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The Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday afternoon confirmed that Israel and Turkey held direct talks in recent days about Syria, following multiple reports about such talks in recent days. According to the announcement, the head of the delegation is National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi. “Under the direction of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, last night a political-security delegation headed by the head of the National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, and with the participation of senior representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the security agencies, met with a parallel Turkish delegation.” “Israel thanks Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev for hosting the important talks.” “In the talks, each side presented its interests in the region, and it was agreed to continue the dialogue in order to maintain security stability.” Earlier today, a senior political source confirmed that Israeli and Turkish officials began direct talks in Azerbaijan on a deconfliction mechanism in Syria. The political source clarified what Israel’s red lines are. “Israel made it unequivocally clear that any change in the deployment of foreign forces in Syria – and in particular the establishment of Turkish bases in the Palmyra area – is a red line and will be considered a violation of all boundaries. Israel has already made it clear in the past that preventing this threat is the responsibility of the government in Damascus. Any action that endangers Israel will endanger the rule of al-Sharaa.” Turkish sources also confirmed the talks in Azerbaijan. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Canadian Liberal leader Mark Carney is stepping back from comments made during a recent campaign rally in Calgary, where he appeared to affirm a crowd member’s allegation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, according to a report from CBC.

As Carney was preparing to address attendees at the event, someone from the audience shouted, “Mr. Carney, there’s a genocide in Palestine!” Though the speaker wasn’t shown on camera, the outburst was clearly audible.

Carney responded, “I’m aware. That’s why we have an arms embargo,” which prompted the crowd to erupt in chants of his name, effectively cutting off any further discussion at that moment.

Speaking to the press the next day, Carney attempted to clarify his response, explaining that he hadn’t heard the specific accusation involving the word “genocide” and had only meant to acknowledge the existing Canadian arms policy.

“I didn’t hear that word,” Carney said while campaigning in Calgary, according to CBC. “It’s noisy. If you’re up there you hear snippets of what people say and I heard Gaza, and my point was I’m aware of the situation in Gaza.”

He elaborated further, saying, “Canada does … have restrictions, probably from January 2024, on arms exports, or permits for arms exports to Israel with the sole exception of the Iron Dome which protects them more broadly.”

Since being chosen last month to succeed former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as head of the Liberal Party, Carney has spoken out about conditions in Gaza. He criticized the decision to halt electricity to the territory, though he avoided naming Israel specifically in his remarks.

“It has been more than two days that the supply of electricity to Gaza has been shut off,” Carney said. “It must resume. Essentials including food, electricity and medical supplies should never be used as political tools.”

He also urged international cooperation to support legal and humanitarian principles in the region, saying, “Canada must work with our allies to stand up for international law to promote sustainable peace and security in the Middle East and to support full access to humanitarian aid for Palestinian families.”

Carney called on both sides to make progress, stating that efforts should focus on “the return of all hostages and the completion of the ceasefire agreement.”

During the initial stages of the Israel-Hamas war following the October 7, 2023 attack, then-Prime Minister Trudeau supported Israel’s right to defend itself and endorsed a joint international statement emphasizing both that right and the importance of civilian protection.

However, Trudeau later condemned Israel’s conduct in Gaza, saying the “killing of women, of children, of babies” had to stop.

Canadians will head to the polls for a federal election on April 28.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. inflation declined last month as the cost of gas, airline fares, and hotel rooms fell, a sign that price growth was cooling even as President Donald Trump ramped up his tariff threats. Consumer prices rose just 2.4% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Thursday, down from 2.8% in February. That is the lowest inflation figure since September. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.8% compared with a year ago, down from 3.1% in February. That is the smallest increase in core prices in nearly four years. Economists closely watch core prices because they are considered a better guide to where inflation is headed. The report shows that inflation is mostly cooling, for now. Yet Trump’s huge tariffs on China and 10% universal duty are likely to push up prices in the coming months, economists say. The higher import taxes will likely weigh on the economy’s growth as well. On a monthly basis, prices actually fell 0.1% in March, the first monthly drop in nearly five years. Core prices rose just 0.1% in March from February. Used car prices dropped 0.7% from February to March, the government said. The cost of auto insurance fell 0.8%, welcome relief for car owners, though insurance costs are still up 7.5% compared with a year ago. One reason prices fell was sharp drops in travel-related costs, including air fares, which slipped 5.3% just from February to March. Hotel room prices dropped 3.5%. Economists said those drops in part reflected much slower international demand as the number of tourists visiting the United States has fallen sharply amid Trump’s aggressive trade policy. Visits to the United States from overseas fell nearly 12% last month, according to government data. The cost of groceries, however, jumped 0.5% last month, the report showed, as egg prices leapt 5.9% to a new record average price of $6.23 a dozen. Clothing prices rose 0.4%, though they have increased little in the past year. Trump had imposed sweeping tariffs on nearly 60 nations last week, which sent financial markets into a tailspin and caused sharp drops in business and consumer sentiment. Yet on Wednesday he paused those duties for 90 days. He kept a steep 125% tariff on all imports from China and 25% duties on steel, aluminum, imported cars, and many goods from China and Mexico. The remaining tariffs are still likely to lift inflation this year, economists say, even with the 90-day pause. Even with the pause, many companies are still uncertain where trade policy will go next. Trump has also said that duties on pharmaceutical imports will be imposed. Consumers will likely see some prices rise because of the existing duties, including the massive tariffs on China. The United States imports more than $60 billion of iPhones and other mobile phones every year from China, as well as massive amounts of clothes, shoes and toys. Many U.S. companies will likely shift production out of China, a process that had already started during Trump’s first term when he slapped duties on some of its exports. Still, China remains the Unite States’ third-largest trading partner. Shifting supply chains out of China will also likely take time and come with its own costs, which could raise prices for U.S. consumers in the coming months. […]

President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that should it become necessary to take military steps against Iran’s nuclear development, Israel will be a key participant and may even spearhead the action.

“With Iran, if it requires military, we’re going to have military. Israel will be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, we do what we want to do,” Trump said during remarks from the Oval Office.

When asked how long he would give Iran to come to the table with a deal, Trump said, “I can’t really be specific, but when you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not, and I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well.”

While Trump has consistently voiced a preference for diplomacy over conflict, he has also made it clear that he won’t hesitate to use force if needed to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear threat.

Earlier in the week, Trump announced during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that the U.S. planned to engage Iran in discussions over the weekend about its nuclear ambitions.

Even though Trump indicated that these would be direct talks, Iranian authorities clarified that any interaction would be indirect, not in-person negotiations.

Tehran had recently turned down Trump’s invitation for direct dialogue, declining the proposal delivered in a letter addressed to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Trump later issued a strong warning, cautioning that serious consequences would follow if Iran did not commit to a nuclear deal.

He followed up with an even more severe threat, saying, “if they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”

{Matzav.com}

Get ready for 40 minutes of comedy gold! This Chol Hamoed, join us for the livestream premiere of “Leave it to Kletzkin,” the must-see, hilarious comedy film for the whole family.  Featuring the Stars of Bardak – starring in their first English Film. Save the Date: Get your unique access code now for the livestream premiere on Motzei Yom Tov Rishon, April 14th at 9:30 PM EST. Don’t Miss Out! Vote and Get Your Access Code Now! – Click Here  Presented by Eretz Hakodesh – Slate 11

President Trump issued a new executive order on Wednesday targeting federal water-use restrictions, specifically those implemented during the Obama and Biden administrations. He promoted the move with the slogan that it would help “Make America’s Showers Great Again.”

“Overregulation chokes the American economy and stifles personal freedom. A small but meaningful example is the Obama-Biden war on showers,” Trump declared in the executive order.

The directive eliminates lengthy federal guidelines—thousands of words long—set by the Obama-era Department of Energy, which redefined what constitutes a “showerhead.” These rules were brought back under Biden after Trump had previously eased them during his presidency.

“To the extent any definition is necessary for this common piece of hardware, the Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘showerhead’ in one short sentence,” Trump noted in the order. He instructed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to “immediately rescind the overly complicated” Obama-Biden regulations.

The administration confirmed that the rule change would restore the long-standing 2.5-gallons-per-minute water flow limit that had been in effect since 1992.

“President Trump is restoring sanity to at least one small part of the federal regulations,” the White House said in a statement.

“The Order frees Americans from excessive regulations that turned a basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare,” the statement added. “No longer will showerheads be weak and worthless.”

The administration criticized the previous policy, claiming it was driven by “a radical green agenda that made life worse for everyday Americans” and even rendered certain multi-nozzle shower designs “illegal.”

The scope of the new executive order also extends to other household fixtures such as sinks and dishwashers.

“No market failure justifies this intrusion,” the White House said, referring to the rescinded water-use regulations. “Americans pay for their own water and should be free to choose their showerheads without federal meddling.”

“President Trump is slashing red tape and ending Biden’s dumb war on things that work.”

{Matzav.com}

The number of dead in a roof collapse at an iconic nightclub in the Dominican Republic surged to 218 on Thursday, an official said. Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, said crews at the scene were still looking for victims and potential survivors, although no one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon. “We’ve practically combed through ground zero,” he said, adding that there’s one very small area of rubble left that crews are focusing on. “This has been very difficult for us all.” Doctors warned that some of the two dozen patients who remained hospitalized were still not in the clear, especially the eight who were in critical condition. “If the trauma is too great, there’s not a lot of time” left to save patients in that condition, said Health Minister Víctor Atallah. He and other doctors said that injuries include fractures in the skull, femur and pelvis caused by slabs of cement falling on those attending a merengue concert at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, where more than 200 were injured. On Wednesday, dozens of people had anxiously searched for their loved ones, growing frustrated upon getting no answers after visiting hospitals and the country’s forensic institute. By Thursday, a lone family remained with no answers. María Luisa Taveras told TV station Noticias SIN that she was still looking for her sister. “We have gone everywhere they told us,” she said, her voice breaking. Taveras said the family has spread out, with a relative stationed at each hospital and at the forensic institute. The government said Wednesday night that it was moving to a recovery phase focused on finding bodies. The legendary club was packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials when dust began falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks early Tuesday. Minutes later, the roof collapsed. Victims include merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who had been singing to the crowd before the roof fell; former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera; and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi whose brother is seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz. Also killed was a retired United Nations official; saxophonist Luis Solís, who was playing onstage when the roof fell; New York-based fashion designer Martín Polanco; the son and daughter-in-law of the minister of public works; the brother of the vice minister of the Ministry of Youth; and three employees of Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife. Randolfo Rijo Gómez, director of the country’s 911 system, said it received more than 100 calls, with several of those made by people buried under the rubble. He noted that police arrived at the scene in 90 seconds, followed minutes later by first response units. In less than half an hour, 25 soldiers, seven fire brigades and 77 ambulances were activated, he said. Crews used dogs and thermal cameras to search for victims, rescuing more than 180 survivors from the rubble, authorities said. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse, or when the Jet Set building was last inspected. The government said late Wednesday that once the recovery phase ends, it will launch a thorough investigation. The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating […]

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

The essence of the Haggadah and Pesach is the relationship between father and son and the obligation for a father to transmit to his son the story of the geulah from Mitzrayim. The Torah and Chazal prescribe different ways to speak to different children and lay out the format for the Seder evening conversation.

Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein related the following story.

One Shabbos morning a few years ago, an old man and his son entered a shul in Petach Tikvah. They stood frozen at the door, gazing at the people davening Pesukei Dezimra. Finally, they felt comfortable enough to find themselves seats and sit down. There was no need for a siddur, because they both couldn’t daven, as they had been locked behind the Iron Curtain for many years.

The older man paid attention to the chazzan and seemed to enjoy his tunes and chanting, while the younger man waited for his father to lose interest so they could leave and return home. He’d have to wait.

As the laining progressed, the old man started paying particular attention. All of a sudden, he started screaming towards the gabbai in a beautiful Litvishe Yiddish, “I must have an aliyah. Please, I must have an aliyah.” The kind gabbai acquiesced and called the senior guest to the Torah at the next opportunity.

The old man borrowed a tallis and a yarmulka and made his way to the bimah. He pushed away the siddur that was given to him to read the brachos and, with a deep and emotional voice, he began to slowly recite the brocha, saying each word with meaning.

When the baal korei finished his portion, the scene repeated itself, as the man cried his way through the words of the second brocha. There was utter silence in the shul, as everyone fixed their eyes on the old man standing at the bimah crying.

After davening, people approached the guest. They asked him questions, intending to elicit his story.

“I was born and bred in Vilna,” he began. “When I was 12-1/2, my parents started arguing about where I should go to school. My mother wanted me to continue in yeshiva, but my father wanted me to go to the gymnasia school of the Maskilim. He said that this way, I would learn a trade and how to maintain my Yiddishkeit while living among goyim.

“My father won and I was sent to that school. I began focusing on the studies, which brought my father much satisfaction.

“My bar mitzvah celebration was held in the large Vilna shul. I was given the aliyah for maftir, made the birchos haTorah and lained the haftorah. My father was beaming, while my mother was upstairs in the ezras noshim weeping.

“As I came down from the bimah, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky came over and shook my father’s hand, wishing him mazel tov. And then he said to my father, ‘For your benefit, let me warn you that if you do not remove your son from the gymnasia school, generations will pass before your son will be called to the Torah a second time!’

“My father did not obey the rov.

“Today, for some reason, I felt a pull to the shul,” the man said as he began to weep once again. “When the baal korei began to read the parsha, I remembered that this is my bar mitzvah parsha.”

He raised his voice and said, “Yidden, her vos ich zog eich. From that Shabbos of my bar mitzvah, when I had an aliyah to the Torah, until today is exactly seventy years [two generations]. Today is the first time since my bar mitzvah that I received an aliyah!

“Ay, iz der gaon geven gerecht. Woe is to me, what the great rov said was so true.”

His father, back in Vilna, might have meant well. He wanted the best for his son and thought that the Haskalah school would provide for him the best of both worlds. But he should have listened to the rov, because if you want nachas from your children, the way to achieve that goal is by following the Torah, as interpreted by the gedolei olam, our leaders, the people such as Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky with whom Hashem blesses us in every generation. Those who think they understand better and ignore the warnings of the rabbonim gedolim jeopardize their ability to succeed in this world and the next.

Pesach is an intrinsic part of our fiber. Its mitzvos, rituals, liturgy and special foods enrich and enhance our souls year after year.

While the Yom Tov has a special effect on children, as we grow older we perceive new depths. Chag hacheirus becomes more meaningful, as we appreciate its valuable messages in a different, richer way. We increasingly realize how Pesach is meant to equip us with new resolve to rid ourselves of chometz and cheit, villains and tormentors. It drives us to pine ever more for the geulah, so that we might merit visiting the home of Hashem, offering korbanos to Him.

We recognize that we can only arrive at cheirus and geulah by doing what is incumbent upon us and fulfilling our missions as best as we can. We reach our potential by delving into the study of Torah and seeking messages from great men whose lives are totally devoted to Torah and nothing else. Sometimes, they tell us to act, and other times, they say to desist. Those who seek the brachos of the Torah follow it and don’t follow the path of greater personal benefit or enjoyment, whether they understand or not.

At the time of Krias Yam Suf, the Jews were afraid that the Mitzriyim would catch up to them and destroy them. They cried out to Moshe for a plan. Instead, they were told, “Hashem yilocheim lochem ve’atem tacharishun. Your job at this time is to remain silent and do nothing. Hashem will fight for you.”

Chazal state that this advice is eternal. There are times when we must speak up and times when we must remain silent, times to do battle and times to be passive. Our limited human intelligence is not always able to figure out the proper course of action. How we are to act in all times is prescribed by the Torah, as is so beautifully expressed by Shlomo Hamelech in Koheles: “Eis livkos, ve’eis lischok… Eis le’ehov, ve’eis lisno, eis milchomah, ve’eis shalom.” How we are to act in each “eis,” or time, is determined by the Torah.

The Torah is constant, but people change. Every generation is different. We have a generational obligation to speak to our children in a language and voice that they will understand, respect and follow. What worked in the past does not necessarily work now, and to assume that it does, risks losing touch with those whom we love and whom we wish will follow in our ways.

After his arrival in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Elozor Menachem Man Shach lived in a small apartment in the Kerem Avrohom neighborhood of Yerushalayim. The diminutive, humble man kept to himself, engaging in Torah learning all the time and rarely opening his mouth to express an opinion on issues of the day. His acquaintances in the Kerem shul saw him as a talmid chochom, but few foresaw a position of leadership for the scholar.

Eventually, the poverty-stricken Rav Shach accepted a position as a maggid shiur in Tel Aviv, grateful for the chance to teach Torah and earn an income. Within weeks of starting the new job, however, he detected that the leader of the place possessed an outlook that was contrary to the views of gedolei Yisroel.

When he came upon that realization, Rav Shach immediately resigned his position and returned home, settling back into his corner of the small neighborhood shul where he once again spent his days and nights learning.

His rebbi, the Brisker Rov, encouraged him that he acted properly by leaving his job and told him that a better position would come along. “Someone who forfeits parnossah because of principle will see brachos,” he told him.

In time, the Ponovezher Rov discovered Rav Shach, and after living in virtual anonymity for so long, the rosh yeshiva’s rise to leadership began, ushering in the glory era for the olam haTorah.

He was an exceedingly humble man, but when the Torah demanded strength from him, he was strong as a lion.

Some years ago, I wrote of a dream I had before Pesach that year. In the dream, I gained a new understanding of the posuk, “V’acharei chein yeitzu b’rechush gadol,” in which Hashem foretold to our forefather Avrohom the future course of Jewish history. Hashem told Avrohom that after being enslaved for many years, the Jewish people would be freed and would depart their host country with a great treasure.

The common understanding is that the promise of “a great treasure” was fulfilled with the vast quantity of belongings the Jews received from the Mitzriyim prior to being sent out.

In the dream, I thought that the rechush gadol the Jews received was the matzoh that baked on their backs as they left b’chipazon. Matzoh is not simply a physical food. It possesses spiritual qualities and is a gift to the Bnei Yisroel. Only we have the ability to take flour and water and transform them into a cheftzah shel mitzvah.

The Netziv of Volozhin, in his peirush on Shir Hashirim titled “Rinah Shel Torah,” comments in his introduction on the posuk which states, “Sheishes yomim tochal matzos uvayom hashevi’i atzeres l’Hashem Elokecha lo sa’aseh melacha – You shall eat matzos for six days and on the seventh you shall rest for Hashem and you shall not do any work” (Devorim 16:8). He explains that on the first day of Pesach, the obligation to eat matzoh is to remember that we left Mitzrayim in such haste that the bread the fleeing Jews took along for the journey had no time to rise. He says that the obligation related to the consumption of matzoh the first six days of Pesach recalls the eating of the korban mincha by the kohanim. The korbanos mincha were brought of matzoh breads and were never made of chometz. That was to teach the Jewish people that in order to draw closer to Hashem and achieve a higher level of holiness, they must reduce their involvement in the pursuits of Olam Hazeh.

On Pesach, we sustain ourselves with matzoh for six days for that same higher purpose. On Pesach, a Jew attempts to rise spiritually and become closer to Hashem.

Therefore, on the seventh and final day of the Yom Tov, we are commanded to refrain from work and to internalize the message of the six days of eating matzoh.

Abstaining from chometz is meant to affect us in a fundamental way. It is supposed to change our outlook on life and remind us of our purpose here. Eating matzoh for seven days is not something we do to fill ourselves physically. The change in diet is meant to bring about a spiritual change in our souls.

This message supports the idea that the matzoh is a rechush gadol. Matzoh is a gift from Hashem that enables us to elevate our rote observance of mitzvos to a higher dimension of avodas Hashem. Partaking of matzoh for a week is meant to reduce our drive for physical gratification. If we heed its message, it is truly a gift, a rechush gadol, which has the power to uplift and purify us and draw us closer to our Creator.

I found a similar idea in the words of the Ramchal in Derech Hashem (4:8). He says that as long as the Jews were enslaved in Mitzrayim and living amongst the pagan population, their bodies were darkened by the poison of impurity that overwhelmed them. When they were finally delivered from that society, goy mikerev goy, their bodies underwent a purification process so that they would be able to accept the Torah and mitzvos.

This is the reason they were commanded to refrain from consuming chometz and to eat matzoh. The bread that we eat all year is prepared with yeast and rises. Easier to digest and tastier, it is the natural food of man. It feeds man’s yeitzer hora and more base inclinations.

Klal Yisroel was commanded to refrain from eating chometz for a week in order to minimize the power of the yeitzer hora and their inclination towards the physical, and to strengthen their attachment to the spiritual.

It is impossible for people to live on this diet all year round, but that is not Hashem’s intent. If we maintain this diet for the duration of Pesach while incorporating the lessons of matzoh, it will energize us spiritually for the remainder of the year.

The Ramchal connects this to the dictum of the Rambam in Hilchos Dei’os (2:1) that a person seeking to rectify his conduct should go to the opposite extreme of his natural inclination, and he will then end up in the middle, where Hashem wants us to be.

The Rambam continues (3:1) that a person should not reason that since kinah, taavah and kavod – jealousy, evil desires and the craving for honor – lead to man’s demise from this world, he should therefore adopt the extremes of self-denial, refusing to eat meat or drink wine, marry, live in a nice house or wear nice clothes. According to the Rambam, it is forbidden to follow this path; one who does is called a sinner.

The Netziv’s and the Ramchal’s understanding of Pesach is in accord with the words of the Rambam. While it is undesirable for people to live this way all year round, if someone takes a temporary turn to the extreme, it will help him return to the middle, where we all belong.

The Yom Tov of Pesach provides a respite from the pressures that govern our daily lives. Pesach is one week of the year that frees us from the yeitzer hora and the pursuits that drive us throughout the year, which lead to dead ends, disappointment and sadness.

Matzoh is indeed a rechush gadol, a treasure of the Jewish people. Matzoh weakens our evil inclinations and strengthens our inherent goodness. Matzoh has the ability to raise us above our preoccupation with the mundane.

Pesach is not meant to be a holiday of gorging and self-indulgence. On the contrary, Pesach is the time given to us to refrain to a certain degree from such pursuits and to absorb the lesson of the matzoh.

Following a week of such elevated behavior, we continue along that pattern as we count to Shavuos, when we mark the acceptance of the Torah as the ultimate gift from G-d to man. It is only after the week of matzoh and seven weeks of Sefirah that we can achieve the highest possible levels of spiritual accomplishment.

If we take the words of the great Netziv and Ramchal to heart and properly observe the mitzvos of Pesach, and we review the lessons the matzoh can teach us, its influence and inspiration will long remain with us, giving us the strength to rise above whatever challenges we face throughout the rest of the year.

Gedolim such as Rav Chaim Ozer, Rav Shach, the Brisker Rov, the Netziv and the Ramchal light up our way and provide direction and inspiration for us to follow if we wish to enjoy life the way Hashem intends us to and if we wish to be successful in all we do.

Despite all we have been through, a constant in Torah life is that those who seek lives of blessings follow the words of Torah giants. In our day as well, despite the prevalence of so much superficiality, cynicism, pessimism and negativity, when it comes to the bottom line, people who adhere to Torah know that wisdom is found by those who dedicate their lives to the pure pursuit of Torah and mitzvos.

It was Erev Pesach in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. A couple of weeks before Yom Tov, the Bluzhever Rebbe, Rav Yisroel Spira, placed his life in jeopardy and approached the murderous head of the camp, Commandant Hass. He asked permission for forty men to bake matzoh for Pesach. He asked the Nazi to supply them with wheat, and in return they would forgo their daily ration of bread for eight days.

Surprisingly, the Nazi examined the request seriously, without issuing any threats of punishment. However, he said that since the German Reich was run in a very orderly fashion, he would have to get clearance from Berlin. A week later, the response came from Berlin and the request was approved.

After returning to the camp from their body-breaking labor, the rebbe and his group assembled a small oven and began grinding wheat kernels to make flour. They mixed the flour with water and quickly kneaded the mixture, rolling out matzos to bake in their tiny oven. Flames danced atop the branches fueling the oven and the holy work of baking matzos for Pesach in Bergen-Belsen was underway.

Suddenly, the commandant burst into the room, screaming at the Jews like a wild man and breaking everything he saw. His eyes fixed on those of the rebbe and he beat him to a pulp. When he was done, the 56-year-old rebbe was barely hanging on to life.

The historic attempt ended disastrously.

The next night, the people sat down to a “Seder” in the rebbe’s barracks. They had everything – well, almost everything. The rebbe knew the Haggadah by heart, and he was going to lead the Seder. For wine, they were going to drink the slop the Nazis called coffee. There was no shortage of maror, with bitterness everywhere. The rebbe let it be known that he was able to retrieve and save a very small piece of matzoh. They were set.

When it came time at the Seder to eat matzah, everyone assumed that the rebbe would be the one to perform the mitzvah and eat the small piece he had rescued. After all, he was the oldest, it was his idea to bake matzos to being with, and he had risked his life to obtain permission for it. Not only that, but he was a tzaddik, he was leading the Seder, and he was the one who had saved the piece. But they were wrong.

After proclaiming “motzie matzah,” the rebbe looked around the room, as if he was trying to determine who is the most appropriate person to eat the matzoh. A widow, Mrs. Kotziensky, stood up and said, “Since upon this night we engage in transmitting our traditions from one generation to the next, I propose that my young son be the one to eat the matzoh.”

The rebbe agreed. “This night,” he said, “is all about teaching the future generations about Yetzias Mitzrayim. We will give the boy the matzoh.”

After they were freed, the widow approached the Bluzhever Rebbe. She needed help. Someone had proposed a shidduch for her, but she had no way to find out about the man. Maybe, she said, the rebbe could help her. “Can you find out who he is? Can you see if he is appropriate for me and if I am appropriate for him?”

“What is his name?” asked the rebbe.

The woman responded, “Yisroel Spira.”

The rebbe said to her, “Yes, I know him well. It is a good idea that you should get to know him.”

She returned to the shadchan and gave her approval to set up the match. When the woman showed up at the right address, standing before her was none other than Rav Yisroel Spira, the man she knew as the Bluzhever Rebbe!

A short time later, they married, and the little boy who ate matzah in Bergen-Belsen became the rebbe’s son and eventual successor.

Which spiritual attributes did the rebbe see in that woman that led him to marry her? When asked, the rebbe answered that in the cauldron of Bergen-Belsen, where the horizon was measured in minutes and the future was a day at a time, a woman who believed in the nitzchiyus of Am Yisroel, that our people is eternal, and who worried for the future generation, was someone with whom it was worthy to perpetuate the golden chain.

Thankfully, we aren’t tested the way those holy people were that night in Bergen-Belsen. Our matzos come easy. For a few dollars, we can have as many as we want. We don’t have to pay for them with our lives. We can drink wine without fearing a pogrom. We can eat maror and not live it. We don’t have to make the awful choices our forefathers were forced to make.

We can sit as kings and queens at the Seder, surrounded by different generations, concentrating on doing our best to transmit our glorious heritage to the future generations, ensuring that they know the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim and Avodim Hayinu.

May we merit much nachas and simcha, cheirus and freedom, kedusha and mitzvos, at the Seder and every day of our lives.

May we merit that this be the last Pesach in golus.

{Matzav.com}

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel would be the “leader” if the US and Israel strike Iran’s nuclear sites if talks between Washington and Tehran fail. Speaking at the White House, Trump responded to a question about whether he is considering using military means against Iran. “If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” he said. “Israel will obviously be very much involved in that — it’ll be the leader of that,” but then immediately clarifying: “Nobody leads us. We do what we want to do.” Trump also said that he has a deadline for talks, emphasizing that he won’t allow Tehran to drag out negotiations. Various media outlets reported that Trump is allowing two months for the talks. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Eric Adams has revealed the new political banner he’ll campaign under as he mounts an uphill fight for reelection: Safe Streets, Affordable City.

Speaking to 1010Wins on Wednesday afternoon, the former Democrat shared that he intends to appear on that line in the general election, having opted not to participate in the Democratic primary this time around.

“Those are the issues that are important to New Yorkers,” Adams said of his third-party name. “They want a safe city. They want an affordable city. And I want them to know that is what I produced for them.”

Adams had already declared last week that he would launch an independent campaign, setting the stage for what could become a crowded race. Other likely contenders include Democratic frontrunner Andrew Cuomo, expected Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, the Working Families Party—possibly represented by Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani or Comptroller Brad Lander—and attorney Jim Walden.

Still, Adams emphasized during Tuesday’s interview that he hasn’t abandoned his party affiliation, even though he’s criticized it publicly on multiple occasions.

Hizzoner’s decision to run independently came just one day after prosecutors officially dropped a long-running corruption probe that had hovered over his administration.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. egg prices increased again last month to reach a new record-high of $6.23 per dozen despite President Donald Trump’s predictions, a drop in wholesale prices and no egg farms having bird flu outbreaks. The increase reported Thursday in the Consumer Price Index means consumers and businesses that rely on eggs should not anticipate immediate relief. Demand for eggs is typically elevated until after Easter, which falls on April 20. Industry experts were expecting the index to reflect a drop in retail egg prices because wholesale egg prices dropped significantly in March. University of Arkansas agricultural economist Jada Thompson said the wholesale prices did not start dropping until mid-March, so there may not have been enough time for the average price for the month to decline. And grocery stores may not have immediately passed on the lower prices. Bird flu outbreaks were cited as the major cause of price spikes in January and February after more than 30 million egg-laying chickens were killed to prevent the spread of the disease. Only 2.1 million birds were slaughtered in March and none of them were on egg farms The farms that had fall outbreaks have been working to resume egg production after sanitizing their barns and raising new flocks, but chickens must be about six months old before they start laying eggs. Thompson said those farms did not come back online as quickly as anticipated. Trump tried to take credit for the lower wholesale egg prices the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in recent weeks. But experts say the president’s plan to fight bird flu by focusing on strengthening egg farmers’ defenses against the virus is likely to be more of a long-term help. Since the current bird flu outbreak began, more than 168 million birds have been slaughtered, most of them egg-laying chickens. Any time a bird gets sick, the entire flock is killed to help keep bird flu from spreading. That can have an effect on the egg supply because massive egg farms may have millions of birds. The disease is difficult to control because it is spread easily through the droppings of wild birds that carry the avian flu virus. Bird flu has also inflected other animals, including dairy cattle. Egg prices hit $5.90 in February one month after setting a record at $4.95 per dozen, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But shoppers encountered prices much higher than that in some places; in California, the price per dozen topped $12 in some stores. Earlier in the outbreak, egg prices spiked to hit $4.82 in January 2023 before gradually falling as low as $2.04 per dozen in August 2023. Generally, prices have since increased steadily. (AP)

Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, in coordination with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, stated on Thursday that the reservists who signed a letter against the war in Gaza will be dismissed from active reserve duty. About 950 Air Force reservists, the vast majority of whom are retired, signed a letter against the war that was published as a full-page ad on Thursday morning in several leading media outlets. Only 10% of the signatories are active reservists, most of them volunteers. Most of the signatories, if not all, were those who had opposed the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu before October 7. The letter was published despite the fact that the impending publication of the letter was brought to the attention of the Air Force leadership in recent days, and Air Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar convened several meetings with those leading the initiative to try to prevent the letter’s publication. Zamir joined one of the meetings and said: “Don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. I expect you to stand behind the Air Force.” Following the meetings, dozens of reservists withdrew their signatures from the letter. The letter states: “We, reserve and former Air Force personnel, demand the immediate return of the hostages—even if it requires an immediate cessation of hostilities. At this time, the war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security ones. Continuation of the war doesn’t advance any of the declared goals of the war, and will bring about the deaths of the hostages, of IDF soldiers and innocent civilians, while further eroding the strength of the reserve forces.” “As has been proven in the past, only an agreement can return hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers. We call on all citizens of Israel to mobilize for action and demand in every way: stop the fighting and bring the hostages home—now. Every day that passes endangers their lives. Every moment of hesitation is a disgrace.” The IDF stated on Thursday morning in response to the letter: “We are in a multi-front war in which the IDF acts solely for practical and professional considerations to fulfill the goals of the war, centered on the return of the hostages. The policy is to keep the IDF above all controversy, and it cannot accept a situation in which service members use their position to oppose the war and at the same time take part in it. A service member can’t emerge from the command center and then express distrust in his commanders and the goals of the war. This is an impossible anomaly.” “The Air Force Commander decided, with the full backing of the Chief of Staff, that an active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving in the IDF. Politics does not exist in the IDF and the IDF is outside the political debate.” Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he supports the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff in their decision to dismiss the signatories of the letter. “Refusal is refusal – even when it is said implicitly and in euphemistic language,” Netanyahu stated. “Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies in a time of war are unforgivable. This is an extreme fringe group […]

Defense ministers from around 30 countries gathered on Thursday to press ahead with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia. The meeting at NATO headquarters — the first between defense ministers representing the so-called coalition of the willing — comes after a visit to Kyiv last week by senior British and French military officers. It’s expected to work on fleshing out an agreement reached at an earlier meeting between leaders. As usual with coalition gatherings, the United States will not take part, but the success of the coalition’s operation hinges on U.S. backup with airpower or other military assistance. However, the Trump administration has made no public commitment to provide support. The Netherlands, Sweden and Finland underlined the “crucial” role of the United States. “The United States is a crucial player still in guaranteeing lasting security” in Ukraine, said Finnish Defense Minister Annit Häkkänen. His Swedish counterpart, Pål Jonson, said success in Ukraine requires “some form of U.S. engagement” while Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans called American support “very important” but said the form it took might differ, depending on the chosen type of European mission in Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ministers were “trying to keep the United States on board.” Amid that uncertainty and U.S. warnings that Europe must take care of its own security and that of Ukraine in future, the force is seen as a first test of the continent’s willingness to defend itself and its interests. Its make-up will depend on the nature of any peace agreement, but the contingent is unlikely to be stationed at Ukraine’s border with Russia. It would be located further from the ceasefire line, perhaps even outside Ukraine, and deploy to counter any Russian attack. Building a force big enough to act as a credible deterrent is proving a considerable effort for nations that shrank their militaries after the Cold War but are now rearming. U.K. officials have talked about possibly 10,000 to 30,000 troops. Countries are also reluctant to contribute personnel without U.S. support. Ukrainian government officials and military analysts have said that Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in Ukraine in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Kyiv and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating position in ceasefire talks. On Friday, representatives from around 50 nations will gather at NATO to drum up military support for Ukraine. That meeting will be chaired by Britain and Germany. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to take part. (AP)

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The Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as the Trump administration’s ambassador to Israel. Israel supporter John Fetterman was the only Democrat to join Republicans in voting for Huckabee, with the final vote tally 53 to 46. Huckabee, a religious Christian and a staunch supporter of Israel, insists on calling the “West Bank” by its popular biblical name of Yehudah and Shomron. A frequent visitor to Israel, he even expressed interest in the past in buying a vacation home in the Shomron. US President Donald Trump responded to the appointment by saying that Huckabee is “going to be fantastic, he’s going to bring home the bacon.” He then realized that maybe he should have chosen a different expression and said jokingly: “Although bacon isn’t too big in Israel.” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu congratulated Huckabee on the confirmation, stating: “Congratulations to my dear friend Mike Huckabee upon being confirmed as the next ambassador of the United States to Israel. This is a great day for the Israeli-American alliance. I look forward to working with you to make the unbreakable bond between our two nations even stronger.” The head of the Yesha (Yehudah and Shomron) Council, Yisrael Ganz, sent a letter of congratulations to Huckabee, stating: “Your appointment represents, in our view, an important moral statement by the U.S. administration and the American people. We regard you as a representative of the United States and President Trump, as well as a true partner of the people of Israel and their undeniable historical right to live in the Land of the Bible—Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.” “We deeply appreciate your longstanding commitment to the Jewish people, its Torah, and its land, as well as your resolute stance in support of our right to security and development of communities throughout all parts of our ancestral homeland, in accordance with the vision of the prophets.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)