Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, in coordination with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, stated on Thursday that the reservists who signed a letter against the war in Gaza will be dismissed from active reserve duty. About 950 Air Force reservists, the vast majority of whom are retired, signed a letter against the war that was published as a full-page ad on Thursday morning in several leading media outlets. Only 10% of the signatories are active reservists, most of them volunteers. Most of the signatories, if not all, were those who had opposed the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu before October 7. The letter was published despite the fact that the impending publication of the letter was brought to the attention of the Air Force leadership in recent days, and Air Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar convened several meetings with those leading the initiative to try to prevent the letter’s publication. Zamir joined one of the meetings and said: “Don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. I expect you to stand behind the Air Force.” Following the meetings, dozens of reservists withdrew their signatures from the letter. The letter states: “We, reserve and former Air Force personnel, demand the immediate return of the hostages—even if it requires an immediate cessation of hostilities. At this time, the war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security ones. Continuation of the war doesn’t advance any of the declared goals of the war, and will bring about the deaths of the hostages, of IDF soldiers and innocent civilians, while further eroding the strength of the reserve forces.” “As has been proven in the past, only an agreement can return hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers. We call on all citizens of Israel to mobilize for action and demand in every way: stop the fighting and bring the hostages home—now. Every day that passes endangers their lives. Every moment of hesitation is a disgrace.” The IDF stated on Thursday morning in response to the letter: “We are in a multi-front war in which the IDF acts solely for practical and professional considerations to fulfill the goals of the war, centered on the return of the hostages. The policy is to keep the IDF above all controversy, and it cannot accept a situation in which service members use their position to oppose the war and at the same time take part in it. A service member can’t emerge from the command center and then express distrust in his commanders and the goals of the war. This is an impossible anomaly.” “The Air Force Commander decided, with the full backing of the Chief of Staff, that an active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving in the IDF. Politics does not exist in the IDF and the IDF is outside the political debate.” Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he supports the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff in their decision to dismiss the signatories of the letter. “Refusal is refusal – even when it is said implicitly and in euphemistic language,” Netanyahu stated. “Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies in a time of war are unforgivable. This is an extreme fringe group […]
Defense ministers from around 30 countries gathered on Thursday to press ahead with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia. The meeting at NATO headquarters — the first between defense ministers representing the so-called coalition of the willing — comes after a visit to Kyiv last week by senior British and French military officers. It’s expected to work on fleshing out an agreement reached at an earlier meeting between leaders. As usual with coalition gatherings, the United States will not take part, but the success of the coalition’s operation hinges on U.S. backup with airpower or other military assistance. However, the Trump administration has made no public commitment to provide support. The Netherlands, Sweden and Finland underlined the “crucial” role of the United States. “The United States is a crucial player still in guaranteeing lasting security” in Ukraine, said Finnish Defense Minister Annit Häkkänen. His Swedish counterpart, Pål Jonson, said success in Ukraine requires “some form of U.S. engagement” while Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans called American support “very important” but said the form it took might differ, depending on the chosen type of European mission in Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ministers were “trying to keep the United States on board.” Amid that uncertainty and U.S. warnings that Europe must take care of its own security and that of Ukraine in future, the force is seen as a first test of the continent’s willingness to defend itself and its interests. Its make-up will depend on the nature of any peace agreement, but the contingent is unlikely to be stationed at Ukraine’s border with Russia. It would be located further from the ceasefire line, perhaps even outside Ukraine, and deploy to counter any Russian attack. Building a force big enough to act as a credible deterrent is proving a considerable effort for nations that shrank their militaries after the Cold War but are now rearming. U.K. officials have talked about possibly 10,000 to 30,000 troops. Countries are also reluctant to contribute personnel without U.S. support. Ukrainian government officials and military analysts have said that Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in Ukraine in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Kyiv and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating position in ceasefire talks. On Friday, representatives from around 50 nations will gather at NATO to drum up military support for Ukraine. That meeting will be chaired by Britain and Germany. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to take part. (AP)
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as the Trump administration’s ambassador to Israel. Israel supporter John Fetterman was the only Democrat to join Republicans in voting for Huckabee, with the final vote tally 53 to 46. Huckabee, a religious Christian and a staunch supporter of Israel, insists on calling the “West Bank” by its popular biblical name of Yehudah and Shomron. A frequent visitor to Israel, he even expressed interest in the past in buying a vacation home in the Shomron. US President Donald Trump responded to the appointment by saying that Huckabee is “going to be fantastic, he’s going to bring home the bacon.” He then realized that maybe he should have chosen a different expression and said jokingly: “Although bacon isn’t too big in Israel.” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu congratulated Huckabee on the confirmation, stating: “Congratulations to my dear friend Mike Huckabee upon being confirmed as the next ambassador of the United States to Israel. This is a great day for the Israeli-American alliance. I look forward to working with you to make the unbreakable bond between our two nations even stronger.” The head of the Yesha (Yehudah and Shomron) Council, Yisrael Ganz, sent a letter of congratulations to Huckabee, stating: “Your appointment represents, in our view, an important moral statement by the U.S. administration and the American people. We regard you as a representative of the United States and President Trump, as well as a true partner of the people of Israel and their undeniable historical right to live in the Land of the Bible—Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.” “We deeply appreciate your longstanding commitment to the Jewish people, its Torah, and its land, as well as your resolute stance in support of our right to security and development of communities throughout all parts of our ancestral homeland, in accordance with the vision of the prophets.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
An extraordinary moment took place on Thursday morning at the Bais Medrash of Caulfield in Sydney, Australia, as a Siyum Masechta was held — not just any Siyum, but one made by Reb Berysz Aurbach, who, at the remarkable age of 104, was mesayem Maseches Chagigah, allowing bechorim who participated to eat. Reb Berish, born Gimmel Elul 5680 (1920), hails from a Chassidishe family in Biala Podlaska, Poland — a town with deep roots in Gerrer Chassidus. He was raised in a home filled with warmth, Torah, and mesorah, together with his siblings — three older brothers, a sister, and a half-brother. He still remembers learning as a child in the local Talmud Torah — memories from a world that would soon be destroyed. In an incredible neis, he was one of the last Yidden to be smuggled out of the Warsaw Ghetto before Pesach 5703 (1943), mere days before the uprising and the brutal destruction that followed. Tragically, aside from one sister who had made her way to Eretz Yisroel before the war, his entire family was murdered al kiddush Hashem. With nothing left in Poland, Reb Berysz reached out to an uncle in Australia, who sponsored his visa and enabled him to rebuild on new shores. And now, at the age of 104, he stands as a living witness to a century of upheaval and survival — and still learns, still finishes Masechtos, and still inspires those around him. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
For the first time, Israel has transferred long-range surface-to-surface missiles to militias in Iraq, defying US President Donald Trump ahead of direct US-Tehran talks, the UK-based The Times reported on Wednesday. The move significantly bolsters Tehran’s influence in the region as the missiles are capable of reaching Europe. The report contradicts a Reuters report earlier this week that the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are considering disarming due to pressure from the Trump administration. A source told The Times that these reports are false. “The efforts seen in the last 48 hours to create a picture that the militias are disarming is a ruse,” he said. “Iran has recently transferred missiles to Shia militias in Iraq, including new models with longer range, which have not been given in the past to those militias,” a regional intelligence source confirmed to the Times. “It’s a desperate move by the Iranians, risking the stability of Iraq,” The report continued by saying that “the weapons were transferred last week, according to regional intelligence involved in monitoring the nearly 1,000-mile border between the countries. It was the first time long-range surface-to-surface missiles had been in the possession of an Iran-allied militia in Iraq. Sources said the delivery was arranged by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Air Force.” “Sources said that two other types of missiles, the Quds 351 cruise and Jamal 69 ballistic missiles, were also smuggled into Iraq last week. They had a much shorter range than the new surface-to-surface missiles, which could be positioned to target as far as Europe.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai stirred up a storm online after he said on Nadav Perry’s podcast that anyone who is religious is opposed to democracy. Perry: “You’re saying something harsh that I don’t accept. Are you saying that anyone who believes in a supreme being cannot accept democracy in the same breath?” Huldai replied without hesitation: “No. Because if you believe in Him, it means He is supreme. It can’t be that the Supreme Court will decide against what is written and what you believe in. Therefore, religion, by its very nature, is anti-democratic.” “Those who are religious go to the Rav for everything. It’s already determined and written and the Rav tells you if something is according to Halacha or not. If Halacha is the law – then we are Iran,” Huldai added. Channel 14 journalist Yinon Magal responded to Huldai’s remarks by stating: “Ron Huldai is so anachronistic that he still lives in a world where a religious soldier was asked if he’ll listen to his commander or his Rav. As if we haven’t been through the show of refusal of all those who ‘listened to their conscience’ and announced that they ‘will stop volunteering for the IDF, because they are ‘loyal to the kingdom and not the king,’ and object to the public influencing the identity of the judges through their elected representatives in the Knesset (like everywhere else in the world).” “And he is so ignorant because he has no idea what it is to be a religious person and he has no idea what democracy is. For him, democracy is when his values rule – even if it means that the minority rules over the majority. In short, another ‘enlightened’ dinosaur,” Magal concluded. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The last person convicted in Germany for crimes committed during the Holocaust, Irmgard Furchner, died at the age of 99, a German court announced on Monday. In 2022, Furchner, who served as a secretary at the Nazi concentration camp Stutthof during World War II, received a two-year suspended sentence for complicity in the murders of more than 10,000 people. Her trial marked the first prosecution of a woman in Germany for Nazi-era crimes in decades. The Stutthof concentration camp, located near Gdansk in occupied Poland, was established by Nazi Germany in 1939. Around 65,000 people lost their lives at Stutthof, many of them non-Jewish Poles, as well as Jews deported from Warsaw, Bialystok, and forced-labor camps in the occupied Baltic states. Between June 1943 and April 1945, Furchner worked directly under the camp commander, Paul Werner Hoppe. Her husband was also an SS officer at the camp. The court noted during her trial that Furchner was fully aware of the “extremely bad conditions” prisoners endured. Furchner made headlines when she attempted to evade her trial by fleeing from the retirement home where she lived. Authorities quickly apprehended her in nearby Hamburg. Due to her age at the time of the crimes—she was a teenager—her trial took place in a juvenile court. In 2024, the Federal Court of Justice upheld Furchner’s conviction, emphasizing her conscious involvement in the atrocities committed at the camp, including the deaths caused by gassing, inhumane conditions, transportation to Auschwitz, and forced death marches as the war ended. “For Holocaust survivors, it is enormously important for a late form of justice to be attempted. Even nearly 80 years after the Holocaust, no line can be drawn under Nazi crimes,” said Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. Stutthof was the very last Nazi concentration camp to be liberated at the end of World War II. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
(Translated by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow – Email asebrow@gmail.com for sources) Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l was renowned for his concise, often one-word answers to halachic questions. Over the years, various individuals compiled and published collections of the questions they asked him—and the succinct responses they received in return. Below is a translation of several questions related to Birchas Ilanos (the blessing recited upon seeing blossoming fruit trees in the spring). Please note: while these insights are fascinating and can spark meaningful discussion, all those who published these collections emphasized that the responses should not be relied upon halacha l’maaseh (for practical halachic rulings). For sources or further inquiries, feel free to reach out via the email address provided at the top of this article. Are women obligated to recite Birchas Ilanos? They are obligated if they see a blossoming fruit tree. Should one train his children to recite Birchas Ilanos? Yes. If a boy is turning 13 in Nissan, should he wait until he is Bar Mitzvah to recite this bracha? He does not need to wait. Why is that different than Kiddush Levana? Kiddush Levana is an obligatory blessing, so an argument can be made that a boy should wait until he is Bar Mitzvah. There is no obligation at all to see a blossoming tree and recite Birchas Ilanos. If one sees a blossoming fruit tree, he must recite a bracha. Therefore, if a boy sees a blossoming fruit tree, he should recite the bracha then and not wait until he is bar mitzvah. May one recite Birchas Ilanos on a potted fruit tree with holes on the bottom? Yes. May one recite Birchas Ilanos on a fruit tree still in the Orlah years? There is a discussion about this. Some are lenient. (Rebbe Akiva Eiger says one can recite Birchas Ilanos on Safek Orlah outside of Israel.) Rav Chaim Kanievsky is recorded as giving contradictory answers whether one may recite Birchas Ilanos on a potted fruit tree that does not have holes on the bottom. (Atzitz She’aino Nakuv) Can one recite Birchas Ilanos on a blossoming fruit tree that only produces a spice used to flavor other dishes? No. If someone mistakenly recited Birchas Ilanos on a non-fruit-bearing tree, should he recite the bracha again on a fruit-bearing tree? Yes. May one recite Birchas Ilanos on a detached branch of a blossoming fruit-bearing tree? No. Is it permissible to recite Birchas Ilanos on a tree if the flowers have already fallen off, but the emerging fruit is still unripe? No. May one recite Birchas Ilanos on a tree growing by someone who does not keep Shabbos R”L;Perhaps he may have planted it on Shabbos. One does not need to be concerned for that possibility. Is it forbidden to recite Birchas Ilanos on a tree that was guarded and worked on during Shmitta? Those that forbid reciting Birchas Ilanos on a grafted fruit tree would also prohibit this. May one recite Birchas Ilanos on a fruit tree planted without permission? Without Shem U’Malchus. May one recite Birchas Ilanos on a tree whose fruit is infested with bugs? Yes. May one recite Birchas Ilanos in Adar? The custom is not to. But if one recited it in Adar, he fulfilled his obligation. (The Rivivos Ephraim reports that he personally witnessed […]
A growing number of Americans now view Israel in a negative light, according to a new Pew Research Center survey released Tuesday, with 53% expressing an unfavorable opinion of the Jewish state — rising from 42% in March 2022. The survey also found that confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains low, with just 32% of Americans trusting him to handle world affairs appropriately, while 52% say they have little or no confidence in his leadership. Partisan divides were evident in the results: 69% of Democrats hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53% in the 2022 survey. Among Republicans, the number of those viewing Israel negatively increased to 37%, compared to 27% three years ago. The shift has been especially pronounced among younger adults. Among Republicans under 50, views on Israel are now nearly evenly split — 50% negative versus 48% positive. In 2022, 63% of this group viewed Israel favorably, with just 35% holding a negative opinion. Negative views among older Democrats jumped by 23 points over the same period, compared to a 9-point increase among younger Democrats. Pew also noted waning American interest in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. In January, 65% of Americans said the war was personally important to them. That number has now dropped to 54%. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is a medical diagnosis that gets thrown around a lot in colloquial speech, especially around Pesach time. We take Hilchos Pesach seriously, and rightfully so! OCD is not the same as being careful in Halacha, and it’s crucial to distinguish between the two. Because the term is so misused and misunderstood, it can be helpful and important to distinguish between what is and isn’t OCD. Many people will say things like “I’m so OCD” when referring to being hyper-organized or particular about the way they do things. (You line up your clothes in your closet in order of color? You’re so OCD!) This is not OCD and can be both invalidating to people who are truly struggling and just generally misinform the public about what to be aware of. Someone experiencing OCD will experience repetitive, intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images or urges that cause significant anxiety or distress. The individual will try to control or suppress the thought, or neutralize it with some kind of thought or action, which is a compulsion. The compulsion will give temporary relief, which is what makes our brains want to repeat this behavior and then the cycle gets continued. Obsessions take the form of fear inducing “what if” questions, and can be about almost any topic in life. Some categories, such as those that have to do with germs, contamination or “checking” are more well known, thus leading to the common stereotypes mentioned above. Other common forms of OCD like Harm OCD or Magical Thinking OCD are lesser known. Obsessions may sound like “What if I push this person onto the train tracks”, or “what if I just caused my sister to get cancer by thinking about it?” And compulsions can look like things such as refusing to stand near train tracks, or trying to think of a “positive” thought for every “negative” thought. Religious OCD, sometimes referred to as Scrupulosity, refers to obsessions and compulsions revolving around violating religious ethics, beliefs and laws. What if I didn’t wash Negel Vasser properly and contaminated everything in my house? What if I didn’t clean myself properly before davening? Because OCD will often show up in the areas of life that we care about most deeply, this is a common place of OCD for frum people. It’s really important to distinguish between what is religious OCD and what is being stringent or careful in halachos. Some helpful points to consider are: is the focus of my thoughts on a narrow area of halacha? (I repeat words of davening over and over for fear I did not pronounce correctly but am not overly stringent in Hilchos Shabbos). Are my thoughts unwanted, and do they cause anxiety or discomfort? Due to my fears, am I doing things that are out of the norm for my religious group or community? And ultimately, is this causing some level of dysfunction or impairment in my life? If someone believes that they may be struggling with OCD, it is so important to know that treatment is available and accessible. Treatment for OCD can include both medication and therapy, most notably, ERP or Exposure and Response Prevention. This involves gradually exposing individuals to situations that trigger their obsessions and compulsions while preventing them from engaging in their usual […]
Hatzolah of Central Jersey, the Lakewood Fire Dept., Chaveirim of Central Jersey, and Lakewood Shomrim have issued an urgent reminder to take proper precautions and avoid serious – and entirely preventable – dangers associated with carbon monoxide poisoning. Each year in the United States, thousands of people are treated for accidental carbon monoxide exposure, and tragically, some do not survive. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer – invisible, tasteless, and odorless – and it can accumulate quickly when proper care is not taken. This time of year brings intense cleaning and kashering activities – but they must be done with awareness of physical safety. When cleaning for Pesach, Hatzolah urges you to be mindful in the following areas: COMMON DANGERS DURING PESACH CLEANING: • Leaving ovens on for extended periods (for kashering or to burn off chometz) without proper ventilation. • Running self-clean cycles while the home is closed up tight, causing heat and gas buildup. • Cleaning cars in closed garages while the engine is running. • Using gas-powered equipment indoors or in poorly ventilated areas. • Blocking appliance vents or chimneys during deep cleaning or covering surfaces. SAFETY TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY: • Never leave your car running in a closed garage, even for a few minutes. • Always ensure proper ventilation when using ovens or other gas-powered appliances. • Install working carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home, especially near sleeping areas. • Do not use grills, generators, or other outdoor equipment indoors under any circumstances. • If anyone in the home suddenly feels dizzy, weak, nauseous, or confused – get out immediately and call Hatzolah. We implore every family to take these warnings seriously. All it takes is one oversight for tragedy to strike R”L. May we all be zoche to a safe, healthy, and uplifting Zman Cheiruseinu. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
POTUS: “No other President would have done what I did… Somebody had to do it. It had to stop because it’s not sustainable. Last year, China made $1 trillion off trade with the United States… Now I’ve reversed it.”
Scott Bessent: “The successful negotiating strategy that President Trump implemented a week ago today, it has brought more than 75 countries forward to negotiate…. Do not retaliate and you will be rewarded. Every country in the world who wants to come and negotiate, we are willing to hear you.”
SEC. HEGSETH: “We’ll be signing…a joint declaration with the minister of canal affairs on the security & operation of the Panama Canal, which is a framework for U.S. warships & auxiliary ships to sail first & free through the Panama Canal.”
In an explosive revelation that could rewrite the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic, a military report recently uncovered by the Washington Free Beacon indicates that seven American troops may have contracted COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in October 2019—months before China acknowledged the virus’s existence. The report, mandated by the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act and secretly withheld by the Biden administration for nearly two years, was uncovered and quietly made public in late March. It outlines that seven U.S. military service members fell ill with COVID-like symptoms after attending the World Military Games held in Wuhan in October 2019. This disclosure contradicts earlier public denials by both the Trump and Biden administrations, which consistently asserted there was no evidence of Americans contracting the virus at the games. Former Defense Department spokesman John Kirby had previously dismissed suggestions that military personnel became infected in Wuhan, asserting that the Pentagon had “no knowledge” of such cases. The location of the games? Wuhan, home to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, infamous for its controversial gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses funded, in part, by U.S. taxpayers. Rutgers University professor Richard Ebright, a prominent voice supporting the theory that COVID-19 originated in this lab, said that the findings in the report bolster evidence pointing toward a lab leak. “It is an outrage that the Biden White House and congressional committees withheld this crucial information from the American public,” Ebright said. “This confirms what intelligence and scientific data have indicated—that COVID-19 was already circulating in Wuhan long before December 2019.” Military athletes from several U.S. allies, including Germany, France, Italy, and Luxembourg, also reported COVID-like symptoms during their stay in Wuhan, describing the city as eerily empty—a “ghost town,” according to the Daily Mail. Senator Joni Ernst echoed Ebright’s condemnation, criticizing the Biden administration for failing to release the report immediately upon its completion. “Taxpayers deserve the truth about the origins of COVID-19,” Ernst said. “If Americans visiting Wuhan in October 2019 were infected, theories placing the pandemic’s start in a wet market two months later are fundamentally flawed.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
