Rebitzen Mina Finkel, A”H, 57, wife of Mir Brachfeld Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Binyamin Finkel Shlita, was niftar on Sunday morning 1 Tammuz. The rebbetzin during the recent period endured difficult yisurim from her illness and was on a waiting list for a liver transplant. Her husband, known as Rav Binyamin HaTzaddik, is a son of the late Mir Brachfeld Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Finkel, ZT”L. The levaya took place early Sunday afternoon from Yeshivas Mir to Har Menuchos.
President Donald Trump said he doesn’t think congressional Republicans are “that far off” on passing a health overhaul to replace “the dead carcass of Obamacare” and believes his majority party is “going to get there.” Trump’s optimism runs counter to the public opposition of five Republican senators so far to the Senate GOP plan that would scuttle much of former President Barack Obama’s health law. Unless those holdouts can be swayed, their numbers are more than enough to torpedo the measure developed in private by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and deliver a bitter defeat for the president. McConnell has said he’s willing to make changes to win support, and in the week ahead, plenty of back-room bargaining is e...
In a joint Shin Bet -Israel Police operation, on 6 June 2017, Muhammad Ahmed Azzam, born in 1993, an Israeli citizen, a resident of Kfar Manda, was arrested in the wake of information to the effect that he supports and identifies with Islamic State, that he is in contact with ISIS militants and supporters, and that he was making preparations to join the organization and the fighting. In his investigation, it was learned that Azzam supports the ISIS hashkafa, followed ISIS propaganda online and recently made tangible preparations to leave for the combat zone in order to join the ranks of ISIS fighters. It was also learned that Azzam was in online contact with several ISIS fighters who were assisting him in his aforesaid preparations. An indictment was filed against Azzam on Sunday, 1 Tamm...
Iran said Sunday the two-stage missiles it fired at Islamic State targets in Syria broke apart over the Iraqi desert as planned, mocking reports that some of the projectiles fell short. State TV’s website quoted the airspace division chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh as saying “we had coordinated the fall of the engines in the desert in Iraq” in advance. “The missiles we used were two-stage, it means that the engine separates from the warhead,” said Hajizadeh. Hajizadeh said U.S. drones hovered over the targets after shortly the Iranian missiles hit them. He said the U.S. may have been informed beforehand about the attack, as they had informed the Russian military, which may have relayed the information to the Americans. The...
Twenty-three Breslov Chassidim were taken into custody after visiting Kever Yosef in PA (Palestinian Authority) occupied Shechem without prior authorization and coordination with the IDF as required. They visited the holy site to be mispallel and did not arrange in advance as expected to do, placing themselves and IDF soldiers in harm’s way and at significant risk. IDF officials handed them over to police for violating the law preventing Israelis from entering an ‘Area A’, under exclusive PA control, without authorization. It is pointed out that while this is the policy today, in accordance with the Oslo Agreements, Israelis are supposed to have full and safe access to the holy sites but Israel prefers to turn a blind eye and enforce the requirement to arrange for an ID...
Temperatures in Israel are expected to continue climbing this week, reaching 89F (32C) in Jerusalem on Sunday, 1 Tammuz, and getting into the high 90s (30S) as the week continues. The forecast for some other areas is considerably hotter, with Tiveria reaching 100F (38C) on Sunday, climbing to 108F (423C)later in the week. A heat wave is set to hit Israel in the coming days, with extraordinarily high temperatures. On exceptionally hot days, more calls are received at MDA’s 101 emergency number with people reporting of weakness, fatigue, fainting, dehydration and heat strokes, requiring MDA to raise its preparedness level. The heat can be hazardous for anyone, especially toddlers and the elderly. Follow MDA’s safety guidelines to avoid any heat-related physical harm. Stay hyd...
This coming Thursday, 5 Tammuz, another Israel Air Force pilot’s training program will graduate. It is reported that 14% of the graduates are talmidim who attended hesder yeshivot. Class 174 is about to graduate and the cadets will receive their wings in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott, and Air Force Commander Major-General Eshel. 46% of graduates come from cities and 30% from a yishuv kehilati and 22% from a moshav. Geographically speaking, 46% of the graduates come from northern Israel, 46% from the center and 8% from the south. 22% of the new pilots are the oldest child, 54% the middle child and 21% the youngest in the family. Only 3% are an only child and 11% are not the first in the fami...
Brooklyn, NY - Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, whose Artscroll publishing house opened up the world of Torah learning to the masses and revolutionized the Jewish publishing business, passed away on Shabbos in Brooklyn at the age of 74. A student of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Rabbi Zlotowitz was working as the director of a graphics firm when he collaborated with Rabbi Nosson Scherman in 1976 on a new edition of Megillas Esther in memory of a friend who had passed away.  With insightful commentaries and a contemporary English translation, the sefer was so well received that its first printing of 20,000 copies sold out in just two months, as reported by The Jewish Week (http://bit.ly/2tHZGKs). Since that time the Artscroll catalog has grown to include well over 1,000 titles including the full Tanac...
The Supreme Court is expected to decide within days whether the Trump administration can enforce a ban on visitors to the U.S. from six mostly Muslim countries. The high-stakes legal fight has been going on since President Donald Trump rolled out a travel ban just a week after his inauguration. He casts it as critical to deterring terror attacks in the United States. Trump seeks to halt visits from residents of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days so his administration can review the screening procedures for visa applicants from those countries. Opponents argue that the ban targets Muslims in violation of federal law and the Constitution, and that it stems from Trump’s campaign pledge to halt the entry of all Muslims into the U.S. Lower federal courts have so ...
Drowning in a sea of lawsuits and recall costs, Japanese air bag maker Takata Corp. is expected to seek bankruptcy protection in Tokyo and the United States early Monday. Takata was done in by defective air bag inflators that can explode with too much force, spewing out shrapnel. They’re responsible for at least 16 deaths and 180 injuries and have touched off the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. So far 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide including 69 million in the U.S., affecting 42 million vehicles. Rival Key Safety Systems, based in suburban Detroit, will buy most of Takata’s assets for $1.6 billion and take over its manufacturing operations to make seat belts, air bags and other automotive safety devices, according to two people briefed on the mat...
Officials at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer Hospital are probing to determine who took photos of former PM Ehud Olmert, who was admitted to the hospital last week. It does not appear that police or the Shin Bet are involved. Olmert continues being monitored after being admitted for fear of suffering a cardiac incident last week, which doctors have reported he did not. Hospital officials suspect medical or other personnel involved in his care may have taken photos that leaked outside, but police have not confiscated cellphones towards determining the origin of the photos. It appears the matter will remain an internal hospital matter. Doctors at the end of last week signaled if nothing is detected, the former prime minister is likely to be released at the beginning of ...
Religious parties score win as plan to create mixed-gender prayer area at Western Wall for Reform Movement shelved. A controversial plan to establish a designated mixed-gender prayer area for members of the Reform and Conservative movements at the Western Wall will not be implemented, the government decided at a coalition meeting on Sunday. Leaders of the Reform Movement in the United States and members of the small but vocal “Women of the Wall” group in Israel had for years demanded Israel set aside space at the Western Wall for non-traditional religious groups wishing to hold mixed-gender prayer services. Representatives of the Reform Movement in Israel have sued the government in a bid to secure a separate prayer space for their activities, resulting in a compromise...
Mother 'shut car door' to teach children 'lesson'. A 24-year-old Fort Worth mother has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of injury to a child after her two young children were found dead in a hot car, the Stinson Hunter reports. Cynthia Randolph was arrested on Friday following an investigation into the deaths of her 16-month-old son and 2-year-old daughter found they had died from extreme heat exposure in a locked overheating vehicle. Authorities report that both toddlers were trapped inside a hot car that was parked on the driveway of their home outside of Fort Worth after their mother "shut the car door" to teach them a lesson. Court documents released Friday revealed the Parker County Sheriff's Department used Randolph's alleged ...
First responders planned to converge at the Old Court Metro Station to train for emergencies in Baltimore County. Baltimore County, MD — First responders planned to simulate a terrorist attack overnight on the metro in western Baltimore County, according to the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). MTA officials advised that flashing lights and emergency vehicles could be visible near the Old Court Metro Subway Station during the exercise. Participants included the Red Cross, MTA and Baltimore County Fire Department. People were advised to avoid the area from 800 to 1100 Greenwood Road during the simulation. Metro service was continuing uninterrupted, and the station was remaining open as usual. The simulated terrorist attack was planned to take place from 11 p.m. on Saturday, ...
Baltimore, MD – June 22, 2017 – It is with deep sadness that BJL informs the community of the petira of Rabbi Yehoshua Liebes, a’h, husband of Mrs. Esther Liebes, father of Fievel Liebes, Rabbi Gedalia Liebes, Chani Yudkowsky and Ephraim Liebes.  Shiva will be observed at 3224 Smith Ave, Baltimore, MD 21208 Shachris 7:30 Mincha/Maariv 8:20 / Mincha Erev Shabbos 2:00 PM The family requests no visitors between 12:30 and 1:30 or after 10:30pm (Motzaei Shabbos Visiting until 11:30 PM)   Bila HaMaves LaNetzach…
An Israeli government official denied on Friday a report that an agreement had been reached with the Trump administration to refrain from issuing any tenders for new construction projects in the West Bank until the end of this year. “There is no restriction,” the Hebrew news site nrg quoted the official as saying. “The fact is 300 housing units were approved in Beit El (a settlement north of Ramallah)…and there will be more.” Israeli rightists had reacted with anger to an earlier nrg report of the implementation of a settlement-building freeze. The chairmen of the Knesset Land of Israel Caucus — Likud MK Yoav Kisch and HaBayit HaYehudi MK Bezalel Smotrich — said in a statement that construction in the West Bank was Israe...
Federal regulators said Friday they are launching an investigation into the improper shipment last week of nuclear material from Los Alamos National Laboratory to other federal labs around the country. The National Nuclear Security Administration confirmed in a statement that it was informed by the New Mexico lab that procedures weren’t followed when shipping what was only described as small amounts of “special nuclear material” to facilities in California and South Carolina. The material had been packaged for ground transport. But instead it was shipped via an air cargo service, which isn’t allowed by federal regulations. It marks the latest gaffe by Los Alamos, the lab that created the atomic bomb. Criticism has been intensifying over the lab’s history of...
Now in its eighth year, the Bnos One-on-One Big Sister Little Sister Program has positively impacted girls nationwide.  The highly acclaimed program, operated by Agudath Israel of America is sponsored by The Center for Jewish Family Life.  Founded in 2009, its mission is to build greater resiliency in young adolescents by providing them with a role model and mentor, by offering emotional support and encouragement.  Eleventh and twelfth grade big sisters meet with their sixth- or seventh-grade little sisters once a week for fun activities. During these eight years, the program has influenced girls in Atlanta, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Denver, Edison, Far Rockaway, Five Towns, Queens, Lakewood, Miami Monsey and Toronto. The weekly meetings between the Big Sister and Little Sister...
Bernie and Jane Sanders have lawyered up in connection to an ongoing FBI bank fraud investigation into the couple, CBS News reports. The investigation regards a 2010 loan application Jane Sanders submitted while president of the now-closed Burlington College. Sanders was seeking $10 million to purchase land to expand the college. According to Newsweek, she allegedly fudged college donor levels on the application: Two donors were listed as pledging more than they actually had and a third was listed as willing to donate in the near future despite specifying her donation wouldn’t be made until after she died. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders is alleged to have used his office to pressure the bank into approving the loan, Politico reports. Bernie Sanders says the investigation is a political m...
President Donald Trump is faulting his predecessor’s handling of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election. Trump tells Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth in an interview set to air Sunday that he “just heard today for the first time” that former President Barack Obama “knew about Russia a long time before the election, and he did nothing about it.” He says Obama “should have done something about it.” Trump appeared to be referring to a Washington Post story about the Obama administration’s attempts to address Russia’s influence attempts. Obama ordered a review of Russia’s actions and imposed new sanctions after the election. Trump has acknowledged that Russia likely tried to interfere in the election, but has denounced inv...
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