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Zohran Mamdani is now directing his campaign straight toward Brooklyn’s frum community, seeking to win over the chassidishe bloc with a new Yiddish ad.

For real.

The jihad-loving, anti-Israel Muslim socialist has turned to Yiddish.

In a full-page open letter printed Wednesday in Yiddish-language publications, Mamdani — the Democratic contender for New York City mayor — wrote, “You have probably heard a lot about me, and some of it may be a distorted picture of who I am. Therefore, it is important for me to address you directly on important issues and to set the record straight.”

Mamdani’s letter lays out his own proposals to fight antisemitism and address community needs. His plan includes forming a Department of Community Safety and expanding funding for anti-hate initiatives by 800%. He also outlines his commitment to build more affordable housing and establish universal childcare — both of which would directly benefit families in frum neighborhoods like Boro Park, Williamsburg, and Crown Heights, where housing prices and tuition costs continue to soar.

“I have had the honor myself to meet with members of the Orthodox Jewish community,” Mamdani wrote. “I still have a lot to learn, but this was a wonderful introduction to an important and valued part of what makes New York so amazing.”

During the Democratic primary, Mamdani had already begun efforts to speak directly to the heimishe community, granting an interview to a Yiddish outlet despite sharp political and social differences. Still, nearly every chassidishe groups publicly backed Cuomo, viewing him as more reliable on social and communal concerns.

After his unexpected primary win in June, Mamdani intensified his outreach, aware that skepticism remains strong among Jewish voters. Over Sukkos, he was received warmly by leaders of both Satmar factions.

“It would be the honor of a lifetime to serve as your next mayor,” Mamdani concluded in Yiddish. “I hope you will consider casting your vote for me in November. Together, we can build a city that works for all of us.”

{Matzav.com}

A mysterious and suspicious man showed up. This person starkly stood out. He didn’t look like he belonged. The annual Shabbos Shuva Drasha at BJX is packed with predominantly Frum Flatbush community members seeking inspiration, guidance and chizuk. However, this person wasn’t dressed in Shabbos clothes and was out of breath. Who was he? Why did he come? Those that attended the Drasha will attest that the fellow, instead of being interrogated, received a hero’s welcome. He is a BJX legend – a 58 year old man that was totally secular, who recently had his Bris Milah and walked two miles to attend the Drasha to learn more about Teshuvah.  What motivated him to go under the knife at an advanced age for a Bris Milah? What compelled him to walk with Mesiras Nefesh to attend BJX for the Drasha? It’s because people around him cared about his Neshama and took an interest in his growth as a Jew. He appreciated the love and felt connected to Am Yisroel. Then, he was ready for the next steps. We all have a choice to make: We can sit on the sidelines and ignore Yidden in our midst or we can be proactive and do Kiruv to make a difference that has huge ripple effects.  Noach is the hero of world civilization. He saves the entire humanity from utter obliteration and chaos. And yet, instead of being painted as the hero and the great righteous saint and pious man that he was, many rabbis paint him as a villain and as being morally responsible for all the decadence and for the annihilation of mankind. Why? Says the Kotzker when someone is cold in his house, there are two ways to get warm. Either he could add an extra layer of clothing and put on a coat or jacket, or he could turn on the oven and heat up the house. The Kotzker says that the difference is very clear. When you put on an extra layer of clothing to make yourself warm, you’re only making yourself warm. When you heat up the home, you’re warming up everyone else. A person who’s morally responsible and pure but only thinks about himself and fortifies himself spiritually, he’s adding an extra layer of clothing. He’s not impacting and he’s not inspiring anyone else. But a person that warms up the oven, that thinks about others and that cares about others, he’s getting warm and in turn he’s warming up others as well. The Alshich says that “Es haElokim hishalech Noach – Noach followed G-d”, when the Torah says that Noach followed after G-d, it’s not a compliment. It’s a criticism. It means that Noach walked with G-d. Noach was in seclusion. He sequestered himself. He was in the Himalayas meditating. But he forgot about everybody else. He forgot about his brothers and sisters, his neighbors and his colleagues. He enriched himself spiritually. He learned a lot of Torah perhaps. But he neglected everyone else. That’s not a good person. A good person is someone who cares about others.  We have a major responsibility. We have a moral obligation. It’s not enough for us to learn Torah. It’s not enough for us to attend shiurim. It’s not enough for us to daven. There are so many […]

Prime Minister Mark Carney set a goal for Canada to double its non-U.S. exports in the next decade, saying American tariffs are causing a chill in investment. Carney, who will release his government’s budget on Nov. 4, said Wednesday many of Canada’s former strengths — based on close ties to America — have become vulnerabilities. “The jobs of workers in our industries most affected by U.S. tariffs — autos, steel, lumber — are under threat. Our businesses are holding back investments, restrained by the pall of uncertainty that is hanging over all of us,” Carney said. U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening Canada’s economy and sovereignty with tariffs, most offensively by claiming Canada could be “the 51st state.” Carney reiterated in an evening address to Canadians that the decades-long process of an ever-closer economic relationship between the Canadian and U.S. economies is now over. “The U.S. has fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising its tariffs to levels last seen during the Great Depression,” Carney said. “We have to take care of ourselves because we can’t rely on one foreign partner.” Tensions between the neighbors and longtime allies have eased slightly in recent months as Carney tries to get a trade deal with Trump, but tariffs are taking a toll, particularly in the aluminum, steel, auto and lumber sectors. More than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. “We are re-engaging with the global giants India and China,” he said. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border daily. Canada’s free trade deal with the U.S. is up for review in 2026. Carney called Canada an “energy superpower” and said the country has third largest reserves of oil and the fourth largest reserves of natural gas in the world. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. “I will always be straight about the challenges we have to face and the choices we must make,” Carney said. “To be clear, we won’t transform our economy easily or in a few months — it will take some sacrifices and some time.” (AP)

A violent robbery and a separate burglary kept Flatbush Shomrim and the NYPD busy overnight. At approximately 11:30 p.m., three Hispanic males approached three Jewish victims, two men and one woman, and demanded money before repeatedly punching them in the face and head. The incident occurred on Ocean Avs and Ave J in the Flatbush area. Flatbush Shomrim volunteers swiftly mobilized and located the suspects, one of whom was armed with a knife. The NYPD arrested all three individuals near Avenue I and East 17th Street. In a separate incident at approximately 12:30AM, a burglar was caught inside a home on East 13th Street between Avenues R and S. The suspect was arrested by the NYPD with assistance from Flatbush Shomrim volunteers who responded within moments. Excellent teamwork and coordination between Flatbush Shomrim and the NYPD led to the swift capture of all involved. THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE FLATBUSH SCOOP STATUS CLICK HERE SIGN UP TO THE FLATBUSH SCOOP WHATSAPP STATUS TO BE INFORMED OF FLATBUSH NEWS IN LIVE TIME (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shternbuch wept bitterly during his remarks to an atzeres at Ateres Shlomo Yeshiva on Wednesday evening following the arrests of one of its talmidim along with other yeshivah bochurim. Appearing visibly weak and distressed, and weeping periodically, HaRav Shternbuch said, “Bochurim in the middle of learning Torah are being dragged to prison. They’re making them suffer, and in turn, they’re making us suffer.” “This is a matzav that we never in the world imagined would happen, that it would come to such a matzav. Rishus and cruelty! And the ones who committed ‘crimes’? Their crime was simply learning Torah. Have you ever heard of such a thing?!” “It would be fitting for every one of us to cry day and night over this. The Shechina Hakedosha is surely in tremendous pain.” “But we will Bezras Hashem not give up,” Harav Shternbuch continued, crying bitterly. “Without Torah we are literally animals. We have no other reason to live. What is the point of life? Cursed reshaim. Arurim she’biarurim.” “But bezras Hashem, they will not succeed. We have a hidden koach—the heart of a Yid will never give up on Yahadus. The Torah Hakedosha is our lives. Ki Heim Chayeinu viorech yameinu…. “Oy Oy Oy! Find me a place that I can cry and shed tears,” HaRav Shternbuch wept. “We will not concede! We will publicize this throughout Israel and abroad. We’re calling out to our brothers abroad—do not be silent. You should know that this tzarah will reach you also. Don’t think that you’ll be exempt.” “They’ll act with mesirus nefesh and will succeed. I promise you that they’ll succeed. We’ll witness it very soon,” HaRav Shternbuch concluded. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

US President Donald Trump says that Israel would lose “all support” from the United States if it tried to move ahead with annexing the West Bank. In an October 15 Time magazine interview about the US-brokered ceasefire, published today, Trump is asked about those in the Israeli coalition pushing to annex all or parts of the West Bank. “It won’t happen. It won’t happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries,” Trump says. “And you can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”

A shocking incident of police violence in Bnei Brak on Wednesday has left the city outraged, after a respected rosh kollel and community rov was violently assaulted by officers during an attempted demolition of an alleged illegal construction in the apartment of a widow.

According to eyewitnesses, one of the officers — who had no visible identification tag and wore a face covering — suddenly attacked the rov, throwing him to the ground and beating him with his fists and what appeared to be a sharp object. The victim, who was bleeding heavily, received emergency treatment from Magen David Adom medics before being evacuated to a nearby hospital in serious condition.

“Nobody could believe what we saw,” said one neighbor who witnessed the assault. “It was horrifying. He didn’t do anything — he just came down to ask what was happening, and the officer jumped on him without any warning.”

The rov‘s wife, who was present during the attack, described the ordeal as traumatizing and senseless. “It’s unthinkable that an innocent resident should be beaten in his own building just because he wears a yarmulka,” she said. “My husband went down to help — and he’s the one who ended up bleeding. It’s a disgrace.”

Neighbors reported that the confrontation occurred when enforcement teams arrived to demolish a small addition to the apartment of a widow who lives in the building. The commotion and shouting from her floor drew the attention of residents, many of whom rushed out of their homes to see what was happening.

The injured rov recounted the events: “I heard screaming and went downstairs to see what was going on. As I reached the staircase, an officer suddenly came out, started shouting, and began hitting me. I asked him, ‘Why are you hitting me?’ and he struck me with a sharp object. My entire head was covered in blood — so much blood, it soaked my shirt. I’m still in a lot of pain and feeling dizzy.”

He added that he has no history of confrontation and was only trying to help his neighbor. “I’m not a person who looks for fights. I simply wanted to assist the widow. I plan to file a complaint with the Department for the Investigation of Police and a major lawsuit against the police — not for myself, but to make it clear that the chareidi public is not a punching bag.”

Attorney Moshe Ossiditscher, who represents the rov, condemned the attack in strong terms. “This is a case of police brutality against defenseless civilians whose only ‘crime’ was being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said. “The Israel Police must understand that the chareidi community is not their enemy. The aggression of the officers should be directed toward criminals — not Torah Jews. Our firm will pursue this case to the fullest extent and ensure that justice is served.”

{Matzav.com}

Shas announced Thursday that it will withdraw from all coalition positions in the Knesset, in a protest against Prime Minister Netanyahu’s failure to advance legislation regulating military exemptions for yeshivaleit. The move — ordered by the Moetzes Chachmei Hatorah — will see Shas lawmakers relinquish their committee chairmanships and senior posts but stop short of leaving the coalition entirely, a signal that the party intends to escalate pressure without toppling the government. “In accordance with the directive of the Moetzes… the government must bring to a vote the law to regulate the status of yeshiva students no later than the opening of the winter session,” the party said in a statement. “Since this has not been implemented, Shas announces its withdrawal from its coalition roles in the Knesset.” Shas MKs Yossi Taib and Yoni Meshriki will vacate their positions on the Education and Health Committees, while MK Michael Malkieli will resign as chair of the Special Committee for Bridging Social Gaps in the Periphery. While the move is largely symbolic, it represents a sharp rebuke to Netanyahu’s handling of one of his most volatile political crises — balancing coalition unity with growing demands from Israel’s military and judiciary to end decades of blanket exemptions for Chareidim. “For the time being, Shas will act in full coordination with the Chareidi factions and will continuously consult with the Moetzes Chachmei Hatorah regarding its position on votes in the Knesset plenum,” the party said, hinting that it may continue its ongoing boycott of coalition legislation. Shas leaders said they would “continue to lead the struggle against the political and cruel persecution campaign directed against students of the yeshivas, who study Torah day and night for the sake of all Israel and for the success of the soldiers.” “When the status of yeshiva students is resolved,” the statement added, “Shas will return to its positions in the government and the Knesset.” The dispute stems from the High Court’s 2023 ruling that the government must end long-standing blanket exemptions for full-time yeshiva students, calling the policy unconstitutional. Around 80,000 Chareidi men aged 18 to 24 are currently eligible for service but have not enlisted. The IDF, stretched thin by the war against Hamas in Gaza and ongoing security operations elsewhere, says it urgently needs an additional 12,000 recruits to sustain the force. For over a year, Chareidi parties have pressed Netanyahu to pass a new draft law enshrining exemptions in legislation. But repeated delays and infighting within the coalition have left the measure stalled and risked alienating Shas’s rabbinic leadership. The current proposal, drafted by Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth (Likud), would gradually increase Chareidi enlistment over five years to 50 percent of the annual draft cohort, while maintaining an exemption age of 26. Funding for yeshivas would be reduced only if institutions fail to meet quotas for two consecutive years, and individual sanctions would be delayed and limited — far short of the stricter penalties pushed by secular lawmakers. Shas’s decision comes just days after Bismuth delayed committee deliberations on the draft bill, citing the need for additional legal review. He has pledged to present a revised draft next week and bring it to the Knesset for final readings in December. In a sign of political maneuvering, Netanyahu’s Likud Party […]

When Luka Doncic was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers this past February, the entire basketball world was left reeling. The blockbuster deal sent the longtime Dallas superstar to L.A. alongside Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. Yet few knew that an unexpected Shabbos delay nearly brought the whole transaction to a standstill.

Now, Yahoo Sports reports, as revealed in Yaron Weitzman’s book A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers, the multi-team trade hit an unusual snag because Patty Mills’ agent, Steven Heumann, was keeping Shabbos. Heumann needed to confirm contract terms tied to a related transaction before the entire deal could be finalized — and since he was offline until Shabbos ended, every franchise involved had to wait.

The trade talks began discreetly when Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison quietly informed Lakers GM Rob Pelinka that Doncic might be available. “Pelinka in turn only informed Lakers owner Jeanie Buss to avoid leaks that could potentially collapse the talks,” the book notes. Keeping things tightly under wraps was critical to prevent other teams from jumping in once word got out that Doncic could be moved.

Before the Lakers could secure Doncic, they first needed to clear space through a separate deal with the Utah Jazz. That trade sent Jalen Hood-Schifino and two future second-round picks to Utah. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers entered the picture, receiving Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills in exchange for PJ Tucker, Mo Bamba, and other assets — a domino move that enabled the Jazz-Lakers agreement to proceed.

Everything was ready for execution late Friday — except that Heumann was observing Shabbos. Because he couldn’t sign or confirm any paperwork until after nightfall on Motzoei Shabbos, the entire chain of transactions ground to a halt. The teams involved agreed to remain silent, with Pelinka and Harrison maintaining complete secrecy until the moment Shabbos ended.

Once Shabbos was over, Heumann gave his approval, and the long-awaited paperwork was finalized on Sunday, February 2. After nearly a week of clandestine coordination, Luka Doncic officially became a Laker — and the NBA’s most shocking trade in years was finally sealed, thanks to patience, precision, and a pause for Shabbos.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance wrapped up a two-day visit to Israel on Thursday with unusually blunt remarks about the Knesset’s preliminary vote to annex the West Bank, calling the move “very stupid” and personally “insulting.” Speaking to reporters before boarding his flight, Vance said he was “confused” by the vote, which passed narrowly on Wednesday despite opposition from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and most of Likud. “I was told it was a political stunt — purely symbolic — but it was a very stupid political stunt,” he said. “The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel. The policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy.” Vance’s comments marked a sharp rebuke of Israel’s right-wing lawmakers and underscored growing unease in Washington over moves that could derail President Donald Trump’s cease-fire and reconstruction plan for Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that concern, warning that the Knesset’s actions “might be counterproductive” to the administration’s efforts to lock in a lasting peace. “The president has made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now,” Rubio told reporters before departing for Israel. “We think there’s potential for it to threaten the peace deal.” Vance, who spent two days meeting with Israeli officials and members of the new International Security Force, said the Gaza cease-fire “is actually holding,” adding that both Israel and Hamas have largely respected the terms of the U.S.-brokered agreement. “There are exceptions — little flare-ups here and there — but that’s to be expected when these parties have been at war for two years,” he said. “The peace is actually holding, and now we’re trying to figure out how to make it stick over the long term.” The vice president said the newly formed multinational security force “will take the lead in disarming Hamas,” but cautioned that the effort “will take some time” and depend heavily on “the composition of that force.” “There are certain countries that I expect will be quite good at it,” he said, naming Gulf partners including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar as key players in coordinating the next phase of Trump’s peace framework. Asked about contacts with Hamas, Vance said communication occurs “through intermediaries,” but that most discussions have been with regional allies about shaping the force and advancing “phase two” of the plan. The Knesset’s vote — which advanced both a broad proposal to apply sovereignty to all West Bank settlements and a narrower one covering a single major bloc — immediately drew international condemnation. Saudi Arabia called it an attempt to “legitimize Israeli sovereignty over illegal colonial settlement,” while the UAE warned last month that annexation would be a “red line” ending Israel’s regional integration. Even Netanyahu’s Likud dismissed the bills as “opposition trolling” aimed at harming Israel’s diplomatic standing. “We strengthen settlement every day with actions, budgets, and construction — not with words,” the party said. Still, hard-line ministers in Netanyahu’s coalition, including Bezalel Smotrich and Yariv Levin, have pressed for sweeping annexation since several Western countries recognized a Palestinian state last month. Smotrich has called for Israel to annex “82 percent of the West Bank.” Trump himself has repeatedly ruled out annexation, telling reporters last month, […]

The most widely used COVID-19 vaccines may offer a surprise benefit for some cancer patients – revving up their immune systems to help fight tumors. People with advanced lung or skin cancer who were taking certain immunotherapy drugs lived substantially longer if they also got a Pfizer or Moderna shot within 100 days of starting treatment, according to preliminary research being reported Wednesday in the journal Nature. And it had nothing to do with virus infections. Instead, the molecule that powers those specific vaccines, mRNA, appears to help the immune system respond better to the cutting-edge cancer treatment, concluded researchers from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the University of Florida. The vaccine “acts like a siren to activate immune cells throughout the body,” said lead researcher Dr. Adam Grippin of MD Anderson. “We’re sensitizing immune-resistant tumors to immune therapy.” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has raised skepticism about mRNA vaccines, cutting $500 million in funding for some uses of the technology. But this research team found its results so promising that it is preparing a more rigorous study to see if mRNA coronavirus vaccines should be paired with cancer drugs called checkpoint inhibitors — an interim step while it designs new mRNA vaccines for use in cancer. A healthy immune system often kills cancer cells before they become a threat. But some tumors evolve to hide from immune attack. Checkpoint inhibitors remove that cloak. It’s a powerful treatment – when it works. Some people’s immune cells still don’t recognize the tumor. Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is naturally found in every cell and it contains genetic instructions for our bodies to make proteins. While best known as the Nobel Prize-winning technology behind COVID-19 vaccines, scientists have long been trying to create personalized mRNA “treatment vaccines” that train immune cells to spot unique features of a patient’s tumor. The new research offers “a very good clue” that maybe an off-the-shelf approach could work, said Dr. Jeff Coller, an mRNA specialist at Johns Hopkins University who wasn’t involved with the work. “What it shows is that mRNA medicines are continuing to surprise us in how beneficial they can be to human health.” Grippin and his Florida colleagues had been developing personalized mRNA cancer vaccines when they realized that even one created without a specific target appeared to spur similar immune activity against cancer. Grippin wondered if the already widely available mRNA coronavirus shots might also have some effect, too. So the team analyzed records of nearly 1,000 advanced cancer patients undergoing checkpoint inhibitor treatment at MD Anderson – comparing those who happened to get a Pfizer or Moderna shot with those who didn’t. Vaccinated lung cancer patients were nearly twice as likely to be alive three years after beginning cancer treatment as the unvaccinated patients. Among melanoma patients, median survival was significantly longer for vaccinated patients – but exactly how much isn’t clear, as some of that group were still alive when the data was analyzed. Non-mRNA vaccines such as flu shots didn’t make a difference, he said. (AP)

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

I would clearly understand if you were sad when Havdolah was recited and Simchas Torah ended.

After a month steeped in kedusha, of being enveloped in sanctity, joy, and deep connection with Hashem, we find ourselves back in the ordinary world. The decorations are carefully peeled off, taken down, folded and boxed away. The sukkah walls and the s’chach, which had lovingly embraced us with the tzila demehemnusa, are disassembled and stored. The esrog, once admired with awe, is set aside as a memory. The lulav, proudly shaken with that special nignun, lies limp in a corner. The melodies fade, the guests depart, and a quiet sense of spiritual displacement sets in.

We emerge from this cocoon of holiness and are suddenly exposed, spiritually and emotionally. We walk back into a world that hasn’t changed, but we have. The question becomes: Can we preserve the elevation? Can we hold onto the clarity, the hope, and the vision?

From the first utterance of “L’Dovid Hashem ori veyishi” during Elul, we were drawn into a sacred rhythm. Elul was the knocking on the door, a subtle, loving call from Above. Then, b’motzoei menucha, the serenity of Shabbos gave way to urgency as Selichos began. The stillness of the night was broken by the ancient cries of compassion, echoing through our shuls and hearts. As the month progressed, the shofar’s haunting blasts shook us awake from spiritual slumber, stirring something deep within.

Then came the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, ten precious, intense days of closeness, when the gates of Heaven felt within reach. And then, Yom Kippur, the day of purity. Dressed in white, we ascended to angelic heights, crying, singing, pouring ourselves out in tefillah and longing. As the sun set and Ne’ilah concluded, we were transformed. We emerged lighter, hopeful, and spiritually reborn.

But Hashem, in His kindness, didn’t let us fall from that peak. He lifted us again, higher. From the solemnity of teshuvah, we entered the joy of simcha. The sukkah welcomed us like a mother’s embrace. We sat beneath the stars, enveloped in Hashem’s love, celebrating the joy of being close to Him. We danced with the Torah on Simchas Torah, arms locked with fellow Yidden, singing “Yisroel v’Oraisa v’Kudsha Brich Hu chad hu.” We were joyous and fulfilled, removed from the mundane world, as we felt the beauty of the life Hashem chose for us to lead. For a moment, we were one. One people, one heart, one truth.

And then, it ended. The final dance, the final song, the final Havdolah. And we were thrust back into the mundane. No more shofar. No more white garments. No more daled minim. No more sukkah. Just echoes of greatness.

But what now? Were these weeks just a spiritual high? A temporary experience? Or were they a preparation for something deeper, something lasting?

In the zemer of Azamer Bishvochin, written by the Arizal and sung at our Shabbos tables every Friday evening, we say, “Yehei rava kamei d’sishrei al amei.” It is a heartfelt plea: “May it be His will that His Presence rest upon His nation.” Yodei Chein explains that these words reflect our longing for the Divine Presence to remain with us, not only during holy days, but on the regular days that follow. We ask that the holiness we experienced during Tishrei not evaporate like a passing dream, but stay with us as we re-enter the world of work, responsibility, and routine.

With the kedusha and simcha gained during Tishrei, we start again, much improved.

We open the Chumash and read the first words once again: “Bereishis bara Elokim.” With these words, the Torah beckons us to return to the source, to the beginning, not just of the world, but of ourselves, with a fresh start. We carry everything we’ve acquired into this new beginning.

The first Rashi in Chumash sets the tone for our journey. Quoting Rabi Yitzchok, Rashi asks why the Torah begins with the story of creation instead of the first mitzvah given to the Jewish people, “Hachodesh hazeh lochem.” His answer: So that when the nations of the world question our right to Eretz Yisroel, we can declare, “Hashem created the world, and He gave the land to whom He saw fit.” It was His to give, and He chose us.

But this explanation raises a question. As we know, the world doesn’t care for our biblical right or Divine promise. Why, then, is this message placed at the very start of the Torah?

Because it’s not just about political arguments. It’s about perspective. The Torah begins with creation to remind us that everything in the world is from Hashem, and everything that happens is part of His design. Eretz Yisroel belongs to us not because of political power or historical continuity, but because Hashem willed it so. The foundation of our emunah is that nothing is random.

The world wasn’t created for chaos. It was created with purpose, and that purpose is Torah and Klal Yisroel, as Rashi tells us in his second piece on the first posuk. He quotes the Chazal that the Torah begins with the word bereishis to teach us a lesson about creation. They explain: “Bereishis—the world was created for Am Yisroel and for Torah, bishvil Yisroel shenikre’u reishis, ubishvil haTorah shenikreis reishis.”

With this foundational truth, we step into the new year. Our lives matter. Our actions matter. Every word, every thought, every mitzvah is part of the divine choreography of creation.

But almost immediately, we are reminded that mankind often forgets that purpose. By the end of Parshas Bereishis, we read how humanity spiraled into darkness. Corruption spread, morality eroded, and Hashem, so to speak, “regretted” creating man. Yet, in this sea of failure, one man stood out: Noach.

The posuk tells us, “V’Noach motzah chein b’einei Hashem.” Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem.

What was that chein? What made Noach different?

Noach, in a world consumed by sin, remained untouched. He lived with clarity. He understood that the world is not ownerless, that actions have consequences, and that there is a Creator to whom we are accountable. He studied the world and saw Hashem in it. He was not swayed by the crowd, not drawn into the cultural current. He walked his own path, a path of righteousness, honesty, and truth.

The Torah says: “Es haElokim hishalech Noach.” Noach walked with Hashem.

He walked only with Hashem and with no one else. He was alone. In a society that had completely lost its moral compass, he was a solitary voice of conscience. For 120 years, he built the teivah and pleaded with his generation to change. Not a single soul listened. Yet, he kept building. Kept warning. Kept believing.

Noach’s greatness lies not only in his integrity, but in his endurance. He didn’t give up when no one believed in him. He didn’t fold when he was ridiculed. He didn’t quit when he was alone. He remained loyal to his mission and, in doing so, he saved the world.

We must all be like Noach.

We live in a world filled with confusion. Morality is blurred. Truth is mocked. Torah values are called “intolerant.” The very existence of Eretz Yisroel is questioned, and in the face of terror and murder, the world condemns the victim. In just the past few years, we’ve witnessed a stunning rise in anti-Semitism, open and unapologetic. Prestigious universities host pro-Hamas rallies. Western democracies turn their backs on Israel. Lies are repeated so often that they are accepted as fact.

Amid the flood of falsehood, we must build a teivah. We must proclaim, like Noach did, that we don’t mind being alone, walking with Hashem on the path he laid out for us. We hold onto Torah. We raise our families with the Torah values passed on to us through our parents. We speak truth when it’s unpopular. We stay afloat, not because we are many, but because we are anchored.

The teivah, say the seforim hakedoshim, also represents the words of Torah and tefillah. The translation of teivah is “word.” When the world rages outside, we step into the protective haven of Hashem’s words. Into the rhythm of Shacharis, Mincha and Maariv. The melodies of Shabbos. The tune of a sugya and the hum of the bais medrash. The softness of a bedtime Shema with a child. That is our teivah.

We live in a time of terrible tragedies and see young people being struck down in a manifestation of the middas hadin. Just this past Sunday, four young bochurim were killed, their lives taken away in an instant. At the levayah of Shloimy Cohen, one of those bochurim, Rav Yeruchom Olshin quoted the posuk, “Anshei chesed ne’esofim b’ein meivin—Hashem gathers to Him good people and nobody understands why.”

He said that we must recognize that we are living during the difficult period of ikvesa d’Meshicha, a time when we must strengthen our observance and study of Torah and acts of kindness. There is no better time to start than now. Torah and gemillus chassodim form the teivah that enable us to survive the golus and merit the welcoming of Moshiach. 

Israel was attacked two years ago and the world pitied it and offered expressions of sympathy, but when the small country went to war against the army of murderers who had attacked it, the world slowly drifted away from the Jews. One by one, the countries and their citizens began blasting Israel and accusing it of genocide. In the United States, as well, anti-Semitic demonstrations were held from east to west and college campus became bases for Jew-hatred. Western countries considered friendly to Israel declared pointless military embargos against the embattled state and then, in perfidious empty moves, recognized the nonexistent state of Palestine.

New York City, home of millions of Jews, is about to elect a pro-Hamas, anti-Semitic, communist mayor. Regardless of how you choose to interpret that, the outcome is unequivocally negative.

And then there are moments—bright, piercing rays of light—that remind us that the world has not entirely forgotten its conscience.

Just recently, the hearts of Klal Yisroel were lifted when twenty Israeli hostages, held for almost two years in unimaginable conditions, were freed. The tears of grief became tears of joy, and for a moment, a deep sigh of relief filled Jewish homes across the globe.

We davened. We hoped. And Hashem answered.

Not all of them, not yet. But some. And we saw that even in the darkest situations, salvation is possible.

The redemption of those hostages is a sign of hope. A reminder that Hashem is with us. We pray that their freedom is a good omen for Israel and for the Jewish people, and that the relentless violence will stop, stability will be achieved, and Hashem will bring shalom al Yisroel.

Last week, I attended the first Presidential Holocaust Commission event since my appointment by President Trump to the commission. It was a commemoration of the tragic events of Shemini Atzeres two years ago in southern Israel.

Thanks to the lobbying of fellow new commissioner Rabbi Nate Segal, the event was fully kosher, a first for the United States Holocaust Museum, which hosted the gathering.

There were several speeches, including one from a recovered hostage, Almog Meir Jan. He didn’t look particularly religious, but when he got up to speak, he covered his head with his hand and emotionally recited, “Shehecheyonu vekiyemonu vehigiyonu lazeman hazeh.”

In speaking with him, he told me that when he was freed, he decided that l’illui nishmas the soldier who died freeing him from captivity, he would distribute pairs of tzitzis. He even brought a bag of tzitzis to the event.

There are so many stories being told about people who survived that calamitous attack and, in its wake, found their way to Hashem. The tragedy inspired them to elevate themselves and ignite a flame within their souls.

Chazal tell us (see Pri Tzaddik) that had Noach’s generation responded to his pleas and done teshuvah, the Torah could have been given in their time. They could have had water, but not as a flood. Instead of mayim of destruction, they could have had mayim chaim, the waters of Torah. Instead of desolation, rebirth. Instead of curse, eternal blessing. All it took was listening. One change. One turn.

And so we return to our question: After Tishrei, after the aliyah, how do we not drown?

We look to Noach. He reminds us that it is possible to stand tall when the world bows low. That it’s possible to walk with Hashem even if you’re walking alone. That chein is not found in popularity, but in purity.

Let us take the strength of Tishrei and carry it forward. Let us begin again, not with despair, but with hope. Let us walk into the weeks ahead as builders of our own arks, guardians of the sacred, carriers of the light.

Because the world was created for us. And if we walk with Hashem, we, too, will find chein in His eyes and be the ones who rebuild the world.

The world was created for Torah. By learning Torah, we sustain and strengthen both ourselves and the world. We add zechuyos for ourselves and for all of creation. We refine our character and make the world a better place.

By performing mitzvos and refraining from aveiros and actions that degrade and defile us, we fulfill our mission and the purpose for which Hashem placed us in His world.

Every day is a new beginning, an opportunity to fulfill our tasks and live with hope, moral strength, and divine guidance.

May Hashem continue to guide, protect, and bless us with peace, strength, and clarity in these challenging times, and may He bring us Moshiach soon, in our days.

{Matzav.com}

A new study has uncovered an unexpected upside to the widely used COVID-19 vaccines: they may help certain cancer patients live longer by supercharging their immune systems, the AP reports.

Researchers reported Wednesday in Nature that patients battling advanced lung or skin cancers who received Pfizer or Moderna shots within 100 days of starting immunotherapy had a significantly higher survival rate than those who didn’t. Remarkably, this benefit wasn’t linked to protection from infection, but to the vaccines’ underlying mechanism — mRNA — which appears to enhance the body’s ability to respond to tumor-fighting drugs.

“The vaccine acts like a siren to activate immune cells throughout the body,” explained Dr. Adam Grippin of MD Anderson Cancer Center, the study’s lead author. “We’re sensitizing immune-resistant tumors to immune therapy.”

The discovery comes even as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed doubts about mRNA technology, slashing $500 million in related funding. Yet researchers at MD Anderson and the University of Florida say their results are so striking that they’re already planning a larger, controlled trial to test whether mRNA COVID vaccines could safely be paired with checkpoint inhibitor drugs. They view this as a bridge toward eventually designing specialized mRNA-based cancer vaccines.

Under normal circumstances, a strong immune system can eliminate emerging cancer cells before they cause harm. But certain tumors evolve ways to disguise themselves from immune attack. Checkpoint inhibitors — a class of cutting-edge drugs — can strip away that disguise, allowing immune cells to attack. However, not every patient’s immune system recognizes the tumor even after treatment begins.

Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is a molecule that exists in every human cell and carries instructions for producing proteins. The same technology that revolutionized vaccine science during the pandemic has long intrigued oncologists searching for “treatment vaccines” — custom-made formulations designed to teach immune cells to recognize a patient’s unique tumor markers.

Dr. Jeff Coller, an mRNA researcher at Johns Hopkins University who was not involved in the study, said the results point toward new therapeutic possibilities. “What it shows is that mRNA medicines are continuing to surprise us in how beneficial they can be to human health,” he said.

Dr. Grippin’s team in Florida had already been working on personalized mRNA vaccines for cancer when they noticed something remarkable: even versions without a specific cancer target seemed to stimulate the same kind of immune activity seen in tumor-fighting responses. That led Grippin to wonder if existing mRNA COVID vaccines could have similar effects.

To test that theory, the researchers analyzed the medical records of nearly 1,000 patients with advanced cancers receiving checkpoint inhibitor treatments at MD Anderson. They compared outcomes between those who had received Pfizer or Moderna shots and those who hadn’t.

The findings were striking: lung cancer patients who were vaccinated were almost twice as likely to be alive three years after starting therapy compared to those who remained unvaccinated. Among melanoma patients, vaccinated individuals also lived considerably longer — though the exact numbers remain uncertain because several were still alive at the time of analysis.

Interestingly, standard non-mRNA vaccines, like flu shots, showed no such survival benefit, suggesting that the unique properties of mRNA are responsible for the observed effect.

{Matzav.com}

North Korean hackers have pilfered billions of dollars by breaking into cryptocurrency exchanges and creating fake identities to get remote tech jobs at foreign companies, according to an international report on North Korea’s cyber capabilities. Officials in Pyongyang orchestrated the clandestine work to finance research and development of nuclear arms, the authors of the 138-page report found. The review was published by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, a group that includes the U.S. and 10 allies and was set up last year to observe North Korea’s compliance with U.N. sanctions. North Korea also has used cryptocurrency to launder money and make military purchases to evade international sanctions tied to its nuclear program, the report said. It detailed how hackers working for North Korea have targeted foreign businesses and organizations with malware designed to disrupt networks and steal sensitive data. Despite its small size and isolation, North Korea has heavily invested in offensive cyber capabilities and now rivals China and Russia when it comes to the sophistication and capabilities of its hackers, posing a significant threat to foreign governments, businesses and individuals, the investigators concluded. Unlike China, Russia and Iran, North Korea has focused much of its cyber capabilities to fund its government, using cyberattacks and fake workers to steal and defraud companies and organizations elsewhere in the world. Aided in part by allies in Russia and China, North Korea’s cyber actions have “been directly linked to the destruction of physical computer equipment, endangerment of human lives, private citizens’ loss of assets and property, and funding for the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs,” the report said, using the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The monitoring group is made up of the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom. It was created last year after Russia vetoed a resolution directing a U.N. Security Council panel of experts to monitor Pyongyang’s activities. The team’s first report, issued in May, looked at North Korea’s military support for Russia. Earlier this year, hackers linked to North Korea carried out one of the largest crypto heists ever, stealing $1.5 billion worth of ethereum from Bybit. The FBI later linked the theft to a group of hackers working for the North Korean intelligence service. Federal authorities also have alleged that thousands of IT workers employed by U.S. companies were actually North Koreans using assumed identities to land remote work. The workers gained access to internal systems and funneled their salaries back to North Korea’s government. In some cases, the workers held several remote jobs at the same time. A message left with North Korea’s mission to the U.N. was not immediately returned on Wednesday. (AP)

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In the midst of a federal government shutdown, the U.S. government’s gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion Wednesday, a record number that highlights the accelerating accumulation of debt on America’s balance sheet. It’s also the fastest accumulation of a trillion dollars in debt outside of the COVID-19 pandemic — the U.S. hit $37 trillion in gross national debt in August this year. The $38 trillion update is found in the latest Treasury Department report, which logs the nation’s daily finances. Kent Smetters of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Wharton Budget Model, who served in President George W. Bush’s Treasury Department, told The Associated Press that a growing debt load over time leads ultimately to higher inflation, eroding Americans’ purchasing power. The Government Accountability Office outlines some of the impacts of rising government debt on Americans — including higher borrowing costs for things like mortgages and cars, lower wages from businesses having less money available to invest, and more expensive goods and services. “I think a lot of people want to know that their kids and grandkids are going to be in good, decent shape in the future — that they will be able to afford a house,” Smetters said. “That additional inflation compounds” and erodes consumers’ purchasing power, he said, making it less possible for future generations to achieve home ownership goals. The Trump administration says its policies are helping to slow government spending and will shrink the nation’s massive deficit. A new analysis by Treasury Department officials states that from April to September, the cumulative deficit totaled $468 billion. In a post on X Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that’s the lowest reading since 2019. “During his first eight months in office, President Trump has reduced the deficit by $350 billion compared to the same period in 2024 by cutting spending and boosting revenue,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement, adding that the administration would pursue robust economic growth, lower inflation, tariff revenue, lower borrowing costs and cuts to waste, fraud and abuse. The Joint Economic Committee estimates that the total national debt has grown by $69,713.82 per second for the past year. Michael Peterson, chair and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, said in a statement that “reaching $38 trillion in debt during a government shutdown is the latest troubling sign that lawmakers are not meeting their basic fiscal duties.” “Along with increasing debt, you get higher interest costs, which are now the fastest growing part of the budget,” Peterson added. “We spent $4 trillion on interest over the last decade, but will spend $14 trillion in the next ten years. Interest costs crowd out important public and private investments in our future, harming the economy for every American.” The U.S. hit $34 trillion in debt in January 2024, $35 trillion in July 2024 and $36 trillion in November 2024. (AP)

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