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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

In Vayikra 25:2, the Torah tells us that the land should rest in the seventh year as a Shabbos laHashem. In 25:4, the pasuk states that one may not plant or harvest. From here, we see that Shmitta consists of two mitzvos: one positive and one negative.

The Acharonim discuss whether the mitzvos of Shmitta are a personal obligation (gavra)—that a person may not work his field—or whether they are an obligation on the land itself (cheftza)—that the field must not be worked.

The Ramban and Even Ezra compare the mitzvah of Shmitta to Shabbos, explaining that just as every Jew must observe Shabbos, so too must every Jew observe Shmitta. This would imply that Shmitta is a mitzvah on the land (cheftza). However, the Rambam, in Hilchos Shemitta Veyovel 1:1, writes in his summary that the mitzvas aseh is that the land should rest during Shmitta, while the lav is that a person must not work his field during that year. It seems that the aseh is on the cheftza, while the lo saaseh is on the gavra. Nevertheless, the Rambam concludes by saying that one who works the field during Shmitta transgresses both a positive and negative commandment, which implies that the responsibility lies on the gavra.

The Gemara in Avodah Zarah 15b tells a story about Rav Huna, who sold a cow to a non-Jew. Rav Chisda questioned how he could do so, since one is not allowed to sell an animal to a non-Jew due to the concern that the animal might be lent back to the non-Jew and used on Shabbos. Rav Huna responded that there was a possibility the non-Jew would slaughter the animal to eat it, so the concern was not significant.

The Gemara then brings a proof from Beis Hillel that one is permitted to sell an animal to a Jew who does not observe Shmitta, since there is always the chance he may slaughter it. Rabba challenges this comparison: How can we equate Shabbos with Shmitta? On Shabbos, there is a mitzvah that an animal must rest, but during Shmitta, there is no such mitzvah regarding animals. Abaye responds that just as one can sell land during Shmitta—since the new owner may leave it fallow—one may also sell an animal even if there’s a chance it might be used improperly. Abaye’s statement suggests that the mitzvah of Shmitta is on the cheftza—the land.

Many Rishonim, including Rashi, agree that the mitzvah is on the cheftza. According to this view, one would not be permitted to rent out a field during Shmitta, since the land might be worked.

However, the Maharit disagrees with Rashi and the other Rishonim. He argues that if a non-Jew works a Jew’s field during Shmitta, the Jew only violates a derabbanan. The concern is merely maris ayin—it looks as if the work is being done for the Jew. Therefore, if the field is rented behavla’ah (e.g., a three-year lease at a fixed price), it would be permissible.

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach similarly writes that one may rent an apartment with a garden to a non-religious Jew, even if there is concern he may work the garden during Shmitta, since it is only a derabbanan issue.

The Chazon Ish disagrees and deduces from Tosafos that the obligation of Shmitta is on the gavra. This leads to several nafka minas (practical differences):

• If someone else does the work on the land, whether there is a violation depends on whether the prohibition is on the gavra or the cheftza.

• When a field is rented, who has the mitzvah—the owner or the renter?

• If machines automatically perform agricultural work, whether that’s permitted depends on whether we consider it grama, and whether the issur lies on the person or the land.

• Another question is whether women are obligated in Shmitta. If the mitzvah is on the gavra, then it is a mitzvas aseh shehazman grama, from which women are typically exempt. If it’s on the cheftza, there would be no such distinction.

• In the case of jointly owned land, if only one partner works the land, are all partners in violation or only the one performing the work?

• A further nafka mina would be whether there’s value in purchasing land during Shmitta in order to leave it fallow. If the mitzvah is on the gavra, then the buyer would be fulfilling a chiyuv. If it’s on the cheftza, there would be no obligation.

Halacha lemaaseh, the consensus is that Shmitta is a hybrid: the aseh is on the cheftza, but the lo saaseh is on the gavra. Therefore, we are stringent in all of the above nafka minas.

May we be zocheh to fulfill the mitzvah of Shmitta in Eretz Yisroel through the redemption of Mashiach!

Do you have a topic or discussion you’d like to read about? Please send comments or questions to hymanbsdhevens@gmail.com or berachsteinfeldscorner@gmail.com.

All are asked to daven for Rav Yosef Savitsky, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas of Brooklyn, who is in need of a refuah.

For years, Rav Yosef traveled back and forth between Eretz Yisroel, where his family resided, and America, where he is rosh yeshiva in Yeshivas Torah Vodaas. His wife, Rebbetzin Nechama Savitsky a”h, a daughter of Rav Avrohom and Rebbetzin Chava Pincus of Williamsburg, passed away about twelve years ago.

The rosh yeshiva’s name for Tehillim is Rav Yosef ben Basya.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced Monday evening that Sergeant Yosef Yehuda Chirak, 22, from Harasha in the Binyamin region, was killed in action during an operation in northern Gaza.

Chirak was a combat soldier in the 601st Engineering Battalion, which is part of the 401st “Iron Trails” Brigade.

At the time of his death, Yosef Yehuda had been married for just seven months to his wife, Emunah. He leaves behind his parents and three sisters.

He was also the son-in-law of Yehuda Eliyahu, who currently serves as the CEO of the Settlement Administration under the Ministry of Defense.

In a statement, the Binyamin Regional Council said that it is providing emotional and logistical support to the family through local professionals and community teams. Information regarding the funeral will be shared at a later time.

Yisrael Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, delivered a heartfelt tribute: “Just a few months ago, we danced together at Yosef Yehuda’s wedding, and now we have received the news of his fall in battle. He went out to fight to destroy the enemy. Together with his dear Emunah, he built a home full of devotion. With God’s help, we will rise from this devastation and fulfill his aspiration to completely destroy the enemy that has risen against us. In this difficult hour, I send strength to my brother and friend Yehuda Eliyahu, the former CEO of the council, on the loss of his beloved son-in-law.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

An appeals court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees while a lawsuit plays out. The Friday ruling came after the Trump administration asked for an emergency pause on a judge’s order blocking enforcement at roughly three dozen agencies and departments. A split three-judge panel in the nation’s capital sided with government lawyers in a lawsuit filed by unions representing federal employees. The majority ruled on technical grounds, finding that the unions don’t have the legal right to sue because the Trump administration has said it won’t end any collective bargaining agreements while the case is being litigated. Judge Karen Henderson, appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush, and Justin Walker, appointed by Trump, sided with the government, while Judge Michelle Childs, appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, dissented. The government says Trump needs the executive order so his administration can cut the federal workforce to ensure strong national security. The law requiring collective bargaining creates exemptions for work related to national security, as in agencies like the FBI. Union leaders argue the order is designed to facilitate mass firings and exact “political vengeance” against federal unions opposed to Trump’s efforts to dramatically downsize the federal government. His order seeks to expand that exemption to exclude more workers than any other president has before. That’s according to the National Treasury Employees Union, which is suing to block the order. The administration has filed in a Kentucky court to terminate the collective bargaining agreement for the Internal Revenue Service, where many workers are represented by the National Treasury Employees Union. They say their IRS members aren’t doing national security work. Other union employees affected by the order include the Health and Human Services Department, the Energy Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Communications Commission. (AP)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams responded firmly on Monday to comments made by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer suggesting that federal cutbacks to the U.S. Coast Guard may have contributed to a ship accident on the Brooklyn Bridge over the weekend.

Schumer had taken to X on Sunday to raise concerns about the impact of actions by President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on maritime safety. “We know they’ve been meddling with U.S. Coast Guard staffing,” Schumer wrote. “Trump relieved Admiral Linda Fagan as Commandant of the USCG, and that position is still vacant. And the hiring freeze has limited the ability for the USCG to staff up the Vehicle Traffic Service, that’s their traffic control operation that acts like Air Traffic Control but on water.” He continued, “We need action for our national security, infrastructure protection, and public safety.”

Appearing the next morning on Fox 5’s “Good Day New York,” Adams addressed the notion that federal staffing reductions played a role in the incident involving the Mexican navy’s tall ship, the Cuauhtémoc, which struck the bridge. Adams emphasized that New York was well-prepared for the emergency and insisted the Coast Guard had delivered a “full response” to the situation.

He applauded the work of local first responders, citing the contributions of “our harbor unit, NYPD unit, FDNY, our police response [and] EMS,” and expressed uncertainty about the source of Schumer’s claims. “So cutbacks were not an issue?” the host asked. Adams replied, “Unless the senator knows something that I don’t know; but I don’t know what other role the Coast Guard would have played,” adding, “We have the boats that were needed, we have the manpower that was needed, and we responded accordingly to get those 19 injured off the ship.”

Authorities believe that a mechanical malfunction that affected the ship’s steering capabilities led to the crash. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of two cadets from the Mexican navy: 20-year-old América Yamilet Sánchez and 22-year-old Adal Jair Marcos.

Soon after Schumer’s post, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement rejecting his assertions, defending the Coast Guard’s readiness and correcting the record. “Minority Leader Schumer’s accusations that a hiring freeze led to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Services not being adequately staffed are FALSE,” DHS stated. “The U.S. Coast Guard has been fully supported and been exempt from hiring freezes. Additionally, this incident had nothing to do with Vessel Traffic Services — when a ship loses propulsion in a high current area, the vessel needs to engage all capabilities to stop, and ideally, tugs are nearby to support.”

DHS concluded by saying, “We encourage Minority Leader Schumer to get his facts straight before he misleads the American people.”

{Matzav.com}

“JOE IS A FIGHTER”: Prime Minister Netanyahu tweets his support for former US president Joe Biden who revealed yesterday that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) acknowledged during an interview on Flagrant, hosted by Andrew Schulz, that the Democrat Party could fairly be seen as a “threat to democracy.” The discussion revolved around concerns that the Democratic primary process hasn’t been genuinely competitive since 2008.

Andrew Schulz, who introduced himself as a longtime Democrat, expressed frustration with Sanders’s decision to endorse Hillary Clinton in the 2016 race. He shared the sentiment that many Democrat voters have felt sidelined, especially in recent presidential elections, where Sanders appeared to be the popular choice for those seeking meaningful change, yet was repeatedly blocked by the party establishment.

“We felt that over the last four elections, Democrats, we felt that we didn’t have a say on who could be president,” Schulz stated. “We talk a lot about the Republicans being autocrats and oligarchs and taking over democracy, but from the Democrat perspective, and as I’m a lifelong Democrat, I felt like the Democratic Party completely removed the democratic process from its constituents.”

Recalling the events of 2016, Schulz said he was hopeful about Sanders’s campaign and devastated when it ended with a concession to the party’s choice. “I wanted you to, like, 2016 I was like, this is going to happen. This guy’s going to do it. And it felt like they, it felt like they stole it from you. And I’ll be honest, it broke my heart when you, when you supported them,” he admitted.

Sanders responded by pointing to the political realities he faced at the time. “Look, but you have, in the world that I live in, you got a choice,” he said. “And I mean, a lot of people, including my wife, agree with you, but you know, you’re down to a choice. Is it going to be Hillary Clinton or is it going to be Donald Trump? Not a great choice.”

Schulz then questioned the logic of playing along, noting that the outcome was Trump anyway. “Why don’t we burn it down?” he asked.

Sanders warned that such drastic action would have dire real-world consequences. “Burning it down” would result in “children are not going to have, you know, food to eat, that the schools will deteriorate. People will not have health care,” he explained.

“I’m an elected official. I got to represent the people. I can’t turn my back on—” Sanders began, before Singh interrupted with a pointed question: wasn’t it true that if there hasn’t been a legitimate primary since 2008, the Democrat Party itself posed a threat to democratic principles?

Sanders conceded the point. “Fair enough,” Sanders said. “That is, that is — yeah. I’m not going to argue with that.”

The senator’s remarks stand in contrast to his prior rhetoric, where he repeatedly attacked President Donald Trump and the Republican Party as endangering democracy. Back in 2020, Sanders labeled Trump “the greatest threat to this country in the modern history of this country.” That same year, he declared that authoritarianism had “taken root in our country.”

Yet it was under the Biden administration that some of the most aggressive government interventions occurred, particularly during the pandemic, when citizens were forced to choose between compliance and employment, effectively stripping them of personal autonomy.

And in a twist of political irony, despite Sanders’s earlier warnings about threats to democracy, the Democrat Party would go on to sideline its own sitting president, Joe Biden, replacing him with former Vice President Kamala Harris just months before the 2024 election—subverting the choice of its voters once again.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk is in a legal fight with Microsoft but made a friendly virtual appearance at the software giant’s annual technology showcase to reveal that his Grok artificial intelligence chatbot will now be hosted on Microsoft’s data centers. “It’s fantastic to have you at our developer conference,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said to Musk in a pre-recorded video conversation broadcast Monday at Microsoft’s Build conference in Seattle. Musk last year sued Microsoft and its close business partner OpenAI in a dispute over Musk’s foundational contributions to OpenAI, which Musk helped start. Musk now runs his own AI company, xAI, maker of Grok, a competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also spoke with Nadella via live video call earlier at Monday’s conference. Musk’s deal means that the latest versions of xAI’s Grok models will be hosted on Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform, alongside competing models from OpenAI and other companies, including Facebook parent Meta Platforms, Europe-based AI startups Mistral and Black Forest Labs and Chinese company DeepSeek. The Grok partnership comes just days after xAI had to fix the chatbot to stop it from repeatedly bringing up South African racial politics and the subject of “white genocide” in public interactions with users of Musk’s social media platform X. The company blamed an employee’s “unauthorized modification” for the unsolicited commentary, which mirrored South Africa-born Musk’s own focus on the topic. Musk didn’t address last week’s controversy in his chat with Nadella but described honesty as the “best policy” for AI safety. “We have and will make mistakes, but we aspire to correct them very quickly,” Musk said. Nadella was interrupted by protest over Gaza Monday’s Build conference also became the latest Microsoft event to be interrupted by a protest over the company’s work with the Israeli government. Microsoft has previously fired employees who protested company events, including its 50th anniversary party in April. “Satya, how about you show how Microsoft is killing Palestinians?” a protesting employee shouted in the first minutes of Nadella’s introductory talk Monday. “How about you show how Israeli war crimes are powered by Azure?” Nadella continued his presentation as the protesters were escorted out. Microsoft acknowledged last week that it provided AI services to the Israeli military for the war in Gaza but said it has found no evidence to date that its Azure platform and AI technologies were used to target or harm people in Gaza. Microsoft didn’t immediately return an emailed request for comment about the protest Monday. Microsoft introduces new AI coding agent Microsoft-owned GitHub also used the Seattle gathering to introduce a new AI coding “agent” to help programmers build new software. The company already offers a Copilot coding assistant but the promise of so-called AI agents is that they can do more work on their own on a user’s behalf. The updated tool is supposed to work best on tasks of “low-to-medium complexity” in codebases that are already well-tested, handling “boring tasks” while people “focus on the interesting work,” according to Microsoft’s announcement. The new tool arrives just a week after Microsoft began laying off hundreds of its own software engineers in Washington’s Puget Sound region as part of global cuts of nearly 3% of its total workforce, amounting to about 6,000 workers. (AP)

President Donald Trump on Monday questioned the timeline and transparency surrounding Joe Biden’s newly revealed cancer diagnosis, implying that the former president’s aggressive prostate cancer may have been hidden from the public for political reasons. The remarks came just a day after Biden’s office confirmed he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer — a disclosure that sent shockwaves through the political world and triggered a wave of well-wishes, including from Trump himself. “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” Trump wrote in a public statement Sunday. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.” But by Monday, Trump’s tone shifted. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump declined to say whether he would call Biden personally and instead raised questions about the origins and oversight of the diagnosis. “It takes a long time to get that kind of cancer,” Trump said, before pivoting to a familiar target — Biden’s mental fitness and the credibility of his doctors. “I think that if you take a look, it’s the same doctor that said Joe was cognitively fine. There are things going on that the public wasn’t informed of.” Trump added that “somebody’s going to have to speak to his doctor” and suggested that the same medical team may have been involved in both Biden’s mental health assessments and the handling of his cancer diagnosis. “Somebody is not telling the facts,” Trump said. “It’s a big problem.” [SCANDAL OF THE CENTURY: Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis Exposes A Historic Health Cover-Up] While Biden’s medical team has not yet publicly responded to Trump’s remarks, the former president’s health has long been a political lightning rod. Trump and his allies have long accused Biden of lacking the mental and physical stamina required for office — attacks that have now intensified in light of the cancer news. Vice President JD Vance echoed Trump, saying during an interview, “Of course, we wish the best for the former president’s health. But we also need to be honest about whether he was capable of doing the job.” Donald Trump Jr. went a step further, mocking former First Lady Jill Biden — who holds a doctorate in education — and sarcastically asking how she could have “missed” signs of her husband’s illness. “Yet another cover-up,” he wrote on social media. Though the White House has not addressed Trump’s allegations directly, Biden’s team has insisted that the former president’s medical diagnosis was only recently confirmed and is being handled with full transparency. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Forecasters warned Monday that more tornados and storms were possible in the central U.S. as people from Texas to Kentucky cleaned up from severe weather that has killed more than two dozen people in four days. In St. Louis, where officials estimated a tornado Friday damaged 5,000 buildings and may cost well over $1 billion, the mayor warned Monday that federal assistance could take weeks. Kentucky has been hardest hit by the storms. A devastating tornado late Friday into early Saturday damaged hundreds of homes, tossed vehicles, left many homeless, and killed at least 19 people, most of them in southeastern Laurel County. In London where the devastation was centered, the small airport became a beehive of cleanup work after it took a direct hit from a tornado. Officials were using it as a base to get water, food, diapers and other supplies out to the community. “We have 1,001 things going on. But we’re managing it. And we’re going to get it all cleaned up,” said London Mayor Randall Weddle said. Officials in Kansas and Texas also were evaluating damage from late Sunday storms. Tornados could be possible in an area centered in eastern Oklahoma on Monday with the risk of severe storms moving into Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Kentucky cleans up The Kentucky storms that killed 19 people were part of a weather system that caused seven deaths in Missouri and two in northern Virginia, authorities said. Lonnie Nantz hid in a hallway with his wife, two daughters and a grandson as the one-story brick home they bought near London in 1977 was destroyed around them. They were trapped in rubble for about 20 minutes in the midnight darkness before they were rescued unharmed. “I don’t know why this happened. I’ve tried to live a good life all my life. I’ve still got the faith,” said the 77-year-old who went to church as always on Sunday. London city worker Ashley Taylor was back on the job Monday loading doughnuts to take to a hospital and dispatch center even though there was a tarp on her roof. She was lucky — the houses across her street were destroyed late Friday night. She survived the storm with nine other people and three dogs in the crawl space of a neighbor’s home, “We prayed like never before — and just thankful for everything God did for us,” Taylor said. In surrounding Laurel County, first responders were mourning one of their own. Fellow firefighters found the body of Laurel County Fire Major Leslie Leatherman on top of a woman he was shielding from the storm’s fury as he answered calls during the worst of the storm. The woman was yelling for help and they were in a field across from a destroyed subdivision. The injured woman turned out to be Leatherman’s wife and officials aren’t sure if he knew who he was protecting in all the darkness and chaos, the fire department said on social media. 18 years later a city in Kansas spared Forecasters on Sunday night issued a tornado emergency for Greensburg, Kansas, which had 12 people killed and 90% of the town destroyed by a 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) wide EF5 tornado with winds of 205 mph (330kph). This time the storm spared […]

The Trump administration has agreed to pay just under $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit that Ashli Babbitt’s family filed over her shooting by an officer during the U.S. Capitol riot, according to a person with knowledge of the settlement. The person insisted on anonymity to discuss with The Associated Press terms of a deal that have not been made public. The settlement will resolve the $30 million federal lawsuit that Babbitt’s estate filed last year in Washington, D.C. On Jan. 6, 2021, a Capitol police officer shot Babbitt as she tried to climb through the broken window of a barricaded door leading to the Speaker’s Lobby. The officer who shot her was cleared of wrongdoing by the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia, which concluded that he acted in self-defense and in the defense of members of Congress. The Capitol Police also cleared the officer. Settlement terms haven’t been disclosed in public court filings. On May 2, lawyers for Babbitt’s estate and the Justice Department told a federal judge that they had reached a settlement in principle but were still working out the details before a final agreement could be signed. Justice Department spokespeople and two attorneys for the Babbitt family didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, was unarmed when she was shot by the officer. The lawsuit alleges that the plainclothes officer failed to de-escalate the situation and did not give her any warnings or commands before opening fire. The suit also accused the Capitol Police of negligence, claiming the department should have known that the officer was “prone to behave in a dangerous or otherwise incompetent manner.” “Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone,” the lawsuit said. The officer said in a televised interview that he fired as a “last resort.” He said he didn’t know if the person jumping through the window was armed when he pulled the trigger. Thousands of people stormed the Capitol after President Donald Trump spoke to a crowd of supporters at his Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House. More than 100 police officers were injured in the attack. In January, on his first day back in the White House, Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or ordered the dismissal of charges for all of the more than 1,500 people charged with crimes in the riot. (AP)

UPDATE: The missing person who was reported missing earlier today has been safely located.

U.S. Attorney Alina Habba agrees to dismiss misdemeanor charge against Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

BORO PARK: The FDNY is on the scene of a fire on the roof of a commercial building on 62nd Street between 16th and 17th Avenue.

Since Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was eliminated by Israel, his brother, Mohamed, has been the most hawkish terror leader in the Strip, the one refusing any hostage release deal that didn’t include ending the war. It was only intense US pressure, combined with the unusual direct talks between Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Hamas officials, that led to the release of US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander. A day later, Sinwar convened a meeting of the military wing’s top brass in the underground complex beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, Walla reported. The complex includes a conference room and command center, from where Sinwar managed the war since his brother was eliminated. Among those present at the unusual meeting were the Rafah Brigade Commander, Muhammad Shabana, who was also viewed as one of Sinwar’s successors, and the military wing’s spokesman, Abu Obeida. Other field commanders of lower ranks were also present at the site. Israel received “golden intelligence” regarding the time and location of the meeting. Shortly later, powerful explosions shook Khan Younis and the surrounding area. The operation to eliminate Sinwar already took shape six months ago, but was postponed many times for various reasons. Security officials who spoke with Walla said that Mohamed always operated in the shadow of senior Hamas officials who were an inspiration to him, but cruelty was part of his character, and this was expressed not only in planning attacks and building terrorist infrastructure but also in the execution of collaborators, at times with his bare hands. He accumulated power slowly, in the shadow of others, as “the brother of.” After the elimination of his brother Yahya in Rafah, he entered the role “naturally.” “During the war, he was involved in the perception and policy against Israel,” a security source told Walla. “He continued this after everyone was killed. Therefore, his neutralization is a very significant event. Ultimately, he was the figure with the most experience, action, and understanding of the other side.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced Monday their intention to enforce a so-called “naval blockade” on Israel’s Haifa Port, declaring that all vessels en route to the port are now considered legitimate targets. In a televised statement, Houthi military spokesman Yehya Saree warned, “All companies with ships present in or heading to this port are hereby notified that, as of the time of this announcement, the aforementioned port has been included in the target bank.” While the group has made similar threats before — including a recent declaration of a blockade on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport — their actual capacity to follow through remains limited. Nonetheless, such rhetoric marks a continued escalation in the group’s self-proclaimed campaign against Israeli infrastructure, and raises concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in the eastern Mediterranean. The announcement comes on the heels of a missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport that, while intercepted, prompted several foreign airlines to suspend service to and from Israel. Despite these efforts, the Houthis have failed to cause sustained disruption or achieve the strategic objectives outlined in their threats. The Haifa Port, a major hub for Israeli imports and naval activity, has remained fully operational. Israeli defense officials have not publicly responded to the Houthi statement, though analysts say the announcement is likely more about optics and psychological warfare than a credible military threat. “The Houthis are clearly trying to project power beyond their region,” said a former Israeli naval commander. “But targeting ships bound for Haifa — hundreds of miles from Yemen’s coast — is more about grabbing headlines than executing viable attacks.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, chair of the House Republican Conference, has endorsed Nachman Caller in the special election for New York State Senate, delivering a significant boost to the Republican candidate just 12 hours before polls open. In a robocall sent to voters in the 22nd Senate District, Stefanik said Caller “will stop Governor Hochul and the radical liberal politicians in Albany.” Caller, a longtime real estate attorney and community leader from Borough Park, is running on the Republican and Conservative lines to fill the Brooklyn seat vacated earlier this year. The district includes the frum neighborhoods of Borough Park, Midwood, Flatbush, and Marine Park. The State Senate plays a key role in shaping policy on education, housing, taxes, healthcare, and public safety. A victory by Caller would leave Democrats two votes short of a veto-proof majority in the chamber. “Nachman Caller will fight to keep our streets safe and fight for our schools,” Stefanik said. Stefanik has gained national prominence in recent years and earned praise in the Jewish community during congressional hearings last year, where she challenged university presidents over their failure to protect Jewish students. Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican from Rockland County, has also endorsed Caller, echoing the message that Albany needs experienced leaders to push back against radical liberal policies. “I am honored to receive the support of these esteemed Republican leaders in Washington,” said Nachman Caller. “With their help, and with a mandate from the voters in our district, we will bring common sense to Albany and deliver real results for all families.” The special election will be held tomorrow. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A serious kashrus concern has emerged in Houston, and travelers — particularly those attending conventions, conferences, or receiving airline-style meals — are urged to exercise extreme caution. A restaurant previously known as Genesis Steakhouse and now as Exodus Bar & Grill, is reportedly distributing food with misleading “kosher” labeling, despite no longer being under any kosher certification and now operating as a fully non-kosher establishment. The restaurant in question was previously certified by the Houston Kashruth Association (HKA), but the certification was terminated following kashrus violations, according to individuals familiar with the matter. Since then, Genesis/Exodus has reportedly shifted to serving clearly non-kosher fare, including cheeseburgers and non-kosher species of meat. Despite this, YWN sources indicate the restaurant has maintained long-standing contracts with medical conventions, hotels, and airline-style catering services. To preserve these business arrangements, the restaurant has allegedly begun using custom-printed “glatt kosher” tape on its packaging — without the name of the restaurant or any kashrus agency — creating the impression that the meals are kosher, when in fact they are not. The result: Frum attendees at a recent medical conference unknowingly consumed food prepared in a non-kosher kitchen under the assumption it was kosher, due to the deceptive labeling. Multiple rabbinic authorities and kashrus professionals familiar with the situation have verified that these meals are not kosher and should not be consumed by anyone who observes halacha. Travelers, conference participants, and anyone receiving catered meals in the Houston area are strongly advised to: 1. Check all meals for a visible and recognizable kosher certification logo 2. Avoid consuming food sealed only with generic “glatt kosher” tape that lacks agency identification 3. Consult a reliable rabbinic authority before eating pre-packaged meals from unfamiliar sources It is also worth noting that under Texas state law, presenting non-kosher food as kosher constitutes a Deceptive Trade Practice, punishable under the Texas Business and Commerce Code (§17.46). Misrepresenting a product as kosher — even by implication or appearance — is illegal. This alert is issued for informational and public safety purposes only. It is intended solely to help kosher-observant individuals avoid serious halachic pitfalls while traveling in or through Houston. If you or someone you know is attending an event or traveling through Houston, please share this information. And whenever in doubt, don’t rely on packaging alone — always verify with a trusted kashrus authority. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump will look to build momentum for his sweeping tax cut and immigration bill on Tuesday, taking a trip to Capitol Hill to address House Republicans as they try to work out their differences before a planned floor vote later this week. Trump will attend the GOP’s weekly conference meeting, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans not yet made public. Republicans can afford only a few defections to get the bill through the House, and it’s clear differences remain. Some deficit hawks are insisting on quicker cuts to Medicaid and green energy programs before giving their full support. Others are seeking a large increase in the state and local tax deduction. Trump has been pushing hard for Republicans to unite behind the bill, which would enact many of his campaign promises. The bill carries his preferred title, the “ One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” House Republicans narrowly advanced the sprawling 1,116-page package in a rare weekend vote late Sunday, but just barely, as GOP leaders promise more negotiations ahead. “The bill does not yet meet the moment,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a leader of the House Freedom Caucus, in a social media post immediately after the late-night session. “We can and must do better before we pass the final product.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday it’s “absolutely essential” that Republicans unite and pass the bill so that Trump can deliver on the agenda. Leavitt said Americans gave Republicans a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to “course correct our country” and “there is no time to waste.” Republicans criticizing the measure argued that the bill’s new spending and tax cuts are front-loaded in the bill, while the measures to offset the cost are back-loaded. In particular, they are looking to speed up the new work requirements that Republicans want to enact for able-bodied participants in Medicaid. They also want to more quickly end tax breaks for green energy projects being used nationwide. Majority Leader Steve Scalise said on CNBC Monday that work requirements for some Medicaid beneficiaries would begin in early 2027, a big change from the 2029 start date that is currently in the bill. Scalise said GOP leaders are looking to give the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the time he needs to implement the work requirements, but would be “moving that date up dramatically.” Late last week, the House Budget Committee failed to advance the package when four conservative Republicans objected. But it was able to do so Sunday on a vote of 17-16, with the four hold-outs voting “present” to allow it to move ahead, as talks continue. Speaker Mike Johnson, who met late Sunday with lawmakers ahead of voting, indicated he wants to impose the work requirements “as soon as possible” but acknowledged it may take states longer to change their systems. “There will be more details to iron out and several more to take care of,” Johnson, R-La., said outside the hearing room. “But I’m looking forward to very thoughtful discussions, very productive discussions over the next few days, and I’m absolutely convinced we’re going to get this in final form and pass it.” Democrats have decried the cuts Republicans are proposing to Medicaid and food […]

CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon said Monday that she is resigning after four years, the latest fallout at the network as its parent company considers settling a lawsuit with President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview with his former political opponent. McMahon, who has led both the network news division and news for the CBS-owned stations, said in an email message to staff that “it’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.” McMahon has made clear she opposes settling with Trump — just like “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who quit last month. Trump has sued CBS, alleging it edited an interview with 2024 Democratic opponent Kamala Harris last fall to benefit her. CBS News has denied that. CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, is in talks to potentially settle Trump’s lawsuit. At the same time, Paramount Global is seeking administration approval of a merger with Skydance Media. George Cheeks, co-CEO of Paramount and head of the CBS network, said McMahon’s top deputies, CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and CBS Stations president Jennifer Mitchell, will report directly to him. McMahon, in her note, said that “the past few months have been challenging.” “I have spent the last few months shoring up our businesses and making sure the right leaders are in place, and I have no doubt they will continue to set the standard,” she said. In addition to the tussle with Trump, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, has expressed unhappiness over some network coverage of Israel’s war in Gaza, including a “60 Minutes” piece this winter. Paramount began supervising “60 Minutes” stories in new ways, including asking former CBS News President Susan Zirinsky to look over some of its stories before they aired. That extra layer contributed to Owens’ resignation. One of the show’s correspondents, Scott Pelley, said on the air that “none of us is happy” about the changes. CBS News is also trying to establish the new anchor team of John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois at its flagship “CBS Evening News” broadcast amid ratings troubles. In his note to staff members, Cheeks praised McMahon for expanding local news at CBS stations and improving their competitive positions, along with improving the network’s digital offerings. Despite the internal tensions, the “60 Minutes” broadcast has done several notably tough stories on the Trump administration, and it has drawn the ire of the president. He attacked the show after one episode in April. “Almost every week, 60 Minutes … mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way,” the president said on social media. On Sunday’s season finale of “60 Minutes,” a story that had been scheduled and publicly announced about cutbacks at the Internal Revenue Service was not aired. A spokeswoman said it was because on Friday, CBS learned that IRS leadership had told senior staff that it had decided to call some 7,000 probationary employees back to work. CBS said it would continue to report on the details and broadcast the story some time in the future. A Trump settlement with Paramount has precedence. The Walt Disney Co. decided in December to pay $15 million to end a Trump libel lawsuit against ABC News over […]