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February 18, 2024 at 12:45 pm
Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant held an operational situation assessment at the IDF’s Southern Command HQ, together with the Head of the Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman and additional IDF officials.
The commanders briefed the Minister on operational developments in the Gaza Strip, with an emphasis on operations conducted in the area of Nasser Hospital. The Minister was also presented with operational plans for the fight against Hamas battalions in central Gaza and the Rafah area.
“I would like to begin by expressing my appreciation for the actions taken by the Southern Command and its troops. This is the most advanced level of fighting that the IDF has demonstrated in many years, and it is the result of [great] coordination between the various efforts and forces,” t...
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February 18, 2024 at 11:23 am
The parshiyos we are reading now and in the coming few weeks are sometimes difficult to relate to. What does the clothing of the kohein gadol in this parshah, or the details of the mishkan and korbonos in the other parshiyos, have to do with our situation? What should we learn from them? Rabbi Mordechai Miller in his Sabbath Shiurim has a beautiful dvar Torah on this parsha, which deals with our own lives and with Purim as well. Rabbi Miller’s prose is beautiful, and I have included some of it here, so it is not all mine.
A main subject of the parsha is the ceremonial garments of the kohein gadol, which were royal in their splendor (l’chavod u’l’siferes). The hem of the skirt of the outer garment was decorated with alternating little g...
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February 18, 2024 at 11:23 am
Clothing is an important form of self-expression. The clothes we wear reflect our personal tastes, preferences, and identity. Likewise, clothing often manifest our cultural and communal values. For Jews, clothing has always served as a cultural identifier. Chazal stress that, despite our religious collapse in Egypt, and while living under duress, we still maintained a distinctly Jewish form of dress, enabling us to preserve a robust Jewish identity.
Many sects of Orthodox Jews still employ clothing as a cultural insulator to preserve traditionalism. Hasidim in particular, punctiliously preserve clothing styles of the past to more strongly anchor themselves to tradition and to fend off the seductive impulses of modernity.
Though we express ourselves through clothing, we also view dress as...
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February 18, 2024 at 10:23 am
Jerusalem, Israel - Feb. 18, 2024 - Convening in Jerusalem, Israel, for the annual Conference of Presidents National Leadership Mission, February 18-22, 2024, are delegates from the Conference’s 50-member organizations and its National Leadership Council. In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, the key U.S. Jewish leaders are planning trips south and north. In addition to meetings with Israel’s political and military leaders, during the Mission, the group will meet with the families of hostages, bereaved families, and soldiers and commanders of the IDF.
The opening Israeli speaker at the Inbal Hotel was Minister Benny Gantz.
His address to the Conference of Presidents follows:
"Honorable Guests, Friends – Esteemed Presidents. Our home is und...
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February 18, 2024 at 9:19 am
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday there is "an extraordinary opportunity" in the coming months for Israel to normalize ties with its Arab neighbors, though he also stressed the need for the creation of a Palestinian state.
The top US diplomat said there were genuine efforts led by Arab countries to revitalize the Palestinian Authority so it can be more effective in representing the Palestinian Arabs, according to a report in the Reuters news agency.
"Virtually every Arab country now genuinely wants to integrate Israel into the region to normalize relations...to provide security commitments and assurances so that Israel can feel more safe," Blinken was quoted as having said during a panel discussion at the annual Munich Security Conference.
"And there's...
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February 18, 2024 at 9:17 am
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, the UN agency for “Palestinian refugees”, accused Israel on Saturday of aiming to “destroy” the organization, The Associated Press reported.
In an interview with the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, Lazzarini claimed that Israel has a “long-term political goal” of eliminating UNRWA.
“At the moment, we are dealing with an expanded, concentrated Israeli campaign, which is aimed at destroying UNRWA,” Lazzarini charged.
Lazzarini, who has served as UNRWA’s commissioner-general since 2020, said Israel apparently believes that “if the aid agency is abolished, the status of the Palestinian refugees will be resolved once and for all — and with it the right of return.”
He...
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February 18, 2024 at 9:15 am
Ian Austin, a Jewish Member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament, was suspended from his position as chairman of the Midland Heart Housing Association after he posted a tweet criticizing UNRWA for claiming to be unaware of the terror tunnels dug underneath its facilities in Gaza and calling Hamas an "Islamist death cult."
“Everyone better safe than sorry: before you go to bed, nip down and check you haven’t got a death cult of Islamist murderers and rapists running their operations downstairs. It’s easily done,” Austin wrote in the now-deleted tweet.
Many claimed that the post was Islamophobic rather than directed at UNRWA and the Hamas terrorist organization.
Austin took down the original tweet and said, “People have complained about a tweet I i...
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February 18, 2024 at 9:12 am
The Israeli Cabinet this afternoon (Sunday) unanimously passed a statement rejecting attempts by international actors to impose a Palestinian state on Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who brought the statement for a vote, said at the start of the Cabinet meeting, "In light of remarks that have been heard recently in the international community about an attempt to unilaterally force a Palestinian state on Israel, today I submit for Government approval a declarative decision on the issue. I am certain that it will receive very broad support."
The full statement reads: "1. Israel absolutely rejects international diktat regarding the permanent arrangement with the Palestinians. Such an arrangement will be achieved only by direct negotiatio...
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February 18, 2024 at 9:10 am
National Unity party chairman Minister Benny Gantz addressed the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations today (Sunday) and discussed the war against Hamas and criticized international attempts to impose a Palestinian state at this time.
Gantz began his remarks by saying that "Our home is under attack. Today, and since October 7th - We have all come together to defend it."
"October 7th was a vile display of our enemy’s inhumanity," he said. "What followed, were waves of antisemitism around the world, on the streets and campuses, leaving us with one clear takeaway."
Gantz called for the formation of "a joint advocacy task force making the case for Israel."
"A ray of light during these hours of darkness has been the Israeli-American alliance, – that ha...
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February 18, 2024 at 9:05 am
Baltimore Police have arrested a woman Saturday after opening fire at an off-duty officer following a road rage incident in downtown Baltimore.
Police say that around 3:31 p.m., the 35-year-old was involved in a road rage incident in the 100 block of East Redwood Street.
Officers later learned that the suspect took out a handgun and began firing at the victim, grazing her head.
The suspect then drove to the 400 block of East Baltimore Street, where she encountered an off-duty officer, and opened fired the cop. The off-duty officer then returned fire.
Neither the officer nor the suspect were struck.
Patrol units who were nearby quickly responded to the scene, placing the suspect under arrest.
BPD’s Special Investigation Response Team and Homicide Detectives are investigating thi...
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February 18, 2024 at 9:00 am
Important Intent
The past two pieces presented Avot’s definition of the world’s goal as glorifying Hashem. This goal should impact not only what we do, but also why we do it.
Chazal emphasized the importance of kavanah (intention) in many places. The Ramban[1] saw this as the intention of the command (found in k’rias Shema) to “serve Hashem with all of our heart.”[2]
While Fulfilling Mitzvos
Intention is indeed central to mitzvah performance.
The Rambam[3] asserts that only mitzvot done with proper intention gain us entry into the next world. It is not only about what we do but also about why we do it.[4]
Rav Kook[5] used the importance of kavanah to explain why Rav Hamnuna devoted significant time to tefillah at the expense of Torah learning (which is...
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February 17, 2024 at 8:30 pm
In this entertaining Inside ArtScroll Interview, Rabbi Joey Haber, rabbi of the Magen David shul in Flatbush and the Beit Yosef shul in Deal who has inspired tens of thousands of people worldwide with his talks, discusses the impact of the Vayimaen movement and the new book by Rabbi Yechiel Spero based on the inspiration of the renowned speakers of the global Vayimaen initiative.
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February 17, 2024 at 8:15 pm
Joined at the MSC by families of hostages and former hostages from Gaza, President Herzog spoke about the ongoing efforts to bring the hostages home, and confirmed his meeting with Prime Minister Al Thani of Qatar.
President Isaac Herzog this evening, Saturday, addressed the 2024 Munich Security Conference in Germany. Speaking in conversation with senior writer at the Washington Post, David Ignatius, President Herzog disclosed further evidence uncovered by Israeli forces operating against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, of the movement’s antisemitic ideology and their practice of spreading hatred towards Jews.
The President presented a book found in a home in the Alfarkan region of Gaza, entitled “The End of the Jews” authored by Mahmoud al-Zahar, Co-Founder of Hamas, Former ...
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February 17, 2024 at 7:50 pm
A House Republican panel launched a probe into the Biden administration’s renewed funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency following allegations that members of the organization participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee announced the investigation on Friday following accusations from the Israeli government that a dozen UNRWA employees participated in or lent support to Hamas in the terrorist group’s assault on Israel.
In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, lawmakers on the GOP-led panel requested all documents and communications related to the Biden administration’s decision to renew funding for UNRWA in 2021.
“The United States and, to ...
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February 17, 2024 at 7:46 pm
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening (Saturday, 17 February 2024), at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem [translated from Hebrew]:
"Citizens of Israel,
At the start of my remarks, I would like to send condolences to the families of those who were murdered in the abhorrent terrorist attack yesterday at Re'em Junction. I would also like to send my best wishes for a complete recovery to the wounded. This attack reminds us that the whole country is on the frontline. The murderers come not just from Gaza and they want to kill us all. We are committed to fighting them and restoring the security and quiet to the south, the north and the entire country. This victory is within reach and we will achieve it thanks to your marvelous resilience, citizens of Israel, and than...
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February 17, 2024 at 7:35 pm
President Isaac Herzog met today, Friday, with US Vice President Kamala Harris, as part of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
The President thanked Vice President Harris for her support for Israel, and emphasized the appreciation of the Israeli people to US President Joe Biden and the US Administration for their steadfast support of Israel.
In their meeting, President Herzog stated that the immediate and unconditional return of the hostages remained the main concern of the State of Israel.
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February 17, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani participated in the Munich Security Conference, saying that he expects Hamas and Israel to reach an agreement soon.
"We expect a prisoner swap deal soon, and we are doing everything we can to reach it," Al Thani said.
"There are still disagreements on the agreement, and time is not in our favor. There are difficulties in the humanitarian aspect of the negotiations."
Al Thani also claimed that the release of the hostages does not need to be a condition for a ceasefire in Gaza. According to him, this "dilemma" is being "misused" by several countries, and reaching a ceasefire "shouldn't be conditioned" on having a hostage deal.
"There was progress in the past weeks, but in recent days we are facing disagreements...
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February 17, 2024 at 7:21 pm
A daughter has been born to Sergeant first class (res.) Elhanan Ariel Klein, 29, from the Samaria town of Einav. Klein was murdered on his way to his home after reserve service.
“May this be a source of great blessing. With gratitude and Thanksgiving to God, we are happy and excited to announce the birth of our daughter. Elhanan and Hila Klein,” the family wrote.
Elhanan was murdered in a shooting attack on the road between Shavei Shomron and Einav, near the PA town of Bayt Lid. A vehicle carrying the terrorists overtook Klein's, during which the terrorists fired on his car. He was wounded and lost control of his vehicle, which went off the road and rolled.
Elhanan, a father of three, had been awarded a commendation a year previously from the commander of the Judea...
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February 17, 2024 at 7:17 pm
Hamas threatened Saturday to suspend ceasefire talks unless humanitarian aid was brought into northern Gaza, where aid agencies have warned of a looming famine.
“The movement intends to suspend negotiations until aid is brought into northern Gaza,” a senior source in the terror group told AFP. “Negotiations cannot be held while hunger is ravaging the Palestinian people.”
Negotiations have been held in Cairo over the past week in an attempt to bring about a humanitarian pause as the war approaches its fifth month.
Simultaneously, Israeli officials have emphasized their intent to invade Rafah, the southernmost region of Gaza, to which the vast majority of the Gazan civilian population has been evacuated. The plan has drawn significant protest from several coun...
