Many are wondering if the chairman of the Otzma Yehudit party, attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir, will become a cabinet minister in the next coalition as Likud will need Otzma Yehudit and its four seats to form a coalition government. Recent polls show that Otzma Yehudit will receive sufficient votes to enter Knesset with four seats. Ben-Gvir, a follower of Rav Meir Kahane HY”D, is viewed as the “right-wing extremist” in the election race, and to date, MKs from the left-wing have refused to participate in election panel discussions with him. While the right-wing is hopeful in light of recent election polls, it appears that even if Otzma Yehudit enters a coalition government, he will not be appointed to a cabinet post. “He will not become a minister” stated Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during a Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) interview on Sunday, adding, “Unfortunately, they will not pass the minimum threshold”. Mr. Netanyahu made his remarks as he was departing for a state visit to Russia, speaking with reporters. From Ben-Gvir’s position, speaking with Ynet, he explained that he has no intention of giving in and if elected to Knesset, he expects to be appointed to the cabinet as is the case with other coalition partners. Ben-Gvir is confident his party will enter Knesset as per the last polls before Election Day. Ben-Gvir spoke to Ynet about Netanyahu, saying “I love him. I embrace him. I want him to be prime minister. I want to be a minister in his government. What am I, a sucker? Everyone will be a cabinet minister but me. Certainly, if I enter the coalition, the goal is to become a minister”. PM Netanyahu has done everything he can to persuade Ben-Gvir to withdraw from the race, as he is certain the party will fail to receive enough votes to enter Knesset as was the case in earlier elections. Netanyahu fears that Otzma Yehudit competing in the race will result in right-wing votes being trashed. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Rabbi Yitzchak Eichenthal this morning after a long illness. Rabbi Eichenthal was renowned for his hachnasos orchim, opening his home in Boro Park to countless guest for almost 60 years. His compassion, patience, and selfless nature drew hundreds to him for encouragement and advice. The levayah will take place at the 7th Street Chapel, 782 E7th, Lakewood, NJ. at 2:00PM. יהי זכרון ברוך (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com) There are a number of segulos that are cited in seforim to help singles find their shidduch. What is found below are a number of these segulos. The main thing that we should keep in mind is that Hashem sometimes presents us with great challenges in order to foster a stronger relationship with him – one of Dveikus. On Rosh HaShana during Birchas Kohanim stand as close as feasibly possible to the Kohanim with palms faced upward as one who asks for abundance and blessing in their matters (in the name of Rav Elya Lopian –Derech HaShidduch p. 38) Davening with intense kavanna during aseres yemei teshuvah (yaalzu chassidim – Rabbi Eliezer Pappo #150) Establishing some form of Gemach (Shiurei Rav Shurkin p. 674) Helping a chosson and kallah get married (author is making a wedding for a yasom next week – email yairhoffman2@gmail.com if you wish to assist) Davening for someone else to receive a shidduch, but being genuine about it and not just for the idea in Bava Kamma 92a of “One who davens for his friend gets answered first” [Heard by the author from Rav Dovid Kviat zt”l) Getting a bracha from a tzaddik who open up the gates of bracha (Mesilas Yesharim chapter 19) For a woman – On Pesach seder night to open the door for Eliyahu HaNavi (Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l) For a man to learn meseches kesuvos in depth (in the name of Sheilas Yaakov cited in Zera Yaakov p.193 from Rav Prager son in law of Maharam Schick). For a woman – perhaps to sponsor in depth learning of meseches Kesuvos (author’s suggestion). To learn meseches Kiddushin or Kesovos (Igrasa D’chedvasa – Rav Mordechai Gross p. 111). For a woman – perhaps to sponsor learning of either of these mesechtos (author’s suggestion). To recite this Midrash in Bereishis Rabbah (53:14): And He opened her eyes: Said Rabbi Binyomin – All are considered to be blind until Hashem opens their eyes. It is from this verse – And Hashem opened her eyes and she went to fill the cask of water. This is what is said, she was lacking in Emunah. ויפקח את עיניה אמר רבי בנימין הכל בחזקת סומין עד שהקב”ה מאיר את עיניהם, מן הכא ויפקח אלהים את עיניה, ותלך ותמלא את החמת, הדא אמרת מחוסרת אמנה היתה (from the Bobover Rebbe Rav Shlomo Halberstam Bais Tzaddikim page 85) On Moztai Shabbos saying the entire Pizmon of Eliyahu haNavi with kavana (Mishne Halachos Vol. 19 289:3) Reciting the shiras hayam with intense kavanah and happiness – as when one admits Hashem’s miracles – He does more for you; and reciting Tehillim 32, 38, 70, 71, and 124 after shmoneh esreh (Sefer Refoel hamalach and meforshim elsewhere). Reciting the bracha of Sim Shalom in Shmoneh Esreh with kavanah and keeping in mind Rabbi Tanchum’s statement in Yevamos 62b that says whomsoever is not married does not have joy, blessing, good things, Torah and Shalom (Rav Alechsander Ziskind Shachor brother-in-law of the Netziv) Reciting Tehillim 121 before ending every Shmoneh Esreh – at end of elokai netzor (Essah ainai el heharim) (from Sefer Asara Maamaros 4:17) Reciting SHir HaShirim for 40 days straight (See Mevakshei Torah 5768 #47 for what to do tisha b’av from Rav Elyashiv) […]
A 50-year-old man riding an electric bicycle was seriously injured in a vehicular accident with a private vehicle on Yitzchak Rabin Blvd in Jerusalem on Monday morning. EMT Matan Netanel Treblasi explains “I stopped to assist immediately to assist and called for paramedic backup as the e-bike rider was seriously injured”. The patient was treated and stabilized on the scene and transported by MDA paramedics to the trauma unit of Shaare Zedek Hospital with head injuries. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The Central Elections Committee issued an injunction on Sunday night against the left-wing NGO Zazim’s initiative to bus 15,000 Arab voters to voting booths on Election Day, ruling that the initiative is in violation of the election laws. The injunction came following a petition submitted by the Likud arguing that Zazim, which is heavily funded by the US-based New Israel Fund, is violating election laws. In 2017, the Knesset passed the “V15” law aimed at preventing foreign funded non-party political organizations from interfering in the elections. The law was passed following the efforts of V15, a US-funded group, which actively worked to defeat Prime Minister Netanyahu in the 2015 national elections. Efforts against Zazim’s initiative began ahead of the previous national elections in April 2019, when the Im Tirtzu organization filed a petition to the Ccentral Elections Committee. The Likud joined Im Tirtzu’s petition after the committee ruled that only political parties could submit petitions, but the petition was nonetheless rejected. Now, due to the increased activity of Zazim, the Central Elections Committee led by Justice Chanan Melcer accepted the original argument and ruled that the left-wing group’s initiative is in violation of the law. Im Tirtzu’s Legal Division hailed the ruling as “a large victory for Israeli democracy.” “The ruling sends a clear message to radical New Israel Fund-backed organizations like Zazim that the Israeli public will not tolerate their attempts to interfere in the elections,” said Im Tirtzu. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
In my present life, I welcome the opportunity to write on the topic of addiction. But, this was not always the case. Life experiences, knowledge, and the healing of time has brought a clarity of thought and feelings to be shared. For some, this article may be new information and insight on the effect of addiction on families, an opportunity to experience an inside view on addiction, and how it challenges a parent’s love. For others, it may be an all too familiar page from the story of your life, a chronicle that validates personal experiences that happen when addiction comes to your home. In today’s world, it is common to hear about addiction impacting a family. It affects the young and old, men and women, good people in good homes. Families bear the shame that accompanies addiction. Parents grieve the loss of the dreams they had for their children. Their world turns inside out, and they start to doubt their worth as a parent. Years ago, life seemed simpler. You were taught right from wrong; you kept your family close and followed the teachings of the Torah. That simpler way of living, built on sound principles, is challenged when the complexity of addiction and mental health enters your life. Marriage and family descend into a foreign way of life. You feel disconnected and disrespected by the once young child that came to you to kiss away their hurt. Darkness crosses the threshold into your home. Shame seeps into the fiber of the family. Answering questions about your child’s absence from a holiday or wedding celebration brings dread and inner turmoil. The simple question, “How is the family?” leaves your stomach tied in knots. Do you tell the truth? Do you quickly change the subject or make an excuse? How do you explain to them? More importantly, how do you explain to your other children about their brother or sister’s behavior, how they dress, how they talk, or the arguments they hear? Your mind goes in a million directions all at one time. You smile as you recall the happy anticipation of your wedding day, of having a family to love, teach traditions, and build sweet memories. The joy changes to grief as you search for an explanation. Please know there is someone out there waiting to help you, waiting to help your child. Start the journey, if they are not ready to join you, start anyway. Support systems for parents are becoming stronger, more visible. The veil of shame that has covered the road of recovery for so many families is lifting. Find people who understand the heartache. Look for supportive people who do not cast judgment. Cry if you need to and laugh whenever you can. If you have not had this personal experience but took the time to read this article, hold out your hand without judgment to someone who is in need, what greater mitzvah. There was a time – it seems very long ago – when I knew nothing of the world of addiction. My journey as a parent whose child faced addiction brought me to work in the field of substance use disorders and trauma. It has enriched my life beyond description. I am an international speaker on addiction and trauma. In my work, I have seen the miracle of recovery happen over and over again. Parents and their adolescents, young adults, and adult children turn the corner away from addiction and once more find their seats at the Shabbos table. If you are a parent, a family member, a friend or a concerned […]
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners expressed sympathy but not responsibility for the nation’s opioid crisis as the company filed for bankruptcy protection late Sunday night, part of a move to settle some 2,600 lawsuits — most from state and local governments. “Like families across America, we have deep compassion for the victims of the opioid crisis,” Sackler family members said in the statement, which called the settlement plan a “historic step towards providing critical resources that address a tragic public health situation.” But the filing may not get either the drugmaker or the Sacklers off the legal hook. About half the states and lawyers representing at least 1,000 local governments have agreed to the tentative settlement, which the company says could be worth $10 billion to $12 billion over time and would include at least $3 billion from the Sackler family. The deal also calls for handing the company over to trustees and giving future profits from OxyContin and drugs in development to creditors. But some of the states that are holding out made it clear last week that they intend to object to the deal in bankruptcy court and seek to continue their lawsuits against members of the Sackler family in state courts. “My office is prepared to hold the Sackers accountable, regardless of whether or not Purdue declares bankruptcy,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement last week. It will be up to the Robert Drain, the federal bankruptcy judge in White Plains, New York, to sort out what happens now — including whether those state lawsuits against Sackler family members can continue. Even if he stops them, he could consider the claims they raise in his court. For Purdue and the Sacklers, the effort revolves around getting more states to agree to the settlement, which could make a settlement more likely. “We are hopeful that in time, those parties who are not yet supportive will ultimately shift their focus to the critical resources that the settlement provides to people and problems that need them,” the families of late company owners Mortimer and Raymond Sackler said in their statement. “We intend to work constructively with all parties as we try to implement this settlement.” The Sackler family was listed by Forbes magazine in 2016 as one of the 20 wealthiest in the U.S. In a court filing last week, the New York attorney general’s office contended that the family had transferred $1 billion to itself through a Swiss and other hidden bank accounts. As some states agreed to the deal last week, others expressed frustration amount of money, saying the family should guarantee more — and that the tentative settlement didn’t hold the family or company sufficiently accountable for their roles in causing an opioid crisis that has killed more than 400,000 Americans in the last two decades. In court filings, the family and the company have pushed back against accusations that the company played a central role in causing the national crisis by overselling the benefits of its powerful prescription painkillers and downplaying the addiction risk. The company’s drugs represent a small fraction of the prescription opioids shipped over the years — and most fatal overdoses have been linked to illegal opioids such as heroin and illicitly made fentanyl. Steve Miller, chairman of […]
Police are looking for a driver who crashed into a Brooklyn funeral home and then ran off. The crash happened around 3:00AM Monday morning at the Sabatino Funeral Home at 323 Avenue U in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn. The BMW sedan struck some trees and then an awning outside the building, causing it to collapse onto the sidewalk. Witnesses said the driver of the car fled the scene on foot. A funeral set for Monday will go on as planned. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President Reuven Rivlin addressed Shas leader Aryeh Deri’s complaints about his lack of response to the widespread incitement against the religious population during the election campaign on Twitter on Sunday evening. Deri had written on Twitter on Sunday: “Yesterday, in a shul in Jerusalem, I asked President Reuven Rivlin why he doesn’t protest against the call to boycott the Chareidim. Why doesn’t he demand from Lapid, Gantz and Liberman to refrain from boycotting entire communities only because they are Shomrei Shabbos, put on tefillin and eat kosher? To my sorrow, the president was silent. Reporters who asked for a response were also not answered. Sad.” Deri later tweeted: “If I would call for a government without Russians, Israel would erupt in a storm. If I would call for a government without Arabs, they would complain against me and perhaps open an investigation into racist incitement. When they call for a secular government, without traditional people, religious people and Chareidim, it’s legitimate in Lapid’s eyes. Double standard.” Rivlin responded on Sunday to Deri’s statements: “My friend Rav Aryeh – anyone who knows me is well aware how much it pains me to hear incitement against communities in Israel, among them the Chareidi community, and the level of harsh dialogue that we’ve been dragged into during the election period. No one knows better than you about the activities in the President’s Residence, some carried out together with you as a shared basis between the Chareidi community and other communities in Israel.” “At my age, I still remember the days of ‘Without Cheirut and without Maki’ [a reference to a refrain that David Ben-Gurion coined in order to discredit Menachem Begin’s right-wing Cheirut party and insinuate that it was as delegitimate as Maki, the Communist party] and I’m pained by what seems to be a painful reminder from different sides of the political map to those statements that were offensive to me then as they are now. In these days of the month of Elul and the election period, I chose to act like the Navi Amos’s statement: ‘The wise one will be silent at that time.'” Deri responded to Rivlin by writing: “Honored President, there’s a statement in the Gemara ‘מדשתקי רבנן שמע מינה דניחא להו״.’ If the wise ones are silent it means that they agree.” “When Liberman announced ‘a government without Chareidim’ everyone was silent. And then Lapid and Gantz joined in the boycott of Chareidim as well as the religious and traditional. Half of Am Yisrael is illegitimate in a secular government.” “Honored President, there are matters on which it’s forbidden to remain silent.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Global energy prices spiked on Monday after a weekend attack on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia caused the worst disruption to world supplies on record, an assault for which President Donald Trump warned that the U.S. was “locked and loaded” to respond. U.S. officials offered satellite images of the damage at the heart of the kingdom’s crucial Abqaiq oil processing plant and a key oil field, alleging the pattern of destruction suggested the attack on Saturday came from either Iraq or Iran — rather than Yemen, as claimed by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels there. Iran for its part called the U.S. allegations “maximum lies.” The Houthis on Monday warned of more attacks on Saudi oil facilities and urged foreign companies doing business in the kingdom to stay away from its energy sites. Yahia Sarie, a rebel spokesman, said facilities such as the Abqaiq oil processing plant and the oil field hit this weekend could again “be targeted at any time.” In Vienna, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry condemned what he called “Iran’s attack on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” in an address to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s general conference. “This behavior is unacceptable and they must be held responsible,” Perry said of Iran. “Make no mistake about it, this was a deliberate attack on the global economy and the global energy market.” He added that “despite Iran’s malign efforts, we are very confident that the market is resilient and will respond” and said that Trump has authorized the release of strategic oil reserves should the U.S. need them. But actions on any side could break into the open a twilight war that’s been raging just below the surface of the wider Persian Gulf in recent months. Already, there have been mysterious attacks on oil tankers that America blames on Tehran, at least one suspected Israeli strike on Shiite forces in Iraq, and Iran has shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone. Benchmark Brent crude gained nearly 20% in the first moments of trading Monday before settling down to over 8% higher as trading continued. A barrel of Brent traded up $5.33 to $65.55. That spike represented the biggest percentage value jump in Brent crude since the lead up to the 1991 Gulf War that saw a U.S.-led coalition expel Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s forces from Kuwait. U.S. benchmark West Texas crude was up around 8%. U.S. gasoline and heating oil similarly were up over 8% and 7% respectively before markets opened in New York. Saturday’s attack halted production of 5.7 million barrels of crude a day, more than half of Saudi Arabia’s global daily exports and more than 5% of the world’s daily crude oil production. Most of that output goes to Asia. At 5.7 million barrels of crude oil a day, the Saudi disruption would be the greatest on record for world markets, according to figures from the Paris-based International Energy Agency. It just edges out the 5.6 million-barrels-a-day disruption around the time of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to the IEA. Saudi Arabia has pledged that its stockpiles would keep global markets supplied as it rushes to repair damage at the Abqaiq facility and its Khurais oil field. Trump said the U.S. had reason to believe it knows who was behind the attack — his secretary […]
(COMMUNICATED) Amudim has been a pillar of support for the past five years, leading the way in war on abuse, addiction and mental health issues that have taken hundreds of lives in the Jewish community. Eradicating stigmas by promoting awareness and education, Amudim has been unrelenting in its quest to save lives, with more than 175,000 calls for help pouring into its offices worldwide. You can become a source of support to those in need by taking part in Amudim’s lifesaving Pillar to Pillar campaign on September 17th and 18th and be part of the solution that is changing lives and building futures. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
The Noam party on Sunday evening announced it was withdrawing from the race for 22nd Knesset as all polls show the party will not receive a sufficient number of votes to meet the minimum election threshold. Noam Chairman Rav Dror Aryeh announced on Monday morning that he still does not know what party to vote for. When Noam dropped out of the race, party officials would not point voters in a specific direction, telling supporters to vote for the party they select. Rav Aryeh told KAN Reshet Bet host Kalman Lieberman on Monday morning that he will vote in the upcoming Knesset race, but he still does not which party he will vote for despite the fact polls open in 24 hours. Deputy Minister Yaakov Litzman on Monday made an appeal to the voters of Noam to now cast a ballot for Yahadut Hatorah. יו"ר 'יהדות התורה' סגה"ש ליצמן בפנייה לתומכי מפלגת 'נועם': "בואו ניאבק יחד על הציביון היהודי של המדינה, על ארץ ישראל וערכי המשפחה היהודית". pic.twitter.com/Y3xGOehFPk — חדשות הסקופים. (@Haskupim) September 16, 2019 (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
According to a U.S. report based on Israeli sources, the Iranian hacking of Prime Ministerial hopeful Benny Gantz’s phone is far more serious than it was originally reported. The initial report came out on Israel’s channel 12 news just a few weeks ago. According to the recent report on The Gateway, the Iranians were able to gather personal information and addresses of people on Gantz’s phone as well as private emails that could embarrass the leader of the Blue and White faction including messages between Gantz and his mistress. The current worry is that if Iran managed to gain damaging information on Gantz then that could be used as leverage against him should he become Prime Minister. The channel 12 news report stated that the two security officials who told Gantz that his phone was hacked also mentioned that any sensitive information he may have had on his phone could be used against him in the future by enemy sources. *****SIGN UP NOW —- GET YOUR NEWS IN RECORD TIME***** Make sure you are one of the more than 22,000 that signed up to YWN WhatsApp Status to receive news in live time. Click this link – or send a message to 1-888-4-YW-NEWS (888-499-6397) – to see our status posts***** (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
When the Census Bureau reported an increase in the number of people without health insurance in America, it sent political partisans reaching for talking points on the Obama-era health law and its travails. But the new numbers suggest that fears of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown may be a more significant factor in the slippage. Overall, the number of uninsured in the U.S. rose by 1.9 million people in 2018, the agency report this past week. It was the first jump in nearly a decade. An estimated 27.5 million people, or 8.5% of the population, lacked coverage the entire year. Such increases are considered unusual in a strong economy. The report showed that a drop in low-income people enrolled in Medicaid was the most significant factor behind the higher number of uninsured people. Hispanics were the only major racial and ethnic category with a significant increase in their uninsured rate. It rose by 1.6 percentage points in 2018, with nearly 18% lacking coverage. There was no significant change in health insurance for non-Hispanic whites, blacks and Asians. “Some of the biggest declines in coverage are coming among Latinos and noncitizens,” said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, who tracks trends in health insurance coverage. “These declines in coverage are coming at a time when the Trump administration has tried to curb immigration and discourage immigrants from using public benefits like Medicaid.” Health care is the defining issue for Democrats vying for their party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Candidates wasted no time in Thursday’s debate highlighting the split between progressives such as Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren , who favor a government-run system for all, including people without legal permission to be in the country, and moderates like former Vice President Joe Biden. He supports building on the Affordable Care Act and adding a new public plan option, open to U.S. citizens and legal residents. Although the candidates did not dwell on the uninsured rate, Democratic congressional leaders have said the census figures show the administration’s “sabotage” of the Obama health law. The administration issued a statement blaming the law’s high premiums, unaffordable for solid middle-class people who do not qualify for financial assistance. “The reality is we will continue to see the number of uninsured increase until we address the underlying issues in Obamacare that have failed the American people,” the statement said. Patterns in the data indicate there’s more to the story. Health economist Richard Frank of Harvard Medical School said the data “suggest that we are dealing with immigration … potentially in some unexpected ways.” Frank was a high-ranking health policy adviser in the Obama administration. The uninsured rate for foreign-born people, including those who have become U.S. citizens, also rose significantly, mirroring the shift among Hispanics. Frank noted that immigrant families often include foreign-born and native-born relatives, “and you can imagine the new approach to immigration inhibiting these people from doing things that would make them more visible to public authorities,” such as applying for government health care programs. Immigrants’ fears may also be part of the reason for a significant increase in the number of uninsured children in 2018, said Katherine Hempstead, a senior health policy expert with the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which works to expand coverage. Among immigrant children who have […]
A fatal accident took place on Sunday evening in the Talpiyot neighborhood of Jerusalem when a 40-year-old man riding an electric bicycle was R”L killed after he was involved in an accident with a car on Yanovsky Street near the intersection with Beitar street. Volunteers from United Hatzalah and ambulance teams from Magen David Adom rushed to the scene and treated the man who was initially in critical condition. Following a lengthy resuscitation attempt, paramedics in the field were forced to pronounce his death. Volunteers from Zaka arrived to deal with the Kavod Hames. Police arrived at the scene and detained the driver of the car as well as opened an investigation. United Hatzalah paramedic Yaakov Baas who was one of the first responders at the scene said: “We performed CPR on the man with the help of a doctor who rushed out of the local Terem clinic located nearby. The bicyclist had suffered a full-system trauma and was unconscious when we arrived. After a lengthy resuscitation effort, we were, unfortunately, forced to pronounce his death at the scene.” This was the second electric bicycle rider killed on Sunday. The first was killed late Sunday afternoon in an accident that took place on Highway 461 near the Mesubim interchange. The man was 50-years-old and was likewise killed in an accident with a private car. *****SIGN UP NOW —- GET YOUR NEWS IN RECORD TIME***** Make sure you are one of the more than 22,000 that signed up to YWN WhatsApp Status to receive news in live time. Click this link – or send a message to 1-888-4-YW-NEWS (888-499-6397) – to see our status posts***** (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Daycare providers in New York state will soon have new guidelines for handling food allergies. Under a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, state health officials will craft the new guidelines with input from pediatric experts. They will include training requirements for daycare workers, as well as tips for minimizing the risks of allergic reactions and what to do when a child experiences one. Primary and secondary schools already have similar guidelines in place. The new law is called “Elijah’s Law” after 3-year-old Elijah Silvera, who died after experiencing a reaction to a grilled cheese sandwich he was given at daycare despite having a known allergy to dairy products. (AP)
Amudim has been a pillar of support for the past five years, leading the way in war on abuse, addiction and mental health issues that have taken hundreds of lives in the Jewish community. Eradicating stigmas by promoting awareness and education, Amudim has been unrelenting in its quest to save lives, with more than 175,000 calls for help pouring into its offices worldwide. You can become a source of support to those in need by taking part in Amudim’s lifesaving Pillar to Pillar campaign on September 17th and 18th and be part of the solution that is changing lives and building futures. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
The acting director of national intelligence is refusing to comply with a subpoena to turn over a whistleblower complaint , setting up a legal showdown this week between the Trump administration and a House committee. The House Intelligence Committee chairman tells CBS’ “Face the Nation” that intelligence chief Joseph Maguire declined to release the complaint because he was instructed not to by a “higher authority” since it involves privileged communications. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff says no intelligence director has ever refused to turn over a whistleblower complaint to Congress. Schiff says the committee will “do everything necessary” to get the complaint. The committee is requiring that Maguire testify Thursday unless he complies with the subpoena. Schiff isn’t revealing the subject of the whistleblower’s complaint. (AP)
President Trump on Sunday suggested U.S. investigators had “reason to believe” they knew who launched crippling attacks against a key Saudi oil facility, and vowed that America was “locked and loaded depending on verification.” While he did not specify who he believed was responsible for Saturday’s drone attacks, U.S. investigators previously have pointed the finger at Iran. “Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!” the president tweeted. Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2019 Earlier Sunday, Trump authorized the use of emergency oil reserves in Texas and other states after Saudi oil processing facilities were attacked, sparking fears of a spike in oil prices when markets reopen Monday. The president wrote that he had authorized the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, “in a to-be-determined amount sufficient to keep the markets well-supplied.” He continued, “I have also informed all appropriate agencies to expedite approvals of the oil pipelines currently in the permitting process in Texas and various other States.” ….sufficient to keep the markets well-supplied. I have also informed all appropriate agencies to expedite approvals of the oil pipelines currently in the permitting process in Texas and various other States. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2019 The Saudi oil sites attacked on Saturday, in a drone assault linked to Iran, interrupted about 5.7 million barrels of crude oil production, over 5 percent of the world’s daily supply. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility, but the U.S. has accused Iran of launching the assault. Tehran has denied any involvement, calling the accusations “maximum lies.” *****SIGN UP NOW —- GET YOUR NEWS IN RECORD TIME***** Make sure you are one of the more than 22,000 that signed up to YWN WhatsApp Status to receive news in live time. Click this link – or send a message to 1-888-4-YW-NEWS (888-499-6397) – to see our status posts***** (AP)
The Gerrer Rebbe Shlita has instructed the director-general of Mosdos Gur to delay his planned trip abroad, scheduled for Monday, to enable him to participate in Knesset elections on Tuesday. Rav Yonoson Bornstein, who serves as the head of Mosdos Gur and ‘Merkaz Olami’, was planning to leave for the United States on Monday, but the Rebbe has instructed him to delay his flight until after Knesset elections, which are set to be held on Tuesday, September 17, 2019. Bornstein was set to takeoff on Monday and arrive in Lakewood, at the homes of supporters, but now, the flight has been changed to permit him to vote. According to BeChadrei Chareidim, Rav Bornstein already had his ticket in hand, but that flight has been canceled and he will remain in Israel until after he votes. Other Gerrer chassidim have also been instructed to remain in Eretz Yisrael to vote in the election. The Rebbe’s secretary, Rav Broida, announced the Rebbe will not have ‘kabolas khal’ on Tuesday morning, to permit chassidim to get out and vote and to persuade others to do the same. There will be kabolas khal for adults later in the day. A kol korei was released over Shabbos in the beis medrash by Mashbak Rav Mendel Binka, citing “in light of the danger to the values of Yiddishkheit, and the persecution against religion, everyone must get out and vote Yahadut Hatorah”. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
