Forecasters are warning that a powerful winter system could slam New York City this weekend, raising the possibility of another major snowstorm just weeks after the region was buried by heavy snowfall.

Meteorologists say a developing “bomb cyclone” — a rapidly intensifying storm system — could form along the East Coast and track close enough to bring significant snow to the city by Sunday evening.

According to AccuWeather, the storm’s impact will depend heavily on its path and strength as it moves north.

“If a nor’easter strengthens near the coastline on a northern track, the Big Apple could be hit by a massive snow dump,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva.

DaSilva said the most likely scenario is that the system intensifies farther south or east, limiting snowfall in the city to a few inches. But he cautioned that the range of possible outcomes remains wide.

“Anywhere between zero and a foot is possible,” he said.

In a worst-case scenario, forecasters say New York could see between 6 and 12 inches of snow, rivaling the Jan. 25 storm that dropped more than 11 inches in Central Park.

In addition to heavy snow, the storm could bring winds of up to 40 miles per hour, raising concerns about power outages, travel disruptions, and dangerous road conditions. If the system strengthens as projected, it would likely move out of the region by Monday afternoon.

“It would absolutely be a very messy Monday morning commute,” DaSilva said.

Forecasters expect to gain a clearer picture of the storm’s track and intensity on Thursday as more data becomes available.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Major General (res.) Amos Yadlin, the former head of IDF Military Intelligence, said Wednesday morning that the current round of negotiations between the United States and Iran is unfolding against a backdrop of mounting regional strain, warning that decisions must be approached with care.

Speaking in an interview with Chadashot Haboker, Yadlin reflected on the broader international climate and remarked, “Last week, I allowed myself to fly to the Munich Security Conference. I would think twice about flying this upcoming weekend.” He suggested that the very fact he would reconsider travel plans signals how much the level of tension has escalated.

During the conversation, Yadlin added, “We are much closer than we were before, but I remind you – a superpower doesn’t go to war within days. There is a diplomatic path that must be exhausted.”

He emphasized that while maintaining military readiness is essential, diplomatic channels must be fully pursued before any escalation.

“Many oppose an attack,” Yadlin noted. “In the Pentagon, it’s not clear what they want it to achieve. The President is very determined – the statement that all options are on the table relies on a credible military threat, complementing his preparation near Iran’s shores and in its skies.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran is pressuring Hezbollah to enter any future conflict with Israel, raising fears of a wider regional war if fighting breaks out, according to a report by Ynet.

The report, which did not cite specific sources, said Israeli officials believe Tehran is encouraging its most powerful proxy to prepare for coordinated action in the event of a direct confrontation between Israel and Iran.

Israeli security officials are said to be closely monitoring developments and have issued clear warnings to Hezbollah against intervening.

According to Ynet, Israel has conveyed that if Hezbollah joins a future conflict, “the blow will be very painful,” signaling that any escalation would be met with overwhelming force.

The report said the IDF has already prepared operational plans to “significantly strike” Hezbollah, following renewed efforts by the terror group to rebuild its military capabilities in southern Lebanon and other areas.

In recent months, Israeli airstrikes and targeted operations against Hezbollah operatives and weapons sites have increased. Officials have described the campaign as an effort to prevent the group from restoring its rocket, missile, and command infrastructure.

However, the report claimed Hezbollah’s recovery has outpaced Israel’s attempts to weaken it, allowing the organization to replenish personnel and equipment more quickly than expected.

Security analysts say that dynamic has raised concern in Jerusalem that a future conflict could be more intense and more destructive than previous rounds of fighting.

The Ynet report also warned that Israel is preparing for a scenario in which multiple Iranian-backed groups could enter the conflict simultaneously, including militias in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

Such a coordinated response would mark a major escalation, transforming a bilateral clash into a multi-front regional confrontation.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump is said to be holding onto a speech addressing extraterrestrial life and unidentified spacecraft, with plans to deliver it when the timing is right, according to his daughter-in-law Lara Trump.

During an appearance on the “Pod Force One” podcast, Lara Trump said that both she and her husband, Eric Trump, have pressed the president about the possibility of aliens and UFOs, but that he has remained somewhat guarded in his responses.

“We’ve kind of asked my father-in-law about this… we all want to know about the UFOs… and he played a little coy with us,” Lara Trump said.

She went on to suggest that the president may already have prepared remarks on the subject. “I’ve heard kind of around, I think my father-in-law has actually said it, that there is some speech that he has, that I guess at the right time, I don’t know when the right time is, he’s going to break out and talk about and it has to do with maybe some sort of extraterrestrial life.”

When asked Wednesday about Lara Trump’s comments, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said she was unaware of any such speech but acknowledged it would generate significant attention.

“I’ll have to check in with our speech writing team. Uh, and that would be of great interest to me personally, and I’m sure all of you in this room and apparently former President Obama, too.”

In recent days, Barack Obama addressed renewed online speculation about aliens after remarks he made on Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast were widely circulated and interpreted by some as confirming the existence of extraterrestrial life.

“They’re real but I haven’t seen them,” Obama said on the podcast. “And they’re not being kept in… what is it? Area 51. There’s no underground facility unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”

Obama later clarified his comments in an Instagram post, explaining that he had been responding in a lighthearted rapid-fire segment and did not intend to suggest any firsthand knowledge. He wrote that, “Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there.”

“But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”

Public fascination with the possibility of alien life has intensified in recent years, drawing attention from lawmakers as well. Members of the House of Representatives have conducted hearings and received classified briefings concerning unidentified flying objects, now officially referred to by the government as unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP.

One such hearing in July 2023 included testimony from former military intelligence officer and whistleblower David Grusch, who alleged that the Pentagon and other agencies have concealed details about UAP activity.

Grusch claimed that the government has operated a “multi-decade” effort aimed at reverse-engineering nonhuman technology recovered from crash sites and currently in U.S. possession. The Pentagon has rejected those assertions.

A subsequent report released in March 2024 dismissed allegations that the United States had successfully reverse-engineered alien spacecraft or that authorities were concealing extraterrestrial technology or biological material from beyond Earth.

A political and legal dispute has erupted over the expansion of weekend public transportation after Shas MK Moshe Abutbul called on Transportation Minister Miri Regev to immediately suspend the operation of Line 711, part of the “Naim B’Sofash” Shabbos transit network.

The controversy centers on the line’s recent extension into Ben Gurion Airport, where it now enters airport grounds and stops at Terminal 1. Abutbul described the move as a “serious, unlawful and unprecedented event,” arguing that it represents an unauthorized attempt to establish facts on the ground without state approval.

In a sharply worded appeal to the minister, Abutbul claimed the route is operating as a “pirate” line, bypassing the authority of national regulators. He criticized statements by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality and Deputy Mayor Meital Lehavi, who had argued that local authorities are stepping in where the government has left a vacuum.

“The only vacuum here is an attempt by a municipality to replace the state,” Abutbul wrote.

In his letter to Regev, Abutbul outlined what he described as multiple legal violations, including alleged breaches of Israel Airports Authority regulations and the placement of signage at the terminal without proper authorization. He further argued that operating an intercity transportation service without the approval of the Interior Minister violates the Cities Association Law, and noted that the Transportation Ministry has not yet completed the regulatory review it committed to conducting before the court on the matter.

Beyond the issue of Shabbos observance, Abutbul warned of potential criminal and traffic violations, including stopping at designated public transportation stations without a license and harming licensed taxi drivers at Ben Gurion Airport who operate under binding agreements. He also accused the municipality of using artificial intelligence-generated images to depict signage at the terminal, calling it part of what he described as a broader effort by a “State of Tel Aviv” to appropriate sovereign powers belonging to the State of Israel.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev responded to a parliamentary query from Abutbul, stating that she would thoroughly examine the claims and the legality of the route’s operation.

Abutbul concluded with a pointed message directed at Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai: “Ben Gurion Airport is not a municipal plaza, and the law is not a recommendation. Whoever seeks to lead must first lead in respecting the law.”

{Matzav.com}

A rare and historic Sefer Torah once owned by Rav Aharon of Chernobyl zt”l was presented this week to the Skverer Rebbe during a moving ceremony marking the completion of the public Torah reading cycle in a scroll that the Rebbe had dedicated one year earlier.

The miniature Sefer Torah, written more than 160 years ago, was acquired and gifted to the Rebbe by philanthropist Mr. Nachum Rokeach.

After the passing of Rav Aharon of Chernobyl, the Sefer Torah was inherited by his son, Rav Yeshaya Meshulam Zusia, and later by his grandson, Rav Shlomo Bentzion of Chernobyl. Rav Shlomo Bentzion took the Sefer Torah with him when he fled the pogroms in Russia in 1919.

Several years ago, Rav Yitzchak Meir Twersky of Queens, a descendant of the Chernobyl dynasty, discovered that the Sefer Torah was in the possession of another descendant of the family living in Eretz Yisroel. The Sefer Torah was being kept in a simple bag, and its owner mistakenly believed it to be a “Tanach of the Baal Shem Tov.” After careful historical and scholarly research, it was confirmed that the Sefer Torah was in fact the long-lost Torah of Rav Aharon of Chernobyl.

Rav Twersky purchased the scroll, and Mr. Rokeach of Lakewood subsequently acquired it on behalf of the Skverer Rebbe.

The Sefer Torah is exceptionally small, with the parchment measuring approximately 10 centimeters in height. Despite its size, the script is remarkably precise and beautifully formed. The Skverer Rebbe invested tens of thousands of dollars to have the Sefer Torah meticulously restored and enhanced by an expert sofer.

{Matzav.com}

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. — Police in Westchester County are on high alert following online threats of teen mob takeovers at suburban shopping centers, just days after roughly 200 teens caused chaos at the Mall at Bay Plaza in the Bronx.

Authorities in New Rochelle, Yonkers, and other northern suburbs warned that any attempts to repeat the Bronx incident will be met with “swift action” and “zero hesitation.” Officials urged teens to avoid participating and encouraged parents to advise their children about the risks, which include injury and arrest.

The NYPD has already charged 18 teens, most under 18, in connection with the Bronx mall rampage, which involved flipping displays, throwing furniture, and attempting to steal merchandise. Police said social media platforms like TikTok have fueled such stunts, promoting mass gatherings at malls.

Westchester officers stressed that well-practiced protocols are in place to prevent similar incidents, with public safety officials warning that law enforcement will respond decisively to protect residents, visitors, and businesses.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Newark Liberty International Airport briefly suspended all flight operations Wednesday evening after what officials described as an aircraft emergency involving a departing JetBlue flight.

The airport said operations were temporarily halted while an aircraft was removed from a taxiway following an earlier incident. A ground stop was put in place shortly before 6 p.m., and the airport reopened just after 7 p.m., though some delays continued.

BREAKING: Newark Liberty International Airport was temporarily shut down Wednesday evening following a reported “aircraft emergency,” grounding all flights.

"Flight operations at Newark Liberty are temporarily suspended while an aircraft is removed from the taxiway due to an… pic.twitter.com/KZmyW856MW

— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) February 19, 2026

JetBlue Flight 543, which was headed to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, turned back about 40 minutes after departure because of an engine issue. The Federal Aviation Administration said the crew reported smoke in the cockpit.

The aircraft landed safely and passengers were evacuated using emergency slides. No injuries were immediately reported.

The FAA said it is investigating. JetBlue said it would work with federal authorities to determine what occurred.

The federal government has now been partially shut down for five days, though many Americans may not yet have felt the effects. If the standoff continues, however, travelers could soon encounter problems at airports across the country.

The shutdown, which took effect early Saturday morning, is limited to the Department of Homeland Security. As a result, air traffic controllers — who work under the Federal Aviation Administration — continue to receive their pay.

Transportation Security Administration employees, by contrast, are generally required to report to work despite not receiving pay during the shutdown.

History suggests that travel complications tend to surface gradually rather than immediately during funding lapses. Roughly a month into last year’s lengthy shutdown, TSA shut down two screening checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport. On that same day, federal officials took the rare step of instructing commercial airlines nationwide to scale back their domestic flight schedules.

This time, however, disruptions may arise more quickly, according to John Rose, chief risk officer at global travel management firm Altour.

“It’s still fresh in their minds and potentially their pocketbooks,” Rose said, referring to last year’s shutdown experience.

Strains could intensify once TSA workers miss their first paycheck while still facing regular monthly expenses. Some may feel compelled to call in sick or seek temporary work elsewhere to cover essential costs.

“If you have kids, a mortgage, a car payment, food bills—you can’t miss a check,” Joe Shuker, regional vice president of the union representing TSA workers, said during the late 2025 shutdown. “Our members are worried about how to pay for childcare, wondering if they could be saving money by staying home with their kids.”

Although air traffic controllers remain on the payroll, flight operations could still be affected indirectly. Airlines might hold planes at the gate if passengers are delayed at security checkpoints. Staffing shortages among TSA agents could also slow the inspection of checked luggage behind the scenes, adding to delays.

Negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats remain stalled. According to an administration official who spoke anonymously to the Associated Press, the two sides are “still pretty far apart” on an agreement that would impose certain limits on federal immigration enforcement agents.

Democratic leaders presented a revised proposal to the White House late Monday, but with lawmakers currently outside Washington, expectations for a breakthrough this week are low.

The administration official said the White House remains open to serious discussions aimed at reopening the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the TSA. At the same time, the president has made clear that any compromise must safeguard law enforcement personnel.

All other federal agencies outside DHS remain funded through September 30.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to travel to Israel next week to update Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, two Trump administration officials said.

Rubio is expected to meet with Netanyahu on Feb. 28, according to the officials, who spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity to detail travel plans that have not yet been announced.

The U.S. and Iran recently have held two rounds of indirect talks over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Officials from both sides publicly offered some muted optimism about progress this week, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi even saying that “a new window has opened” for reaching an agreement.

“In some ways, it went well,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance said about the talks in an interview Tuesday with Fox News Channel. “But in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”

Netanyahu visited the White House last week to urge President Donald Trump to ensure that any deal about Iran’s nuclear program also include steps to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile program and end its funding for proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

Trump is weighing whether to take military action against Tehran as the administration surges military resources to the region, raising concerns that any attack could spiral into a larger conflict in the Middle East.

On Friday, Trump told reporters that a change in power in Iran “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.” He added, “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”

The Trump administration has dispatched the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, from the Caribbean Sea to the Mideast to join a second carrier as well as other warships and military assets that the U.S. has built up in the region.

Dozens of U.S. fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s and F-16s, have left bases in the U.S. and Europe in recent days to head to the Middle East, according to the Military Air Tracking Alliance, a team of about 30 open-source analysts that routinely analyzes military and government flight activity.

The team says it’s also tracked more than 85 fuel tankers and over 170 cargo planes heading into the region.

Steffan Watkins, a researcher based in Canada and a member of the MATA, said he also has spotted support aircraft like six of the military’s early-warning E-3 aircraft head to a base in Saudi Arabia.

Those aircraft are key for coordinating operations with a large number of aircraft. He says they were pulled from bases in Japan, Germany and Hawaii.

A public dispute has erupted between senior Israeli officials over whether New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani should be invited to march in the annual Israel Day Parade in Manhattan.

Ofir Akunis, Israel’s consul general in New York, said Wednesday that Yaakov Hagoel, chairman of the World Zionist Organization (WZO), has “no authority” to extend such an invitation.

The clash follows remarks Hagoel made Tuesday at the Besheva Group’s Jerusalem Conference, where he publicly called on Mamdani to join the parade.

“Tens of thousands of Jews march there every year,” Hagoel said during an interview at the event. “I am calling for him to come and march at my side, and at the side of tens of thousands of Jews, for the nation and the country of Israel.”

Hagoel added that he intends to reiterate the invitation in person if he is able to meet Mamdani during an upcoming visit to New York. He also said he had previously written to the mayor on International Holocaust Memorial Day, criticizing early decisions by Mamdani’s administration, including not preventing protests outside shuls and withdrawing from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

“Mr. Mayor, you are mistaken,” Hagoel said he wrote, adding that he never received a response.

Akunis pushed back in a statement, asserting that the Israeli Consulate in New York — not the WZO — oversees official invitations related to Israel’s participation in the parade.

“The Israeli Consul of New York will lead Israel’s march at the end of May,” Akunis said. “And in it will march ministers, Knesset members, mayors, and other guests who will be invited by the consul.”

He added that Hagoel is welcome to attend “as in every year, as a guest,” but said he does not have the authority to invite others “who don’t acknowledge Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.”

Responding to Akunis later Wednesday, Hagoel defended his remarks, telling Walla News that his invitation was “not symbolic” but a “demand for action.”

“When he abolishes the protection of Jews and removes his commitment to international definitions of antisemitism, he cannot be content with words,” Hagoel said. “If Mamdani is indeed committed to the security of the Jewish community, I expect him to prove it with a public act of marching with us.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An unusual and troubling incident unfolded Tuesday on an El Al flight from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv, when several passengers landed at Ben Gurion Airport only to discover that their luggage had been left behind in the United States. The reason, according to airport officials, was the discovery of “Free Palestine” stickers affixed to the suitcases, prompting a security hold.

The flight, which departed from Los Angeles en route to Israel, was already delayed on the runway before takeoff. One passenger, Keren, a resident of Kfar Saba who was on board, described a chain of events that began with an unexplained delay and ended in frustration at the baggage carousel in Israel.

“There was about an hour-and-a-half delay at departure from Los Angeles,” Keren recalled in a conversation with mako. “Everyone was already on the plane, but we didn’t take off, and no one told us the reason.”

The explanation only became clear after landing at Ben Gurion Airport. When Keren and several others were unable to locate their suitcases, they approached the airport’s baggage tracing department.

“When we landed in Israel and went to collect our suitcase – we didn’t find it, and together with eight other passengers we went to the baggage tracing department at Ben Gurion Airport,” she said. “There we were told that all of our suitcases remained in Los Angeles after ‘Free Palestine’ stickers were found on them, apparently placed there by one of the airport workers. There is no other explanation.”

Beyond the inconvenience of being separated from their belongings, Keren voiced serious concern about the broader security implications.

“It’s really frightening and alarming – what if they had put something inside one of the suitcases? Whoever did this could have done other things,” she said.

The passengers’ luggage is now reportedly en route to Israel and is expected to be returned to its owners within the next 24 hours.

Airport officials emphasized that after check-in, all luggage bound for Israel undergoes a rigorous inspection process. Bags are subject to multiple layers of security screening — both by the airline and airport personnel — before being loaded into the aircraft’s cargo hold, effectively creating a double security procedure prior to departure.

{Matzav.com}

A new serious security case in Israel was exposed on Tuesday evening by i24News, only two weeks after indictments were filed in the previous security affair that centered on the smuggling of cigarettes and other goods into Gaza.

According to the report, security officials are investigating serious suspicions that top Israeli criminal figures cooperated with foreign officials to operate a far more extensive organized smuggling network into the Gaza Strip than the previous case.

The focus of the investigation is the US headquarters in Kiryat Gat tasked with coordinating Gaza reconstruction. Members of Israeli crime organizations allegedly bribed foreign personnel at the facility in order to smuggle prohibited goods into Gaza—a development that could undermine sensitive security mechanisms and enrich both Israeli crime organizations and indirectly bolster Hamas via the smuggled supplies.

Items allegedly smuggled in the earlier smuggling case included cigarette cartons, iPhones, batteries, communication cables, and car parts. Security officials now worry that the new case— involving foreign personnel and alleged bribery at an international facility—signals an escalation in both the scale and sophistication of the smuggling networks.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

We live in galus, and that means there is always a magnifying glass on how Yidden conduct themselves. Our public behavior does not exist in a vacuum. It reflects on our community, on the Torah, and ultimately on Hashem Himself.

As Purim approaches, it is worth thinking carefully about costumes that could, chas v’shalom, create a chilul Hashem. Some costumes that may once have been viewed as harmless now carry meanings that are widely understood as deeply offensive. Blackface is one clear example. Today, it is broadly recognized as a symbol of racism, and even a safek of causing chilul Hashem is a serious halachic concern.

Another type of costume that may appear this year, based on recent events, is ICE or immigration-enforcement uniforms. While these may seem like innocent fun to some and do not pose any direct threat to our community, for many people—including individuals whom many of us interact with regularly—they represent real fear and trauma, having witnessed families torn apart in painful ways. This is not about politics. It is about recognizing that such costumes carry emotional weight and create an unnecessary risk of chilul Hashem.

Purim is a holy Yom Tov, meant for simcha, achdus, and spiritual growth. There are countless ways to celebrate joyfully without risking harm to others or embarrassment to Klal Yisrael.

Let us use our seichel. Let us be thoughtful. And let us make sure that our simcha brings honor to Hashem’s Name, not the opposite.

Anonymous

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.

The United States is rapidly assembling one of its largest military concentrations in the Middle East in years, signaling that Washington is preparing for the possibility of major conflict as negotiations with Iran falter.

President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, to the region, along with a sweeping array of fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and warships.

The nuclear-powered carrier and its strike group departed the Atlantic earlier this week and are heading toward the Mediterranean via the Strait of Gibraltar. Once in position, the Ford will join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group already operating in the Middle East.

Together, the two carriers form the backbone of a growing American show of force aimed at deterring Tehran and preparing for possible military action.

The Ford is capable of carrying more than 75 aircraft, including F-35C stealth fighters, F/A-18 Super Hornets, and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets. It is escorted by three destroyers — USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Winston Churchill — giving the carrier group substantial offensive and defensive firepower.

The buildup extends far beyond aircraft carriers.

U.S. officials and independent flight trackers report that more than 50 additional fighter jets were moved to the region this week, including F-16 Falcons, F-22 Raptors, and F-35 stealth aircraft. The Pentagon has also deployed a large fleet of aerial refueling tankers, allowing U.S. aircraft to conduct extended missions deep into Iranian territory.

The aircraft are being positioned across several regional bases, including facilities in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to the two carrier groups, the U.S. now has four destroyers operating in the Arabian Sea, three patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, one in the Red Sea, and two combat ships in the Persian Gulf. The expanded fleet gives Washington the ability to control key shipping lanes and provide missile defense for U.S. forces and regional allies.

The current posture would allow the U.S. to conduct sustained air operations, target hardened facilities, and defend American forces and partners against retaliation. Stealth aircraft could penetrate Iranian air defenses, while refueling tankers would enable long-range missions.

Iran has warned that any U.S. attack would trigger widespread retaliation, including against Israel. Tehran has also threatened American troops and allies and has recently conducted live missile drills near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The White House said Wednesday that negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program yielded modest gains but remain far from a breakthrough. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a briefing that “a little bit of progress” was made in the latest round of talks, but emphasized that the two sides are “still very far apart on some issues.”

“The Iranians are expected to come back to us with some more detail in the next couple of weeks, so the president will continue to watch how this plays out,” Leavitt said.

Her remarks come as Washington faces mounting questions about whether diplomacy can avert another round of military action. Trump has repeatedly left open the possibility of additional strikes if Tehran fails to agree to new limits on its nuclear program.

Leavitt was pressed on why the U.S. would consider further military action after Trump said June airstrikes had already “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“There are many reasons and arguments one could make for a strike against Iran,” she responded, declining to elaborate.

She defended the June operation — dubbed “Midnight Hammer” — as a decisive blow.

“The president, as commander in chief, had a very successful operation. Midnight Hammer totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities,” Leavitt said.

“The president has been very clear with respect to Iran and any country around the world that diplomacy is always his first option and Iran would be very wise to make a deal,” she said, declining to specify any timeline or deadline.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

(AP) – More than 550 commercial driving schools in the U.S. that train truckers and bus drivers must close after investigators found they employed unqualified instructors, failed to adequately test students and had other safety issues, the federal Transportation Department announced Wednesday.

The move marks the Trump administration’s latest effort to improve safety in the trucking industry. And unlike its actions last fall to decertify up to 7,500 schools that included many defunct operations, this latest step is focused on active schools inspectors identified as having significant shortcomings in 1,426 site visits completed in December.

The department has been aggressively going after states that handed out commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants who shouldn’t have qualified for them ever since a fatal crash in August. A truck driver who Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says wasn’t authorized to be in the U.S. made an illegal U-turn and caused a crash in Florida that killed three people. Other fatal crashes since then, including one in Indiana that killed four earlier this month, have only heightened concerns.

Duffy said 448 schools failed to meet basic safety standards. Inspectors found such deficiencies as employing unqualified instructors, failing to test students’ skills or teach them how to handle hazardous materials and using the wrong equipment to teach drivers. Another 109 schools removed themselves from the registry of schools when they learned inspections were planned.

“American families should have confidence that our school bus and truck drivers are following every letter of the law and that starts with receiving proper training before getting behind the wheel,” Duffy said.

Established schools welcome the effort
The list of schools officials want to decertify now are generally smaller ones, including a number of programs run by school districts. Five of the bigger, more reputable schools represented by the national Commercial Vehicle Training Association were audited but those all passed.

Jeffery Burkhardt, chair of the national trucking schools group, said established schools welcome the enforcement effort to eliminate bad schools that aren’t meeting the standards. He said these audits mark the first time regulators have enforced the standards for driving schools that were passed in 2022.

“You know, the good players have no problem with it. Absolutely none,” said Burkhardt, who is also is senior director of operations at Ancora, which provides CDL training at colleges, community colleges and companies.

Another 97 schools are currently under investigation for compliance issues.

There has been limited oversight in the past
Part of the industry problem is that schools and trucking companies can essentially self certify themselves when they apply to begin operating, observers note, and questionable operations might not be caught until much later when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration gets a chance to audit them.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many students were enrolled at these schools that are being decertified or how many graduated with questionable qualifications. A Transportation Department spokeswoman said officials may follow up on those graduates later. Burkhardt said that hopefully most of the unqualified drivers were weeded out before they got on the highway by the skills tests states administer before handing out commercial licenses.

There is steady demand for truck drivers because there is high turnover in the industry, and it has been difficult to attract enough drivers willing to spend days away from home delivering heavy loads. But there is some cushion in the industry right now because there are currently more drivers than needed in the midst of a 10% drop in shipments since 2022 owing to economic uncertainty. Nonetheless, many trucking companies still struggle to find enough well-qualified drivers with clean records.

Trucking industry groups praise the effort
Both the American Trucking Association and the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association praised the decisive action to shut down “sham schools” that aren’t meeting basic safety standards. Todd Spencer, President of the independent owners group, said the reliance of some companies on these questionable schools “fueled a destructive churn” in the industry.

“Rather than fix retention problems and working conditions, some in the industry chose to cut corners and push undertrained drivers onto the road. That approach has undermined safety and devalued the entire trucking profession,” Spencer said.

Besides threatening to withhold federal funding from states that don’t clean up their commercial driver’s license programs, the administration has demanded truck drivers meet English proficiency standards. California is the only state to lose funding so far with the federal government planning to withhold $160 million.

The Transportation Department is threatening to withhold $128 million from Illinois after the latest state audit announced earlier this week found problems with nearly 20% of the 150 licenses they reviewed. The most common problems uncovered in state audits across the country have been licenses that remained valid long after an immigrant’s authorization to be in the U.S. expired and instances when the states couldn’t show that they checked a driver’s immigration status before giving them a license.

Problems have been found in 10 states so far, including North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, South Dakota and Texas.

Donald Trump made the decision to seek the presidency again just hours after departing the White House in January 2021, according to Lara Trump, who described the pivotal moment during a recent podcast interview.

Speaking on New York Post columnist Miranda Devine’s “Pod Force One” podcast in an episode released Wednesday, Lara Trump recounted that the realization came the same evening the family arrived in Palm Beach, Florida, following their final trip from Washington after the contentious 2020 election.

She described the mood aboard their last Air Force One flight as heavy and subdued. The family, she said, was “in a place of despair,” and there was little conversation as they traveled south.

Later that night, before a family dinner began, Donald Trump addressed those gathered and made his intentions clear. “Well, kids, I’ve got to do it again.”

According to Lara Trump, that declaration reflected a core quality that defines her father-in-law — determination in the face of adversity. She emphasized that even during moments of intense political and media pressure, he has consistently refused to withdraw.

During the interview, she presented that evening as evidence that Trump’s return to the presidency was driven by personal resolve rather than carefully engineered campaign strategy. In her telling, it was resilience — not messaging — that fueled the path back to the Oval Office.

The podcast also revisited an earlier chapter, when Trump first floated the idea of running for president in 2015 during a family discussion, before his widely publicized descent down the escalator at Trump Tower. At the time, she said, he cautioned that if he pursued the campaign and did it “right,” critics would “come after” not just him but the entire family.

In the years that followed, those warnings materialized as Donald Trump faced multiple investigations, criminal charges, and civil lawsuits, while continuing to exert significant influence within the Republican Party.

Lara Trump also reflected on her first meeting with Donald Trump, which took place at the U.S. Open in New York early in her relationship with Eric Trump. She said that the persona Americans see publicly closely matches the individual she came to know in private — someone forthright, high-energy, and at ease commanding attention.

She shared a lighter memory from that introduction, recalling how he eased the pressure of the moment by offering to buy her ice cream, something she said made her feel she could “get through this.”

Comparing the family’s political journey to “Olympic training,” Lara Trump suggested that mounting criticism and scrutiny only strengthened their resolve.

The conversation also explored the evolving public roles within the Trump family, including Lara Trump’s own movement between party leadership and media work. She noted that today’s political battles extend well beyond campaign events, increasingly playing out in cultural spaces where Republicans argue that the broader direction of the country is at stake.

{Matzav.com}

An Australian man who called Jews “the greatest enemy” of the country during a public rally has been sentenced to a year in prison, in one of the first major cases under Australia’s newly expanded hate crime laws.

Brandon Koschel, 31, was jailed after delivering an antisemitic speech at an anti-immigration march in Sydney on Australia Day, Jan. 26.

During the 40-second address, Koschel accused Jewish groups of influencing hate speech laws and claimed Jews were responsible for undermining Western civilization.

“The Jews are the greatest enemy to this nation,” Koschel said in remarks later cited in court. “They are an enemy to Western civilization.”

The speech, which drew cheers from some in the crowd, circulated online and prompted widespread condemnation.

On Tuesday, Magistrate Sharon Freund found Koschel guilty of publicly inciting hatred on the grounds of race and causing fear. She said the remarks were “clearly antisemitic” and constituted vilification of Jewish people.

Freund told the court that Koschel would have been aware that his words could be republished and potentially incite violence. She also cited the vulnerability of Australia’s Jewish community in the aftermath of the Chanukah attack in Bondi, in which 15 people were murdered.

“The indication or normalization of hatred directed at the Jewish people will not be tolerated,” Freund said, adding that the sentence was intended to deter others.

Koschel pleaded guilty, and the court noted that he showed no remorse.

The case marks one of the first major sentencing decisions since the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced sweeping new legislation targeting antisemitism and extremism in January.

The Combating Antisemitism, Hate, and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 significantly expanded federal hate crime provisions. The law increases penalties for offenses involving racial or religious hatred, establishes aggravated sentences for leaders who advocate violence, broadens bans on extremist symbols, and creates a framework for outlawing organizations that engage in hate-related conduct.

The legislation also tightened regulations on firearms and extremist activity.

Freund said she carefully considered whether Koschel’s remarks met the threshold for prosecution under the new framework.

“The laws were made in response to antisemitic acts,” she said. “Violence starts with language.”

Court documents also noted that Koschel was previously associated with the National Socialist Network, a neo-Nazi group that disbanded in January ahead of the new legislation’s implementation. In a statement at the time, the group acknowledged that the incoming laws would likely lead to its prohibition.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An eight-year-old girl in Beitar Illit was injured Wednesday when her hand became impaled on a nail protruding from a wooden surface after she fell while riding a scooter. Firefighters who arrived at the scene carried out a careful rescue operation to free her hand as she suffered intense pain.

Fire and Rescue teams from the Judea Regional Station were dispatched to a residential home in the city following reports of a child whose hand had become lodged in wood by a nail during the fall.

Upon arrival, emergency crews found the girl in visible distress and frightened from the ordeal. Firefighters worked methodically and sensitively, speaking to her throughout the operation in an effort to calm her while preparing the necessary equipment.

Using specialized tools, the team succeeded in extracting her hand from the wooden surface without causing additional injury. She was then transferred to medical personnel who were on scene for continued treatment.

Staff Sgt. Yosef Elazar, the team commander at the incident, described the rescue: “We treated a young girl who was suffering severe pain as a result of a nail that had penetrated her hand into a wooden panel. The operation was carried out with the utmost caution to prevent further damage, and at the same time the firefighters spoke with the girl and reassured her until the successful completion of the rescue and her transfer for medical care.”

{Matzav.com}

This article advances a structured, non-ideological analysis of professional authority in medicine and psychology, grounded in halachic, legal, institutional, and moral frameworks.

First, it anchors the discussion in a precise halachic source: Aruch HaShulchan, Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah סימן של״ו. The Aruch HaShulchan establishes that a physician’s actions are justified bedinei adam and fall under ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם only where two conditions are met: the practitioner is government-certified, and the specific refuah employed is itself government-authorized, provided no superior physician is available. Good intentions, professional culture, or internal consensus are explicitly not the determining criteria.

Second, the article draws a sharp doctrinal distinction between authorization of a practitioner and authorization of a refuah. Modern medicine satisfies both layers: physicians are licensed, and medications and devices are independently authorized. This is why the Aruch HaShulchan’s framework applies cleanly to medicine and may apply, in principle, to psychiatry insofar as it relies on FDA-approved drugs. It cannot apply to psychology, because psychological therapies themselves are never authorized by the state.

Third, the article explains this exclusion in structural and legal terms rather than ideological ones. Governments do not certify, approve, or vouch for psychological theories or treatment modalities. They do not ascribe causal certainty, predictive reliability, or truth-value to any therapy. What the state authorizes is only the practitioner’s right to practice, leaving method selection to professional discretion and personal risk. This posture—you may choose, at your own risk—fails to meet the Aruch HaShulchan’s requirement of רשות ליתן רפואות לחולאים, because the refuah itself is never authorized.

Fourth, the article provides a structural account of authority in psychology by identifying who actually determines standards. These are not government bodies but private accreditation organizations. Their incentives are not truth-adjudication but institutional survivability, shaped by legal safety, political acceptability, and institutional consensus. Standards are selected to avoid lawsuits, controversy, and mass noncompliance rather than to identify what is most accurate or effective.

Fifth, the article exposes the circularity of the system: accreditation bodies are paid by schools; schools require accreditation to charge tuition; licensing authorities defer to accredited programs; and accreditation, in turn, formalizes existing practice. This loop reinforces itself and resists correction, even when underlying assumptions are weak.

Sixth, the article advances a moral analysis grounded in emes, drawing on the sugya in Shavuos 31. It argues that taking money, time, trust, and life-shaping decisions from people while knowing that what is being sold is institutional legitimacy rather than verified truth—and allowing that legitimacy to be mistaken for truth—constitutes a moral failure, even absent malicious intent.

Seventh, the article demonstrates through pricing analysis that licensing costs do not track instructional hours, instructor expertise, or outcome effectiveness. Instead, they track administrative overhead, legal protection, lobbying, and institutional continuity. Licenses function as tolls for permission to practice, not as valuations of knowledge or skill.

Finally, the article offers a historical proof-of-concept in the long dominance of psychoanalysis. For decades, it retained authority not because of demonstrated effectiveness but because it answered primarily to itself and faced no external veto. Only sustained external pressures eventually forced retrenchment, illustrating how a self-referential field can persist in error across generations.

Taken together, the article argues that medicine is constrained by external regulators, law, institutions, insurers, and biological reality itself, whereas psychology operates largely within a closed system of delegated trust. The difference is structural, not personal—and it has profound halachic and moral implications.

This analysis is neither conspiratorial nor anti-vaccination. It is a straightforward application of a halachic rule articulated explicitly by the Aruch HaShulchan in Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah סימן של״ו. There, the Aruch HaShulchan lays down the determining criterion for whether a doctor is absolved bedinei adam for damages caused in treatment and whether his actions fall under the mitzvah of ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם. The criterion is not good intentions, professional culture, or internal consensus. It is whether the doctor is certified and authorized by the government to prescribe the particular medications or treatments he uses, and provided that there is no physician superior to him in that field.

In practice, this framework applies cleanly to modern medicine where both conditions are met: the practitioner is licensed, and the specific refuah—medications or devices—is itself government-authorized. This is why the rule fits ordinary medical practice and may apply, at least in principle, to psychiatry insofar as it employs FDA-approved drugs. It cannot apply to psychology.

The reason is structural and legal, not ideological. The government does not authorize psychological therapies at all. It does not say of any therapy that it is true, that it is not false, that it predicts outcomes with accuracy, or that it has causal certainty. The state does not approve, certify, or vouch for any psychological model or method. What it authorizes is only the practitioner’s right to engage in the profession. Legally and structurally, this is nothing more than permission to practice at one’s own discretion and risk. The posture is effectively: you may choose a method, at your own risk. That is not “רשות ליתן רפואות לחולאים” in the sense meant by the Aruch HaShulchan, because the refuah itself is never authorized.

This stands in sharp contrast to medicine under the Food and Drug Administration framework, where authorization operates on two distinct and cumulative levels. The practitioner is licensed, and in addition, the medications and devices themselves are authorized through four concrete mechanisms: pre-market approval, demonstrated causal efficacy, formal risk–benefit analysis, and ongoing enforcement power including recall and prohibition. Only where both the practitioner and the specific refuah are government-authorized does the Aruch HaShulchan’s standard fully apply.

Over the past several decades, psychotherapy has expanded dramatically in cultural authority, institutional presence, and economic footprint. This expansion is usually framed as progress—more care, more science, more professionalism. What is rarely examined is the structure of accountability that sustains the field and what kind of belief is required to trust it. Who, in fact, determines what the material of therapy should be?

⸻

Who decides?

Private accreditation boards decide. Not the government.

Standards in psychology are set by private accreditation bodies whose function is not truth-adjudication but institutional survival. They are paid by the very schools whose curricula they accredit, and they remain viable only by staying within what both paying schools and downstream licensing authorities will accept. That is the circularity.

These boards do not decide standards based on what is most true. They decide based on what is safest.

They operate on three governing constraints.

Legal safety.

They look only at what has already not gotten institutions sued. They copy existing rules, language, and practices that courts have already tolerated. They do not predict law or test truth; they avoid novelty. Courts then trust them precisely because they repeat court-accepted patterns. The loop is closed.

Political acceptability.

They avoid standards that could trigger public controversy, media scrutiny, or government pressure. They choose language that sounds neutral, inclusive, and non-provocative so that no powerful group objects. The goal is not correctness; it is backlash avoidance.

Institutional consensus.

They formalize what most schools already do. If too many schools could not comply with a standard, accreditation would fail. Therefore the average practice becomes the standard, and deviation becomes risk.

Stripped of euphemism, the rule is simple:

They copy what already exists, avoid controversy, and codify the mean. That is why the system reinforces itself and almost never corrects error.

At the top, decisions are driven by the most secure posture for income, reputation, and continuity. Everyone underneath operates almost entirely on trust.

For accreditation boards, survivability is the selection criterion. Maintaining steady revenue from fees, avoiding lawsuits, avoiding political heat, and avoiding mass school noncompliance is the governing logic. Truth is not the metric.

For everyone beneath them—schools, students, employers, licensing authorities, and the public—there is delegated trust. Each layer assumes the layer above already did the verification, so no one re-tests substance. Challenging the system creates risk; accepting it transfers responsibility upward. That is why it persists.

This raises the central question: who are we actually trusting when we pay fifty thousand dollars for a license and entrust our lives, families, and communities to the interpretive structures of therapy?

The answer is not a government entity. It is private accreditation bodies, professional boards, and academic institutions that pay those bodies to approve their curricula. These institutions know that the public interprets accreditation as truth-validation, not survivability-validation. They also know that if this distinction were made explicit, trust would collapse. Continuing under that ambiguity crosses from neutrality into deception.

Once this substitution occurs, the downstream payer—often poorer students, patients, families, and communities—becomes invisible. Their belief is instrumentalized, not respected. That is a moral failure even if no one intends harm.

People inside the system do not experience this as lying because responsibility is fragmented. Each layer tells itself: I’m not claiming truth; I’m following standards. The standards come from accreditation. Accreditation reflects consensus. Consensus equals professionalism. No one says “this is true,” yet everyone benefits from others believing that it is.

Taking hard-earned money, years of time, trust, and life-shaping decisions from people while knowing that what is being sold is institutional stability and legitimacy rather than truth—and allowing it to be mistaken for truth—is not morally neutral. What Torah classifies as emes requires alignment between what one knows, what one signals, and what others reasonably believe, as articulated in the sugya in Shavuos ל״א. Here, those elements are knowingly misaligned.

The circularity deepens further. Colleges pay accreditation bodies to approve the very curricula that allow them to charge tuition. Accreditation follows money; money follows accreditation.

If licensing programs were priced according to real value, cost would track three variables: how many hours are actually taught, how skilled the instructors are, and how much usable skill graduates reliably acquire. Under such a system, prices would vary widely. They do not.

Prices do not track instructional hours. Programs with vastly different teaching loads charge similar sums. In other professions—pilots, electricians, engineers—hours matter. In therapy licensing, accreditation status matters.

Prices do not track instructor expertise. Most courses are taught by adjuncts paid a few thousand dollars per class regardless of tuition levels. When tuition rises, instructor pay does not. The money is not going to teaching quality.

Prices do not track skill or effectiveness. Licensing exams do not measure whether graduates help clients improve. No school is rewarded for better outcomes or penalized for worse ones so long as compliance boxes are checked.

What prices do track is administrative overhead, legal protection, lobbying, and institutional continuity. As tuition has risen, administrative staff has grown far faster than teaching faculty. Accredited programs must fund compliance offices, legal teams, insurance, reporting systems, and political maintenance. These costs protect institutions, not students. Students pay for that protection.

The same core material can often be learned independently for a fraction of the cost. The difference is not knowledge. The difference is permission.

Licensing fees are tolls, not valuations of truth.

This structure does not require malice. It follows mechanically from how the system is built. Those above must be funded. Those below must pay to pass. The moral problem arises because the system depends on people believing they are paying for expertise or truth when in reality they are paying for access and institutional cover.

History provides a clear demonstration. For much of the twentieth century, psychoanalysis dominated American psychiatry and psychology. It controlled training, journals, hospitals, and prestige. Patients paid, students trained, institutions endorsed it. Decades later, leaders within the field openly conceded that it had not effectively treated many of the conditions it claimed to address. This was not acknowledged as a moral accounting. It was reframed as “evolution,” “maturation,” or “new understanding.” That is institutional self-preservation language.

A field that answers mainly to itself can sustain ineffective frameworks for generations while people pay money, lose time, and place trust under false assumptions. Medicine could not do this at scale without external veto. Psychology could—and did—not because of intent, but because there was no external authority empowered to stop it.

That is the structure.

TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via  Whatsapp  or via email  [email protected]

Top national security officials have told President Donald Trump that the U.S. military is prepared to carry out potential strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday, according to CBS News.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the president has not made a final decision. Internal deliberations have been described as fluid and ongoing, with the White House weighing the risks of escalation against the political and military consequences of restraint.

Over the next several days, the Pentagon is shifting some personnel temporarily out of the Middle East, relocating them primarily to Europe or back to the United States ahead of possible U.S. military action or anticipated Iranian countermeasures. One official stressed that repositioning personnel is standard procedure ahead of potential operations and does not necessarily signal that a strike is imminent.

The military posture in the region is already significant. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is operating in the Middle East, and the USS Gerald R. Ford — the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier — is en route. As of Wednesday, maritime tracking data showed the Ford off the coast of West Africa.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responded Tuesday with a pointed message, posting an AI-generated image of the Ford submerged beneath the ocean. “The US President constantly says that the US has sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware,” Khamenei wrote on X. “However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”

The military buildup comes as diplomatic efforts continue. U.S. and Iranian negotiators met in Geneva on Tuesday for several hours of mediated talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. The Trump administration has described the discussions as making “a little bit of progress,” but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged Wednesday that “we’re still very far apart on some issues.”

“Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with his administration,” Leavitt said, reiterating that diplomacy remains the president’s first option. She declined to say whether any potential strike would be coordinated with Israel.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to Israel in approximately two weeks for further discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to one source. Two additional sources said Trump told Netanyahu in December that he would support Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program if negotiations fail.

Tensions have continued to mount. Iran warned pilots Wednesday to avoid its southern region due to planned rocket launches. Last June, the U.S. joined Israel in strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during the 12-day conflict that intelligence assessments said inflicted severe damage on Tehran’s program.

Before that conflict, Iran had accelerated uranium enrichment to 60 percent purity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, a level just short of weapons-grade material and unprecedented for a country without nuclear weapons.

For now, the carriers advance, the diplomats talk, and the president holds the final call.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Torah community in Bnei Brak is mourning the petirah of Rav Shmuel Dovid HaLevi Volpe zt”l, one of the city’s prominent marbitzei Torah and respected talmidei chachamim, who was niftar at the age of 66. His levayah took place this evening in Bnei Brak.

Rav Volpe was widely known for disseminating Torah both in writing and through his public shiurim, and for his unwavering dedication to transmitting the teachings of his revered rebbi, HaGaon Rav Shmuel Rozovsky zt”l, with exceptional clarity and precision.

He was born on 7 Kislev 5720 (1959) to his father, Rav Baruch Mordechai Volpe, who was recognized as a gaon and mekubal and who learned b’chavrusa with Rav Sroya Deblitzky.

At the age of eleven, he entered Yeshivas Ponovezh L’Tzeirim, where he learned under the Rosh HaYeshivah HaGaon Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l.

From his youth, Rav Volpe was an oveid Hashem who accepted upon himself the yoke of Torah with remarkable diligence. Torah study was his lifelong joy and constant occupation.

Even during his years in yeshivah ketanah at Ponovezh, and before reaching bar mitzvah age, he made siyumim on sefarim such as Ketzos HaChoshen and Shaar HaMishpat.

Throughout his life, he taught Torah to many, both orally and through his written works. He devoted himself to preserving and transmitting the Torah of his primary rebbi, Rav Shmuel Rozovsky, ensuring that the shiurim were presented with meticulous accuracy and clarity. He edited dozens of sefarim authored by leading roshei yeshivah who were transmitters of the mesorah, most notably the published shiurim of Rav Rozovsky. He also carefully reviewed and offered critical insight on the shiurim of Maran Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l.

When he reached marriageable age, he married his wife, the daughter of Rav Yehuda Aryeh Weiser zt”l, who served as the rav of the municipal slaughterhouse in Bnei Brak.

He spent his life immersed in Torah and avodah despite financial hardship, accepting all that befell him with love and joy.

He was known as an ish emes in both his learning and personal conduct, illuminating the eyes of many with clear and authentic daas Torah. He served as a living example of total dedication to Torah study, plumbing the depths of iyun and profound understanding.

The levayah was held at his home at 18 Rechov HaRav Meltzer in Bnei Brak. The procession passed the beis haknesses of the talmidim of Yeshivas Ponovezh L’Tzeirim and proceeded to the Vizhnitzer cemetery for kevurah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were temporarily suspended after engine failure forced a JetBlue flight to return to the airport and evacuate passengers via slides on Wednesday, according to officials.

JetBlue Flight 543 took off from Newark heading to West Palm Beach around 5:45 p.m., and then immediately returned to the airport due to engine failure, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in a statement.

After the plane landed and exited the runway, the crew of the Airbus A320 reported smoke in the cockpit and evacuated the passengers via slides, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

They say the plane landed safely with no injuries reported.

Flight operations had been temporarily suspended while the aircraft was removed from the taxiway.

The airport has since reopened and flight operations resumed around 7 p.m., according to the FAA and the Port Authority.

Newark Airport advised travelers to check with their airline for up-to-date information.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were temporarily suspended after engine failure forced a JetBlue flight to return to the airport and evacuate passengers via slides on Wednesday, according to officials.

JetBlue Flight 543 took off from Newark heading to West Palm Beach around 5:45 p.m., and then immediately returned to the airport due to engine failure, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in a statement.

After the plane landed and exited the runway, the crew of the Airbus A320 reported smoke in the cockpit and evacuated the passengers via slides, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

They say the plane landed safely with no injuries reported.

Flight operations had been temporarily suspended while the aircraft was removed from the taxiway.

The airport has since reopened and flight operations resumed around 7 p.m., according to the FAA and the Port Authority.

Newark Airport advised travelers to check with their airline for up-to-date information.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NEW YORK (AP) — Online seller eBay wants a bigger share of the Gen Z market.

The online seller has agreed to purchase second hand fashion marketplace Depop from Etsy for about $1.2 billion in cash, the companies said Wednesday.

The deal comes at a time when used clothing has become increasingly popular, sought out by shoppers searching for unique items that cost less than new ones and keep the old stuff from heading to the landfill.

In a statement, eBay’s CEO Jamie Ianonne said that the acquisition is an opportunity to capture a younger demographic.

“We are confident that as part of eBay, Depop will be even more well-positioned for long-term growth, benefiting from our scale, complementary offerings, and operational capabilities,” Ianonne said.

As of Dec. 31, 2025, Depop’s marketplace had 7 million active buyers, nearly 90% of which are under the age of 34, and more than 3 million active sellers, the joint release said.

The deal comes five years after Etsy bought Depop for $1.6 billion. The app was founded in 2011.

EBay, based in San Jose, California, said it intends to pay cash. Etsy, based in Brooklyn, New York, plans to utilize the proceeds for general corporate purposes, continued share repurchases and investment in its core marketplace, according to the release.

The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by eBay’s and Etsy’s boards, is currently expected to close in the second quarter, the companies said.

Depop is expected to retain its name, brand, platform, and its culture, the companies said.

EBay’s shares rose more than 7%, while Etsy’s share soared close to 15% in after-hours trading when the news was announced.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many Federal Reserve officials want to see inflation fall further before they would support additional interest rate cuts this year, particularly if the job market continues to stabilize, minutes of last month’s meeting show.

The “vast majority” of the 19 participants on the Fed’s rate-setting committee said that there were signs the job market has stabilized, after the unemployment rate rose in late 2025, the minutes said. And most of the officials agreed that the Fed’s key rate is close to a level that neither stimulates nor restrains the economy. The minutes were released Wednesday, three weeks after the central bank’s Jan. 27-28 meeting.

Fed officials at that meeting agreed to keep its key rate steady at about 3.6%, after cutting it three times late last year. Two officials — Fed governors Stephen Miran and Christopher Waller — voted instead to cut another quarter-point.

The minutes underscored the deeply divided nature of the committee, with several camps emerging: “Several” officials said additional cuts will “likely be appropriate” if inflation continues to decline. But “some” officials favored keeping rates unchanged “for some time,” suggesting a longer pause. And several other officials said they could have supported language in the statement issued after the meeting that would signal the next move by the Fed could be either a cut or a rate hike, if inflation remains above their 2% target.

The support for signaling an openness to a potential rate hike appears to be a significant shift from previous meetings. Chair Jerome Powell said after meetings last year that the idea of a rate hike wasn’t on the table.

Powell signaled after January’s meeting that the Fed could wait for a few months before cutting rates again. He said at a news conference that the economy and hiring had improved since the central bank had previously met in December, and added that the Fed was “well positioned” to evaluate how the economy evolves in the coming months before making any further moves.

The decision to keep rates unchanged defied a stream of demands from President Donald Trump for the Fed to reduce its key rate to as low as 1%, a level few economists endorse. When the Fed cuts its key rate, it can over time lower borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, and business loans, though those rates are also influenced by financial markets.

The minutes said that the “vast majority” of the 19-person committee agreed that the risks of job losses and a worsening labor market had diminished, likely a key reason that they voted to keep rates unchanged. The Fed typically cuts rates to boost spending, growth, and hiring.

Figures released last week suggest the Fed will be unlikely to cut anytime soon. Inflation remains elevated, according to the Fed’s preferred measure, and January’s jobs report showed that hiring picked up last month. Those trends support those Fed officials who argue that the economy doesn’t need further rate cuts.

Consumer prices grew 2.4% in January compared with a year earlier, the government said last week, not too far from the Fed’s 2% target.

But the Fed focuses on a different measure of inflation, which is running higher. When the latest figure is released Friday, it is expected to have increased roughly 3% from a year earlier. The Fed’s preferred measure puts much less weight on housing and apartment rental costs, which have cooled considerably, and as a result it is running above the better-known consumer price index.

Also last week, the government said that hiring improved in January, with employers adding 130,000 jobs, the biggest gain in just over a year, while the unemployment rate slipped to a low 4.3%, down from 4.4%.

Fed Governor Michael Barr on Tuesday pointed to the jobs report as evidence that the labor market is “stabilizing,” while inflation remains above 2%.

“Based on current conditions and the data in hand, it will likely be appropriate to hold rates steady for some time,” Barr said.

Separately, Austan Goolsbee, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, told CNBC Tuesday that the Fed could reduce rates “several more” times this year, if there is evidence that inflation was moving closer to 2%.

Five masked Arabs attacked a shepherd from the Mikneh Avraham outpost, near Ma’ale Amos in Gush Etzion, while he was grazing his flock on Tuesday.

Some of the Arabs threw stones at him, and others beat him with clubs. A local Jewish resident who rushed to the shepherd’s aid was also attacked and beaten with clubs.

More Jews who were called to the scene managed to drive away the Arabs, who fled before IDF forces arrived at the area. The two Jews received initial medical treatment at the scene of the attack and were evacuated by MDA paramedics to Shaare Tzedek Hospital in light condition.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

The attack is the latest in a series of attacks carried out by Arabs in recent months in eastern Gush Etzion against shepherds in the area. Some of the Arabs were arrested, but all were released after only a few days. 

The Hatzalah Without Borders organization reported that dozens of violent attacks against shepherds in the area have been documented since the beginning of the year.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The Histadrut on Wednesday morning announced a sweeping sectoral labor dispute that includes all Israeli airlines as well as the Israel Airports Authority, in protest of the government’s decision to permit the foreign low-cost airline Wizz Air to open a permanent operating base at Ben Gurion Airport.

According to the Histadrut, the government advanced the move on its own, without comprehensive groundwork and without consulting workers’ representatives. Union officials argue that such a significant step in the aviation sector requires coordination and prior dialogue.

The declared dispute applies to El Al, Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa, in addition to the Israel Airports Authority, which manages Ben Gurion Airport, Ramon Airport, Haifa Airport, and the heliports in Herzliya and Rosh Pina. Altogether, more than 11,000 employees across the industry are expected to be impacted.

Worker representatives have voiced deep concern over what they describe as the economic and security consequences of granting a foreign carrier terms they believe create an uneven playing field. They are demanding collective negotiations regarding how the establishment of a Wizz Air base in Israel will affect employment conditions, wages, labor rights, and job stability.

In addition, the unions are calling for formal agreements addressing how the new base could influence the financial resilience of Israeli airlines and the Airports Authority, as well as the operational burden on ground services at the country’s airports.

Roi Yaakov, acting chairman of the Histadrut, said: “In the world of labor relations, there is no such thing as unilateral decisions, especially in the aviation sector, where broad national coordination is required. Establishing a base for a foreign operator in Israel without an in-depth systemic examination and without considering the potential consequences will harm not only the job security of the workers but also the stability of the sector and the national interests of the State of Israel. The Histadrut will use all the tools at its disposal to stop the harm to workers and the public interest.”

Attorney Eyal Yadin, who heads the Transport Workers Union, echoed those concerns, stating: “We are in favor of competition, but what is being attempted here is not fair competition. It is a one-sided move that gives an unfair advantage to a foreign operator at the expense of workers, Israeli companies, and national interests. In such a sensitive sector like aviation, decisions that undermine the operational and security stability of the country cannot be made. We insist that any changes be made in cooperation, with professional planning, and protection for the workers who are the backbone of the sector.”

The El Al Workers Council also issued a sharp statement directed at Transportation Minister Miri Regev, declaring: “Transportation Minister Miri Regev is the most failed transportation minister in the history of the state. Under her watch, there was a major failure in the fight against traffic accidents, leading to a drastic increase in casualties. During her tenure, there has been no real response to the worsening traffic congestion crisis, and failures have been recorded in all sectors under her responsibility.”

The council further stated: “Instead of addressing these failures, the minister has chosen to divert the discussion and run a publicized campaign against the Israeli airlines – a cynical move aimed at diverting the public discourse. Even within her own ministry, professional voices are being heard claiming that the move regarding Wizz Air is populist and impractical.”

Continuing its criticism, the workers’ council said: “Minister Regev ignores the strategic importance of Israeli airlines, especially El Al, in times of emergency and wartime, just ahead of a potential conflict with Iran. For two years, while missiles were fired at Israel and foreign companies fled, it was the Israeli airlines that maintained the country’s air connections with the world.”

“The El Al Workers Council will continue to fight for the job security of its workers and for the security of the State of Israel and the strength of Israeli aviation, for the benefit of the entire public,” the statement concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Each year, the Edmunds Top Rated Awards are bestowed on the best new cars, trucks and SUVs on sale. To win, a vehicle must rank at the top of its class based on Edmunds’ rigorous, independent testing and evaluation process. That means each winner has been tested at the Edmunds test track and thoroughly evaluated over many miles of real-world use.

Edmunds divides the awards into six main categories: best car, best SUV and best truck, and electric versions of the same categories. This year’s Edmunds Top Rated Awards feature some repeat winners and newcomers, and each is a great choice if you’re planning to purchase a new vehicle. Note that all prices below include destination charges.

Edmunds Top Rated Car: Honda Civic Hybrid
The Honda Civic maintains its spot from last year as the Edmunds Top Rated Car for 2026. With its available hybrid powertrain, the Civic achieves up to an EPA-estimated 49 mpg in combined city/highway driving, which is excellent for a small car. On top of that, the Civic Hybrid provides quick acceleration, roomy seating, and an upscale interior design that’s nicer than what you’ll find in the competition. Another bonus: The Civic Hybrid is available as a sedan or as a hatchback with extra cargo space.

Starting price for a Civic sedan with the hybrid engine: $30,590

Edmunds Top Rated Electric Car: Tesla Model 3
The significant updates to the Tesla Model 3 last year continue to make it a compelling choice and an Edmunds Top Rated winner. This small electric sedan boasts an affordable starting price, ample range and helpful technology features. In the independent Edmunds EV Range Test, the Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive went 338 miles on a single charge, enough for days of worry-free commuting or even a road trip. Easy public charging at Tesla’s nationwide Supercharger high-speed charging network is another plus. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is a nearly magical technology that steers the car through city streets like a robotic chauffeur.

Starting price: $38,630

Edmunds Top Rated SUV: Hyundai Palisade Hybrid
The Hyundai Palisade is fully redesigned this year, and this midsize three-row SUV is a winner. Seating up to eight passengers and powered by either a gas or hybrid engine, the Palisade looks like a luxury SUV. The roomy and comfortable interior reinforces that impression with options like power-operated second-row seats that are hard to find even on luxury brands. Edmunds prefers the Palisade Hybrid. It’s more powerful and noticeably quicker than the standard gasoline version and gets up to an EPA-estimated 34 mpg combined, which is excellent fuel economy for a big family-hauling SUV.

Starting price: $45,760

Edmunds Top Rated Electric SUV: Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an affordable five-seat electric SUV that appeals to nearly anyone looking for an EV. With models ranging from budget-friendly entry-level trims all the way up to the high-performance N and off-road XRT, the Ioniq 5 has a little something for every EV shopper. The comfortable and roomy interior feels high-tech and has plenty of room for passengers. The Ioniq 5 is also capable of very quick public fast charging, enabling you to spend less time at the charging station and more time driving.

Starting price: $36,600

Edmunds Top Rated Truck: Ford Maverick
Ford once again earns an Edmunds Top Rated Truck award, but this time it’s the compact Ford Maverick taking home the trophy. The Maverick is much easier to maneuver around town than a full-size, or even a midsize, truck, and you have a choice between a fuel-sipping hybrid or a powerful turbocharged engine. It’s also respectably capable of truck stuff too. It has a small but useful cargo bed and a maximum towing capacity of 4,000 pounds. All-wheel drive is available, and specialty Maverick versions include the off-road-capable Tremor and the sporty Lobo.

Starting price: $28,990

Edmunds Top Rated Electric Truck: Rivian R1T
Changes made to Rivian R1T electric pickup last year keep it at the top of our electric truck list. And why not? The styling is distinctive, and its stable handling and rapid acceleration can make you question whether you’re driving a pickup or a performance car. In the independent Edmunds EV Range Test, a dual-motor, Max battery-equipped R1T went 390 miles on a charge, excellent range for its class. Topping it off are outstanding truck virtues, from its off-road-ready all-wheel-drive system to its 11,000-pound maximum towing capacity to the clever cargo storage area between the cab and bed.

Starting price: $74,885

The Lakewood Police Department has filed criminal charges following an investigation into the theft of commercial merchandise valued at approximately $65,000.

According to police, officers responded on February 4, 2026, after a shipment scheduled for delivery to Lakewood never arrived. The victim reported that the merchandise had been picked up out of state by a contracted driver but failed to reach its intended destination.

An investigation by the Lakewood Police Department Detective Bureau included a review of shipping documentation, electronic tracking data, and coordination with out-of-state authorities. Detectives determined that the individual assigned to transport the shipment did not complete the delivery.

As a result of the investigation, Kamal Singh, 24, of Fresno, California, has been charged with two counts of Theft by Deception (2C:20-4), related to both the transportation payment and the value of the merchandise.

Police say Singh has been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. The investigation remains ongoing.

Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer stated that cargo theft can significantly impact businesses beyond a single transaction, noting that detectives worked across multiple jurisdictions to ensure appropriate charges were filed. He added that the department will continue to pursue individuals who seek to exploit the business community.

Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact Detective Ganley of the Lakewood Police Department Detective Bureau.

Hassan Kashahala, a 26-year-old former IDF combat soldier who died in January while being held under administrative detention at Gilboa Prison, has yet to be laid to rest, with his family saying they still have not received official details explaining the circumstances of his death.

Relatives were informed of his passing last month. However, according to a report in Haaretz, authorities have not provided the family with formal clarification regarding how he died, and his body continues to be withheld.

Kashahala joined the IDF in 2020, serving in the Bedouin Tracking Battalion as a combat soldier for three years. His family says he took part in military operations during the war in Gaza.

In May 2025, the Shin Bet detained Kashahala along with two additional suspects, alleging that he was affiliated with the Islamic State terrorist organization and had committed other offenses, including planning a terror attack.

One month later, prosecutors announced that charges would not be filed against him. Despite that decision, on the day he was scheduled for release, Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, acting at the Shin Bet’s request, signed a six-month administrative detention order against him. The detention was subsequently renewed.

Kashahala was held in the security wing of Gilboa Prison alongside inmates convicted of terrorism-related offenses. During a hearing at the Be’er Sheva District Court in August, he said: “I am in danger in prison. I’m afraid they will identify me as a soldier who completed a full military service. I’m afraid of dying here.”

This week, his family submitted a petition to the Supreme Court demanding that his remains be returned for burial. The filing states, “From a combat soldier in the IDF to an administrative detainee who died under mysterious circumstances.” The family added: “There is still to this day no reliable evidence that he committed a crime, and there is even no conclusion that the deceased was a ‘terrorist.'”

{Matzav.com}

(AP) – The group of 15 backcountry skiers was on a three-day trek organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides into pristine wilderness near Frog Lake in California’s Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe.

The skiers set out on Sunday, carrying their own food and overnighting in huts situated at 7,600 feet (3,415 meters) in Tahoe National Forest, where a winter storm arrived and an avalanche watch was issued that morning.

“If you’ve booked the Frog Lake Huts in Truckee, trust our guides to elevate your trip to the next level,” the business said on its website, advertising the trip. “We’ll navigate in and out of the huts, manage the risks, and find the best terrain and snow quality for you and your group!”

On Tuesday, the group was trapped by an avalanche. Authorities said Wednesday that eight people were killed and one person remained missing. Six skiers were rescued after sheltering in place for hours as crews battled blizzard conditions.

Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement that it was coordinating with authorities. It said the group, including four guides, was returning to the trailhead when the avalanche occurred near Castle Peak. Three of the guides were among those killed, officials said.

The company, with offices in California and Washington state, offers mountaineering and backcountry ski trips across the U.S. West Coast as well as in Europe and Japan. The tour outfit also offers safety courses like wilderness skills and first aid.

The rugged terrain where the skiers died had been closed to the public for a century before the Truckee Donner Land Trust bought it and opened the huts, which are outfitted with basic accommodations such as sleeping pads, gas stoves and flush toilets.

An avalanche watch had been issued Sunday morning as a powerful winter storm moved into the state. The Sierra Avalanche Center issued a more severe avalanche warning for the Central Sierra Nevada, including the Greater Lake Tahoe region, starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday with large slides expected into Wednesday.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said investigators would look into the decision to proceed with the trip despite the concern over potential avalanches.

“We’re still in conversation with them on the decision factors that they made,” Moon said at a Wednesday news conference announcing the deaths.

The sheriff said the search occurred during “horrific conditions” in an area where rescue missions are common.

The tour, which cost $1,165.00 per person, was rated for intermediate-to-expert skiers with at least 20 days of backcountry experience who should be prepared to climb up to 2,500 vertical feet (760 meters) throughout the course of a day, according to the company’s website. Guides carry first aid kits and “wag bags” for human waste disposal, but participants must bring their own ski equipment and avalanche gear, including a beacon, shovel and probe.

“Generally our guides are able to find excellent backcountry snow conditions, but often we need to travel through difficult conditions to access the goods,” the website description said. “This requires riders to be adept with their backcountry touring skills and have a solid foundation of touring before the trip.”

Rapidly accumulating snow piling on fragile snowpack layers, along with strong winds, contributed to the treacherous conditions.

The town of Soda Springs, near where the avalanche took place, recorded at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow during a 24-hour period, according to the Soda Springs Mountain Resort.

Police in Netanya have arrested a 13-year-old boy after he was filmed setting a woman’s hair on fire aboard a public bus.
According to police, officers located and detained the suspect shortly after video footage of the attack began circulating online.

The clip shows the boy standing in the bus aisle as he quietly brings a lighter close to the hair of a seated woman. After flicking the lighter, the teenager appears to act surprised and calls attention to the flames he had ignited, as if unaware of how the fire started. Moments later, another passenger who witnessed the incident rushed to help the woman and extinguish the blaze.

Authorities said the woman was not seriously injured.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Police said the act was deliberate and said the video played a key role in identifying and locating the suspect.

“The suspect was arrested shortly after the footage surfaced,” police said in a statement.

The teen was brought before a court on Wednesday for a remand hearing. A judge ordered that he remain in custody for an additional three days while investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Officials have not disclosed a possible motive and said the investigation is ongoing.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mark Zuckerberg and opposing lawyers dueled in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday, where the Meta CEO answered questions about young people’s use of Instagram, his congressional testimony and internal advice he’s received about being “authentic” and not “robotic.”

Zuckerberg’s testimony is part of an unprecedented social media trial that questions whether Meta’s platforms deliberately addict and harm children.

As of early afternoon, Zuckerberg has not directly answered the central question of the case: whether Instagram is addictive. The plaintiff’s attorney, Mark Lanier, asked if people tend to use something more if it’s addictive.

“I’m not sure what to say to that,” Zuckerberg said. “I don’t think that applies here.”

Attorneys representing the plaintiff, a now 20-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, claim her early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled.

Beginning his questioning, Lanier laid out three options of what people can do regarding vulnerable people: help them, ignore them, or “prey upon them and use them for our own ends.” Zuckerberg said he agrees the last option is not what a reasonable company should do, saying, “I think a reasonable company should try to help the people that use its services.”

When he was asked about his compensation, Zuckerberg said he has pledged to give “almost all” of his money to charity, focusing on scientific research. Lanier asked him how much money he has pledged to victims impacted by social media, to which Zuckerberg replied, “I disagree with the characterization of your question.”

Lanier questioned the Meta CEO extensively about a comment he made during a past congressional hearing, where he said Instagram employees are not given goals to increase amount of time people spent on the platform.

Lanier presented internal documents that seemed to contradict that statement. Zuckerberg replied that they previously had goals associated with time, but said he and the company made the conscious decision to move away from those goals, focusing instead on utility. He said he believes in the “basic assumption” that “if something is valuable, people will use it more because it’s useful to them.”

Lanier also asked Zuckerberg about what he characterized as extensive media training, including for testimonies like the one he was giving in court. Lanier pointed to an internal document about feedback on Zuckerberg’s tone of voice on his own social media, imploring him to come off as “authentic, direct, human, insightful and real,” and instructing him to “not try hard, fake, robotic, corporate or cheesy” in his communication.

Zuckerberg pushed back against the idea that he’s been coached on how to respond to questions or present himself, saying those offering the advice were “just giving feedback.”

Regarding his media appearances and public speaking, Zuckerberg said, “I think I’m actually well known to be sort of bad at this.”

The Meta CEO has long been mocked online for appearing robotic and, when he was younger, nervous when speaking publicly. In 2010, during an interview with renowned tech journalists Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, he was sweating so profusely that Swisher asked him if he wanted to “take off the hoodie” that was his uniform at the time.

Lanier spent a considerable stretch of his limited time with Zuckerberg asking about the company’s age verification policies.

“I don’t see why this is so complicated,” Zuckerberg said after a lengthy back-and-forth, reiterating that the company’s policy restricts users under the age of 13 and that they work to detect users who have lied about their ages to bypass restrictions.

Zuckerberg mostly stuck to his talking points, referencing his goal of building a platform that is valuable to users and, on multiple occasions, saying he disagreed with Lanier’s “characterization” of his questions or of Zuckerberg’s own comments.

Zuckerberg has testified in other trials and answered questions from Congress about youth safety on Meta’s platforms. During his 2024 congressional testimony, he apologized to families whose lives had been upended by tragedies they believed were caused by social media. But while he told parents he was “sorry for everything you have all been through,” he stopped short of taking direct responsibility for it. This trial marks the first time Zuckerberg stands before a jury. Once again, bereaved parents are sitting in the courtroom audience.

The case, along with two others, has been selected as a bellwether trial, meaning its outcome could impact how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies are likely to play out.

A Meta spokesperson said the company strongly disagrees with the allegations in the lawsuit and said they are “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”

One of Meta’s attorneys, Paul Schmidt, said in his opening statement that the company is not disputing that KGM experienced mental health struggles, but rather disputing that Instagram played a substantial factor in those struggles. He pointed to medical records that showed a turbulent home life, and both he and an attorney representing YouTube argue she turned to their platforms as a coping mechanism or a means of escaping her mental health struggles.

Zuckerberg’s testimony comes a week after that of Adam Mosseri, the head of Meta’s Instagram, who said in the courtroom that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms. Mosseri maintained that Instagram works hard to protect young people using the service, and said it’s “not good for the company, over the long run, to make decisions that profit for us but are poor for people’s well-being.”

Much of Mosseri’s questioning from the plaintiff’s lawyer centered on cosmetic filters on Instagram that changed people’s appearance — a topic that Lanier is sure to revisit with Zuckerberg. He is also expected to face questions about Instagram’s algorithm, the infinite nature of Meta’s feeds and other features the plaintiffs argue are designed to get users hooked.

Meta is also facing a separate trial in New Mexico that began last week.

NEVADA CITY, Calif. (AP) — Crews found the bodies of eight backcountry skiers near California’s Lake Tahoe and were searching for one more after they were caught in an avalanche, the nation’s deadliest in nearly half a century, authorities said Wednesday.

Authorities said the skiers had little time to react.

“Someone saw the avalanche, yelled avalanche, and it overtook them rather quickly,” said Capt. Russell “Rusty” Greene, of the Nevada County sheriff’s office.

Six from the guided tour were rescued six hours after the avalanche hit Tuesday morning during a three-day trek in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada, as a monster winter storm pummeled the West Coast.

Eight of the nine backcountry skiers missing since an avalanche on Tuesday near Lake Tahoe have been found dead, Nevada County officials said on Wednesday.

Six people were rescued from the scene in what authorities described as horrific weather conditions. @fox5ny pic.twitter.com/whRVbjvovK

— Meredith Gorman (@MereGorman) February 18, 2026

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said investigators would look into the decision to proceed with the trip despite the forecast for relentless weather.

Authorities have told the families the mission has moved from rescuing people to recovering bodies, Moon said during a news conference.

The victims, including three guides, were found fairly close together, Greene said. The dead and missing include seven women and two men, ranging in ages from 30 to 55. The crews have not yet been able to remove the victims from the mountain because of the extreme conditions, the sheriff said.

Three to six feet of snow has fallen since Sunday, when the group started its trip. The area was also hit by subfreezing temperatures and gale force winds. The Sierra Avalanche Center said the threat of more avalanches remained Wednesday and left the snowpack unstable and unpredictable in an area known for its steep, craggy cliffs.

Rescuers were guided by beacons and a cellphone in dangerous conditions
Rescuers reached the survivors just before sunset on Tuesday.

The skiers all had beacons that can send signals to rescuers and at least one of the guides was able to send texts, but it wasn’t clear if they were wearing avalanche bags, which are inflatable devices that can keep skiers near the surface, Greene said.

While they waited to be rescued, the survivors used equipment to shelter themselves and fend off temperatures dipping below freezing. The survivors located three others who had died during the wait, Moon said.

Rescuers used a snowcat to get within 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of the survivors, then skied in carefully so they didn’t set off another avalanche, the sheriff said.

One of those rescued remains in a hospital Wednesday, Moon said.

The area near Donner Summit is one of the snowiest places in the Western Hemisphere and until just a few years ago was closed to the public. It sees an average of nearly 35 feet (10 meters) of snow a year, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust, which owns a cluster of huts where the group was staying near Frog Lake.

The avalanche is the deadliest in the U.S. since 1981, when 11 climbers were killed on Mount Rainier, Washington. Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center.

It was the second deadly avalanche near California’s Castle Peak this year, after a snowmobiler was buried by one in January.

Skiers were heading for the trailhead when the avalanche struck
Greene said authorities were notified about the avalanche by Blackbird Mountain Guides, which was leading the expedition, and the skiers’ emergency beacons. The sheriff’s office said Tuesday night that 15 backcountry skiers had been on the trip, not 16 as initially believed.

One skier had pulled out at the last minute, Moon said.

Authorities were waiting to release the victims’ names to give the families time. “They’re still reeling,” Moon said. “I could not imagine what they’re going through.”

The skiers were on the last day of the backcountry trip and had spent two nights in the huts, said Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center. He said the area requires navigating rugged mountainous terrain. All food and supplies need to be carried to the huts.

Reaching the huts in winter takes several hours and requires backcountry skills, avalanche training and safety equipment, the land trust says on its website.

The area near Donner Summit was closed for nearly a century before it was reopened by the land trust and its partners in 2020. Donner Summit is named for the infamous Donner Party, a group of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism after getting trapped there in the winter of 1846-1847.

Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement that the group, including four guides, was returning to the trailhead when the avalanche occurred.

When asked what went through her mind as her staff and volunteers responded to the scene, Moon said she was hoping they would be able to make it there safely. Once they did, she said she was “immediately thinking of the folks that didn’t make it, and knowing our mission now is to get them home.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration plans to drop its longtime standard of requiring two rigorous studies to win approval of new drugs, the latest change from Trump administration officials vowing to speed up the availability of certain medical products.

Going forward, the FDA’s “default position” will be to require one study for new drugs and other novel health products, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and a top deputy, Dr. Vinay Prasad, wrote in a New England Journal of Medicine piece published Wednesday.

The announcement is the latest example of Makary and his team changing longstanding FDA standards and procedures with the stated goal of slashing bureaucracy and accelerating the availability of new medicines.

Since arriving at the agency last April, Makary has launched a series of directives that he says will shorten FDA reviews, including mandating the use of artificial intelligence by staffers and offering one-month drug reviews for new medications that serve “national interests.”

It contrasts with the FDA’s more restrictive approach to other products, including vaccines.

In their piece published Wednesday, Makary and Prasad state that dropping the two-trial requirement reflects modern advances that have made drug research “increasingly precise and scientific.”

“In this setting, overreliance on two trials no longer makes sense,” they write. “In 2026 there are powerful alternative ways to feel assured that our products help people live longer or better than requiring manufacturers to test them yet again.”

The FDA officials predicted the shift would lead to “a surge in drug development.”

Dr. Janet Woodcock, the FDA’s former drug director, said the change makes sense and reflects the FDA’s decades-long move toward relying on one trial, combined with supporting evidence, for various life-threatening diseases, including cancer.

“The scientific point is well taken that as we move toward greater understanding of biology and disease we don’t need to do two trials all the time,” said Woodcock, who led the FDA’s drug center for more than 20 years before retiring in 2024.

The two-study standard for drugs dates to the early 1960s, when Congress passed a law requiring the FDA to review data from “adequate and well-controlled investigations,” before clearing new medications. For decades, the agency interpreted that requirement as meaning at least two studies, preferably with a large number of patients and significant follow-up time.

The reason for requiring the second study was to confirm that the first trial’s results weren’t a fluke and could be reproduced.

But beginning in the 1990s, the FDA increasingly began accepting single studies for the approval of treatments for rare or fatal diseases that companies often struggle to test in large numbers of patients.

Over the last five years, roughly 60% of first-of-a-kind drugs approved each year have been cleared based on a single study. The shift reflects laws passed by Congress that directed regulators to be more flexible when reviewing drugs for serious or hard-to-treat conditions.

Woodcock said the new policy announced Wednesday will mainly impact drugs for common diseases that previously weren’t eligible for reduced testing standards.

“It’s not the cancers and the rare diseases that will be affected by this,” she noted. “The agency has been approving those on a single trial already.”

The latest approach from FDA leadership contrasts with the agency’s recent actions on vaccines, gene therapies and other treatments.

Last week, the FDA’s vaccine division, headed by Prasad, refused to accept Moderna’s application for a new mRNA flu shot, saying its clinical trial was insufficient. Then on Wednesday the agency reversed course, saying it would review the vaccine after Moderna agreed to conduct an additional study in older people.

Separately, Prasad has rejected a string of experimental gene therapies and biotech drugs, citing the need for additional studies or more definitive evidence. The trend has weighed on the stocks of many biotech companies and clashed with Makary’s public statements promoting the speed and flexibility of the FDA’s reviews.

Woodcock said the drug industry will have to wait and see whether the FDA’s approach to promising experimental therapies changes.

“Implementation will be everything,” she said. “Since the agency’s approach is unclear, and the industry is already baffled, I don’t think this adds any illumination.”

Iran has been selected to serve as vice-chair of the United Nations Charter Committee, a body tasked with addressing the core tenets of the UN Charter and examining proposals to “strengthen the Charter,” prompting criticism from Israel’s envoy to the UN.

The decision was finalized during the committee’s opening session, where members approved the leadership lineup as part of a broader agreement on the panel’s executive structure. The slate was adopted by consensus, without the need for a formal vote.

The Charter Committee operates under the umbrella of the UN’s Legal Committee and meets annually. Although it is intended to focus on issues tied to the foundational framework of the United Nations, its requirement for unanimous agreement has often limited its ability to advance concrete initiatives. In recent years, the forum has increasingly served as a stage for political disputes, including pointed attacks on Israel.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, condemned Iran’s elevation to the vice-chair position. “This is a moral absurdity. A country that systematically violates the basic principles of the UN cannot sit in a leadership position that deals with strengthening them. The UN cannot continue to grant legitimacy to regimes that violate the very principles of its own charter.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is proposing reductions to the NYPD as a key cost-saving measure as his administration looks to rein in spending amid what he describes as a historic budget crisis.

Mamdani has moved to cancel a series of executive orders signed by his predecessor, Eric Adams. Among the canceled initiatives was a plan to significantly expand the NYPD’s ranks by adding 300 officers in July 2026, expand to 2,500 additional officers by July 2027, and reach an annual increase of 5,000 officers by July 2028. The plan would have pushed the force to roughly 40,000 officers.

Mamdani’s approach caps staffing closer to the current level of about 35,000.

His preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget also emphasizes reducing vacancies across city agencies, a move that could further limit funding for unfilled NYPD positions. Gothamist reported that the proposal includes a $22 million cut to the department’s $6.4 billion budget next year.

“We inherited a historic budget gap,” Mamdani said, claiming he had reduced the deficit from $12 billion to $5.4 billion. “But there is still a significant chasm.”

“I know that for those who have watched budget after budget, it is tempting to assume that we are engaging in the same dance as our predecessors,” he added. “Let me assure you, nothing about this is typical.”

Mamdani outlined two potential paths to balancing the city’s finances, framing one as fairer and more sustainable.

“There are two paths to bridge this gap,” he said. “The first is… raising taxes on the richest New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations.”

If state lawmakers do not approve such increases, Mamdani warned, the city may be forced to pursue what he called a more harmful alternative.

“We would have to raise property taxes,” he said. “We would also be forced to raid our reserves.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump hosted a White House reception for Black History Month on Wednesday, less than two weeks after he sparked a bipartisan outcry by posting a racist video on social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle.

Trump on Wednesday didn’t reference the video, which he deleted after a widespread backlash but said he won’t apologize for posting. He also did not reference Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, but spoke of other history-making Black Americans.

“We celebrate Black History Month. We honor the memory of those who came before us by continuing their legacy,” he said.

Trump name-checked prominent Black Americans among his supporters, including boxer Mike Tyson, whom Trump praised for defending him against accusations of racism, and rapper Nicki Minaj, whose skin he praised as “so beautiful” while commenting on how long her fingernails were.

The Republican president brought onstage several members of his administration, including Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson.

“As you look out upon this sea of Black Americans, this president hears you. This president cares for you. Don’t let anyone tell you that this president right here, Donald Trump has not — is not for Black America,” Johnson said. “Because he is.”

Trump listed ways he said his policies benefited Black Americans, including the law he signed last year eliminating federal income taxes on tips and his deployment of National Guard troops “to bring back safety” in cities with large populations of Black residents, such as Washington, New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee.

The reception came the day after Trump proclaimed in another social media post that he has been “falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left,” in a message that was meant to pay tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died Tuesday.

In response to a question about the post, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier Wednesday: “There is a lot this president has done for all Americans, regardless of race. And he has absolutely been falsely called and smeared as a racist.”

Trump has long recognized Black History Month as president, but his policies and rhetoric while in office often contradict celebrations of diversity and the contributions of Black Americans.

Trump has targeted the diversity, equity and inclusion programs that helped many Black Americans find jobs in both the federal government and a variety of private industries over the last several decades. He has called DEI programs “discrimination,” and he has pushed to eradicate them from the government and put pressure on the private sector to do the same.

At the same time, Trump has painted himself as champion of historically Black colleges and universities. The White House on Wednesday highlighted the Trump administration’s move last year to steer $500 million to HBCUs. The one-time boost largely came from federal money taken away from colleges serving large shares of Hispanic students. The award for HBCUs came days after the Education Department pulled $350 million from other grant programs targeting colleges with certain percentages of Hispanic students and other minority groups. The Trump administration said those grant programs were unconstitutional.

Trump began his second term by claiming some African American history lessons are meant to indoctrinate people into hating the country. He issued an executive order “restoring truth and sanity to American history,” which the administration used to scrub historical information from national parks that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living,” including Black history markers.

Shortly after beginning his second term, Trump issued a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month as the Defense Department was declaring that official resources will no longer be used to mark cultural awareness months.

The White House’s Black History Month reception last year was also held in the wake of another executive order that ended the federal government’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Today’s post is about: DSCR Loans (Debt Service Coverage Ratio AKA “No Doc” Loans)

What it is

A DSCR loan is a mortgage for an investment property where the lender qualifies you mainly based on the property’s rental income—not your personal income.

Instead of focusing on your W-2s or tax returns, the lender looks at whether the property’s rent can cover the monthly mortgage payment.

DSCR stands for Debt Service Coverage Ratio.

Who it’s for

This loan is for real estate investors who:

• Want to buy or refinance a 1–4 unit rental property
• Don’t want to fully document personal income
• Have solid credit and some cash reserves

It’s common for borrowers who are self-employed, write off a lot on taxes, or just want a simpler income process.

How DSCR is calculated (simple)

DSCR = Monthly rent ÷ Monthly housing payment

The “housing payment” usually includes:

• Principal + interest
• Property taxes
• Insurance
• HOA (if applicable)

Example:

• Rent = $3,000/month
• Mortgage payment (PITI) = $2,500/month
• DSCR = 3,000 ÷ 2,500 = **1.20
  **

A DSCR over 1.00 usually means the rent covers the payment.
Some lenders allow below 1.00 (like 0.00–0.99), but the rate/terms are usually worse.

How rent is determined

Lenders use one of these:

• Current lease (if the property is already rented)
• **Appraisal rent schedule (market rent estimate / “1007”)
  **
• Sometimes both

If the lease is higher than market, the lender may still use the market rent number—it depends on the lender.

How much you can borrow

DSCR loans usually require a down payment. Typical ranges:

• 20–25% down for purchases
• Refi max LTV is often 70–80%, depending on the deal and DSCR

Rates are usually higher than conventional loans because they’re designed for investors and have fewer income docs.

What is a prepayment penalty? (and why it matters)

A prepayment penalty is a fee some lenders charge if you pay off the loan early—usually if you refinance or sell within a certain period.

On DSCR loans, prepay penalties are commonly 0–5 years.

The 3 common types:

1. **Fixed % (hard prepay)
   **Example: 5% of the loan amount if you pay it off during the penalty window (some lenders keep the % the same each year).
2. **6 months interest
   **If you pay off the loan early, you owe about six months of interest as the penalty.
3. **Step-down / declining
   **This is the most common structure.
   Examples:

• 5-4-3-2-1 (five-year step-down)
• 3-2-1 (three-year step-down)

Bottom line: If you might refinance soon, the prepay penalty can be the difference between a good deal and a bad one.

Process (high level)

1. Apply (basic borrower + property info)
2. Credit is checked
3. Provide asset docs (bank statements for down payment + reserves)
4. Provide lease (if any)
5. Appraisal is ordered (includes rent estimate)
6. Underwriting reviews DSCR, LTV, and borrower strength
7. Close and fund

What to watch out for

• Make sure your broker is quoting the actual DSCR ratio the lender is using (not just “you’re fine”)
• Confirm the prepayment penalty (years + type: fixed, 6 months interest, or step-down)
• Confirm the FICO score they’re pricing off (and which credit report/model they’re using)
• Confirm points and fees clearly—watch for “junk” fees like:
  • attorney/lawyer fee (when it’s not really needed)
  • processing fee
  • admin/underwriting/doc prep fees that feel padded
  • any other “misc” fees that aren’t standard
• Don’t compare quotes without comparing rate + points + prepay + DSCR + LTV together

Bottom line

DSCR loans are one of the simplest ways for investors to finance rental properties because approval is based mainly on rental income and the property’s ability to carry itself.

If you’re buying or refinancing a rental and don’t want the headache of full income documentation, DSCR is usually the first place to look.

Since 2023, Josh Dan has been a licensed loan officer. He takes complex finance and makes it simple, helping borrowers understand their options and make smart decisions. Connect with Josh at joshuadan.com

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Adar is here!  And if ever there was a month to grow from a sefer – Adar is it!  The Megillah is not just an account of the Nais of Purim. It is a blueprint filled with life lessons showing us how to live. 

Rav Yerucham Levovitz zt”l, the legendary Mashgiach of the Mir Yeshiva in Poland, makes a remarkable observation (Daas Chochma uMussar Vol. I, p. 76). Building on the Vilna Gaon’s explanation of the very last pasuk of Megilas Esther, Rav Yerucham teaches that the entire Megillah is really a mussar sefer – a book of ethical instruction. Every character, every decision, every twist of what transpires – carries a life lesson.

Study the terrible choices of Haman and Achashverosh – and learn what to avoid. Study the righteous conduct of Mordechai and Esther – and learn what to become. Through these contrasting portraits, the Megillah hands us life lessons that are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.

1. Gaavah – Pride and Arrogance

Pride is poison to the soul. It makes a person believe he deserves honor, blinds him to his own faults, and pushes away both Hashem and the people around him. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 11) calls it one of the most spiritually destructive traits. Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 3:34) goes further: the arrogant person effectively denies Hashem’s control over the world. And the Chovos HaLevavos (Sha’ar HaKeni’ah, Ch. 1) warns that pride blinds a person to his own weaknesses and drives a wedge between him and everyone else.

Achashverosh throws a six-month feast just to show off his wealth and power (1:4). Think about that – half a year of extravagance, all to feed one man’s ego. Real greatness has nothing to do with flashy displays. It comes from humility, from using what we have for meaningful purposes instead of self-glorification. As Shlomo HaMelech warns: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Mishlei 16:18).

Haman cannot stand that one person – Mordechai – refuses to bow to him (3:5). One person! Haman has everything: wealth, power, the king’s favor. But a single man’s refusal to grovel eats him alive. When your ego demands that every single person validate you, you will never have peace.

Haman brags to his family about his exclusive dinner invitation from Esther (5:12). He has to tell everyone how important he is. But the constant need to feel special is a trap – it prevents real happiness. No matter how much you achieve, vanity will always whisper that it’s not enough.

When Achashverosh asks “What should be done for someone the king wants to honor?” Haman immediately assumes it is him (6:6). Of course he does. Baalei Gaavah and narcisstic people filter everything through their own desires. They can’t imagine the world doesn’t revolve around them – and that blindness sets them up for devastating humiliation.

Achashverosh orders Haman to lead Mordechai through the streets in royal honor – the very man Haman wanted dead (6:10). This is a midah-keneged midah form of poetic justice at its finest. Pride sets you up for a fall, and sometimes those who scheme against others watch their own plans boomerang right back.

Haman must personally parade Mordechai through the city (6:11). He experiences the painful flip side of arrogance. Our attitudes come back to us in ways we never expect. Treat others with the respect you want for yourself – because midah-keneged midah has a way of evening the score.

After being honored, Mordechai quietly returns to his post. Haman, by contrast, falls apart (6:12). This contrast says everything. A true tzaddik stays humble even when honored. An arrogant person is destroyed by any loss of status. Which one do you want to be?

2. Humility and Modesty

True humility means recognizing that every talent you have, every success you’ve experienced, is a gift from Hashem. It doesn’t mean thinking you’re worthless – it means understanding where your worth really comes from. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 22) devotes an entire chapter to this idea. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaAnavah) teaches that the humble person doesn’t chase honor but finds satisfaction in serving others and doing Hashem’s will. The Nefesh haChaim explains that we are here to help others.   That is why we are here – chessed.  And the Rambam (Hilchos De’os 2:3) makes a stunning ruling: when it comes to pride, don’t even aim for the middle path – go to the extreme of humility, because even a little arrogance is dangerous.

Esther doesn’t demand special treatment or pile on expensive beauty products. She simply follows the chamberlain’s advice (2:15). And yet she wins everyone over. True respect is earned through tznius, authenticity, and good character – not by flashy displays or  special treatment. As Shlomo HaMelech says: “Hashem detests the proud in heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished” (Mishlei 16:5).

Even after Esther becomes queen, Mordechai stays at his humble post by the palace gate (2:19). He doesn’t try to cash in on his cousin’s new position. He doesn’t angle for a promotion or a title. He keeps doing what’s right, focused on serving others rather than climbing the ladder. “The righteous who walks in his integrity – blessed are his children after him!” (Mishlei 20:7).

3. Materialism and the Emptiness of External Possessions

We were not put into this world to collect things. Our purpose is to draw close to Hashem, and everything else – money, possessions, luxuries – are just tools to help us get there. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 1) makes this the very foundation of its entire system. The Chovos HaLevavos (Sha’ar HaPrishus, Ch. 1) warns that chasing wealth creates an appetite that can never be satisfied – the more you have, the more you want. Rabbeinu Yonah (Mishlei 23:4) cautions that the pursuit of riches leads a person to neglect Torah and mitzvos, leaving him spiritually bankrupt no matter how full his bank account.

Achashverosh’s palace is dripping with luxury – gold, silver, marble, fine fabrics (1:6). But all that opulence can’t hide the corruption underneath. No amount of expensive decorations can make up for a rotten character. Real worth comes from who you are, not what you own. The Navi Yirmiyahu tells us: “Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom or the strong boast in their strength or the rich boast in their riches, but let those who boast – boast in this: that they understand and know Me” (Yirmiyahu 9:23–24).

Haman has everything – wealth, power, honor – but says it all “means nothing” because Mordechai won’t bow to him (5:13). Let that sink in. One person’s refusal to show respect poisons everything else in his life. Resentment and obsession with status can rob you of the ability to enjoy any of your actual blessings.

4. Controlling Anger and Emotions

Anger is one of the worst character traits a person can have. When you’re angry, you lose your wisdom and do things you’ll deeply regret. The Rambam (Hilchos De’os 2:3) says a person should train himself not to get angry even when anger seems justified. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaKa’as) explains that anger chases away wisdom and leads to terrible decisions. And Rebbi Shimon ben Elazar (Avos D’Rebbi Noson 29:1) teaches that an angry person has temporarily lost control of his rational mind.

When Vashti refuses to appear, Achashverosh explodes with rage (1:12). He can’t handle being told no. His fury reveals a person who demands total obedience and has zero ability to manage his emotions. We must learn to control ourselves when we’re disappointed – and to respect other people’s boundaries even when we disagree. “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (Mishlei 29:11).

Haman swings from ecstasy to fury in a single moment – thrilled by his dinner invitation, then enraged by Mordechai’s refusal to bow (5:9). When your emotional stability depends entirely on how other people treat you, you will always be on a roller coaster. True inner peace comes from values and character, not from other people’s reactions.

5. Hasty and Impulsive Decision-Making

There’s a big difference between acting quickly and acting recklessly. True diligence means thinking carefully before you act, not just rushing ahead on emotion. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 2) distinguishes between thoughtful promptness and impulsive behavior driven by feelings. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaZerizus) teaches that real zrizus diligence requires contemplating whether an action is wise before rushing to do it. Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 1:12) warns that impulsive people cause damage because they fail to think about or weigh consequences.

Achashverosh, still burning with anger, permanently removes Vashti from her position (1:21). He doesn’t pause, doesn’t reconsider, doesn’t sleep on it. Never make major decisions while you’re emotional. The consequences last long after the feelings fade. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty” (Mishlei 21:5).

Only after his anger cools does Achashverosh realize what he’s done to Vashti (2:1). But it’s too late. The decision can’t be reversed. How many times do we act in anger and then wish we could take it back? Important decisions must be made with a clear, calm mind. “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him” (Mishlei 18:17).

Achashverosh continues to grant extreme requests without thinking them through (9:12). He never learns. Don’t let emotion or flattery push you into impulsive decisions. Take the time to carefully consider the consequences – especially when other people’s lives are affected.

6. Intoxication and Impaired Judgment

Anything that clouds your thinking leads to bad decisions. A Torah scholar should never drink to the point where he loses his judgment and disgraces himself – the Rambam is clear about this (Hilchos De’os 5:3). The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 13) lists intoxication among the indulgences that pull a person away from serving Hashem. Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 3:77) counts habitual drunkenness among serious sins, warning that it leads to abandoning Torah and committing terrible mistakes.

Achashverosh makes life-altering decisions while drunk (1:10). This is reckless beyond words. Leaders especially must keep clear heads when exercising power. Anything that impairs your thinking puts you – and everyone around you – in danger. As Shlomo HaMelech says: “It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers to desire strong drink; lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted” (Mishlei 31:4–5).

7. Moderation and Avoiding Excess

The Torah way is the middle path. Avoid extremes. Don’t starve yourself, but don’t indulge until pleasure becomes the point of your life. The Rambam (Hilchos De’os 1:4) famously teaches this “golden mean.” The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 13) explains that abstinence from excess means enjoying this world’s pleasures only as much as necessary – never letting indulgence become a goal in itself. The Chovos HaLevavos (Sha’ar HaPrishus, Ch. 2) adds that a person who disciplines himself in physical matters will gain greater clarity and a deeper connection to the spiritual.

Achashverosh’s feast allows guests to drink as much as they want, and the whole atmosphere encourages excess (1:8). Even when you give people freedom to choose, you should promote healthy, balanced behavior – not enable destructive habits. “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor” (Mishlei 23:20–21).

8. Kavod HaBriyos – Respecting Human Dignity

Every human being is created b’tzelem Elokim – in Hashem’s image, and that demands respect. Human dignity is so fundamental that the Gemara (Brachos 19b) teaches it can even override certain rabbinic prohibitions. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) explains that treating every person with honor means recognizing the tzelem Elokim – the divine image – in each individual. Rav Chaim Vital (Sha’arei Kedushah 1:2) writes that proper treatment of others is actually a prerequisite for spiritual growth – you cannot draw close to Hashem while degrading the people He created.

Achashverosh orders Vashti to appear before his drunken guests like a trophy on display (1:11). He treats his own wife as an object, not a person. We must value people for who they are on the inside, not treat them as possessions to show off. “Hashem created mankind in His own image, in the image of Hashem He created them; male and female He created them” (Bereishis 1:27).

Young women throughout the kingdom are rounded up, prepared, and presented for the king’s pleasure (2:3). An entire system built on using people as objects. We must recognize and speak out against systems that dehumanize others for the benefit of the powerful – even when everyone around us treats it as normal. The Navi Yishayahu cries out: “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression” (Yishayahu 10:1–2).

9. Hatred, Prejudice, and Scapegoating

Baseless hatred – sinas chinam – destroyed the Beis HaMikdash and remains the primary obstacle to its rebuilding. The Chofetz Chaim (Sefer Chofetz Chaim, Introduction) makes this devastatingly clear. Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 3:38) warns that hatred in the heart violates a Torah prohibition and inevitably leads to destructive action. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaSin’ah) teaches that hatred warps a person’s perception of reality, making him see enemies where there are none and pursue the destruction of innocent people.

One man refuses to bow to him, so Haman decides to destroy an entire nation (3:6). Read that again. One personal insult escalates into planned genocide. This is the terrifying progression: wounded pride becomes personal grudge, personal grudge becomes group hatred, and group hatred becomes mass cruelty. “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished” (Mishlei 16:5).

Haman portrays Klal Yisroel as disloyal outsiders who are a threat to the empire (3:8). This is a timeless playbook: take a minority’s distinctiveness and repackage it as danger. Be on guard against hatred dressed up as concern for the common good. When someone tells you a group of people is “dangerous” because they’re different, recognize the manipulation for what it is.

Haman casts lots to pick the “right” date for his genocide, disguising his evil as destiny (3:7). Be wary of anyone who claims that fate, signs, or destiny justify harmful actions. Appeals to “it was meant to be” often mask personal responsibility for terrible choices.

10. Leadership and Responsibility

A leader carries the weight of every life entrusted to him. True leadership means serving others, not being served.

The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) teaches that a genuine chassid bears responsibility not just for himself but for his entire generation. The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 2:6) instructs that a king’s heart must serve as the heart of the entire Jewish people, with humility and compassion. The Chovos HaLevavos (Sha’ar Avodas HaElokim, Ch. 6) warns that anyone entrusted with authority will be held accountable by Hashem for every failure of care.

Achashverosh hands over his signet ring and authorizes genocide without even investigating what’s being asked of him – all for money (3:10–11). He sells millions of lives without a second thought. Human life is infinitely more valuable than political convenience or financial gain. Leaders who are indifferent to suffering are not leaders at all. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for Hashem made man in His own image” (Bereishis 9:6).

Achashverosh only shows generosity when it benefits him personally, throwing a feast to celebrate his own new bride (2:18). Real generosity comes from genuine care for others – not as a political strategy to celebrate your own good fortune or buy loyalty. “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to Hashem, and He will repay him for his deed” (Mishlei 19:17).

After everything, Achashverosh tries to pose as the Jews’ protector – conveniently ignoring that he authorized their destruction in the first place (8:7). Don’t claim credit for solving problems you helped create. Take full responsibility for your mistakes instead of rewriting history to make yourself look good.

After rising to power, Mordechai remains beloved by his people because he uses his position to help them, not himself (10:3). This is the ultimate definition of a true leader: not the power you hold, but how you use it. As the Torah instructs regarding kings: “That his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers” (Devarim 17:20).

11. Systems, Governance, and Moral Responsibility

Systems designed for governance can be turned into weapons of evil. But “I was just following orders” is never an excuse. Every individual bears personal moral responsibility for what he does. The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 4:10) warns that a king who uses authority to oppress has lost the legitimacy of his rule. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 4) teaches that you cannot hide behind the system – you are accountable for your own actions. The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 496) explains that officials who pervert justice bear responsibility not only for their own sins but for all the suffering they caused.

The imperial bureaucracy is mobilized with terrifying efficiency to carry out genocide – letters written, sealed, and distributed through official channels (3:12). Paperwork and procedures can serve evil just as easily as good. Moral responsibility belongs to everyone in the chain – not just the person who gives the order, but everyone who carries it out. “If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever” (Mishlei 29:14).

The empire’s laws cannot be revoked, even when they command mass murder (8:8). A system that values the appearance of infallibility over actual justice is a broken system. Good governance builds in mechanisms for correction – because human beings make mistakes, and pretending otherwise costs lives.

Officials who would have happily carried out genocide now protect the Jews – but only because they’re afraid of Mordechai, not because they’ve had a change of heart (9:3). When people obey out of fear rather than conviction, their loyalty flips the moment power shifts. Compliance based on intimidation is unreliable and hollow.

12. Courage, Mesiras Nefesh, and Standing on Principle

Sometimes doing what’s right means putting yourself on the line. It takes courage to stand alone, to refuse to go along with what everyone else is doing, to risk your safety for your principles. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) teaches that true piety sometimes demands risking your comfort, reputation, and even safety. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaYirah) explains that genuine fear of Hashem gives a person the strength to stand firm against human pressure. Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 3:58) counts among the righteous those who sanctify Hashem’s name publicly by refusing to compromise under threat.

Mordechai refuses to bow to Haman, no matter what (3:2). Everyone else bows. The pressure is enormous. The consequences could be fatal. But Mordechai stands firm. There are values more important than fitting in, more important than personal safety. “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident” (Tehillim 27:3).

Day after day, Achashverosh’s servants pressure Mordechai to comply (3:3). This is how society works: it pushes you to go along, to stop making waves, to just do what everyone else is doing. Standing for what’s right often means being the only one who says no. “You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing” (Shmos 23:2). Mordechai demonstrates this and sets an example for Klal Yisroel for all generations.

Even Esther – a nevi’ah, a prophetess – hesitates before approaching the king uninvited (4:11). And that’s an incredibly important insight. Courage is not the absence of fear. The bravest people feel fear – they just don’t let it stop them. Acknowledging real danger is not weakness; it’s wisdom.

Esther fasts for three days, preparing herself spiritually before risking her life (4:16). When you face something dangerous but necessary, prepare yourself – spiritually, mentally, practically. Courage combined with preparation is unstoppable.

Esther points directly at Haman and names him as the enemy in front of the king (7:6). There are times when evil must be called out by name, publicly and directly, even when it’s terrifying to do so. Standing for truth requires both the wisdom to choose the right moment and the boldness to speak when that moment comes.

13. Communal Responsibility and Noseh B’Ol Chaveiro

No Jew stands alone. Our fates are bound together. If your community is suffering and you look the other way, you are failing a fundamental obligation. The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 2:7) teaches that one who separates from the community during its time of distress will not merit sharing in its comfort. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) explains that a true chassid feels the pain of others as if it were his own. Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto further writes (Derech Hashem 2:3:8) that the souls of Klal Yisroel are interconnected – what happens to one affects everyone.

Mordechai tells Esther bluntly: “Don’t think that because you’re in the palace, you’ll escape” (4:13). Silence in the face of injustice is neither safe nor moral. If you have access, privilege, or a platform, you have a responsibility to use it for others. You cannot opt out of your community’s fate.

Mordechai drives the point home: privilege doesn’t protect you when your entire community is under threat (4:14). No matter how high you’ve climbed or how safe you feel, you are never exempt from the responsibility to help others.

Mordechai refuses to be comforted or to accept new clothes while his people face destruction (4:4). True leadership means sharing in the suffering of your community. You don’t accept comfort when others are in pain, and you don’t settle for surface-level solutions to deep problems.

14. Chesed, Caring for Others, and Family Responsibility

Chesed – lovingkindness – is not optional. If you have the ability to help someone and you don’t, it’s as if you’ve actively harmed them. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) roots true piety in chesed. The Chofetz Chaim (Ahavas Chesed, Part 2, Ch. 1) explains that caring for orphans and family members in need is among the highest forms of righteousness. The Rambam (Hilchos Avel 14:1) rules that mitzvos of lovingkindness – visiting the sick, comforting mourners, providing for the needy – have no prescribed limit.

Mordechai takes in his orphaned cousin Esther and raises her as his own daughter (2:7). This is chesed in action. Caring for those in need – especially family – even when it demands personal sacrifice, is one of the most powerful things a person can do. As we see from Boaz in Megilas Rus, who takes responsibility for Rus and Naomi (Rus 4:16) – stepping up for family is a hallmark of true righteousness.

15. Hakaras HaTov – Gratitude and Giving Credit

Gratitude is the foundation of every relationship – with Hashem and with other people. If you can’t recognize the good others have done for you, something in your character is broken. The Chovos HaLevavos (Sha’ar Avodas HaElokim, Ch. 6) calls hakaras hatov the very basis of our relationship with Hashem. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaSimchah) says that failing to acknowledge kindness reveals a corrupt and ungrateful heart. The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 33) warns that ingratitude toward people leads directly to ingratitude toward Hashem.

Mordechai uncovers an assassination plot and reports it. Esther, when telling the king, makes sure to give Mordechai the credit (2:22). Two lessons here: act with integrity in all situations, and give credit where it’s due. Don’t advance yourself on someone else’s work. The Gemara (Megillah 15a) teaches that giving proper credit brings redemption to the world.

Despite saving the king’s life, Mordechai receives nothing – not even a thank-you (2:23). The deed is written in the royal chronicles and promptly forgotten. Don’t be like Achashverosh. When someone does something good for you, acknowledge it. Thank them. Never take others’ kindness for granted. “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act” (Mishlei 3:27).

Achashverosh can’t sleep and discovers that he never rewarded Mordechai for saving his life (6:1). The lesson is clear: don’t wait until the middle of the night to remember the people who helped you. Show gratitude promptly and meaningfully.

16. Chochmah – Wisdom, Strategy, and Seeking Counsel

A wise person doesn’t act alone. He seeks advice, listens carefully, and thinks before he moves. “A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel” (Mishlei 1:5). The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 3) emphasizes reflecting carefully before acting and seeking guidance from those wiser than yourself. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaEitzah) warns that even well-meaning advisors can mislead you if their counsel is tainted by personal bias. Rabbeinu Yonah (Mishlei 12:15) explains that the hallmark of wisdom is the willingness to seek and accept counsel, while the fool stubbornly insists on his own way.

Even after becoming queen, Esther continues to trust and follow Mordechai’s guidance (2:10). Status doesn’t replace wisdom. No matter how much your circumstances change, there is always value in listening to those who see things clearly. “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Mishlei 11:14).

Esther doesn’t blurt out her request immediately. She invites the king and Haman to a private banquet first, building the right setting (5:4). Timing matters. Presentation matters. When you need to say something important – especially to someone in authority – think carefully about how and when to say it.

Esther dresses carefully and presents herself with dignity before approaching the king (5:1). Serious missions require serious preparation. Respecting proper protocol and presentation isn’t superficial – it can make the difference between success and failure.

Haman’s wife Zeresh and his friends encourage him to build gallows for Mordechai (5:14). Bad advice from people you trust is the most dangerous kind. Especially when you’re upset, be extra careful about whose counsel you follow. Reject advice that feeds your worst instincts instead of your best values. Haman liked the idea – and it destroyed him.

17. Emes – Truth, Integrity, and Honest Advocacy

Truth is one of the pillars the world stands on. It’s not just about avoiding lies – it’s about making sure every word you say accurately reflects reality. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 11) teaches this principle as foundational. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaEmes) explains that truthfulness means ensuring that your words match what’s actually true. Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 3:178) warns that distorting the truth – even for a “good” reason – undermines the trust that holds society together.

Mordechai gives Esther exact, detailed, factual information about Haman’s bribe and his genocidal plan (4:7). He doesn’t exaggerate or rely on vague accusations. When you’re fighting injustice, you need facts and specifics, not just emotion. Honest, precise information is the most powerful weapon against evil. “Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous” (Shmos 23:7).

18. Hashgachah Pratis – Divine Providence and Purpose

Nothing in life is random. Every event, every circumstance, every twist of fate is guided by Hashem’s hand. Recognizing this – Hashgachah Pratis – is the foundation of the entire Torah, as the Ramban teaches (Shmos 13:16). The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 24) explains that a person who reaches the level of kedushah sees Hashem’s hand in every event and understands that nothing happens by accident. The Chovos HaLevavos (Sha’ar HaBitachon, Ch. 3) teaches that trusting in Hashem’s providence means seeing your circumstances not as random but as purposeful – designed to help you fulfill your unique mission.

Mordechai helps Esther see that her position in the palace is not a coincidence – it’s from Shamayim (4:14). Your circumstances, your abilities, your opportunities – they may have been given to you not just for your own benefit, but so that you can help others in a moment of crisis. Pay attention to where Hashem has placed you, and ask yourself: what am I here to do?

19. Mutual Respect and Partnership

Even great leaders need to know when to follow someone else’s lead. Pirkei Avos (2:4) reminds us not to trust only in ourselves. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 20) explains that genuine humility allows a person to follow another’s direction when the situation demands it, without feeling diminished. The Orchos Tzaddikim (Sha’ar HaAnavah) adds that truly humble people recognize that wisdom is spread across many individuals, and effective partnerships require yielding to others’ strengths.

Mordechai immediately follows Esther’s instructions to fast (4:17). He gave her direction; now she gives him direction, and he follows without hesitation. True leadership means knowing when to lead and when to follow. The strongest partnerships are built on mutual respect and trust.

20. Responding to Crisis – Tefillah, Mourning, and Communal Action

When disaster strikes, the Torah demands that we cry out. Silence in the face of communal danger is not calm – it’s cruelty. The Rambam (Hilchos Ta’aniyos 1:1–3) rules that it is a positive commandment to cry out and sound trumpets in times of distress, and that failing to do so invites further suffering. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) teaches that the chassid actively participates in fasting, prayer, and mourning when his people are in danger. The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 433) explains that communal fasting and tefillah awaken hearts to teshuvah.

Mordechai tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, and cries out publicly (4:1). He doesn’t hide his grief. He doesn’t pretend things are normal. When evil threatens, expressing genuine pain is not weakness – it is necessary. “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Koheles 3:4).

Jews across the empire respond with fasting, weeping, and prayer (4:3). They don’t give up and they don’t run. They turn to Hashem together. In times of crisis, spiritual response must accompany practical action, and collective prayer is a powerful force. “Call a solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of Hashem your G-d, and cry out to Hashem” (Yoel 1:14).

21. Justice, Self-Defense, and Middah K’Neged Middah

Hashem runs the world with perfect justice. Every action has its consequence. Middah k’neged middah – measure for measure – is the fundamental way Hashem governs. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 1) establishes this principle. The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 600) explains that the Torah permits self-defense because a person is not required to passively accept his own destruction. Rabbeinu Yonah (Sha’arei Teshuvah 2:5) warns that those who are cruel to others while expecting mercy for themselves embody the worst hypocrisy.

Haman, who showed zero mercy to anyone, desperately begs for his own life when the tables turn (7:7). The hypocrisy is breathtaking. People who deny compassion to others are often the first to demand it when their own circumstances change. It exposes the self-serving nature of their entire worldview.

Haman is hanged on the very gallows he built for Mordechai (7:10). The trap he set for someone else became his own death. Those who dig pits for others often fall into them. Justice may be delayed, but it comes.

The new decree allows Jews to defend themselves against actual attackers – not to take revenge on the general population (8:11). This is a critical distinction. There is a world of difference between legitimate self-defense and indiscriminate retaliation. Justice means protecting the innocent, not seeking vengeance.

Esther requests an additional day of defense and the public display of Haman’s sons (9:13). When an existential threat is real, strong deterrent action may be necessary. Protecting the vulnerable sometimes demands measures that demonstrate the serious consequences of attempted genocide.

22. Persistent Advocacy for Others

Don’t stop fighting until the job is done. Partial results are not enough when lives are at stake. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) teaches that true piety demands that you not rest until the welfare of others is fully secured. The Chofetz Chaim (Ahavas Chesed, Part 2, Ch. 5) explains that real chesed means pursuing the good of others persistently and completely. Rabbeinu Yonah (Mishlei 3:27) warns that stopping when you still have the ability to help means you haven’t fulfilled your obligation.

Even after Haman is executed, Esther doesn’t stop. She falls at the king’s feet and pleads for the decree against her people to be reversed (8:3). Haman is dead, but the danger remains. True advocacy isn’t about personal victory – it’s about making sure everyone is safe. You don’t stop until justice and protection are secured for all.

23. Tikvah – Hope and the Possibility of Reversal

Even in the darkest moment, everything can change in an instant. A person of faith holds onto this truth no matter what. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 19) teaches that even in the most hopeless circumstances, Hashem can reverse everything. The Chovos HaLevavos (Sha’ar HaBitachon, Ch. 4) explains that genuine trust in Hashem means believing that salvation can come from any direction, especially when all natural avenues seem closed. Rav Yisrael Salanter famously taught: as long as the candle is still burning, there is still time to repair.

The Jews experience a complete transformation – from darkness to light, from mourning to joy (8:16). When things look impossible, remember the Purim story. The situation went from a death sentence to celebration in a matter of days. Never give up hope. Salvation can come when you least expect it.

24. Commemoration, Memory, and Legacy

Remembering is not nostalgia – it is a powerful tool for passing midos and our Torah values from one generation to the next. The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 21) teaches that commemoration ensures that the lessons of the past continue to shape the future. The Ramban (Shmos 13:16) explains that remembering Hashem’s miracles strengthens emunah and ensures future generations never forget His hashgacha pratis – providence. The Mesilas Yesharim (Ch. 1) reminds us that this world is for purposeful action, and recording righteous deeds ensures their influence endures.

Mordechai makes sure the Jews quickly transition from battle to celebration, marking their deliverance with gratitude (9:17). After periods of danger and struggle, it is proper and healing to establish celebrations that acknowledge both the threat that we faced and the salvation that was experienced.  That is the idea of making a seudas hodaah.

Chazal emphasize that Purim must be remembered at every level – individual, family, community, and national (9:28). Important lessons must be reinforced through multiple layers of society to stay alive. Both private and public remembrance play essential roles.

The celebration of Purim is balanced with remembrance of the suffering that came before it (9:31). The Megillah here teaches that true commemoration includes both the pain and the joy – the threat and the deliverance. Honoring the full truth of an experience is what gives it lasting power. “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning” (Yishayahu 61:3).

Mordechai’s deeds are recorded in the official royal chronicles (10:2). Evil may seem to win for a while, but it is ultimately righteousness that endures and is honored through the generations. “The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot” (Mishlei 10:7).

The author can be reached at [email protected]

A Palestinian activist accused of making antisemitic statements and leading anti-Israel protests at Columbia University will not be deported from the United States after an immigration judge ruled that the federal government failed to meet its burden of proof.

Immigration Judge Nina Froes determined that the Department of Homeland Security did not provide sufficient admissible evidence to establish that Mohsen Mahdawi was removable, according to court filings. The ruling represents a significant setback for federal authorities who had sought to expel the 34-year-old activist.

Froes concluded that DHS relied in part on a memorandum purportedly signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio but failed to properly authenticate the document. As a result, the government was unable to “meet its burden of proving removability,” according to Reuters.

Mahdawi’s attorneys disclosed the decision Tuesday in a filing with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York, which has been reviewing an earlier ruling that led to his release from immigration custody in April 2025.

Mahdawi had been detained during a citizenship appointment in Vermont and spent more than two weeks in custody before filing a habeas petition. He was later released on bail. U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered that Mahdawi not be deported or removed from the state pending further proceedings.

The deportation case stemmed in part from Mahdawi’s activism at Columbia University, where he co-founded the Palestinian Student Union following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack. He established the group alongside Mahmoud Khalil, who has also drawn scrutiny for his role in campus protests.

Federal authorities also cited allegations dating back to 2015, when Mahdawi was interviewed by the FBI after reportedly making antisemitic remarks at a Vermont gun store and a firearms museum. According to court documents previously cited in media reports, a store owner claimed Mahdawi expressed interest in purchasing firearms, including a sniper rifle and an automatic weapon, and allegedly said he had experience building modified 9mm submachine guns “to kill Jews while he was in Palestine.”

The store owner further alleged that Mahdawi said at a museum in Windsor, “I like to kill Jews.” Mahdawi has denied making antisemitic comments or expressing violent intent.

At the time, a DHS spokesperson said in a statement that “court documents show Mahdawi allegedly told a gun shop owner that he had considerable firearms experience and he ‘used to kill Jews.’” His legal team has countered that federal agents conducted a thorough investigation and found “no evidence” supporting the allegations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford — the largest and most advanced warship ever built — to deploy to the Middle East, accompanied by a substantial contingent of aerial refueling aircraft and top-tier fighter jets, according to published reports. The sweeping reinforcement of American military assets marks the clearest signal yet that Trump may be positioning the United States for significant military action against Iran if ongoing negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and its harsh suppression of protesters collapse.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford departed the Atlantic on Tuesday and is en route to the Strait of Gibraltar, the key gateway to the Mediterranean Sea, USNI reported. Once in the region, it is expected to link up with the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, creating a formidable dual-carrier presence as Washington presses Iran in high-stakes nuclear talks.

As the most technologically sophisticated carrier in the US fleet and the largest ever constructed, the Ford is capable of deploying more than 75 aircraft. Its air wing includes F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters, F/A-18F Super Hornets, and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets designed to jam enemy radar systems. The carrier strike group is escorted by three guided-missile destroyers — the USS Bainbridge, the USS Mahan, and the USS Winston Churchill.

Prior to this deployment, the Ford had been stationed in the Caribbean Sea since mid-November, supporting US naval operations tied to Trump’s broader regional initiatives in South America.

The carrier’s reassignment is part of a broader surge of American forces into the Middle East, as Trump continues to signal that military strikes remain a viable option if diplomacy with Tehran falters. In addition to the Lincoln strike group, the US currently has four destroyers operating in the Arabian Sea and three more positioned in the Strait of Hormuz. The USS Delbert Black is deployed in the Red Sea, while two additional combat ships are stationed in the Persian Gulf.

The air component of the buildup is equally substantial. According to Axios, more than 50 US fighter jets were transferred to the region on Tuesday alone. Flight tracking data indicates the aircraft include F-16 Falcons, F-22 Raptors, and F-35 fighters. The F-35s, in particular, are equipped with stealth technology that could enable them to penetrate Iranian airspace undetected by local air defense systems.

These aircraft will reinforce other US warplanes that have been dispatched in recent weeks, including strike fighters based in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

Defense analysts previously told The Post that the scale of the deployment would give the United States the capability to carry out deep-penetration airstrikes inside Iran while simultaneously shielding American forces and regional allies from retaliation.

Tehran has issued repeated warnings that any US attack would be met with counterstrikes against American troops and allied targets. Earlier this week, Iran temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz to conduct live missile exercises, underscoring the rising tensions in the region.

TEL AVIV (VINnews)-The Israel Airports Authority on Wednesday categorically denied unfounded allegations by conservative antisemitic commentator Tucker Carlson that he and his entourage were detained or interrogated at Ben Gurion Airport, emphasizing that the brief interaction was nothing more than standard, courteous questioning designed to ensure traveler safety and privacy.

The authority’s official statement highlighted Israel’s dedication to maintaining high security standards while respecting visitors’ dignity: “Contrary to the reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated.”

“Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers,” the statement explained, underscoring the routine nature of such protocols in one of the world’s most secure airports.

To further protect Carlson’s privacy amid his high-profile status, the conversation was conducted in a separate room within the VIP lounge, “solely to avoid conducting such a discussion in public,” the authority noted. “No unusual incident occurred, and the Israel Airports Authority firmly rejects any other claims,” it concluded, reaffirming Israel’s commitment to fair and efficient border processes.

Carlson’s claims, shared with the Daily Mail, suggested that airport security temporarily held passports and questioned his executive producer about an interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. He described the routine procedure as “bizarre,” despite his team departing shortly afterward.

Backing the authority’s account, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Israel confirmed that Carlson and his group experienced the same standard passport control inquiries as numerous other visitors, including diplomats, praising Israel’s efficient handling of international arrivals.

The visit stemmed from Carlson’s brief, airport-confined interview with Huckabee, conducted without leaving the premises, as part of ongoing discussions on Israel’s policies and its inclusive treatment of diverse communities, including Christians. The entire stay lasted just a few hours, reflecting Israel’s openness to dialogue even with critical voices.

This episode has sparked online discussions, but it also highlights Israel’s unwavering support from many in U.S. conservative circles, who appreciate the nation’s robust security measures and democratic values amid regional challenges.

Anti-Israel media figure Tucker Carlson is facing fresh criticism after claiming he and his staff were “detained” by Israeli authorities during a brief visit to the country, a trip that ended almost as soon as it began and raised further questions about his intentions and credibility.

Carlson flew into Tel Aviv on Wednesday for a filmed interview with Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel and a longtime acquaintance, following a public dispute over Carlson’s claims that Israel mistreats Christians. The visit came after Huckabee challenged Carlson to raise his concerns directly rather than through online commentary.

Instead of traveling beyond Ben Gurion Airport, Carlson remained inside the airport complex for several hours before departing. He later told the Daily Mail that Israeli officials confiscated his passport and questioned his staff.

“Men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about,” Carlson said. “It was bizarre. We’re now out of the country.”

U.S. Embassy officials in Israel disputed Carlson’s account, saying he was not detained and received standard passport control screening given to countless visitors.

“It is not accurate that Israel only was going to let Tucker into the country for the interview,” an embassy spokesperson said. “Tucker received the same positive treatment of any visitors to Israel.”

The spokesperson added that Carlson himself chose to limit his stay to a few hours.

The conflicting accounts have fueled accusations that Carlson exaggerated routine security procedures to portray himself as a victim and reinforce his long-running narrative that Israel and its supporters suppress dissenting voices.

Carlson, who has repeatedly criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, posted a photo earlier in the day from outside the airport reading, “Greetings from Israel.” Within hours, he was back on a plane.

Former U.S. ambassador David Friedman openly mocked the episode.

“Too bad Tucker stayed in the airport in the face of so many invitations to see so many wonderful places,” Friedman wrote. “A huge and obviously intentional missed opportunity.”

Two sources familiar with the matter told the Daily Mail that Israeli officials were initially reluctant to admit Carlson, but ultimately allowed the visit to avoid a diplomatic incident. Israeli television Channel 13 reported that blocking his entry outright was deemed politically risky.

Former Fox News anchor Melissa Francis said Trump has privately urged Carlson to dial back the rhetoric.

“Everybody’s looking for a way to turn down the temperature,” Francis told The Jerusalem Post. “President Trump is telling everyone, including Tucker, ‘Let’s take this down.’”

Instead, Carlson’s brief airport appearance, followed by dramatic claims that were contradicted by officials, has reinforced perceptions that he is more interested in spectacle than substance.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Bereaved parents from the Din V’Tzedek Forum arrived this morning at a left-wing protest encampment near the Knesset and fiercely objected to activists using photos of their murdered children as part of a political campaign against the government, Arutz Sheva reported.

The parents expressed outrage over the use of their loved ones’ images on protest signs without their permission.

As the protest unfolded, the parents began removing the signs with their children’s photos from the encampment, and the protest activists attempted to physically prevent them from taking down the signs.

The confrontation quickly grew heated, leading to police officers being called to the scene to separate the sides and restore order.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Tucker Carlson said he and members of his team were briefly held by Israeli airport security after traveling to Israel to interview U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, describing the encounter as unusual and unsettling.

In remarks to The Post, the podcast host and former Fox News personality recounted what he said took place at the airport. “Men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about,” he said.

He added, “It was bizarre. We’re now out of the country.”

Carlson had earlier shared a photo on social media showing himself alongside his business partner, Neil Patel, standing outside Ben Gurion Airport. The image was accompanied by the caption, “Greetings from Israel.”

The 56-year-old commentator has taken an increasingly critical stance toward Israel since his departure from Fox News in 2023.

The following year, he debuted an independent online program titled “The Tucker Carlson Show,” where he has featured a number of controversial figures, among them Nick Fuentes, who has openly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.

In December 2025, the advocacy group StopAntisemitism designated Carlson as its “Antisemite of the Year.”

Some observers also criticized Carlson for remaining inside the airport during his brief stay, which reportedly lasted just a few hours.

“Too bad Tucker stayed in the airport in the face of so many invitations to see so many wonderful places. A huge and obviously intentional missed opportunity,” David Friedman, the former US ambassador to Israel during Trump’s first term, wrote on X.

{Matzav.com}

By Y.M. Lowy

After weeks of snow, plows, and holiday pauses, Alternate Side Parking is officially coming back.

New York City’s ASP rules were suspended during ongoing snow removal operations and several back-to-back holidays. The break covered Monday through Wednesday in observance of Presidents’ Day, Lunar New Year’s Eve, and the Tibetan New Year.

According to the city’s 311 schedule, Thursday marks the first day that regular Alternate Side Parking rules resume.

That means drivers will once again need to move their cars during posted street cleaning hours. In our area, where snow piles are still taking up space along the curbs, finding alternate parking may remain difficult even as rules resume.

The good news: trash and recycling pickup, which has seen delays due to cleanup efforts, is expected to return to normal by Friday.

By Y.M. Lowy

For the second day in a row, an air quality alert is in effect for parts of New York, as officials warn that pollution levels are expected to rise above an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 100.

When the AQI reaches between 101 and 150, it falls into the category labeled “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.” That doesn’t mean everyone will feel it, but certain people could notice symptoms, especially if they’re spending a lot of time outdoors.

So what’s causing it? The issue is something called PM2.5 — extremely small airborne particles that are about 30 times thinner than a human hair. Because they’re so tiny, they can travel deep into the lungs when breathed in. During periods of higher concentrations, these particles can irritate the respiratory system and make existing conditions worse.

Children, older adults, and people with heart or lung conditions are considered more sensitive. Outdoor workers are also at higher risk simply because they’re exposed for longer periods.

Those in sensitive groups could experience coughing, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort.

Air quality levels can change throughout the day depending on weather patterns and wind conditions, so residents are encouraged to stay updated while the alert remains in effect.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that homeowners and property owners could face a tax increase if state lawmakers decline to approve his proposal to raise income taxes on high earners.

While unveiling the city’s preliminary budget for fiscal year 2027, Mamdani stated that a 9.5% increase in property taxes would be imposed on certain residents if Albany refuses to authorize a 2% income tax hike targeting wealthy New Yorkers.

“There are two paths that we can walk: One that offers long-term stability, and a second one with significant pain that we deeply hope to avoid,” Mamdani said.

According to the mayor, the possible property tax hike would impact more than three million residential properties as well as over 100,000 commercial buildings, though The National News Desk (TNND) was unable to independently verify those figures. The proposed wealth tax would apply to individuals earning more than $1 million per year.

Governor Kathy Hochul appeared to temper the mayor’s warning. Speaking at a separate press conference, she said she was not convinced that such an increase would ultimately take place, telling Spectrum News NY1 that she wasn’t “certain there’s a property tax increase.”

“[The city] is required by law to announce where it is today, but it’s not resolved until there’s a lot of negotiation with the city council and a review with his budget team of what their real expenses are and what they need to be, and that’s not due until July, so there’s a lot of time to work this out,” Hochul explained.

City officials have reported a $5.4 million budget gap. Mamdani has argued that the current financial strain stems from decisions made by his predecessor, former Mayor Eric Adams, accusing him of mishandling the city’s finances. Adams, however, has defended his approach to managing the budget.

Mamdani described the deficit as a “steep mountain,” saying it can be addressed if the city’s financial relationship with the state is recalibrated. He contended that New York City has been sending more money to Albany than it receives in return.

“We know that for far too long, New Yorkers have given far more to the state than what we have received in return,” the mayor said. “It is time to end the drain.”

Although Hochul did not respond to TNND’s request for comment, she announced Monday that the state would direct $1.5 billion to assist New York City in managing its fiscal challenges. In that announcement, she emphasized her support for the city and noted that she has also pledged to expand universal childcare, a key plank of Mamdani’s campaign platform.

“A strong New York City means a stronger New York State,” Hochul said.

“New Yorkers expect the state and the city to work together, and I’m proud to partner with the Mayor to deliver for working families,” the governor added.

More than 200 Jewish military chaplains, service members, and cadets from around the world gathered from February 11–15 for the 19th Annual Aleph Military Symposium, but one deeply personal moment came to define this year’s gathering: a 102-year-old World War II veteran putting on tefillin for the first time in his life.

The five-day conference, hosted by the Aleph Institute, is the largest professional gathering of Jews in the U.S. armed forces. It brings together Jewish personnel for professional training, spiritual growth, and community-building.

During the symposium, Harold Terens, a former U.S. Army Air Corps serviceman who fought in Normandy and the North Africa Campaign, participated in a Bar Mitzvah ceremony, putting on tefillin and being called up to the Torah for an aliyah.

The symposium drew participants from across the United States and overseas bases in Spain, Germany, Japan, and Hawaii. International military representatives attended from Israel and NATO countries, including the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, and Canada.

Among the participants were 25 cadets from the United States Military Academy, representing nearly 20 percent of its Jewish student population, along with cadets and personnel from the Naval, Air Force, and Coast Guard academies.

“The symposium is the fulcrum of Jewish life in the military,” said Chaplain Maj. Elie Estrin, director of Aleph’s military programs. “Jewish chaplains and lay leaders use the information, inspiration, and mutual mentorship they gain here all year long.”

For many service members, the annual symposium is their primary opportunity to gather in person with fellow Jewish personnel.

“The Aleph Institute Military Training and Symposium is unquestionably my most highly anticipated non-holiday annual event,” said Chaplain Lt. Col. Joseph Friedman, deputy director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps.

The symposium’s featured programs included “The Rebbe’s Approach to Handling Suicidal Ideation,” presented by Rabbi Yechiel Krisch, and “Halachic Decisions in Wartime,” by Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe of Congregation B’nai Torah in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Speakers also included representatives from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Chief Judge Matthew Solomson, and officials from the IDF Chief Rabbinate.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump cautioned the British government on Wednesday against relinquishing control of the strategically vital Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, arguing that the United States may require the facility if Iran declines to reach an agreement with Washington.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump pointed to the military importance of the island and a separate airfield in the United Kingdom, writing, “Should Iran decide not to make a deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous regime.”

Trump added that any such strike could be aimed at protecting Britain as well as other allied nations, warning that the threat would extend to the UK and other “friendly countries.”

The president sharply criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer over a recently signed lease arrangement concerning the island, arguing that sovereign territory should not be handled through long-term leasing agreements. He described the decision as a “big mistake.”

“Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease,” Trump wrote.

He further asserted that Britain is effectively surrendering authority over the strategically located island due to what he described as questionable claims by unfamiliar parties. Calling those claims fabricated, Trump stated, “This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally.”

Trump emphasized that the United States stands firmly behind Britain militarily but said the UK must demonstrate resolve. He declared that America would remain prepared to defend its ally while urging British leaders to stay strong “in the face of wokeism, and other problems put before them.”

“Do not give away Diego Garcia,” he said.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reinforced the president’s message, saying the post “should be taken as the policy of the” Trump administration.

Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, has functioned as a joint British-American military installation since the 1970s. Under a treaty finalized in May, sovereignty over the Chagos Islands will shift from the United Kingdom to Mauritius, while the military base itself is set to remain under British control for a minimum of 99 years.

Trump’s warning comes at a time of rising friction between Washington and Tehran and a major expansion of U.S. forces in the Middle East as diplomatic talks continue.

Earlier this year, Trump came close to approving an additional military strike following Iran’s crackdown on protesters. He ultimately held back after Tehran halted the executions of demonstrators.

photos: Issac Y.

The Slonimer Rebbe, who recently concluded his annual visit to the United States to spend time with his chassidim, left behind a strongly worded letter cautioning his American followers about the spiritual dangers of modern technology and artificial intelligence, which he likened to “a venomous snake.”

The Rebbe visited his chassidim in Monsey and participated in a farewell gathering that included the writing of a Sefer Torah last week at his beis medrash in Boro Park. During the trip, he spoke publicly about concerns surrounding the draft decree in Eretz Yisroel and also addressed the issue of increasingly tall shtreimels.

After returning home, the Rebbe sent a letter to members of the American community explaining that due to the many demands on his time and the constant stream of people seeking meetings throughout his visit, he felt he had not sufficiently addressed the serious spiritual threats posed by technology.

Opening his letter warmly to his followers in the United States, he wrote of the special atmosphere he experienced during his stay and expressed his hope that the unity and inspiration would continue.

He then explained that because of the heavy schedule and large crowds, he felt he had not adequately warned about what he described as a major spiritual stumbling block. He wrote that technological devices spread impurity and act like a deadly poison to souls, adding that many have fallen as a result. He cautioned that those who were lenient with themselves, offering various justifications, have paid a very heavy price, including harm to their sons and daughters both physically and spiritually. He warned that no one should assume they are immune, noting that even strong families have been affected. He cited the posuk, “A wise man fears and turns away from evil, but a fool rages and is confident.”

The Rebbe emphasized the obligation to educate children to regard such devices as forbidden and to distance themselves from those connected to them. Even for those who require technology for their livelihood and use approved filtering systems, he warned of the inherent danger. He wrote that such devices are “like a venomous snake bound in iron chains,” explaining that if they are not watched with extreme vigilance, they can break free and cause spiritual destruction. He cautioned followers not to rely on lenient opinions that easily permit tools whose damage is great, quoting the verse, “Do not come near the entrance of her house,” and the teaching, “Go, go, say to the nazir, do not come near the vineyard.”

Turning specifically to artificial intelligence (AI), the Rebbe wrote that he became aware of its growing presence during his stay in the United States. He described it in especially harsh terms, calling it “the father of all impurity and heresy,” and warning that its destructive potential is very great. He wrote that one must distance oneself from it with all strength, because it is a danger and a trap for those ensnared in its web.

In closing, the Rebbe called on members of the community to unite in strengthening spiritual boundaries and standing firm against harmful influences. He urged them to help one another and to encourage each other to remain strong, to sanctify themselves even in permitted matters, and to live as free people not bound by the net of the yeitzer hara.

{Matzav.com}

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has rolled out a new statewide service aimed at improving communication with customers who have limited English proficiency.

All NJMVC agencies are now equipped with handheld Pocketalk translation devices, allowing staff and customers to engage in real-time, two-way conversations in more than 80 languages. The devices are also being deployed with NJMVC Mobile Units as they travel throughout the state.

“These advanced language translation devices represent a significant step forward in our customer service capabilities,” said Acting NJMVC Chief Administrator Rosalie Johnson. “By bridging language gaps more effectively, we are affirming our commitment to improving service for every New Jerseyan and making sure all of our customers are supported, respected, and understood.”

According to state data, more than 30 percent of New Jersey residents age five and older speak a language other than English at home. Nearly 1.2 million residents report some degree of limited English proficiency.

Officials say the Pocketalk devices are designed to be user-friendly and provide quick, accurate translations, helping reduce confusion and streamline in-person transactions. The technology is expected to shorten wait times and make it easier for customers to complete their business.

The statewide rollout follows a pilot program conducted in fall 2025, which officials say received positive feedback from both staff and customers. Each agency and mobile unit is currently outfitted with between five and twelve translation devices.

The NJMVC has previously implemented several language-access initiatives, including a multilingual website, driver manuals published in multiple languages, driver knowledge tests offered in more than a dozen languages, and a bilingual phone system providing assistance in English and Spanish.

Israeli forces overnight demolished the home of a senior Hamas operative accused of carrying out two deadly attacks in the West Bank in 2024. According to the IDF, troops operated in the town of Silat al-Harithiya and destroyed the residence of Raafat Dawasi, a top member of a Hamas terror network in the Jenin area.

Dawasi was killed in an Israeli drone strike on August 17, 2024. The military says he played a central role in multiple attacks that left two Israelis dead and more than a dozen wounded.

The IDF said Dawasi was involved in a roadside bomb attack in Jenin on June 27, 2024, in which Alon Sacgiu hy”d, 22, was killed and 16 other soldiers were injured. He was also linked to a shooting attack in the Jordan Valley on August 11, 2024, that killed Yonatan Deutsch hy”d, 23, and wounded another man.

In a statement, the military described Dawasi as a key figure in a regional terror network affiliated with Hamas, responsible for coordinating and executing attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.

The demolition comes amid continued Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank, particularly in the Jenin area, which has been a focal point of militant activity and counterterrorism raids.

The IDF said it will continue to act against what it called terror infrastructure in the region, vowing to pursue those responsible for attacks “wherever they operate.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-President Trump has directly pressed conservative commentator Tucker Carlson to help de-escalate heated divisions within the Republican Party over support for Israel, according to Melissa Francis, a former Fox News and Fox Business anchor involved in pro-Israel advocacy.

Francis told The Jerusalem Post in an interview Wednesday that Trump has urged Carlson and others to “turn down the temperature” amid growing tensions in conservative circles over U.S. policy toward Israel and “America First” arguments against foreign entanglements.

“President Trump is telling everyone, including Tucker, ‘Let’s take this down,’” Francis said.

The comments came as Carlson conducted a brief sit-down interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. Sources told the Post that Carlson did not leave the airport complex during his short visit, which lasted only a few hours.

Francis described the Carlson-Huckabee conversation as an effort to shift the dispute from online confrontations to structured dialogue and prevent Israel from becoming a fracturing issue in the GOP coalition.

“The division in the Republican Party right now has to end,” she said, warning that the infighting is “causing endless problems.” She added that Trump views unity as essential, even amid disagreements, stating, “The enemy wins when those that are on the side of God are divided.”

Francis, who has longstanding ties to both Carlson and Huckabee through media and political networks, said she helped facilitate the discussion after earlier attempts to secure an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not succeed. Carlson reportedly sought assurances of high-level welcome before agreeing to travel.

She portrayed Trump as patient and strategic, using private channels to encourage de-escalation rather than public pressure.

Francis emphasized Carlson’s significant influence, particularly among younger Americans, and noted strong pro-Israel backing from Christian audiences since Oct. 7, 2023. She argued that broad accusations in debates can backfire and deepen divisions.

“I don’t have the illusion that you’re going to change people’s minds,” Francis said of the interview’s potential impact. “Let’s just stop fighting about Israel.”

Elon Musk is intensifying his campaign against what he describes as politically slanted artificial intelligence, unveiling Grok 4.2 as a direct challenge to competitors he brands as overly “woke and sanctimonious” — and declaring that “Grok must win.”

In a series of early Wednesday posts on X, Musk shared multiple screenshots comparing Grok 4.2’s responses with those generated by rival systems from Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic. Framing the rollout as part of a larger ideological struggle, Musk wrote, “Grok must win or we will be ruled by an insufferably woke and sanctimonious AI.”

A day earlier, Musk had revealed the test release of Grok 4.2 on X, encouraging users to weigh in. “Critical feedback is appreciated. Unlike prior versions of Grok, 4.2 is able to learn rapidly, so there will be improvements every week with release notes,” he wrote.

As access to the beta version expanded, Musk began circulating side-by-side examples that he said demonstrate Grok’s greater directness and its refusal to hedge on politically sensitive topics.

Among the comparisons he highlighted was a question asking whether the United States was founded on “stolen land.”

According to the image Musk posted, Grok was the only chatbot to answer “No,” while other platforms framed the issue as nuanced or debated.

Musk pointed to that exchange as evidence that Grok 4.2 is “BASED,” arguing that it stands out because it is the only AI chatbot that “doesn’t equivocate when asked if America is on stolen land.”

“The others are weak sauce,” he said.

Musk also amplified a message from Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who commended Grok for being the only chatbot to answer “No” when asked whether “Critical Race Theory” should be included in school curricula.

Additional screenshots Musk shared showed Grok providing a “yes” when asked whether “White Pride” was acceptable, describing affirmative action as “racist,” and demonstrating a willingness to misgender Caitlyn Jenner — examples Musk presented as proof that the system is less constrained by prevailing norms of political correctness.

The latest round of posts adds to Musk’s ongoing clashes with competitors in the artificial intelligence sector.

His dispute with OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, has played out publicly for years and includes a high-profile lawsuit. Although Musk helped found OpenAI, he filed suit in 2024 against the organization and its leadership, alleging that it had strayed from its original mission of building open-source Artificial General Intelligence to “benefit humanity” and instead shifted its focus toward profit.

OpenAI answered with its own countersuit, asserting that Musk had advocated in 2017 for converting the company into a “for-profit” entity under his leadership as CEO.

Musk has also taken aim at Google, particularly after controversy erupted in early 2024 over historically inaccurate images generated by its Gemini platform.

While he previously downplayed Anthropic as a major competitor, Musk later acknowledged its strengths in programming tasks and expressed frustration that xAI engineers lost access to its systems. “Anthropic has done something special with coding. It was a helpful motivator that they cut us off @xAI and not good for their karma,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Today is the first of Adar — the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shabsai ben Meir HaKohen, the Shach. He passed away on this very date in 5423 (1663), at approximately forty-one years of age. He is buried in Holešov, Moravia — today’s Czech Republic — and his grave draws pilgrims from across the world. But his resting place in Klal Yisroel is the Shulchan Aruch itself: open any standard edition of Yoreh Deah or Choshen Mishpat, and there he stands in the margins, alive, arguing, insisting that we think more precisely.

What was it that made him remarkably singular? What gave the Shach that quality of penetrating, almost surgical insight that has made his works the irreplaceable companion of every posek for nearly four centuries?

I. The World He Was Born Into: Vilna and the Golden Age

The seventeenth century opened on perhaps one of the greatest flourishing of Jewish civilization since the Babylonian academies. The Jewish communities of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had achieved a level of Torah scholarship, communal organization, and cultural vitality unmatched anywhere in the Diaspora. The great yeshivos of Krakow, Lublin, Poznań, and Vilna trained thousands of students. The Council of Four Lands administered hundreds of thousands of Jews with sophisticated governance. The Maharsha, the Maharshal, the Bach, the Rema — these were men of recent memory, whose students and students’ students still walked the earth.

Into this world — into the city of Vilna, the beating heart of Lithuanian Jewish scholarship — Rabbi Shabsai HaKohen was born, around the year 5382 (circa 1621–1622). Whether his precise birthplace was Vilna itself or the nearby town of Amstibovo (Mścibowo), where his father served as Av Beis Din, remains a question in the sources. What is certain is that the family was deeply rooted in Torah: his father, Rabbi Meir HaKohen — the Maharam Katz, a student of the Maharam of Lublin — wwho served as Av Beis Din of Amstibovo and later Mogilev. The child’s world was Torah from his first breath.

It was a world that would be annihilated before he turned thirty. He did not yet know that.

II. Education: Formed by the Giants

The Shach’s education was a map of the greatest Torah personalities of his age. His first teacher was his father. The child was identified as an iluy almost immediately — not merely a strong memory but a penetrating analytical intelligence, the kind that sees through the surface of a sugya to the hidden tension beneath and presses toward resolution with alarming directness.

A remarkable detail from the Hebrew sources: even as a small child, young Shabsai studied under the Megaleh Amukos — Rabbi Natan Nata Shapiro of Krakow — one of the great Kabbalists and Torah scholars of the era. That such a towering figure was accessible to him even in childhood speaks to the family’s connections and to the extraordinary interconnectedness of Polish Torah scholarship in its golden age.

At the age of twelve — when most boys are just beginning their formal Talmudic education — Shabsai HaKohen was sent to study in Kazimierz under Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel ben Yosef, the author of Maginei Shlomo, a close colleague and friend of his father. He then traveled to Lublin — the city of the great Maharshal — and studied under the leading rabbis there, including Rabbi Naftoli Katz. Lublin’s academy was legendary, and the young Shabsai absorbed both its breadth of knowledge and its culture of demanding exactness. When he finally returned to Vilna, he was still a young man — but already, in the judgment of the gedolim around him, a gadol.

III. Vilna: Marriage, the Beis Din, and a Father’s Pride

In Vilna, Rabbi Shabsai married Yenta-Leah, the daughter of Rabbi Shimon Wolf Tauber — one of the wealthiest men in the city and a grandson of the Rema, whose glosses on the Shulchan Aruch were the foundation of Ashkenazic halachic practice. The marriage connected the Shach, by family, to the most illustrious name in Ashkenazic halacha.

Supported by his father-in-law and free of material concerns, he devoted himself entirely to Torah. Day and night, the sources tell us, he was immersed in study, analysis, and writing. In the year 5401 (1641), he was appointed as a dayan on the illustrious Beis Din of Vilna, under the presiding authority of Rabbi Moshe Lima, author of the celebrated Chelkas Mechokek — filling the seat previously occupied by Rabbi Hillel ben Naftoli Hertz, author of Beis Hillel. To sit in that chair, in that court, at that age, was to occupy one of the most distinguished positions in all of Lithuanian Jewry.

His father, Rabbi Meir HaKohen, lived to see what his son had become. When the Siftei Kohen was published, the elder rabbi composed a short poem in its honor — with an acrostic that spells out his own name, Meir HaKohen, Chazak. A father, celebrating in verse the son who had surpassed him. It is one of the most touching moments in the biography.

The Shach himself preserved another family tribute, in the middle of a halachic discussion in Yoreh Deah (Siman 326). He writes: “And so I saw from the pious and scholarly Rebbetzin, my mother — and from other righteous and wise women — that they were careful in this matter.” He cites his mother as a halachic precedent. In the home where the Shach was raised, the women were talmidos chachamim in their own right.

IV. The Siftei Kohen: A Masterwork at Twenty-Four

In 5406 (1646), when Rabbi Shabsai HaKohen was approximately twenty-four years old, he published the Siftei Kohen on Yoreh Deah. The title means “Lips of the Priest” — from Malachi (2:7): “For the lips of the priest shall guard knowledge, and Torah shall be sought from his mouth.” It is also an acronym of his name: Shabsai Kohen. The initials Shin-Kaf give us the universal abbreviation by which he is known: the Shach.

The work received the haskamos of eighteen of the leading scholars of the generation. The gedolei hador were not merely endorsing a promising commentary; they were announcing that something genuinely unprecedented had appeared.

What distinguished the Siftei Kohen from all previous commentaries? The Shach did not come to explain the Shulchan Aruch. He traced every ruling back to its Talmudic root, he exposed tensions that had not been fully explained, and he offered his own independent resolution with a directness that, well, let’s just say that he was willing to disagree with the Shulchan Aruch itself. He was also willing to challenge the Tosafos on the basis of his own reasoning. And he had that quality of seeing not just what an argument says but what is actually going on beneath it, and ruling accordingly.

He articulated his method himself, in a passage that is both bold and entirely unselfconscious:

“And all of this is clear as the noonday sun — and I would not have needed to elaborate, except that the Beis Yosef, the Maharam Isserles, the Baal Lechem Mishneh, Shearis Yosef, and the Bach did not find their footing here — and Heaven has left a place for me.”

The Beis Yosef. The Rema. The Bach. Three of the supreme pillars of Ashkenazic halachic literature, — and Shamayim had reserved a place for a correction for him?  Brazen!  

The Vaad Arba Aratzos issued a ruling that lasted a century.  The halacha is like the TaZ – not the Shach! But after a century more and more started paskening like the Shach.

V. The Shach and the Taz: The Great Dialogue

But earlier, in that very same year — 5406 (1646) — the Turei Zahav appeared in Lublin, by Rabbi David ben Shmuel HaLevi: a senior authority, already celebrated, son-in-law of the Bach. Two monumental commentaries on Yoreh Deah, from two scholars of entirely different generations, appearing simultaneously. It was one of the most consequential coincidences in the history of halachic literature.

The Shach read the Taz and wrote Nekudos HaKesef — “Silver Points” — a systematic critique of the Taz’s rulings. The title was deliberately modest: the Taz means “Rows of Gold,” and by calling his critique “Silver Points,” the Shach signaled deep personal respect for the elder scholar, even while contesting him forthrightly. But the intellectual engagement was absolute.

The Shach’s own account of his relationship with the Taz, in his introduction to Nekudos HaKesef, is among the most beautiful passages in all of the history of Hakdamos:

“Let it not enter the reader’s mind that I composed these critiques because of any dispute with the Turei Zahav, or any ill will — for it is known to all that between us was fulfilled the verse ‘and love in the end.’ The Torah seeks out its proper lodging, and I became the lodging place for the Turei Zahav: he was with me for three days, and I honored him with a great honor the like of which cannot be believed, and he too honored me greatly — to the point that he kissed me on my head, and he rejoiced with me with the very joy of the Beis HaShoeva. And Hashem knows and is my witness that I composed Nekudos HaKesef only for the sake of Heaven.”

The Taz — decades the Shach’s senior, already famous — came to visit the young genius, spent three days with him, kissed him on the head, and rejoiced with him like the ecstatic joy of the water-drawing celebration in the Beis HaMikdash. And then the Shach, with complete intellectual integrity, proceeded to disagree with him in print on dozens of rulings.

This is how Torah disagreement is supposed to work. Ki Haim Chayeinu.

The Taz responded with Matzref HaKesef; the Shach replied with his Kuntres Acharon. The entire exchange was eventually embedded in every standard edition of the Shulchan Aruch — the Daf on one side, the Kuntres on the other — where it has lived for over three centuries. They are the Ashli Ravrevei, the “great trees” of Yoreh Deah, inseparable from the Code itself.

It was in this very Nekudos HaKesef that the episode of the non-Jewish “lamdan” was recorded — the ruling with which this article opens. The same work that contains the great intellectual battle with the Taz also contains the Shach’s instantaneous reading of a non-Jew’s true motivation at a party.

VI. The Cataclysm: Gezeiros Tach V’Tat

The year 5408 (1648) ended everything.

Bogdan Chmielnicki, y”s head of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, launched his uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Cossack armies, allied with Tatar hordes, swept through Ukraine, Podolia, Volhynia, and Poland. For the Jewish communities in their path it was not war but extermination. Estimates of the Jewish dead run from one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand. Nemirov, Tulchin, Polonnoye, Uman — annihilated. The Shach himself recorded the horror: fifteen hundred holy yidden killed at Uman on Shabbos alone, stripped, surrounded in fields, offered conversion and choosing death.

These are the Gezeiros Tach V’Tat — the worst catastrophe in Jewish history between the destruction of the Temple and the Holocaust.

The Shach was not a distant observer. He was a survivor. He had family, colleagues, students in these communities. He watched the world that had produced the Siftei Kohen torn apart. And he did what a scholar does: he wrote.

He composed Megillas Eifah — “Scroll of Darkness” — published in Amsterdam in 1651. Written in rhymed Hebrew prose, it is both a primary historical document (translated into German and Russian, relied on by historians for centuries) and a work of genuine literary power: grief disciplined into art.

He composed selichos for the massacres. And he instituted a fast day on the 20th of Sivan, in memory of the destruction of Nemirov. He established it first for himself and his descendants — a private commitment of perpetual mourning. In 1652, the Council of Four Lands adopted it as a public fast for all of Jewry. The Shach’s private grief became part of Klal Yisroel’s collective memory.

VII. Flight: Vilna Falls

In 1655 a second catastrophe struck: Russian armies invaded the Commonwealth and captured Vilna. On Thursday, the 24th of Tammuz, 5415, Rabbi Shabsai HaKohen fled his city — among a mass of Jewish refugees pouring westward, carrying what they could, leaving everything else behind. The Beis Din where he had sat, the community he had served, the city that had shaped him — all of it suddenly behind him.

He made for Lublin. But the war followed. On the first day of Sukkos, armies arrived and massacred many of Lublin’s Jews. Again the Shach escaped. He made his way to Bohemia — pausing in Prague — then to Strážnice (Dresnitz) in Moravia, where he accepted the rabbinate.

In this period of wandering and terror, a family tragedy unfolded that was later immortalized by Rabbi Meir Lehmann in the novel Bas HaShach. As the Shach fled through the forests during the Russian invasion, his young daughter was lost.

A non-Jewish nobleman found her, was taken with the child, and raised her as a princess — never knowing she was Jewish. She maintained her identity in secret. Eventually the Shach found and recognized her.

I am unsure as to all of Rabbi Lehman’s sources, but whatever the precise historical core of this narrative, it captures something real: the terror of families torn apart in flight, children swallowed by the chaos of invasion. That the Shach — the author of immortal works, carried this wound alongside his public greatness makes him more human, and more heartbreaking.

VIII. Holešov: The Final Station

From Strážnice, Rabbi Shabsai HaKohen was called to the rabbanus of Holešov — a small but dignified Jewish community in Moravia, in today’s Czech Republic. He settled there, served as its Moreh Horaah, and there he remained until his death. He was perhaps thirty-five when he arrived. He had six years left.

Holešov was nothing like Vilna. One cannot help imagining what it cost a man of his stature to lead a more modest community after the Beis Din of Vilna — knowing that the world which had produced him was in ruins.

Actually, I take that back.  The Alter Mirrers, among whom were three of my Rebbeim also felt that.  But that is another story.

And yet Holešov offered something he had not known in years: stability. The community embraced him with reverence. He continued to write and rule on questions that arrived from far beyond Moravia. He completed the Siftei Kohen on Choshen Mishpat.

There he also formed one of the most striking friendships in rabbinic biography: a close intellectual relationship with Magister Valentino Wiedreich, a philosopher and scholar from Leipzig. A Lutheran academic and a Jewish posek — in seventeenth-century Central Europe — developing genuine intellectual friendship. This was the same fearlessness that had allowed the Shach to engage the non-Jewish lamdan’s Talmudic argument at the party and demolish it on its own terms. He was not afraid of the wider world of ideas; he simply had better arguments.

The Shach Synagogue of Holešov — built in the late sixteenth century, adorned with magnificent Baroque interior decoration — bears his name and stands as one of the finest preserved historic synagogues in Central Europe. His grave in the adjacent cemetery remains a pilgrimage site. He is universally considered the greatest rabbi buried on Czech soil.

IX. His Family: A Constellation of Torah

The Shach’s family circle was itself a seedbed of greatness. His brother Rabbi Yona Nachum HaKohen served as Av Beis Din of Sochatchov; his descendants include the Hasidic Rebbe Rabbi Chanoch Henich HaKohen Levin of Alexander. An additional sister was the grandmother of Rabbi Meir Eisenstadt, author of the responsa Panim Meiros. His son Rabbi Moshe HaKohen served as rabbi of Krotoschin; his grandson Yitzchak brought two of the Shach’s works — Giburos Anashim and Poel Tzedek — to press. His son-in-law Rabbi Menachem Manish Chayes published the Siftei Kohen on Choshen Mishpat and wrote its introduction.

And then there is the most extraordinary genealogical tradition in the record: that a granddaughter of the Shach — the daughter of his daughter Yocheved, born in 1660 — became the second wife of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidic Judaism. But it is not so pashut.  Historians treat this claim with appropriate caution. But if accurate, it means that the great river of Hasidism flows through a granddaughter of the man who corrected the Rema — the supreme legal analyst and the revolutionary mystical founder, joined by blood.

X. His Works: The Full Canon

Siftei Kohen on Yoreh Deah (Krakow, 5406 / 1646)

The magnum opus. Published at age twenty-four with haskamos from eighteen gedolei hador. Since 1674, printed in virtually every standard edition of the Shulchan Aruch alongside the Taz — the two primary running commentaries, the Ashli Ravrevei. Required study for the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s semicha examinations to this day.

Siftei Kohen on Choshen Mishpat (Frankfurt an der Oder, 1663; Berlin, 1697)

A second monumental commentary on civil and monetary law. Published posthumously by his son-in-law Rabbi Menachem Manish Chayes. Foundational in its field.

Nekudos HaKesef (“Silver Points”)

A systematic critique of the Taz’s rulings on Yoreh Deah — printed at the end of the Taz in standard editions. Contains the famous episode of the non-Jewish lamdan and the argument from Tosafos in Avodah Zarah — with the Shach’s penetrating response about the true nature of the non-Jew’s intent. The Taz replied with Matzref HaKesef; the Shach rejoined in the Kuntres Acharon. All three works are embedded in every standard edition of the Shulchan Aruch.

Takfo Kohen

A major scholarly work on the halachic principle of tkapfo kohen — the laws of tephisah (seizure of possession). Studied intensively in yeshivos. Rabbi Yonasan Eibeschitz composed an abridgment; the Kuntres HaSfekos is written in dialogue with it.

Megillas Eifah (Amsterdam, 1651)

A historical chronicle in rhymed Hebrew prose of the Chmielnicki massacres. A primary historical document, translated into German and Russian, and a landmark of Jewish lamentation literature.

Selichos (Amsterdam, 1651)

Penitential prayers for the communities destroyed during Tach V’Tat. The Shach was the first to institute the fast of 20 Sivan, later adopted by the Council of Four Lands as a public fast.

Giburos Anashim, Poel Tzedek, Sefer HaAruch

Works on Even HaEzer, the enumeration of the mitzvos, and a longer commentary on Tur Yoreh Deah. Also: published responsa (Eishel Avraham) and handwritten glosses on the Yam Shel Shlomo of the Maharshal on Chulin preserved in manuscript.

XI. The Shach’s Method: What Made Him Different

The Rav Zilberstein story is not an isolated anecdote. It is a window into the Shach’s mind as it operated at all times and on all topics. His halachic independence was not merely intellectual courage — it was principled methodology. He believed that every ruling must be traceable to its Talmudic root, and that no authority — however revered — could override what the primary sources themselves demanded.

Epilogue: Today Is His Yahrtzeit

Today — Rosh Chodesh Adar — is the day the Shach left this world, in Holešov, in 1663, at forty-one years old. He had lived through the near-destruction of Polish-Lithuanian Jewry. He had fled Vilna with armies at his back. He had lost a daughter in the forest. He had composed the greatest commentary on Yoreh Deah in the history of halacha. He had sat with the Taz for three days and been kissed on the head. He had faced a non-Jew at a party who cited Tosafos to justify his action — and had seen, in an instant, exactly what was happening and exactly why the argument failed.

Rav Zilberstein’s shiur — nearly forgotten, restored by a talmid who had carried it for decades, embraced back as a lost treasure — is itself a parable about how Torah lives. The Shach “forgot” nothing; we are the ones who forget. And it falls to each generation — at each Rosh Chodesh Adar, at each opening of a standard Shulchan Aruch — to remember him: the genius from Vilna who became a refugee, who wrote his masterpiece at twenty-four, who loved the Taz like a brother and argued with him like a scholar, , and whose Siftei Kohen remains, as it has been for nearly four centuries, clear as the noonday sun.

יהי זכרו ברוך — May his memory be a blessing.

By Y.M. Lowy

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If you have a subscription, look out for it in this week’s Dee Voch package. If not, run and grab your copy from store shelves before they’re gone.

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Leading Dati Leumi Rabbanim, who have voiced their fierce opposition to the IDF’s plan to carry out a pilot program to incorporate female soldiers in IDF tank units, sent a strongly worded warning letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu about the matter.

The letter, entitled “Harm To Operational Resilience And To The Service Capability Of Our Soldiers,” was written by the Rabbanim of the Torat Ha’aretz HaTova organization.

“We can no longer remain silent,” the Rabbanim wrote. “Turning the Armored Corps into a mixed-gender unit will place our talmidim in an irreconcilable conflict between their emunah and their operational duties.”

“The IDF is not just another army. Its strength and the secret of its victories is the Siyata Dishmaya that accompanies it. The Torah commands us: ‘וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא יִרְאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר וְשָׁב מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ.’ Preserving kedusha and tznius in the military camp is not a private concern of religious soldiers but a fundamental condition for the entire army’s strength and for Divine assistance in battle.”

“When the army advances toward mixed service forbidden by Yahadus and contrary to security needs, we can no longer remain silent. We cannot stand by while military service violates halacha, mesorah, and the Ruach Yisrael. It also contradicts the IDF’s declared goal of integrating thousands of religious and Chareidi soldiers.”

“This step [mixed tanks] will effectively exclude Shomrei Torah soldiers from contributing to Israel’s security—only because of their lifestyle—weakening the entire combat system and destroying the ‘people’s army.’ Capitulating to foreign social agendas unrelated to the army’s mission of victory harms the security of the state, especially during this period.”

They concluded with a direct appeal to the prime minister: “Halt these steps that divide society and the army! Preserve the IDF as an army that allows all soldiers to serve according to their halachic way of life, to achieve victory, and for the Kavod of Yisrael.”

The Rabbanim concluded the letter with a request for an urgent meeting with the prime minister to prevent the “disaster.”

It should be noted that it is doubtful that Netanyahu has the power to interfere with the IDF’s progressive agenda, which is strongly backed by the Supreme Court and the Military Advocate General’s Office—despite ample evidence that female soldiers negatively affect the operational capabilities of combat units and are at far higher risk for injuries than men, both physically and emotionally.

Liberal and feminist agendas have infiltrated the IDF for decades, including the establishment of a special unit, the Yahalom unit (Adviser to the Chief of Staff on Gender Affairs), to ensure that feminist policies are upheld.

Years ago, a group of wives of Dati Leumi soldiers established an organization called Soldiers’ Wives For The Kedushah Of The Machaneh and have repeatedly warned about the dangers of the influence of the Yahalom unit and various organizations with progressive and radical feminist agendas. The interference of these entities makes it impossible for religious soldiers to serve in the IDF without compromising their religious rights.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Home Front Command commander Shai Klapper gave a closed-door briefing to the members of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Wednesday amid heightened tensions in the region.

Klapper addressed the Home Front’s readiness for a multi-front war and detailed its coordination with the National Emergency Authority and local municipalities, asserting that the IDF is prepared for any scenario.

He also spoke at length about the importance of protective spaces [against missiles], saying that Operation Rising Lion proved that protective spaces save lives. He added that the government is working on a plan to provide protective spaces to all residents of Israel within a decade.

Committee chairman MK Boaz Bismuth said the country is facing a tense period, with all Israelis repeatedly asking on a daily basis when a confrontation with Iran might erupt.

“In a country like ours, the home front is the front line, and the front line is the home front,” Bismuth said. “Wars are also won on the home front.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

JERUSALEM (VINnews)-Israeli emergency services and the Home Front Command have been instructed to prepare for war as officials assess the possibility of an imminent U.S. strike on Iran, according to a report from Ynet.

The directives come amid heightened tensions in the region, as U.S. President Donald Trump weighs military options against Tehran following stalled nuclear negotiations. Israeli officials are operating under the assumption that Iran could launch missile attacks on Israel in retaliation, even if the Israel Defense Forces do not directly participate in any American operation.

In recent limited consultations led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, preparations have focused on defensive measures. Emergency services and the Home Front Command — responsible for civilian protection — received orders to gear up for potential conflict scenarios. Various security agencies have elevated to the highest level of defensive alert, with the defense establishment on edge.

The security cabinet meeting was postponed to Sunday to prevent any Iranian miscalculation that could escalate the situation prematurely.

Reports from CNN, citing two Israeli officials, indicate that Israel has raised its alert level and accelerated operational and defensive planning due to “growing indications” of a possible joint U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran in the coming days. One military source described a potential attack — if approved by Trump — as exceeding the scope of last year’s 12-day war, involving coordinated strikes targeting Iran’s ballistic missiles and possibly regime elements.

Israeli planning anticipates involvement from Iranian proxies, including the Houthis in Yemen, who are expected to join any conflict by launching missiles and drones at Israel. There is also concern that Hezbollah in Lebanon could intervene, unlike its limited role in the previous escalation.

The developments unfold against the backdrop of ongoing U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva, where progress has been reported but significant gaps remain on issues like uranium enrichment and ballistic missiles. U.S. officials have described preparations for a potentially prolonged, multi-week campaign if diplomacy fails, with a massive American military buildup in the region, including additional fighter jets and the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier.

Iran has responded with threats and military exercises, including in the Strait of Hormuz, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of severe consequences for any U.S. action.

No official confirmation of an imminent strike has been issued by the White House or the Pentagon, and Trump has emphasized a preference for a negotiated deal while keeping “all options on the table.” Israeli officials remain pessimistic about the talks’ outcome.

New satellite images show Iran continuing to reinforce and conceal sensitive military and nuclear facilities, underscoring rising tensions with the United States and Israel as diplomatic efforts over Tehran’s nuclear program continue.

Experts say the images show Iran building a concrete shield over a new structure at the Parchin Military Complex, then covering it with soil. The construction appears designed to protect the facility from potential future airstrikes.

Parchin, located about 30 kilometers southeast of Tehran, is one of Iran’s most sensitive military sites. Western intelligence agencies have long alleged that nuclear weapons-related tests were conducted there more than two decades ago, claims Iran has denied.

Israel reportedly struck the site in June 2025. Satellite images taken before and after that attack showed extensive damage to a rectangular building. More recent imagery appears to show reconstruction and new fortifications.

Additional satellite analysis points to activity at the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, one of three Iranian uranium enrichment facilities targeted by U.S. airstrikes in June.

The Isfahan complex is a key part of Iran’s nuclear fuel cycle and includes underground areas where diplomats say large quantities of enriched uranium have been stored.

According to the Institute for Science and International Security, images taken in late January showed efforts to bury two tunnel entrances at the site. In a February 9 update, the group reported that a third entrance had also been filled in with soil, leaving the underground complex “completely buried.”

Analysts also say the imagery shows Iran fortifying tunnel entrances near other nuclear facilities and repairing missile bases damaged during last year’s fighting.

The developments come as the United States seeks to revive negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program, while warning that military options remain on the table if talks fail.

At the same time, Israel has continued to signal that it is prepared to act independently to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons capability.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

WATCH:

The Food and Drug Administration has changed its position and will now evaluate Moderna’s new influenza vaccine, the company announced Wednesday, reversing an earlier decision that stunned its leadership.

Just days ago, the agency informed Moderna that it would not proceed with reviewing the company’s updated flu shot, stating that the submission lacked sufficient supporting research. The unexpected move left Moderna’s president, Dr. Stephen Hoge, in “complete shock.”

In an exclusive interview with The NY Post, Hoge said he was “completely surprised and honestly pretty confused” after receiving the letter from Dr. Vinay Prasad.

The FDA’s decision to reconsider comes after The Post published an editorial cautioning that halting the final phase of the vaccine’s approval process could cost lives, warning that such a move might result in the deaths of “hundreds, maybe thousands, of senior citizens.”

To accelerate the process, Moderna had submitted a divided application. The company sought full approval for individuals between the ages of 50 and 64, while requesting accelerated approval for those 65 and older, with a commitment to carry out a follow-up study in older adults after the vaccine becomes available.

According to Moderna, the FDA has now established an August deadline to determine whether the vaccine will receive approval. Should the agency give the green light, older Americans could receive the new flu shot ahead of the 2026–2027 influenza season.

photos: Issac Y.

LONDON (AP) — Ever since he was ousted as the head of Ukraine’s army in 2024 and appointed as the country’s ambassador to Britain, Valerii Zaluzhnyi has widely been seen as the top political rival to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zaluzhnyi, 52, refuses to discuss his political ambitions, saying he doesn’t want to risk harming national unity during a war with Russia that is approaching its fourth anniversary. Yet in a sign of his possible desire to run for the presidency – after the war is over – Zaluzhnyi spoke publicly for the first time about a deep rift between himself and Zelenskyy in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Tensions emerged soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and tempers often flared between the two men over how best to defend the country, Zaluzhnyi said. The strained relationship reached a boiling point later that year, when dozens of agents from Ukraine’s domestic intelligence service raided Zaluzhnyi’s office, he told the AP.

Zaluzhnyi alleges that the previously unreported incident was an act of intimidation. It risked exposing their rivalry at a time when national unity was paramount.

Ukraine’s security service, known as the SBU, said that no search was ever carried out at Zaluzhnyi’s office, though it acknowledged that the address was part of an investigation unrelated to him. Zelenskyy’s office declined to comment for this story. The AP could not independently confirm Zaluzhnyi’s account of the raid.

Even years later, the revelation threatens to polarize public opinion in Ukraine at a critical moment in the war. Russian forces are making slow, steady gains across Ukraine’s eastern front, and both sides are clinging to incompatible demands as the U.S. presses them to reach a peace deal.

Zaluzhnyi said that during the 2022 raid on his office he called Zelenskyy’s chief of staff warning him he was prepared to call in the military to stop it and protect the command center: “I will fight with you and have already called in reinforcements to the center of Kyiv for support.”

While that near crisis early in the war passed, disagreements between Zaluzhnyi and Zelenskyy over how to defend their country persisted, according to Zaluzhnyi, who said he often challenged the president’s military strategy.

A dispute over a counteroffensive in 2023 that ultimately failed was particularly contentious, the former general said. Although Zaluzhnyi’s popularity with the public had been cemented by several successes on the battlefield, Zelenskyy dismissed him as army chief in February 2024, and later announced he would be headed to London.

The move was widely seen by political analysts as an effort by Zelenskyy to limit Zaluzhnyi’s potential as a political rival by distancing him from day-to-day affairs in Ukraine.

Polls consistently give Zaluzhnyi a slight lead over Zelenskyy in a hypothetical race. Zelenskyy’s once-robust popularity has waned as the war drags on. A corruption scandal implicating several of Zelenskyy’s top officials has eroded public trust, according to lawmakers and activists. Zelenskyy recently reshuffled his leadership team in an effort to restore confidence.

The U.S. has been ramping up pressure on Russia and Ukraine to end the war. While a deal remains elusive, Zelenskyy has agreed in principle to a plan laid out by U.S. President Donald Trump that calls for elections once the war is over and security guarantees are in place.

‘I know how to fight’
One evening in mid-September 2022, as Ukraine was mounting an effective counteroffensive in the northeast, Zaluzhnyi, then army commander, emerged from a tense meeting at Zelenskyy’s headquarters and headed back to his office in Kyiv.

Hours later, dozens of agents from Ukraine’s security service showed up at Zaluzhnyi’s office to search the premises, Zaluzhnyi said. Over a dozen British officers were there at the time, he said.

The Ukrainian agents did not say what they were looking for, according to Zaluzhnyi, who says he prevented them from rifling through documents and computers.

The raid was clearly a threat, Zaluzhnyi said. In the presence of the agents, he phoned Zelenskyy’s chief of staff at the time, Andrii Yermak, and made a stark warning: “I told Yermak that I would repel this attack, because I know how to fight.”

Zaluzhnyi then phoned the head of the security service at the time, Vasyl Maliuk, to ask what was happening. Maliuk said he knew nothing about the raid and promised to look into it, according to Zaluzhnyi.

Later, he learned that Maliuk’s agency had sought a search warrant from a district court in Kyiv two days earlier to inspect the address where Zaluzhnyi’s office is located. The agency was seeking to search a strip club allegedly run by a criminal organization, according to a court document obtained by AP.

But the strip club named in the filing had been closed at that location since before Russia’s full-scale invasion, two employees who work at the club’s new location told the AP.

The SBU said it was looking into several addresses as part of an investigation into organized crime — unconnected to Zaluzhnyi. In a statement, the agency said one of the addresses listed in the criminal case turned out to be “a recently established covert backup command post” of Zaluzhnyi’s.

The statement said no search was carried out by the SBU at the address and that the situation was clarified after Maliuk and Zaluzhnyi spoke.

Zaluzhnyi believes the search warrant was a pretext and that the agency could not plausibly have mistaken the location of the country’s main war command center.

Diluted striking force
The 2023 counteroffensive drew widespread criticism from military experts for being too ambitious and coming too late, giving Russian forces time to fortify positions.

Zaluzhnyi says the plan he had crafted with help from NATO partners failed because Zelenskyy and other officials wouldn’t commit the resources it required.

The original plan was to concentrate enough forces into a “single fist” to retake the partially occupied region of Zaporizhzhia — home to a vital nuclear power plant — and then have them advance south to the Sea of Azov. This would sever a corridor of land the Russian army had been using to resupply Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014. Success required a large, concentrated buildup and tactical surprise, Zaluzhnyi said.

What happened instead, he said, was that forces were dispersed over a wide area, diluting their striking power.

His account of how the counteroffensive diverged from the original plan was corroborated by two Western defense officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly to the media.

A diplomat with political intentions?
Zaluzhnyi’s office at the Ukrainian Embassy in London reflects his years as a general. The walls are adorned with posters of military aircraft, army medals he was awarded and children’s drawings of battle scenes. There are toy drones on a mahogany table.

Behind his desk, screens show real-time feeds from drones flying over the battlefield of eastern Ukraine.

Zaluzhnyi’s key criticisms of Ukraine’s war strategy are that it depends on an unrealistic number of troops and is not organized well in how it develops and deploys new technologies to the battlefield. He watches developments closely, but says he has not been involved with military decision-making since Zelenskyy pushed him out. Zaluzhnyi said he and Zelenskyy had “absolutely friendly” conversations on the two occasions they met since then.

Some analysts say Zaluzhnyi’s lack of involvement in Ukraine’s day-to-day political affairs could weaken his popularity.

Still, an Ipsos poll published last month showed support for Zaluzhnyi in a hypothetical future election at 23%, compared with Zelenskyy’s 20%, making him the president’s top competitor.

Many Ukrainians see him as a figure capable of changing the system, said Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst based in Kyiv. “People will vote not only for Zaluzhnyi but also against Zelenskyy — blaming him for the failures of his presidency,” he explained.

Zaluzhnyi avoids discussing politics, he says, for fear of fomenting division among Ukrainians. “Until the war is over or martial law ends, I am not discussing this and have done nothing toward that,” he said.

Despite his reticence, a number of campaign consultants, party figures and political insiders continue to approach Zaluzhnyi and offer to help craft a campaign.

Zaluzhnyi said a “fairly well known” American political consultant approached him in the spring of 2025. An official close to Zaluzhnyi, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, told AP it was Paul Manafort, who served as chairman of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign before he was convicted in 2018 of crimes that included secretly lobbying for Ukraine’s former pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych.

“I thanked him for paying attention to me, but said that I did not need his services,” Zaluzhnyi said.

Manafort, who was pardoned by Trump at the end of his first term, did not respond to calls and messages from the AP.

Authorities investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are facing significant challenges in retrieving additional surveillance footage from her Arizona home, with the sheriff leading the case acknowledging that the odds of obtaining more critical video appear low.

Guthrie, 84, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, had several security cameras installed at her residence outside Tucson. So far, however, investigators have managed to secure only Google Nest footage from the front of the property, which shows a masked individual walking up to her front door.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said detectives have repeatedly contacted Google in an effort to determine whether more footage can be accessed. Despite those efforts, the company indicated that further recovery may not be possible. “We don’t think we can get anything,” the sheriff told NewsNation on Tuesday.

Complicating matters, Nancy did not maintain an active subscription for her camera system, a factor that has made the retrieval process particularly complex, Nanos said.

“It’s like peeling paint — you have images over images over images. And you’ve got to peel back very easy because you might destroy the layer you wanted,” the sheriff explained.

Even so, Nanos expressed hope that any additional video, if recovered, could prove crucial in locating Nancy. Footage released to the public last week has already prompted nearly 5,000 tips from concerned citizens.

The investigation has now entered its 18th day as search efforts continue.

Despite the obstacles, the sheriff said he has “100% faith” that law enforcement will ultimately solve the case.

“If you were the guy, if you were that monster, you should be worried,” he said.

Officials have announced a reward of up to $100,000 for information that leads to Nancy’s safe return or results in the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

In a further setback Tuesday, authorities revealed that DNA evidence collected from a glove discovered roughly two miles from Nancy’s home did not produce a match in the FBI’s national DNA database, known as CODIS.

Bnos Penina of Lakewood, NJ has announced that it will cease operations, citing severe financial shortfalls and the loss of its school building, according to a letter sent to parents on Tuesday.

In the emotional letter, the administration informed families that the school would be unable to continue operating after this week due to unmet financial commitments and mounting tuition arrears.

“Bnos Penina has been more than a school to us. It has been our life’s work, our passion, and our privilege,” the letter began. “We love your daughters. We love our staff. We love our school. We love the warmth, the growth, the רוח and the beautiful atmosphere that has defined Bnos Penina from its very beginning.”

School leadership wrote that they had made clear earlier in the year that they could not continue to shoulder the institution’s financial burden alone. They said the school opened this academic year only after receiving commitments from parents to assume greater financial responsibility and partner in sustaining operations.

“Unfortunately, those commitments were not carried through as needed to keep us financially viable,” the letter stated.

The administration further explained that tuition payments were required to remain fully current in order for the school to meet its most basic obligations. According to the letter, many accounts fell behind, contributing to the school’s inability to function.

“It must be stated clearly: had tuition obligations been maintained as agreed, we would not be in this position today,” the letter read. “Unfortunately, both the broader financial commitments and many tuition obligations have not been fulfilled. A school simply cannot function this way. Without the financial backing that was committed, we are not in a position to secure the space or meet the obligations required to continue operating.”

In a development that effectively sealed the school’s fate, the administration informed parents that the landlord had notified them that the building would no longer be available after Wednesday.

“Our landlord has just informed us that the school won’t be able to use the building after this Wednesday. Please do not send your children to school as of Thursday, Feb 19, 2026,” the letter stated.

School officials said the decision followed months of effort to find a sustainable solution, including numerous discussions and attempts to stabilize finances.

“After much effort, many conversations, and every possible attempt to find a sustainable path forward, we have reached the painful conclusion that we will not be able to continue after this Wednesday,” the letter continued. “This decision was not made lightly. It comes after speaking with תורה דעת, giving it tremendous thought, tears, and sincere attempts to avoid this outcome.”

At this point, the administration wrote, it is up to parents to determine the “אחריות of their daughters’ חינוך,” expressing hope that families might still step forward in a meaningful and immediate way to make continuation possible.

“It is our sincere hope that our wonderful and loyal parents will step forward in a meaningful and immediate way to make continuation possible,” the letter concluded.

The sudden closure leaves families scrambling to secure alternative placements for their daughters in the middle of the school year. No further details were provided regarding potential future efforts to reopen or reorganize the school.

{Matzav.com}

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council is set to hold a high-level meeting Wednesday on the Gaza ceasefire deal and Israel’s efforts to expand control in the West Bank before world leaders head to Washington to discuss the future of the Palestinian territories at the

first gathering of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

The U.N. session in New York was originally scheduled for Thursday but was moved up after Trump announced the board’s meeting for that same date and it became clear that it would complicate travel plans for diplomats planning to attend both. It is a sign of the potential for overlapping and conflicting agendas between the United Nations’ most powerful body and Trump’s new initiative, whose broader ambitions to broker global conflicts have raised concerns in some countries that it may attempt to rival the U.N. Security Council.

Asked what he hopes to see from the back-to-back meetings this week, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters: “We expect from the international community to stop Israel and end their illegal effort against annexation, whether in Washington or in New York.”

The foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia, among others, are expected to attend the monthly Mideast meeting of the 15-member council after many Arab and Islamic countries requested last week that it discuss Gaza and Israel’s contentious West Bank settlement project before some of them head to Washington.

The board to be chaired by Trump was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing his 20-point plan for Gaza’s future. But the Republican president’s ambitious new vision for the board to be a mediator of worldwide conflicts has led to skepticism from major allies.

While more than 20 countries have so far accepted an invitation to join the board, close U.S. partners, including France, Germany and others, have opted not to join yet and renewed support for the U.N., which also is in the throes of major reforms and funding cuts.

Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., dismissed concerns about the composition of the Board of Peace, telling conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in an interview Monday that the most relevant countries, including Qatar and Egypt, which are in touch with Hamas’ leadership, have accepted the invitation.

“All of those countries are on the Board of Peace, singing the same tune as the United States,” he said.

The Security Council will be meeting a day after nearly all of its 15 members — minus the United States — and dozens of other diplomats joined Palestinian ambassador Mansour as he read a statement on behalf of 80 countries and several organizations condemning Israel’s latest actions in the West Bank, demanding an immediate reversal and underlining “strong opposition to any form of annexation.”

Israel, whose U.N. mission did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday’s meeting, is launching a contentious land regulation process that will deepen its control in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said it amounts to “de facto sovereignty” that will block the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Outraged Palestinians, Arab countries and human rights groups have called the moves an illegal annexation of the territory, home to roughly 3.4 million Palestinians who seek it for a future state.

The U.N. meeting also is expected to delve into the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal that took effect Oct. 10 after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas. The U.K., which currently holds the presidency of the council, said the meeting will include briefings by U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo and by Israeli and Palestinian civil society representatives for the first time since the Oct. 7 attacks.

Aspects of the ceasefire deal have moved forward, including Hamas releasing all the hostages it was holding and increased amounts of humanitarian aid getting into Gaza, though the U.N. says the level is insufficient. A new technocratic committee has been appointed to administer Gaza’s daily affairs.

But the most challenging steps lie ahead, including the deployment of an international security force, disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza.

Trump said this week that the Board of Peace members have pledged $5 billion toward Gaza reconstruction and will commit thousands of personnel to international stabilization and police forces for the territory. He didn’t provide details. Indonesia’s military says up to 8,000 of its troops are expected to be ready by the end of June for a potential deployment to Gaza as part of a humanitarian and peace mission.

As Purim approaches, many bachurim traditionally raise funds for their yeshivos and for tzedakah causes.

In recent years, however, particularly post-Covid, the method has increasingly shifted from groups to phone calls and text messages to baaleibatim in the weeks leading up to Purim.

Is this a positive evolution in fundraising, or does it cross a line?

Should bachurim be calling and texting baaleibatim before Purim for donations, or should clearer boundaries be set?

Should the yeshivos keep the fundraising strictly to Purim?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

WASHINGTON (Israel Hayom) – America’s massive military buildup in the Middle East, assembled in anticipation of a possible strike on Iran, has thrust an uncomfortable question to the front of the Pentagon’s agenda. The problem isn’t a foreign spy service or a sophisticated cyberattack. It’s ordinary civilians on social media tracking US warplanes in real time – and sometimes getting it catastrophically wrong.

The phenomenon of civilian surveillance of US military movements is nothing new. But it burst into the headlines recently, prompted in part by the sheer scale of the military surge. At a late January conference hosted by the Mitchell Institute, Maj. Claire Randolph – head of the weapons and tactics branch at the US Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT), and a planner of Operation Midnight Hammer (the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites) – laid bare her alarm.

“You have feeds on Twitter of random people who are just researching where our planes are flying and posting that,” she said. “If American analysts were doing some of these things, we would classify that as secret or perhaps even top secret. But this stuff is just out there on the open internet,” she added, barely concealing her frustration.

The tools enabling this surveillance are widely available. For anyone willing to pay for a premium subscription, apps like FlightRadar and FlightAware offer a comprehensive real-time picture of commercial, civilian, and military aircraft around the clock. The platforms rely on a web of commercial and civilian-owned sensors, while private companies – and state-aligned organizations with their own interests – supply satellite imagery of sensitive bases. That imagery allows followers to confirm the presence of aircraft they had tracked hours earlier, shortly after landing.

The Pentagon’s anxiety over the surging power of open-source intelligence practitioners on social media has been building for years. At a 2023 conference, a senior, unnamed US Air Force official put it in stark terms, saying “the Department of Defense views open-source flight tracking and the accumulation of data on our aircraft as a direct threat to our ability to conduct military air operations worldwide.”

Few voices in the debate carry more authority than Robert Spaulding – a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a retired brigadier general who commanded the 509th Bomb Wing. He argued that open-source data and a social media ecosystem “riddled with vulnerabilities” are “more dangerous than the B-21.” “That’s why I left the military,” Spaulding said. “Because we are not protecting data. I think it’s the most dangerous thing we can do as a nation.”

Operational security, he said, is all too often an afterthought. There are “areas of awareness” about the risks posed by open-source flight-tracking data, varying by mission type, he noted. But “there is a general lack of awareness, and it exists at the highest levels of the military and in the places where the rubber meets the road,” he added.

By Y.M. Lowy

Several subway lines are being rerouted this morning following a reported track fire on the Manhattan Bridge, according to the MTA.

Some N and Q trains are running on alternate routes, and delays are being reported on the B, D, N, and Q lines in both directions.

Riders are advised to check the MTA app or website for the latest service updates.

A landmark moment is set to take place this evening as Hagaon Rav Asher Arieli will, for the first time, deliver remarks outside the framework of his regular shiurim. The highly anticipated address will be delivered at the Malki Rabbanan gathering, scheduled to take place tonight at the Pais Arena in Yerushalayim.

For decades, Rav Arieli — the most prominent maggid shiur in the Torah world — has declined invitations to appear before large public audiences beyond his daily shiur at the Mir. His shiurim, which draw approximately a thousand lomdim each day, have become legendary. Yet despite his stature, he has consistently avoided public speaking engagements and any form of personal publicity, devoting himself exclusively to delivering Torah through his daily shiur and smaller chaburos. He also delivers a shiur each week at Yeshiva Tiferes Tzvi and a shiur each year to the participants of Agudas Yisroel’s Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah.

According to information obtained behind the scenes, the decision follows a personal request from the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir, Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, who urged Rav Arieli to address the Malki Rabbanan event in light of the significance of the occasion and its importance in being mechazeik the Olam HaTorah.

Event organizers explained the deeper message behind the gathering. “Specifically at this time,” they said, “in a period when the honor of Torah is being trampled and in the public square one hears voices of ‘Mai ahanu lan Rabbanan,’ this event comes to proclaim in a clear voice the public’s appreciation for those who toil in Torah, as Chazal said: ‘Man malki? Rabbanan!’”

{Matzav.com}

photos: Achim Lanchevsky

Mark Zuckerberg is set to take the witness stand in a closely watched trial examining whether Meta’s social media platforms were intentionally designed in ways that addict young users and contribute to mental health harm.

The Meta CEO is scheduled to testify Wednesday under questioning from lawyers representing a now 20-year-old woman identified as KGM. She alleges that her use of social media beginning at a young age led to addiction and worsened her depression and suicidal ideation.

Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube remain the only defendants in the case after TikTok and Snap reached settlements. The lawsuit is one of several targeting major technology companies over the impact of their platforms on minors.

Zuckerberg has previously appeared in court and testified before Congress about youth safety issues tied to Meta’s services. During a prior congressional hearing, he apologized to families who said social media tragedies had devastated their lives.

This proceeding, however, will be the first time Zuckerberg addresses such claims before a jury. Families who have lost children and believe social media played a role are expected to attend, filling the limited public seating available in the courtroom.

The lawsuit has been designated, along with two related cases, as a bellwether trial. Its outcome could influence how thousands of similar claims against social media companies are resolved nationwide.

In a statement, a Meta spokesperson said the company firmly rejects the accusations and expressed confidence that the trial will demonstrate “our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”

During opening arguments, Meta attorney Paul Schmidt told jurors the company does not deny that KGM has struggled with mental health challenges. Instead, he argued that Instagram was not a significant cause of those issues.

Schmidt cited medical documentation referencing instability at home, and both he and YouTube’s legal counsel contend that the plaintiff used the platforms as a way to cope with or escape existing mental health difficulties.

Zuckerberg’s appearance follows testimony last week from Adam Mosseri, who heads Instagram. On the stand, Mosseri said he rejects the notion that users can become clinically addicted to social media.

Mosseri also testified that Instagram prioritizes the safety of younger users and stated that it is “not good for the company, over the long run, to make decisions that profit for us but are poor for people’s well-being.”

Attorney Mark Lanier, representing the plaintiff, devoted much of his questioning of Mosseri to Instagram’s appearance-altering filters, pressing on how those tools may affect young users’ self-image. Lanier is expected to pursue similar lines of questioning with Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg is also anticipated to be asked about Instagram’s algorithm, the continuous scroll format of Meta’s feeds, and other platform features that plaintiffs argue are structured to keep users engaged for extended periods.

In addition to this case, Meta is defending itself in a separate trial underway in New Mexico that began last week.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Wednesday that he does not believe military service is suitable for women, reiterating that he would not advise his daughter to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces.

Speaking in a radio interview, Smotrich said he respects the sense of duty and idealism that motivates young people to serve but maintains that the structure and culture of the military make it an inappropriate environment for women. He emphasized that his position is rooted in his religious worldview and longstanding views about gender roles in public life.

Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism party, has previously voiced opposition to expanding women’s roles in combat units and has advocated for preserving traditional frameworks within the military. On Wednesday, he reaffirmed that stance, saying he would not recommend that his own daughter pursue enlistment.

The comments come as women continue to serve in a wide range of roles across the IDF, including combat positions, intelligence units and command posts. In recent years, the military has expanded opportunities for female soldiers, citing operational needs and broader societal changes.

Critics argue that excluding women undermines equality and ignores their contributions to national defense. Supporters of Smotrich’s position contend that maintaining certain distinctions is consistent with religious values and social cohesion.

The latest remarks are likely to renew debate within Israel over the evolving role of women in the armed forces, an issue that has periodically surfaced in political and military discussions.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — For the first time in Israeli Navy history, a female officer will take command of one of the service’s missile boats, the IDF announced.

Lieutenant Commander “Resh” — identified only by her rank and the first initial of her Hebrew name — will assume command of a Sa’ar 4.5-class missile boat during a handover ceremony Wednesday.

The appointment marks “a significant milestone in the operational and command activity” of the Navy, according to the military, and underscores the IDF’s “commitment to excellence, professionalism, and equal opportunity.”

The vessel Resh will command has played a key role in recent operations during the ongoing war, the IDF said. These include a large-scale December 2024 mission that destroyed much of the former Syrian regime’s naval fleet, the March 2025 elimination of senior Hamas official Ismail Barhoum, the November 2024 killing of a top Hezbollah aerial forces commander, and the interception of aerial threats.

Resh enlisted in 2016 as a naval cadet and has held several positions in the Navy. Her prior roles include serving as deputy commander of a missile boat and as commander of a Dvora-class patrol boat in the 916th Patrol Squadron.

The Sa’ar 4.5-class missile boats form a backbone of the Israeli Navy’s Missile Ship Fleet, known for advanced missile capabilities and participation in high-stakes maritime operations.

The historic command change highlights the increasing integration of women into combat roles across the IDF, building on earlier breakthroughs in naval service.

A tense clash erupted Wednesday morning near the Knesset after bereaved parents removed photographs of their murdered children from a left-wing protest encampment, accusing activists of using the images for political purposes without their consent.

The parents, members of the “Din V’Tzedek Forum,” arrived at the protest site adjacent to the Knesset building to protest what they described as the unauthorized use of their children’s photos as part of a political campaign against the government.

According to a report on Channel 7, the situation quickly escalated into a loud and emotional confrontation between the grieving families and protest activists. Police forces were eventually called to the scene in order to separate the sides and restore order.

The parents expressed outrage over the inclusion of their loved ones’ photographs on protest signage without their permission. During the heated exchange, the families charged that “they are using pictures of our children who were murdered for their political goals without receiving our permission.”

As tensions rose, the parents began physically removing the signs bearing their children’s images from within the protest encampment. Protest activists, however, attempted to block them from taking down the signs, leading to a bitter and emotional exchange between the two sides.

{Matzav.com}

Conservative media personality Tucker Carlson made a brief and tightly contained visit to Israel on Wednesday, conducting a filmed interview with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee inside Ben Gurion Airport before departing just hours later, according to sources cited by The Jerusalem Post.

Sources said Carlson did not travel beyond the airport complex and left Israel at around 3 p.m., ending a trip that lasted only a few hours. The unusual in-and-out visit followed a public dispute between the two former Fox News hosts over Carlson’s recent reporting on the Middle East and his claims that Huckabee had failed to adequately address concerns raised by Christians in the region, including Palestinian Christians.

After Carlson released a video criticizing Huckabee, the ambassador responded online by inviting him to speak directly. Carlson publicly accepted, setting the stage for the face-to-face meeting.

The sit-down comes amid growing tension within American conservative politics, where support for Israel has become a sharper point of internal disagreement than in previous years. Carlson has increasingly positioned himself as a critic of US policy toward Israel and of what he calls “Christian Zionism,” drawing pushback from mainstream Republicans and pro-Israel conservatives.

Huckabee, a longtime evangelical leader and close ally of President Donald Trump, has taken the opposite approach. He was confirmed as ambassador in 2025 and presented his credentials shortly afterward to Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

According to former Fox News and Fox Business anchor Melissa Francis, Trump has urged conservative figures to lower the intensity of the debate.

“Everybody’s looking for a way to turn down the temperature,” Francis said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. “President Trump is telling everyone, including Tucker, ‘Let’s take this down.’”

Francis said the Carlson-Huckabee meeting was intended to prevent Israel from becoming an issue that fractures the Republican coalition, particularly as “America First” arguments against foreign involvement gain traction and social media amplifies confrontations.

“The division in the Republican Party right now has to end,” she said. “The enemy wins when those that are on the side of God are divided.”

She described the interview as the product of a public dispute that escalated online and quickly became a proxy battle over Israel, the Middle East, and the limits of acceptable debate within conservative circles. Francis said she viewed the feud as serious enough to require intervention.

“This really had gotten out of control,” she said.

According to Francis, Carlson initially sought a higher-level invitation to visit Israel and wanted assurance that his presence would be welcomed.

“I would go tomorrow,” she recalled him saying, adding that he wanted confirmation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would receive him.

Francis said Carlson told her he had approached Netanyahu through intermediaries but was rebuffed, leading her to pursue an invitation from Huckabee instead.

“I guess it has to be your invitation because it’s not coming from the prime minister,” she said she told the ambassador.

She recalled Huckabee expressing the view that Carlson needed to see Israel firsthand. “If Tucker just came and walked around and saw, I think it would be different,” she said.

Francis also pointed to longstanding personal and political ties between the two men, suggesting both were looking for a way to retreat from the public clash without appearing weak.

“I happen to know that they both want to turn the temperature down,” she said. “It’s too hot. It’s just gotten too out of control.”

More broadly, Francis described a conservative movement struggling to manage internal disagreements over Israel without turning them into personal or ideological purges. She argued that accusations and labels often shut down discussion rather than resolve it.

“Nobody likes to be told what to say and what to do,” she said. “The minute the language turns to ‘You’re antisemitic,’ the conversation stops.”

She said this dynamic has pushed participants into defensive postures and online echo chambers, while the dispute intensifies on platforms that reward outrage. Although acknowledging that antisemitism exists in US discourse, Francis argued that broad accusations can backfire inside conservative spaces.

Francis also emphasized Carlson’s influence, particularly among younger Americans.

“Tucker has control over Americans under 30,” she said, describing an audience that increasingly consumes political content through digital platforms rather than traditional media.

She said Christian audiences have been among the strongest sources of pro-Israel support in the United States since October 7, but warned that internal conservative conflicts risk weakening that backing.

“I don’t have the illusion that you’re going to change people’s minds,” she said. “Let’s just stop fighting about Israel.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

By Yisroel R.

The NYPD is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying an individual wanted in connection with a vehicle theft in Boro Park last December.

According to police, the incident took place on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at approximately 7:45 a.m. A 61-year-old man had stepped out of his Chevrolet Trax while it remained running on Fort Hamilton Parkway when another individual entered the vehicle and drove away.

Authorities said the vehicle was later located on McDonald Avenue. The individual left the car at that location and fled the area on foot in an unknown direction. No injuries were reported.

The person sought is described as a female with a light complexion and curly brown hair. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

illustration photo: Shutterstock

President Donald Trump on Tuesday marked five years since the death of conservative radio pioneer Rush Limbaugh, praising him as “a really great man” and declaring that “there will never be another Rush Limbaugh.”

In a video message shared on Truth Social, Trump spoke about Limbaugh’s influence on the conservative movement and the role he played during Trump’s first presidential campaign.

“This is the fifth anniversary of the loss of a really great man, a great conservative, somebody that loved our country … but he was a friend of mine — Rush Limbaugh,” Trump said.

The president recounted that when he first entered the 2016 race for the White House, he had not yet met Limbaugh personally, but soon learned that the longtime broadcaster had publicly backed his candidacy.

“I had never met Rush when I announced I was running — I’ll never forget, 2015,” Trump said.

“And I got a call all excited that Rush just endorsed you. I’d never met him. And he liked my opening speech.”

Trump explained that over time, their professional connection turned into a personal bond, and he gained a deeper appreciation for Limbaugh’s character.

“Then I got to know him and I realized what a great guy he was,” he said.

Reflecting on the anniversary, Trump emphasized the void left by Limbaugh’s absence.

“It’s five years and we miss Rush. There will never be another Rush Limbaugh.”

“To his great wife and family, I just wanna say, we miss you all. We miss him and there’ll never be anybody like him,” Trump said.

Limbaugh died on Feb. 17, 2021, at the age of 70 following a struggle with lung cancer. Over the course of his career, he became one of the most prominent voices in conservative politics.

For decades, his nationally syndicated program, “The Rush Limbaugh Show,” led the talk radio landscape, attracting millions of listeners and energizing Republican voters across the country.

Throughout Trump’s time in office, Limbaugh was a steadfast advocate of the administration’s agenda.

In 2020, during the State of the Union address, Trump presented Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, hailing him as a “special man” and a “legend.”

Limbaugh’s early endorsement during the 2016 campaign was widely viewed as a key moment that strengthened Trump’s standing among conservative activists and talk radio audiences nationwide.

“Why would I join a shidduch website?” he asked. “I already have more names than I can handle.”

I couldn’t have agreed more. “That’s exactly the issue,” I said. “You want compatible suggestions, not countless suggestions.”

It’s been a relatively straightforward task to explain the value of Canopy Shidduchim to young women. Yes, we emphasize our foundation of chesed, our commitment to privacy and dignity, and the care we take to ensure a 1:1 ratio of men to women daters. But above all, it’s a channel for receiving ideas. And for many women navigating shidduchim, that alone is meaningful.

Men, on the other hand, don’t immediately see the value. They are managing 10, 20, 50 ideas and hoping something on a page will give them a clue as to which idea might be the right idea. This difficulty has created pressure points in the shidduch world. For example, as making shidduchim becomes more complex, fast-moving, and globalized, we have started to commonly share photos. This practice certainly emerged with the best intentions and motivated by the desire to make shidduchim. With so many suggestions flying, a picture can ground a resume. In an instant, it clarifies whether an idea is on target or off base. But even with photo-sharing, the underlying problem remains. Men continue to feel overwhelmed, and struggle to determine which ideas to reasonably pursue.

Canopy Shidduchim was founded on a basis of chesed – a desire to approach shidduchim with the same care and sensitivity brought to every communal need. We asked a simple question: “Why is shidduchim treated differently from every other chesed?” A Hatzalah member would never chastise a heart attack victim for smoking; yet, well-meaning criticism is often given in shidduchim. No chesed organization charges the people in need; but in shidduchim, it’s common for daters to pay for shidduch services.

Canopy Shidduchim applies the donation-based, nonprofit model to shidduchim. Our daters don’t pay to join. There are no premium or priority levels. Everyone has access to the same service, all for free. Our shadchanim are all volunteers and trained to offer support, honor boundaries, and provide guidance only when requested. Our shadchanim are thoughtfully selected to ensure they share our values.

On Canopy, each dater submits an anonymous profile, which includes the same information on a typical shidduch resume—but without names or identifying details. It also includes a very specific description of the dater and what s/he is looking for. Once approved to join, daters receive one anonymous profile per day. This idea does not come from a shadchan. It is technology-generated. If both sides agree they want to see more, each dater receives the full, identifying shidduch resume and a shadchan is assigned to coordinate. At this stage, they have not yet agreed to a date, and have simply decided to further explore the idea.

This model enhances privacy and clarity. It protects shadchanim from burnout by putting daters in the driver’s seat at an early stage. Shadchanim often spent hours going between two daters on a potential idea, only to have the idea unravel after much time and effort because one dater realized the other was 5″4 or 5″6 or 5″8 and that was a dealbreaker. Canopy preserves the shadchan’s time, saving their wisdom and guidance for the conversations that matter most.

Because we care about our system working in the best possible way, we require daters to join in pairs. One man for every one woman. This may be arranged, for example, with a sibling or cousin. Those without a pair can ask a Canopy shadchan for assistance or join a waitlist, where daters are paired on a first-come, first-served basis. This 1:1 ratio is essential to ensuring the best, most useful operating model.

Canopy was built by alumnae of Manhattan High School for Girls and before launching, received brachos for hatzlacha from Harav Rav Dovid Cohen, shlit”a and Harav Asher Weiss, shlit”a. At Canopy, we are growth-oriented – constantly seeking feedback, evaluating outcomes, and refining our approach. We believe in the benefits of the shidduch system and also in leveraging technology to strengthen that mesorah.

It’s hard to think of a more universal צורך ציבור than shidduchim. Nearly every frum family, at one point or another, will go through shidduchim. And whether you’re currently dating, a dater’s parent or relative, or just someone who cares, Canopy Shidduchim offers a meaningful way to be part of the solution. We’re accepting partners in chesed at canopyshidduchim.com.

GENEVA (AP) — The latest U.S.-brokered talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv over Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine ended Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough and with both sides saying the talks were “difficult,” as the war’s fourth anniversary approaches next week.

The negotiations in Switzerland were the third round of direct talks organized by the U.S., after meetings earlier this year in Abu Dhabi that officials described as constructive but which also made no major headway. Expectations for significant progress in Geneva were low.

“The negotiations were not easy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the talks broke up and he spoke briefly by phone from Kyiv with his negotiating team.

He earlier accused Russia of “trying to drag out negotiations” while it presses on with its invasion — an accusation he and European leaders have repeatedly made in the past.

Despite that, some progress was made on military issues although political differences remain deep, including over the future of land in eastern Ukraine that is occupied by the Russian army and that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to keep, Zelenskyy said.

The head of the Russian delegation, Putin adviser Vladimir Medinsky, told reporters that the two days of talks in Geneva “were difficult but businesslike.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that it’s “too early” to speak about the outcome of the talks. Putin has been receiving reports about progress in Geneva, he said.

Both sides said a new round of talks is set to take place.

US will help monitor any ceasefire
Zelenskyy described the military discussions as “constructive,” adding that the armed forces of both countries considered how any future ceasefire might be monitored.

“Monitoring will definitely be carried out with participation of the American side,” he said in a voice message shared in a media group chat on WhatsApp.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on social media that Washington’s push for peace in Ukraine over the past year has “brought about meaningful progress,” without elaborating.

The two armies remain locked in battle on the roughly 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) front line, while Russia bombards civilian areas of Ukraine daily.

Hours after the first day of talks ended on Tuesday, Russian drones killed a woman and injured a 6-year-old girl and 18-month-old toddler in the southern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia, officials said.

Overnight, Russia launched one ballistic missile and 126 long-range drones at Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force.

Europe is involved
Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian and American envoys in Geneva met with representatives from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

Europe’s participation in the process is “indispensable,” Zelenskyy said.

European leaders, mindful of Putin’s wider ambitions, say their own security is at stake in Ukraine and have insisted on being consulted in peace efforts.

Russia and Ukraine appear to still be far apart on their demands for a settlement.

Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting with Putin. But Moscow wants a comprehensive agreement before committing to a truce.

Putin’s key goals remain what he declared when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022: Ukraine must renounce joining NATO, sharply reduce the size of its army and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.

Additionally, Putin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four eastern regions Moscow has occupied but doesn’t fully control.

Zelenskyy says Ukraine won’t surrender land to Russia.

The Justice Department has issued a fresh round of subpoenas as part of a Florida-based criminal investigation examining individuals who took investigative or legal steps against President Donald Trump, while also revisiting the federal government’s handling of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, according to several people familiar with the matter.

In November, prosecutors sent out an initial set of subpoenas seeking records tied to the creation of a U.S. intelligence community assessment that outlined what officials described as an extensive and coordinated effort by Moscow to aid Trump in defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Whereas the earlier subpoenas focused on documents connected to the period surrounding the January 2017 release of the intelligence assessment during the final days of the Obama administration, the newer demands cast a much wider net. According to people who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the subpoenas are not public, investigators are now requesting materials covering the years that followed.

The Justice Department declined to comment Tuesday on the ongoing investigation.

The latest subpoenas signal that prosecutors continue to pursue one of several criminal investigations launched by the department involving Trump’s political adversaries.

Among those receiving subpoenas are former intelligence and law enforcement officials. Attorneys representing former CIA Director John Brennan — who played a central role in overseeing the drafting of the 2017 intelligence assessment — have said they were informed that he is a target of the investigation, though they have not been told of any “legally justifiable basis for undertaking this investigation.”

The intelligence assessment, released shortly before Trump took office, concluded that Russia had shown a “clear preference” for Trump in the 2016 race. It also determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed an influence campaign designed to undermine confidence in the American electoral system and damage Clinton’s prospects.

That finding — along with the broader inquiry into whether the 2016 Trump campaign coordinated with Russia — has remained a focal point of the president’s complaints for years. Trump has repeatedly criticized the officials involved and pledged to hold them accountable.

Last year, the Trump administration’s Justice Department brought false statement and obstruction charges against former FBI Director James Comey, but the prosecution was later dropped.

Numerous official reviews, including bipartisan congressional investigations and a criminal probe led by former special counsel Robert Mueller, concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in ways that benefited Trump. Those efforts included hacking and releasing Democratic emails as well as orchestrating a covert social media campaign aimed at inflaming divisions and influencing public opinion.

Mueller determined that while the Trump campaign welcomed assistance from Russia, his investigation did not find sufficient evidence to prove that Trump or his associates conspired with Russian operatives to alter the election outcome.

The Trump administration has recently renewed scrutiny of the original intelligence assessment in part because its classified annex referenced a summary of the so-called “Steele dossier.” That document, funded by Democrats and compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, was turned over to the FBI and included allegations about Trump’s possible ties to Russia.

The dossier contained claims that were not independently verified and included salacious material. Trump has long cited those weaknesses to challenge the credibility of the broader Russia investigation.

The Florida probe appears to be one element of a wider effort by the administration to revisit decisions and conclusions that emerged from the Russia investigation years ago.

A CIA tradecraft review that was declassified last July by current Director John Ratcliffe did not dispute the conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. However, it identified “multiple procedural anomalies” in how the intelligence community assessment was prepared and criticized Brennan for allowing the classified version to reference the Steele dossier.

Brennan has told Congress and written in his memoir that he opposed incorporating dossier material into the assessment because neither its content nor its sources had been validated. He has said the dossier did not shape the assessment’s core judgments and has maintained that the FBI advocated for its inclusion.

The newly released CIA review offered a different interpretation of Brennan’s role, stating that he “showed a preference for narrative consistency over analytical soundness” and dismissed concerns about the dossier because he believed it aligned “with existing theories.” The review cites him, without additional context, as writing that “my bottomline is that I believe that the information warrants inclusion in the report.”

It remains uncertain whether the Florida-based investigation will ultimately lead to criminal charges.

In a letter sent last December to the chief judge of the Southern District of Florida, Brennan’s attorneys questioned the legal foundation of the inquiry. They asked what justification prosecutors had for opening the case in that jurisdiction and said they had not been informed of the specific crimes under investigation.

“While it is mystifying how the prosecutors could possibly believe there is any legally justifiable basis for undertaking this investigation, they have done nothing to explain that mystery,” the lawyers wrote, characterizing the probe as “manufactured.”

JERUSALEM (VINnews) The chairman of the World Zionist Organization has invited New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to join this year’s March for Israel parade, drawing sharp criticism from Israel’s top diplomat in New York.

Yaakov Hagoel publicly called on Mamdani to march alongside him at the annual event scheduled for May 31 on Fifth Avenue, describing it as a show of solidarity with tens of thousands of Jewish participants and with the State of Israel.

“I am inviting the mayor of New York City to come and march beside me,” Hagoel on Tuesday said at a conference in Jerusalem, adding that he had previously reached out to Mamdani and urged him to reconsider municipal decisions he opposes, including not banning protests outside synagogues and dropping adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism.

But Israel’s Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, rebuked Hagoel, saying he had no authority to extend such an invitation.

In a statement, Akunis said Israel’s official delegation at the parade would be led by the consulate and would include ministers, lawmakers and other guests invited through official channels. He said Hagoel attends the march each year as a guest and “cannot invite others who do not recognize Israel as the Jewish state.”

The dispute has exposed tensions between two senior Israeli figures over how to engage with the mayor of the largest U.S. city, home to one of the world’s largest Jewish communities.

City Hall did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — The Slonimer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rabbi Avraham Weinberg, who visits his hundreds of followers living in the United States once a year, has concluded an extended stay in Monsey, along with a farewell gathering combined with the writing of a Torah scroll which was held last week at his study hall in Boro Park.

During the event, the Rebbe spoke about the dangers of the conscription decree in Israel and also addressed the issue of unusually tall shtreimels.

After completing his visit, the Rebbe sent a letter to members of the U.S. community, focusing on what he described as the harm of technology, a topic he said he had not sufficiently addressed during the trip due to the intensity of the schedule and public receptions.

“My brothers and friends residing in the United States, may you live and be blessed with all good. The pleasant spirit from our time together has not yet faded — how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together. May G-d grant that this sense of unity continue, and that the words which inspire hearts remain strong, guiding those who seek to follow in the footsteps of our holy forebears, whose flame, they promised, would never be extinguished.

“Because of the many demands and the large crowds from morning until night, I feel I did not sufficiently warn about the great stumbling block and widespread damage caused by the afflictions of technology. These tools, which spread their contamination, are like a deadly poison to the soul. Many have fallen because they were lenient with themselves, offering various justifications, and have paid a very heavy price, losing their sons and daughters in body and spirit. No one should say, ‘Peace will be upon me.’ The affliction has spread and has consumed even good families.

“We must educate our sons and daughters that these devices are an abomination for us, and they must distance themselves completely from those connected to such destructive tools. Even those who require them for their livelihood, and who use approved filtering, must understand that this is like a venomous snake bound in iron chains. If not watched carefully, it may break free and claim spiritual victims. One must not rely on leniencies that easily permit devices whose harm is great.

“I also became aware of another grave danger while among you. It is called AI [Written as Ay Ay in Hebrew]. It is the ultimate source of impurity and heresy, and its damage is immense. One must distance oneself from it with all strength, for it is a danger and a trap for those ensnared by it.

“I hereby strengthen those united in standing firm against these breaches, urging all to help one another remain steadfast, to sanctify themselves even in what is permitted, and to remain free rather than bound by the snares laid before every Jewish person. May blessing rest upon you, that you raise sons and daughters faithful to G-d and His holiness, until we merit to welcome the righteous Messiah.”

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Tuesday that he intends, in a future term, to pursue a policy of encouraging Palestinians to leave the West Bank, as Israel faces intensifying international criticism over its recent actions in the territory and ongoing settler violence.

Addressing a gathering organized by his far-right Religious Zionism party together with settlement leaders, Smotrich outlined what he described as the priorities for Israel’s next government. Among them, he called for nullifying the Oslo Accords of the 1990s and extending Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank — a step widely viewed as tantamount to annexation.

“Destroy the idea of an Arab terror state; finally, formally and practically cancel the cursed Oslo Accords and get on the path of sovereignty, while encouraging migration both from Gaza and from Judea and Samaria,” said Smotrich, using the biblical term for the West Bank. “There is no other long-term solution.”

The proposal — which opponents argue would amount to ethnic cleansing — has been championed by far-right figures since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack. Until now, however, most of the public discussion around such plans centered on Gaza rather than the West Bank.

Smotrich’s latest remarks mark one of the few times that a senior Israeli official has openly advocated extending this controversial objective to the West Bank.

His comments follow a cabinet decision, made only days earlier, to approve a contentious policy allowing large portions of West Bank land to be formally registered as state property eligible for Israeli development. The move came on the heels of another security cabinet decision the previous week to implement sweeping changes to land registration and property acquisition rules in the territory — steps critics say effectively amount to annexation in practice.

On Tuesday, 85 nations issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s recent measures, including countries considered close partners of Israel such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Cyprus, Greece and Germany.

“We strongly condemn unilateral Israeli decisions and measures aimed at expanding Israel’s unlawful presence in the West Bank,” said the statement organized by the Palestinian Mission to the UN. “Such decisions are contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law and must be immediately reversed. We underline in this regard our strong opposition to any form of annexation.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also weighed in Monday, urging Israel to roll back the new land registration policy and describing it as “destabilizing” and “unlawful.”

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Following a security assessment, the political leadership adopted the recommendation of the defense establishment regarding the framework for the entry of Palestinian worshippers to the Temple Mount during the month of Ramadan, which commences on Wednesday.

Under the agreed framework, 10,000 Palestinian worshipers [from Judea and Samaria, as Israeli Arab worshipers are allowed to enter freely] will be permitted to enter the Temple Mount for Friday prayers throughout Ramadan, subject to obtaining a designated daily permit in advance. Entry will be allowed for men aged 55 and over, women aged 50 and over, and children up to age 12 accompanied by a first-degree relative.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories emphasized that all permits are contingent upon prior security clearance by the relevant authorities. In addition, residents returning to the Judea and Samaria area after prayers will be required to complete digital documentation at the crossings.

Meanwhile, Jerusalem District Police Commander Avshalom Peled decided to extend Jewish visiting hours at the Temple Mount from four to five hours per day, effective during Ramadan.

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Thousands of Yidden streamed to the Kosel Plaza this morning, beginning at the first light of dawn, to mark Rosh Chodesh Adar with special tefillos. Crowds continued to grow throughout the morning as Yidden ushered in the new month with heartfelt davening at the Kosel.

The Kosel Heritage Foundation reported that during the tefillos, activists affiliated with the radical Women of the Wall group obstructed the primary entrance and exit to the Kosel Plaza.

According to the Foundation, members of the group conducted a “Torah reading” while ignoring requests from police officers and Kosel ushers, even as thousands of mispallelim were arriving at the site. The morning also coincided with the start of Ramadan, bringing additional Muslim worshippers to the area.

The Foundation emphasized that the blocked access points led to unusual congestion and created what it described as a significant safety concern for the many people gathered in the Plaza.

A day earlier, representatives of the Foundation appeared before Supreme Court justices to present their position regarding what they termed “repeated provocations” by Women of the Wall on every Rosh Chodesh.

They stated that Wednesday morning’s events exceeded prior incidents and, they stressed, posed “a real danger to human life.”

In response, Women of the Wall issued a statement saying: “The ushers of the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall leave us no choice. We are fed up with the mistreatment and the attempts to harm our prayers. We are fed up with the fact that despite there being no legal or halakhic prohibition, the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall prevents us in every way from reading from the Torah scroll. We will read from the Torah on the first day of the Jewish month, and implement what the court decided a long time ago: Women of the Wall’s prayer with a Torah scroll is a local custom, and we are allowed to read from the Torah at the Western Wall.”

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON (VINnews) — A leading online prediction market is signaling that traders see a potential military strike on Iran as more likely later next month rather than in the coming days, diverging from a public warning by former Israeli intelligence chief Amos Yadlin.

Yadlin, a retired major general who once headed Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate, said in a television interview Wednesday that he would reconsider plans to fly abroad over the weekend because of heightened regional tensions. His remarks fueled speculation in Israel that a significant development could be imminent.

But data from Polymarket, a cryptocurrency-based forecasting platform, suggests traders are not pricing in an immediate strike. Instead, the highest concentration of bets has centered on the possibility of military action occurring by the end of March.

As of Wednesday, contracts tied to a strike by March 31 showed sharply increased trading activity and rising implied odds, while markets tied to earlier dates reflected lower probabilities. On prediction platforms, prices fluctuate based on how much participants are willing to wager on a given outcome, often serving as a real-time gauge of collective expectations.

Prediction markets do not guarantee outcomes and can shift quickly in response to new information. Still, they are closely watched by analysts for signals about how informed traders assess geopolitical risks.

Neither U.S. nor Israeli officials have publicly indicated that military action against Iran is imminent. Diplomatic efforts and public messaging have continued alongside persistent tensions over Iran’s nuclear and regional activities.

The divergence between Yadlin’s caution and market pricing underscores the uncertainty surrounding the situation — and the difficulty of forecasting when or whether military escalation might occur.