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by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Sefas Tamim Foundation Professor Martin Seligman from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Daniel Kahneman A”H of Hebrew University, Dr. Steven Pinker of Harvard University, Dr. Jordan Peterson of the University of Toronto, and Dr. Paul Ekman, formerly of University of California – San Francisco are among the top five leading psychologists in the world. They have won many awards, promulgated innovative theories, and have changed the course of research within their specialties and subspecialties. Now imagine that these five men are in a leading psychiatric facility examining, testing, interviewing, questioning, and psychoanalyzing one of the most famous villains in history. Just who are they examining? They are probing the mind of a brilliant man who led a revolution – albeit a failed one. They are examining Korach. What were his motivations in starting a rebellion against Moshe? Was he woefully misguided or were his actions purposeful? Fortunately, we need neither psychoanalysis nor these psychologists to probe the mind of Korach. We have Rashi and Chazal (on BaMidbar 16:1) commenting on the first verse in the Parsha to do that for us. Rashi says, “And what induced Korach to quarrel with Moshe? He was jealous of the princely dignity held by Elitzaphan the son of Uzziel (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 1) whom Moshe had appointed prince over the sons of Kehas although this was by the express command of Hashem (BaMidbar 3:30). Korach reasoned as follows: ‘My father and his brothers [the sons of Kehas] were four in number [Amram, Yitzhar, Hebron and Uzziel]. Regarding Amram, the eldest, his two sons had themselves assumed high positions, one as king (Moshe) and the other as the High Priest (Aharon). Who is entitled to receive the second-tier leadership (as a prince)? Is it not “I” who is the son of Yitzhar, who is the second oldest brother? And yet he (Moshe) skipped over me and appointed as prince, the son of Uzziel who was the youngest brother of all of them! I hereby protest against Moshe and will undo his decision.’” The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:3) and Rashi elsewhere both tell us that Korach was a brilliant and highly spiritual individual. He was also endowed with Ruach HaKodesh (Divine inspiration). Accordingly, how could Korach actually believe that he was doing the right thing by leading a rebellion against Hashem’s most trusted servant, Moshe? We have the answer as referenced above. He resented Moshe and was jealous of his cousin Elitzafan who was picked to be the prince when he felt it should have been him. However, as we have said above, Korach was a great man, so the jealousy that he felt must have been very subtle – barely detectable on almost any scale. Indeed, Korach himself could not detect it. We learn from the incident of Korach that even a very subtle, small amount of jealousy (or perhaps any other emotion) can lead us to self-deception of epic proportions! Many of these self-deceptions are part of the everyday lives of many people – such as the student who did not study enough but blames the teacher for not passing the test, or the person who continues down a path that in his heart-of-hearts knows is wrong, but is too prideful to admit that he has made a […]

University of Texas at Austin researchers say an Israeli Air Force base was the source of Global Positioning System spoofing attacks disrupting civilian airline navigation in the Middle East.

GPS spoofing manipulates data to make planes’ GPS receivers “think” they’re somewhere they’re not.

The researchers, Todd Humphreys and Zach Clements, said they were confident the spoofing came from Ein Shemer Airfield, about four miles east of Hadera, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

“Spoofing, along with GPS jamming, has sharply risen over the last three years, particularly near war zones in Ukraine and Gaza, where militaries interfere with navigation signals to thwart missile and drone attacks,” the paper said.

A separate analysis from that of the University of Texas found that more than 50,000 flights have been spoofed in the Middle East this year.

The Israeli military declined to comment for the report.

Spoofing attacks haven’t yet endangered flights as pilots have other methods of navigation as well, the paper noted.

Spoofing affects not just planes. In April, Israel drivers reported that navigation apps such as Waze, Google Maps and the taxi pickup app Gett were suddenly showing their locations in places they were definitely not—including as far away as Beirut in Lebanon.

Other GPS-reliant services such as the Wolt delivery platform were exhibiting the same bizarre location errors, falsely placing couriers in areas such as Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

The disruptions were attributed to the IDF’s GPS jamming operations in the north amid rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah.

“The disruptions are an effective tool to confuse a weapon that [uses] GPS [to navigate],” the former head of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, Yigal Unna, told Ynet.

“Like any strong medicine, it has side effects, and in the meantime, I suggest going back to the maps once in a while. It can be managed. It’s not an attack—it’s a defense,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

The renowned posek Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, who serves as head of the Bais Dovid Kollel in Cholon, has also been hit by the government cut in yeshiva funding.

A notice at his kollel stated: “The supporters of Torah have diminished, the kollel’s funds are empty, and the holy Torah cries out, ‘If there is no flour, there is no Torah.’ Whoever remains at the Bais Dovid Kollel should know that, unfortunately, there is no source of payment. May Hashem bless those who provide beneficence to talmidei chachomim.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Biden shared with nearly two dozen Democratic governors at a White House meeting night that he needs more rest and should reduce his working hours. He even suggested avoiding events scheduled after 8 p.m. This statement suggests that he might only be fully functional between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

This revelation was reported by the New York Times, which quoted two attendees of the meeting and others who were informed about the conversation.

During the same meeting, Biden addressed a question from Hawaii Gov. Josh Green regarding his health. Biden remarked that while his overall health was fine, the issue was “just my brain,” a comment intended to be humorous but not recognized as such by at least one governor present.

The president’s candid admission about his limitations is surprising, especially since he has expressed his intention to run for a second term despite a poor debate performance against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on June 27 in Atlanta.

Biden attributed his weak debate showing to extensive foreign travel, although he had been in the Eastern Time Zone for 10 days before the debate, including a full week of preparation at Camp David.

Following the debate, Axios reported, citing White House aides, that the president often makes absent-minded errors and shows signs of fatigue when participating in events before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

{Dov T. Heller – Matzav.com}

Following the Kan report on Tuesday evening that State-Attorney State Attorney Amit Aisman asked Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to launch a criminal probe against National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir for allegedly inciting violence against the residents of Gaza, Walla news reported that probes are being considered against other ministers and MKs as well. One minister is Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich who was quoted during the hearing at the Hague as saying: “There is no half-work: Rafah, Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat – total destruction. Timcheh es zecheir Amalek m’tachas HaShamayim – there is no place under the Shamayim.” Likud MK Tally Gotliv’s name also came up during the first hearing held in January in the Hague, after she was quoted as having written: “May your village burn! Yes, yes, as far I’m concerned…it’s good morale to wish Gaza to be wiped out and set on fire. I have said many times – revenge is a value. They almost conquered the kibbutzim of the south, slaughtered, raped, beheaded, and gouged out their eyes. So let their village burn.” Another MK named in the report is Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Leiberman who was quoted as having written: “There are no innocents in Gaza.” Many Israeli social media users are mocking the reports, with many posting a photo of released hostage Mia Schem, who said during an interview after she was released: “I experienced hell. Everyone there are terrorists, there are no innocent civilians, not one.” Schem was held in the home of a family with children. The mother of the home and the children were cruel to her, even teasing her by bringing food into her room but not allowing her to eat it. Social media users sardonically suggested that maybe the attorney-general should also launch an investigation against Schem. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

An advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration on Monday endorsed an Alzheimer’s drug made by Eli Lilly, setting the stage for the agency to approve another medication that has shown it can slow the progression of the disease.

The medication doesn’t cure or halt Alzheimer’s disease but was shown in a clinical trial to slow the cognitive and functional decline in people in early stages of the disease by 35 percent over 18 months.

Much of the committee’s discussion focused on the safety of the drug, donanemab, which works by clearing a sticky plaque from the brain, amyloid beta, that is associated with the memory-robbing disease. In a clinical trial, three patients who received the drug died of a condition called ARIA that can cause the brain to bleed or swell, while there were no such deaths in a placebo group. There were also more deaths in the group that received the drug than the placebo arm.

Still, the FDA signaled that it wasn’t overly alarmed by the drug’s safety profile, noting in a briefing document that the findings “are generally consistent” with the class of drugs that aim to reduce or eliminate amyloid plaques.

The committee voted 11-0 that donanemab was effective and the benefits outweighed the risks for patients with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia. Still, some committee members stressed the importance of educating health-care providers and patients, who may not all get the same benefit from the drug depending on the state of their disease and genetics.

“I do believe we need to think responsibly if this medicine is going to come to market, because there are risks associated,” said Sarah Dolan, the panel’s consumer representative.

The committee’s favorable recommendation, though not binding on the FDA, removes a hurdle to Eli Lilly winning regulatory approval. If approved, donanemab would be the third anti-amyloid drug since 2021 to win the FDA’s blessing after Aduhelm and Leqembi, both made by drugmakers Eisai and Biogen.

“We are pleased with the committee’s unanimous recognition of donanemab’s positive benefit-risk profile,” Mark Mintun, an Eli Lilly vice president, said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing this treatment option to patients.”

There remains an urgent need for additional treatments, according to the agency, for a disease that affects an estimated nearly 7 million Americans.

Eli Lilly shares rose 1.8 percent Monday, as panel members voted. Still, donanemab is unlikely to be an instant blockbuster, according to Wall Street analysts. David Risinger, an analyst at Leerink Partners, said in a research note Sunday that the drug has a “questionable competitive profile.”

A key feature of Eli Lilly’s approach is that treatment with the drug could be discontinued once a patient’s amyloid levels are reduced to a certain level. That assumes that dropping the treatment wouldn’t compromise the benefit of the drug that could reduce the treatment burden on patients. The FDA called this theory “reasonable” but not directly supported by evidence.

Leqembi has gotten off to a slower than expected start with about 5,000 patients getting treatment in the United States, according to William Blair analysts. But its sponsors, Eisai and Biogen, are pursuing an injectable version that would be far more convenient for patients than the current infusion method, potentially giving it a leg up on donanemab if it wins approval. The two drugmakers said earlier this year they would cease marketing Aduhelm, a controversial drug that fizzled commercially after conflicting results about its effectiveness.

Eli Lilly’s path hasn’t been entirely smooth. The drugmaker changed the primary measure of its clinical trial mid-course, drawing initial objections from the FDA that it appears to have ultimately overcome. In March, the agency surprised Lilly when it delayed making a decision on approving the drug and decided to hold an advisory committee meeting.

Monday’s meeting included emotional pleas from patients stricken with Alzheimer’s. One man appearing remotely by video described how, after an infusion of donanemab, “my right arm began to shake uncontrollably” and his blood pressure surged. Still, he concluded that the benefits outweigh the risks. “I’m pleased to tell you as a result of my treatment with the Lilly drug my amyloids have completed cleared,” he said.

Donanemab has its critics, including a few who argued against approving the drug during public comments at the meeting.

Judy Butler, senior research fellow at Georgetown University Medical Center, urged the committee to reject the medication, saying the medical terminology hides brain hemorrhaging behind the “benign acronym” ARIA.

“Just like its predecessors aducanumab and lecanemab” – alternative names for Aduhelm and Leqembi – “it does not improve how a patient feels, functions or survives,” she said of donanemab. “And the net effect of these drugs appears to be harm.”

Melissa Veenhuizen, vice president of global patient safety at Eli Lilly, told the panel that “there is no evidence of an increased risk of mortality or excess deaths related to donanemab” beyond the three deaths associated with ARIA. The trial reported outcomes for 853 patients who received donanemab and 874 who got a placebo. Also speaking on the company’s behalf, Reisa Sperling, director of the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital called ARIA a “manageable adverse event.”

The donanemab studies offer additional proof that “if you get rid of the amyloid, people get a clinical benefit,” said Howard Fillit, co-founder of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, which has received contributions from Eli Lilly and Biogen.

Still, Fillit noted that the existing treatments only modestly slow the disease and that future treatments must take different approaches. “There must be other mechanisms involved in the disease that we haven’t addressed,” he said.

(c) Washington Post

In light of the various tragedies that have struck Klal Yisroel and the ongoing challenging situation in Eretz Yisroel, Agudas Yisroel of America’s New Jersey office will present a kinnus hisorerus tonight, at 8:30 p.m., at Bais Medrash Lutzk, located at 520 New Egypt Road, Lakewood, NJ. There will be a live video and audio hookup of the event. The call-in number for the audio hookup is 712.432.4305. Divrei hisorerus will be delivered by Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha; Rav Uri Deutsch, rov of the Forest Park Shul; and Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Mesivta of Lakewood. All drashos will be delivered in English. As was widely disseminated earlier, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and the Lakewood roshei yeshiva called today to be a special day of tefillah and teshuvah, a Yom Kippur Koton Mukdam. Tonight’s asifa will provide hadracha for dealing with the challenges of the day and the Torah approach going forward. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hurricane Beryl swept by Jamaica on Wednesday, unleashing flooding rains, damaging winds and a significant ocean surge that inundated coastal areas. The powerful storm came within only a few miles of landfall as the storm’s ring of destructive winds scraped along the southern portion of the island.

Now the storm – pulling away from the Cayman Islands – is on a collision course with Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, poised to strike there Thursday night into Friday. Then, northeast Mexico and South Texas will probably be the storm’s final destination Sunday into Monday.

“There is an increasing risk of strong winds, storm surge and heavy rainfall in portions of northeastern Mexico and southern Texas later this weekend,” the National Hurricane Center wrote Thursday morning.

As Beryl charged past Jamaica as a Category 4 hurricane Wednesday, flooding swept the eastern end of the island, and many residents had evacuated their homes. In Kingston, winds gusted to 81 mph and roof damage was reported at Norman Manley International Airport. At least one death has been reported.

Powerful wind and rain downed power forced Jamaica’s three international airports to shutter late Wednesday.

After those airports shuttered late Wednesday due to the hurricane, Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, the island’s largest, was set to reopen Thursday evening with Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport resuming flights Friday.

As of 11 a.m. Eastern time Thursday, the storm was 95 miles west-southwest of Grand Cayman, while sweeping to the west-northwest at 18 mph. Beryl’s maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 115 mph, making it a Category 3 hurricane, down from a Category 4 on Wednesday and a Category 5 as recently as Tuesday morning.

Early Thursday, Beryl’s eyewall – the ring of destructive winds around the storm center – could be seen on Grand Cayman’s weather radar passing just 25 miles south of the island. That means Grand Cayman was probably experiencing high-end tropical storm-force winds, but Beryl’s stronger hurricane-force winds probably remained offshore.

The storm was continuing to slowly weaken Thursday as it dealt with wind shear, or a disruptive change of wind speed and/or direction with height. On satellite images, Beryl appeared to be a shell of its former self – it was asymmetric, and it no longer contained a well-defined eye. But abnormally warm ocean temperatures were simultaneously helping to counter the effect of the wind shear and sustain the storm.

The Hurricane Center predicts that Beryl will probably still be a Category 1 or 2 hurricane when it strikes the Yucatán Peninsula.

Thereafter, Beryl will barrel west-northwest over the Bay of Campeche as it emerges in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. A narrow window of reintensification is possible before a probable second landfall along the western Gulf Coast. Tamaulipas, Mexico, the state just south of the Texas border, is at the greatest risk of seeing a direct landfall, but there is also a chance that the storm comes ashore in South Texas.

– – –

What’s next for Beryl

Beryl should come ashore south of Cancún on Friday with gusts around 100 mph and a storm surge – or rise in water above normally dry land near the coast – of up to 3 to 5 feet; hurricane warnings are in effect from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancún, including Cozumel. A widespread 4 to 6 inches of rain, with localized amounts to 10 inches, is also anticipated. That is expected to cause scattered flooding.

Beryl will then enter the Gulf of Mexico, where a period of restrengthening is possible. Even after weakening to a tropical storm because of its passage over land, Beryl will probably regain status as a Category 1 hurricane.

Then it will curve north a bit – but how much is the question. Two factors are influencing its path.

A dome of high pressure over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico is shunting it west. That may prove dominant as a steering driver, which could win out and steer a weaker system into Tamaulipas sometime over the weekend.

There’s a chance, however, that a dip in the jet stream over the Central States enacts a bit of a tug northward. That could pull the system into the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, potentially threatening South Texas. The angle at which Beryl curves northward is key – a more gentle curve would take it into Mexico, but a more abrupt northward turn would spell greater risks for the Lone Star State.

There is still a very real possibility of a Texas landfall somewhere in the vicinity of Brownsville, though everyone south of Corpus Christi should pay close attention. Several hurricane-specific models, which tend to perform well in simulating the subtleties of steering currents, indicate this could be a concern. It’s not the most probable scenario, but it’s on the table.

At the very least, South Texas will probably see several inches of rainfall even if a Mexico landfall ensues. And if a more direct hit happens, hurricane-force winds, storm surge, flooding rains and even some tornadoes are probable.

The main time of impact would be the second half of Sunday into early Monday.

– – –

Beryl’s history

Beryl is only the first hurricane of the 2024 season and became the earliest-forming Category 5 on record in the Atlantic on Monday night. Its early arrival marks the start of what forecasters have predicted will be a particularly busy hurricane season.

The storm – fueled by record-warm ocean waters – broke numerous benchmarks for its strength and the rate at which it intensified so early in the season, stunning meteorologists:

The storm first hit Grenada, St. Vincent and other Caribbean islands Monday, leaving behind widespread destruction – particularly on the Grenadian islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique – and killing at least five people. Another three deaths were reported in Venezuela.

– – –

Jason Samenow and Amanda Coletta contributed to this report.

(c) Washington Post

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman Who in his or her right mind would say “no” to extra bracha?  Especially, if it is the holy Baal HaTurim who says it? The Tur (Siman 419) cites a Psikta that states in regard to Rosh Chodesh that if one adds to Rosh Chodesh [in a seudah] then that person receives additions from Heaven. It is Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Tammuz this coming Shabbos.  And when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos – there is a fascinating yet unresolved halachic question. Is it for 1 meal or for 3 meals? As a preface, we know that Rosh Chodesh is a special and festive occasion that symbolizes the renewal of the Jewish people. It is for this reason that the Shulchan Aruch rules that it is a Mitzvah to add food on the seudah of Rosh Chodesh. THE MISHNA BRURAH’S VIEW What many people do not necessarily know, however, is that the Mishna Brurah writes (419:2) that when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos the medakdekim – those that are careful in Mitzvos add a special dish beyond what one normally does on Shabbos on account of Rosh Chodesh.  He cites the shaarei knesses hagedolah, the Eliyahu Rabba, and the Chayei Odom – three of the most famous Acharonim in European Jewish history. IS IT JUST ONCE OR FOR ALL THREE MEALS? The Mishna Brurah, however, is not clear as to whether it should be done just once on Shabbos or for each of the three meals on Shabbos.  The question perhaps is predicated upon the notion that Shabbos might be different because there is an obligation for three meals on Shabbos.  Whereas, on Rosh Chodesh – there is no obligation of a night meal. Indeed, the author of the Shmiras Shabbos K’hilchasa (54:footnote 151), Rav Yehoshua Neuwirth zt”l (1927-2013), raises this question and remains with no answer. When Rosh Chodesh falls during the week – it is sufficient just to have extra food during the day meal.  But it is not so clear whether this is true for when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos. [As an aside, Rav Neuwirth zt”l was born in Berlin and escaped Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport.  Imagine, chalillah, the loss if this wonderful attempt to save children did not exist]. Perhaps as a slight indication that three times is preferable, the Bach writes that on a two day Rosh Chodesh that occurs on Shabbos and Sunday, it would not be sufficient to merely add to the Shabbos meal since it would not be identifiable that it is being done for Rosh Chodesh. On the other hand, the Yaavetz writes that one could just have a larger Melaveh Malka than one is accustomed to have which would indicate the other way. RAV OVADIAH’S VIEW Rav Ovadiah Yosef zt”l has a different approach. In Responsa Chazon Ovadiah Vol. I #8, he writes that one can fulfill two mitzvos with the same kezayis. However, the Mishna Brurah clearly indicates that for medakdekim – there should be a recognizable difference – unlike Rav Ovadiah Yoseph’s view.  It would seem that this would be a debate between Sefardim and Ashkenazim as to whether even medakdemim should do this or not.  For those who follow Rav Ovadiah – there is no need.  For those who follow the Mishna Brurah […]

The 932nd Battalion of the Nachal Brigade entered Rafah on Tuesday, where the IDF is currently operating to eliminate terrorists and destroy terror infrastructure. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said on Tuesday evening that IDF troops have killed at least 900 terrorists so far in the operation in Rafah. Before entering the terror nest, the soldier gathered together to listen to tekiyas shofar and recite Shema. Hashem should bring all the soldiers back safe and sound. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is set to speak with President Joe Biden on Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office told JNS.

While the PMO declined to comment on the nature of the conversation, Biden will reportedly pressure the Israeli leader to accept a modified hostage-for-terrorists exchange proposal that Hamas presented on Wednesday.

Ahead of the call, Netanyahu is set to hold meetings with his negotiating team and then convene the Security Cabinet to discuss the proposal.

The changes are believed to have been made to a framework Biden presented in May.

U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators have conveyed “Hamas’s remarks on the outline of the hostages deal,” according to a PMO statement on behalf of the Mossad late Wednesday.

“Israel is evaluating the remarks and will convey its reply to the mediators,” added the statement.

Yerushalayim immediately accepted Biden’s proposal, which Netanyahu stressed does not call for a permanent end to the war sparked by Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre of some 1,200 people and the kidnapping of some 250 others, of whom 120 remain in Gaza.

Hamas rejected the deal, demanding a permanent end to the conflict and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

The visit of six senior roshei yeshiva to the U.S. last week ignited an extraordinary display of Kavod Hatorah, with tens of thousands turning out to welcome the gedolim to their towns and show support for limud hatorah in Eretz Yisroel, which is under severe threat due to drastic funding cuts by the Israeli government. Over the course of the gedolim’s short visit, a staggering $83 million was donated by philanthropists to Keren Olam Hatorah, the fund established by the roshei yeshiva, bringing the ambitious goal of raising $107 million to fill the gap left by the spending cuts within reach. However, there is still $24 million left to be raised. Now, the broader public has been given a mandate by the gedolei hador: It is our collective responsibility to close the gap and ensure the continuity of Torah study in yeshivos and kollelim across Eretz Yisroel. Rayze.It/olamhatorah The urgency of the moment cannot be overstated and the chovas hasha’a is clear: We must come together, rallying k’ish echad b’lev echad to support our colleagues in limud hatorah. The gedolim’s call demands every member of Klal Yisroel to step up and contribute to this crucial cause.  Now is the time to act. Here is how you can help: Create Fundraising Teams: Forming a fundraising team is one of the most impactful ways to support this initiative. Gather friends, family, and members of your kehilla to join you in raising funds. This collective effort not only amplifies your impact but also builds a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. Spread the Word: Awareness is key. Use your personal and professional networks to share the importance of Keren Olam Hatorah. Encourage others to create their own fundraising teams or to contribute directly to the cause. Personal Contributions: Every donation counts, whether large or small. Your personal contribution will directly impact the sustainability of Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel. Corporate Involvement: Business owners and executives can play a pivotal role by encouraging their employees to join the fundraising initiative. Creating a company team can significantly boost fundraising efforts. By investing in Keren Olam Hatorah, you will be investing in the future of Klal Yisroel and ensuring that the light of Torah continues to shine brightly. Your efforts will not only benefit the yeshivos and kollelim but will also undoubtedly bring Shefa Bracha to you, your family, and all your endeavors. Donations can already be made by visiting Rayze.It/olamhatorah. Shuls, companies or other groups that want to create a team can do so by emailing office@kerenolamhatorah.org

[COMMUNICATED]

The visit of six senior roshei yeshiva to the U.S. last week ignited an extraordinary display of Kavod Hatorah, with tens of thousands turning out to welcome the gedolim to their towns and show support for limud hatorah in Eretz Yisroel, which is under severe threat due to drastic funding cuts by the Israeli government.

Over the course of the gedolim’s short visit, a staggering $83 million was donated by philanthropists to Keren Olam Hatorah, the fund established by the roshei yeshiva, bringing the ambitious goal of raising $107 million to fill the gap left by the spending cuts within reach. However, there is still $24 million left to be raised.

Now, the broader public has been given a mandate by the gedolei hador: It is our collective responsibility to close the gap and ensure the continuity of Torah study in yeshivos and kollelim across Eretz Yisroel. Rayze.It/olamhatorah

The urgency of the moment cannot be overstated and the chovas hasha’a is clear: We must come together, rallying k’ish echad b’lev echad to support our colleagues in limud hatorah. The gedolim’s call demands every member of Klal Yisroel to step up and contribute to this crucial cause. 

Now is the time to act. Here is how you can help:

Create Fundraising Teams: Forming a fundraising team is one of the most impactful ways to support this initiative. Gather friends, family, and members of your kehilla to join you in raising funds. This collective effort not only amplifies your impact but also builds a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.

Spread the Word: Awareness is key. Use your personal and professional networks to share the importance of Keren Olam Hatorah. Encourage others to create their own fundraising teams or to contribute directly to the cause.

Personal Contributions: Every donation counts, whether large or small. Your personal contribution will directly impact the sustainability of Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel.

Corporate Involvement: Business owners and executives can play a pivotal role by encouraging their employees to join the fundraising initiative. Creating a company team can significantly boost fundraising efforts.

By investing in Keren Olam Hatorah, you will be investing in the future of Klal Yisroel and ensuring that the light of Torah continues to shine brightly. Your efforts will not only benefit the yeshivos and kollelim but will also undoubtedly bring Shefa Bracha to you, your family, and all your endeavors.

Donations can already be made by visiting Rayze.It/olamhatorah. Shuls, companies or other groups that want to create a team can do so by emailing office@kerenolamhatorah.org

Ivanka Trump, who served as a top White House advisor in her father Donald Trump’s administration, joined podcaster Lex Fridman to discuss a wide variety of issues. During the course of her conversation, Ivanka discussed several core concepts of Judaism, making for an interesting conversation with the Jewish, but irreligious, podcaster. When asked about the hate and vitriol lobbed at her and her family over their immediate association with Donald Trump, Ivanka said: “There’s a concept in Judaism called Lashon Hara, which means evil speech. The idea is that speaking poorly of another is almost the moral equivalent to murder, because you can’t really repair it. You can apologize, but you can’t repair it. “Another component of that is that it does as much damage to the person saying the words than it does to the person receiving them. And I think about that a lot. I talk about this concept with my kids a lot, and I’m not willing to pay the price of that fleeting and momentary satisfaction of sort of swinging back because I think it would be too expensive for my soul. And that’s how I made peace with it, because I think that feels more true for me.” At another moment, when discussing the concept of gratitude, Ivanka referred to the bracha of Asher Yatzar: “There’s a prayer in Judaism you’re supposed to say every morning, which is basically thanking God for your body working. It’s something so basic, but it’s when it doesn’t that we’re grateful. So just reminding ourselves every day the basic things of a functional body, of our health, of access to water, which so many millions of people around the world do not have reliably, is very clarifying and super important.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

While the four-day workweek has picked up steam in many European countries and even at some U.S. companies, Greece is going in the opposite direction.

The country’s new legislation, which took effect this week, introduced a six-day workweek for businesses that operate 24 hours with the goal of boosting productivity. Workers have the option to work up to 48 hours a week, and those who work the extra day will get a 40 percent bump in overtime pay.

The news bucks the trend of shortening the workweek to four days, which research has shown benefits productivity and employee well-being and satisfaction. Greece’s government suggests the move will aid with labor shortages, ensure workers get paid for overtime and address tax evasion issues as it relates to undeclared work. But worker advocates say that Greece’s new legislation probably won’t produce the desired results and instead could cause unintended consequences such as high turnover, burnout, illness and even death.

“It definitely feels like a step in the wrong direction and shortsighted,” said Malissa Clark, director of the University of Georgia’s Healthy Work Lab, which studies work-life balance. “We know long work hours are detrimental to employee health.”

In the U.S., 77 percent of workers believe a four-day, 40-hour workweek would have an extremely or somewhat positive effect on their well-being, according to a recent Gallup survey. U.S. companies that have piloted or adopted shortened workweeks say they have seen the benefits.

In many parts of Asia and other developing countries, a six-day work week is routine. But globally, more countries are also looking at slashing hours. France is among the most recent countries to pilot a four-day workweek, while Belgium became the first country to officially approve the shortened week back in 2022. Other countries that have been experimenting with the four-day workweek include Iceland, Japan and South Africa.

But hurdles to the wide adoption of the shorter week persist as many worry about staffing issues, potential productivity drops, increased costs and complex changes to operations.

Greece’s move goes against much research that shows increasing hours actually hurts productivity rather than boosts it, said Brigid Schulte, director of the work-family justice program Better Life Lab at think tank New America. Instead, increasing hours often leads to workers making more mistakes, being slower on tasks, and suffering from exhaustion, stress and illness.

“The proof will be in the evidence,” Schulte said. “If all of a sudden Greece turns around its economy, maybe people will take a second look. But I don’t think that will happen.”

Schulte also said policies like this often hurt caregivers and women, which then lowers employee and leadership diversity and increases the gender pay gap.

Greece’s legislation opens the door to allowing people to work a 48-hour workweek but does not require it. And European Union laws require employers to ensure employees don’t exceed 48 hours per week on average, including overtime. But Clark says Greece’s legislation only creates the perception of choice because the increase in pay incentivizes people to work longer.

“You’re making it difficult to turn [the pay] down,” she said. “Also what are the norms and expectations going to be in the organization?”

While Greece is going against the grain and adoption of the shorter workweek has been slow, Schulte and Clark say future trends probably indicate fewer working hours versus more. Companies will continue learning how to make their processes more efficient, leverage tech and discover the benefits to workers and profits, they predict.

“It’s like an organizational excellence mission in disguise,” Schulte said. “Shorter work hours is better for business, people and the economy, if you do it right.”

(c) Washington Post

I’m sitting here on a motzei shabbos at 4:00 in the morning. It has been a very brutal shabbos for me and as hard as I tried, I wasn’t able to sleep. I went out for a drive and parked near the ocean. Looking out, watching the extreme darkness over the normally beautiful waters of the ocean, I can’t help but draw a parallel to my current emotional state. On a typical sunny day, I can spend hours gazing at the beautiful ocean. The gorgeous blue waters of the sea mirror the beautiful blue sky. I can listen to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore in perfect symmetry, crashing aloud yet so soft at the same time. As I would look further into the sea, I would see how the sky and the water become one. It’s as though the water is telling me that I can reach the sky if I put my mind to it. However, on this dark night, I see none of that. No sky. No water. No waves. Nothing other than pure and absolute darkness. Looking back into my dark car, into myself, into my soul, I feel one with the vibe I’m getting. I too am feeling so dark. So alone. So lonely and so full of pain. Although I’ve heard you all say that my soul is bright and that I need to look at the beauty within me, right now, in the darkness of my soul, I see and feeling nothing. Absolutely nothing. No soul. No family. No love. Nothing at all other than extreme darkness. I’m here alone, in the darkness of the night sitting with the darkness in my soul. If you’d see me tomorrow, you’ll see a man with a beautiful ocean. I have an amazing spouse and children. I have a great job. I own a house. While I agree I have a lot to be grateful for, and believe me I don’t take that lightly, right now, I’m in the midst of a very dark period. There is no one out there throwing me a lifeline. There are no ships coming to lift me above the brutally cold waters. It’s me and my soul; hurting, haunted and shattered from all the abuse and trauma I’ve endured. While I know I’m safe and that this wave of darkness will pass as I’ve been here many times before, I can’t help but wonder about the many whom aren’t really safe. I have been in therapy for many years. I’ve been working on myself with every modality I can get my hands on, tried all sorts of treatments, yet I still have times like this. However my heart bleeds for the ones that are at the beginning of their healing journey. For the ones in the midst of this all, perhaps not as safe as I am now. My heart aches while thinking of their hopelessness, helplessness and loneliness. My heart bleeds for their pain. While I do acknowledge that our community has made great strides in the world of mental health, it’s simply not enough. There still exists an enormous amount of shame and stigma specifically in the male Jewish community. I’ll be heading back home soon and as I’ll be driving back, I know I’ll […]

Ofir Akunis was solidly entrenched in the Knesset, serving in his 15th year as a lawmaker. The popular Likud figure—formerly a party spokesman and adviser to Bibi Netanyahu—had held a number of ministerial roles over the last nine years, and was minister of science and technology in the current government.

So, why exactly would the 50-year-old (now 51), not exactly known for an active role in the Diaspora, accept Netanyahu’s offer to become the consul general to New York in a post-Oct. 7 world?

“It’s a very good question. I think that we are living in challenging times. I think that it’s not less important to be here these days and represent the State of Israel and the Jewish people from New York,” Akunis told JNS in his office on Manhattan’s Second Ave.

“I think that a political leader should do more things in his career. And I think that this is the right place to be these days. Especially these days,” he said.

While Akunis generally hues close to Netanyahu in principle, he has carved out his own path, and while he rarely contradicts Netanyahu, he has avoided being sycophantic.

Netanyahu has been known to shuffle off political rivals and annoyances to diplomatic posts, but that doesn’t appear to be the case with Akunis. The position of consul general had been open since Asaf Zamir, appointed by the previous government, resigned in March 2023 to protest the advancement of judicial reform by Netanyahu.

Netanyahu floated firebrand Social Equality Minister May Golan for the post in April 2023, but backlash from the more left-wing American Jewish community quickly put that idea to bed. The consulate had been served by a series of acting consuls general until Akunis’s arrival.

While Akunis may lack diplomatic bona fides, his appointment was largely viewed as one of a professional, technocratic hand coming on to steady a ship that’s been rocking since Hamas’s massacre.

“I think that the very main issue here is the attacks on the Israeli and Jewish students in the universities and among the campuses. This is unacceptable,” Akunis said of his top priority since taking over in May.

His very first meeting, he told JNS, concerned the attacks on Jews and Israelis at Columbia and NYU.

“This is urgent, because we are a few weeks before the new year on the campuses, and I’m calling from here to the American people and to the American leaders to do whatever they can to stop” the violent antisemitic protests that took place in the spring.

“If someone wants to protest against the State of Israel or against the Jewish communities, he can do it,” Akunis said, but not by waving Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS flags, as was seen at a number of campus protests.

“To scream and shout, ‘Oct. 7 was only the beginning,’ this is unacceptable,” he said. “This is not freedom of speech. It’s freedom of hate.”

Akunis went so far as to say last week that New York City was in danger of falling under “radical Muslim occupation,” similar to European cities that have succumbed to violent Islamist riots and so-called no-go zones that are essentially off limits to non-Muslims.

“I think that radical Islam, influenced by Tehran and the Axis of Evil, is a huge problem, not only to the State of Israel, not only to the Jewish communities. It’s the Axis of Evil versus the Western world,” Akunis told JNS.

“How do I know it? I can hear from here, from this office—the screaming of ‘Death to America, to Israel, glory to Palestine.’ So it’s not about us anymore,” said Akunis, describing protests that have taken place outside the consulate.

He warned again of “a lot of neighborhoods” around Europe under “radical Muslim occupation,” citing London, Paris, Brussels and Malmö as examples.

“I didn’t know that such a thing would happen here in the United States,” Akunis said. “We can see it in the streets. It’s not my imagination.”

It is critical that Americans understand that the issue has gone far beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, morphing into a broader anti-American bent, he said.

“I think that I need to send this match message to my American friends. I think that this is the right message,” asking people to open their eyes to the support for terrorism taking place on New York’s streets.

And it’s happening during a broader time of political uncertainty and upheaval in the United States. Akunis arrived in the midst of a critical election season. Asked who on the political battlefield he has found to partner with and who he is still trying to bring on board, Akunis said that “I’m trying to bring everybody to support Israel. I think that the American administration, American people, American leaders, must stand with Israel.”

He was quick to note, though, that “the Israelis are not part of the election campaign. The American people will choose the president and their administration. And we, of course, respect any result we’ll see here on Nov. 5. This is the main idea of democracy—the will of the people.

Perhaps getting in a delicate shot at those who have opined on Israel’s domestic political affairs, including New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, who called for Netanyahu to stand down as premier, Akunis said he was “sure that you, the Americans, will respect the will of the people in Israel.”

Regarding his early dealings with American Jews, Akunis stressed the unity he’s seen in the community members that he’s been dealing with on the street level. “This unity reflects strength, and not the opposite. We will not be victims anymore,” he said, adding that “in the darkest days, you can see the light.”

In turn, the Jewish community looked for unity from its supposed partners and allies in other American minority and religious communities in the aftermath of Oct. 7, but largely encountered “radio silence”.

While American Jewish leaders have been quick to note their deep disappointment, worry and anger on that front, Akunis inferred to JNS that those concerns are overblown by the media, which he said tends to amplify the negative.

“I’m talking with them all the time,” he said of those erstwhile partners. “Beyond the big headlines, I think that most Americans, including the communities that you just mentioned, support Israel. There’s a lot of voices for Israel.”

While Akunis said he has not received a straight answer on why those communities went silent during Israel’s darkest hour, he is “asking them to reflect on their solidarity with Israel,” and he expects attitudes will change soon.

{Matzav.com}

President Joe Biden on Thursday opened a critical stretch in his effort to salvage his imperiled reelection campaign, arguing the stakes extend far beyond his own political prospects to the future of the country’s economy and democracy itself. There is a growing sense that Biden may have just days to make a persuasive case that he is fit for office before Democratic support for him completely evaporates in the aftermath of his disastrous debate performance last week against Republican Donald Trump. In an interview with a Wisconsin radio station that aired Thursday, Biden said, “The stakes are really high. I know you know this. For democracy, for freedom … our economy, they’re all on the line.” He added: “The president is the most powerful office in the world. But we need someone with wisdom and character.” The interview on the Earl Ingram Show on the Civic Media Radio Network, taped Wednesday, was the part of a media and public events blitz that the Democratic president and his staff have acknowledged as a make-or-break moment. Some financial backers were holding off or canceling upcoming fundraisers, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions. After hosting a July Fourth evening barbecue at the White House for military families, Biden is scheduled to campaign in Wisconsin on Friday and sit for an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that will air as a prime-time special that night. He plans to be in Philadelphia on Sunday and hold a full news conference during the NATO summit in Washington next week. It is not a given that his campaign will survive even that long if he does not deliver a strong showing on ABC. Discussions that were once a whisper around who should step into his place should he bow out are growing louder. For now, Biden is not ready to walk away and he has communicated that in conversations with Democratic governors, close allies and staffers from his campaign. But time is short for a possible change. The Democratic National Committee announced weeks ago that it would hold a virtual roll call for a formal nomination before the party’s national convention, which begins Aug. 19. “I’m proud to be running for reelection as a president who’s made his promises and I’ve kept them,” Biden said in the radio interview. “I had a bad night. A bad night. I screwed up,” he said of the debate, where he gave halting and convoluted answers. “But 90 minutes on stage does not erase what I’ve done for 3 1/2 years,” he said in a different interview, with Philadelphia-area WURD Radio. In his private conversations, Biden has focused on how to reverse the trajectory from his rocky debate and has emphasized the critical nature of this year’s presidential election. During one call, when asked what would happen if his efforts to course correct do not work, Biden stressed that he understood how important the race is and that he would put the country first, according to a person who spoke directly with the president. The person was granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. Biden met for more than hour at the White House on Wednesday night, in person and virtually, with more than 20 Democratic […]

In light of the various tragedies that have struck Klal Yisroel and the ongoing challenging situation in Eretz Yisroel, Agudas Yisroel of America’s New Jersey office will present a kinnus hisorerus tonight, at 8:30 p.m., at Bais Medrash Lutzk, located at 520 New Egypt Road, Lakewood, NJ. Divrei hisorerus will be delivered by Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha; Rav Uri Deutsch, rov of the Forest Park Shul; and Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Mesivta of Lakewood. All drashos will be delivered in English.

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