spike of tens of thousands of votes cast during the week.This morning, updated data showed that since Friday, the number of voters has risen dramatically, with an additional 15,000 votes added on Friday and Shabbos alone. It is clear that the vast majority of these votes came from the left-wing bloc and liberal parties that actively campaign and recruit voters on Shabbos — in contrast to the right-wing bloc and religious parties, whose campaigns are inactive on these days. The breakdown is listed below. In light of this increase, projections now estimate that the election will end with over 240,000 total votes — essentially doubling the overall vote count. As a result, each party will need to secure twice as many votes as they did in 2020 just to maintain their current representation in the Congress. This sharp rise is largely due to a massive online campaign spearheaded by the left-wing parties, particularly the AID Coalition, which targeted secular Israelis living abroad, urging them to vote and recruit others in order to “preserve left-wing values in Israel.” This surge presents a clear challenge for supporters of Eretz HaKodesh: to use the final remaining hours before voting ends on Sunday at midnight to bring in additional votes, close the gap that has opened in recent days, and ensure that Eretz HaKodesh and the right-wing bloc retain their strength — to continue to be a voice for Torah and Jewish tradition. We call on you, Klal Yisroel— this is the last day you can still influence the outcome of the election and tip the scales against the tens of thousands of left-wing votes. Each of you can reach out to more friends, neighbors, and community members and bring in one more vote and another — to win this election. Yes, we can — with Siyata Dishmaya, all of us together — and in the merit of the sanctity of Shabbos — we will do it, for the holiness of Eretz Yisrael. Vote now, we are running out of time!Slate #11EretzHakodesh.org

NBC: Today’s strong jobs report likely means the Fed is less likely to lower interest rates. POTUS: “Well, he should lower them, and at some point, he will. He’d rather not because he’s not a fan of mine… He should lower them… we are at a perfect time.”

DAMASCUS: The kever of legendary mekubal Rav Chaim Vital, talmid muvhak of the Arizal, has been fortified with cement and is being patrolled by guards paid by the local Jewish community after being recently dug up by unknown individuals.