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U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he wants communities to stop fluoridating water, and he is setting the gears of government in motion to help make that happen. Kennedy this week said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. And he said he’s assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue and make new recommendations. At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it would review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The EPA sets the maximum level allowed in public water systems. Here’s a look at how reversing fluoride policy has become an action item under President Donald Trump’s administration. The benefits of fluoride Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the CDC. In 1950, federal officials endorsed water fluoridation to prevent tooth decay, and in 1962 set guidelines for how much should be added to water. Fluoride can come from a number of sources, but drinking water is the main one for Americans, researchers say. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population gets fluoridated drinking water, according to CDC data. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water was long considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. The American Dental Association credits it with reducing tooth decay by more than 25% in children and adults. About one-third of community water systems — 17,000 out of 51,000 across the U.S. — serving more than 60% of the population fluoridated their water, according to a 2022 CDC analysis. The potential problems of too much fluoride The CDC currently recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water. Over time, studies have documented potential problems when people get much more than that. Excess fluoride intake has been associated with streaking or spots on teeth. And studies also have traced a link between excess fluoride and brain development. A report last year by the federal government’s National Toxicology Program, which summarized studies conducted in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico, concluded that drinking water with more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter — more than twice the CDC’s recommended level — was associated with lower IQs in kids. Meanwhile, last year, a federal judge ordered the EPA to further regulate fluoride in drinking water. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen cautioned that it’s not certain fluoride is causing lower IQ in kids, but he concluded that research pointed to an unreasonable risk that it could be. Kennedy has railed against fluoride Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has called fluoride a “dangerous neurotoxin” and “an industrial waste” tied to a range of health dangers. He has said it’s been associated with arthritis, bone breaks, and thyroid disease. Some studies have suggested such links might exist, usually at higher-than-recommended fluoride levels, though some reviewers have questioned the quality of available evidence and said no definitive conclusions can be drawn. How fluoride recommendations can be changed The CDC’s recommendations are widely followed but not mandatory. State and local governments decide whether to add fluoride to water and, if so, how much — as long as it doesn’t exceed the EPA’s limit of 4 milligrams per liter. So Kennedy can’t order communities to stop fluoridation, but he […]

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu warned on Tuesday about the potential perils of a nuclear deal with Iran, ahead of taking off for Israel following his meeting the previous day with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

“We agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. This can be done by agreement, but only if this agreement is Libyan-style: They go in, blow up the installations, dismantle all of the equipment under American supervision and carried out by America—this would be good,” he said.

“The second possibility—that will not be—is that they drag out the talks, and then there is the military option. Everyone understands this. We spoke about this at length,” he added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Tuesday that his government had decided to start negotiations with Washington.

“Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks,” he wrote on X, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the discussions set to take place in Muscat, which he called direct.

Speaking in the Oval Office after meeting Netanyahu on Monday, Trump announced: “We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started. … Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he stressed. “If it can be done diplomatically in a full way, the way it was done in Libya, I think that would be a good thing.”

Netanyahu on Tuesday said he and Trump also discussed the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.

“We are determined to eliminate Hamas, and at the same time, we are determined to return all of our hostages. The president looked at me and told the journalists who were present: ‘This man is working constantly to free the hostages.’ I hope that this shatters the lie that is being circulated to the effect that I am not working for them, that I don’t care. I do care, and I am doing it, and we will be successful,” said the Israeli premier.

Netanyahu noted that he raised Trump’s vision to relocate civilians in the Gaza Strip, insisting that Jerusalem was currently in contact with several countries talking about the possibility of absorbing Palestinians.

“This is important because in the end, this is what needs to happen,” he said.

“The third issue: Turkey. Turkey wants to establish military bases in Syria, and this endangers Israel. We oppose this and are working against it. I told President Trump, who is my friend and also a friend of [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan: ‘If we are in need of your help, we will discuss it with you,’” stated the prime minister.

“The fourth and last issue: the tariffs. President Trump has asked countries to reduce their trade deficits with the U.S. to zero. I told him: ‘This is not so difficult for us. We will do it.’ This is the little that we can do for the U.S. and its president, who does so much for us,” said Netanyahu.

The prime minister concluded by stressing that it was a “very warm visit,” his second in two months since Trump assumed office, adding that “there were additional things that you will hear about later.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

In response to the surge in antisemitic incidents on college campuses following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, Congresswomen Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) have reintroduced the University Accountability Act. The legislation aims to impose strict penalties on higher education institutions that fail to protect the civil rights of their students in the face of antisemitic discrimination or violence. Under current federal law, colleges and universities found in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin—typically face corrective actions designed to bring them back into compliance. However, the proposed University Accountability Act would go significantly further. Institutions that meet the penalty criteria would be required to pay a fine of either $100,000 or 5% of their aggregate administrative compensation, as reported on their IRS Form 990—whichever is greater. After three such violations, the IRS would be mandated to review the school’s tax-exempt status for potential revocation. “I will continue to lead efforts to rid our colleges and universities of antisemitism alongside President Trump, who is delivering on his promise to hold these failed institutions accountable for their neglect and abandonment of our Jewish students,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “The University Accountability Act will impose penalties on universities that violate their students’ civil rights and put their undeserved tax-exempt status on the chopping block.” Congresswoman Malliotakis said: “Universities have a responsibility to protect their students from violence and discrimination but, instead, we’re seeing a disturbing increase in antisemitic attacks and rhetoric on college campuses. Our legislation seeks to hold these institutions accountable and encourage them to investigate and crack down on instances of antisemitism to help foster a safer academic environment for all students, regardless of their gender, race, or religion.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Some 100 people, ranging in age from about 8 to 102, huddled for warmth as they braved 40-degree temperatures on a damp day at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to watch, as speaker after speaker put it, Pfc. Adolph Hanf and Pvt. David Moser “come home.”

Neither of the Jewish soldiers, who served in World War I and have been dead for more than 100 years, underwent a geographic relocation. But with the help of Operation Benjamin, a donor-supported nonprofit, Moser (1898-1919) and Hanf (1884-1918) received new gravestones with Magein Dovids rather than Latin crosses.

“We take a moment out of our busy lives to remember two men of the Jewish faith, long at rest in this cemetery but mistakenly commemorated,” said Rob Dalessandro, deputy secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission. “Today, thanks to the efforts of Operation Benjamin and their team, we can better appreciate the shared Jewish sacrifice in the cause of democracy and freedom.”

Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter, the president of Operation Benjamin, told the attendees that his organization’s work is “very important and precious and I would even say holy.”

Schacter told JNS that the new headstones finally provided the two men with a grave marker that was appropriate for them as Jews.

“What we have seen today is an extraordinary expression of the commitment of the Jewish people and of the leadership of the United States of America to set the historical record straight, to bring soldiers who gave their lives for America, as Americans and as Jews, under the marker that represents their ancestral faith,” he said.

Shalom Lamm, the chief historian of Operation Benjamin, noted that few people gathered at the cemetery had even heard of Moser and Hanf prior to two months ago. “What is it about their story that stirs the human soul?” he said. “I’d like to suggest that we all feel a sense of justice being done after all these years for two young men, who sacrificed all for an idea bigger than themselves.”

“We instinctively know that when they lost their lives, they lost the ability to fight for their own identity. Our sense of fair play is aroused by our ability to make things right after all of these years,” Lamm said. “We have a sense, I think, of paying a long overdue debt to these men. We got it wrong for over 100 years. We buried them incorrectly for over 10 decades.”

Doug Collins, U.S. secretary of veterans affairs, and Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) attended the ceremonies, which were Project Benjamin’s first at Arlington National Cemetery.

Wasserman Schultz announced during her remarks that she and colleagues in the Senate and House are introducing legislation, which would authorize $500,000 per year, for a decade, to replace grave markers for Jewish American service members to represent their faith.

The legislation the members of Congress will be pursuing includes “an appropriation, so that we can make sure that over the next decade there is funding available to do the research and be able to go through the process of finding and replacing the headstones,” Wasserman Schultz told JNS.

“Identity is so incredibly important, especially for the fallen. As the ranking member of the Military Construction, VA appropriations subcommittee, honoring the entire arc of a service member’s commitment and service to our country is incredibly important, including in their death,” she said.

‘We are not rewriting history’

“As a Jew, and as a member of a community that has been persecuted for millennia, making sure that the final resting place of our fallen is honored with their identity is incredibly important not just for them but for those that come to military cemeteries and help honor them,” she told JNS.

“Particularly now, given the massive precipitous rise of antisemitism and the incredible importance of our being able to be who we are publicly, making sure that our fallen can be as well is critical,” she added.

Torres represents Deborah Berlinger Eiferman, 102, who is Moser’s niece. The congressman noted that although Hanf has no known living relatives, Eiferman’s “grace and generosity” and love extend “not only across space but across time, not only to family and friends but also strangers.”

“Private Hanf is not alone,” Torres said. “He is part of a larger Jewish family, a larger American family. All of us Jews and non-Jews alike should claim and celebrate him as our own.”

Days before Pesach, those gathered at Arlington National Cemetery were engaged in “a form of redemption,” Torres said. “A restoration of identity. A reaffirmation that these men belong to their families, to their faith and to their country, and that none of these are mutually exclusive.”

“As we approach Passover, we are redeeming ourselves by liberating the memory of these Jewish American heroes from the enslavement of an engraved error. Today, we are not rewriting history, we are rectifying it.”

Eiferman told attendees that being at the cemetery that day to unveil the new tombstone for her “baby uncle” is an “overwhelming experience.” (The whole family called him a “baby,” she said, because he only lived to 20.)

The 102-year-old said that she hopes attendees will take away from the day that going to a cemetery isn’t always an awful experience, but can be “morally justified.”

Eiferman said that her grandfather had a stroke when he heard that Moser, her uncle, had died and never spoke again thereafter. At the time, in the 1930s, wheelchairs weren’t as available as they are today, so her grandfather pushed a wooden chair with four legs around the house to get around, she said.

“This day is profound in the context of Judaism,” she said. “We were aware of the fact that for over a century, my baby uncle David, his identity as a proud Jew, was hidden. He was so patriotic.” She added that at 102, “it was a bit of a miracle from shamayim,” from heaven, “that I’m here today to give honor to my baby uncle David Moser and to my new adoptee Adolph Hanf.”

“Adolph, you’re not alone,” she said. “I’m here for you.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

New York’s $9 congestion toll on drivers entering the most traffic-snarled parts of Manhattan appears likely to remain through the summer and possibly into the fall as a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s authority to end the program moves forward. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who called the toll a “slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” had originally set a deadline of March 21 for the state to turn off the tolling program. When state officials refused, federal authorities set a new deadline of April 20. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had said the state intended to ignore that deadline, too. Now, though, the two sides in the legal fight have decided to slow things down. State and federal officials agreed to a briefing schedule for the lawsuit that allows for court filings through the end of July, and possibly into October, according to a letter Friday to the federal judge overseeing the lawsuit. Federal officials also said they have no plans to seek an injunction that would stop the tolls while the lawsuit proceeds. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the regional transit agency, filed the lawsuit challenging Duffy’s decision to rescind the toll’s federal approval in February. Congestion pricing advocates say it’s meant to deter drivers and relieve traffic backups while providing billions of dollars in new revenue to the city’s transit system. The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, which represents Duffy in the lawsuit, declined to comment. The MTA also declined to comment, saying Friday’s letter speaks for itself. The fee started Jan. 5 on most drivers entering Manhattan neighborhoods south of Central Park. It comes on top of tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan. President Donald Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, vowed to kill the plan as soon as he took office. (AP)

This Pesach, You Can Be the Reason a Family Feels Joy Again https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFsIn the quiet corners of the Beis Yisroel neighborhood in yerushleim  Behind the closed doors of worn-down apartments… There are families — ehrliche Yidden — who simply don’t have what they need for Yom Tov. No matzos. No food. No joy. Just worry, silence, and the pain of parents who can’t provide for their children the basic yom tov needs  https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFs But you can change that. The Beis Yisroel Charity Fund is not just another tzedakah. It’s led by true תלמידי חכמים who live and breathe Torah. Every request is treated like a sugya in Shas — with care, depth, and halachic clarity. They know the people. They see the tears. They feel the pain. And they act — every single day. Thousands rely on this fund: • Families who can’t put together a basic Pesach table • Bochurim in Mir and other Yeshivos who have no one else to help them • People struggling with food, health, mental challenges — in silence This is the reality. And as Pesach nears, the need becomes desperate. For $90, you can sponsor a box of matzos — the heart of Yom Tov — for a family who otherwise won’t have any. And your name will be mentioned for bracha by Gedolei Yisroel, including Harav Binyomin Finkel and Harav Yehoshua Dovid Turtsin shlit”a — at the  tefillos of Shvii Shel Pesach. Let them sit at the seder with dignity. Let them taste simcha. Let them know someone cares. You can be that someone. Donate now. Bring simchas Yom Tov to their table — and zechus to yours.https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFs

The Trump administration has halted the release of over $1 billion in federal funds earmarked for Cornell University, along with $790 million intended for Northwestern University. This decision comes as a direct result of civil rights probes currently underway at both institutions.

“The money was frozen in connection with several ongoing, credible, and concerning Title VI investigations,” a Trump admin official told Fox News.

According to two administration sources who spoke to the New York Times, the funding freeze primarily targets grants and contracts from several major federal departments, including Agriculture, Defense, Education, and Health and Human Services.

This action marks the most recent effort by the Trump administration to withhold financial support from top-tier academic institutions amid concerns they are not adhering to federal anti-discrimination regulations.

{Matzav.com}

According to a report from Channel 12, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was only informed on Monday—just hours before his scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House—that the United States was initiating direct negotiations with Iran over its nuclear weapons program.

The report also notes that Trump did not provide Netanyahu with any guarantees that Washington would ensure Israel’s conditions would be part of any potential agreement with Iran, nor did he promise how the U.S. would respond if the negotiations broke down or if Iran later violated the terms of an agreement.

The reason for Netanyahu’s last-minute trip to Washington, according to the report, stemmed from a message delivered by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told Netanyahu’s aides that the prime minister should make his way to the U.S. without delay.

Netanyahu’s staff had assumed the visit was prompted by the ongoing issue surrounding tariffs and prepared accordingly. While still in Budapest, Netanyahu addressed the media at the airport before boarding his flight to the U.S., saying: “This reflects the special personal connection and the special connection between the United States and Israel, which is so vital at this time.”

But according to the report, Netanyahu only learned the real reason for the urgent invitation when he met with Witkoff at the Blair House on Monday. Witkoff reportedly told him that the U.S. planned to launch talks with Iran that coming Saturday, and the administration didn’t want to blindside Israel by finalizing plans without its knowledge.

Shortly thereafter, Netanyahu and his delegation sat down with President Trump and his advisers at the White House. Channel 12 reports that Trump opened the meeting by asking, “What do you have to say on Iran?”

The report says Netanyahu laid out his expectations, repeating his public stance that the only acceptable agreement with Iran would resemble the Libyan model—in which nuclear infrastructure is dismantled entirely—and emphasized that military force should remain an option if necessary.

Trump reportedly responded by saying the negotiations with Iran would be given a 60-day window starting Saturday and that Witkoff would be responsible for keeping Israel updated throughout the process.

Still, the report emphasizes that Trump did not pledge to fulfill Israel’s terms for a viable agreement, nor did he commit to any course of action, including military measures, should the talks collapse or Iran breach an eventual agreement.

Channel 12 concluded its report by stating that there was “no great difference” between what the leaders discussed in private and what they later shared with the public during their joint appearance in the Oval Office.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Tuesday helped shovel dirt onto the replacement for a historic White House tree that had to be removed because of safety concerns around its deteriorating condition. “We have a beautiful tree now at the White House,” Trump said. The White House did not allow news media coverage of the tree planting, but afterward shared a brief video clip on social media. Dale Haney, the longtime grounds superintendent, also participated. “Dale’s been here 53 years. He’s fantastic,” Trump said. The Republican president had announced March 30 on his social media platform that the nearly 200-year-old tree, known as the Jackson Magnolia, was in “terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed.” The southern magnolia had stood for decades near the west side of the South Portico of the White House. It’s where presidents and prime ministers often are welcomed on their visits, as well as where the president himself exits to board the Marine One helicopter or returns after a trip. According to the National Park Service website, “folklore tells us” that President Andrew Jackson brought the tree’s seeds from his home near Nashville, Tennessee. The seeds apparently were planted in honor of his wife Rachel, who died shortly before he took office in 1829. A 12-year-old sapling that is a direct descendant of the Jackson Magnolia was planted in its place on Tuesday, the White House said. The National Park Service, which manages the White House grounds, said the sapling was grown at its offsite greenhouse specifically to replace the Jackson Magnolia. The decision to remove the tree followed an assessment by Peter Hart, a registered consulting arborist and member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists, which concluded that the tree had “surpassed the time of serving as an aesthetic and historic landmark due to the potential harm it may cause because of the risk of structural failure,” the White House said. Hart’s report also recommended that the tree be removed as soon as possible “to eliminate the risk of personal injury and/or property damage,” according to the White House. The park service is keeping a sample of the downed tree for historical and archival purposes and transferring any remaining wood to the Executive Residence. Trump had said the wood “may be used for other high and noble purposes!!!!” The tree was significantly pruned in 2017 during Trump’s first term. It also had suffered damage in 1994 when a small Cessna plane crashed onto the South Lawn and skidded into the White House. (AP)

U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, a Jewish woman, has been dismissed from her post as the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, three sources told Reuters on Monday. The Pentagon has not yet confirmed the firing publicly, but multiple sources indicated that NATO allies have already been informed of Chatfield’s abrupt removal. Her ousting appears to be part of a broader shake-up within the national security establishment under the Trump administration, which has now purged several high-ranking officials in just a matter of days. Chatfield, one of the Navy’s few female three-star officers, had been a trailblazer throughout her career. She was the first woman to lead the prestigious Naval War College, a position she held until 2023, and is a highly respected helicopter pilot who once commanded an expeditionary MH-60S Sea Hawk squadron. Her dismissal follows the equally abrupt firing of General Timothy Haugh, head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, last Thursday. Just days before that, Admiral Lisa Franchetti — the first woman to serve as Chief of Naval Operations — was also removed. Together, the moves signal what many now see as a sweeping internal purge of military leadership, with a particular focus on figures who have championed diversity or maintained strong ties to U.S. alliances abroad. While no official reason has been given for Chatfield’s removal, one source told Reuters that it may be connected to the administration’s quiet campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the Pentagon. Chatfield’s firing is likely to unsettle NATO allies already wary of shifting American priorities. As the U.S. military’s top liaison to the NATO Military Committee, she played a central role in strategic coordination and alliance readiness. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, who helped draft a bipartisan proposal to rein in President Trump’s authority on trade, said Tuesday that he believes the legislative branch has surrendered too much control to the executive when it comes to trade policy.

“I made very clear throughout my public service that I’m a free and fair trader. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. I believe that Congress delegated too much authority to the president in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Trade Act of 1974,” Grassley stated.

Despite his concerns about the extent of presidential power in trade matters, Grassley emphasized that he is in favor of the president’s broader goals. “That said, I support President Trump’s agenda to lower tariffs and non-tariff barriers other countries impose on American goods. I support President Trump’s agenda to get a better deal from China and other countries for our farmers and manufacturers,” he said.

Grassley made these remarks during a Senate Finance Committee session that featured testimony from Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative. The hearing focused on the administration’s current trade initiatives and policy direction.

At the hearing, Grassley highlighted the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs enacted the previous week, which included a 10 percent tariff on imports from nearly every major trading nation. He noted that these actions had prompted retaliatory measures from other countries.

Grassley expressed caution, noting he had taken a measured stance on the issue. “I’ve been very vocal in my wait and see approach to these tariffs,” he said, explaining that he believes the administration is using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate more favorable trade agreements. He added that the intention appears to be securing better terms for American producers in multiple sectors.

“My question to you is: In the medium to the long term, do you plan to turn these tariffs into trade deals to reduce tariffs and nontariff barriers?” he asked Greer. “I support that. On the other hand, if the purpose is to stall on negotiations in order to keep tariffs high for the sole purpose of feeding the U.S. Treasury, I oppose that.”

Grassley pressed further, questioning the administration’s ultimate objective. “So, is this administration for trade reciprocity or for Treasury replenishment?” he asked.

Greer responded by referencing the president’s public statements. He noted that Trump “stated very clearly that he is happy to engage in negotiations immediately with countries that believe that they can help us reduce our deficit and get rid of the nontariff barriers, and the tariffs affect that.”

Greer also clarified that the administration’s approach would vary by country. “The answer to Grassley’s question is it’s going to be country by country,” he explained.

He elaborated, saying that while some nations might not be able to fully eliminate their trade barriers or deficits, others may be more amenable to deals. “There are going to be some countries where they’re not able to address their nontariff barriers or their tariffs, or the deficit fully, and there will be others who I think will be able to do that, and where the president will have the option of making a deal with them,” Greer said. “So we’re certainly seeking reciprocity.”

Greer also acknowledged that tariffs naturally have a financial impact. He noted that the administration sees a broader benefit in reviving American industry through such measures. “But … we need to reshore manufacturing, we need to get rid of our agricultural deficit and we need to make sure that if countries are going to trade with us, it has to be on a reciprocal basis,” he said.

So far, seven Republican senators have voiced their backing for the bipartisan measure from Grassley and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington. The proposed legislation would mandate congressional approval before any new tariffs on foreign trade partners could be imposed.

{Matzav.com}

The Supreme Court on Tuesday evening issued an interim order freezing Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s dismissal after 11 hours of deliberations over an issue it has no authority over. Israeli law clearly authorizes the government to dismiss the Shin Bet chief. Meanwhile, the court granted the government an extension until April 20 for the government and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to reach an “acceptable and creative solution” – and if one is not found, the Supreme Court will issue a ruling. The court also ordered the government not to announce a replacement for Bar or interview candidates for the position until a compromise is reached or a ruling is issued. The Prime Minister’s Office responded to the ruling by stating: “The panel of judges repeatedly stated in the hearing that there is no dispute over the government’s authority to remove the head of the Shin Bet from his position. Therefore, the Supreme Court’s decision to postpone the end date of the Shin Bet head’s term by ten days is puzzling.” “The Attorney General’s goal is to prevent Ronen Bar’s dismissal in any way possible for a long time, under the pretext that there is an active investigation [Qatargate]. It is inconceivable that the government of Israel would be prevented from removing a failing Shin Bet head from his position simply because of the opening of an investigation that is not related to any of the government ministers. On the contrary – such a result would allow any failing Shin Bet head who wants to remain in office to open an investigation against anyone connected to the office of any of the ministers, thereby preventing his dismissal.” The office noted: “The Prime Minister will continue to interview candidates for the position of head of the Shin Bet.” Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi responded to the ruling by stating: “No! The government must obey the law! Duty of allegiance to the State of Israel and its laws (!) not to an unconstitutional and unauthorized order.” “The ‘creative solution’ is very simple: Ronen Bar will end his term on April 10.” “This is our duty: to protect democracy and the security of the state. These are the checks and balances sometimes required to balance the judicial authority. If not in such a case of harming the security of the state, where is the red line? Right of return for Palestinians? Abolishing the Jewish state and turning it into a state of all its citizens? What is democratic about the absolute rule of Yitzhak Amit???” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded by calling on the government to boycott Bar. “The Supreme Court allows itself to harm the security of the state, and we have the responsibility to prevent this. I call on the Prime Minister not to summon Bar to discussions and not to work with him, not to enter into any negotiations with the Attorney General to find an ‘acceptable compromise.’ “We have a responsibility for the continued functioning of Israel’s security, and the arrogance of the judges must not tie our hands in a time of war.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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From Kosher.com 

Prepping for Pesach? With so much to do before Yom Tov, having a few freezer-friendly dishes ready to go can make all the difference. These five freeze-ahead favorites from Kosher.com are perfect for lightening the load without compromising on taste. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or just looking to stay one step ahead, these Pesach-friendly recipes will help you breathe a little easier—and eat a lot better.

Fork Tender Brisket

By Chanie Nayman

My mother has been making second-cut brisket with loads of onions for years. I firmly believe that with this and salad, I am good to go for a week. The most important components of this recipe are onions, salt, and a well-marbled brisket! The rest is just to add some additional layers of flavor to an already good thing. So if you have no patience for all the dehydrated spices below, you can really omit them.

Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/fork-tender-brisket-8740/

Sweet and Sour French Roast

By Fleishigs Magazine 

This roast is tender, the perfect balance of sweet and savory, a real crowd-pleaser. It tastes even better when made in advance and reheats incredibly well. Second cut brisket or top of rib work just as well. 

Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/sweet-and-sour-french-roast-8520/

Seder Ribs 

By Naomi Nachman

These sticky and sweet ribs are sure to please by shulchan orech, or even for a yummy chol hamoed dinner. Easy recipe + crowd pleaser? Check!

Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/seder-ribs/

Yom Tov Roast with Chestnut Chutney

By Brynie Greisman

A roast with sweet and savory components. The flavor is epic! The chutney adds a mélange of taste and texture. You’ll appreciate the creative presentation as well.

Get the full recipe here: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/yom-tov-roast-with-chestnut-chutney/

Pesach Chuck Eye Roast 

By Yussi Weisz

Yussi Weisz is keeping it simple but spectacular with a chuck eye roast that practically melts in your mouth.

Get the full recipe here on the latest episode of BHIS: https://www.kosher.com/recipe/pesach-chuck-eye-roast/

Explore hundreds of recipes for Pesach at https://www.kosher.com/recipes/passover/.

In her first in-depth interview since assuming the role of second lady, Usha Vance is offering a candid look at how she’s navigating life in the political spotlight, sharing that her main goal is simply staying grounded.

“To me, the highest priority right now is to be actually a normal person,” Vance, a practicing trial attorney, told The Free Press in a profile published Monday.

“Obviously,” she added, “our lives are not normal, and it feels almost absurd to say that they are.”

When asked about common misconceptions surrounding her husband, Vice President J.D. Vance, she pointed to the barrage of assumptions people make: “It’s a very strange life that we lead, where there are lots of people who have just imagined all sorts of narratives about us and what we think and what we do and why we do it and how much planning goes into it and all these sorts of things.”

As a mother of three, Vance spoke openly about the emotional toll of political life, calling it a space that often feels isolating. She noted it “can be a very lonely, lonely world not to share with someone.”

Marking a historic milestone, Vance is the first Indian American and Hindu woman to become second lady. She touched on the contrast between her background and the image often associated with supporters of President Trump, some of whom she described with a humorous tone as “blonde” and wearing “nine-inch heels.”

“I’m laughing,” Vance said, “because it would be really hard for me to be blonde.”

“That color would look totally absurd,” she said.

Vance, 39, added that despite not coming from a wealthy or style-conscious background, her experience stepping into this new world has been welcoming. “For what it’s worth, my reception into this world — and I’m not from a particularly wealthy background, not from a very fashion-oriented background personally or professionally — has been really positive,” she said.

“People don’t seem to care all that much what I look like.”

{Matzav.com}

A study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) has uncovered a dramatic surge in online rhetoric glorifying political violence — and, in particular, the outright normalization of assassination talk directed at public figures like President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Once relegated to the darkest corners of the internet, calls for political murder are now spilling into mainstream discourse — often masked by meme culture and couched in the language of social justice. And according to NCRI, the trend is being driven most aggressively by voices on the left. “What was formerly taboo culturally has become acceptable,” said Joel Finkelstein, lead author of the study. “We are witnessing a metastasizing shift — glorification, attempts, and changing social norms — all merging into what we now call ‘assassination culture.’” The report traces the origins of this disturbing shift to December 2024, when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated, allegedly by 28-year-old Luigi Mangione. The act triggered a tidal wave of viral content lionizing Mangione as a modern-day revolutionary — a movement that has only grown more intense and more dangerous since. From TikToks to Reddit threads, Mangione’s face has become an icon. Billboard trucks with his image have circled courthouses. Memes portray him as a working-class martyr. And perhaps most worryingly, these tributes have inspired copycats — emboldening threats not just against billionaires, but against democracy itself. “It’s not just Luigi anymore,” Finkelstein warned. “We’re seeing Trump, Musk, and others openly discussed as legitimate targets, often in gamified formats that obscure the real-world stakes.” In a nationally representative NCRI survey of U.S. adults, 38% of respondents said it would be at least “somewhat justified” to kill Trump. Among self-identified left-leaning respondents, that number surged to 55%. Nearly half said the same about Musk. Even more shockingly, nearly 40% of respondents expressed some level of support for the destruction of Tesla dealerships — a violent outgrowth of what the NCRI says is an emerging belief system that blurs the line between protest and political terrorism. “These aren’t isolated outliers,” Finkelstein said. “They cluster together — support for violence against people, against property, all tied into a shared, radical ideology.” The epicenter of this movement, according to the report, is BlueSky — the progressive-leaning social media platform that was once touted as a safe alternative to Twitter. Instead, NCRI now classifies BlueSky as a breeding ground for extremism, likening its function today to what 4chan and Gab once were for the far right. Posts referencing Mangione, Trump, and Musk have topped 2 million engagements in recent months, with memes and videos turning political rage into entertainment. On Reddit, entire communities dedicated to Mangione’s “legacy” have ballooned into the tens of thousands. California has even seen this digital venom leap into legislation. A real-world ballot initiative — dubbed the Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act — has made headlines for its name alone, signaling how far this glorification has permeated public life. “We’re at the point where murder is not just accepted by some — it’s marketed,” Finkelstein said. “And once violence becomes a performance, it spreads.” The NCRI warns that this culture is not simply reactive, but predictive. People with high levels of “external locus of control” — the belief that their lives are manipulated by outside forces — are the […]

The Trump administration canceled $188 million in federal grants meant to reimburse New York City for sheltering migrants, saying the money was being spent to support illegal immigration and leading the city’s mayor to vow to fight the clawback. In a letter sent April 1 and shared with The Associated Press on Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency informed city officials that it was canceling the grants, which included roughly $80 million that the agency withdrew from city’s bank account in February. The latest move would require the city to return an additional $106 million that officials said was used to house and care for migrants. Mayor Eric Adams, whose administration has sued for the return of the initial $80 million, said his office would also fight the wider grant cancellations. “Like their previous actions clawing back appropriated funds, these steps are unlawful, and the New York City Law Department is currently determining the best legal recourse to take to ensure that this money remains in New York City, where it was allocated and belongs,” he said in a statement. The grants are part of a program approved by Congress and administered by FEMA that is intended to help local governments and nongovernmental organizations provide shelter and other social services for migrants. In his letter to city officials, FEMA’s acting director, Cameron Hamilton, wrote that the grant program is inconsistent with Trump administration priorities and that “individuals receiving these services often have no legal status and are in the United States unlawfully.” New York City, as it at one point absorbed thousands of migrants each week, leased hotels and other vacant buildings and used them as emergency shelters. The city, under a unique legal agreement, is required to provide shelter to anyone who asks for it, though officials worked to impose limits on the requirement as the city struggled to handle the influx. Among the facilities leased by the city was the midtown Manhattan building that once housed the historic Roosevelt Hotel, which was converted to a shelter and an arrival center for migrants to sign up for social services. The city’s use of the Roosevelt drew heavy criticism from Republicans and federal officials, who said the building had become a hotbed of gang activity and used that claim to justify the clawing back of the $80 million FEMA grant. The city, in its lawsuit over the funding, said the claim was unsubstantiated. The mayor has said that the city will cease operations at the Roosevelt and more than 50 other migrant shelters by June because arrivals have plummeted and migrants have been moved to other housing and communities. Adams has been under intense pressure to prove his political independence from the Trump administration after the Department of Justice pushed to toss his federal corruption case so he could help with the Republican president’s immigration crackdown. A federal judge dismissed the charges last week. At a news conference Tuesday, Adams, a Democrat who is running for reelection as an independent, praised some of the Trump administration’s immigration policies but added that “we’re going to fight for every penny” related to migrant costs. (AP)

As President Donald Trump faces some defections from some of his most steadfast supporters over his tariffs, he can still rely on one group to sing his praises: Russian state media. According to Daily Beast columnist Julia Davis, who closely follows Russian state-sponsored outlets, analysts on the popular program “The Evening With Vladimir Solovyov” recently expressed enthusiastic approval of Trump’s tariff policies. Political scientist Dmitry Kulikov, a guest on the show, commended Trump’s apparent desire “to break everything,” suggesting that the president’s actions signal “the end of the global system” that has existed for roughly fifty years. “The price of goods will certainly go up in the United States,” Kulikov forecasted, adding, “The old political and economic global system is practically dead.” Host Vladimir Solovyov joined in the praise, declaring that “Trump destroyed the trust” in the global economic framework. He went so far as to propose that “a monument should be erected to him” for dealing “a major blow to the capitalist system.” Solovyov even suggested Trump deserves “at least a Sutulov medal” for his efforts. However, as Davis noted, the so-called “Sutulov medal” is far from a prestigious honor. In Russian culture, it is considered a humorous, worthless token—a “gag gift” often described as an award bestowed by a master upon a servant. Whether Solovyov intended his comment as genuine admiration or sly mockery, his overall approval of Trump’s economic approach was unmistakable. “To deliver this kind of a blow, well done, old man!” he exclaimed. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Jordanian security forces prevent protesters from storming into the Israeli embassy in Amman during a demonstration against the war in Gaza.

President Trump says he met with House GOP leadership to move forward with what he calls, “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill”

What was President Donald Trump’s motive when he requested that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu fly straight to Washington from Budapest, refusing a suggestion to delay the meeting until after Pesach? On the surface, the meeting was ostensibly about the 17% tariff the Trump administration imposed on Israel, with Netanyahu holding great hopes that he could negotiate a reduction. But Trump surprised Netanyahu, revealing to him the real reason for his urgent summons to Washington: not the tariff but the beginning of direct high-level negotiations between the US and Iran. Ynet reported that Trump wanted to personally inform Netanyahu about his intention to initiate direct talks with Tehran. The goal was twofold: to give Israel a heads up about the move, and to ensure that it does not try to sabotage the contacts or act militarily against Iran before an agreement is reached. The report added that Netanyahu was certainly not pleased by Trump’s news of direct talks with Iran. Until now, Tehran has insisted it will not enter into talks with the Trump administration, but it seems that Trump’s threats have paid off and led to a change of position. Iranian commentator Mehdi Rahmati, who is close to the regime in Tehran, told the New York Times: “Trump has stopped the Israeli plan for a military attack and he is sending a clear message to Iran – he prefers diplomacy and wants to resolve the conflict peacefully.” Netanyahu was left disappointed, failing to achieve the accomplishments he wanted to reach on the trip. There was no relief from the import tariffs imposed on Israel, and no public or immediate backing was given for Israeli military action against Iranian nuclear facilities. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)