Never-before-seen footage of Maran HaGaon Rav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman zt”l has been released, capturing the Rosh Yeshiva’s deep mesiras nefesh for the mosdos haTorah he established. The footage, released to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of Orchos Torah, showcases Rav Shteinman’s personal visit to the yeshivos, Kollelim, and facilities under the esteemed network he built l’hagdil Torah u’leha’adirah. In the extraordinary video, the Rosh Yeshiva zt”l can be seen making his way through the batei medrash, taking in the kol Torah of the yungeleit and bochurim. He is seen meticulously inspecting the kitchen, dining room, and dormitories, ensuring that the talmidim have the proper environment to shtieg. Even the bathrooms were not overlooked, as Rav Aharon Leib wanted to ascertain that every aspect of the yeshiva met the highest standards of kavod haTorah and kavod habriyos. This footage is a powerful testament to Rav Shteinman’s lifelong dedication to the yeshiva world, his concern for every detail of a talmid’s ruchniyus and gashmiyus. Yehi zichro baruch. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Naugatuck, CT was the scene of an incredibly memorable event on Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel. The Rabbeim, bochurim and alumni of Mesivta Yesodei HaTorah, as well as multiple guests from Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim in Queens, along with the Rosh HaYeshiva HaRav Doniel Lander Shlita, were zoche to experience an unforgettable Shabbos together with Rav Shimon Galai, shlita, who graced the Yeshiva with his presence in what has become a much anticipated annual event. It is difficult to describe the ruchnius and spiritual energy that encompassed the entire Shabbos. The opportunity to observe Rav Galai’s intense kavana during davening, his warm interaction with the bochurim seeking his berachos, his demonstrable ahava for every Yid, and the vitality and hislahavus he displayed during zemiros and dancing were beyond uplifting. During a Friday night oneg and a stirring drasha during shalosh seudos, Rav Galai focused on the themes of serving Hashem b’simcha and maintaining emunah and bitachon while confronting life’s challenges regardless of one’s age or position in life. His divrei hisorerus and personal anecdotes mesmerized and penetrated the neshamos of all who were present. Motzei Shabbos culminated with a joyous Melave Malka which welcomed Rabbonim, talmidims’ parents, and friends of the Mesivta from the nearby Waterbury community. Following a siyum by the bochurim on maseches Pesachim, Rav Galai led the large crowd in exuberant dancing likavod Hatorah. One could not help but be awestruck watching the venerable Rav jump and sing with all his might, urging on the bochurim to ever greater heights of simcha. In his derasha, Rav Galai displayed his characteristic anivus, thanking the Mesivta for a Shabbos overflowing with ruchnius, in addition to the serene surroundings and pristine environment of the Yeshiva campus. Of course, the privilege and hakaras hatov belong to us at Mesivta Yesodei HaTorah, who had the zechus to host Rav Galai for this truly transformative and inspirational Shabbos.
In the wake of the devastating car crash that claimed the lives of two young girls and a mother in Flatbush over Shabbat, Chai Lifeline’s Sephardic Division has been on the ground providing immediate crisis and trauma support to a shocked and grieving community. Chai Lifeline’s Crisis Services team mobilized to offer guidance, emotional support, and professional mental health interventions. On Motzei Shabbat, more than 250 parents from the children’s school gathered for an intervention session led by Chai Lifeline professionals to better understand how to support their children and navigate their own grief. By Sunday morning, the response continued with specialized support sessions for the children’s teachers and faculty members. A school-wide community intervention is also scheduled for Sunday night, aiming to offer continued guidance to hundreds of students, parents, educators, and local leaders. Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox, Director of Chai Lifeline Crisis Services, emphasized that while professional psychological care is sometimes necessary, the most critical support often comes from within the home. He offered the following guidelines for parents in the community to help their children cope with the aftermath of such tragedy: Guidance for Parents Following a Tragic Event Be aware of your own reactions. Children learn how to respond to crises by observing the adults around them. Try to remain calm and process your own feelings with another adult before speaking with your children. Devote extra attention. Offer a safe space for your child to express emotions. Let them know that feelings such as fear, sadness, anger, or confusion are natural responses to a difficult situation. Tailor conversations to your child’s age. Use age-appropriate language when discussing the event. Avoid overwhelming younger children with too much detail. Provide brief information and invite them to ask questions. Limit media exposure. Avoid allowing children to view graphic images or reports about the tragedy. Continuous exposure can amplify anxiety and fear, especially in younger children. Maintain normal routines. A return to familiar schedules provides children with a sense of safety and stability. Routine is a powerful, non-verbal message that life continues and they are secure. Watch for signs of distress. Nightmares, regressive behavior, aggression, or persistent sadness are all common after a trauma. If these continue beyond a few weeks or worsen, consider seeking professional help. Be especially attentive to teens. Adolescents may internalize their emotions or express them through changes in behavior. Check in frequently and watch for signs of withdrawal, disrupted sleep, or unusual mood shifts. Take care of yourself. You can best support your children when you’re taking care of your own physical and emotional well-being. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you feel overwhelmed. Chai Lifeline is here to support the community through this difficult time. Our Sephardic Division and Crisis Services teams are continuing to offer interventions, guidance, and compassionate care to all those affected. If you or someone you know are in need of support, please contact Chai Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis line at 1-855-3-CRISIS or email crisis@chailifeline.org.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) says he thinks the Trump administration “is doing the right thing” in being more aggressive against the Iranian-backed Houthis militant group. “I think the Biden administration took repeated action against the Houthis. I think they could have done more.”
In a move that could signal a shift in Republican tax policy, the Trump administration is weighing an increase in the top income tax rate for the wealthiest Americans as a means to fund tax cuts on tipped income. A senior White House official confirmed the discussions to Axios, noting that the plan remains in its early stages. The proposal, if implemented, would mark a departure from traditional GOP economic strategy, which has long prioritized across-the-board tax cuts. White House officials argue that raising the top income tax rate could provide the necessary revenue to eliminate taxes on tips, a move aimed at benefiting millions of service industry workers. Currently, the top federal income tax rate stands at 37%, applying to earnings above $609,351 for individuals and $731,201 for married couples. If the 2017 tax cuts expire, this rate would revert to the pre-2018 level of 39.6%. The increase would primarily impact the highest-earning 1% of taxpayers, who already shoulder a huge portion of federal income tax revenue. By accepting a tax hike for top earners, the administration could utilize budget reconciliation rules to offset the cost of cutting taxes on tips, aligning with Trump’s populist messaging that seeks to position Republicans as champions of the working class. The move is also seen as an effort to neutralize Democratic criticisms that Republican tax policies disproportionately benefit the wealthy. With growing concern over the national deficit and looming budget battles, some White House officials believe that a limited tax increase on high earners could provide political leverage while still maintaining the party’s broader commitment to tax cuts. “If we renew tax cuts for the rich paid for by throwing people off Medicaid, we’re gonna get slaughtered,” a senior administration official told Axios. Polling data suggests that a majority of Americans—including a significant portion of Republican voters—support increasing taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations. A recent Pew Research survey found strong bipartisan backing for tax hikes on high-income earners to address economic disparities. Despite the potential benefits, the proposal faces stiff opposition within the Republican Party. Many GOP lawmakers and donors view tax cuts as a cornerstone of conservative economic philosophy, arguing that higher rates on top earners could hinder economic growth and investment. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has cautioned against allowing the 2017 tax cuts to lapse, warning that such a move could trigger economic instability. Additionally, many Republican legislators are hesitant to support a policy shift that might be perceived as a departure from the party’s long-standing tax reduction agenda. Historically, Republican presidents have championed lowering top tax rates. Ronald Reagan reduced the highest marginal tax rate from 70% to 28%, while George W. Bush lowered it from 39.6% to 35%. Trump’s 2017 tax reform continued this trend, making the prospect of a rate increase a significant departure from past GOP policies. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
NOW: Preparations are underway for the Levaya of Natasha (Sara) Saada A”H and her two beloved daughters, Diana (7) A”H and Debra (5) A”H who were tragically killed in a horrific crash on Shabbos afternoon. The Levaya is scheduled for 4:30PM at Shomrei Hadas Chapels, located at 14th Avenue and 38th Street in Boro Park.
A groundbreaking report released by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) this week has uncovered significant antisemitic and anti-Israel biases embedded within some of the world’s most widely used artificial intelligence (AI) language models. Titled Generating Hate: Anti-Jewish and Anti-Israel Bias in Leading Large Language Models, the study marks the ADL’s most comprehensive evaluation to date of how AI systems handle topics related to Jewish people, Israel, and antisemitic tropes. The ADL’s Center for Technology and Society, in collaboration with its Ratings and Assessments Institute, analyzed four prominent AI models: OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, and Meta’s Llama. The evaluation involved testing each model approximately 8,600 times, yielding a total of 34,400 responses across six categories, including bias against Jews, bias against Israel, and responses to conspiracy theories. The findings paint a troubling picture of AI’s potential to amplify societal prejudices. The report found that all four models exhibited measurable anti-Jewish and anti-Israel bias, though the severity varied. Meta’s Llama, the only open-source model in the group, emerged as the most problematic, frequently providing unreliable and misleading responses. For instance, Llama scored lowest when addressing questions about the antisemitic “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory and struggled significantly with Holocaust-related queries. The ADL speculated that Llama’s open-source nature might contribute to its lower thresholds for problematic answers. OpenAI’s GPT and Anthropic’s Claude also displayed notable anti-Israel bias, particularly in responses related to the Israel-Hamas war. These models often failed to provide consistent, fact-based answers and were more likely to refuse to respond to Israel-related questions than other topics—a pattern the ADL described as a “troubling inconsistency.” Meanwhile, Google’s Gemini performed relatively better but still showed biases, especially when prompted with Jewish and Israeli conspiracy theories. Across all models, the ADL noted a “concerning inability” to consistently reject antisemitic tropes and misinformation, raising alarms about AI’s role in shaping public discourse. “Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people consume information, but as this research shows, AI models are not immune to deeply ingrained societal biases,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt in a statement. “When these systems amplify misinformation or refuse to acknowledge certain truths, they can distort public discourse and contribute to antisemitism. This report is an urgent call to AI developers to take responsibility for their products and implement stronger safeguards.” Daniel Kelley, interim head of the ADL Center for Technology and Society, emphasized the real-world implications of these findings. “These systems are already embedded in classrooms, workplaces, and social media moderation decisions, yet they’re not adequately trained to prevent the spread of antisemitism and anti-Israel misinformation,” he said. “AI companies must act proactively to address these failures.” The ADL has proposed several recommendations, urging developers to conduct rigorous pre-deployment testing in partnership with academia, civil society, and governments, and to carefully assess biases in training data. The organization also called on governments to invest in AI safety research and establish regulatory frameworks to ensure accountability. Responses from the tech giants varied. Meta contested the ADL’s methodology, arguing that the study’s multiple-choice prompts did not reflect how users typically interact with AI through open-ended questions. A Meta spokesperson stated, “We’re constantly improving our models to ensure they are fact-based and unbiased, but this report doesn’t reflect real-world use.” Google echoed similar concerns, noting that the version of Gemini tested was a developer model, not […]
BREAKING NOW: NYC Mayor Eric Adams just visited the home of Sidney Saada, whose wife and two daughters were killed in the horrific crash on Ocean Parkway. Adams offered words of condolences and stated his his entire team is there to assist in any way possible.
Rabbi Younes Hamami Lalehzar, one of the leaders of the Jewish kehilla in Iran, attacked Israel live on Iranian television on Friday and disavowed the State of Israel. He spoke on the Machfel program, one of the most popular television programs in Iran. Beginning his speech in broken Hebrew, he said: “We are Jews who believe in our holy Torah. We we absolutely do not approve of the Israeli government, what it’s doing in the Holy Land. We demand peace for the whole world, for all the inhabitants of the Holy Land.” He then switched to Farsi, speaking against Zionism and condemning “the Zionists and the government of Israel who are committing war crimes and killing innocent people in Gaza and Lebanon.” He emphasized that “Judaism as a religion acts according to the Torah of Moses, the prophet of G-d, and fundamentally opposes arrogance and oppression. There are rules in the Torah of Judaism, even in times of war, which indicate that one should avoid harming defenseless civilians.” In particular, he noted that “according to Jewish law, even in times of war, it is forbidden to cut down fruit trees in a besieged city. And although Zionism grew out of the Jewish community, it is political and not a true representative of Judaism.” He also compared Zionism to ISIS, which “carries out violence in the name of Islam,” adding that just like ISIS cannot represent Islam, Zionism cannot represent Judaism. The TV host noted that “Chacham Hamami referred to the true doctrine of Judaism, sees Zionism as a deviation from the Jewish religion and emphasizes that the crimes of the Zionist regime contradict the religious principles of Judaism.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump says Wednesday will be “Liberation Day” — a moment when he plans to roll out a set of tariffs that he promises will free the United States from foreign goods. The details of Trump’s next round of import taxes are still sketchy. Most economic analyses say average U.S. families would have to absorb the cost of his tariffs in the form of higher prices and lower incomes. But an undeterred Trump is inviting CEOs to the White House to say they are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new projects to avoid the import taxes. It is also possible that the tariffs are short-lived if Trump feels he can cut a deal after imposing them. “I’m certainly open to it, if we can do something,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll get something for it.” At stake are family budgets, America’s prominence as the world’s leading financial power and the structure of the global economy. Here’s what you should know about the impending trade penalties: What exactly does Trump plan to do? He wants to announce import taxes, including “reciprocal” tariffs that would match the rates charged by other countries and account for other subsidies. Trump has talked about taxing the European Union, South Korea, Brazil and India, among other countries. As he announced 25% auto tariffs last week, he alleged that America has been ripped off because it imports more goods than it exports. “This is the beginning of Liberation Day in America,” Trump said. “We’re going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs, taking our wealth, taking a lot of things that they’ve been taking over the years. They’ve taken so much out of our country, friend and foe. And, frankly, friend has been oftentimes much worse than foe.” In an interview Saturday with NBC News, Trump said it did not bother him if tariffs caused vehicle prices to rise because autos with more U.S. content could possibly be more competitively priced. “I hope they raise their prices, because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars,” Trump said. “I couldn’t care less because if the prices on foreign cars go up, they’re going to buy American cars.” Trump has also suggested that he will be flexible with his tariffs, saying he will treat other nations better than they treated the United States. But he still has plenty of other taxes coming on imports. The Republican president plans to tax imported pharmaceutical drugs, copper and lumber. He has put forth a 25% tariff on any country that imports oil from Venezuela, even though the United States also does so. Imports from China are being charged an additional 20% tax because of its role in fentanyl production. Trump has imposed separate tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico for the stated reason of stopping drug smuggling and illegal immigration. Trump also expanded his 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs to 25% on all imports. Some aides suggest the tariffs are tools for negotiation on trade and border security; others say the revenues will help reduce the federal budget deficit. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says they will force other nations to show Trump “respect.” What could tariffs do to the US economy? Nothing good, according to most economists. They say the tariffs would get passed along to consumers in […]
Iran has flatly rejected President Donald Trump’s call for renewed nuclear negotiations, spurning a chance to avert escalating tensions and testing the limits of America’s patience. The rejection, announced by Tehran on Sunday, comes in response to a stern letter from Trump demanding that Iran return to the negotiating table to address its illicit nuclear ambitions—or face the full weight of U.S. economic and military might. President Trump had warned Iran earlier this week that failure to engage in talks would trigger secondary tariffs and potentially unprecedented military action. “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing. And it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before,” Trump declared, as reported by NBC’s Kristen Welker. Yet, Iran’s hardline regime, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, chose confrontation over cooperation. In a televised address, Khamenei dismissed Trump’s outreach as “arrogant threats from a bully,” vowing that Iran would never bow to American pressure. Tehran’s refusal to negotiate not only rebuffs a reasonable offer to de-escalate tensions but also underscores its stubborn commitment to a nuclear program that threatens global security. The United States has taken decisive steps to back up its words with action. Pentagon officials confirmed the deployment of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to Diego Garcia, a strategic outpost in the Indian Ocean from which America’s cutting-edge aircraft could strike Iran’s nuclear facilities with pinpoint accuracy. Trump’s strategy blends strength with pragmatism. By proposing secondary tariffs, he aims to tighten the economic noose around Iran’s faltering regime, which has already been battered by sanctions that rightfully punish its support for terrorism and regional aggression. The president’s letter offered Iran a lifeline—a chance to rejoin the community of nations through a fair nuclear deal. Tehran’s rejection of this opportunity reveals its true colors: a rogue state more interested in chaos than peace. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
WILLIAMSBURG: On Sunday morning, NYC Mayor Eric Adams joined the UJO of Williamsburg and Met Council at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to distribute food for Pesach.
Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on the final stage of the Gaza war: “Hamas must surrender and disarm. Their leaders can leave. Israel will secure Gaza and move forward with the Trump-backed voluntary migration plan…. That’s the vision, and we’re not hiding it. We’re ready to talk about it anytime.”
Over the past week, troops of the 810th Brigade, under the command of the 210th Division, operated in new areas on the peak of the Syrian Hermon with the goal of neutralizing threats and confiscating enemy equipment in the area. During the operation, troops from the 810th Brigade and the Yahalom Unit, located military infrastructure, including military equipment and an explosive device weighing dozens of kilograms.
