A veteran Egged bus driver in Haifa performed a security check of the bus at the end of his route as required. He found a bag that was left by a passenger on a number 18 bus in the N’vei Sha’anan neighborhood containing money and documents worth $20,000. The driver, Ataf Tatur, has been employed by Egged for forty years. After turning in the bag, they learned it belongs to a Russian-speaking couple. The driver recalled another Russian-speaker assisted them at the bus stop and through him, they were able to contact the couple which forgot the bag. The couple came within an hour and provided ‘simanim’ for the bag, which was then turned over to them.  Egged officials add that there have been a number of cases in which drivers found large sums of money and they ...
The White House says President Donald Trump’s upcoming budget will propose a whopping $54 billion increase in defense spending and impose corresponding cuts to domestic programs and foreign aid. The result is that Trump’s initial budget wouldn’t dent budget deficits projected to run about $500 billion. White House budget officials outlined the information during a telephone call with reporters Monday given on condition of anonymity. The budget officials on the call ignored requests to put the briefing on the record, though Trump on Friday decried the use of anonymous sources by the media. Trump’s defense budget and spending levels for domestic agency operating budgets will be revealed in a partial submission to Congress next month, with proposals on taxes and othe...
It was horrific act in Mosh Migdal when Nadav Sela murdered his wife and children on a Shabbos weeks ago, along with murdering the 11-year-old son of a neighbor. The accused, Mr. Nadav Sela, hoped to be tried as mentally incompetent, telling the court he is a cat. He got down on his knees and made the necessary sounds but the court was not quick to buy it. A psychiatric evaluation was ordered and it was announced on Sunday, 1 Rosh Chodesh Adar, that the defendant is indeed fit to stand trial and be held accountable for his actions; the murders of Mrs. Dor Sela (23), son Yosef (22 months), and Binyamin (8 months) as well as 11-year-old Natan Atiya, while leaving his brother Nachman serious injured. The Nazareth Magistrate’s Court on Sunday heard the expert opinion, that Se...
MK (Yesh Atid) Aliza Lavie has turned to the IDF Chief Education Officer to prohibit certain rabbonim from addressing military personnel. She is referring to dati leumi torani rabbonim who are leading the battle to persuade religious girls to serve in Sheirut Leumi and not the IDF. One of the rabbonim targeted by Lavie is HaGaon HaRav Shlomo HaKohen Aviner Shlita, who responds to Lavie. Rav Aviner told the Kippa dati leumi website that Lavie’s actions “are a good sign since obviously, she is incapable of responding to our message appropriately”, so instead she seeks to ban him and others. The rav also explains he believes if one tries to silence another, this is a sign that one’s view “is not worth much and silencing the opponent is attempted rather...
Former President George W. Bush says “we all need answers” on the extent of contact between President Donald Trump’s team and the Russian government, and he defended the media’s role in keeping world leaders in check. In an interview on NBC’s “Today” show, Bush says he would trust Senate Intelligence panel Chairman Richard Burr to decide if a special prosecutor is necessary. But, Bush says, “I think we all need answers … I’m not sure the right avenue to take. I am sure, though, that that question needs to be answered.” Bush also defended the media’s role in keeping leaders in check, noting “power can be addictive.” He says: “It’s kind of hard to tell others to have an independent, free press ...
Chesed Chesed
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, R, said Sunday that the Trump administration needs to be more mindful of “perception” and urged GOP lawmakers not to shy away from holding town hall events, though they might be confronted by protesters. “I understand why members of Congress don’t like it,” he said of the town halls. “But you know what? You asked for the job. Go do it.” Christie has long been a fan of the town hall format, having held more than 160 by his own count during his governorship. His confrontations with protesters, particularly those affiliated with public-sector unions, helped him burnish his image as a plain-talking, no-nonsense politician. For many other officeholders from both parties, however, town hall events have generated unflatte...
The nine homes slated for demolition in Yishuv Ofra are located in the Givat Tzvi neighborhood of the community. Military police were on site early Monday morning 2 Rosh Chodesh Adar, despite the fact the High Court deadline for the demolition is Thursday 4 Adar. Authorities have reportedly made a number of arrests of persons they fear would lead resistance to the demolitions as was done a number of weeks ago, when Amona was removed. Most of the families in the nine homes have already packed their belongings and they have somewhere to live when they are expelled from their homes. Ynet adds that residents of Ofra have decided there would not be physical resistance and certainly not attacks against security forces as were seen in Amona by youths who came to lead the resistance.
A White House spokeswoman said Sunday that it’s premature to say that Attorney General Jeff Sessions should recuse himself and appoint a special prosecutor to look into apparent Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election aimed at helping elect Donald Trump. The assessment by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the principal White House deputy press secretary, comes as a growing number of Democrats are calling for Sessions, who was a key figure in Trump’s campaign, to step aside as the FBI and the Justice Department probe what happened. On Friday, a leading Republican, Rep. Darrell Issa of California, echoed that view, saying a special prosecutor would be appropriate. Appearing Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week,” Sanders said congressional committees looking into Russian ac...
LaGuardia Airport is leading the nation in a not so prestigious category: having the most flight delays. LaGuardia had the highest percentage of delays in arriving flights last year, according to U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics data analyzed by the advocacy group Global Gateway Alliance. Newark Airport reached the top percentile in delays for departing trips. JFK Airport didn’t escape the frustration of flyers. It also bottomed out on local airports with severe backups. All three regional airports ranked among the bottom for delays in both categories, which measure performance of the country’s 29 biggest airports. “Once again, New York airports lead the nation for delays. So while the terminal redevelopment projects are important, these dollars wont be enoug...
Jerusalem City Hall a number of months ago, set a parking-to-height device in place near Machane Yehuda as part of a test project. The devices takes up two parking spaces but provides parking for 12-to-16 vehicles. The pilot program is now moving to Givat Shaul too, seeking to provide additional parking in the commercial area which suffers from a chronic parking shortage. The new parking-to-height unit will accommodate payment via the Pango and Cellopark apps as well.
A 19-year-old man who scaled Trump Tower in New York City in August has pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. A judge told Stephen Rogata, of Great Falls, Virginia, on Monday that he’s prohibited from any contact with President Donald Trump. The Daily News says that includes mail, Facebook and Twitter. Rogata used suction cups, a harness and ropes to climb from the fifth floor to the 21st floor when Trump was the Republican presidential nominee. Trump lived in Trump Tower but wasn’t there at the time. As part of his plea agreement, Rogata must continue mental health treatment and go to school or work. If he stays out of trouble for a year, he’ll be permitted to withdraw his plea to the reckless endangerment charge.
WH Press Secretary says President condemns all anti-Semitic incidents, will act to protect rights of Jews. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that US President Donald Trump is "deeply disappointed and concerned" by recent anti-Semitic incidents in the US Monday. Spicer made the remarks at the beginning of the daily White House press briefing as part of his prepared statement. "The President remains deeply disappointed and concerned by the reports of further vandalism at Jewish cemeteries," Spicer said. "The cowardly destruction in Philadelphia this weekend comes on top of similar accounts from Missouri and threats made to Jewish community centers around the country. "The President continues to condemn these and any other form of anti-Semitic o...
President Donald Trump has toasted the nation’s governors, welcoming state leaders to a black-tie ball at the White House ahead of discussions about his plans to repeal and replace the so-called Obamacare law. Trump welcomed 46 governors and their spouses to the annual Governors’ Ball Sunday evening at the White House, the first major social event of his administration. The president congratulated first lady Melania Trump on the elegant candle-lit event in the State Dining Room, telling the audience, “The room, they say, has never looked better, but who knows.” During his toast, the president noted his Monday meeting with the governors at the White House, saying, “Perhaps health care will come up,” a nod to the effort in Congress to repeal and replace ...
Police in New York City are looking for the owner of a drone that crashed through a window on a high-rise apartment building. NYPD officials say the drone crash occurred around 3:15 p.m. Saturday into a 27th-floor apartment in the Waterside Plaza tower overlooking the East River in Manhattan’s Kips Bay section. Police say a 66-year-old woman living in the apartment was at her computer when the drone crashed through the window and landed just a few feet away from her. She wasn’t injured. Police have recovered the drone, but so far don’t know who owns it. Their investigation is continuing.
Twelve Jewish centers and schools were evacuated on Monday after receiving bomb threats. As of 1:00 PM ET, Jewish centers in the following states have been evacuated: * Alabama (Levite Jewish Community Center)* Delaware (Garden of Eden Road)* Florida (David Posnack, Siegel, Ashville)* Indianapolis* Maryland (Rockville)* Michigan (Ann Arbor)* New York (Tarrytown, Staten Island, New Rochelle, Plainview)* New Jersey (Cherry Hill)* North Carolina* Pennsylvania* Rhode Island* Virginia (Fairfax – Gesher Jewish Day School) More than 69 threats have been reported since January 1st. The FBI and the Civil Rights Division for the Justice Department have launched investigations into the bomb threats.
Iran’s former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a letter Sunday to President Donald Trump, striking a somewhat conciliatory tone while applauding immigration to America and saying it shows “the contemporary U.S. belongs to all nations.” It isn’t the first dispatch sent by Ahmadinejad, who has counted U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama among his pen pals. But this letter, weighing in at over 3,500 words, comes as criticism of Trump over his travel ban affecting seven Muslim-majority countries including Iran mounts in Tehran. It also may serve to burnish Ahmadinejad’s image domestically after the nation’s Supreme Leader warned him not to run in Iran’s upcoming May presidential election. In the letter, published by Iranian m...
The Israel Air Force on Monday afternoon 1 Adar launched aerial assaults after a predawn rocket attack into the Shar HaNegev Regional Council on Monday morning 1 Adar. According to the IDF spokesman unit statement, five Hamas terrorists cites were hit in retaliatory strikes. All of the aircraft returned safely home to base. The statement added Israel hold the Hamas regime in Gaza responsible for any and all cross-border attacks from Gaza.
A rocket fired from Gaza landing in the Shar HaNegev Regional Council during the predawn hours of Monday, 1 Adar. B’chasdei Hashem there were no fatalities, injuries or property damage. A Red Alert siren was heard in that area. There were a number of rocket attacks from Gaza in Shevat as well, which were met with a retaliatory response by Israel.
One of the Mitzvos of Purim is that there is a mitzvah to give at least one gift to two different poor people on Purim day. Even a poor person who himself has reached a financial state that he must ask for charity, must still give. What if a person gives to a poor person and his son who is supported by his father? Would this be considered as if he has given to one person or to two people? The Aruch HaShulchan (OC 694:2) is of the opinion that it is only considered as if he has given to one person. Rav Forsheimer, however, point to the Maharsha (Megillah 7b “shedar’) which indicates that it is considered as two people. This obligation may be fulfilled through any type of gift — money, food, drink, or clothing. One should, however, try to give a substantial monetary gift....
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