Employees of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation were shocked to discover politically motivated graffiti on the stones of the southern section of the Kosel in the early hours of Monday morning. The words “There’s a Holocaust in Gaza”—taken straight from the playbook of the most vicious anti-Israel actors—were spray-painted across the stones. Kosel Rav HaRav Shmuel Rabinovitch expressed great tza’ar over the desecration of the kedushah of the Kosel, stating, “A holy place is not a place to express protests of any kind, and all the more so at the holiest place for the entire Jewish people.” “The police must investigate the incident, locate the criminals who desecrated the holy site, and bring them to justice.” In the past, a similar incident occurred on the northern side of the Kosel, and extensive halachic discussions were held regarding the appropriate method to remove the writing from the Kosel stones. In this case as well, HaRav Rabinovitch will instruct the professional authorities on how to remove the writing in a way that does not harm the kedushah of the Kosel. Shortly after the incident was reported, the police announced that Jerusalem District police officers arrested a suspect, a Jewish resident of the capital in his 20s, after security guards spotted him near the southern section of the Kosel early Monday morning. He was transferred for questioning, during which it was revealed that he had sprayed a similar slogan on the wall of the Great Synagogue in central Jerusalem overnight Sunday. According to the police, the suspect confessed to the acts and apologized. He will be brought before a court for a hearing later on Monday, where the police will request an extension of his detention. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
American Jews who visited the home of HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau in Bnei Brak asked the Rosh Yeshivah what they could do from the US to assist in the campaign against the arrest and imprisonment of bnei yeshivos. “What can be done from America?” they asked. HaRav replied. “For now, daven. Instructions will be issued soon. Over time, there will be instructions from here.” “The process won’t happen quickly. You will have a significant role—but not now. It will happen in stages.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
The IDF said Sunday night that it carried out an airstrike in Gaza City that killed Anas al-Sharif, a prominent Al Jazeera reporter, describing him as a Hamas “terrorist operating under the guise of a journalist.” In a statement, the military said al-Sharif served as a cell leader within Hamas, advancing plans for rocket fire against Israeli civilians and IDF troops. The IDF claimed he was a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force in the East Jabalia Battalion and previously led a rocket-launching squad. According to the IDF, documents seized in Gaza and released in October “unequivocally” confirm al-Sharif’s military affiliation with Hamas. “These documents serve as proof of the terrorist’s integration into the Qatari Al Jazeera media network,” the statement said. Al Jazeera has denied Israel’s allegations, accusing the IDF of a “systematic campaign” to target its employees in Gaza. The network confirmed al-Sharif’s death alongside fellow journalist Mohammed Qreiqeh and videographers Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, saying the strike hit a tent near Shifa Hospital. The IDF said it used precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence to minimize civilian casualties. Moments before his death, al-Sharif posted video footage of Israeli strikes on social media, writing on X: “Relentless bombing… For two hours, the Israeli aggression on Gaza City has intensified.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday night that Israel’s recent military campaign against Iran significantly damaged Tehran’s nuclear program, delaying its progress by “years” and averting an imminent nuclear threat. Speaking at the conclusion of his second extended press conference of the evening, Netanyahu asserted that before the June conflict, Iran was “just months away” from acquiring nuclear weapons or completing key nuclear facilities. “We have inflicted very significant damage, setting them back by years,” he said. “One can debate how many years, but… this has been pushed back.” Comparing Iran’s nuclear ambitions to a life-threatening illness, Netanyahu said, “This is like a person who removes cancer from his body — but when you remove cancer from your body, there can be metastases. It can come back. Only we knew that if we did not remove this cancer, we would die. And so we removed it.” He warned that Iran will attempt to rebuild its program and stressed the need for constant vigilance. “We are prepared for any scenario. The Iranians are also preparing for various scenarios — which I will not detail here.” Earlier in the press conference, Netanyahu accused unnamed parties of trying to “downplay” Israel’s achievements in the war, a remark likely aimed at recent reports citing U.S. intelligence assessments that Iran’s nuclear program had only been delayed by months, not years. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Are the laws of harchakos ever relaxed? How do changes in travel, stress, or health affect the regular patterns halacha takes into account in this area? When must one ask a sheila regarding a situation that might affect tahara?” These and numerous other questions are impossible to resolve without thorough knowledge of Hilchos Niddah. As the foundation of a Torah home, every ben Torah bears the sacred responsibility to master these halachos. Furthermore, the laws of family purity directly impact kedushas habayis (sanctity of the home). Their meticulous observance safeguards the spiritual purity essential for connecting to Hashem and nurturing future generations. It can be helpful to read basic guides, but true understanding requires learning Hilchos Niddah with the depth of Gemara and Rishonim. What is the challenge we face? Mastery traditionally requires years of full-time study – an impossibility for working bnei Torah or those still developing their learning skills. Now there is a solution. World-renowned Rosh Yeshiva HaRav HaGaon Yitzchak Berkovits shlit”a used his vast knowledge to arrange all relevant Gemaras, Rishonim, and poskim into structured source sheets that present material from Gemara through practical halacha. This enables one to cover major opinions and gain deep understanding without being overwhelmed. This was created for full-time advanced learners with strong Hebrew skills. What about busy bnei Torah with limited time? Two of Rav Berkovits’s close talmidim, Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen and Rabbi Yakov Pesah, with the Rav’s haskama, adapted these Hebrew sheets into a clear English curriculum in Hilchos Shabbos and Hilchos Kashrus, respectively. The material includes contemporary halachic opinions and practical cases, presented with sensitivity. This began years ago when Rabbi Gefen created a curriculum for Hilchos Shabbos. Meanwhile, Rabbi Pesah developed what became Rav Berkovits’ ‘Mitzvas Talmud Torah’ Program. They later co-founded the online ‘Kinyan Hilchos Shabbos’ Program, followed by Hilchos Kashrus – now serving thousands worldwide. The newest program, Kinyan Hilchos Niddah, taught by Rabbi Gefen, covers essential inyanim such as vestos, bedikos, hefsek taharah, and mikveh preparation. Participants receive weekly source sheets (Hebrew & English), join live Zoom shiurim (recorded for review), take comprehension tests, and have access to private Q&A via email or phone. Participants in past programs share their experience of the programs: “I would love to sit in yeshiva half a day, but I have different hours,” says Dr. Eric Leibowitz, a dentist in Brooklyn. “Learning halacha in Rabbi Gefen’s online chabura allowed for the flexibility I needed. This program enabled me to not only learn, but to retain what I learned in a structured way, and the tests were very helpful. I felt like I accomplished something.” “Rabbi Gefen ran the halacha program for our kollel in Johannesburg. We achieved tremendous clarity … both in sugyas and in psak, which is what you want when you learn halacha,” says Rabbi Micha Kaplan, an avrech in the Maharsha Community Kollel. “For people like me who are working full-time, this program was ideal,” shares Shlomo Gross, a lawyer in Yerushalayim. “The course transported my learning to a completely different level.” Over two thousand past and present participants across five continents – from professionals to kollel avreichim – attest to this model’s effectiveness. The program includes a Smicha option, bringing families great pride, but its greatest benefit is enabling bnei Torah to lead their households with clarity in […]
Two Local Lakewood Families Left Devastated by Raging Fire In the early morning of Thursday, August 7th, two respected local families were awoken at 4am by a devastating fire raging through their attached homes. Boruch Hashem, both families made it out alive. However, they are now left with almost nothing but the clothes on their backs. In an instant, they lost everything – their homes and all their possessions. They are now without a place to call home and with no clothing, furniture, or basic necessities. They had to watch sadly as everything they owned went up in smoke. The community is coming together to rally behind these families and raise the urgently needed amount of $500,000 to help put them back on their feet as they deal with the aftermath of this catastrophic occurrence. Your donation will go towards helping them rebuild their shattered lives from scratch. This campaign bears the active haskamah of Rav Yosef Zimbal shlita and Rav Zalman Sorotzkin shlita. When asked for a message for the community, Rav Zimbal simply cried out, “Hatzilu! Hatzilu!” Please donate today and help restore the lives of these families who lost so much, so quickly! https://www.charidy.com/westgatefire Thank you and tizku l’mitzvos.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) acknowledged Saturday that President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs are driving up prices — but insisted the short-term pain is worth it. Appearing on Fox Report With Jon Scott, Norman, who recently launched his campaign for South Carolina governor, was pressed on a Fox News poll showing Trump’s economic approval rating at 55 percent. “I think a lot of people are seeing higher prices,” Norman acknowledged. “Our family’s in the construction business, and we get a lot of our timber from Canada and other countries. Yes, it’s higher. Steel prices are up, but it’s for the good of the country.” Norman said Americans should expect “high prices for a short time,” arguing that Trump’s trade policies are necessary to reset the economic playing field. “We couldn’t keep going the way we were going… That’s why this president is doing such a good job,” he said. Trump’s tariffs — which took effect Thursday after months of delays and back-room negotiations — impose a baseline 10% duty on most imports, pushing the overall effective tariff rate above 17%. The stance is a notable shift for Norman, who pointedly declined to endorse Trump in 2024, instead backing former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. But since announcing his gubernatorial bid in late July, Norman has praised Trump’s record, even declaring that the president’s actions in Iran would place him “in the annals of the greatest presidents we have ever had.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Pres. Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton said Trump has “made some mistakes already” ahead of his meeting with Vladimir Putin. “Number one, in holding this meeting on American soil, legitimizing a pariah leader of a rogue state.”
ELIMINATED: The IDF reports that an airstrike in Gaza City killed Anas Al-Sharif, an Al-Jazeera journalist whom Israel identifies as the leader of a Hamas rocket cell.
Gov. Kathy Hochul: “Texas, knock it off. We’ll knock it off, and let’s get back to governing. Do we want these games? We’re not going to sit on the sidelines. We’re New Yorkers—we fight back.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu recently spoke with US President Donald Trump, discussing Israel’s plans to take control of the remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza to end the war, secure the release of hostages, and defeat Hamas; Netanyahu also thanked Trump for his steadfast support of Israel since the war began.
Throughout our nation’s long and storied past, the written word has served as a bedrock of faith and strength. From the timeless texts of our fundamental sefarim to prized manuscripts and autographed letters by giants of men, from incunabula and first-edition sefarim toJudaica collectibles dating back as far as 800 years into our nation’s glorious past, these precious remnants of Jewish history open a window into the splendor of our heritage and invite us to listen close to hear the ancient whispers of an earlier, cherished time.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo attacked mayoral opponent Zohran Mamdani Friday, accusing the Democratic assemblyman of exploiting the city’s affordable housing system while living a life of privilege. In a blistering post on X, Cuomo claimed Mamdani — whom he will face in the general election as an independent after losing to him in the Democratic primary — occupies a rent-stabilized apartment in Astoria despite being “very rich.” “Somewhere last night in New York City, a single mother and her children slept at a homeless shelter because you, assemblyman, are occupying her rent-controlled apartment,” Cuomo wrote, alongside a video of Mamdani acknowledging his $2,300 monthly rent. Cuomo demanded Mamdani vacate the apartment “immediately” so it can be allocated to a family in need, citing his opponent’s affluent upbringing, six-figure salary, international property holdings, and his wife’s income. “No matter which way you cut it: Zohran Mamdani is a rich person,” Cuomo charged. “You are actually very rich. Yet you and your wife pay $2,300 a month, as you have bragged, for a nice apartment in Astoria. That should be housing for someone who needs it.” The former governor tied his criticism to the city’s affordability crisis, where median rent has climbed to $3,397 — nearly $200 higher than last year, according to Realtor.com. “Leaders must show moral clarity,” Cuomo said. “Time to move out.” A Cuomo campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital: “Up until now, Zohran Mamdani and his campaign have successfully evaded any scrutiny: He talks like Bernie but lives like Bezos. It turns out handing the keys of New York City to a no-show, do-nothing assemblyman hypocrite is a bad idea. Andrew Cuomo is running to protect our streets, for REAL affordability, and to build a new New York City by giving opportunity to those who actually need it.” Mamdani’s campaign has not publicly responded to Cuomo’s latest demand. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
For years, parents have worried that their children’s endless scrolling on TikTok and Instagram was “rotting their brains.” New research suggests that fear is not only justified — it’s playing out faster than anyone imagined. A Financial Times analysis of data from the University of Southern California’s Understanding America Study reveals a sharp and sudden collapse in conscientiousness — the personality trait tied most closely to responsibility, self-control, and follow-through — among young adults. For Americans aged 16 to 39, scores have plunged in less than a decade to the low 30th percentile. Older adults, far less tethered to smartphones, have seen no comparable drop. The FT report points squarely at ubiquitous smartphones, hyper-engaging apps, and streaming services as likely culprits, arguing that the convenience and constant stimulation of the digital world have eroded real-world commitments, encouraged impulsivity, and normalized behaviors considered unacceptable not long ago. Conscientiousness isn’t the only casualty. The data points to shrinking attention spans, declining extroversion, and plummeting levels of trust — signs of a generation increasingly absorbed in the “meta-world” of algorithm-driven feeds and less engaged with the messy, slower demands of face-to-face human interaction. The implications, experts warn, are not just personal but civilizational. In the 15th century, the printing press rewired the world by spreading knowledge over centuries, allowing society time to adapt. The smartphone has transformed cognition, culture, and mental health in barely a decade — without any guardrails. Unlike past technological revolutions, this one has created a behavioral slot machine in the palm of every hand. Instead of fostering deep thought and delayed gratification, it rewards novelty, validation, and compulsive engagement — a feedback loop that becomes harder to resist with every swipe. Regulation, experts say, is unlikely. Silicon Valley’s profit model depends on keeping users hooked, anxious, and returning for more. And so-called fixes — app timers, grayscale modes, “digital detoxes” — amount to little more than band-aids on a bullet wound. The first step, researchers argue, is acknowledgment: society has built an economy that monetizes human attention, treating focus as a raw material to be extracted until it’s gone. Like the industrial revolution’s pollution of rivers and skies, the smartphone era is polluting the mind — and it will take a cultural movement to clean it up. Until then, the decline continues, red lines on personality charts plunging toward an unknown bottom — and an entire generation scrolling right along with them. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday outlined his vision for postwar Gaza, revealing that Israel has identified “several candidates” for a transitional governing authority to replace Hamas — but stressing that complete disarmament of the terror group must come first. Speaking at a tense press conference with foreign media, Netanyahu insisted Israel has no intention of permanently occupying the Strip, but warned that nothing could move forward until Hamas is dismantled. “We don’t want to stay in Gaza — that’s not our purpose,” Netanyahu said. “Our goal is to make sure Hamas isn’t there and that what replaces Hamas does not educate for terrorism, pay for terrorism, launch terrorism, but is willing to live in peace.” According to the prime minister, multiple Arab states privately agree with Israel that Hamas must be disarmed, calling this “the starting point” for any postwar arrangement. While he refused to name potential candidates for governance, he described the effort as a “transitional period” leading to longer-term stability. Netanyahu linked his plan to capture Gaza City directly to efforts to free the remaining hostages — both living and dead — held in the Strip. He suggested the military move could create “creative” opportunities to secure their release, though he declined to provide operational details. Israel’s top security officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Mossad chief David Barnea, and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, have reportedly warned that seizing Gaza City could endanger the hostages. Netanyahu dismissed the alternative of a long-term defensive posture as a strategy that would prolong the war and fail to secure their freedom. “I think that prolonging the war means that many of [the hostages] could be starved to death… and I don’t want that,” he said, pointing to recently released Hamas videos showing Israeli captives in a severely emaciated state. Netanyahu also lashed out at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accusing him of “buckling under” foreign and domestic pressure by imposing a partial arms embargo on Israel. “We will win the war, with or without the support of others,” Netanyahu declared, accusing some European leaders of privately agreeing with Israel’s position while caving to hostile public opinion at home. Netanyahu likened calls to halt the offensive before destroying Hamas to ending World War II before the capture of Berlin. “We’re not going to leave the remainder of the Nazi army in the equivalent of Berlin,” he said, describing Hamas as “neo-Nazis” and reiterating his commitment to their complete defeat. The prime minister devoted a significant portion of his remarks to what he called a “global campaign of lies” accusing Israel of deliberately starving Gazans. He said that while humanitarian aid reaches 2 million residents in the Strip, “the only ones who are being deliberately starved in Gaza are our hostages.” Netanyahu accused the international press of uncritically amplifying Hamas propaganda and cited three widely shared images of malnourished children as “fake” depictions that omitted key medical facts: Osama al-Rakab, age 5, suffers from a genetic disease affecting nutrient absorption; Netanyahu noted that Israel facilitated his travel to Italy for treatment. Abdul Qader al-Fayoumi died from a degenerative neurological disorder unrelated to malnutrition. Muhammad Zakaria Ayoub al-Mutawaq has cerebral palsy; Netanyahu said his condition was falsely portrayed as starvation and threatened a possible lawsuit against The New York […]
A bitter feud between Fox News host Mark Levin and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) exploded on Saturday, with both staunch Trump supporters hurling personal attacks over their sharp divide on U.S. support for Israel in its war against Hamas. Greene ignited the clash by blasting Levin as a “raging psychopath” in a post on X, accusing him of “attacking me, lying about me,” and “calling Christians ‘bigots’” in response to her push to cut foreign aid, including U.S. taxpayer funding for Israel. “All because I am UNAPOLOGETICALLY AMERICA FIRST and UNAPOLOGETICALLY FIGHTING FOR MY CHILDREN’S GENERATION!!!” Greene wrote, claiming Levin’s criticism intensified after she forced a recorded vote on her amendments to defund aid to Israel and other countries. She also alleged that lobbyists for Israel, including AIPAC, have been “bullying” the U.S. into supporting the war — remarks that drew accusations of antisemitism from Levin. Greene dismissed Levin as “Israel first” and “America last,” framing her opposition to foreign aid as a defense of U.S. sovereignty. Levin’s response was blistering. “You truly are nuts,” he wrote, calling Greene a “bigot” and “disgusting antisemite.” He denied any connection to AIPAC and said supporting Israel “does not make one Israel first,” citing his father and grandfather’s service in World War II. The conservative firebrand went further, branding Greene “a clown” and “a crackpot” who “stabs Trump in the back every chance you can get.” Levin accused her of doing “nothing” for the Tea Party movement, the Reagan Revolution, or Trump’s 2016 primary campaign, and dismissed her as an “opportunist” and “backbencher.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Early Friday morning, a devastating fire tore through the Jewish Community Center of Rutherford — home and the residence of Rabbi Yitzchok & Bina Lerman. Within minutes, the flames consumed everything: their home, their shul, and their life’s work. Miraculously, the Lermans escaped unharmed. Efforts are underway to help the Lermans and their congregation rebuild from the ground up. Your help today will restore their community and home
Vice President Vance on Democrats’ Russia Hoax: “I don’t know how anybody can look at that and say that there wasn’t aggressive violations of the law… We have got to have consequences for it.”
