Antisemitic media personality Candace Owens has been removed from an event featuring Donald Trump Jr. after facing intense criticism for her recent comments casting doubt on key facts related to the Holocaust. Owens was announced as a panelist for the MAGAA-sponsored event, billed as a “fireside chat” about Bitcoin, alongside Trump Jr. and former Trump White House official Camryn Kinsey. However, her image was removed from promotional materials on Tuesday following a fierce backlash from conservative critics and Jewish allies of the former president. The event, promoted with the Trump 2024 campaign logo, aimed to hype a new Bitcoin token. Trump Jr. had shared a promotional flyer on X, saying “Make America Great Again, AGAIN has a nice ring to it!” Owens’ removal comes after she faced widespread condemnation for her anti-Semitic statements, including publicly feuding with Ben Shapiro and authoring claims widely seen as anti-Semitic. She has also courted controversy by defending avowed neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes and praising him for criticizing the number of Jews serving in the Biden administration. And just to prove she is retarded, Owens said she would stake her “professional reputation” on her assertion that France’s first lady is actually a biological male. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
In the ongoing heartrending saga of the Sephardi French children, in which three innocent Jewish children were forcibly taken from their home, the court case has commenced and the judges will issue their ruling in less than Tomorrow. The future of these children hangs in the balance; whether they will be allowed to return to their heartbroken mother or not. In another alarming development, the court has decided to consider whether the two remaining children, a toddler and a baby boy a few months of age, will be allowed to remain home. The ruling is set to be delivered on July 25th. In the interim, with tremendous siyata diShmaya Askanim succeeded in having the children transferred from the non-Jewish institution to one under Jewish ownership which is somewhat accommodating to the religious needs of the children. The current institution is still primarily irreligious, but here the children are able to keep Shabbos and have contact with other Jews. In addition, this coming week they will hopefully be able to start attending a religious day school. In a sensational incident this past week, the local Chabad rabbi Rabbi Dovid Ben-elbaz was able to bring them Yarmulka and tzitzis as well as kosher food and cake for Shabbos, which were accepted excitedly by the children. Upon receiving the kosher meat and chicken, seven year old Maimon exclaimed excitedly in a tear choked voice, “For over 6 months I resisted eating the treife food that they tried feeding me. Now for the first time in over 6 months I am able to eat fleishigs!” Incidentally, other children, formerly from frum households, were given the opportunity to join the three children, and a bittersweet Shabbos seudah ensued. The legal process as well as the constant shtadlanus is extremely costly and we have only been able to reach these milestone with the help of the entire community. However the Judge has the power to overturn all the progress that has been made by the July 25th verdict. A tremendous amounts of funds are still needed so that the askanim will be able to continue their efforts and successfully save these children and return them to their mother. Tefilos Yisroel are still needed for Rachamei shomyim to ensure the continuous progress and for a positive verdict on Tomoroow July 25th. Please continue to daven for Rivkah bas Gila and her children Maimon, Esther, Shlomo, Rochel Bracha and Avrohom. Bez”H in the zechus of this great mitzva everyone will be zoicheh to see only nachas from their children and we will be zoicheh soon to celebrate the redemption of the children with their return to the mother and the Geulas Yisroel with Moshiach Tzidkeinu very soon. Donations for the astronomical legal expenses are welcome. To help or to donate click here. Or call 646-718-9907
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore into Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday afternoon. “Benjamin Netanyahu’s presentation in the House Chamber today was by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi wrote on X. “Many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings. These families are asking for a ceasefire deal that will bring the hostages home – and we hope the Prime Minister would spend his time achieving that goal.” Pelosi was not at Netanyahu’s speech, joining other Democrats who boycotted it, so how she can make such an assertion without having been there is difficult to imagine. In his speech Netanyahu defended Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and condemned American protesters. Nine months into the war in Gaza, Netanyahu vowed to press on with the war until “total victory.” He also sought bolster U.S. support for his country’s fight against Hamas and other Iran-backed armed groups, and bitterly condemned widespread opposition in the United States to the war. “America and Israel must stand together. When we stand together something really simple happens: we win, they lose.” said Netanyahu, who wore a yellow pin expressing solidarity with the Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Netanyahu’s speech quickly took on a darker tone as he defended his country but also derided those protesting the war, gesturing to demonstrations happening as he spoke on the streets outside the U.S. Capitol, as “useful idiots” for Israel’s adversaries. He drew shouts of applause from many in Congress, but also silence from leading Democrats who declined to stand and cheer. Freed former hostages of Hamas and families of hostages listened in the House chamber as Netanyahu spoke. Lawmakers of both parties rose repeatedly to applaud the Israeli leader, while security escorted out protesters in the gallery who rose to display T-shirts with slogans demanding that leaders close a deal for a cease-fire and the release of all hostages. A weeping Rep. Rashida Tlaib held a sign in the House chamber that said “war criminal.” Netanyahu accused the numerous protesters of the war in the United States of standing with the terrorists who killed babies in Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7. “These protesters that stand with them, they should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. More than 50 Democrats and political independent Bernie Sanders boycotted Netanyahu’s speech. The most notable absence was right behind him: Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate, said a long-scheduled trip kept her from attending. The next Democrat in line, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, declined to attend, so Sen. Ben Cardin, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, served as “senator pro tempore” in place of her. Republicans said the absence of Harris, the new Democratic front-runner for the presidency, was a sign of disloyalty to an ally. Former President Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, was also a no-show for Netanyahu’s speech, citing the need to campaign. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and Harris on Thursday, and with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.
Kibbutz Nir Oz informed its residents on Wednesday night that the IDF has recovered the body of Maya Goren hy”d, who was abducted into Gaza by Hamas terrorists on October 7. The IDF had previously confirmed in December that Goren was no longer alive, but it wasn’t clear whether she was killed in captivity or murdered on October 7 and her body brought to Gaza. Goren, a 56-year-old kindergarten teacher, had arrived early at her kindergarten to prepare for the next day when the terrorists struck. Her husband, Avner, was killed in their home during the attack. The couple has four children, aged 18, 21, 23, and 25. Two of their children were not present on the kibbutz at the time, while the other two live in a separate area that the terrorists did not reach. Maya’s phone had been tracked to Gaza, leaving her family with little information about her whereabouts or condition. Initially, the family believed Avner had also been kidnapped, but his body was later found, and he was laid to rest in Nir Oz. Multiple sources report that there are additional bodies of hostages – as many as 5 – that have been recovered and brought back to Israel from the same IDF operation that recovered Maya’s body. According to YWN sources, Hamas terrorists arrested in recent weeks provided Israeli intelligence with information that led them to relaunch an operation in Khan Younis, which resulted now in the recovery of the bodies. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A year after making history with his amazingly impactful visit to the Deal community, Harav Binyomin Hatzadik Finkel returned this past Shabbos Parshas Balak to again inspire and reinforce the kesher he forged with so many individuals. Everywhere he went, the Mashgiach was extremely well-received by overflow crowds. Rabbi David M. Haber eloquently captured the collective enthusiasm of the entire kehilla: “It is truly unbelievable that the Mashgiach, who carries the acharyus of the Torah life and growth of Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, and with it, the Torah of Eretz Yisrael and the entire world – chose to spend Shabbos in our community!” Among the many kehillos visited by the Mashgiach were the late Rabbi Michael Haber zatzal”s Bet Yosef, led by his son Rabbi Joey Haber, The Deal Synagogue led by Rabbi Edmond Nahum, Rabbi David Ozeri, Rabbi David Sutton, and Rabbi Meyer Yedid. On Thursday night the Mashgiach spoke at a Special Evening of Chizuk at the Brighton Avenue Shul. Friday night’s seuda and Oneg were hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Martin and Joy Erani. On Shabbos morning, he participated in a Q&A and advice session on marriage and chinuch habanim at Bet Yosef, joined by Rabbi Joey Haber and Rabbi Shaul Haber, in the new first floor Beis Medrash; he then gave Divrei Chizuk in the Deal Synagogue. The Shabbos afternoon seuda and Oneg were hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Murad and Lauren Nakash; Shalosh Seudos by Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy and Yvette Hanan. A special Melave Malka – arranged by Rabbi David Nakash and his kehilla – was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Albert and Tania Armouth-Levy. On Sunday, he visited the homes of many community leaders and friends. The dedicated host committee – Rabbi David M. Haber, Martin Erani, Murad Nakash, Rabbi Raphael Netanel, Jack Safdeye and Ezra Zaafarani – as well as the Mir staff accompanying the Mashgiach shared that for his part, Rav Binyomin could not stop expressing how he continued to be impressed by the kavod haTorah and the upward trajectory of Aliyah across the community.
Hezbollah has released a propaganda video taken by one of its drones, showcasing the Ramat David Airbase in northern Israel. The video, claimed to have been taken yesterday, provides a rare glimpse into the Israeli military’s infrastructure. This latest release is part of a series of drone videos published by Hezbollah, demonstrating its surveillance capabilities. Earlier this month, the group shared footage of Israeli military sites in the Golan Heights, and in June, it released a video showing the Haifa area. Since October 7, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of drones into Israeli airspace, many of which have been laden with explosives. However, some have been used for surveillance purposes, like the one used to capture the Ramat David Airbase footage. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A super Jupiter has been spotted around a neighboring star by the Webb Space Telescope — and it has a super orbit. The planet is roughly the same diameter as Jupiter, but with six times the mass. Its atmosphere is also rich in hydrogen like Jupiter’s. One big difference: It takes this planet more than a century, possibly as long as 250 years, to go around its star. It’s 15 times the distance from its star than Earth is to the sun. Scientists had long suspected a big planet circled this star 12 light-years away, but not this massive or far from its star. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. These new observations show the planet orbits the star Epsilon Indi A, part of a three-star system. An international team led by Max Planck Institute for Astronomy’s Elisabeth Matthews in Germany collected the images last year and published the findings Wednesday in the journal Nature. Astronomers directly observed the incredibly old and cold gas giant — a rare and tricky feat — by masking the star through use of a special shading device on Webb. By blocking the starlight, the planet stood out as a pinpoint of infrared light. The star is so close and bright to our own solar system that it’s visible with the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere. Don’t bet on life, though. “This is a gas giant with no hard surface or liquid water oceans,” Matthews said in an email. It’s unlikely this solar system sports more gas giants, she said, but small rocky worlds could be lurking there. Worlds similar to Jupiter can help scientists understand “how these planets evolve over giga-year timescales,” she said. The first planets outside our solar system — dubbed exoplanets — were confirmed in the early 1990s. NASA’s tally now stands at 5,690 as of mid-July. The vast majority were detected via the transit method, in which a fleeting dip in starlight, repeated at regular intervals, indicates an orbiting planet. Telescopes in space and also on the ground are on the hunt for even more, especially planets that might be similar to Earth. Launched in 2021, NASA and the European Space Agency’s Webb telescope is the biggest and most powerful astronomical observatory ever placed in space. (AP)
Do you want to master the intricacies of Hilchos Shabbos or Basar B’Chalav in just one year? Now you can, with Chavra D’Hilchisa. Chavra D’hilchisa provides you the opportunity to become proficient in Halacha with our professional, innovative, fast-paced, and interactive program featuring world class magidei shiur, first-rate course materials, with a Teudas Halachah or Keser Halacha Certificate upon completion. Chavra D’hilchisa is perfect for the serious loimed who wants to attain mastery in Halacha through a clear, professional and comprehensive program. Starting this September, the program will offer both in-person and Zoom classes, providing unparalleled access to top-tier Rabbanim and Magidei Shiur instruction regardless of your geographic location. The program is under the guidance of Rabbi Daniel Glatstein, Rav and Morah D’asra of Kehilas Tiferes Mordechai in Cedarhurst, New York, Rabbi Glatstein is a prolific speaker and mechaber sefarim, with a global following. Rabbi Glatstein will be teaching HIlchos Issur V’Heter, beginning with Basar B’Chalav this Elul. The HIlchos Shabbos Shiur will be taught by Rabbi Daniel Osher Kleinman, a renowned posek and the Rov of K’hal Nachlas Dovid in Brooklyn, NY. He is the mechaber of the nine-volume Kovetz Halachos featuring the piskei halacha of HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky Shlit”a. Participants will receive an elucidated Shulchan Aruch or Mishnah Berurah, and extensive course materials including charts, diagrams, clear and concise summaries and more. The program is designed to maximize the success of each lomeid. So if you have always wanted to learn Halacha with clarity, this is your chance. Enrollment for Chavra D’Hilchisa is now open, and interested individuals are encouraged to register early to secure their spot. Join us this September and embark on a journey to master Halacha with clarity and confidence through Chavra D’Hilchisa. For more information and to sign up, please visit our website at https://www.chavradehilchisa.com or contact us at 347-459-7352
The German government on Wednesday banned an organization accused of being an “outpost” of Iran’s theocracy, promoting the ideology of its leadership and supporting Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group. Police raided 53 properties around the country, including a prominent mosque in Hamburg. The ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg, or IZH, and five suborganizations around Germany followed searches in November. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said evidence gathered in the investigation “confirmed the serious suspicions to such a degree that we ordered the ban today.” The IZH “promotes an Islamist-extremist, totalitarian ideology in Germany,” while it and its suborganizations “also support the terrorists of Hezbollah and spread aggressive antisemitism,” Faeser said in a statement. Her ministry said that “as the direct representative of Iran’s ‘Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution,’ the IZH disseminates the ideology of the Islamic Revolution in an aggressive and militant way and seeks to bring about such a revolution in the Federal Republic of Germany.” The distinctive blue-tiled Imam Ali Mosque in Hamburg, the group’s most prominent facility, was among the properties raided by police early Wednesday. There were also raids in Berlin and six other German states. The IZH has long been under observation by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, which said in its annual report for 2023 that it is Iran’s most important representative in Germany beside the country’s embassy. It said there were no reliable figures for members or supporters of the group, founded in 1962. There have been calls for it to be banned for years. Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to the closure by summoning Germany’s ambassador to Tehran, Hans-Udo Muzel, the official IRNA news agency reported. The ministry’s director for western European nations, Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, “strongly objected” to the ban and called it “a hostile act” that contradicts “basic principles of human rights,” the report said. Germany’s Interior Ministry said that, because of the ban, four Shiite mosques in the country will be closed. The IZH’s assets are also being confiscated. There are an estimated 150 to 200 Shiite congregations in Germany, according to the ministry, which stressed that it wasn’t acting against a religion. The IZH said last fall that it “condemns every form of violence and extremism and has always advocated peace, tolerance and interreligious dialogue.” The Interior Ministry said that, while the group tries to present itself as a tolerant and purely religious organization without political ties or a political agenda, “investigations have confirmed without a doubt that the IZH’s activities are not simply religious in nature.” It said the group’s purpose and activities are opposed to Germany’s constitutional order. The top regional security official in Hamburg, Andy Grote, declared that the group is now “history.” He said that “the closure of this outpost of the inhuman Iranian regime is a really effective hit against Islamic extremism.” Germany’s main Jewish organization welcomed the ban. “Iran’s mullah regime and its proxies are in position worldwide — their aim is the destruction of democracy and our way of living,” Josef Schuster, the president of the Central Council of Jews, said in a statement. Hezbollah is banned in Germany. The Iranian-backed group and Israel have been trading near-daily exchanges of fire across the Lebanon-Israel border since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza broke out in October. (AP)
“Let us demonstrate to the world that Hashem does not declare bankruptcy!” These are the words that Hagaon Harav Don Segal cried out during the Keren Olam HaTorah event last month. The emergency fundraising campaign initiated by the leading gedolim of Eretz Yisroel, Keren Olam HaTorah has marked this day to launch their unprecedented fundraising mission. After Israeli government budget cuts left yeshivos and kollelim with a $107 million deficit, over 50,000 bochurim and avreichim face an uncertain future. And that’s why Keren Olam HaTorah was created. CLICK HERE TO DONATE Our gedolim’s tireless efforts have already garnered an astounding $84 million in pledges, but we still face a shortfall of $23 million. Today is the day we launch the effort to close that gap. Today, every donation counts more than ever. We need your support to ensure that the doors of Torah learning remain open. By sponsoring an avreich for $2,736 a year, or $228 a month, you can make a direct and significant impact. Our gedolim have implored all of Klal Yisroel to give beyond their usual contributions. “This is a request to go above and beyond your normal giving,” Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch urged. Because this is not just another fundraising campaign; it is the very survival of Klal Yisroel. In recognition of the generosity, Rav Landau benched anyone who helps with good health, nachas, parnassah, and all the brachos one could wish for. Today We Will Make History Although the numbers are unprecedented, your support today can turn the tide. Donate now through our website or call our dedicated line at 732.941.1000. Together, we can secure the future of Torah learning. Share this urgent message with your family, friends, and community. Encourage them to donate too and join this historic campaign. The more people we reach, the greater our collective impact will be. Stand with us, support Keren Olam HaTorah, and become part of this historic movement. Save the future of Klal Yisroel. Donate today. For more information, email rayzeit@kerenolamhatorah.org or call (732) 686-6100732.941.1000. CLICK HERE TO JOIN
Pro-Hamas vermin from the DC Palestinian Youth Movement released a video of maggots and crickets being released at what they claimed was the Watergate Hotel, where Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife are staying. The video quickly went “viral,” with social media users assuming it was genuine. They created a mockup of the prime minister’s conference room with an Israeli and US flag, with the vermin swarming on the table. (SIDE NOTE: They accidentally placed the drinking glasses upside-down unbefitting of a table set for world leaders. Although maybe that’s how Sinwar’s table is set.) They also claimed to have released the bugs in the hallways outside the rooms of the Israeli delegation and set off fire alarms overnight to disturb the Israelis’ sleep. The video was later confirmed as fake but is still circulating on social media as genuine, with people fuming over a “major security breach”. In fact, even the respectable Yisrael Hayom news agency tweeted the video (but has since pulled it down). One thing is genuine – the pro-Palestinian groups truly are vermin. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman identified several failures in the work of identifying the bodies of the October 7th victims at the Shura IDF camp, Kan News revealed on Wednesday. Following a petition to the Supreme Court, Engelman’s investigation was frozen but the report on Shura was completed prior to the ruling. The report revealed that immediately following the massacre, a decision was made not to carry out CT scans of the murdered civilians to speed up the identification – which resulted in bodies being buried together. In the report, it was explained that the CT machine is limited to a certain number of tests per hour. However, due to the lack of CT scans, the inspectors didn’t realize that some of the body bags held more than one body. As a result, some victims were considered missing or abducted for months, and in some cases, were only identified after the opening of kevarim in which it was suspected that the person buried in it was with the missing person at the time of the massacre. Unlike civilians, CT scans were carried out on the bodies of IDF soldiers. However, there were cases where kevurah was carried out first, and only afterward, inspectors became aware through the CT scan that more than one victim was buried in one kever. As a result, the kevarim had to be opened. The audit also found that contrary to “routine” regulations, a decision was made after the massacre not to photograph the bodies, and no forensic tests were carried out, which means that there is no evidence of certain crimes, particularly the abuse of bodies. Another mistaken decision at the camp regarding civilian casualties was to open the body bags only enough to reveal the head of the victim. If that wasn’t enough to identify the victim, the bag was closed and placed on the side. However, fully opening the bags could have revealed personal objects, such as identity cards, wallets, or cell phones, that could have aided in identifying the victim. The report noted that the forensic inspectors faced an unprecedented challenge. The number of bodies that needed to be identified at one time was the most in Israeli history and many of the bodies were mutilated, making the identification process difficult and emotionally harrowing. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has pushed back against reports that he is donating $45 million a month to a super PAC supporting former President Donald Trump. In an interview with Jordan Peterson, Musk said, “What’s been reported in the media is simply not true. I am not donating $45 million a month to Trump.” The denial comes after The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk planned to make substantial donations to America PAC, a group focused on voter registration and early voting efforts. Trump appeared to reference the report at a campaign rally, saying he had read about Musk’s alleged donations. Musk clarified that he does plan to support America PAC, but at a “much lower level.” He emphasized that the PAC’s core values align with his own, promoting meritocracy and individual freedom. Musk also noted that he helped create America PAC, which aims to support Trump but is not intended to be hyperpartisan. This development comes after Musk endorsed Trump following an assassination attempt at a campaign rally earlier this month. Musk has become increasingly vocal in his support for Trump, citing shared values such as meritocracy and freedom. Despite initial claims that he would not donate to either the Trump or Biden campaigns, Musk has seemingly shifted his stance. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The IDF says it has launched a new operation in Khan Younis, with troops from the 98th Division advancing in the area. The operation, which began on Monday, involves the 7th Armored Brigade, Paratroopers Brigade, and Commando Brigade. According to the IDF, the operation aims to target Hamas terrorists who have regrouped in the southern Gaza city, three months after the IDF withdrew from it. The military warned civilians to evacuate the area before launching the operation. Over the past day, IDF troops have located several tunnels and killed several terrorists, mostly using sniper fire. In one incident, troops from the Egoz commando unit called in a drone strike and directed tank shelling against a vehicle approaching them, killing the operatives. In a separate operation in Rafah, troops from the 162nd Division raided several sites belonging to terror groups and killed gunmen. Meanwhile, Israeli Air Force fighter jets and drones struck dozens of targets across Gaza, including buildings used by terror groups, observation posts, and other infrastructure, as well as gunmen. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Monday was recorded as the hottest day ever globally, beating a record set the day before, as countries around the world from Japan to Bolivia to the United States continue to feel the heat, according to the European climate change service. Provisional satellite data published by Copernicus on Wednesday showed that Monday broke the previous day’s record by 0.06 degrees Celsius (0.1 degree Fahrenheit). While scientists cannot be certain that Monday was the very hottest day in history, they say average temperatures have not been this high for at least thousands of years. The temperature rise in recent decades is in line with what climate scientists projected would happen if humans kept burning fossil fuels at an increasing rate. “We are in an age where weather and climate records are frequently stretched beyond our tolerance levels, resulting in insurmountable loss of lives and livelihoods,” Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. Copernicus’ preliminary data shows the global average temperature Monday was 17.15 degrees Celsius, or 62.87 degrees Fahrenheit. The previous record before this week was set just a year ago. Before last year, the previous recorded hottest day was in 2016 when average temperatures were at 16.8 degrees Celsius, or 62.24 degrees Fahrenheit. While 2024 has been extremely warm, what kicked this week into new territory was a warmer-than-usual Antarctic winter, according to Copernicus. The same thing happened on the southern continent last year when the record was set in early July. Copernicus records go back to 1940, but other global measurements by the United States and United Kingdom governments go back even further, to 1880. Former head of U.N. climate negotiations Christiana Figueres said “we all scorch and fry” if the world doesn’t immediately change course, “but targeted national policies have to enable that transformation.” Scientists said it was “extraordinary” that such warm days have now occurred in two consecutive years especially when the natural El Nino warming of the central Pacific Ocean ended earlier this year. “This is yet another illustration of just how much the Earth’s climate has warmed,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California, Los Angeles. (AP)
8 months ago, on October 7th, SGT Aaron Farash was tragically murdered defending his base. His wife, Sarah, and their five children, Matanel, Aviel, David, Asher, and baby Etti, are still reeling from his loss. 💔😢 They are now struggling financially EVERY day, unable to meet their basic needs. The kids are cramped in one small room, and it’s heartbreaking to see their pain 😞 Aaron saved lives, now it’s time for US to save HIS family Please help them put a roof over their heads and support them through this tough time CLICK HERE
A plane crashed Wednesday just after taking off from Nepal’s capital, killing 18 people and injuring a pilot who was the lone survivor. Police official Basanta Rajauri said authorities have pulled out all 18 bodies. The pilot has injuries to his eyes but his life is not in any danger, said a doctor at Kathmandu Medical College Hospital, where the pilot is being treated. The doctor spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to media. A press statement issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said the Saurya Airlines domestic plane, which was scheduled to head to the resort town of Pokhara, took off at 11:11 a.m. local time from Kathmandu airport and turned right but crashed moments later in the eastern section of the airport. It is monsoon rain season in Kathmandu but was not raining at the time of the crash. Visibility was low across the capital, however. The Kathmandu airport, the main airport serving Nepal, is located inside a valley surrounded by mountains on most sides. It is considered a challenging airport for pilots and bigger planes have to come through an opening on the mountain to land. It is right next to the city, and is surrounded by houses and neighborhoods. The bodies have been taken to the T.U. Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for autopsy. The airline manifest showed there were two pilots and 17 passengers on board. The crew and 16 passengers were Nepali nationals and one passenger was identified as a Yemeni national. Tribhuvan International Airport, the main airport in Nepal for international and domestic flights, has been closed as emergency crew and investigators began their work. Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 on domestic routes. In 2019, a Bangladeshi airliner crashed at Tribhuvan airport, killing 51 people while 20 on board survived. An investigation confirmed the plane was misaligned with the runway and its pilot was disoriented and tried to land in “sheer desperation” when the plane crashed. In 2015, a Turkish Airlines jet landing in dense fog skidded off a slippery runway at the airport. The plane was carrying 238 people but there were no serious injuries. (AP)
“Let us demonstrate to the world that Hashem does not declare bankruptcy!” These are the words that Hagaon Harav Don Segal cried out during the Keren Olam HaTorah event last month. The emergency fundraising campaign initiated by the leading gedolim of Eretz Yisroel, Keren Olam HaTorah has marked this day to launch their unprecedented fundraising mission. After Israeli government budget cuts left yeshivos and kollelim with a $107 million deficit, over 50,000 bochurim and avreichim face an uncertain future. And that’s why Keren Olam HaTorah was created. CLICK HERE TO DONATE Our gedolim’s tireless efforts have already garnered an astounding $84 million in pledges, but we still face a shortfall of $23 million. Today is the day we launch the effort to close that gap. Today, every donation counts more than ever. We need your support to ensure that the doors of Torah learning remain open. By sponsoring an avreich for $2,736 a year, or $228 a month, you can make a direct and significant impact. Our gedolim have implored all of Klal Yisroel to give beyond their usual contributions. “This is a request to go above and beyond your normal giving,” Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch urged. Because this is not just another fundraising campaign; it is the very survival of Klal Yisroel. In recognition of the generosity, Rav Landau benched anyone who helps with good health, nachas, parnassah, and all the brachos one could wish for. Today We Will Make History Although the numbers are unprecedented, your support today can turn the tide. Donate now through our website or call our dedicated line at 732.941.1000. Together, we can secure the future of Torah learning. Share this urgent message with your family, friends, and community. Encourage them to donate too and join this historic campaign. The more people we reach, the greater our collective impact will be. Stand with us, support Keren Olam HaTorah, and become part of this historic movement. Save the future of Klal Yisroel. Donate today. For more information, email rayzeit@kerenolamhatorah.org or call (732) 686-6100732.941.1000. CLICK HERE TO JOIN
The Philadelphia school district has failed to protect Jewish students from “a virulent wave of antisemitism” that swept through classrooms after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday. The district, among the largest public school systems in the U.S., has ignored persistent harassment and bullying of Jewish students, some of whom have been forced to drop out, lawyers wrote in the complaint. Some teachers and administrators have spread inflammatory anti-Jewish and anti-Israel messages on social media and even in the classroom without repercussion, the complaint said. The Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish advocacy group, asked the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to order the district to issue a statement denouncing antisemitism and to take disciplinary action against teachers and students who engage in discrimination and harassment. The ADL also wants training for faculty, staff and students and the removal of antisemitic posters, flags and other material on school property. A school district spokesperson declined to comment on an active investigation. Colleges, universities and high schools nationwide have seen a wave of pro-Palestinian student protests in response to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Most of the focus has been on protests that rocked college campuses this spring, leading to thousands of arrests. But a recent congressional hearing spotlighted antisemitism in K-12 education, with the leaders of New York City Public Schools, the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, and the Berkeley Unified School District in California all vigorously denying they had failed to address hostility toward Jewish people. Like Philadelphia, New York City and Montgomery County are facing Education Department civil rights investigations into allegations of antisemitism. The ADL filed a complaint against Berkeley in California state court. In Philadelphia, schools leaders allowed hostility toward Jewish students to spread and intensify over the past nine months, and “failed to address a rampant culture of retaliation and fear” that prevented Jewish students and parents from even coming forward, James Pasch, ADL’s senior director of national litigation, said in an interview Tuesday. “There’s an environment here that really needs to change, and it really needs to change now,” he said. A group of pro-Palestinian teachers called Philly Educators for Palestine, which was cited in the complaint, responded Tuesday by accusing the ADL of “multiple inaccuracies.” The group added in a statement to The Associated Press that “criticism of Zionism or the Israeli government is not antisemitism, and attempts to label it as such is not only antisemitic itself but troubling as it will shut down any opportunity for critical thought and discussion.” In May, a group called the School District of Philadelphia Jewish Family Association made similar allegations against Philadelphia schools in a complaint to the education department under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on shared ancestry. (AP)
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Wednesday morning created a stir on Tuesday morning by announcing that the political leadership “allows Jewish tefilla on Har HaBayis.” The provocative annocument came at a sensitive time, with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Washington to drum up support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Speaking at a conference held at the Knesset in support of Jewish tefilla at Har HaBayis, Ben-Gvir said that he davened last week at Har Habyis and then said: “I’m part of the political leadership and the political leadership allows Jewish tefillah on Har HaBayis.” Ben-Gvir then added that he argued with Netanyahu about closing off Har HaBayis [to Jews] for the last ten days of Ramadan and in the past, when he would go up to Har HaBayis, Arabs would yell “Allahu Akbar’ at him and he shouted back ‘Shema Yisrael,’ and he was arrested. “Today it’s different,” he said. “Many people go there, walk around proudly and daven – that’s how it’s supposed to be.” In response, Finance Committee chairman Moshe Gafni (UTJ) said: “Aliyah to Har HaBayis involves an issur chamur of chiyuv kareis. I demand that the prime minister not allow a change in the status quo on Har HaBayis and if there is a change, to close Har HaBayis to Jews.” Interior Minister Moshe Arbel (Shas) slammed Ben-Gvir from the Knesset plenum, saying that Ben-Gvir’s statements “are a Chillul Hashem and are opposed to the position of Gedolei Yisrael. I am expressing my opposition.” Arbel added: “The day will come when the era of Ben-Gvir’s provocations will be replaced. The Torah will never be replaced.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
