Yeshiva Tiferes Yisroel (Chofetz Chaim) on East 35 Street in Flatbush released the attached statement tonight. Sources tell Flatbush Scoop that a rumor has recently spread that the Yeshiva was being sold or closing. Those rumors are not true.
Freed twin hostages Gali and Ziv Berman put on tefillin on Wednesday during a visit by Ba’al Chessed Shai Graucher and U.S. donors, including Rabbi Moshe Scheiner of the Palm Beach Synagogue. It was the first time that Ziv had put on tefillin since his bar mitzvah. Gali said that he had put on tefillin at Chabad houses while traveling abroad. Those present at the meeting joyfully danced together to the tune of Am Yisrael Chai. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Less than two weeks before New York City voters head to the polls, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is warning that antisemitic incidents across the five boroughs have reached “deeply concerning” levels, heightening pressure on mayoral candidates to address a growing crisis of hate crimes and public safety. In a report released Wednesday, the ADL said hundreds of incidents of harassment, vandalism, and physical violence against Jews have already been documented in 2025 — continuing the record highs seen last year, when New York led the nation with 976 antisemitic cases, more than any other state. “The scope of antisemitic activity in New York this year is deeply concerning,” said Scott Richman, the ADL’s New York and New Jersey regional director. “Antisemitism is no longer hiding — it’s out in the open, and it’s making Jews in New York feel unsafe in one of the world’s most significant centers of Jewish life.” Preliminary 2025 data shows antisemitic activity spreading across all five boroughs, with Orthodox Jews disproportionately targeted. Though they represent about 20 percent of New York’s Jewish population, they accounted for more than half of all physical assaults last year. In one February weekend alone, three separate attacks occurred within 48 hours; in June, a Shabbat observer was beaten unconscious while his assailant shouted about Gaza. Attacks on Jewish institutions remain high as well. In 2024, 157 incidents targeted synagogues and community centers, and this year’s numbers are on track to match or exceed that figure. Among the most chilling cases: a man who claimed to be “the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler” and another who allegedly plotted a “massacre” at a Brooklyn religious site (it wasn’t specified where). The ADL’s Center on Extremism attributed much of the rise to escalating anti-Israel extremism. In 2022, just 5 percent of antisemitic incidents were related to Israel; by 2024, that figure had surged to 58 percent, a trend continuing this year. Demonstrations across the city have featured chants such as “Burn Tel Aviv to the ground” and banners calling to “globalize the intifada.” On college campuses — particularly at Columbia University, which recorded 53 incidents last year, the highest in the nation — Jewish students have reported vandalism of prayer spaces and fliers urging classmates to “crush Zionism.” With a crucial mayoral debate scheduled Wednesday night, the ADL is urging moderators to press candidates on concrete steps to confront the surge. “Right now, the Jewish community needs every elected official to stand up and speak out,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “We need leaders who will treat this as the crisis it is, not a political afterthought.” Greenblatt warned that rhetoric isn’t enough: “What we are seeing in New York is simply shocking. The time for statements has passed — the Jewish community deserves action.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
More than 650 Reform and Conservative “rabbis” from across the United States have signed an open letter warning against the rise of anti-Zionism in American politics — and singling out New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as a troubling example. In the statement, titled “A Rabbinic Call to Action: Defending the Jewish Future,” they write, “We cannot remain silent in the face of rising anti-Zionism and its political normalization throughout our nation.” The letter condemns Mamdani’s defense of the slogan “Globalize the Intifada” — which he has since said he would “discourage” — along with his refusal to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and repeated accusations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. “We will not accept a culture that treats Jewish self-determination as a negotiable ideal,” the letter says, calling on Americans “to stand up for candidates who reject antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric.” The statement, organized by the Jewish Majority advocacy group, carries the signatures of several of New York’s most Jewish “leaders”, including Rabbi Joshua Davidson of Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi David Gelfand of Temple Israel of the City of New York, Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Kehilath Jeshurun, and Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, president of the New York Board of Rabbis. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Russia has test-fired a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile as part of a nuclear exercise. The missile is capable of striking targets more than 11,000 kilometers away.
Zohran Mamdani criticized Andrew Cuomo during the New York mayoral debate, calling him “Donald Trump’s puppet” and claiming Trump endorsed Cuomo for his own benefit, not for New Yorkers.
President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Wednesday new “massive sanctions” against Russia’s oil industry that are aimed at moving Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and bringing an end to Moscow’s brutal war on Ukraine. The sanctions against oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil followed months of calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as bipartisan pressure on Trump to hit Russia with harder sanctions on its oil industry, the economic engine that has allowed Russia to continue to execute the grinding conflict even as it finds itself largely internationally isolated. “Hopefully he’ll become reasonable,” Trump said of Putin not long after the Treasury Department announced the sanctions against Russia’s two biggest oil companies and their subsidiaries. “And hopefully Zelenskyy will be reasonable, too. You know, it takes two to tango, as they say.” The U.S. administration announced the sanctions as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was in Washington for talks with Trump. The military alliance has been coordinating deliveries of weapons to Ukraine, many of them purchased from the United States by Canada and European countries. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the new sanctions were a direct response to Moscow’s refusal to end its “senseless war” and an attempt to choke off “the Kremlin’s war machine.” Bessent added that the Treasury Department was prepared to take further action if necessary to support Trump’s effort to end the war. “We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions.” The announcement came after Russian drones and missiles blasted sites across Ukraine, killing at least six people, including a woman and her two young daughters. The attack came in waves from Tuesday night into Wednesday and targeted at least eight Ukrainian cities, as well as a village in the region of the capital, Kyiv, where a strike set fire to a house in which the mother and her 6-month-old and 12-year-old daughters were staying, regional head Mykola Kalashnyk said. At least 29 people, including five children, were wounded in Kyiv, which appeared to be the main target, authorities said. Russian drones also hit a kindergarten in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, later Wednesday when children were in the building, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. One person was killed and six were hurt, but no children were physically harmed, he said. Rutte, in his Oval Office appearance, went out of his way to underscore that the weaponry the U.S. is selling Europe to provide to Ukraine has been essential to helping stop many attacks like the one that ravaged the kindergarten. “We need to make sure that the air defense systems are in place, and we need the U.S. systems to do that, and the Europeans are paying for that,” Rutte said. “It is exactly the type of actions we needed, and the President is doing that and trying everything to get this work done.” Zelenskyy said many of the children were in shock. He said the attack targeted 10 separate regions: Kyiv, Odesa, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy and Sumy. Peace efforts stall Trump’s efforts to end the war that started with Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago have failed to gain traction. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with Putin’s refusal to budge from his conditions for a settlement after Ukraine offered a ceasefire and direct peace talks. Trump said Tuesday that his plan for a swift meeting […]
A new report suggests that the United States is exploring a plan to rebuild only the sections of Gaza still under Israeli control, while leaving the rest of the territory divided, and working on ways to disarm Hamas. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The US and Israel are considering a plan that would divide Gaza into separate zones controlled by Israel and Hamas, with reconstruction only taking place on the Israeli side as a stopgap until the militant group can be disarmed and removed from power.” An anonymous U.S. government source indicated, “It is a preliminary idea and updates would be given in the coming days.” The report also states that Jared Kushner, a key adviser to former President Trump and son-in-law, is the main supporter of this initiative. Arab mediators involved in efforts to establish a Gaza ceasefire have expressed concern over the proposal, warning that “it could lead to a zone of permanent Israeli control inside the enclave.” Additionally, many Arab and Muslim nations “are unlikely to commit troops” should such a plan be implemented, the report noted.
A former New York state trooper who shot himself, then falsely claimed he was wounded by an unknown gunman on a Long Island highway, sparking a regionwide search, was sentenced to six months in jail on Wednesday. Thomas Mascia was also given five years of probation and ordered to undergo mental health treatment and pay nearly $290,000 in restitution in Nassau County court in Mineola. Mascia pleaded guilty in May to falsely reporting an incident, tampering with physical evidence and official misconduct. He resigned in January after being suspended without pay while state police launched a criminal investigation into the shooting. Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly called the former officer’s actions “disgraceful.” “His lies wasted hundreds of hours of law enforcement manpower, deeply cost taxpayers in Nassau County, and betrayed the public’s trust of those in uniform,” she said in a statement after the sentencing. Mascia claimed he was shot in the leg on Oct. 30, 2024, by a driver while parked on the shoulder of the Southern State Parkway, about a mile from his home. He described the fictitious driver as a “dark-skinned” man who fled in a car bearing temporary New Jersey plates heading toward New York City. Instead, prosecutors say, Mascia staged the scene of the alleged shooting by scattering shell casings, then shot himself at a park, stashed the .22-caliber rifle, drove back to the highway and called for backup. Jeffrey Lichtman, who represents Mascia and his parents, said in an email that the former trooper is “mortified by his actions and happy to finally get on with his life.” He’s previously said Mascia, who became a trooper in 2019, was suffering from an undiagnosed mental health problem at the time of the shooting and has been undergoing treatment. Mascia’s parents had also pleaded guilty to possessing an illegal firearm, which was found during a search of the family’s home. Thomas A. Mascia, the defendant’s father, was sentenced to five years of probation Wednesday. Dorothy Mascia was given a one-year conditional discharge. (AP)
Alive! Out Now! Watch as Shloime Daskal’s unmatched energy and talent meets Yehuda Langer’s skill and expertise to make this dance truly come ALIVE. Hits and classics fuse with the energy that only a camp can provide to bring you a medley unlike any other. Joined by the incredible Yedidim Choir, this dynamic dance set is truly unforgettable. Recorded live at Camp Degel Hatorah in Durham, CT.
The IDF carried out a demolition of the residence belonging to a Palestinian suspect believed to be involved in a fatal terror shooting incident in the in the Shomron last May. The attack, which resulted in the death of a pregnant woman and her unborn child, prompted the military action. The incident took place on May 14 near the Palestinian village of Bruqin and the settlement of Bruchin. During the attack, a Palestinian terrorist opened fire from the roadside at Israeli drivers, killing 30-year-old Tzeela Gez A”H and injuring her husband. Gez was en route to the hospital to give birth at the time. Her baby, Ravid Chaim, was delivered via emergency C-section at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva but passed away 15 days later. The shooter, Naael Samarah, identified as a Hamas terrorist, was shot and killed by IDF forces four days after the attack. Subsequently, three additional Hamas terrorists were detained over their suspected involvement. One of those detained was Jamil Samarah. According to military sources, IDF troops operated earlier today in the West Bank town of Bruqin to demolish Jamil Samarah’s residence. Notably, Naael Samarah’s home was demolished in September. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
For the first time, Evyatar David has spoken publicly about the horrific Hamas video showing him, gaunt and frail, being forced to dig his own grave. “I didn’t dig it fully,” he said. “But I did dig it, so it did take a lot of energy out of me, and it was very hard.” “But I always believed that I was going to get out eventually. Maybe I looked very bad in the video—very skinny and weak—but I always had a lot of inner hope. I always thought about my family and my friends and my home—I knew I would go back. I had to believe.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
POTUS: “This is going to be probably the finest ballroom ever built — and we’re doing it NO COST to the country… in order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure.”
PHOTOS: Chesed Shel Emes welcomed its fifth emergency services and recovery truck, generously donated by the Saada family in memory of their loved ones who tragically lost their lives in the horrific March accident on Ocean Parkway in Flatbush; the new truck will be stationed in Boro Park to assist with emergency and recovery operations.
New Hampshire Republican John E. Sununu announced a campaign for U.S. Senate on Wednesday, hoping to reclaim a seat he lost nearly two decades ago and boosting the GOP’s chances of regaining a foothold in a region overwhelmingly represented by Democrats. Sununu, 61, is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat who ousted him in 2008. His decision sets up a primary featuring two former senators: Republican Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts before moving to New Hampshire and losing to Shaheen in 2014, has been running since June. “Maybe you’re surprised to hear that I’m running for the Senate again. I’m a bit surprised myself,” Sununu said in a video announcement. “Why would anyone subject themselves to everything going on there right now? Well, somebody has to step up and lower the temperature. Somebody has to get things done.” National Republicans consider Sununu a strong candidate and one who allows them to go on the offensive as they look to hold their majority in the chamber next year. In statements, the Republican National Committee said Sununu’s entrance creates “a formidable Republican field poised to make this seat competitive in 2026.” The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC linked to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, said they were “excited” about Sununu’s bid and that it “expands the Senate map and puts the Granite State in play for Republicans.” Senate Republicans, who hold a 53-47 advantage, are defending seats in Ohio, Maine and North Carolina against a slate of high-profile Democratic candidates. But Republicans are also on the offensive in places like Michigan, Georgia and now, increasingly, New Hampshire — and if they flip one of those seats it will likely put the chamber out of reach for Democrats until at least 2028. Sununu must first win the primary though, and his past opposition to President Donald Trump could be problematic. While Brown has aligned himself closely with Trump and served as his U.S. ambassador to New Zealand, Sununu backed Nikki Haley in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, writing an op-ed calling Trump a “loser.” Trump went on to win New Hampshire’s leadoff primary, but the state’s voters rejected him for a third time in the general election. And while Republicans control the Statehouse and governor’s office, Democrats have held all four of New Hampshire’s congressional seats since 2017. Sununu has been in contact with the White House about the Senate campaign, according to a senior White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity and was not authorized to discuss private conversations. His primary opponent, Brown, posted on X that he looks forward to highlighting “clear distinctions” between himself and Sununu “and letting the people of New Hampshire — not Washington, D.C. — decide” who will win the nomination. Sununu served three terms in the U.S. House before being elected to the Senate at age 38. He was the chamber’s youngest member throughout his term, a fact he emphasized in a 2008 campaign ad that showed him sprinting up a steep mountain path. “He’s younger, faster, quicker,” a deep-voiced (and somewhat redundant) narrator intones. “Inexhaustible. Tireless. Energetic.” He is now the same age Shaheen was when she defeated him and is 16 years older than U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, the front-runner for […]
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion sang at the chuppah at his daughter’s chasunah on Tuesday at the David Citadel hotel in Jerusalem. His daughter Shirel married Noam Moskowitz, the son of the head of the Tzur Hadassah Council. The medader kiddushin was the chassan’s Rav, Rabbi Re’em Cohen, the Rav of Otniel and the Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivat Otniel. Arutz Sheva captured the moving moments: (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Sec. Scott Bessent: “President Putin has not come to the table in an honest and forthright manner, as we’d hoped… we are going to be announcing a substantial increase in Russia sanctions… one of the largest sanctions that we have done against the Russian Federation.”
