During overnight operations in East Jerusalem Palestinian town of A-Ram, the IDF says it demolished the home of a terrorist who carried out a deadly car-ramming attack outside a military base in central Israel in July.
Dramatic footage captures an IDF drone strike that killed Hezbollah terrorist Ali Qaid Hashem in southern Lebanon. The terrorist escaped the first missile; the second one obliterated him.
Swiss pharmaceuticals powerhouse Roche announced Monday it plans to invest $50 billion in the United States over the next five years, creating 12,000 jobs. The Basel-based company, whose array of products includes cancer medicines and multiple sclerosis treatment Ocrevus, said the investment would go toward high-tech research and development sites and new manufacturing facilities in places including California, Indiana, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has urged foreign businesses to invest more in the United States, and announced sweeping tariffs earlier this month on imports as part of hopes to reduce a large U.S. trade deficit when it comes to sales of goods. Before the Trump administration backed off its most stringent tariff plans, products imported from Switzerland had been set to face tariffs of 31% — more than the 20% tariffs on goods from the European Union. Switzerland is not a member of the 27-country bloc but is virtually surrounded by four EU countries. Trump’s sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs on April 2 set off turmoil in world stock markets. A week later, Trump spoke by phone with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter in a conversation that her office said focused on tariffs. She emphasized the “important role of Swiss companies and investments in the United States.” Hours later, the U.S. president announced the U-turn that paused the steep new tariffs on about 60 countries for 90 days, fanning speculation — which was not confirmed — in some Swiss media that her chat with Trump might have played a role in the change of course. Roche, in its statement, said that once the new, expanded manufacturing comes on line, the company “will export more medicines from the U.S. than it imports” — though it made no mention of tariffs. “Today’s announced investments underscore our longstanding commitment to research, development and manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker in a statement. The company — like cross-town competitor Novartis — has deep ties to the U.S. market and said it currently employs 25,000 people and operates 15 R&D centers and 13 manufacturing sites in the United States. The planned investment will add 1,000 jobs at Roche in the U.S. and “more than 11,000 in support of new U.S. manufacturing capabilities,” it said, which will increase its footprint in the United States to 24 sites in eight states. Roche tallied more than 60 billion Swiss francs (about $74 billion) in worldwide sales last year, and nearly 25 billion francs of sales in its key pharmaceuticals division alone came in the United States. Roche’s share price has fallen by about 18% over the past month, with most of the drop coming after the U.S. tariff announcement on April 2. (AP)
According to new demographic research from the Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the global community is expected to lose 70% of its Holocaust survivors within the next decade, and 90% over the next 15 years. The findings will be unveiled at a major conference scheduled for Tuesday.
The report, titled Vanishing Witnesses: An Urgent Analysis of the Declining Population of Holocaust Survivors, estimates that by the year 2040, the number of survivors worldwide will dwindle to approximately 21,300.
Pinchas Gutter, one of the few remaining individuals who fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, reflected on the report’s sobering implications. “We have an important piece of history that only we hold and only we can tell. I hope in the time we have, we can impart the learning from the Holocaust so that the world will never again have to endure that level of hate,” said Gutter.
“I am a witness. Those of us witnesses still alive are working to make sure our testimonies are heard and preserved through any means possible. We are counting on this generation to hear us and future generations to carry our experiences forward so that the world does not forget.”
The release of the study coincides with Yom HaShoah, Israel’s national day of Holocaust remembrance, and comes just four months after the world marked eight decades since the liberation of Nazi death camps.
The population projections are based on data from 2022 and 2023 involving more than 250,000 survivors who were recipients of compensation, social services, or support through the Claims Conference.
Because survival rates vary by region, the decline in the survivor population will differ across countries. In Israel, for instance, 40% of Holocaust survivors are expected to pass away within the next five years. In the former Soviet Union, the decline is projected to be even steeper—about 50% over the same period.
The report points out that although Holocaust survivors have benefited from the broader global increase in life expectancy due to advances in healthcare, this longevity often comes with age-related challenges that require long-term medical and emotional support.
Nearly all of the remaining survivors were children during the Holocaust—either imprisoned in ghettos or concentration camps, or hidden to escape capture. Today, 98% of survivors are over the age of 80, and the median age is 87. The report also reveals that around 1,400 survivors have reached the milestone of 100 years or older.
Vladimir Shvetz, whose mother, Nechama Grossman, is 110 years old, shared that her life has been a living testament to resilience. “We must remember her story, remember the Holocaust, remember all the survivors, and learn from it so that her past does not become our future,” said Shvetz.
Malka Schmulovitz, a 109-year-old survivor, expressed her urgency in a public statement, saying her advanced age is a stark reminder that the opportunity to share these stories is fading quickly. “We all have a testimony that needs to be shared. We all want to be sure that this generation of young people and the ones that come after them, hear and understand what truly happened during the Holocaust; if only so that we do not see it repeated,” said Schmulovitz.
Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference, stressed that the diminishing number of living witnesses underscores the immediate need to amplify Holocaust education and remembrance.
“Now is the time to hear first-hand testimonies from survivors, invite them to speak in our classrooms, places of worship, and institutions. It is critical, not only for our youth but for people of all generations to hear and learn directly from Holocaust survivors,” said Taylor.
“This report is a stark reminder that our time is almost up, our survivors are leaving us, and this is the moment to hear their voices.”
{Matzav.com}
During remarks on Monday in Yerushalayim, Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfas, spoke critically about recent decisions issued by the Israeli Supreme Court, asserting that such rulings lack halachic legitimacy when they run counter to Torah law.
Rav Eliyahu emphasized that these types of rulings carry no halachic authority and explained that his position is firmly grounded in classical Jewish sources.
“If the Supreme Court rules against the law and a minister or Knesset member asks me who to listen to, their ruling has no validity and the source for that is in the Gemara, Mishna, and the Rambam’s halachic rulings — practical halachic rulings — and the sages ruled that way since that’s what the Torah says.”
Expanding on his point, the rov highlighted that Torah law obligates individuals to think for themselves and not surrender their judgment to external authority. “The Torah tells man to use his discretion, don’t follow blindly, and anyone who demands that you follow blindly is contradicting the Torah, how can we go against the Torah, G-d forbid?”
Rav Eliyahu concluded his remarks by reiterating that from a halachic perspective, there is no requirement to adhere to judicial rulings that oppose the law of the Torah. “Therefore, we hope that there won’t be a situation where the judges rule against the law, since if they rule against the law, there is no need to follow their ruling.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
(By his daughter, originally published in Hamodia) On the words in Avos (4:13), “V’kesser shem tov oleh al gabeihen”, Rabbeinu Yonah writes that the purpose of coming to this world is to acquire a shem tov, and when someone leaves this world with a shem tov, “yismechu alav krovav vohavav,” his relatives and friends will rejoice with him. My father, Reb Shimon Betzalel Edelstein, zt”l, has a glorious reputation as a gaon batorah, mushlam in middos, and baal chessed mufla. His shem tov is recognized by all who knew him, whether from yeshiva, shul, neighborhood, or the business world. It is difficult to try and find a frame of reference for my father. He was much greater than the sum of his parts. His accomplishments were so extraordinary that he almost cannot be described; he had to be experienced. My father was a brilliant lawyer and executive vice president of a major corporation for many years, and though he enjoyed his work, we never heard much about it from him. His gadlus baTorah was legendary, and nothing was more important to him than his Sunday morning shiur in Aruch Hashulchan at Khal Kol Torah (Rabbi Geldwerth). When he first started, I used to type up his notes so he could send mareh mekomos (sources) to the people who attended the shiur. I was young back then and it used to take me all Sunday to type in Hebrew. I wanted to stop. My father told me it would get easier, and it did, and I learned a new skill. It was his way of showing me that I can accomplish if I just put in the effort. He scheduled his life around the shiur, prioritizing it over other so-called important events. He had a room in my brother’s yeshiva so he could give his shiur virtually and still be on time for Sunday morning avos ubanim programs. When my uncle made a bris in Lakewood, he arrived early so he could give his shiur from the car and still run in to participate in the simcha. He delivered the shiur virtually from his hospital bed up until a few weeks ago. It was that level of mesiras nefesh that orchestrated our getting up from shivah at 9:15 on Sunday morning, in time for my father’s neshamah to deliver the Sunday morning Aruch Hashulchan shiur in yeshiva shel ma’alah. My father lived every shiur that he gave. When the inyan was shemitah, he printed jumbo maps of Eretz Yisrael to discuss the halachos with his family on Shabbos. When the inyan was mezuzah, he took the family on neighborhood walks pointing out differences and halachic ramifications of different doorposts. And of course he ended with hilchos refuah b’Shabbos, so he can live and implement his shiur until his last day. There were no gaps between his limud and his ma’aseh. Likewise, there were no gaps between his inspiration and his actions. If my father thought he should learn something, he just learned it, even if it was a topic that few learned or an esoteric sefer. If he thought someone needed chizzuk, he picked up the phone and gave it. If a mossad or organization needed help, he took a personal achrayus to rebuild it with expert legal advice, financial backing, […]
The infighting and backstabbing that plagued President Donald Trump’s first term have returned as a threat to his second, with deepening fissures over trade, national security and questions of personal loyalty. The latest turmoil threatens to engulf the Pentagon, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed out top advisers and faces fresh controversy over sharing sensitive information about airstrikes in Yemen outside of classified channels. A former Pentagon spokesperson who was ousted last week wrote in Politico that Trump should fire Hegseth for presiding over a “full-blown meltdown.” The interpersonal drama is not — at least yet — a dominant plot line of Trump’s return to the White House. But its reemergence after a period of relative discipline in his ranks reflects a turbulent management style that has been suppressed or papered over, not reformed. Trump’s national security team was recently rattled by an Oval Office visit from Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who has been questioning his staff’s trustworthiness. The Republican president fired some of the officials, emboldening Loomer to continue scrutinizing people across the administration. In an interview with independent journalist Tara Palmeri released on Monday, Loomer mocked the idea that the White House is “one big happy family.” “The advisers don’t get along with each other,” she said. “The heads of agencies don’t get along with each other.” Tariff trouble causes friction for the Trump team Much of the tension is connected to Trump’s determination to use tariffs to rebalance the global economy, with officials often contradicting each other and occasionally turning to insults. Trump adviser Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur whose companies could suffer from higher costs brought on by import taxes, sharply criticized Peter Navarro, Trump’s top counselor on trade, as “dumber than a sack of bricks.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the idea of growing dissension within the administration, saying there are “far more examples of the president’s team working together enthusiastically and collaboratively to advance the administration’s goals.” “The numbers and results of this administration speak for themselves,” she said. “The president and his team are getting work done.” Trump has always had a high tolerance for chaos, shunning traditional policy deliberations to entertain divergent opinions and viewing unpredictability as a negotiating tool. He’s spent years fostering a competitive atmosphere among his staff members, who are often chosen for their devotion and penchant for aggression. But now the increasing strife underscores the risks for more turmoil in the months ahead, as Trump presses forward with a dramatic overhaul of the federal bureaucracy, international trade, foreign policy and more. John Bolton, who served as national security adviser in Trump’s first term before writing a tell-all book critical of the president’s inner circle, said the drama reflects the lack of a consistent ideology and the inexperience of many administration officials. “The only thing they have in common is the belief that they should show personal fealty to Trump,” Bolton said. “That got them the job. That may in fact keep them in the job. But it shows how fundamentally unserious they are.” The situation is a test for Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, who helped run Trump’s presidential campaign last year. She earned a reputation for imposing an unusual level of order on Trump’s chaotic orbit — though she carefully avoided trying to control Trump or his impulses — and he praised her as “the ice maiden.” During […]
The Petach Tikvah community is mourning the passing of Rabbi Avraham Chaim Grossman zt”l, a beloved askan and baal chessed who was a pillar of chessed and Torah in the city. He was 70 years old.
Rabbi Grossman passed away following a brief and sudden illness, having suffered from pulmonary edema.
His levayah took place Monday evening, departing from his home in Petach Tikvah to the Segulah Cemetery, where he was laid to rest.
Born on 8 Iyarin 1954, Rabbi Grossman was the a of Reb Yitzchok Dovid Grossman zt”l, founder of the Gan Construction Company, and tbl”c Mrs. Pesia Grossman.
As a bachur, he learned in Yeshivas Kol Torah in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim and later in Yeshivas Grodna in Ashdod.
He married a daughter of Reb Yaakov Weissehaus and together they built a home of Torah and chessed in the Kfar Avraham neighborhood of Petach Tikvah. Rabbi Grossman was widely known as a man of deep yiras Shamayim, a lover and supporter of talmidei chachamim, and a tzurba meiRabbanan.
In his youth, he was close to the Gerrer Rebbe, the Beis Yisroel zt”l, and later developed close ties with other gedolim, including the famed mekubal Baba Elazar Abuchatzeira zt”l of Be’er Sheva.
Throughout his life, Rabbi Grossman devoted himself to supporting others. He established numerous shiurim and initiatives for the needy, including being one of the founding members of the Kol HaDaf program over four decades ago.
He gave of himself—physically and financially—for countless acts of chessed. He was particularly known for his involvement in shidduchim, where he invested tremendous effort to help finalize engagements that had stalled, often stepping in to resolve complicated or sensitive situations with heart and wisdom.
He accepted his suffering in recent times with emunah and bitachon, living every day with quiet devotion and trust in Hashem.
Rabbi Grossman is survived by his family, including his sons R’ Yisroel, R’ Tzvi, and R’ Mordechai, all known for their own acts of chessed.
He is also survived by his brothers, R’ Nati Grossman, editor of HaPeles, and R’ Eli Grossman.
The family is sitting shivah at the Grossman home, located at 3 Rechov HaMeginim in Petach Tikvah.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}
It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Moshe Roth zt”l, one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Yaakov in the Kiryat Herzog neighborhood of Bnei Brak. He was 61.
The heartbreaking news came from Maayanei HaYeshuah Hospital in Bnei Brak late Monday night.
Rav Roth was known for his mesirus nefesh in harbatzas haTorah, dedicating his life to teaching Torah and nurturing talmidim with unwavering devotion and care.
Rav Roth was born on 24 Kislev in 1963 to his father, Rabbi Yaakov Roth, and his mother, Mrs. Tova.
From a young age, his brilliance and diligence in learning were apparent. He learned in Yeshivas Kol Torah in Bayit Vegan, Yerushalayim, where he excelled in his limudim. He was part of the first kibbutz at the renowned Yeshivas Or Yisrael in Petach Tikvah.
Upon reaching marriageable age, he married the daughter of Rav Nosson Cohen zt”l, the revered mashgiach of Yeshivas Kiryas Melech and Yeshivas Ohel Yaakov in Bnei Brak.
For many years, Rav Roth devoted himself fully to the sacred mission of spreading Torah and instilling yiras Shamayim in his talmidim. He served as one of the roshei yeshiva at Yeshivas Toras Yaakov, under the leadership of Rav M. Tzivion. Rav Roth was known for his immense dedication to the yeshiva and its talmidim, never sparing any effort.
He leaves behind a dor yesharim mevorach, a beautiful Torah family of nine children, all raised in the path of Torah v’yirah.
The levayah took place this morning, departing from Yeshivas Toras Yaakov, located on Rechov Meshulam Roth in Kiryat Herzog, Bnei Brak.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}
U.S. Vice President JD Vance held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as New Delhi looks to avoid American tariffs, negotiate a bilateral trade deal with Washington and strengthen ties with the Trump administration. Vance, who is on a largely personal four-day visit to India, met with Modi at his residence in New Delhi and the two leaders “reviewed and positively assessed the progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation,” Modi’s office said in a statement. They also “welcomed the significant progress” in the negotiations of an expected trade deal between the two countries, the statement said. The White House in a statement said that Vance and Modi set the terms for ongoing talks, “laying down a roadmap for further discussions.” It’s a sign that talks are moving forward but remain far from finalized, though Trump administration officials also spoke with their counterparts from India in a sign of the high level of engagement. The Trump administration has portrayed its strategy of tariffs as forcing negotiations that could limit the reach and influence of China, the world’s dominant manufacturer. The U.S. is India’s largest trading partner and the two countries are now holding negotiations aiming to seal a bilateral trade agreement this year. They have set an ambitious target of more than doubling their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. If achieved, the trade deal could significantly enhance economic ties between the two countries and potentially strengthen diplomatic ties as well. Vance’s first visit to New Delhi came amid the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s partially-paused tariff program against most countries, including India. Earlier in April, Trump announced a 90-day pause in which imports from most countries would face a baseline 10% tax so that there was time to hold talks and possible structure broader deals. Trump has been personally involved in talks with Japan, but India’s size and potential enable it to possible be a counterbalance to China, which is New Delhi’s main rival in the region. Vance is set to deliver a speech on Tuesday from Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, India, where he may provide more details on the trade talks. Modi’s office said that the two leaders “noted continued efforts towards enhancing cooperation in energy, defense, strategic technologies and other areas” and “exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest, and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward.” Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Monday that Vance’s visit will “further deepen the India–U.S. comprehensive global strategic partnership.” Vance combines business with pleasure Vance was greeted with an Indian classical dance performance after he arrived at New Delhi’s Palam airport on Monday, following his visit to Rome, where he met with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, a day before the pontiff’s death. Vance was accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, a practicing Hindu whose parents are from India, along with their three children and officials from the U.S. administration. The family visited a Hindu temple in New Delhi after their arrival and are expected to tour the iconic Taj Mahal monument and the 12th-century Amer Fort — a UNESCO world heritage site — during their trip. India’s importance in counterbalancing China’s influence India is a close partner of the U.S. and an important strategic ally in combating the rising influence of China […]
Qatar and Egypt have reportedly put forward a fresh initiative aimed at halting the conflict in Gaza and securing the release of the remaining hostages, according to a report published Tuesday by the BBC, which cited a high-level Palestinian Arab source involved in the negotiations.
The proposed arrangement, as outlined in the report, includes a ceasefire lasting five to seven years, the return of all Israeli hostages currently held by Hamas, the release of Palestinian Arab prisoners incarcerated in Israeli facilities, a formal declaration ending the war, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
According to the official who spoke to the BBC, Hamas has expressed readiness to relinquish control of Gaza, suggesting that governance could be transferred to “any Palestinian entity agreed upon at the national and regional level.” The source said this might mean the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of Judea and Samaria, or potentially a newly established administrative council.
Describing the current round of talks as “serious,” the official emphasized that the terrorist group had demonstrated “unprecedented flexibility” in its stance.
This development comes after Hamas last week rejected an Israeli offer that required the group to disarm in exchange for a temporary six-week ceasefire.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas figure leading its negotiation team, criticized the Israeli proposal, stating: “Netanyahu set impossible conditions for a deal that does not lead to the end of the war or full withdrawal. He and his government violated the agreement before its first phase ended.”
He continued, “We are prepared to immediately hold true negotiations for the release of the captives that we hold in return for an agreed-upon number of prisoners being held by the occupation. The occupation in return must totally stop the war and totally withdraw from the Gaza Strip,” he demanded.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Monday that his country is open to striking a deal with the United States—provided that Iran’s core interests are safeguarded.
“We are ready for an agreement within a defined framework and while ensuring our national interests,” Pezeshkian said during a gathering in Tehran, according to a report from the Xinhua news agency.
He warned, however, that Iran would not accept any deal in which it was treated unfairly. “If they (US representatives) refrain from negotiating with us on equal terms, we will continue on our own path.”
Pezeshkian echoed the cautious tone often voiced by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, clarifying that Iran approaches the negotiations without bias. He remarked that the country is “neither optimistic nor pessimistic” about the outcome.
Reinforcing Iran’s firm posture, he added that the Islamic Republic is not looking to provoke any confrontations but will push back against any threats. “We do not want confrontation with anyone, but we will not tolerate pressure or bullying,” he said.
The Iranian president’s remarks came after the latest round of indirect negotiations with American officials, which took place Saturday in Rome, following earlier talks in Oman.
Officials involved have described both meetings as “constructive.”
President Donald Trump has said that while he would prefer to resolve the nuclear issue through diplomacy, he has not dismissed the possibility of using military force if needed.
“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 told reporters from the Oval Office two weeks ago.
When asked about a timeline for reaching an agreement with Iran, Trump responded, “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.”
In earlier comments, the President issued a stark warning to Tehran: “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}
Two lawsuits filed in Los Angeles allege major home insurance companies have colluded to limit coverage in California communities at high risk for wildfires and force homeowners onto the state’s last-resort insurance plan that offers basic coverage and high premiums. Insurers, including State Farm and 24 other companies that hold 75% of California’s home insurance market, were part of an “illegal scheme” in violation of California’s antitrust and unfair competition laws, according to one of the lawsuits, filed last week. The lawsuit said the companies worked together in 2023 to “suddenly and simultaneously” drop coverage or halt writing new policies in fire-prone areas, including in neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and Altadena that were leveled in the January wildfires that destroyed nearly 17,000 structures and killed at least 30 people. That has forced hundreds of homeowners onto the FAIR Plan that offers limited coverage capping at $3 million, leaving them underinsured and now struggling to rebuild after the fires, says the lawsuit filed by a group of homeowners who lost their houses in the LA fires. The other lawsuit includes all policyholders who obtained the FAIR Plan after January 2023, when the conspiracy allegedly began, the suit says. “Insurance is a product that homeowners hope never to need, but rely on for peace of mind in normal times and for critical help rebuilding after a catastrophe,” Michael J. Bidart, who represents the homeowners, said in a statement. “The complaints allege that, by colluding to push plaintiffs and so many like them to the FAIR Plan, the defendants have reaped the benefits of high premiums while depriving homeowners of coverage that they were ready, willing, and able to purchase to ensure that they could recover after a disaster like January’s wildfires.” The lawsuits come as California is struggling with an ongoing insurance crisis, where companies are boosting rates, limiting coverage or pulling out completely from regions susceptible to wildfires and other natural disasters. In 2023, several major insurance companies either paused or restricted new business in the state, saying they can’t truly price the risk on properties as wildfires become more common and destructive due to climate change. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the largest national trade association representing home, auto and business insurers, said it complies with the state’s antitrust laws and monitors its members to ensure they do the same. “These suits defy logic, advance meritless claims, and we are going to focus on solving the challenges in the insurance market in California,” said Stef Zielezienski, the group’s chief legal officer. The state Department of Insurance said it is not involved in the suits but said its focus is on protecting consumers. “Californians deserve a system that works — one where decisions are made openly, rates reflect real risk, and no one is left without options,” department spokesperson Gabriel Sanchez said in a statement. State Farm, the largest home insurer in California with roughly a million policies, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The FAIR Plan is an insurance pool that all the major private insurers pay into. The plan issues policies to people who can’t get private insurance because their properties are deemed too risky to insure. The plan, with high premiums and basic coverage, is designed as a temporary option until homeowners can find permanent coverage, […]
Coast District police from the Hadera station arrived at the beach early Tuesday morning and renewed the search for the victim who was attacked by sharks on Monday. The victim is a resident of Petach Tikvah in his 40s, married and a father of four, who stopped to fish on his way home from work in northern Israel on Monday. His identity was confirmed after his possessions were found on the beach and his truck was located nearby. Along with the police officers, who are deployed along the beach, additional forces are participating in the search – the IDF, volunteers, municipal patrol inspectors, ZAKA, MDA, firefighters, the Nature and Parks Authority, and others. The police continue to issue warnings to refrain from entering the water in this area, or from other beaches that were closed following the attack, from Hadera to Poleg beach in Netanya. Dr. Adi Barash, a marine biologist with the Sharks in Israel nonprofit and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University, told Ynet that the Hadera incident was largely due to human behavior: “The water conditions — depth, current, visibility — were unsuitable for swimming and a large number of people clustered around the sharks, which is dangerous and prohibited.” She mentioned multiple instances in which swimmers pulled sharks’ tails or entered the water holding children to “play” with them. Videos of swimmers, including children, standing in close proximity to sharks in the days before the attack have been circulating on Israeli social media since the tragic incident. “This is peak feeding season for the sharks, due to increased fish deaths from warming waters and recent holiday rains,” Barash said. “Authorities must take steps to prevent harmful interactions and ensure the safety of these protected animals.” Eliran Ovadia, a veteran diving instructor, dived on Sunday in the same area on the Hadera coast where the man was attacked. He told Ynet that the sharks come there “because there is warm water, currents, food. There are all the conditions for a habitat for an animal of this kind.” He added, “I’ve been taking organized dives there for 13 years as part of my diving school. We take out a lot of people in the winter, dive with them, and there has never been an incident like this.” According to him, the sharks in the Hadera area are well known to divers and can be safely approached, as long as basic safety rules are observed. “For 13 years, we have been diving there with groups and the sharks pass freely by us, at a distance of 10 centimeters, half a meter. They ignore us, sometimes a little curious, but never opened their mouths or tried to attack,” he said. He stressed the importance of maintaining distance from sharks, warning to refrain from feeding them: “A shark does not know how to distinguish between the hand that gave him food and the food itself.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Walgreens has agreed to pay up to $350 million in a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, who accused the pharmacy of illegally filling millions of prescriptions in the last decade for opioids and other controlled substances. The nationwide drugstore chain must pay the government at least $300 million and will owe another $50 million if the company is sold, merged, or transferred before 2032, according to the settlement reached last Friday. The government’s complaint, filed in January in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that Walgreens knowingly filled millions of illegal prescriptions for controlled substances between August 2012 and March 2023. These include prescriptions for excessive opioids and prescriptions filled significantly early. “We strongly disagree with the government’s legal theory and admit no liability,” Walgreens spokesperson Fraser Engerman said in a statement. “This resolution allows us to close all opioid related litigation with federal, state, and local governments and provides us with favorable terms from a cashflow perspective while we focus on our turnaround strategy.” Amid slumping store visits and shrinking market share, Walgreens announced it was closing 1,200 stores around the country last October. Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2023 as it was also dealing with losses and opioid lawsuit settlements. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a similar lawsuit against CVS in December. The complaint says Walgreens pharmacists filled these prescriptions despite clear red flags that the prescriptions were highly likely to be invalid, and the company pressured its pharmacists to fill them quickly. The government alleges Walgreen’s compliance officials ignored “substantial evidence” that its stores were filling unlawful prescriptions and withheld important information on opioid prescribers from its pharmacists. Walgreens then allegedly sought payment for many of the invalid prescriptions through Medicare and other federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act, according to the government. The U.S. Justice Department has moved to dismiss its complaint in light of Friday’s settlement. “Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.” Walgreen has also entered into an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration to improve its compliance with rules around dispensing controlled substances, maintain policies and procedures requiring pharmacists to confirm the validity of controlled substance prescriptions, and maintain a system for blocking prescriptions from prescribers that are producing illegitimate prescriptions. With the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Walgreen has agreed to establish and maintain a compliance program that includes training, board oversight, and periodic reporting to the agency regarding the pharmacy’s dispensing of controlled substances. “In the midst of the opioid crisis that has plagued our nation, we rely on pharmacies to prevent not facilitate the unlawful distribution of these potentially harmful substances,” said Norbert E. Vint, Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, in a statement. The settlement resolves four cases brought by former Walgreens employee whistleblowers. In 2022, CVS and Walgreens agreed to pay more than $10 billion in a multi-state settlement of lawsuits brought against them over the toll of the […]
The Conservative movement in Israel led a fake campaign on Israeli streets in the name of Gedolei Yisrael to convince Chareidim not to vote in the elections for the World Zionist Organization, spending tens of thousands of shekels to print and distribute pashkevilim against participating in the elections, a Kikar Shabbat investigation revealed. As many YWN readers know, a machlokes broke out last month in the Chareidi sector about whether to participate in the WZO elections. Members of the Eretz HaKodesh party presented the support of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky zt’l, along with other Rabbanim in Israel and the United States who supported voting in the previous election. However, ultimately, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America and HaGaon HaRav Dov Landua paskened that it is forbidden to participate in the election. Several weeks ago, pashkevilim appeared in Chareidi neighborhoods in the name of HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau calling out against participating in the elections – an unusual move since most Israeli Chareidim were unaware of the details of the issue. The Kikar investigation revealed that Dr. Yizhar Hess, a member of the Conservative movement, who serves on its behalf as Deputy Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, spearheaded the campaign to try to convince Chareidim in Israel not to vote in the elections, printing and disseminating the fake pashkevilim. An invoice obtained by Kikar showed that Mercaz Olami transferred tens of thousands of shekels to fund the printing and distribution of the pashkevilim.. A Charedi source in the WZO told Kikar that “although they tried in every way to conceal their involvement, the Eretz HaKodesh party, which represents the Torah-observant sector in the WZO, is a political and ideological enemy for them, and they are trying to reduce its power. People from the Conservative movement tried to influence public opinion in the Charedi community in order to harm Eretz HaKodesh and prevent it from succeeding in the elections.” In a twisted move, Dr. Hess even tweeted a photo of the pashkevilim on the Chareidi streets that he himself funded, ostensibly to express his solidarity with his “friends” in Eretz Hakodesh who were being attacked. Beyond the moral aspect, the conduct of the Conservative movement raises legal and ethical questions. A senior legal source involved in the details told Kikar that “the distributors of the pashvekelim may be exposed to libel suits, and if indeed elements related to the movement running in the elections are behind them, this may be considered a violation of election laws. Furthermore, the distribution of anti-Zionist material by an association supported by the WZO may be a violation of its budgetary regulations.” The Kikar investigation also revealed that the pashkevilim are only the latest step in the Conservative movement’s years-long campaign to influence the Chareidi sector against Eretz Hakodesh, including attempts to convince Chareidi journalists to convey messages against voting in the elections, ostensibly in the name of Gedolei Yisrael. Needless to say, most of the journalists and media personalities who received the financially lucrative offers refused to join the campaign after it became clear to them who was behind the offer. “Some time ago, a well-known figure from the Chareidi scene approached me, and indirectly and subtly offered me an opportunity to join a campaign in exchange for a very high salary,” a senior Chareidi […]
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
If a person is worried that he won’t remember to count all the days of Sefirah, should he count with a Bracha or not?
The Torah tell us to count forty-nine days from the bringing of the Omer until the bringing of the korban of Shtei Halechem.
The Rishonim argue whether the Mitzva of counting sefirah is Min HaTorah only during the times of the Bais HaMikdosh or not. The Chinuch in mitzvah 306 says that sefirah is only Min HaTorah during the time of the Bais HaMikdosh. The Rambam in Tmidim Umusafim 7:24 disagrees and says it is Min HaTorah even today.
The Rishonim also argue whether each day is a separate mitzvah or whether all forty-nine days together is counted as one long mitzvah. The Behag and Or Zarua say that if one forgot to count one day, he should not count with a Bracha for the rest of the Omer since it is not temimos. The Rosh and Tosfos argue and say there is a new mitzva every single day to count the Omer.
The question arises if one forgot one day and did not count. Would that mean that all the brachos he said up until that day are brachos Levatala according to the Behag? The Ritva in Chullin 106b discusses a scenario where one washed his hands with the intention to eat bread and said the bracha al netilas yodayim and then decides that he is not interested in eating anymore. We do not require him to eat to save the bracha levatala. Since he had in mind to eat at the time of washing, the bracha is not levatalah. We could compare this to our case where one counted normally and thereafter forgot one day. The brachos he made were not levatala since he intended to count.
One could argue and differentiate between netilas yodayim and sefira. A person completes his mitzvah of netilas yodayim once he washes his hand. In contrast, one does not have temimos until after counting the forty-nine days.
The Shailos Utshuvos Rav Paalim in Orach Chaim Vol 3:32 says that if one does less than the shiur of a mitzvah one is still yotze part of the mitzvah and this would not render the bracha levatalah. When a person counted some days, he did less than the shiur; but his bracha is not levatala since he started the mitzvah.
Other Achronim disagree and say if one doesn’t complete counting, it is not even less than the shiur of the mitzvah. This is so because if he does not complete the mitzvah, it is as if he did not do the mitzvah at all. The Mishna Berura also concurs and says that therefore women should not make a bracha; it is almost certain they might forget since they don’t daven in shul.
Rav Wosner zt”l paskened if one knows he won’t complete sefira he should hear the bracha from someone else and be yotzei that way. If he is not sure, he should start to count with a bracha since it is a double safek. Maybe the mitzva is a new one every day. Perhaps it is considered a chatzi shiur and does not render the bracha levatala. Reb Elyashiv and Reb Shlomo Zalman Auerbach agreed.
May we be Zocheh to count Sefirah in the Bais Hamikdosh Min HaTorah.
{Matzav.com}
Channel 14 aired footage from a recent interview with Iyad Jaradat, the terrorist responsible for orchestrating the 2003 attack in Gadish that resulted in the murder of the moshav’s security chief. Jaradat, who was serving a life sentence, was freed as part of the most recent hostage exchange.
In the segment, Jaradat reflected on what prison life was like before Itamar Ben-Gvir took over as Israel’s National Security Minister.
When asked by the interviewer to describe the conditions in prison prior to the October 7th massacre, Jaradat replied: “Honestly, there was respect, there were understandings. Ben-Gvir called it a summer camp. People may say Ben-Gvir was exaggerating. If someone wants, they can get mad, but these prisons really were like summer camps.”
He went on to say, “everything [we wanted] was available. Relations with the Israel Prisons Service, the officers, managers, and the police – it was as if we were one family.”
Associates of Minister Ben-Gvir pointed out that since he implemented new prison policies, numerous privileges were revoked. Inmate deposits were halted, canteens were shut down, shower and yard times were reduced, and the food selection was significantly limited. Additionally, the role of inmate “spokesperson” was eliminated, along with access to higher education programs and dental care.
{Matzav.com}
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