A California infant has died and at least 10 other people have been sickened in an outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that include chicken feet, duck neck, beef shank and pork hock, federal health officials reported Friday. Yu Shang Food, Inc., of Spartanburg, South Carolina, has recalled more than 72,000 pounds of meat and poultry products tied to the outbreak, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. Some products were initially recalled on Nov. 9. The foods were shipped to retail locations nationwide and available online, and illnesses have been reported in four states. The problem was discovered in October after routine tests detected listeria in the foods and the production environment. Of the 11 people sickened, nine were hospitalized, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said. A California woman who was pregnant with twins was sickened and both infants died, the CDC said, but listeria was only found in a sample from one of the infants, so that child and the mother were included in the count but the other infant wasn’t. Interviews with people who were sickened and laboratory findings pointed to the Yu Shang Food products. Although the foods have been recalled, some may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. The products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase. Refrigerators, containers and other surfaces that may have touched the foods should be cleaned and sanitized. People get sick with listeria poisoning when they eat foods contaminated with the bacteria. Symptoms can be mild and include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. More serious illness can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Listeria poisoning is tricky, because symptoms can start quickly, within a few hours or days after eating contaminated food. But they also can take weeks or up to three months to show up. Those most vulnerable to getting sick include the very young, people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems or who are pregnant. A different listeria outbreak tied to recalled Boar’s Head deli meats has ended, CDC officials said this week. That outbreak killed 10 people this summer and sickened dozens of others. (AP)
On Friday night’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, a heated debate unfolded as host Bill Maher pushed back against former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile’s assertion that ultra-progressive or “woke” policies were not a significant factor in the Democrats’ recent electoral losses. The discussion, part of the ongoing analysis of the 2024 election—won by Donald Trump—centered on what issues resonated most with voters. Brazile attributed Democratic setbacks primarily to concerns over inflation and immigration, dismissing the idea that progressive “woke” policies played a major role. Maher, however, strongly disagreed. “The big issue, right, was immigration,” said panelist Andrew Sullivan. He argued that Vice President Kamala Harris failed to adequately address voter concerns about immigration and inflation, while also symbolizing a progressive ideology that many Americans have grown weary of. “You asked Vice President Harris, why did you let all of these people in for the last four years? She did not have an answer,” Sullivan said. “And she also seemed to represent that whole woke zone that people are sick to death of.” Brazile acknowledged the challenges immigration and inflation posed but dismissed the idea that “woke” politics significantly impacted the outcome. “There’s no question immigration became an issue,” Brazile said. “But I’m not going to get into this. All the people are too damn woke. That wasn’t an issue.” Maher interjected sharply, “Yeah, it was.” “I disagree with you,” Brazile replied. Maher retorted, “I know. And that’s why you’re going to keep losing.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Two years ago, Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, married Rivky Spielman of Crown Heights, the niece of HaRav Gavriel Holtzberg, H’yd, who was murdered together with his wife Rivka, H’yd, by Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai in 2008. One of Rav Kogan’s friends, Ari Katz told Ynet on Sunday morning that Tzvi, z’l, 28, wore Rav Gabi Holtzberg’s suit at at his chasunah two years ago. Ari said that before the chuppa, he said to Tzvi: ‘A chassan wears a new suit.'” “He responded with a sentence that now caused me to choke up: ‘If we die, then we’ll die Al Kiddush Hashem.'” As YWN reported on Motzei Shabbos, Gabi and Rivka, H’yd, were murdered in Cheshvan, shortly before the annual international gathering of Chabad shluchim in Crown Heights, which begins this Wednesday. Tzvi, z’l, grew up in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo in a large Chareidi family that was not connected to Chabad and attended Litvish mosdos, including Mir Yeshivah. But after his older brother Reuven grew close to Chabad and went on shlichus to Dubai, Tzvi followed in his footsteps. “Tzvi was one of the most well-known people in the Dubai kehilla,” Ari continued. “He was a doer, helping those who are struggling. Countless messages and phone calls; no matter what time it is, he was always there to help everyone.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The owners of a Colorado funeral home who let nearly 190 bodies decay in a room-temperature building and gave grieving families fake ashes pleaded guilty on Friday to corpse abuse. Jon and Carie Hallford, who own the Return to Nature Funeral Home, began storing bodies in a decrepit building near Colorado Springs as far back as 2019 and gave families dry concrete in place of cremated remains, according to the charges. The grim discovery last year upended families’ grieving processes. Plea deals reached between the defendants and prosecutors call for Jon Hallford to receive a 20-year prison sentence and Carie Hallford to receive 15 to 20 years in prison. Over the years, the Hallfords spent extravagantly, prosecutors say. They used customers’ money and nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds to buy laser body sculpting, fancy cars, trips to Las Vegas and Florida, $31,000 in cryptocurrency and other luxury items, according to court records. Last month, the Hallfords pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in an agreement in which they acknowledged defrauding customers and the federal government. Under the agreement, prosecutors could request sentences of up to 15 years in prison for the couple. Even as the couple lived large, prosecutors said the bodies at their funeral home were decomposing. “The bodies were laying on the ground, stacked on shelves, left on gurneys, stacked on top of each other or just piled in rooms,” prosecutor Rachael Powell said. She said the family members of the bodies that were discovered “have been intensely and forever outraged.” The Hallfords each pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse for the bodies found decaying and two instances where the wrong bodies were buried. They also agreed to pay restitution, with the amount yet to be determined. Additional charges of theft, forgery and money laundering would be dismissed under the agreements. Crystina Page’s son, David, died in 2019 and his body languished in the funeral home’s building until last year. “He laid in the corner of an inoperable fridge, dumped out of his body bag with rats and maggots eating his face for four years,” Page said outside the courtroom after the hearing. “Now every moment that I think of my son, I’m having to think of Jon and Carie, and that’s not going away.” Sentencing was set for April 18. Six people with objections to the plea agreements had asked prior to Friday’s hearing to address the court. They considered the length of the sentences under the plea deal insufficient given the Hallfords’ conduct, prosecutors said. Judge Eric Bentley said they would get a chance to speak prior to the sentencings. If the judge rejects the plea agreement, the Hallfords would be able to withdraw their guilty pleas and go to trial. Carie Hallford told the judge that while she didn’t visit the building as much as Jon: “I knew how bad it was and chose to do nothing about it.” At the close of Friday’s hearing, Bentley revoked a bond that had allowed Carie Hallford to remain free while the case was pending. She was handcuffed in the courtroom while family members of the deceased applauded. Jon Hallford already was in custody, and was in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffed for the hearing. Last month, the Hallfords pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges […]
Russia duped hundreds of Yemeni men to travel to Russia and then forcibly sent them to the front lines in Ukraine, the UK-based Financial Times (FT) reported on Sunday. The mercenary operation is being facilitated by the Houthi terror group in Yemen, highlighting the growing ties between Moscow and the Houthis. Yemeni recruits who traveled to Russia told FT that they were tricked into traveling to Russia after being promised a job with a generous salary and even Russian citizenship. But when they arrived in Russia via a Houthi-linked company, they were forcibly inducted into the Russian army and sent as cannon fodder to the front lines in Ukraine. The forced Yemeni recruits joined about 12,000 North Korean soldiers on the battlefront against Ukraine, as well as mercenaries from Nepal and India. The report quoted Farea al Muslimi, an expert on the Gulf region at Chatham House, as saying that few of the Yemeni mercenaries have any training and most don’t want to be there.“One thing Russia needs is soldiers, and it’s clear the Houthis are recruiting, [for them]” Muslimi said, describing it as an overture to Moscow. “Yemen is a pretty easy place to recruit. It is a very poor country.” Nabil, one Yemeni “recruit,” told FT that he was part of a group of about 200 Yemenis conscripted into the Russian army in September after arriving in Moscow. He said that some had military training but many did not and were tricked into traveling into Russia and signing enlistment contracts they couldn’t read. Nabil said that he was lured to Russia after he was promised employment in the fields of “security and “engineering.” His goal was to earn enough money to complete his studies. But several weeks later, he found himself with four other Yemeni “recruits” in a forest in Ukraine -without proper winter clothing – carrying wooden planks through a mine-infested forest. “We are under bombardment. Mines, drones, digging bunkers,” another Yemeni “recruit” said, adding that one of his fellow “recruits” attempted suicide and was hospitalized. Abdullah, another Yemeni “recruit,” told FT that he traveled to Russia after he was promised a $10,000 bonus and $2,000 per month, plus Russian citizenship, to work in the drone manufacturing industry. “I signed it because I was scared,” he said, describing his handlers as “scammers who traffic in human beings.” When he arrived in Moscow, he and his fellow Yemeni “recruits” were driven to a facility five hours away and forced to sign an enlistment contract written in Russian under the threat of a man who spoke “simple Arabic” and shot his pistol over their heads when they initially refused to sign. Abdullah said that many of the Yemenis in his group died in Ukraine. “It was all a lie,” he lamented. US diplomats say that the alliance between the Kremlin and the Houthi terror group, which was “unimaginable” before the war in Ukraine, is indicative of how Russia is willing to expand that conflict into new theaters. US special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking confirmed that Moscow has active ties with the Houthis and is holding a discussion on transferring weapons to the terror group. “We know that there are Russian personnel in Sana’a helping to deepen this dialogue,” he said. “The kinds of weapons that are being discussed […]
Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to lead U.S. intelligence services, is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings, as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, a veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s choice to be director of national intelligence. “I think she’s compromised,” Duckworth said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” citing Gabbard’s 2017 trip to Syria, where she held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gabbard was a Democratic House member from Hawaii at the time. “The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check,” Duckworth said. Gabbard, who said last month she is joining the Republican party, has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades. She was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and, according to the Hawaii National Guard, received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for “participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.” Duckworth’s comments drew immediate backlash from Republicans. “For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, said on CNN, challenging Duckworth to retract her words. “That’s the most dangerous thing she could say — is that a United States lieutenant colonel in the United States Army is compromised and is an asset of Russia.” In recent days, other Democrats have accused Gabbard without evidence of being a “Russian asset.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has claimed, without offering details, that Gabbard is in Russian President Vladimir “Putin’s pocket.” Mullin and others say the criticism from Democrats is rooted in the fact that Gabbard left their party and has become a Trump ally. Democrats say they worry that Gabbard’s selection as national intelligence chief endangers ties with allies and gives Russia a win. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat just elected to the Senate, said he would not describe Gabbard as a Russian asset, but said she had “very questionable judgment.” “The problem is if our foreign allies don’t trust the head of our intelligence agencies, they’ll stop sharing information with us,” Schiff said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Gabbard in 2022 endorsed one of Russia’s justifications for invading Ukraine: the existence of dozens of U.S.-funded biolabs working on some of the world’s nastiest pathogens. The labs are part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons, but Moscow claimed Ukraine was using them to create deadly bioweapons. Gabbard said she just voiced concerns about protecting the labs. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, said he thought it was “totally ridiculous” that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. “It’s insulting. It’s a slur, quite frankly. There’s no evidence that she’s a asset of another country,” he said on NBC. Sen. James Lankford, another Oklahoma Republican, acknowledged having “lots of questions” for Gabbard as the Senate considers her nomination to lead the intelligence services. Lankford said on NBC that he wants to ask Gabbard about her meeting with Assad and some of her past comments about Russia. “We […]
Sobs of relief broke out in a federal courtroom in Kansas on Monday as dozens of people whose life savings had been embezzled by a bank CEO learned that federal law enforcement had recovered their money. “I just can’t describe the weight lifted off of us,” said Bart Camilli, 70, who with his wife Cleo had just learned they’d recover close to $450,000 — money Bart began saving at 18 when he bought his first individual retirement account. “It’s life-changing.” In August, former Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes was sentenced to 24 years after stealing $47 million from customer accounts and wiring the money to cryptocurrency accounts run by scammers. Prosecutors said Hanes also stole $40,000 from his church, $10,000 from an investment club and $60,000 from his daughter’s college fund and lost $1.1 million of his own in the scheme. Deposits were “jettisoned into the ether,” said prosecutor Aaron Smith. Hanes’ Heartland Tri-State Bank, drained of cash, was shut down by federal regulators and sold to another financial institution. Customers’ savings and checking accounts amounting to $47.1 million were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which paid off their losses. But there were still 30 shareholders of the community-owned rural bank Hanes helped found — including his close family friends and neighbors — who thought they lost $8.3 million in investments: well-planned retirements were upended, funds for long-term eldercare gone, education funds and bequests for children and grandchildren zeroed out. On Monday the shareholders stood to cheer federal Judge John W. Broomes in Wichita after he told them, one at a time, that they’d be paid back in full. The FBI recovered the funds from a cryptocurrency account held by Tether Ltd. During an earlier sentencing hearing, these victims had called Hanes a “deceitful cheat and a liar,” and “pure evil.” Margaret Grice came to court Monday figuring she’d get $1,000 back. Instead, she learned she’d be recovering almost $250,000, her entire 401(k). “I’m just really thrilled,” she said. “I can breathe.” Prosecutors said Hanes, who was the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank in Elkhart, Kansas, lost the money in a scam referred to as “pig butchering,” or the way pigs are fattened before slaughter. In the scam, a third party gains a victims’ trust and, over time, convinces them to invest all of their money into cryptocurrency, which immediately disappears. U.S. and U.N. officials say these schemes are proliferating, with scammers largely in Southeast Asia increasingly taking advantage of Americans. Hanes started buying what he thought was $5,000 in cryptocurrency in late 2022, communicating with someone who had reached out on WhatsApp, according to court records. A few months later he transferred over his church and investment club funds. Records show the scam accelerated in the summer of 2023, when Hanes wired $47.1 million out of customer accounts in 11 wire transfers over just eight weeks. Each transfer, he thought, was necessary to end the investment and cash out, court records said. He watched, on a fake website, as the money appeared to grow to more than $200 million. “He was to take some of the money, and the rest of the money was supposed to go back to the bank,” his attorney John Stang explained. “Now it’s fiction, it didn’t exist. We all know that now […]
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen money manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction and deregulation, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Bessent is a past supporter of Democrats who has become an enthusiastic supporter of Trump. He’s an advocate of cutting spending while extending the tax cuts approved by Congress in Trump’s first term. Here are four things to know about the South Carolina billionaire who, if confirmed by the Senate, will manage the nation’s finances: He worked for George Soros and donated to Democratic causes Before becoming a Trump donor and adviser, Bessent donated to various Democratic causes in the early 2000s, notably Al Gore’s presidential run. He also worked for George Soros, a major supporter of Democrats. Bessent had an influential role in Soros’ London investment operations, including his famous 1992 bet against the pound, which generated huge profits on “Black Wednesday,” when the pound was de-linked from European currencies. He speaks regularly about deficit reduction, while supporting extending Trump’s tax cuts Bessent has backed extending provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which Trump signed into law in his first year in office, though estimates from various economic analysis of the costs of the various tax cuts range between nearly $6 trillion and $10 trillion over 10 years. Bessent calls for spending cuts and shifts in existing taxes to offset the costs that the tax extension would add to the federal deficit. “That’s going to be a negotiation with the Republican Congress,” Bessent told CNBC on Nov. 6. “I’ve already been in conversations with a lot of the Republicans who will chair those committees,” he said. “The Republican Congress, there’s a big appetite for pay-fors. It will be a negotiation.” He has in media interviews spoken about the need to tackle the nation’s debt. “I do think this debt and deficit is going to be the big issue of the day. I think Americans are worried about it.” He argues that consumer prices can be brought down “by starting with a deficit reduction program.” He views tariffs as a sanctions tool Trump on the campaign trail proposed a 60% tariff on goods from China — and a tariff of up to 20% on everything else the United States imports. Mainstream economists are generally skeptical of tariffs, considering them a mostly inefficient way for governments to raise money and promote prosperity. Bessent told Bloomberg in August that he views tariffs as a “one time price adjustment” and “not inflationary,” and tariffs imposed during a second Trump administration would be directed primarily at China. “I think that tariffs in a way can be regarded as an economic sanction without a sanction. If you don’t like Chinese economic policy, flooding the market with over production, you could put a sanction on them, or a tariff. Its also an answer to currency manipulation.” And he wrote in a Fox News op-ed this week that tariffs are “a useful tool for achieving the president’s foreign policy objectives. Whether it is getting allies to spend more on their own defense, opening foreign markets to U.S. exports, securing cooperation on ending illegal immigration and interdicting fentanyl trafficking, or deterring military aggression, tariffs can play a central role.” He told CNBC that “I would recommend that tariffs be layered in […]
The Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates announced on Sunday that Emirati authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of Moldovan-Israeli Chabad shliach Rabbi Zvi Kogan. “Emirati authorities were able, in record time, to arrest the perpetrators of the murder of a resident in the country named ‘Zvi Kogen,’ who holds the citizenship of the country he was born in, according to the identification papers with which he entered the United Arab Emirates. The perpetrators numbered three people, stressing the ability to deal firmly with anyone who tries to undermine the security and stability of society,” the ministry said in a statement. The identities or nationalities of the suspects were not disclosed, though previous reports stated that they are Uzbek nationals who may have been recruited by Iran. The investigation began after the victim’s family filed a missing person report, prompting the formation of a dedicated search and investigation team. Authorities discovered the murdered rabbi’s body and identified the perpetrators, leading to their arrest and the initiation of legal proceedings. The Ministry noted that additional details about the case will be released upon the conclusion of the investigation. “The United Arab Emirates, with all its institutions, will spare no effort to prevent any attack on its citizens, residents, and visitors, and all security agencies work around the clock to protect the stability of society and ensure the sustainability of the highest levels of security and safety that have been established since the founding of the state,” the ministry added in its statement. It also issued a stern warning against any acts that threaten the country’s security and harmony: “It will use all available legal powers to deal severely and without leniency with anyone who dares to take any actions or acts that seek to destabilize society or threaten its security, stressing its full readiness to take the utmost deterrent measures to ensure the protection of the gains of coexistence and social peace in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.” AN EMERGENCY FUND HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY TO ASSIT THE ALMANAH – PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A rocket fired by Hezbollah landed in the Palestinian city of Tulkarm. Local reports claim at least 15 wounded. The attached video shows vehicles evacuating injured to a local emergency room.
On the same day that the murder of Chabad shaliach Rav Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, by Iranian agents was confirmed, a number of ministers, including two Otzma Yehudit ministers, received invitations to participate in Chabad Chanukah celebrations in Brooklyn, New York. The invitations, received via WhatsApp, aroused the suspicion of Minister for the Negev Yitzchak Wasserlauf and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu via WhatsApp, prompting them to consult with the security officers in their offices to verify the authenticity of the messages, Arutz Sheva reported. The security officers forwarded the invitations to intelligence officials. A Shin Bet probe revealed that Iranian elements likely sent the invitations in an attempt to harm the ministers by luring them to a certain location. The suspects used artificial intelligence technology to create a fictitious persona of a Rav and formulate the wording of the invitations, which were sent via a US phone number activated in October. A quick perusal of the message [written in Hebrew] reveals why they aroused the suspicion of the ministers. The invitations stated: “Dear Sir: I, Rav Yitzchak Schaffer, on behalf of the Chabad movement, am honored to invite you to participate in the Chanukah celebrations that will take place at the end of December this year in the Brooklyn area, New York. This holiday occurs around the same time as the Christian Xmas holiday and the New Year.” A subsequent message stated: “If you are interested and available to attend this event, I would appreciate it if you could confirm this as soon as possible so that we can issue an official invitation on behalf of the Chabad movement. We will take care of your travel and accommodation arrangements for the event. I eagerly await your response. Rav Yitzchak Schaffer, Chabad Movement.” One minister’s assistant responded with a question to verify the identity of the fictitious character, who claimed, “I work at the Israeli embassy with Ambassador [to the US] Michael Herzog,” and also claimed, “I’m the second secretary at the embassy in Washington and my role focuses on cultural and religious matters.” The minister’s assistant replied, “I checked with Ambassador Herzog and he doesn’t know who you are.” The character retorted, “You’re not telling the truth.” The Israel-based Chabad CWA security organization stated: “The case is known to us and is being handled with the official security authorities.” Chabad’s global security headquarters, Chabad World Assistance (CWA), was established after the deadly terror attack on the Chabad house in Mumbai in 2008 in which HaRav Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, H’yd, were murdered. Arutz Sheva‘s requests for comments regarding the incident from the Shin Bet or Mossad did not receive a response. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
In a remarkable collaboration with local law enforcement, the Far Rockaway Nassau Shomrim (RNSP) played a key role in apprehending a group of burglars during an attempted break-in Thursday night. Sources tell YWN the incident unfolded when Monitex home security alerted Shomrim to a suspicious vehicle parked illegally in a no-parking zone on a residential street in the Woodsburgh area of the Five Towns. Shomrim volunteers responded quickly and observed three individuals approaching a home with a crowbar. Recognizing the suspects as part of a statewide burglary pattern, Shomrim immediately contacted Nassau County Police. Maintaining surveillance, Shomrim established a perimeter around the property. When police arrived with K-9 units, Shomrim deployed a drone to monitor the suspects. All three individuals on the property were apprehended. Meanwhile, the driver of the getaway vehicle fled the scene, leading police on a brief pursuit. Although the driver managed to escape, Shomrim’s camera system captured the vehicle’s license plate, which was provided to authorities for further investigation. The three suspects were wanted for dozens of major burglaries across New York and New Jersey. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Following IDF warning to evacuate, an IAF airstrike levels a building in Beirut used by Hezbollah terrorists. This was after 160 rockets were fired into so far on Sunday. (Notice how they were ready with their cameras to film the airstrike – that’s how much time the IDF gives these terrorists to evacuate before the airstrike.)
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The IDF reports that Hezbollah has launched approximately 180 rockets toward Israel since this morning. In response, Israeli forces targeted a Hezbollah rocket launcher that had been used in an earlier attack on the Haifa region, the military stated.
Israel’s National Security Council on Sunday raised the travel warning to Thailand to Level 2 (recommendation to take increased precautions) due to terror threats against Israelis in the country. The warning follows the shocking murder of Chabad shaliach in the UAE, HaRav Tzvi Kogan, H”yd, and also comes almost two weeks after the Prime Minister’s Office announced that there were “increasing fears of attacks on Israelis and Jews across Thailand.” At the time, Israeli media reports said that the warning was issued after Thai police uncovered a terror plot against Israelis on the tourist island of Koh Phangan, a popular hotspot for Israeli tourists. The NSC recommended that Israelis in Thailand avoid: 1. Attending large events associated with Israel, especially those announced in advance or located at entertainment venues and gathering places identified with Israelis. 2. Inform local security forces if they are exposed to hostile activity focused against Israelis/Jews. 3. Minimize Israeli/Jewish symbols. 4. Avoid posting details of location and travel plans on social media. 5. Avoid discussions about military service/reserves and conversations about the security situation in the country, as well as posting related content on social media. “These guidelines are applicable throughout the entire country, without focusing on a specific area,” the statement said. “It should be emphasized that this change does not apply to the existing travel warning for the south of the country (level 4).” Earlier on Sunday, the NSC announced that “there are still concerns about threats against Israelis and Jews in the United Arab Emirates, which carries a Level 3 (medium threat) travel warning, and that the council “reiterates its recommendation to avoid nonessential travel to the country.” The statement also urged Israelis who are already in the UAE to take several precautions, including avoiding visits to businesses, gathering places, and entertainment venues associated with the Israeli and Jewish population; maintaining heightened vigilance in public places (including restaurants, hotels, and bars), and minimizing movements in secured areas. Additionally, the NSC warned that Israelis should avoid displaying Israeli symbols, cooperate with local security forces, and immediately report any suspicious activity. The statement emphasized that Israelis should avoid posting travel details on social media and sharing pictures and information about their plans prior to departure, including within various groups focused on tourism abroad. Furthermore, the NSC recommended that Israelis lock their social media profiles. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Following the launch of approximately 160 rockets from Lebanon into Israel today, the Israeli military has issued evacuation notices for two buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The warnings come ahead of planned airstrikes targeting Hezbollah-related facilities. Colonel Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, shared maps with the announcement, urging civilians to stay at least 500 meters away from the identified locations.
Ribo’s performances on Chanukah’s 5th, 6th, and 8th nights will host Amir Dadon at New York City’s United Palace and Miami’s Fillmore—with New York’s second concert featuring separate seating for men and women. Chart-topping Israeli singer Ishay Ribo will return to New York City for two Chanukah concerts on Chanukah’s 5th and 6th nights—December 29th and 30th—before a climactic tour finale in Miami’s the Fillmore on the 8th night, January 2nd. Throughout the tour, Ribo will host Israeli rock star Amir Dadon, whose heartfelt collaborations with Ribo and others have crossed the divide between religious and secular and gained him an avid following across the Jewish world. Ribo’s second New York performance on Chanukah’s 6th night, December 30th, will feature separate seating for men and women, enabling every segment of the Jewish community to enjoy the record-breaking artist’s signature evenings of unifying music. Just four months after his second, historic, sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden—where he released his latest album—Ribo will perform back-to-back at Washington Heights’ iconic United Palace theater on Chanukah’s 5th and 6th nights. Known for his prayer-filled Hebrew lyrics, emotional melodies, and breakout pop hits, Ribo’s music has earned a treasured place in Jewish hearts of every age and background. Now, as he heads to New York and Miami for his Chanukah tour, a fanbase that spans the entire Jewish world is gearing up for delightful and unforgettable evenings of unity and song. To purchase tickets, visit: ishayribo.com/tour
By Rabbi Yair Hoffman A significant mix-up occurred at the Assuta Medical Center in Rishon Lezion during an IVF procedure in 2022. The error came to light when medical problems were detected in the fetus, necessitating a series of tests. These tests revealed a startling truth: neither the woman carrying the child nor her partner were the biological parents of the baby they were expecting. There was a bad mix-up. The Court Decision In a landmark ruling, the Rishon Lezion Family Court determined that the genetic parents should be recognized as the child’s legal parents. The ruling, issued by Judge Oved Elias, ordered that the child be removed from the custody of the birth parents and transferred to the genetic parents. The child at the center of this case, named Sophia, is now over two years old. Current Situation At present, Sophia remains in the custody of her birth mother and her partner. These parents have engaged in an extensive months-long legal battle to maintain custody of the child they’ve been raising, despite having no genetic connection to her. Their determination to continue raising Sophia has been evident throughout the legal proceedings. Implementation of the Ruling The court’s decision was heavily influenced by the recommendation of Dr. Daniel Gotlib, a psychologist from the Shinui Institute who was appointed to evaluate the case. Dr. Gotlib specifically recommended that custody be granted to the genetic parents. It’s worth noting that a contrary position paper, authored by two social workers who recommended leaving the child with the birth parents, was ultimately rejected by Judge Elias. The judge has stipulated that the transfer of custody must follow “an organized plan” under the careful supervision of the Tel Aviv Social Welfare department. Varied Halachic Opinions The halachic opinions range quite widely. Some hold that it is the genetic mother who is the real mother. Others hold it is the birth mother. Others hold that it is a doubt as to which one. Others hold that both are mothers and some even hold that there is no mother. Tzitz Eliezer’s Evolution of Opinion The Tzitz Eliezer’s position on this matter has evolved over time. In his initial ruling (Vol. 15 Siman 45), he held that when fertilization occurs externally in a laboratory setting, even without egg donation, the child has no relationship to the parents. However, his later writings suggest a shift toward favoring the genetic mother’s claim. This apparent retraction seems to stem from his primary concern about fertility treatments leading to lineage questions (which he termed “mi yeshurenu”). It’s important to note that Rav Ovadya Yoseph in his Yabia Omer (Vol. 2 Even HaEzer Siman 1, Vol. 8 Even HaEzer Siman 21) takes a different stance, stating that children born through fertility treatments do indeed relate to their parents, and fathers fulfill the mitzvah of “peru u’revu” (be fruitful and multiply). Rabbi Ovadia’s Position Rabbi Ovadia’s stance on this matter underwent a significant transformation over time. While he initially held that the birth mother should be considered the mother, multiple sources have testified that in his later years, his opinion shifted to favor the egg donor as the mother. This change in position has been documented by both Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yosef in his Responsa Rishon L’Tzion Vol. 1 Even HaEzer Siman 5, and […]
Building in Haifa with massive structural damage following a direct strike from a Hezbollah rocket. More than 150 rockets were fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon into Israel on Sunday.
