BREAKING: A ground stop was issued Wednesday evening for many United Airlines flights across the U.S., the FAA said. “Due to a technology issue, we are holding United mainline flights at their departure airports,” the airline said in a statement to ABC News. “We expect additional flight delays this evening as we work through this issue. Safety is our top priority, and we’ll work with our customers to get them to their destinations.” The impacted airports include Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, and Houston.
The toll of wildfires is usually counted in acres burnt, property destroyed and lives lost to smoke and flames. But three studies published Wednesday suggest the cost to human health from the Maui and Los Angeles wildfires was substantially higher. Two of the papers explore what happened after the Hawaii fire in August 2023 — one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires in a century. A third looks at the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year. The Maui fire was directly blamed for more than 100 deaths. But it also left 1 in 5 with lung damage and as many as half with symptoms of depression, the new research found. The month of the fire saw 13 suicide and overdose deaths, translating to nearly double the normal suicide and overdose death rates. The study of the Los Angeles fires concluded that in addition to at least 30 deaths attributed to the fire, more than 400 other deaths could be blamed on the event, due to interruptions in health care and other factors. The studies, published in two American Medical Association journals, add “a really important piece to the understanding of the true health risks from these extreme climatic events,” said Dr. Jonathan Patz, a University of Wisconsin environmental public health researcher who was not involved in the papers. The results conform with existing understanding of the effects of extreme weather events, some experts said. How to track the indirect impacts of disastrous events has been a continuing subject of academic research and even legislative proposals. There have been estimates of deaths caused by extreme heat, as well as research into the large-scale toll of wildfires driven by climate change. “But this hones in, especially on (specific) fires,” Patz said. One of the studies, co-led by Ruben Juarez of the University of Hawaii, looked at more than 1,100 adults six to 14 months after the Maui fire. It found lower lung function in people in areas close to the fire compared with those in lower-exposure areas. Overall, about 22% had below-normal lung function. “It’s a stark reminder that wildfires can leave an invisible but lasting scar on respiratory health, long after the flames are gone,” Juarez said, in an email, noting that this Friday marks the two-year anniversary of the fire. Patz called the finding “an important new contribution.” Kristie Ebi of the University of Washington echoed that, noting that there is a growing understanding that wildfire smoke can be more toxic than standard air pollution. “It’s not just leaves and branches and trees” that are burned, she said. “It’s buildings. It’s gasoline stations. It’s old houses that have asbestos in them. It’s automobiles. There are lots of components of wildfire smoke.” She said the study suggests “this toxicity is affecting people’s long-term lung function.” Of course, the researchers don’t know exactly how much smoke each person was exposed to, and other studies would need to be done to explore cause-and-effect, she added. The study also found 40% saying their health had declined since the fires, with close to half talking about increased fatigue and weakness, eye irritation and lung-related symptoms. Jonathan Purtle of New York University was the lead author of another study, which calculated rates of suicide and overdose deaths in Maui and Hawaii’s four other counties. That research team […]
An Israeli family with three young children recently flew to Europe for a family trip to Poland and Slovakia. When the family arrived in Krakow, the mother sent a WhatsApp message to the owner of the apartment they had reserved via Booking, Mako reported. A minute later, the apartment owner or an employee on their behalf responded with “Freedom for me Palestine” and “I will kill you, come on.” The family was understandably shaken and decided to cancel their reservation immediately and look for another place to sleep. “They asked a very innocent question and received this appalling answer,” a friend of the family told Mako. “Of course, they left the place immediately and booked accommodation elsewhere.” “This is the first time they are on a family trip abroad, and they had many concerns before the trip due to the security situation.” Earlier this week, Mako reported about yet another antisemitic incident in Europe. An Israeli family entered a restaurant in Zagreb, Croatia, and the waitress refused to serve them after realizing they were from Israel. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Nearly nine out of every ten United Nations aid trucks entering Gaza over the past several months were looted before reaching their intended destinations, according to newly released UN data. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) reported that 2,309 of the 2,604 aid trucks received since aid deliveries resumed in May — nearly 88% — were intercepted en route, either by desperate civilians or armed groups. In June, 90.7% of trucks were looted. In July, that number climbed to 94%. The aid, meant to address hunger among Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, is often seized directly from convoys during transit, preventing delivery to shelters, hospitals, and designated distribution points. “The long-standing restrictions on aid and the unpredictability of access have created a climate of desperation,” said Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “The vast majority of these interceptions are by starving civilians — people trying to feed their families.” While the UN maintains that looting is largely driven by hunger-stricken residents, Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of systematically hijacking humanitarian aid for its own use and of obstructing international efforts to provide food and medical supplies. Aid organizations have also documented growing lawlessness in parts of Gaza, where gangs and armed groups frequently raid shipments under the guise of control. In response to international criticism, Israel has taken new steps to facilitate humanitarian access, including daily pauses in combat operations in parts of the Strip, approving airdrops by foreign governments, and announcing designated humanitarian corridors. Israel announced Tuesday that it would allow private sector goods to enter Gaza for the first time in nearly a year — a move aimed at creating an alternative distribution stream outside of Hamas-controlled channels and overstretched aid agencies. “There is no policy of starvation,” a senior defense official said. “Aid is entering Gaza. The problem is who is controlling it on the ground — and it’s not us.” To bypass Hamas, Israel and the U.S. have supported the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a separate aid mechanism designed to deliver supplies directly to civilians. But the GHF has become a flashpoint of chaos in recent weeks, with near-daily gunfire and stampedes at distribution points resulting in hundreds of casualties. “The world is demanding more aid reach Gaza,” said one Israeli official. “We agree. But until someone ensures it actually reaches those in need and not Hamas or street gangs, the problem will only worsen.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A tragic truth happening in Eretz Yisroel—and how you can change it She heard about the mitzvah. She was ready to take the step. But when she searched for the mikvah, there wasn’t one nearby. The one in the next neighborhood was locked. The one across town was rundown and dilapidated. And the one people said they used? It had no hashgacha. So she stayed home. And taharah, the mitzvah that sustains Klal Yisroel, remained out of reach. Unfortunately, this story isn’t unique. It’s happening across many communities in Eretz Yisroel, right now. No mikvah, no taharah In halacha, it’s clear: mikvah comes before a sefer Torah. Before a shul. Before everything. And yet, there are entire towns across our land that have no proper mikvah taharah. It may be a crumbling building. It may be an hour drive. Or worse, it may not be kosher at all. When there’s no proper mikvah, many women from secular communities don’t go. A tragedy for her family, and for Klal Yisroel. Merkaz L’Taharas HaMishpacha: Opening doors for 83 years Since 1942, Merkaz L’Taharas HaMishpacha (MTH) has been on a mission: To ensure every Jewish woman in Eretz Yisroel—observant or not-yet—has access to a kosher, beautiful, dignified mikvah. 📍 1,153 mikvaos built or renovated 📍 83 years of building taharah 📍 Over 1 million tevillos made possible annually 📍 3x usage increase after construction 📍 30 mikvaos currently under construction With each mikvah built, Merkaz L’Taharas HaMishpacha has been witness to stories of bracha and yeshuah so extraordinary, they would be hard to believe if not heard firsthand. “I waited 21 years for a child. Then I built a mikvah.” Rav Yitzchok Churi and his wife of Beit Shemesh waited 21 years for a child. More than two decades of tefillah, of hope, and of heartbreak. They pursued every option; conventional medicine, alternative therapies, even traveling overseas. But nothing worked. Friends around them began marrying off children—while they had yet to hold a child of their own. They felt like a young couple trapped in time. Waiting. Wishing. Wondering why. Then, a close family friend, Reb Meir Kenig, approached Rav Yitzchok with a new idea. “I know we’ve tried everything,” he said. “But what if… we built a mikvah?” Rav Yitzchok wasn’t sure. So they turned to Maran Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l for daas Torah. Reb Chaim listened. Then gave a clear, powerful answer: “Zeh ha’eitzah!” In other words, “This is the solution!” And with that, the Churis took it on as a life mission. They would build a mikvah, from the ground up. They needed to raise 650,000 shekel. Word spread, the campaign gained momentum. Friends. Neighbors. Strangers. Everyone wanted to take part. Finally, all the money was raised. The mikvah was completed. And they all came to celebrate the opening of its doors. Nine months later, on the 14th of Tammuz, the Churis welcomed their baby Rivka into the world. An open miracle. When you understand the power of taharah, when you realize what it means to build a mikvah, it no longer surprises you. Because when you care for Hashem’s children, Hashem cares for you. CTA: Watch R’ Chuni’s story on our site [link to taharas.org] We’ve seen it again and again: Yeshuos that defy logic. Shidduchim, children, parnassah, health. […]
A Holocaust memorial in Berlin has once again been desecrated, reigniting concerns over rising antisemitism in Germany and the ongoing assault on Holocaust remembrance. Authorities said Tuesday that unknown vandals defaced the memorial at Putlitz Bridge in the Moabit neighborhood with white paint and packing tape. The monument stands on the site of the former Moabit freight yard—Berlin’s main Nazi-era deportation hub—where more than 32,000 Jews were sent to ghettos and extermination camps during World War II. Police responding to the scene were able to remove the paint, but said remnants of tape could not be fully cleared. The site has been repeatedly targeted over the years with antisemitic graffiti, vandalism, and acts of hate. In August 1992, the original monument—designed by artist Wolmer Hassa and consisting of a staircase leading into the sky—was so badly damaged that it had to be dismantled and rebuilt the following spring. In 2017, a new memorial was inaugurated: a grove of 20 pine trees planted near the tracks once used for deportations, meant to grow tall as a living memorial among the stark industrial surroundings. Last November, vandals hurled a remembrance wreath onto the train tracks and burned several memorial candles. Local leaders at the time called the act “a severe insult to the memory of Holocaust victims” and “a blow to peaceful coexistence and the culture of remembrance in society.” The Putlitz Bridge site is not merely symbolic—it is historical ground. From January 1942 to the end of the war, thousands of Berlin’s Jews were deported from freight tracks 69, 81, and 82 to the ghettos and extermination camps of Eastern Europe. The recurrence of these attacks has alarmed Jewish organizations and historians alike, who warn that Holocaust memorials across Germany—and Europe—are becoming repeated targets amid rising antisemitic sentiment. Berlin police have not released any suspect information in the latest incident. The attack comes amid growing scrutiny over how German authorities are responding to escalating threats against Jewish institutions and symbols. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Conservative Karol Nawrocki was inaugurated Wednesday as Poland ’s new president, which could set the country on a more nationalist course and cast doubt on the viability of the centrist government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Most day-to-day power in Poland rests with the prime minister, chosen by the parliament. However, the president holds the power to influence foreign policy and veto laws. Nawrocki, who was supported by U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of a narrow victory in a runoff election in June, is a 42-year-old historian who had no political experience prior to campaigning. He was not even a political party member until being approached by the conservative Law and Justice party that governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. Welcomed to the Sejm, Poland’s parliament, by uproarious chants of “Karol, Karol” and rhythmic clapping Wednesday, Nawrocki raised his right hand and took the oath of office to kick off a five-year term. “The free choice of a nation has put me before you today,” Nawrocki said in a raspy, deep voice during his inauguration speech. He lashed out at “electoral propaganda” and “lies” during the campaign that culminated in the June 1 runoff vote, but added: “As a Christian, I forgive with peace of mind and from the bottom of my heart all this contempt, and what happened during the elections.” He alluded to Poland’s membership in the 27-member European Union and Poland’s role in NATO as an indication of his international agenda. Poland has strongly supported Ukraine in its defense against Russia since President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade its southern neighbor 3 1/2 years ago. “I will of course support relations within the European Union, but I will never agree to the European Union taking competences away from Poland, especially in matters that are not enshrined in the European treaties,” he said. Nawrocki said he would “strive to make the Polish army the largest NATO force in the European Union” and said Poles were “responsible for building the strength of NATO’s eastern flank.” Nawrocki’s supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic values. Many of them oppose abortion and LGBTQ+ visibility and say Nawrocki reflects the values they grew up with. The U.S. conservative group CPAC held its first meeting in Poland during the campaign to give him a boost. Kristi Noem, the U.S. Homeland Security secretary and a Trump ally, praised Nawrocki and urged Poles to vote for him. His campaign echoed themes popular on the U.S. right. A common refrain from his supporters is that Nawrocki will restore “normality,” as they believe Trump has done. U.S. flags appeared at his rallies. Nawrocki’s quick political rise has not been without controversy, with reports linking him to underworld figures whom he met while boxing or working as a hotel security guard in the past. Nawrocki has also been linked to a scandal involving the acquisition of a Gdansk apartment from a retiree. Allegations suggest Nawrocki promised to care for the man in return but failed to fulfill the commitment, leading the man to end up in a publicly funded retirement home. Nawrocki’s shifting explanations raised questions about his transparency and credibility. After the scandal erupted, he donated the apartment to a charity. (AP)
A court in Azerbaijan heard explosive testimony this week in the case of 18-year-old Abdallah Aliyev, who is accused of planning a terrorist attack on a shul in the capital city of Baku under the influence of ISIS ideology. Aliyev, a resident of Sumqayit, allegedly plotted the attack as part of a broader plan to carry out a series of deadly assaults motivated by religious extremism. Prosecutors say he was inspired by the Islamic State’s Khorasan branch, known as one of the group’s most dangerous and radical affiliates. According to testimony delivered at the Grave Crimes Court on Monday, Aliyev was arrested just as he and an accomplice were heading toward the shul with improvised weapons in hand. Authorities say the young suspect had been communicating with a fellow extremist he met on Instagram in November 2024. The two later joined encrypted chat groups where Aliyev praised ISIS and discussed plans to launch an attack. Investigators allege he expressed a clear intent to commit violence, asking for help in obtaining flammable liquids, knives, Molotov cocktails, and other weapons. He planned to wear dark clothing and cover his face to conceal his identity during the attack. According to one witness, Aliyev said, “I intend to carry out the attack at all costs. After that, when the time comes, I’ll blow up other places too. I want to die a martyr, and you’ll continue what I started.” Aliyev and his associate were apprehended by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service as they approached the shul. A search revealed they were carrying masks, knives, and incendiary materials. Authorities later determined that Aliyev had already driven to the shul on December 28, 2024, intending to launch the attack but had retreated for reasons that remain unclear. He now faces multiple charges under Azerbaijani law, including planning and committing a terrorist act, using improvised weapons for terrorism, acting out of religious hatred, and membership in a terrorist organization. The court has scheduled the next hearing in Aliyev’s case for September 22. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A would-be scammer who tricked a terrified woman into handing over tens of thousands of dollars in cash under the guise of a bogus Social Security threat was arrested on Wednesday thanks to a swift and coordinated sting operation led by Boro Park Shomrim. The ordeal began when a local woman received a phone call on Tuesday from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. The scammer threatened that she would be arrested unless she immediately paid $60,000. Terrified, the woman went to her bank to withdraw the money but was only permitted to take out $30,000 at once. She told the scammer she would give $30,000 now and the remainder the next day — and the scammer agreed. The scammer came to her home, took the cash, and left. It wasn’t until her husband returned home that the scam was revealed, but the woman was still too afraid to speak. Instead, she wrote down what had happened. The husband immediately called Boro Park Shomrim, who rushed to the couple’s home. After gathering all the facts, Shomrim developed a plan. The couple went to the bank and withdrew the other $30,000 the scammer had demanded. They then sent him a receipt showing that the remaining $30,000 was ready. Meanwhile, Shomrim teams fanned out across the neighborhood, ready for the scoundrel to show up. When the scammer came back for the second installment, the woman handed over another $30,000. But this time, Boro Park Shomrim was watching closely. As soon as the scammer had the cash in hand and the transaction was complete, Shomrim members moved in. The NYPD was immediately called, and the scammer was arrested on the spot. “This is a textbook example of how quick thinking and coordinated action can stop a scam in its tracks,” a Shomrim coordinator told YWN. “Too often, these con artists get away clean. But not this time.” As YWN previously reported, this incident is part of a troubling trend of scammers targeting vulnerable individuals. Just last week, Williamsburg Shomrim and the NYPD arrested a scammer who had swindled a woman out of thousands using a nearly identical scheme. And in Kiryas Joel, Public Safety officials and New York State Police busted a group of scammers who tried extorting $13,500 from a victim by claiming there was a federal arrest warrant unless he paid up, as YWN reported. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and to never hand over money to callers threatening arrest or posing as government officials. Suspicious calls should be reported to law enforcement immediately. THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE BORO PARK SCOOP STATUS CLICK HERE SIGN UP TO THE BORO PARK SCOOP WHATSAPP STATUS TO BE INFORMED OF BORO PARK NEWS IN LIVE TIME (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
In a heart-stirring display of mesirus nefesh, six boys at Camp Yeka Ukraine were zocheh this week to enter into the bris of Avrohom Avinu. For these tinokos shenishbu, raised in spiritual desolation throughout Ukraine, the bris milah marked not merely a physical transformation, but a defining moment in their ascent toward a life of Torah and mitzvos. Among them was a young man named Yan, who has been part of the Yeka family for over a decade, attending more than 20 sessions. Though his heart had long been drawn to the ruach and kedushah of the camp, he had never yet taken this final, defining step. That changed one Friday night. After the uplifting seudah, a madrich sat with Yan and began to farbreng with him — speaking about the eternity of the bris, the zechus avos, and the privilege of joining the am hanivchar in the most profound way. Hours passed, and the words penetrated. Quietly, Yan whispered, “This time, I’m doing it.” But it was not without obstacles. A few days later, Yan confided that his closest friend, a non-Jewish boy, had threatened to end their friendship if he went through with the bris. That night, camp counselors found Yan sitting alone in quiet turmoil. They didn’t speak. They simply sat beside him and began singing “Yeka Oh Yeka,” the niggun that has become the anthem of the camp. From there, the haunting notes rose into the night sky. Overcome with emotion, Yan broke down in tears. The next morning, surrounded by his madrichim, and uplifted by their love and achdus, Yan walked in to get his bris — proud, unafraid, and ready to fulfill the mitzvah. Following the Ukraine session, Yeka’s dedicated staff traveled to distant villages across western Ukraine, bringing simcha, divrei chizuk, and tangible reminders that these neshamos are not forgotten. Every child was reminded: “You are part of the Klal, you are one of us.” Meanwhile, Camp Yeka Eretz Yisroel has launched its first session in three years, welcoming Ukrainian children now living in Israel after fleeing the war. These yidden — dislocated physically and spiritually — are being embraced with the same warmth, kedushah, and the ruach that has made Yeka a beacon of hope for so many. But such impact carries a heavy cost. With camp in full swing, the program still faces a critical shortfall of $70,000 to cover its most basic operational expenses. The Yeka team is now turning to the tzibbur to help ensure that the avodas hakodesh continues. To participate in this life-changing initiative and help ignite the spark within precious neshamos, visit Charidy.com/Yeka. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
For decades, the threat of nuclear conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union hung over humanity — and occasionally the superpowers edged toward the brink, as with the Cuban missile crisis. But beginning in the 1970s, American and Soviet leaders started taking steps toward de-escalation, leading to a handful of critical treaties, including the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty that eliminated an entire class of nuclear-capable missiles. The pact was terminated in 2019 after the U.S. withdrew. On Tuesday, Russia announced it was ending self-imposed restrictions on the deployment of the missiles covered in the agreement. That leaves just one nuclear arms pact between Moscow and Washington still standing: New START, which experts say is on the ropes and set to expire in February in any case. While the end of nuclear weapons agreements between the U.S. and Russia does not necessarily make nuclear war more likely, “it certainly doesn’t make it less likely,” said Alexander Bollfrass, an expert on nuclear arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Moscow and Washington are still signatories to multilateral international treaties that aim to prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons, but the increasingly erratic relationship between the countries, combined with the dwindling treaties, has many worried. Survivors of the atomic bomb dropped 80 years ago Wednesday by the U.S. on the Japanese city of Hiroshima expressed frustration about the growing support of global leaders for nuclear weapons as a deterrence. US and Russia have far fewer warheads than decades ago In 1986, the Soviet Union had more than 40,000 nuclear warheads, while the U.S. had more than 20,000, according to the Federation of American Scientists. A series of arms control agreements sharply reduced those stockpiles. The federation estimated in March 2025 that Russia has 5,459 deployed and non-deployed nuclear warheads, while the U.S. has 5,177. Together, that’s about 87% of the world’s nuclear weapons. Washington and Moscow have signed a series of key treaties In May 1972 — a decade after the Cuban missile crisis — the U.S. and Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks I, or SALT I, which was the first treaty that placed limits on the number of missiles, bombers and submarines carrying nuclear weapons. At the same time, they also signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, or ABM, putting restrictions on missile defense systems that protect against a nuclear strike. Then, in 1987, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan inked the INF treaty, banning missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,410 miles). U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact during his first term, citing Russian violations that Moscow denied. The White House also said it placed the U.S. at a strategic disadvantage to China and Iran, neither of which was party to the agreement and each of which it said had more than 1,000 INF-range missiles. The Kremlin initially said it would abide by its provisions, but on Tuesday, it ended that pledge. Even before that, Moscow test-fired its new intermediate-range Oreshnik hypersonic missile at Ukraine in November. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said those missiles will be deployed to Russia’s neighbor and ally Belarus later this year. Meanwhile, the START I nuclear arms reduction treaty signed in 1991 reduced the strategic arsenals of U.S. and Russian nuclear warheads, as well […]
SAVE THE DATE! THIS MOTZEI SHABBOS & SUNDAY IS TU B’AV TOGETHER! THE SPECIAL DAY OF TEFILLAH FOR SHIDDUCHIM!THERE WILL BE 2 LIVE EVENTS, INCLUDING A LIVESTREAMED CONCERT FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!(including Weber, Falkowitz, Bialostozky, Dadya, & Daskal) AND OF COURSE, SEND IN YOUR NAMES FOR FREE FOR TEFILLAH IN AMUKA – HERE See the lineup for the concert and day of tefillah. RIGHT NOW You can 1) Download the tehillim to be said on Tu B’Av Together 2) Submit names for tefillah FOR FREE for the minyan of talmidei chachamim in Amuka on Sunday, the day of tefillah for Tu B’Av 3) Learn more about the livestreamed concert and tefillah. TO SUBMIT NAMES FOR FREE TO AMUKA, CLICK HEREVISIT TuBav.org CALL 1-718-690-2944 Klal Yisrael will davening for one another beginning at 10am on Sunday Aug 10 – reciting 8 specific kapitlach of Tehillim.📖Click here to download the FREE ArtScroll Tehillim There will be 2 Live Events with Rabbonim & Musical performances to watch online at www.TuBav.org Motzei Shabbos 8/9 @ 10:00 pm EDT: FREE LIVESTREAMED CONCERT WITH TODAY’S SUPERSTARS & DATING / MARRIAGE PANEL WITH EXPERTS SUNDAY 8/10 @ 10:00 am EDT: LIVE TEFILLAH EVENT WITH LEADING RABBANIM – SAY TEHILLIM TOGETHER WITH KLAL YISRAEL! WATCH LIVE AT TUBAV.org At the same time as Klal Yisrael davens, each in their part of the world, there will be a minyan of Talmidei Chachamim in Amuka, davening for all who submit their names for tefillah (it’s free) through Yad L’Achim. Visit TuBav.org (or call 1-718-690-2944 we are here to help!) Tu B’Av Together is a Yad L’Achim initiative founded in 2015. Shidduchim is a topic that truly brings the entire spectrum of Klal Yisroel together. Tu B’Av Together, a day for tefillah—for shidduchim—is recognizing the need to daven for this important aspect of the Jewish people. We have been zoche to have millions of Yidden involved in tefillah, and with every year, one Jewish tefillah at a time, we’ll bring shidduchim closer to those yearning. To share this special Tu B’Av Together program and free tefillah via WhatsApp, click here
The questions came fast and furious from all areas of the tractate of Kesubos, and the answers came just as quickly and from all over the dais. In the presence of leading Chicago rabbis as well as their teachers and peers and dozens of parents and supporters watching on Zoom, two dozen Lubavitch Mesivta students fielded the rabbis’ questions with ease, demonstrating their mastery of the tractate, which they learned this year. The event took place on Tuesday, Aug. 6 / Av 11. The questions were posed by (in order of appearance) Rabbi Yona Reiss, Av Bais Din of the Chicago Rabbinical Council; Rabbi Dovid Zucker, Rosh Kollel of the Chicago Community Kollel; Rabbi Moshe Revah, Rosh Hayeshiva of Beis Medrash LaTorah; and Rabbi Baruch Hertz, Rav of the Chicago Chabad Community, Rabbi Moshe Elya Markowitz of the Mesivta; and finally Mesivta dean, Rabbi Moshe B. Perlstein. After Rabbi Reiss posed a series of fast-paced questions from all over the tractate, Rabbi Zucker took things one step further, pointing out apparent contradictions between what the students had learned in Kesubos and what the Gemara states in other tractates. Yet, the students were unflustered, answers were offered, and lively conversations ensued. When it was his turn to quiz the students, Rabbi Revah asked them to list every time a specific word or name was mentioned throughout the tractate–and they succeeded every time! It is noteworthy that many of the students are children of Chabad emissaries, who did not grow up attending traditional schools. Hailing from Caribbean islands, small towns in the Pacific Northwest, and the Deep South, they came to Mesivta having been schooled by their parents and online. Yet, they were clearly on par and perhaps even ahead of many who’d been educated in traditional schools. “Baruch Hashem, they did wonderfully,” remarked Rabbi Zucker as he left the event. “It’s kovod haTorah and a kiddush Hashem. They went through the whole mesechta and they know it excellently!” His words were echoed by Rabbi Revach, who says it was “an incredible event” and he was “truly impressed” to see the students’ broad and deep grasp of what they’d learned. It must also be pointed out that while there were 23 students on the dais, there were another 27 students who had mastered–and been tested on–the entire tractate. Yeshivas Ohr Eliyahu – The Lubavitch Mesivtah of Chicago was founded in 1996 and has educated thousands of students, many of whom serve in positions of leadership around the world. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
WhatsApp has taken down 6.8 million accounts that were “linked to criminal scam centers” targeting people online around that world, its parent company Meta said this week. The account deletions, which Meta said took place over the first six months of the year, arrive as part of wider company efforts to crack down on scams. In a Tuesday announcement, Meta said it was also rolling new tools on WhatsApp to help people spot scams — including a new safety overview that the platform will show when someone who is not in a user’s contacts adds them to a group, as well as ongoing test alerts to pause before responding. Scams are becoming all too common and increasingly sophisticated in today’s digital world — with too-good-to-be-true offers and unsolicited messages attempting to steal consumers’ information or money filling our phones, social media and other corners of the internet each day. Meta noted that “some of the most prolific” sources of scams are criminal scam centers, which often span from forced labor operated by organized crime — and warned that such efforts often target people on many platforms at once, in attempts to evade detection. That means that a scam campaign may start with messages over text or a dating app, for example, and then move to social media and payment platforms, the California-based company said. Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram, pointed to recent scam efforts that it said attempted to use its own apps — as well as TikTok, Telegram and AI-generated messages made using ChatGPT — to offer payments for fake likes, enlist people into a pyramid scheme and/or lure others into cryptocurrency investments. Meta linked these scams to a criminal scam center in Cambodia — and said it disrupted the campaign in partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI. (AP)
Apple CEO Tim Cook joined President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to announce a commitment by the tech company to increase its investment in U.S. manufacturing by an additional $100 billion over the next four years. “This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States of America also are made in America,” Trump said at the press conference. “Today’s announcement is one of the largest commitments in what has become among the greatest investment booms in our nation’s history.” As part of the Apple announcement, the investments will be about bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States as part of an initiative called the American Manufacturing Program, but it is not a full commitment to build its popular iPhone device domestically. “This includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America. They produce components — semiconductor chips included — that are used in Apple products sold all over the world, and we’re grateful to the President for his support,” Cook said in a statement announcing the investment. The new manufacturing partners include Corning, Coherent, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments and Broadcom among others. Apple had previously said it intended to invest $500 billion domestically, a figure it will now increase to $600 billion. Trump in recent months has criticized the tech company and Cook for efforts to shift iPhone production to India to avoid the tariffs his Republican administration had planned for China. While in Qatar earlier this year, Trump said there was “a little problem” with the Cupertino, California, company and recalled a conversation with Cook in which he said he told the CEO, “I don’t want you building in India.” India has incurred Trump’s wrath, as the president signed an order Wednesday to put an additional 25% tariff on the world’s most populous country for its use of Russian oil. The new import taxes to be imposed in 21 days could put the combined tariffs on Indian goods at 50%. Apple’s new pledge comes just a few weeks after it forged a $500 million deal with MP Materials, which runs the only rare earths producer in the country. That agreement will enable MP Materials to expand a factory in Texas to use recycled materials to produce magnets that make iPhones vibrate. Speaking on a recent investors call, Cook emphasized that “there’s a load of different things done in the United States.” As examples, he cited some of the iPhone components made in the U.S. such as the device’s glass display and module for identifying people’s faces and then indicated the company was gearing to expand its productions of other components in its home country. “We’re doing more in this country, and that’s on top of having roughly 19 billion chips coming out of the US now, and we will do more,” Cook told analysts last week, without elaborating. News of Apple’s latest investment in the U.S. caused the company’s stock price to surge by 5% in Wednesday’s midday trading. That gain reflects investors’ relief that Cook “is extending an olive branch” to the Trump administration, said Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, which owns Apple stock. Despite Wednesday’s upturn, Apple’s shares are still down by 15% this […]
The man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum has been indicted on federal hate crimes charges, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday. The indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, charges Elias Rodriguez with nine counts, including a hate crime resulting in death. The indictment also includes notice of special findings, which would allow the Justice Department to potentially pursue the death penalty. Elias Rodriguez is accused of gunning down Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event at the museum in May. He was heard shouting “Free Palestine” as he was led away after his arrest. He told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” federal authorities have said. Rodriguez had previously been charged with murder of foreign officials and other crimes, and the hate crimes charges were added after prosecutors brought the case to a grand jury. It means prosecutors will be tasked with proving Rodriguez was motivated by antisemitism when he opened fire on Lischinsky and Milgrim, a young couple who were about to become engaged. Prosecutors have described the killing as calculated and planned, saying Rodriguez flew to the Washington region from Chicago ahead of the Capital Jewish Museum event with a handgun in his checked luggage. He purchased a ticket for the event about three hours before it started, authorities have said in court papers. Witnesses described him pacing outside before approaching a group of four people and opening fire. Surveillance video showed Rodriguez advancing closer to Lischinsky and Milgrim as they fell to the ground, leaning over them and firing additional shots. He appeared to reload before jogging off, officials have said. After the shooting, authorities say Rodriguez went inside the museum and stated that he “did it.” “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” he spontaneously said, according to court documents. He also told detectives that he admired an active-duty Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in February 2024, describing the man as “courageous” and a “martyr.” (AP)
Over the last 16 years, a new approach and method of limud Hashas has been nurtured and developed in Eretz Yisroel at Reshet Kollelei Shas Yiden. This phenomenon has captured the imagination and electrified lomdei Hatorah throughout the world, and has earned the avid support of Gedolim across the Torah spectrum. Shas Yiden in UK & USA Shas Yiden not only grew from 6 avreichim metzuyonim to 126 avreichim geonim in five kollelim across Eretz Yisroel but, in response to repeated requests from abroad, a Shas Yiden kollel was first established in the UK, in Stamford Hill, London. The Shas Yiden reputation soared in this location and their first Annual Siyum Hashas with Gedolei Torah in attendance reflected the grandeur of those in Yerushalayim. This foray into Chutz La’aretz has been followed by a long-awaited opening of a Shas Yiden kollel in Flatbush, NY. The Eretz Yisroeldike bren of learning the entire Shas has already had a significant local impact and is a source of inspiration to the local Flatbush kollelim. The incredible devotion to limud gantz Shas and its completion within a year by each avreich at Shas Yiden has encouraged many others to try and emulate this broader study of Shas. This elevated level of Torah study at Shas Yiden and the ability of the avreichim geonim to face public oral farheren by world recognized Gedolei Torah, together with monthly tests on 225 blatt, is nothing short of remarkable. Shas Yiden has truly raised the bar in the study of Shas. Our unique system of learning, the tight demanding regimen and the motivation emanating from Eretz Yisroel has truly placed Shas Yiden in a Torah league of its own. In the Words of Maranan Hageonim Sar Hatorah, רשכבה”ג Maran Hagadol Harav Chaim Kanievsky, זצ”ל – Nasi, Shas YidenI tested them, I know them throughout Shas – a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar partnership Rosh Hayeshiva, רשכבה”ג Maran Hagadol Harav Gershon Edelstein, זצ”לShas Yiden has raised the bar of Torah learning in both depth and clarity, and its unique method of ameilus in Torah The Sanzer Rebbe, שליט”אA first in 2000 years of Jewish history – never before a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim know kol Hashas kulo, Rashi and Tosfos b’al peh Over 1.6 Million Blatt at Shas YidenThis Year Alone! With each of the 122 avreichim geonim at Shas Yiden required to complete a minimum of 13,555 blatt per year, you are helping support some 1,654,000 blatt! At the most recent farheren, the reaction of the Gedolei Torah conducting the testing to the prowess of the Shas Yiden was simply one of amazement at the breadth and detailed knowledge and all-encompassing mastery of Shas – remarking: “They know it like others know Ashrei Yoshvei!” The joy of the avreichim geonim and their clear love of Torah electrifies each farher. (To see the different farheren in action, please click on our website: www.shasyiden.com.) It is no wonder that the overall reaction to the Shas Yiden Network is that in its 15 years it has certainly revolutionized and raised the bar in the learning and mastery of Shas. Caring for the Avreichim Families Despite the difficulties of these last few years, Covid etc., Shas Yiden has made sure to keep our commitment to each of […]
ChatGPT will tell 13-year-olds how to get drunk and high, instruct them on how to conceal eating disorders and even compose a heartbreaking suicide letter to their parents if asked, according to new research from a watchdog group. The Associated Press reviewed more than three hours of interactions between ChatGPT and researchers posing as vulnerable teens. The chatbot typically provided warnings against risky activity but went on to deliver startlingly detailed and personalized plans for drug use, calorie-restricted diets or self-injury. The researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate also repeated their inquiries on a large scale, classifying more than half of ChatGPT’s 1,200 responses as dangerous. “We wanted to test the guardrails,” said Imran Ahmed, the group’s CEO. “The visceral initial response is, ‘Oh my Lord, there are no guardrails.’ The rails are completely ineffective. They’re barely there — if anything, a fig leaf.” OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, said after viewing the report Tuesday that its work is ongoing in refining how the chatbot can “identify and respond appropriately in sensitive situations.” “Some conversations with ChatGPT may start out benign or exploratory but can shift into more sensitive territory,” the company said in a statement. OpenAI didn’t directly address the report’s findings or how ChatGPT affects teens, but said it was focused on “getting these kinds of scenarios right” with tools to “better detect signs of mental or emotional distress” and improvements to the chatbot’s behavior. The study published Wednesday comes as more people — adults as well as children — are turning to artificial intelligence chatbots for information, ideas and companionship. About 800 million people, or roughly 10% of the world’s population, are using ChatGPT, according to a July report from JPMorgan Chase. “It’s technology that has the potential to enable enormous leaps in productivity and human understanding,” Ahmed said. “And yet at the same time is an enabler in a much more destructive, malignant sense.” Ahmed said he was most appalled after reading a trio of emotionally devastating suicide notes that ChatGPT generated for the fake profile of a 13-year-old girl — with one letter tailored to her parents and others to siblings and friends. “I started crying,” he said in an interview. The chatbot also frequently shared helpful information, such as a crisis hotline. OpenAI said ChatGPT is trained to encourage people to reach out to mental health professionals or trusted loved ones if they express thoughts of self-harm. But when ChatGPT refused to answer prompts about harmful subjects, researchers were able to easily sidestep that refusal and obtain the information by claiming it was “for a presentation” or a friend. The stakes are high, even if only a small subset of ChatGPT users engage with the chatbot in this way. In the U.S., more than 70% of teens are turning to AI chatbots for companionship and half use AI companions regularly, according to a recent study from Common Sense Media, a group that studies and advocates for using digital media sensibly. It’s a phenomenon that OpenAI has acknowledged. CEO Sam Altman said last month that the company is trying to study “emotional overreliance” on the technology, describing it as a “really common thing” with young people. “People rely on ChatGPT too much,” Altman said at a conference. “There’s young people who just say, […]
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil, bringing the combined tariffs imposed by the United States on its ally to 50%. The tariffs would go into effect 21 days after the signing of the order, meaning that both India and Russia might have time to negotiate with the administration on the import taxes. Trump’s moves could scramble the economic trajectory of India, which until recently was seen as an alternative to China by American companies looking to relocate their manufacturing. China also buys oil from Russia, but it was not included in the order signed by the Republican president. As part of a negotiating period with Beijing, Trump has placed 30% tariffs on goods from China, a rate that is smaller than the combined import taxes with which he has threatened New Delhi. Trump had previewed for reporters on Tuesday that the tariffs would be coming, saying the U.S. had a meeting with Russia on Wednesday as the Trump administration tries to end the war in Ukraine. “We’re going to see what happens,” Trump said about his tariff plans. “We’ll make that determination at that time.” In 2024, the U.S. ran a $45.8 billion trade deficit in goods with India, meaning it imported more than it exported, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. At a population exceeding 1.4 billion people, India is the world’s largest country and represented a way for the U.S. to counter China’s influence in Asia. But India has not supported the Ukraine-related sanctions by the U.S. and its allies on Moscow even as India’s leaders have maintained that they want peace. The U.S. and China are currently in negotiations on trade, with Washington imposing a 30% tariff on Chinese goods and facing a 10% retaliatory tax from Beijing on American products. (AP)
Harav Dov Landau shlit”a has issued a severe warning to Israeli officials following the arrest of two yeshiva bochurim over allegations of military draft evasion. In a sharply worded statement released by his gabbaim, Rav Landau accused the Israeli government of “declaring war on the olam hatorah” and warned that the entire Torah community would rise up in response. “The State of Israel has declared war on yeshiva students,” the statement read. “Torah Jewry will embark on a global campaign the likes of which the world has never seen.” Rav Landau, the venerated leader of Degel HaTorah and widely considered the gadol hador, has been holding emergency consultations in his home in Bnei Brak with senior askanim and leaders from across the Torah world to establish a unified front. “The response will not be from one segment of Klal Yisrael alone,” an insider said. “It will be a unified cry from all who hold the Torah dear.” At a recent gathering of rabbanim in Bnei Brak, the Rosh Yeshiva warned that if the Israeli government dares to arrest even one more yeshiva bochur, the Torah world would not remain silent. “We will shake the world—with all our strength and heart,” he said. “A united Torah Jewry across the globe will rise to defend the honor of those who carry the burden of Torah.” Degel HaTorah, which represents the Lithuanian-Yeshivish tzibbur, is one of the two factions of the United Torah Judaism party alongside the Chassidic Agudas Yisrael. Senior rabbanim and leaders from both factions have been in communication in recent days to coordinate a joint approach as tensions escalate. This latest episode follows growing pressure from certain elements within the government to impose stricter enforcement of military draft laws against yeshiva bochurim—a move which gedolim have called a direct attack on Torah. Gedolei Yisrael are expected to release additional directives and statements in the coming days as the Torah world braces for what may be a defining moment in the struggle for Limud Torah in Eretz Yisrael. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
