Jooish News

This Sunday night, Gimmel Iyar, marks the 101st Yahrtzeit of Reb Shayale of Kerestir.

Thousands from around the globe are expected to once again flock to his Tzion, as the stories of Yeshuos continue to emerge.

Reb Shayale’s Tzion in Kerestir

Many also host Seudos and distribute food and drinks, honoring the legacy of the Tzadik who would feed thousands at all hours of the day and night.

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Thursday that while Cuba does not want military aggression from the United States, his country is prepared to fight should it happen.

Díaz-Canel spoke during a rally that drew hundreds of people to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the declaration of the Cuban Revolution’s socialist essence.

“The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression. We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to avoid it and, if it becomes inevitable, to defeat it,” Díaz-Canel said.

He spoke as tensions remain high between the two countries, with Cuba’s crises deepening as a result of a U.S. energy blockade.

Earlier this week, Trump said his administration could focus on Cuba after the war in Iran ends.

“We may stop by Cuba after we finish with this,” he said.

He described it as a “failing nation” and asserted that it’s “been a terribly run country for a long time.”

Trump previously has threated to intervene in Cuba, like he did in early January when the U.S. military attacked Venezuela and halted key oil shipments from the South American country.

Weeks later, Trump threatened tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba.

Both Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — whose parents emigrated from Cuba in the 1950s before the revolution — described the island’s government as ineffective and abusive.

Díaz-Canel accused them of trying to construct a “narrative” that has no justification.

“Cuba is not a failed state. Cuba is a besieged state. Cuba is a state facing multidimensional aggression: economic warfare, an intensified blockade and an energy blockade,” said Díaz-Canel, the main speaker at Thursday’s rally.

“Cuba is a threatened state that does not surrender. And despite everything. And thanks to socialism. Cuba is a state that resists, creates, and make no mistake, a state that will prevail,” Díaz-Canel added.

Both Cuba and the U.S. have acknowledged talks to resolve the tension, but no details have been disclosed.

The Cuban president recalled the achievements made possible by the revolution and its social welfare system, which allows for free education that has trained thousands of professionals, many of whom have now been forced to emigrate due to the crisis.

The oil embargo imposed by Trump worsened the already harsh conditions brought on by an economic crisis that has lasted for five years and was triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and a tightening of U.S. sanctions aimed at pressuring for a change in the island’s political model.

Experts have warned of a humanitarian crisis.

Measures to prevent the island from acquiring oil from its Venezuelan, Mexican and Russian suppliers are exacerbating the already poor living conditions of the population, including prolonged blackouts and fuel shortages.

The rally commemorated the 65th anniversary of a historic speech by the late leader, Fidel Castro, during a crisis with the United States. That moment marked the ideological course the Caribbean nation would take and its opposition to Washington’s continental hegemony.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, has apologized for “harmful” social media posts she made as a teenager, responding publicly after a conservative news outlet combed through her online profiles and resurfaced material, including a post in which she used an anti-gay slur.

In an interview with the arts website Hyperallergic, Duwaji, an illustrator, said she felt “a lot of shame being confronted with language I used that is so harmful to others,” adding “being 15 doesn’t excuse it.”

“I’ve read and seen a lot of what others have had to say in response, and I understand the hurt I caused and am truly sorry,” she said in the interview, published Wednesday, in response to a question about adjusting to life as a public figure.

Duwaji did not specify which comments she was referring to, nor did she address other, more recent social media activity regarding Israel that has attracted heavy scrutiny as Mamdani tries to ease concerns among some in the city’s Jewish community over his own criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.

Last month, The Washington Free Beacon reported on years of Duwaji’s online activity across a handful of social media platforms, finding she had shared posts praising female Palestinian militants who participated in plane hijackings and bombings in the 1960s and early 1970s. In 2015, she shared a post in which someone else wrote that Tel Aviv was occupying Palestinian land and “shouldn’t exist.”

Duwaji also once used a racial slur for Black people while affectionally addressing a friend and used an abbreviated slur for gay people in 2013.

The mayor has previously said his wife is a “private person” who does not hold a formal position in City Hall. Asked Thursday about which specific posts his wife regretted, Mamdani demurred.

“She shared some of her reflections in this interview. I won’t add much to them, what I will say, however, is that she is someone of incredible integrity,” Mamdani told reporters.

He added that questions about Duwaji’s social media activity were “part and parcel” of his own choice to run for mayor, “a decision that has ramifications for those that I love.”

Separately, Duwaji has also come under criticism for liking an Instagram post that appeared to cheer Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack on Israel. The Free Beacon has also reported that Duwaji provided an illustration for an essay by an author who described the Oct. 7 attack as “spectacular” and had called Jewish Israelis “rootless soulless ghouls.”

Mamdani has previously said his wife had been commissioned to illustrate an excerpt of a book by a third party, and said she had never engaged or met with the author, and that Duwaji had not seen the author’s previous comments. He called the author’s rhetoric “patently unacceptable” and “reprehensible.”

In a monumental development, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Iran has agreed to hand over its supply of enriched uranium. The breakthrough comes as the administration prepares for a critical diplomatic push, with the President revealing that the next round of in-person peace talks with Tehran could take place as soon as this weekend.

The sweeping concessions follow a period of intense military and economic pressure on the Islamic Republic. Addressing the situation, President Trump credited the uncompromising U.S. strategy for bringing Tehran to the negotiating table, painting a stark picture of Iran’s current operational and economic devastation.

“The blockade has been incredible… They’re unable to do any business because of the blockade,” the President stated.

Detailing the extent of the damage inflicted upon the Iranian military apparatus and its former command structure, he emphasized that the regime has been entirely stripped of its defensive capabilities:

“The combination of having no Navy, having no Air Force, having no anti-aircraft equipment, they have nothing. Everything is gone, including their leaders.”

Following the systematic dismantling of Iran’s previous ruling echelon, the administration signaled optimism regarding the country’s newly formed government. The President suggested that the crushing economic sanctions and strategic strikes have paved the way for more pragmatic voices in Tehran.

“The blockade has been incredible – it’s held, they’re not doing any business… everything is gone, including their leaders. Now, they have a new set of leaders, and we find them very reasonable,” he remarked.

A central concern for the United States and its Middle Eastern allies – most notably Israel – has been the timeline of any nuclear restrictions placed upon Iran. Previous international frameworks drew heavy criticism for including “sunset clauses” that would eventually allow Iran to resume its nuclear ambitions.

When pressed on whether a 20-year minimum for Iran to halt uranium enrichment would be an acceptable parameter for the new deal, the President firmly rejected the premise of an expiration date. “We have a statement, a very powerful statement, that they will not have – beyond 20 years – that they will NOT have nuclear weapons. There’s no 20-year limit.”

Trump stated: “We have a very good relationship with Iran right now, as hard as it is to believe. And I think it’s a combination of about 4 weeks of bombing, and a very powerful blockade.”

Despite the promising developments regarding the uranium handover and the impending weekend peace talks, the administration made it unequivocally clear that the military option remains fully viable should negotiations collapse.

Delivering a blunt ultimatum to the new Iranian leadership, the President concluded:
“If there’s no deal, fighting resumes.”

The Israeli Navy disclosed Thursday that Shayetet 13 commandos invaded Naqoura from the sea two days ago, marking the first seaborne special forces operation inside Lebanon since 2000 and revealing expanded joint activity with the Mossad and Shin Bet since the October 7 massacre.

The Navy said the Naqoura raid reflects a new posture of forward-leaning defense adopted across the IDF after October 7. For ground forces, that shift has produced buffer zones in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. For the Navy, it has meant more aggressive special forces operations behind enemy lines.

Without specifying dates or locations, the Navy said it had dispatched five Shayetet 13 soldiers on a mission thousands of kilometers from Israel with no support and no immediate rescue plan in the event of complications. In a separate operation, Shayetet 13 deployed to a region where it had never previously operated.

Joint operations with the Mossad have reached unprecedented levels, the Navy said. Naval intelligence was directly involved in the killing of Iranian Naval Chief Alireza Tangsiri and helped the Israeli Air Force strike key Iranian naval cruise missiles and sites connected to submarines and other underwater threats.

The Navy also disclosed, for the first time, its role in the March 8 strike on the Ramada Hotel in Beirut that killed five senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force officials serving as liaisons with Hezbollah. The Navy fired 14 missiles in the attack. The targets included top commanders in Quds Force-Hezbollah intelligence and terror financing, as well as officials with links to Palestinian terror groups in Lebanon. According to the IDF, the terror financing official was the key figure in transferring $770 million from Iran to Hezbollah over the past year.

The Mossad has long held lead responsibility for locating and assassinating senior Iranian officials inside Iran and Quds Force figures abroad. The Navy’s integration into that mission represents a recent expansion. IDF intelligence is also typically involved, and the Navy described its cooperation with the other agencies in recent years as unparalleled.

In Gaza, the Shin Bet has led planning for top-level Hamas assassinations, most of which have been carried out by the Air Force. On Thursday, the Navy revealed it had also participated in several of those operations.

On November 19, 2025, the Navy worked with Israeli intelligence to assassinate Hamas naval chief Abdullah Abu Samael after Hamas significantly violated the ceasefire. On March 16, the Shin Bet, the Navy, and IDF intelligence jointly killed Yunas Mahmoud Hasin Elian, a top Hamas naval commander the IDF said was substantially responsible for efforts to reconstitute a Hamas naval threat against Israel. On March 31, the Navy and other Israeli intelligence agencies assassinated Hezbollah’s southern front commander, Hajj Yusuf Ismail Hashem.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been named to Time magazine’s 2026 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, the magazine announced on Wednesday.
It marks the fifth time the longest-serving premier has appeared on the annual list.

“Like President Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu once faced the political wasteland: the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, left the Israeli Prime Minister responsible for the worst security failure in his country’s history. The political comeback he then engineered may have exceeded Trump’s own,” Time editor-at-large Ian Bremmer writes. “Israel’s devastation of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, its crippling strikes alongside the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear program in the [June 2025] 12-Day War, and the eventual extraction of all remaining hostages from Gaza have boosted his standing with the Israeli public.”

Bremmer continues: “This same legacy may also poison international attitudes toward his country. The staggering human toll in Gaza, ongoing West Bank settlement expansion, another incursion into Lebanon, and a darkening war with Iran eroded support among younger Americans—even as Washington remains Israel’s indispensable security partner.

“More chapters will soon be written, but Netanyahu has yet to resolve the tension at the center of his comeback: the actions that saved him politically will also define—and complicate—his legacy.”

Netanyahu is among roughly two dozen political leaders recognized this year, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pope Leo XIV. Also included are Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, among others. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s office has referred at least two former Intelligence Community members to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution over their roles in advancing the 2019 impeachment of President Donald Trump, according to reports.

Former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson was among those hit with a criminal referral, Fox News reported. Gabbard’s office found that Atkinson did not follow proper procedure before sending a whistleblower complaint about Trump’s July 2019 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Congress, and that he appeared to ignore evidence suggesting the whistleblower was biased against Trump.

The whistleblower, who reportedly went to Democratic lawmakers about Trump’s phone call before filing a complaint, was also referred for potential prosecution, the outlet reported.

A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence confirmed to The Post that a criminal referral was sent to the Justice Department “related to one or more former employees of the Intelligence Community and their role in the 2019 impeachment of President Trump.

“The referrals, written up by ODNI’s general counsel, reference “possible criminal activity” related to Atkinson’s discussions and briefings with the House Intelligence Committee in 2019.

The referrals come days after Gabbard released a trove of newly declassified documents that she said revealed the flimsy work, biased evidence and lack of firsthand accounts Atkinson used to advance the 2019 impeachment of Trump. The documents included transcripts of the former inspector general’s closed-door testimony with the House Intelligence Committee, which were withheld from House lawmakers handling the Trump impeachment inquiry.

“Deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative that was used by Congress to usurp the will of the American people and impeach the duly-elected President of the United States,” Gabbard said in a statement upon releasing the documents.”

“Inspector General Atkinson failed to uphold his responsibility to the American people, putting political motivations over the truth,” she said. “And this, along with the politicization of the whistleblower process by a former CIA employee who was working hand in glove with Democrats in Congress, are egregious examples of the deep state playbook on how to weaponize the Intelligence Community.”

Gabbard added that “exposing these tactics and showing how they undermine the fabric of our democratic republic furthers the critical cause of transparency and accountability and will help prevent future abuse of power.”

Trump was impeached by the House in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from the Ukraine call. He was acquitted by the Senate in February 2020.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The war with Iran is hanging by the slimmest of margins: One vote. That’s the entire margin that saved President Donald Trump from a House resolution ordering him to end the war.

The House voted 214 to 213 to reject the resolution, almost entirely along party lines, with one Republican, Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), voting for the measure, and one Democrat, Jared Golden (D-Maine), voting against it.

Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) proposed the measure “to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran … unless explicitly authorized” by Congress.

Meeks took the floor to blast the president for dragging the country into a widely unpopular war — and to convince his colleagues to vote for the resolution.

“Donald Trump has dragged the American people into a war of choice, launched without congressional authorization,” he said.

Meeks added that Trump has no coherent strategy and no endgame.

“Every day we delay, we inch closer to a conflict with no exit ramp,” he declared.

Too bad for Meeks, only half the House lent him an ear.

As for the war’s popularity, while a CBS News poll found that 60 percent of Americans oppose the war, other reports show that 70 percent of Trump’s own party backs the campaign against Iran.

The Senate defeated a similar measure, 52 to 47, Wednesday.

For now, it looks like Congress is backing the war — but that support is hanging by a thread.

ALBANY, N.Y. (VINnews) — Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday that the federal government has reversed a funding freeze affecting the Second Avenue Subway following a legal challenge by the state.

Hochul said the state had gone to court after the Trump administration halted funding tied to the project, calling the move unlawful. She said the funding has now been restored.

The governor urged federal officials to ensure the money is released promptly, citing the importance of the project to East Harlem residents and transit riders across New York City.

Federal officials have not immediately commented on the development.

We took the Trump Administration to court after they illegally froze funding for the Second Avenue Subway.

Today, they backed down. The freeze is over.

For East Harlem and every New Yorker who relies on our subways, release our money immediately.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 16, 2026

President Donald Trump said a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will take effect tonight, outlining a 10-day pause aimed at opening the door to broader negotiations between the two countries.

In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel. These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST.”

He went on to describe recent diplomatic efforts, adding: “On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin’ Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE. It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let’s GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP”

In a subsequent post, Trump said he plans to bring both leaders to Washington, writing that he will invite them for “the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, a very long time ago. Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!”

Despite the announcement, Israeli officials indicated that military positions on the ground will remain unchanged during the ceasefire period. A senior Israeli source told Reuters that the IDF is not preparing to pull back from southern Lebanon.

Under the arrangement, Israeli forces will continue holding the so-called “anti-tank line,” the furthest distance from which anti-tank missiles could threaten Israeli communities, and will maintain control of key elevated positions throughout southern Lebanon.

Officials further stressed that Israeli forces will retain freedom of action, noting that if Hezbollah or other hostile elements pose an immediate danger, the IDF will act to neutralize the threat.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam publicly welcomed the development, calling it “a central Lebanese demand we have pursued since the first day of the war, and was our primary goal in the Washington meeting on Tuesday.”

He continued: “As I congratulate all Lebanese on this achievement, I pray for the martyrs who fell, and affirm my solidarity with their families, with the wounded, and with the citizens who were forced to flee their cities and villages, and I hold full hope that they will be able to return to them as soon as possible.”

Salam also expressed appreciation to international players involved in the diplomatic effort, thanking “the regional and international efforts exerted to reach this outcome, especially those by the United States of America, France, European Union countries, and all Arab brothers, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt, in addition to the State of Qatar and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”

In Israel, opposition leaders sharply criticized the move. Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid said: “Not for the first time, all the promises of this government are crashing into reality.”

He added: “The confrontation in Lebanon can only end with the removal of the threat to the northern communities permanently. Under this government, that will no longer happen.”

Yisrael Beytenu Chairman MK Avigdor Liberman also voiced strong opposition, stating: “The ceasefire in Lebanon is treason against the residents of the north. We again allow Hezbollah to recover and become stronger. We can not end the war without a clear decision and the elimination of Hezbollah.”

Earlier Thursday, Axios reported, citing a Lebanese presidential source, that Trump had already informed President Joseph Aoun that a ceasefire decision had been finalized and would take effect within hours.

An Israeli official confirmed that Washington has been pressing for an agreement, and while discussions are advancing, a final deal has not yet been formally completed.

According to various reports, U.S. officials initiated the diplomatic push, believing that direct engagement between Israel and Lebanon could pave the way for either a temporary or permanent cessation of hostilities.

Even as optimism grew around the ceasefire announcement, Hezbollah responded with renewed attacks. Shortly after reports of the agreement surfaced, the group fired five missiles toward Haifa and surrounding areas. Some were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome system, while others landed in open areas.

A day earlier, Trump had signaled his intentions in another Truth Social post, writing: “Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!”

However, behind the scenes, diplomatic friction persisted. A Lebanese source claimed that when Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a joint call with President Aoun, the Lebanese leader strongly rejected the idea.

After Aoun declined to participate in the proposed three-way conversation, Rubio informed him that Trump would resume discussions at a later time. Lebanese reports indicated that Aoun “insisted on an immediate ceasefire” and was assured that U.S. efforts would intensify.

Meanwhile, fighting on the ground continued. Earlier in the day, a rocket barrage struck the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, with one missile directly hitting a building. Emergency responders from Magen David Adom said no injuries were reported, though the strike caused significant property damage.

WARSAW, Poland (VINnews) — The Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation has filed a criminal complaint against Polish lawmaker Konrad Berkowicz following remarks and actions in parliament that the group says distorted Holocaust history.

The complaint stems from statements Berkowicz made ahead of this week’s March of the Living, in which he accused Israel of severe wrongdoing in Gaza and displayed an Israeli flag altered with a Nazi symbol during a parliamentary session.

The foundation said the incident could violate Polish laws prohibiting the promotion of totalitarian ideologies and incitement to hatred. It also submitted a separate ethics complaint to parliament seeking disciplinary action.

In a statement, the group said the use of Holocaust-related imagery in this context risks fueling hostility and undermining historical truth.

Legal experts cited by the organization noted that how prosecutors proceed may depend in part on parliamentary protections.

Authorities in Poland have not yet announced whether charges will be filed.

Another multi-vehicle occurred today accident at the intersection of County Line Road and Kent Road in Lakewood.

This is the second multi-vehicle accident at the intersection this week.

No serious injuries are being reported.

(Via TLS Communities)

NEW YORK (AP) — The owner of home shopping network pioneer QVC — which for years garnered the attention of millions of TV viewers looking for a deal on baubles and housewares, is planning to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

A filing about imminent bankruptcy protection by parent company QVC Group, which also owns HSN, formerly the Home Shopping Network, arrives as long-running TV shopping networks struggle to adapt to the rapid shift by consumers now tuning in to livestreams on TikTok, or online marketplaces like Shein.

According to an annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week, the company said that it intends to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas after reaching a restructuring agreement with creditors.

Its goal is to emerge from bankruptcy protection before the summer is over, but the West Chester, Pennsylvania, company warned that its access to funding is difficult to predict. It noted significant fees and other costs in connection with the preparation for the bankruptcy protection.

“We cannot assure that cash on hand, cash flow from operations will be sufficient to continue to fund our operations,” it wrote.

QVC Group has attempted to revive flagging sales for some time, which in 2024 were down almost 30% compared with its peak of more than $14 billion in 2020. Shares in QVC Group, which went for over $900 a decade ago, were trading for less than $3 earlier this week.

Founded in 1986 by Joseph Myron Segel, QVC, which is short for Quality Value Convenience, built a following primarily of women aged 50 and older, according to Lawrence Duke, a clinical professor of marketing at the university’s LeBow College of Business. He said in a blog post that QVC benefited from repeat purchases by its base of viewers. But that group has aged and is shrinking, he noted.

And competition has increased substantially.

Consumers have increasingly dropped cable subscriptions and look less and less to scheduled programming, Duke said. Such programming has been replaced by live platforms such as TikTok Shop, where consumers can buy products touted by influencers with tens of thousands of followers on Instagram and YouTube. Low-cost marketplaces like Shein and Temu are also commanding more attention, Duke wrote.

QVC has significantly expanded its digital sales and expanded its presence on social media, but those maneuvers have fallen short.

QVC “competes in a crowded marketplace where attention is fragmented and switching costs are low,” Duke said.

PARIS — A French man convicted in a fatal 2011 hit-and-run in Tel Aviv was shot to death Thursday in a suburb of Paris, according to local reports.

Eric Robic, 51, was killed when two gunmen on a motor scooter opened fire at close range as he rode through the Hauts-de-Seine area. Police have not announced any arrests or identified a motive.

Deux hommes à scooter ont abattu Éric Robic à Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine) ce jeudi matin. Cet escroc de 51 ans avait fait parler de lui en 2011 après avoir tué une jeune israélienne dans un accident de la route.

🎥 @jean_blmy 🎙️ Frédéric Pilard pic.twitter.com/ED5gzDA5Me

— M6 Info (@m6info) April 16, 2026

Robic had acknowledged driving the car that struck and killed Lee Zeitouni, a 25-year-old woman, before fleeing France with a passenger after the incident.

France declined to extradite the suspects to Israel, and they were later prosecuted locally. Robic served a prison sentence, while the passenger received a lesser penalty for failing to assist the victim.

Zeitouni’s family said the killing brought a sense of closure, though authorities emphasized the investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.

DENVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Analilia Mejia will try to expand Democratic momentum in New Jersey as she and Republican Joe Hathaway compete in Thursday’s special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Mikie Sherrill when she was elected governor last year.

Mejia, a former head of the Working Families Alliance who has support from Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, emerged from a crowded Democratic primary in February, while Hathaway, a council member in suburban Randolph, was unchallenged.

The contest will decide which party controls the seat in the closely divided House, with the midterms of President Donald Trump’s second term on the horizon. The winner will serve out the final months of Sherrill’s term, and the two could meet again in November.

Mejia has cast the race as a fight for democracy and criticized the president over pardoning Jan. 6 insurrection participants and freezing funding Congress has authorized.

“The people here are ready to do something about it,” she said recently. “We’re not here to write strongly worded letters. Congress has real power.”

Hathaway has seized on Mejia’s progressive credentials, and national Republicans cast her as a socialist.

“I’m running to bring common-sense leadership to D.C & deliver results for our families, not push a far-left agenda,” Hathaway said in a recent social media post.

The 11th District, which covers parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties in northern New Jersey’s wealthy suburbs, was long a Republican stronghold but has become increasingly Democratic since Trump’s first term.

Sherrill won the seat in 2018’s midterm elections, when Democrats flipped dozens of seats to take control of Congress. And in 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district by nearly 9 points.

Saran Cunningham, an 86-year-old retired special educator, said she was initially reluctant to support Mejia, worried that her views were too far to the left. She backed another candidate in the primary. But recently, outside the Morristown early polling location, she said she would now vote for Mejia.

“I think we’ve been tilting a little bit more to the right lately, which worries me,” Cunningham said. “I think that we need people in Congress who will fight for things that will help people as opposed to hurting them.”

Rob Berkowitz, 62, cast his early vote for Hathaway at the Denville polling station. Describing himself as a conservative, Berkowitz gave Trump high marks on immigration, the economy and the war in Iran, comparing him to Winston Churchill. He criticized the Democratic Party for moving away from leaders in the style of Harry Truman, whom he praised.

“They want borders wide open. They don’t want to enforce existing immigration laws,” Berkowitz said. “It’s an extraordinary thing to watch.”

The February Democratic primary pitted Mejia against former Rep. Tom Malinowski and others in a race where the American Israel Public Affairs Committee was a key player. The group’s affiliated super PAC tried to thwart Malinowski after he questioned unconditional aid to the Israeli government. That effort appeared to backfire as Mejia, who said she agreed that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, came out on top.

Mejia campaigned on populist economic policies and pushing to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Over the years she has been a regular presence in the state Capitol, advocating for progressive causes, and was Sanders’ political director during his 2020 presidential run. During the Biden administration, she was deputy director of the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau.

In addition to winning Sanders’ endorsement, she was backed by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

Hathaway, a former Yale University football player, has worked in health care and finance as well as in politics as an aide for former GOP Gov. Chris Christie.

The winner will serve until the term ends in January. Both Mejia and Hathaway are also running for the next two-year term, which begins that month.

JERUSALEM — Passengers traveling on trains to and from Jerusalem will now be required to register in advance under a new safety directive, authorities said.

The policy, issued by Israel Police, limits each train on the Jerusalem line to 1,200 passengers to allow for faster response in case of emergencies along the largely underground route.
Rail officials said travelers must obtain a barcode travel voucher in addition to a ticket, either online, through customer service or at stations.

The line includes the Yitzhak Navon Railway Station, located about 80 meters (260 feet) below ground.

Officials said trains typically do not reach the new passenger limit during regular service, with departures running about every 30 minutes.
Authorities emphasized the measure is intended for safety and is not tied to current security conflicts.

(AP) – From an advertisement for an herbal remedy that promises to cure all to a video featuring a voice that sounds just like a movie star, you’ve surely encountered spam and scam advertisements online. And they have likely been created with artificial intelligence.

The accessibility of generative AI tools has exacerbated the perennial issue of online spam and scams that’s persisted since the advent of the internet. And while creators of such content have access to this ever-evolving technology, tech giants are also honing their internal AI systems to fight the deluge.

“It’s not that this is a new problem. It is an old problem, supercharged,” said Nate Elliott, a principal analyst at Emarketer. “The biggest difference is the speed and the scale that AI offers both the good actors and the bad actors.”

Google released its annual ads safety report Thursday, acknowledging that scammers are increasingly trying to run sophisticated, malicious ads but emphasizing that its AI-powered tools are strong defenders.

Google’s generative AI technology known as Gemini was able to catch over 99% of policy-violating ads before they ever reached an audience last year.

In 2025, the company blocked or removed more than 8.3 billion ads, including 602 million ads with policy violations that are most closely associated with scams. More than 4 million advertiser accounts were suspended for scam-related activity.

Google has long been a dominant force in the digital advertising world. The company saw more than $200 billion in net worldwide ad revenues last year according to data from Emarketer, but the research firm predicts Meta will outperform Google in 2026.

Google said it has a team of thousands of people working to create and enforce its advertising policies at scale. Keerat Sharma, Google’s vice president and general manager of ads privacy and safety, said the advancement of generative AI as a part of Google’s defense system has led to more powerful results in combatting problematic content.

Gemini now allows the team to analyze hundreds of billions of signals — including account age, behavioral cues and campaign patterns — to better understand the “nuance of what an advertisers intent actually is,” Sharma said. This means they’re able to largely determine legitimacy or whether an advertiser’s intent could be malicious. Reaching that nuance has also helped keep real businesses’ ads online, with the report detailing that incorrect advertiser suspensions were reduced by 80% last year.

Gemini has also helped with speed, Sharma said. Analyzing the digital assets in an ad used to take anywhere from a few seconds to minutes or even longer, but now, Sharma said that can happen in milliseconds. That “allows us to stop things right at the front door,” he said. Google also relies on several other defense mechanisms, like an expansive advertiser verification program, that work together to fortify protections.

The kind of content that Google is aiming to block and remove is vast and varied. Bad ads could take shape as “all the forms of spam and scam that have always existed, just people are able to produce them faster and at higher volume,” Elliott said.

Experts who spoke with The Associated Press said the push and pull between AI-powered scams and AI-powered defense mechanisms will endure as the technology advances.

“We’re already close, but it’s going to be heading even more to (where) it’s just AI versus AI,” said Matt Seitz, the director of the AI Hub at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The volume of this problem is so large that it can’t be managed directly through humans.”

In a deeply consequential moment for U.S.-Israel relations, Sen. Bernie Sanders spearheaded a Senate effort to block hundreds of millions of dollars in weapons sales to Israel, bringing to the table one of the most revealing votes in some time about shifting political attitudes in Washington.

The resolutions targeted approximately $450–500 million in military aid, including bombs and heavy equipment used by Israel in its ongoing war against Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas. While the measures ultimately failed in the Senate, ensuring that the arms sales will proceed, the outcome exposed a significant and sad development beneath the surface.

A large portion of the Democratic Party backed the effort to cut off Israel.

Roughly 36–40 Democratic senators voted in favor of blocking the weapons, marking a huge surge compared to similar votes in prior years. By some counts, as much as 75% of Senate Democrats supported at least part of the effort to stop assisting Israel, numbers that would have been unthinkable not too long ago.

Sanders, who has long pushed to end U.S. military aid to Israel, framed the vote as a moral one, accusing Israel of wrongdoing and genocide, arguing that American taxpayer funds should not be used in such conflicts. Opponents, largely Republicans along with a smaller group of Democrats, disagreed and argued back that such a decision would terribly weaken Israel in the middle of an active war on multiple fronts, embolden Iran and its proxies, and send a dangerous signal of instability in U.S. foreign policy.

So the weapons stay for now. But beyond the immediate vote, the concern lies in what it revealed. For decades, support for Israel was a reliable bipartisan cornerstone of American policy. This vote, however, suggests that the foundation may be shifting. The fact that such a large majority of Democratic senators were willing to support restricting military aid, even as Israel faces active threats on multiple fronts, is raising alarms among pro-Israel advocates and policymakers.

For Israel, these developments are very worrisome. While current aid remains intact, questions are now floating about the long term reliability of U.S. support, particularly from one of the two major political parties.

MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — It’s never been so expensive for Americans to buy a steak or hamburger, but cutting those costs requires ranchers like Stephanie Hatzenbuhler to raise more cattle — and that’s not an easy ask.

For a host of reasons, Hatzenbuhler and other ranchers across the country are reluctant to grow the national herd — now its smallest in more than 75 years — and until they do so, demand will outweigh supply, and beef prices will likely remain high.

Adding cattle makes sense for some ranchers, but others are struggling to stay afloat with the cattle they have, Hatzenbuhler said.

“They’re good times, and they’re bad times,” she said. “It’s a combination of both.”

Why is the beef herd so small?
Hatzenbuhler will make her choices as cows give birth to about 700 calves this spring on her family’s Diamond J Angus ranch on more than 2,000 wind-swept acres near Mandan, North Dakota. Does she opt to increase her herd, or does she offset the new arrivals by selling an equal number of cattle to be slaughtered?

The national herd size isn’t the only factor that determines what beef costs at the grocery store. Still, the dwindling number of cattle is a key reason the average price of all uncooked ground beef in the U.S. was $6.86 per pound in March, 3 cents off the record high set in February, according to federal statistics. That price in March is up nearly 48% from March 2021.

The U.S. cattle herd reached a high of 132 million head in 1975, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and that figure has gradually fallen to 86 million this year.

Thanks to changes in cattle genetics and feeding techniques, ranchers now produce far more meat from each animal, so despite the much smaller herd, the country’s beef production hit a record 28.4 billion pounds in 2022, said Tim Petry, a North Dakota State University livestock marketing specialist. About 26 billion pounds of beef are expected in 2026.

About 2.5 billion pounds of beef were exported to other countries in 2025, and the tight remaining supply, along with the high demand, has caused record prices.

Ranchers acknowledge the higher prices, but they face plenty of challenges weighing against growing herds, especially from drought.

Drought limits land for grazing
Dry conditions have persisted across much of cattle country, with about 63% of the U.S. cattle herd in drought areas, according to the USDA. Some areas have also seen giant wildfires that left no grass for grazing.

“You’ve got to have rain. You’ve got to have grass to keep cows on because they’re out on pastures for over half the year, and so that’s been the dilemma, is we had forced liquidation of cows,” Petry said.

This time of year, as calves arrive, ranchers decide whether to retain young cows called heifers and calves for breeding herds, and a big factor is pasture conditions, said Bernt Nelson, an American Farm Bureau Federation economist.

Feed is the highest cost for ranchers, and due to drought in spots like Texas and Oklahoma, they have had to truck in supplies from elsewhere. Those extra costs make it hard to increase a herd.

“When these pasture conditions deteriorate, and water becomes an issue, some of these states have to go as far as to haul hay, haul water from other regions of the country that have grass and easy access to water, and that adds a significant cost to operations,” Nelson said.

Even if ranchers opted to raise more cattle, it takes 15 to 24 months for a calf to mature before it can be slaughtered.

Role of meat processors in beef prices
Ranchers often blame the concentrated meat processing systems — primarily driven by four companies — for high beef prices, but the picture is complicated.

In a statement and market updates, the Meat Institute, a meat processors trade group, noted that retailers and food service companies, not packers, set prices for consumers. And the organization said livestock producers were “earning record profits” while packers were losing money.

The Meat Institute also argued that the concentration ratio hasn’t “changed appreciably” over the past 30 years.

“Rhetoric about beef industry concentration implies that consolidation in the beef packing sector is ongoing and that market power is becoming increasingly concentrated. That is not the case,” the group said.

John Robinson, a spokesman for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said he sees many reasons for high prices, and in some cases, meat processors are responsible, but that “it’s far more complicated than most people will give it credit for.”

A pest forces border closure
Another driver of high prices is the closure of the U.S.-Mexico border to livestock imports to slow the spread of a flesh-eating parasite called the New World screwworm. The closures that began in late 2024 have stopped about 1 million cattle from being hauled from Mexico into the U.S., said Warren Rusche, an extension feedlot specialist at South Dakota State University.

The border closure particularly affects cattle feedlots and ranchers who graze cattle in the southern plains.

President Donald Trump has called for increased beef imports from Argentina, but the country’s expanded quota would be only a tiny percentage of U.S. beef production, Rusche said.

Are ranchers getting rich?
Hatzenbuhler, the North Dakota rancher, isn’t getting rich, but for ranchers who own their land and equipment, she said it’s a good time to raise cattle. It’s not as good for people looking to break into the business, given the high cost of everything from equipment to fertilizer and the difficulty of finding workers.

“If you’re a young guy and want to get in, it’s probably not the time to do it, but if you’re kind of established and been doing this for a while, you’re doing good,” she said.

California rancher Mike Williams said he wouldn’t discourage someone from getting into ranching but would caution them, “don’t get too far upside down.”

“I would say that we’re finally maybe getting a fair price,” Williams said. “I think people are starting to realize the value of beef, and they’re finding that they’re willing to pay maybe a little more than they have in the past for the quality of the product that they’re getting.”

48New details released by the IDF following a change in naval leadership reveal that Israel’s submarine fleet carried out far-reaching and highly classified missions during the war, achieving record-breaking operational reach and striking deep inside enemy territory.

As Major General David Saar Salama stepped down as commander of the Navy, officials disclosed that Shayetet 7 reached new milestones in both distance traveled and sustained activity within hostile zones. According to the information made public, these operations marked a significant expansion of the Navy’s strategic footprint.

Among the most notable revelations was that Israeli submarines reached “the farthest location in the history” of the submarine flotilla during a wartime mission, underscoring the unprecedented scope of the operations.

The fleet was deployed simultaneously across three separate arenas, with vast distances of thousands of kilometers between each submarine. In a first for the Navy, Shayetet 7 coordinated directly with Shayetet 3, the missile boat flotilla, to target and destroy enemy air defense systems and aircraft from the sea.

In the Syrian arena, the Navy took advantage of a narrow operational window to launch a major strike against Syrian naval forces. Within roughly an hour, Israeli forces sank 15 ships and struck dozens of missiles with ranges between 80 and 200 kilometers, dealing a major blow to Syria’s maritime capabilities.

Naval operations against Hezbollah also yielded significant results, particularly in dismantling the group’s coastal missile network. Many of these weapons, which had been concealed beneath civilian infrastructure and in underground facilities, were destroyed, leaving only a limited number still in Hezbollah’s possession.

Another key operation, known as Operation Behind the Back, saw Shayetet 13 forces capture Imad Amhaz. His interrogation led to the uncovering of a previously hidden Hezbollah naval unit, adding to Israel’s intelligence gains.

The Navy also played a major role in countering the Houthi threat, carrying out strikes as far as 150 kilometers داخل Yemen. These attacks reportedly disrupted supply routes, preventing roughly 80 percent of goods from reaching their intended destinations. During Operation “Roaring Lion,” naval units also provided direction and intelligence for strikes on at least 95 targets in Iran.

Since the war began, naval commando units have conducted hundreds of missions, including operations in distant regions where Israeli forces had not previously operated. In Gaza, naval forces were involved in central combat activities, ranging from raids on Shifa and Rantisi hospitals to seizing control of the harbor, conducting hostage rescue efforts, and carrying out logistical insertions deep in the Strip.

During the course of the fighting, the Navy brought all four Sa’ar 6-class warships into full operational use, deploying them in both defensive and offensive roles. The fleet was further strengthened by the arrival of two landing craft from the United States, and a sixth submarine, INS “Drakon” (dragon), is expected to join the fleet in the near future. In addition, a new maritime unit called “Netz” was established to enhance surveillance and drone operations at sea.

Over the 48 days of Operation Roaring Lion,” naval forces accumulated approximately 26,000 hours at sea, conducted 154 offensive strikes, and successfully carried out 40 air defense and interception actions against incoming aerial threats.

(AP) – The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate declined again this week, easing borrowing costs for prospective homebuyers during what is typically the housing market’s busiest time of the year.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate dropped to 6.3% from 6.37% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.83%.

The average rate is now at its lowest level since March 19, when it was 6.22%.

Meanwhile, borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also eased this week. That average rate dropped to 5.65% from 5.74% last week. A year ago, it was at 6.03%, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation.

CAIRO (AP) — Trump invites the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for the countries’ first high-level talks since 1983.

NEW YORK (AP) — The worrisome rise in colorectal cancer deaths in younger adults is concentrated in people with less education, suggesting socioeconomic factors could be driving the escalation, according to a new study.

Celebrity deaths — including Chadwick Boseman in 2020 and James Van Der Beek earlier this year — have highlighted the increase in colorectal cancer deaths among younger adults, but the new paper was called the first to parse which people are most affected by the alarming rise.

The researchers found that over the last 30 years, the rise in colorectal cancer deaths in young adults occurred almost entirely among people without a four-year college degree.

Of course, getting a college degree doesn’t protect you from getting colon cancer. Rather, experts say it’s a marker for other issues: People without degrees tend to earn less money, have poorer diets, exercise less and get less medical care.

It’s not totally unexpected that the death risk is concentrated in the less advantaged, but the paper published Thursday in JAMA Oncology is the first national study to actually show the connection, said Dr. Paolo Boffetta, a researcher at Stony Brook Cancer Center in New York who wasn’t involved in the work.

American Cancer Society researchers used government data on more than 101,000 younger adults, ages 25 to 49, who died of colorectal cancer from 1994 through 2023.

Overall, the colorectal cancer death rate rose from about 3 per 100,000 in that age group to about 4 per 100,000. But for people who only made it through high school, the rate rose from 4 to 5.2 per 100,000, while the rate for people with at least a bachelor’s degrees did not change from 2.7 per 100,000.

Ahmedin Jemal, the study’s first author, said the findings underscore the need for public awareness about colorectal cancer and for younger adults to heed screening recommendations. Symptoms can include blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 158,000 cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Overall, it’s the nation’s second leading cancer killer, behind lung cancer, and is expected to claim more than 55,000 in 2026.

The number of deaths for adults younger than 50 is around 7% of the total — about 3,900. Earlier this year, cancer society researchers reported that colorectal cancer mortality in Americans under 50 had increased by 1.1% a year since 2005, making it now the deadliest cancer in that age group.

Scientists don’t know what’s behind that increase. But they note risk factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, and a family history of colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society changed its screening guidelines in 2021, lowering the age U.S. adults should start getting screened from 50 to 45.

Why did the researchers behind Thursday’s study look at education level and not other factors?

Death certificates don’t detail how much money a person had, or most other aspects of their life. But they do note how much schooling someone completed. And other research has found that data often aligns with statistics about income, health insurance, physical activity and chronic disease. So education serves as a proxy, but can’t speak to other factors, like whether the person had health insurance.

“The focus on education is really (due to) something which was available in the data,” Boffetta observed.

New Jersey’s Education Commissioner acknowledged during a legislative budget hearing that the state shares some responsibility for the ongoing fiscal crisis in the Lakewood Public School District, citing the role of state-appointed monitors who oversee local financial decisions.

Testifying before the Assembly Budget Committee, Education Commissioner Lily Laux was pressed by Assemblyman Avi Schnall on the extent of the state’s accountability for the district’s persistent deficit, which has now prompted an attempted takeover by the state Education Department.

During the exchange, Laux acknowledged that while local officials manage the district, the state’s oversight structure plays a significant role in approving key financial actions.

“If there is a district that has been found to be fiscally mismanaged, and that district [had a fiscal monitor installed by the state] who would hold the responsibility of the fiscal mismanagement? Would it be the the BA (business administrator), would it be the board (of education)? would it be the superintendent? Remember, not a nickel can be spent without the approval of the state monitor. Everything had to be approved by the state monitor,” Schnall noted, adding that Lakewood has had 11 state-appointed monitors over the last 12 years, with four currently stationed in the district.

Those monitors “have not made much of a difference,” he said. “If anything the fiscal deficit has grown by a lot.”

“I would … certainly say all of the above in terms of responsibility,” Laux answered, pointing to the involvement of fiscal monitors who review and authorize spending decisions made by the school board.

The comments come as Lakewood remains at the center of a high-stakes legal and political battle over a proposed state takeover of the district.

In January, the New Jersey Department of Education initiated formal steps toward full state intervention, arguing that years of financial instability and governance issues have deprived students of a constitutionally required education. The move would install a state-appointed superintendent with sweeping authority over district operations, effectively reducing the locally elected school board to an advisory role.

Local officials, however, have strongly contested the takeover. In a detailed response filed in March, the Lakewood Board of Education argued that the state has overstated academic deficiencies and failed to account for the district’s unique circumstances, including what it says are improving performance metrics that fall above thresholds required for state intervention.

The district has also emphasized that its financial challenges stem largely from structural factors — including state-mandated costs for transportation and special education, as well as a large nonpublic school population — rather than mismanagement by local officials.

Those same structural issues were echoed during the budget hearing, where Schnall argued that the state cannot both exert significant financial control through appointed monitors and simultaneously disclaim responsibility for the district’s deficits.

Lakewood’s public school system has faced years of budget shortfalls, driven in part by rising costs tied to legally required services for both public and nonpublic school students. The district’s unique demographics — with far more students attending private schools than public ones — have long complicated funding formulas and drawn scrutiny from state officials and lawmakers alike.

The dispute over control is now moving through an administrative and legal process that could ultimately determine whether the state assumes full authority over the district. Any final decision is expected to involve recommendations from the Department of Education and could face further legal challenges.

Lawmakers on the committee continued to examine the issue as part of broader deliberations over the state’s education budget, with Lakewood’s situation frequently cited as one of the most complex and consequential school funding challenges in New Jersey.

Watch the full exchange below:

LONDON (AP) — Police in London arrested two men and a 16-year-old boy on Thursday in connection with an attempted arson attack on a Persian-language media organization in the northwest of the capital.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement that the attack on Wednesday evening is not being treated as a terrorist incident but that the investigation is being led by detectives from London’s counter terrorism policing unit.

The attack took place days into a planned two-week ceasefire in the Middle East after seven weeks of fighting between the U.S. and Israel on one side and Iran on the other. Persian is the primary language of Iran.

Police said officers on patrol in Wembley responded to reports of a burning container being thrown towards a building. The unspecified container landed in a car park, where the fire went out. There were no reports of any damage or injuries.

Armed police then pursued a black SUV, which the suspects were seen leaving in, before the vehicle later crashed.

The boy and the men, aged 19 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of arson endangering life and taken into police custody.

Police also said that the attack has not been linked to the attempted arson attack on a synagogue earlier this week, nor last month’s torching of four ambulances owned by a Jewish charity in London. Both attacks took place in Finchley, north London.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s design for the Triumphal Arch he wants built at an entrance to the nation’s capital moved a step forward Thursday after a key agency reviewed the proposal for the first time. One commissioner suggested changes, including losing the Lady Liberty-like statue and pair of eagles that would sit on top of the arch and add to its height.

The arch is one of several projects that the Republican president is pursuing alongside a White House ballroom to leave his lasting imprint on Washington.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts voted to approve the concept design for the arch. The seven commissioners, all appointed by Trump, will review an updated version of the design before taking a final vote at a future meeting.

Trump said last week on social media that the arch “will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World” and a “wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!”

Also on the agenda for the commission’s monthly meeting was his plan to paint the gray granite exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is next to the White House, white.

A third White House-related project, construction of an underground center to conduct security screenings of tourists and other guests, was also up for consideration.

Triumphal Arch
The arch would stand 250 feet tall (76 meters) from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure atop the structure. That figure would be flanked up top by two eagles and guarded at the base by four lions — all gilded. The phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” would be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument.

The commission’s vice chairman, architect James McCrery II, said he preferred the arch without the figure and eagles on top. McCrery also objected to the lions on the base.

The arch would be built on a human-made island managed by the National Park Service on the Virginia side of the Potomac River at the end of Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. The arch would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet (30 meters) tall, and be close to half the height of the Washington Monument, an obelisk that is about 555 feet (169 meters) tall.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the arch’s 250-foot height will honor America’s 250 years of existence.

A group of veterans and a historian has sued in federal court to block construction on the grounds that the arch would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery, among other reasons.

Underground screening center for White House visitors
The U.S. Secret Service, Interior Department, National Park Service, and the Executive Office of the President want to start construction in August on a 33,000-square-foot (3,066-square-meter) center to screen tourists and other visitors to the White House.

It would be built beneath Sherman Park, federal land southwest of the White House, to provide a more secure place to screen those going on White House tours or attending events. The new facility would have seven lanes to ease processing and reduce wait times.

Officials want it operating by July 2028, six months before Trump’s term ends.

Eisenhower Executive Office Building paint job
Trump said the Executive Office Building is beautiful, but he does not like its gray exterior.

“It’s one of the most beautiful buildings anywhere in Washington,” Trump said in August. “I think it’s just incredible, but you have to get past the color because the stone they used was a really bad color.”

Two proposals were given to the commission: Cover the entire building in bright white or paint most of it white while leaving untouched the granite on the exposed basement and subbasement.

In written materials, the White House said the building has been largely neglected since its construction. It said the building’s color, design and massing do not “align visually with the surrounding architecture” and lack ”any symbolic cohesion with the White House.”

The paint job is also the subject of litigation in federal court.

The building sits across a driveway from the West Wing. It was completed in 1888 after 17 years of construction, and its granite, slate, and cast iron exterior makes it one of America’s best examples of the French Second Empire style of architecture.

It originally housed the departments of State, War and Navy. It currently houses offices for the vice president and the National Security Council, among others.

The building is a National Historic Landmark and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

One of America’s most recognizable budget airlines may be just days away from collapse.

Spirit Airlines is now facing the real possibility of liquidation, as a perfect storm of rising fuel costs and financial instability threatens to bring the airline to an abrupt end. Discussions with creditors have intensified in recent days, with liquidation emerging as a serious and maybe most viable option, a decision potentially coming as early as this week.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 13: Spirit Airlines baggage tags are seen near a check-in counter at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on November 13, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Spirit Airlines is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a potential merger with Frontier Airlines failed, and the company continues grappling with significant financial woes. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The airline, which has already been struggling through bankruptcy proceedings, is now being hit hard by rising fuel prices, mostly driven by the war involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

Fuel prices have more than doubled in recent weeks, creating a strong impact on airlines across the globe and especially on low cost carriers like Spirit, which operate on razor thin margins and have limited ability to raise ticket prices.

Spirit had previously been working toward a restructuring plan aimed at exiting bankruptcy, but the involved lenders are now worried about whether the plan is still possible under current economic conditions. They have warned that if fuel prices remain elevated, the airline’s costs could grow by hundreds of millions of dollars, way more than the company has in available cash, which would make survival unlikely.

Behind the scenes, creditors are considering drastic steps, including seizing assets or forcing a full shutdown of operations immediately. The collapse would mark a stunning fall for the airline, which once thrived on its low cost model and became one of the largest discount carriers in North America. Now, that very model, built on tight margins, will be its downfall.

For American travelers, the implications will be felt immediately, with route cancellations, reduced competition, and higher ticket prices across the board.

An opinion article, written by Yisrael Ze’ev Leventhal and published by JDN, aptly illustrated how the Chareidi world in Israel is standing alone against the judicial system’s plan to uproot it.

The article contrasts two Supreme Court hearings held this week, one on bnei yeshivos and the second on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. It should be noted that the article was published shortly before the Supreme Court issued a ruling on the Ben-Gvir case on Thursday, avoiding a constitutional crisis by ordering Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir to reach a compromise agreement with Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara on Ben-Gvir’s authority over the police in his role.

Leventhal wrote, “Only 48 hours separated the dramatic hearings that took place this week within the walls of the Supreme Court: the hearing on the imposition of draconian sanctions and prison sentences on bnei yeshivos, and the hearing on petitions demanding the dismissal of Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Between the two stood Yom HaShoah and a distance of light-years.

For many, the conscription hearing was reduced to a single quote about “dismantling the Torah world,” while the Ben Gvir hearing is remembered for a few sharp remarks by his lawyer.

But for anyone who listened closely to both proceedings, the contrast was stark. Despite criticism that the Supreme Court has assumed powers never formally granted to it, even a few minutes of the Ben Gvir hearing made clear the gravity with which the judges approached the issue. It was evident that any decision to remove a sitting minister could trigger a civil war.

The judges’ questions to the petitioners and to representatives of the Attorney General, who support their position, were sharp and uncompromising. The government was represented by a senior attorney, and Ben Gvir’s lawyer, David Peter, at times turned the courtroom into something resembling a stage. The sense of gravity of the potential outcome was palpable throughout the lengthy session.

This sense of weight extended beyond the courtroom. Many coalition members issued unequivocal statements supporting Ben Gvir, and several Knesset members made efforts to enter the courtroom despite restrictions. 

Every judge appeared aware that they were playing with fire in the hearing. The words ‘constitutional crisis’ seemed to hang over the proceedings.

In contrast, the hearing on sanctions against bnei yeshivos was conducted in a markedly different atmosphere. The government was represented only by the Attorney General, who of course supports imposing strict sanctions, including criminal indictments and prison sentences.

No Knesset members appeared in court, and no significant effort was made to provide a proper representation of the Olam HaTorah. The only righteous man in Sodom was Cabinet Secretary attorney Yossi Fuchs, who insisted on submitting an independent response to the Supreme Court despite not being a party to the proceedings. He also appeared at the hearing and confronted the judges with clear statements. He clarified to them that they were conducting a hearing with only one side present, since the position of the Attorney General contradicts that of the government. Above all, he stated the obvious: bnei yeshivos are not criminals, and the Chareidim are the most law-abiding public in Israel. Those who brought them to this situation are those who decided to cancel the status of ‘Toraso Umanuso’ (the judges themselves).

No sense of reverence was visible on the faces of the judges during the hearing. The wicked men in robes did not hesitate to press the representative of the Attorney General to examine additional and faster ways to impose sanctions on those who engage in limmud haTorah day and night, by whose merit the world exists.

In fact, Justice Sohlberg, who wrote the original wicked ruling in the case, made it starkly clear that he is entirely incapable of understanding the Chareidi side. He declared that he sees no need to balance between different interests and considerations when addressing the conscription of the elite of Am Yisrael and cutting off the transmission of the Torah from generation to generation. Relying on distorted and partial quotations, while ignoring a vast body of literature and the positions of Gedolei HaDoros, he determined that Judaism itself requires that all bnei yeshivos be drafted into the secular army.

It was enough to read three paragraphs of his ruling from four months ago to understand that this kippah-wearing Jew is light years removed from the Olam HaTorah, and that his heart is apathetic to the suffering of Chareidim.

In this story of preserving the Olam HaTorah, we are entirely alone in the arena. Almost everyone has joined forces against us. We have reached a situation in which former MK Gadi Eisenkot allows himself to write and say that he will draft all the Chareidim, but ‘out of appreciation for the value of limmud Torah, he generously agrees to leave a symbolic representation of 3 percent of the yeshiva world who will be allowed to continue learning Torah.’

But we all know how this story will end. It has never been only one who stood against us to destroy us; they have always been many, not one. The Torah world is surrounded by seventy wolves seeking prey, driven mad by jealousy and fueled by burning hatred.

And Hakadosh Baruch Hu saved us from their hands. Titus tried and failed, Sancheiriv planned and fell, Mendelssohn and Herzl schemed and disappeared, Ben-Gurion tried to uproot Judaism and was forgotten, and they too—from Lapid to Sohlberg—will pass from the world, and Am Yisrael will continue to flourish.

But one thing must be remembered. This is not a cliché or just a saying. Truly, we have no one to rely on but Avinu She’B’Shamayim.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The Manchester Township Police Department is pleased to announce the promotion of Detective Michael Steffen to Sergeant, the lateral transfers of Sergeant Joseph Fastige to Detective Sergeant and Patrolman Nicholas Greenwood to Detective, and the hiring of Patrolman Anthony Irizarry during a ceremony attended byMayor Joseph Hankins, members of the Township Council, police administration, friends, and family on April 15.

Following introductory remarks by Chief Antonio Ellis, Sgt. Steffenwas the first to take his oath of office. A graduate of Stockton University, Sgt. Steffen began his career with the Mercer County Park Rangers before joining the Manchester Township Police Department in 2013, excelling in the academy by earning the High Overall Award. Throughout his tenure in the Patrol Division and Investigations Bureau, he has held diverse roles including Detective, SWAT operator, and specialized investigator for arson and animal cruelty cases. Beyond his operational duties, Sgt. Steffen serves as a lead departmental instructor and committee member, earning over 30 awards and commendations for meritorious service and lifesaving efforts.

Next, Ptl. Irizarry, a Summa Cum Laude Criminal Justice graduatefrom Ocean County College, took his oath. After beginning his law enforcement career as a Special Law Enforcement Officer in Point Pleasant Beach, he transitioned to a full-time role with the Galloway Township Police Department in 2022. During his tenure, Ptl. Irizarryearned several honors, including two Life Saving Awards and the Rookie of the Year Award, before joining the Manchester Township Police Department. Ptl. Irizarry, who holds a New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy certification, will now begin an intensive Field Training and Evaluation Program, where he will be instructed and mentored by several highly trained officers.

Transferred laterally from the Patrol Division to the Investigations Bureau was Dsg. Fastige, who began his law enforcement career in 2008 with the Seaside Heights Police Department before joining the Manchester Township Police in 2011. Dsg. Fastige has served in the Patrol Bureau, the Narcotics Enforcement, and the Investigations Bureau. Throughout his tenure, he has managed high-level investigations, served as the department’s Social Media Manager, and acted as an instructor for the NJSACOP Command and Leadership Program. A highly educated and decorated officer, Dsg. Fastige holds a master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and has earned over 20 departmental awards alongside three Chief’s Awards.

The final lateral transfer from the Patrol Division to the Investigations Bureau was Det. Nicholas Greenwood, a decorated law enforcement professional who holds a bachelor’s degree from East Stroudsburg University. Since joining the Manchester Township Police Department as a Special Law Enforcement Officer in 2013, later becoming a full-time Officer in 2015, he has served in the Patrol Division and Investigations Bureau while holding specialized roles such as SWAT Operator and Firearms Instructor. His extensive expertise in tactical training and departmental safety is reflected in over 15 prestigious honors, including the Medal of Honor and the Silver Medal of Valor.

“I would like to thank Mayor Hankins, members of the Township Council, and Township Administration for their continued support of our police department’s mission to provide our residents with the highest possible level of service,” said Chief Antonio Ellis, who noted that the hiring, promotion, and transfer of offices was necessary to ensure adequate staffing following recent retirementsand promotions. “I join with our community in wishing each officer success as they move into new roles of their law enforcement careers in service of Manchester Township and its residents.”

There have been many articles written about the fierce opposition of Dati Leumi Rabbanim to the integration of female soldiers into tank units, but less focus has been placed on the fact that many military officials are also opposed to it for operational and security reasons.

Nonetheless, Israel’s Supreme Court intervened in the matter this week, and, ignoring security considerations, issued a ruling forcing the IDF to integrate female combat soldiers into tank units as early as this coming November.

In the unanimous ruling, the justices stated that the IDF has a legal obligation to ensure equal opportunities between men and women in combat role assignments. They ruled that the starting point is full equality and that the burden of proof of proving that women cannot serve in a particular role lies with the army.

In addition to the Court’s demand imposing operational difficulties on the IDF at a time of war, it also penalized public funds, ordering the state to pay 40,000 shekels in legal expenses to the petitioners.

Following the ruling, Likud MK Tally Gotliv stated, “The Supreme Court is destroying the army! Destroying it! The Court specializes in cheap populism, relying on the public’s lack of knowledge of existing law. A law was already passed in the 1950s mandating full equality between men and women, and clarifying that the law applies to security roles unless the nature of the role prevents it. Balanced, right? Correct.”

“There are female pilots, female combat soldiers, females everywhere—and the army is making efforts to adapt combat roles for women. Yet the Supreme Court ruling, celebrated by the unhinged progressives, was written as if it invented the wheel, babbling that the burden lies on the army to prove that women cannot be integrated into a role. They must be bored at the Supreme Court—there is no other explanation for this absurd and unnecessary ruling.”

Col. (res.) Prof. Gabi Siboni said: “Maybe we should put them on the Olympic Committee as well, and let them decide that the Olympics must demonstrate equality without separation? We should do everything to maximize potential, not to force equality, because in the end, we are dealing with different sexes.”

Noam chairman Avi Maoz said: “When the IDF Chief of Staff orders the removal of a video supporting reservists’ wives on the home front, he shows that he’s subject to radical feminist agendas—and that invites rulings like this from Supreme Court justices, who are willing to harm security and the health of female soldiers for those delusional agendas. Defense Minister Katz and Prime Minister Netanyahu—this is happening on your watch. Don’t hide behind the Supreme Court.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Search teams are continuing intensive efforts today for a sixth consecutive day to locate 17-year-old Avraham Yeshayahu Spiegel, who has been missing since Friday after drowning at Sanz Beach in Netanya.

ZAKA forces reported that based on a professional overnight assessment, search activity today has focused on a complex rocky area in the middle of the sea, where there is a high likelihood the missing bochur may be found.

Throughout the day, divers, drone operators, and jet ski teams worked the area, scanning between rocks and other difficult-to-access locations. At the same time, ZAKA volunteers from the Sharon region and Netanya team continued foot searches along the shoreline, supported by a jeep unit, maintaining around-the-clock operations.

The search efforts continued even as the family mourned another tragedy. The levayah of the missing bochur‘s brother, 21-year-old Yissachar Dov Spiegel z”l, who also drowned in the incident, was held in Yerushalayim. Despite the levayah yesterday, search teams remained fully active, coordinating responsibilities carefully to ensure uninterrupted operations.

A situation assessment was held at the command post, attended by Eldad Steinberg of the Lehava unit, who praised the volunteers. “The professionalism and spirit of volunteerism of ZAKA members, who have been operating for six consecutive days, deserve deep appreciation,” he said.

Also visiting the site were Netanya station commander Chief Superintendent Kobi Abutbul and MK Yitzchok Pindrus, who came to offer encouragement and support to the teams on the ground.

ZAKA Deputy Director of Operations Chaim Wingertein said, “We will continue to operate with determination, using all available means, until the missing person is found.”

{Matzav.com}

MIDDELBURG, Netherlands (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was awarded the prestigious International Four Freedoms Award at a ceremony Thursday for his and his nation’s courage and resilience in resisting the full-scale invasion launched more than four years ago by Russia.

The honor was bestowed by the Roosevelt Foundation that was created in 1982 to present awards honoring the Four Freedoms outlined by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union address — freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

“We pay the highest tribute to the unwavering courage and enduring perseverance of the Ukrainian people and to the steadfast and resolute leadership of their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” Hugo de Jonge, chair of the foundation, said Thursday.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten paid tribute to Zelenskyy at the ceremony, saying, “It speaks volumes that you only agreed to accept this award if you could do so on behalf of all the people of Ukraine.”

After receiving a standing ovation, Zelenskyy asked for a moment of silence for the victims of a deadly overnight barrage by Russia that killed at least 16 people and wounded many more.

“Dozens of people have been injured and, sadly, so sadly, there are also lives lost in Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipro. Just ordinary people, children, civilians, killed by Russian madness,” he said, as he called for those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine to be held accountable under international law.

“Do not let Russia go unpunished,” he said.

Previous winners of the international award include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Germany’s former Chancellor Angela Merkel, and organizations including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot was receiving the Freedom from Fear Award; the Committee to Protect Journalists received the Freedom of Speech Award; Isidora Uribe Silva from Chile, who has cerebral palsy, earned the Freedom from Want Award for her years of campaigning for inclusion, equal human rights, and gender equality.

The winner of the Freedom of Worship Award was not announced publicly by the foundation, citing security concerns.

After the ceremony, Zelenskyy was meeting with Jetten. The Netherlands has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since the Russian invasion, including providing Patriot missiles and fighter jets. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius announced that the Netherlands was spending 248 million euros ($292 million) on drones for the Ukrainian military.

With no plans announced for further U.S.-mediated talks with Russia, Zelenskyy had already visited three European capitals in 48 hours this week to try to secure promises of further military and financial support from Germany and Norway and Italy. Germany and Ukraine agreed a defense package valued at 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion), and Norway has pledged 9 billion euros in assistance, Ukrainian officials said.

The Four Freedoms awards are presented in the New Church in Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, where Roosevelt’s ancestors hail from.

Last night, in Brooklyn, NY, the wedding of Hagaon Rav Nechemia Kaplan, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Shaar Hatalmud in Yerushalayim was held in Brooklyn, drawing prominent roshei yeshiva and rabbonim who came to take part in the simcha.

Rav Kaplan is a son of Rav Boruch Kaplan and Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan, noted pioneers of Yiddishkeit in the last century. His first wife, Rebbetzin Hendel a”h, was the daughter of Rav and Rebbetzin Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk.

The rosh yeshiva remarried to Rebbetzin Chaya Esther Lerner of New York. The wedding took place at Tiferes Mordechai Hall on McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn.

A large number of prominent roshei yeshiva and rabbonim attended the chasunah.

In a unique moment during the simcha, following the first dance, the chosson, the esteemed rosh yeshiva, delivered a shiur to the assembled guests.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli forces destroyed approximately 70 Hezbollah terror infrastructures in the Bint Jbeil area of southern Lebanon following a raid by commando units, the Israel Defense Forces said Thursday.

Troops from the Egoz commando unit raided the Aynata “casbah,” a fortified neighborhood adjacent to Bint Jbeil that the IDF described as a Hezbollah “combat compound.” During the operation, soldiers located numerous weapons and military equipment, including RPGs, assault rifles, grenades, anti-aircraft missiles and other armaments.

Meanwhile, forces from the Maglan commando unit killed numerous Hezbollah operatives in the area, according to the military.

“After the searches were completed, the forces destroyed approximately 70 terror infrastructures within just one minute,” the IDF said.

The operation comes amid ongoing Israeli efforts to dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities in southern Lebanon, where the Iran-backed group has maintained a network of fortified positions and weapons caches near the border.

ARAD, Israel (VINnews) — About 2,200 residents are still displaced a month after a missile strike severely damaged parts of the southern city, as officials begin early stages of recovery.

Local authorities said demolition will start on buildings that were beyond repair, while other damaged structures will undergo reinforcement and partial reconstruction.

Hundreds of families were forced to leave their homes after widespread damage to residential buildings and public facilities. Officials said a large share of those affected belong to the Gur Hasidic community.

Roughly half of the displaced residents are currently staying in hotels funded by the government, while others are living with relatives or within their community.

City officials are coordinating with national agencies on plans to rebuild the affected area, with an emphasis on safer and more modern infrastructure. A timeline for residents’ return remains unclear as recovery efforts continue.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

THE SHORT ANSWER

The Shulchan Aruch (493:1) tells us that it is customary not to get married between Passover and Shavuos until Lag BaOmer, because Rabbi Akiva’s students died during this period. However, getting engaged is permitted.

The Poskim pretty much all agree that it is forbidden to enjoy live music during Sefira, and some even forbid it during the year on account of the Churban Beis HaMikdash. There is a difference of opinion about whether this extends to recorded music as well.

Most Poskim rule that there is no difference between live and recorded music — both are forbidden. Rav Binyomin Zilber (Az Nidberu 8:58), Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, OC 1:167), and Rav Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 15:33) all take this stricter position. In fact, Poskim even forbid listening to acapella music during Sefira.

Some Poskim do disagree and argue that a device which did not exist at the time the ban on music was enacted — such as a radio or CD player — is not included in the prohibition. Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg zt”l told this author that he permits it, and this is also the position of the Chelkas Yaakov (1:62).

OTHER EXCEPTIONS

There are also exceptions that even the more machmir (stricter) Poskim have ruled upon. If not being able to listen to recorded music would cause depression, they permit listening to it in private — this is the ruling of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichos Shlomo, Moadim 2:11:14). In a nursing home and rehabilitation facility, it is also permitted. This author posed this question to leading Poskim when serving as a director of such a facility. Rav Shlomo Zalman also permitted playing children’s music for the enjoyment of young children (Halichos Shlomo, Moadim 2:11, note 53). A music teacher or musician whose livelihood depends on performing live music is permitted to do so during Sefira (see Igros Moshe, OC 3:87). Someone driving who needs music to stay alert may also listen to it — this is even a fulfillment of a d’Oraisah mitzvah.

THE LONG OF IT

Beyond the basic rulings on music lies a more intricate halachic discussion — one that touches on the nature of Omer mourning itself, the history of the dancing prohibition, and a contemporary challenge to the Mishna Berura raised by Rav Yitzchok Rubin shlita.

Getting back to the above ruling in Shulchan Aruch, the Mishna Berura quoting the Magen Avraham adds that someone who gets engaged during these days may even hold an engagement party. While we no longer separate the engagement ceremony from the wedding itself, it is still allowed to arrange a match and celebrate — but dancing and festivities are traditionally off-limits, and certainly just dancing for fun is not done.

THE QUESTION OF DANCING DURING CERTAIN TIME PERIODS

The Sha’ar HaTziyun quotes the Pri Megadim citing the Elya Rabba: even from Rosh Chodesh Iyar until Rosh Chodesh Sivan, and from Rosh Chodesh Sivan until Shavuos, there is a question about whether it is permitted to be lenient when it comes to dancing for fun and general celebrating.

WHAT DO MODERN POSKIM SAY ABOUT MUSIC?

Based on these earlier sources, leading halachic authorities ruled against listening to music even during the days between Rosh Chodesh Sivan and Shavuos. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l wrote that since the Eliyah Rabbah raised a doubt about these days — and since the Pri Megadim and Sha’ar HaTziyun recorded that doubt — we should be strict, especially since this matches accepted practice. (See “Bein Pesach L’Shavuos” by Rabbi Tzvi Cohen, Chapter 15:4.)

The same stricter ruling was quoted in the names of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”l, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l, and Rabbi Shmuel Vosner zt”l. Usually, when there is a doubt in mourning laws, we rule leniently. But since major authorities specifically raised this doubt, the leading Poskim said to be strict here.

THE REASONING — AND RAV RUBIN’S CHALLENGE

In a shiur given at his shul in Har Nof, Rav Yitzchok Rubin shlita raised an important question about the internal logic of these rulings. The reasoning behind the Eliyah Rabbah’s doubt is never actually explained in the text. The extra words found in the Sha’ar HaTziyun — “for those who customarily get haircuts then” — were actually added by the Chafetz Chaim himself, and do not appear in either the Eliyah Rabbah or the Pri Megadim.

Those who allow weddings and haircuts during certain days of the Omer do so because, according to their minhag, those days are simply not days of mourning at all. If that is the case, why would there be any reason to be strict about recreational dancing during days they do not consider mourning days in the first place?

On top of that, the custom against dancing is actually a development first cited in the Magen Avraham (1635–1682), in his comment on Siman 493:1. It neither appears in the Tur nor the Shulchan Aruch. If we are lenient about something as serious as haircuts, why should there even be a question about dancing — which is a lighter matter?

HOW THE TUR PRESENTS THINGS

The Tur opens Siman 493 by explaining that the minhag not to marry between Pesach and Shavuos exists because we do not want to increase joy during the time when Rabbi Akiva’s students died. The Ritz Giat clarified that it is specifically marriage — which represents the greatest joy — that is forbidden, but engagement is allowed. The Tur also mentions that some communities do not get haircuts during this period. The Beis Yosef traces this haircut custom to the Drashos Ibn Shuaib and notes it became widespread practice.

WHAT THE MAGEN AVRAHAM ADDED

The Magen Avraham introduced something new: while an engagement party is permitted during the Omer, “recreational dancing and celebrations are customarily forbidden.” He even adds that someone who arranged a match — not yet an engagement party — may not have dancing and celebrations either.

The Eliyah Rabbah (493:2) understood the Magen Avraham to mean that dancing is permitted at an actual engagement party, since it is a mitzvah meal, but not at a lesser celebration like a match-making event — and certainly not for dancing just for fun.

THE UNIQUE NATURE OF OMER MOURNING

Understanding these questions requires appreciating how the mourning practices of the Omer differ from regular mourning. On one hand, they are stricter in some respects: even someone who has not yet fulfilled the mitzvah of having children may not get married during the Omer, whereas a regular mourner may marry after shiva if he has not yet had children (see Yoreh Deah 392).

On the other hand, the Omer mourning is more lenient in other ways — washing, cutting nails, and festive meals are all permitted. The Omer period adopted mourning customs only in specific areas: marriage, which involves the greatest joy; haircuts, though many great authorities noted this was not the custom in their own communities (see Radbaz and Birkei Yosef); and recreational dancing and celebrations, though as noted, major Poskim debated whether to be strict here. This selective pattern is itself relevant to Rav Rubin’s argument, as we shall see.

WHAT THE ELIYAH RABBAH MAY HAVE BEEN ASKING

After quoting the Magen Avraham’s restriction on recreational dancing, the Eliyah Rabbah asks: during the periods that have some basis for leniency — the days before Rosh Chodesh Iyar and after Rosh Chodesh Sivan — perhaps recreational dancing, which is less serious than marriage and haircuts, might actually be permitted?

His reasoning is that some communities do not observe mourning during those stretches at all, as the Rema notes for the days before Rosh Chodesh Iyar, and the Pri Megadim and Derech HaChaim note for the days after Rosh Chodesh Sivan. Additionally, Tachanun is not recited on those days, suggesting a less mournful character.

WHAT THIS MEANS PRACTICALLY

If this reading of the Eliyah Rabbah is correct — and it differs from the Sha’ar HaTziyun’s interpretation — then Rav Rubin suggests everything fits together well. There would be room to be lenient about listening to music between Rosh Chodesh Sivan and Shavuos, since the accepted minhag today is to be lenient during those days regarding both marriages and haircuts.

In Eretz Yisroel today, the widespread minhag is to get haircuts after Lag BaOmer. Since haircuts are stricter than dancing, one must seriously examine what basis exists for prohibiting recreational dancing during those later days — and certainly for the even lighter matter of listening to music. Even though the Eretz Yisroel custom is to prohibit marriages until Rosh Chodesh Sivan, perhaps only marriage — representing the greatest joy — remains prohibited, as the Taz suggests. Lighter matters like dancing, and certainly listening to music, may not fall into the same category.

AN IMPORTANT CAUTION — AND A PRACTICAL BOTTOM LINE

Rav Rubin was careful to note that his entire presentation is a theoretical discussion, not a ruling for practice. He invoked the words of the Chazon Ish (Kovetz Igros 2:141), who wrote that accepted halachic rulings from authorities like the Beis Yosef, the Magen Avraham, and the Mishna Berura carry enormous weight — weight that cannot simply be set aside because of a clever argument.

The Yaavetz (Responsa 20) quotes in the name of the author of the Chelkas Mechokek that a person may not issue rulings until he has the power to “uproot and erase a paragraph from the Shulchan Aruch.” The Chafetz Chaim himself reportedly said that someone who has “reached the level of ruling” is one who has the ability to disagree with the Mishna Berura. The practical implication is clear: even a logically compelling analysis does not automatically translate into a leniency one may act upon.

The bottom line for most people, then, remains as before: follow your community’s accepted practice and the guidance of your own posek. The above analysis is presented as intellectual enrichment — an appreciation of the depth and nuance underlying rules that might otherwise seem arbitrary. Great care is needed when discussing the words of the Mishna Berura – all the more so when it comes to actual practice.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor said she regrets comments she made about a colleague during a recent public appearance, calling her remarks “inappropriate” and confirming that she has issued a personal apology.

“At a recent appearance at the University of Kansas School of Law, I referred to a disagreement with one of my colleagues in a prior case, but I made remarks that were inappropriate,” Sotomayor said in a statement issued by the court, Politico reported.

“I regret my hurtful comments. I have apologized to my colleague.”

Her statement followed comments she delivered last week in Lawrence, Kansas, where she spoke critically about another member of the court—widely understood to be Justice Brett Kavanaugh—regarding his stance in an immigration-related case.

Although she did not mention him by name, Sotomayor alluded to his concurring opinion in Noem v. Perdomo, which involved an unsigned order allowing immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles to resume.

During her remarks, she challenged what she suggested was a limited perspective on how such enforcement actions impact workers.

“I had a colleague in that case who wrote, you know, these are only temporary stops,” she said. “This is from a man whose parents were professionals. And probably doesn’t really know any person who works by the hour.”

In his concurrence, Kavanaugh stated that interactions between lawful residents and immigration authorities are “typically brief.”

Sotomayor argued that even short encounters can carry meaningful consequences, particularly for workers paid by the hour, who may lose wages or face job-related repercussions.

She said such interactions carry “financial consequences” that may not be fully appreciated in the court’s legal analysis.

The episode underscores continuing ideological divides within the Supreme Court, especially in cases involving immigration policy and the tension between enforcement authority and individual rights.

At the same time, public criticism between justices—particularly when perceived as personal—has drawn attention and concern in the past.

Sotomayor’s apology represents a relatively rare moment in which a sitting justice has publicly expressed regret for remarks directed at a colleague.

The court has faced heightened scrutiny in recent years over its internal dynamics and public credibility, with ongoing calls for increased transparency and stronger adherence to ethical standards.

PARIS (AP) — Europe has “maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” the head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in a wide-ranging Associated Press interview, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he said.

The impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” Birol told the AP, speaking in his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.

No country is immune
Economic pain will be felt unevenly and “the countries who will suffer the most will not be those whose voice are heard a lot. It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America,” said the Turkish economist and energy expert who has led the IEA since 2015.

But without a settlement of the Iran war that permanently reopens the Strait of Hormuz, “Everybody is going to suffer,” he added.

“Some countries may be richer than the others. Some countries may have more energy than the others, but no country, no country is immune to this crisis,” he said.

Without a reopening of the waterway, some oil products may dry up, he warned.

In Europe, “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel,” he said.

Hormuz tolls a risk for the future
Birol spoke out against the so-called “toll booth” system that Iran has applied to some ships, letting them travel through the strait for a fee. He said allowing that to become more permanent would run the risk of setting a precedent that could then be applied to other waterways, including the vital Malacca Strait in Asia.

“If we change it once, it may be difficult to get it back,” he said. “It will be difficult to have a toll system here, applied here, but not there.”

“I would like to see that the oil flows unconditionally from the point A to point B,” he said.

Damage for Persian Gulf energy facilities
Birol said more than 110 oil-laden tankers and more than 15 carriers loaded with liquified natural gas are waiting in the Persian Gulf and could help ease the energy crisis if they could escape through the Strait of Hormuz.

“But it is not enough,” he added.

Even with a peace deal, strikes on energy facilities means it could be many months before pre-war production levels are restored, he said.

“Over 80 key assets in the region have been damaged. And out of these 80, more than one third are severely or very severely damaged,” he said.

“It will be extremely optimistic to believe that it will very quick,” Birol said. “It will take gradually, gradually, up to two years to come back where we were before the war.”

A proposed New York City law would require businesses to allow customers to bring their own cups when ordering beverages, a move that is raising concerns among workers about potential challenges on the job.

Employees say the policy could lead to disputes, particularly when customers bring oversized containers. Potential kashrus concerns could also arise, as the norm among hashgachos is to not permit outside food and drinks into certified establishments.

The bill, introduced by City Council Democratic Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, aims to cut down on waste disposal costs and curb pollution by encouraging reusable alternatives.

“The city spends hundreds of millions of dollars on waste disposal each year, with single use plastics making up a significant portion. This bill will help reduce waste disposal cost,” Abreu told The New York Post.

“Businesses would have to spend less now on having to buy plastic cups.”

Under the proposal, businesses would be required to post signage informing customers of the reusable cup option, with penalties of up to $400 for failing to comply.

Workers would still be permitted to refuse cups that are dirty or do not meet size requirements, but some in the food service industry say logistical issues could arise, particularly for establishments that rely on specialized equipment.

At bubble tea shops, for example, machines are often designed to seal drinks using specific plastic lids, making it difficult to accommodate alternative materials like metal or glass.

Employees also noted that drink portions would continue to be measured according to standard recipes, regardless of the size of a customer’s cup.

Environmental advocates praised the legislation as a practical step toward reducing plastic use and giving consumers more sustainable choices.

“The idea behind it — that New Yorkers should have the choice to use their own reusable cups at restaurants and coffee shops —is a good idea and common sense. Each week it seems, we hear about another negative health impact from using plastics to package our food, especially hot food and drinks,” said Matt Gove of Reusable NYC. “Why shouldn’t New Yorkers have the choice?”

A hearing on the bill is expected in June.

ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) – Police in Virginia say Justin Fairfax, the state’s former lieutenant governor, shot and killed his wife and then fatally shot himself.

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said Thursday that both were found dead at their northern Virginia home after the couple’s teenage son called 911 shortly after midnight.

The police chief said the couple was going through a divorce.

Davis said his officers responded to the home in January after Justin Fairfax alleged his wife had assaulted him.

“There are several cameras set up inside the house. Apparently. Mrs. Fairfax, at some point during these divorce proceedings, set up a lot of cameras inside the home. We reviewed those cameras, and we corroborated that the alleged assault never occurred. So, there was no arrest made.”

The White House on Wednesday released new information about a proposed “United States triumphal arch,” outlining plans for a national monument designed to highlight the country’s history and promote unity among Americans as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing that the structure would incorporate artistic elements and historical imagery showcasing major milestones from the nation’s past, forming part of broader efforts tied to the upcoming semiquincentennial.

“The United States triumphal arch will be outfitted with beautiful artwork and depictions celebrating the success of the American people over our 250-year history and the enduring triumph of the American spirit,” Leavitt said during a briefing.

According to the administration’s newly released National Endowment for the Humanities spending plan, U.S. taxpayers would help fund construction of the monument in Arlington, Virginia.

The proposal, which received approval from the Office of Management and Budget in September, allocates $2 million in special initiative funding along with $13 million in matching funds “are reserved for the arch.”

Leavitt said the project is intended to serve both as a cultural landmark and as a symbol of national pride, drawing inspiration from similar monumental structures found in other countries.

She added that construction is expected to begin later this year.

The administration has framed the project as an effort to bridge political divides, emphasizing its goal of bringing Americans together around a shared sense of history and identity.

“Great nations build beautiful structures that cultivate national pride and love of country, and this triumphal arch should be a project that all Americans — all political persuasions — can support,” she said.

Triumphal arches have historically been used to commemorate military victories and national achievements, and can be found in major cities worldwide, including Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.

The announcement comes as federal agencies and cultural organizations begin organizing programs and commemorations for the nation’s 250th anniversary, with planners seeking to balance celebration with reflection on the country’s past.

While reaction to the proposal has so far been limited, large federal construction projects often draw scrutiny regarding costs, location, and public backing, and lawmakers would likely need to weigh in before the project proceeds.

“It’s the only city in the world that’s of great importance that doesn’t have a triumphal arc,” President Donald Trump said in December. “… And this one is going to blow them all away. The one that people know mostly is the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. And we’re going to top it by I think a lot.”

{Matzav.com}

In a stunning development for Israel’s economy, the U.S. dollar has fallen below the 3-shekel mark for the first time in over three decades, reaching 2.99 shekels, a level not seen since 1995.

The sharp change reflects a rapidly strengthening shekel, which has gained roughly 5% against the dollar in 2026 alone and more than 20% over the past year. Economists point to a combination of factors behind the growth , including increased investor confidence, strong capital inflows, and optimism regarding stabilization in the region even with the ongoing conflicts.

While a stronger currency would generally signal economic resilience, in this case the development is raising concerns within Israel’s business sector, particularly among exporters. Industry leaders are nervous that a dollar below 3 shekels cuts heavily into profit margins, making Israeli goods more expensive abroad and potentially forcing companies to scale back or relocate operations. “A dollar below NIS 3 is a death blow to export profitability,” Avraham Novogrocki, president of Israel’s Manufacturers’ Association, (which represents 1,500 firms and 400,000 workers) warned, noting that the rapid shift in exchange rates could push some businesses to the brink.

Avraham Novogrocki

Additionally, a stronger shekel makes Israel more expensive for foreign investors and tourists, adding another layer of economic pressure despite the headline strength of the currency. Tourism in Israel has taken a deep blow in the last few years even without the cost of the Shekel rising, this latest develpoment certainly does not help.

The Bank of Israel is closely monitoring the situation, with speculation that they may intervene, either through interest rate adjustments or currency market actions, to stabilize the exchange rate.

TEL AVIV — EL AL Israel Airlines announced Thursday a massive $1.5 billion strategic deal with Boeing to expand its fleet, taking a major step in its long-term plan to increase capacity and dominate the Israeli market.

Under the agreement, EL AL is exercising options to purchase six additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. In a significant upgrade, the airline is also converting options for four planes into the 787-10 model—the largest and most efficient aircraft in the Dreamliner family. These new aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2030 and 2032.

Furthermore, the airline has secured options for an additional six aircraft for delivery between 2033 and 2035. This will bring EL AL’s Dreamliner fleet from 17 today to a potential 34 aircraft, significantly boosting its presence on lucrative long-haul routes to the United States and Asia.

Kenny Rozenberg, Controlling Shareholder: “This is another chapter in EL AL’s history that will take it to new heights. We are placing EL AL on par with the world’s leading airlines, representing Israel with pride.”

Dina Ben-Tal Ganancia, CEO of EL AL: “We are making a focused investment in an advanced fleet that creates double value—for both our customers and our shareholders. Expanding the 787 fleet allows us to increase capacity, improve efficiency, and provide a flight experience of the highest standard. This is a central move in our strategy to build a modern, profitable, and market-leading airline.”

Amikam Ben-Zvi, Chairman of the Board: “Especially at this time, signing such a significant agreement with Boeing is tremendous news. We are building a strong company with a long-term vision. The company’s business resilience is better than ever, and it will continue to strengthen in the coming years.”

The airline said that the new fleet will feature an upgraded premium experience across all cabins, ensuring EL AL meets the highest international standards for comfort and technology as it seals its position as a major player in the global aviation market.

Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voiced strong support Wednesday for U.S. and Israeli military actions targeting Iran and its proxy groups, pushing back against fellow Democrats who have criticized the effort as unsuccessful.

During an appearance on Newsmax’s “The Record With Greta Van Susteren,” Fetterman acknowledged that many within his party disagree with the approach but made clear he supports what he described as central aspects of the operation, known as Operation Epic Fury.

“There are many Democrats that do think that it was a failure,” Fetterman said. “But I am the only Democrat that’s supported Epic Fury.”

He also pointed to his vote against a War Powers Act resolution intended to curb U.S. involvement in the conflict, noting that he was the sole Democrat to oppose it.

Fetterman sharply criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, saying the New York Democrat’s assessment of the situation was “categorically not true.”

The senator argued that the campaign has inflicted serious damage on Iran’s military strength, citing strikes that have targeted leadership figures and facilities tied to missile programs and nuclear development.

“Just eliminating leadership — incredible,” Fetterman said. “Destroying the Iranian military capabilities and making it more and more difficult, if not impossible, to build a nuclear bomb.”

He further stressed the wider regional consequences, pointing to Israel’s actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon and arguing that Iran has been weakened both militarily and politically, limiting its ability to support allied groups.

“It’s humiliating for Iran,” he said, adding that Tehran has been “begging for a ceasefire” while Hezbollah has been largely confined to attacks on civilians that Israel has mostly intercepted.

Fetterman suggested that opposition from other Democrats may be influenced by partisan considerations, particularly because of President Donald Trump’s role in the operation.

“To call that a failure, I don’t understand — unless because Trump’s been behind it,” he said.

He also defended U.S. efforts to assert control over key maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as an important show of strength and deterrence.

“It was an incredible way to remind Iran and the world that we still run things,” Fetterman said. “We can control it … and hold them accountable.”

He added that such moves could have broader international implications, potentially drawing in major global players like China due to their dependence on oil shipments passing through the region.

Yisroel R.

A new and alarming phone scam has hit the area, including many victims of the Jewish community, with reports increasing in recent days.

Scammers are calling people and claiming to be from the “EBT office,” telling them they must enter their PIN number to continue receiving benefits for the upcoming month. The callers create a sense of urgency, warning that failure to act immediately could result in a loss of benefits.

These calls are fraudulent and are designed to trick victims into revealing their PIN, which can then be used to access and drain their EBT accounts. In some cases, victims only realize what happened after their funds have already been taken.

Residents are urged to never share their PIN over the phone, even if the caller appears legitimate. Government agencies do not request sensitive information like PIN numbers through unsolicited calls.

Anyone who receives such a call should hang up immediately and report the incident to local authorities. Residents are also encouraged to spread awareness, especially among those who may be more vulnerable to this type of scam.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — An attempt was made on Thursday morning to violate regulations at the Western Wall plaza. Thousands of worshippers arrived at the Kotel, starting from sunrise prayers on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Iyar. However, the calm was disrupted when a group from the Women of the Wall allegedly tried to smuggle a Torah scroll inside, in violation of the regulations.

According to footage circulated from the incident, the attempt was carried out using an elderly disabled woman with a walker, apparently under the assumption that her security checks would be less strict.

הפרגוד: נשות הכותל ניסו להבריח ספר תורה לרחבה. pic.twitter.com/MJ55tx75tn

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) April 16, 2026

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation emphasized that beyond the breach of regulations, this constituted cynical exploitation of people with disabilities in order to create a media provocation.

The Foundation stated: “During the morning, a very small group from Women of the Wall acted in violation of a Supreme Court ruling that allows them to come on 11 Rosh Chodesh days. They arrived at the Western Wall plaza while blatantly violating the established regulations, and even attempted to bring in a Torah scroll by cynically exploiting an elderly woman using a walker. This constitutes a serious offense against the sanctity of the site and the dignity of the Torah scroll, in an attempt to create provocation and exploit the disabled community.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation views any attempt to harm the sanctity of the site with great severity and will continue to act to preserve order and proper respect at the Western Wall plaza.”

In response, Women of the Wall said: “This is a troubling escalation of selective and aggressive enforcement. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation behaves as if it owns the holiest site for the Jewish people, confiscating private property and disrespecting a Torah scroll. The attempt to prevent us from praying with a Torah scroll according to our custom, even when we agree to move to the egalitarian section, proves that the goal is not public order, but rather the silencing and exclusion of women.”

Thailand may be more famous for its food than its fighters, but it certainly hasn’t garnered a lot of attention for antisemitism — until now. Recently, Israelis have reported harassment in the Southeast Asian country, and now a Thai champion withdrew from a scheduled bout with Muay Thai fighter Ahavat Hashem Gordon upon learning of his Israeli origins.

Saksri Superlek withdrew just 48 hours before the April 18 event, due to take place at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas, Lithuania. The Lithuanian Unique and Talented Martial Artists (UTMA) organization will host the title match with a Spanish fighter who agreed to take Superlek’s place, but it won’t be quite the same — Channel 12 News reported that they won’t fight for the championship belt.

On Feb. 21, Gordon fought a Turkish national, Ali Koyuncu, also hosted by UTMA in Lithuania. Then too, antisemitism reared its ugly head. Koyuncu couldn’t seem to refrain from spewing hateful invective against both his opponent and Israel, Walla News reported at the time.

Gordon soundly defeated the Turkish fighter, who surrendered after just two rounds. In his triumphant moment, Gordon sported a kippah and draped an Israeli flag around his shoulders.

Perhaps Superlek would have met the same fate — if he’d had the courage to face off against a Roaring Lion.

UPDATE: Shem-tov continues to double down, believing there is nothing wrong with meeting a Khamenei supporter and praiser.

But this morning, the Council President made it clear he’s standing by his position.

“When America is at war and you support the enemy state, you are a traitor!” Burnstein wrote.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

A newsletter quoting a defrocked doctor is currently circulating in our community with some serious accusations about meningitis vaccines, including a heartbreaking story of a young girl who became ill after vaccination.

That child’s suffering is real, and her family deserves compassion and proper medical care. But because emes and pikuach nefesh are so important to us, we need to look carefully at whether the claims in this newsletter are actually true — because getting this wrong has real pikuach nefesh consequences. I have seen young children die on account of meningitis and it is heart-wrenching.

The Injured Child

We don’t know what actually caused this girl’s illness. Transverse myelitis has many causes besides vaccines — including viral infections and autoimmune conditions. Happening after a vaccine doesn’t automatically mean it was caused by the vaccine. This family deserves real answers, not a predetermined conclusion. Importantly, the U.S. government has a formal compensation program (VICP) specifically for people injured by vaccines — so the medical world isn’t pretending injuries never happen.

The Science Cited Is Deeply Flawed

The newsletter leans heavily on Dr. Tom Cowan, who argues that bacteria don’t cause infectious disease at all. This idea is rejected by every credible medical and scientific institution in the world — and Dr. Cowan surrendered his medical license following disciplinary proceedings. Building an anti-vaccine argument on his foundation is like building a house on sand.

The VAERS data is also misused. VAERS is a reporting system where anyone can submit a report — it’s designed to flag potential signals for further study, not to prove causation. The CDC is explicit about this limitation.

The claim that 96% of Bexsero recipients have adverse reactions sounds terrifying — until you learn that the vast majority are a sore arm and mild fever lasting a day or two. Presenting that number without context is simply misleading.

The “Conspiracy” Angle Doesn’t Hold Up

The newsletter suggests that Exercise Pegasus — a government preparedness drill — was suspiciously followed by a real meningitis outbreak. But governments run preparedness drills because outbreaks happen. Finding that a drill preceded the event it was designed for isn’t a conspiracy — it’s evidence the drill was doing its job.

What the Torah Actually Says

This isn’t just a medical question — it’s a halachic one, and the Torah speaks clearly.

It is this author’s contention that vaccinations involve the fulfillment of a number of Torah mitzvos, aside from the basic mitzvah of v’nishmartem. We must also make sure that we not allow misinformation and fraud to affect crucial decisions in our lives.

The verse in Parashas Ki Seitzei discusses the mitzvah of hashavas aveidah, and the Gemara in Sanhedrin (73a) extends this to include saving someone’s life — v’hasheivoso lo. There is likewise the negative mitzvah of lo sa’amod al dam rei’echa — not standing idly by your brother’s blood (Vayikra 19:16, Shulchan Aruch C.M. 426:1). The She’iltos, based on the Gemara in Bava Metzia, derives from v’chai achicha imach a full obligation to save others, which the Netziv rules applies even when some personal risk is involved. The Ramban in Toras HaAdam understands v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha as a directive to save our peers from medical danger as well. We thus have a total of six Torah mitzvos involved in vaccinating our children.

What the Gedolim Have Said

Leading poskim — including the Tzitz Eliezer, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, and the Steipler Gaon — have ruled that vaccination is obligatory when there is concern for epidemic. The Steipler, when informed of concerns about a particular measles vaccine batch, didn’t say to stop vaccinating — he said to ensure the next batch was problem-free and to take it.

It is not only these poskim. Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zatzal, Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Rav Asher Weiss, and numerous other Gedolim have likewise voiced their strong support for vaccination. And years ago, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, shlita — the Satmar Rebbe — publicly voiced his view against the vaccine-denying movement. His letter is reprinted here. That a Rebbe of his stature and independence took this position should give serious pause to anyone in our community who imagines that anti-vaccination sentiment is somehow the more traditionally “frum” position.

We should also note: when a posek rules against vaccination, we must ask whether the factual information he received was accurate and complete. We have seen in recent years that even great poskim occasionally reversed rulings — on the berachah for cashews, on bran, on pasteurized wine — when the underlying facts were clarified. The halachic conclusion is only as strong as the facts it rests on.

What About Doctors Who Oppose Vaccines?

It is true that some legitimate doctors have voiced opposition to certain vaccinations. But according to information verified by Dr. Kasriel Roberts, they are outnumbered by other legitimate doctors at a ratio of 10,000 to 1. Are there some allergic and other negative reactions to vaccines? Yes. But there are also deaths associated with wearing seat belts. This author was once trapped in a seat belt when his 1974 Chevy Vega caught on fire — and barely managed to escape. That does not mean one should become anti-seat belt. Seat belts save lives, and so do vaccines.

Whom to Listen To

It is important to listen to:

1. The pediatricians and primary care physicians who have faithfully served our communities for decades, and
2. The vast majority of Gedolim who say to follow their guidance.

And not to the growing chorus of online commentators who cast aspersions on our doctors, our Gedolim, and any article that points out the overwhelming benefits of classical vaccination. It is likely that these voices appear in such numbers because there is apparently an email network through which anti-vaccination advocates alert each other to comment en masse — giving the false impression that most observant Jews oppose vaccination. It is sad, and a macha’ah must once again be made against this view by our Rabbonim, doctors, and askanim.

The Bottom Line

Our community has every right to ask hard questions of medical institutions. Healthy skepticism is a maalah. But there is a profound difference between asking hard questions and spreading misinformation that could cost lives. Meningococcal meningitis can kill a child within 24 hours. The vaccines against it have been studied across hundreds of millions of people over decades.

V’nishmartem me’od l’nafshoseichem. That obligation cuts both ways — and it falls on all of us.

May Hashem open our eyes and bring yeshuos to Klal Yisroel.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining in the range of the past few years even as the war in Iran continues to threaten the global economy.

The number of Americans applying for jobless aid for the week ending April 11 fell by 11,000 to 207,000 from the previous week’s 218,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s less than the 217,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting but within the range of the past several years.

Filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

The Iran war, now in its seventh week, has injected a large degree of uncertainty about how it will affect the U.S. and global economies even as Iran and the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire last week.

U.S. financial markets have rebounded in recent weeks and oil prices have settled in around $92 per barrel, better than last week’s $112 but still 37% higher than before the war began. Gas prices also remain elevated, saddling businesses and consumers with higher costs.

The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades sent consumer prices up 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday. That’s up sharply from just 2.4% in February and the biggest yearly increase since May 2024. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9% in March from February, the largest such increase in nearly four years.

This comes at a time when U.S. inflation was already above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, further diminishing the chances of an interest rate cut by central bank officials any time soon.

Fed officials voted to raise the rate three times to close 2025 out of concern for a weakening job market but have held off lowering rates further this year.

The Labor Department reported earlier this month that U.S. employers added an unexpectedly strong 178,000 new jobs in March, nudging the unemployment rate back down to 4.3%. That followed a surprisingly large loss of 92,000 jobs in February. Revisions also have trimmed 69,000 jobs from December and January payrolls, a sign that the labor market remains under strain.

A number of high-profile companies have cut jobs recently, including Morgan Stanley,Block, UPSand Amazon.

Weekly jobless aid applications have stabilized in a range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 since the U.S. economy emerged from the pandemic recession. However, hiring began slowing about two years ago and tapered further in 2025 due to President Donald Trump’s erratic tariff rollouts, his purge of the federal workforce and the lingering effects of high interest rates meant to control inflation.

Employers added fewer than 200,000 jobs last year, compared with about 1.5 million in 2024, according to the data firm FactSet.

The American labor market appears stuck in what economists call a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemployment rate historically low, but has left those out of work struggling to find a new job.

The Labor Department’s report Thursday showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which evens out some of the weekly volatility, rose by 500 to 209,750.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending April 4 rose by 31,000 to 1.82 million, in line with analyst forecasts.

Senior Pentagon officials have engaged in discussions with executives from major American companies, including General Motors and Ford Motor, about boosting weapons and military supply production, according to a report published Wednesday.

The conversations, described as broad and preliminary, began even before the conflict with Iran escalated. The effort reflects a push by the Trump administration to involve automakers and other U.S. manufacturers more directly in defense production, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing individuals familiar with the matter.

During the talks, defense officials indicated that traditional military contractors may require support and explored whether large manufacturers could quickly pivot their operations to produce defense-related equipment.

Companies such as GE Aerospace and Oshkosh, which manufactures vehicles and heavy machinery, were also part of the discussions with Pentagon officials, the report said.

Reuters said it was unable to independently confirm the details. Representatives for the Pentagon, General Motors, Ford, GE Aerospace, and Oshkosh did not immediately respond to requests for comment made outside normal business hours.

A Pentagon official told the Journal the Defense Department “is committed to rapidly expanding the defense industrial base by ⁠leveraging all available commercial solutions and technologies to ensure our warfighters maintain a decisive advantage.”

The outreach to private industry follows a March meeting in which President Trump sat down with executives from seven major defense contractors, as the Pentagon works to replenish stockpiles depleted by recent U.S. military actions, including strikes on Iran.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Israel’s operations in Gaza, U.S. reserves of key military equipment—such as artillery systems, munitions, and anti-tank weapons—have been significantly reduced.

Earlier this month, Trump proposed a major increase in defense spending, requesting an additional $500 billion to bring the total military budget to $1.5 trillion, citing the ongoing war with Iran.

{Matzav.com}

Jerusalem has canceled the full 42.2-kilometer race of the 15th International Jerusalem Winner Marathon after officials determined the forecast heat posed too great a risk for long-distance runners. The rest of the event is still expected to go ahead, but on an accelerated schedule: the half-marathon has been moved to 5:15 a.m., followed by three 10K waves at 6:30, 6:45 and 7:00, the community race at 8:00, two 5K waves at 8:30 and 8:45, and the family race at 9:15. 

Runners take part in the 14th Jerusalem Marathon in Jerusalem, Israel, on April 4, 2025. Thousands participated in the event. (Photo by Saeed Qaq/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

City officials said the move came after a professional review of the forecasts and out of “full responsibility” for the safety of runners, staff and participants. The marathon’s accompanying physician, Prof. Naama Constantini of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, warned that long-distance running in these conditions could endanger participants’ health, including experienced runners. 

Organizers are automatically shifting full-marathon registrants into the half-marathon rather than scrapping their participation outright, while preparations for the scaled-down event continue with security, medical and production teams. Runners were also urged to adjust to the earlier start times, including by getting proper rest ahead of race morning. 

The change lands after an already difficult buildup for this year’s race. The marathon had first been pushed back from its original March date because of security restrictions tied to the war with Iran, turning what was meant to be a major return-to-routine event in the capital into a second straight logistical reset. Even so, the municipality is still trying to preserve the day as a public display of resilience rather than cancel it altogether.

In a show of political support, billionaire philanthropist Miriam Adelson has poured $40 million into Republican super PACs, strengthening the party’s warchest ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The funds are being directed toward two key organizations, the Senate Leadership Fund and the Congressional Leadership Fund, both of which play central roles in financing Republican campaigns across the country.

Israeli-US physician Miriam Adelson gives a thumbs up as she arrives for the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. Trump takes office for his second non-consecutive term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Adelson, a physician and businesswoman, is the widow of the late casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and has long been one of the most influential donors in American politics. Over the years, she has become especially known for her strong support of conservative causes and her unwavering backing of Israel. Her contributions have consistently placed her among the top political donors in the United States, with a track record of supporting candidates and initiatives aligned with her values—particularly on national security and U.S.-Israel relations.

Rabbi Ari Berman (L) talks with Israeli-US physician Miriam Adelson before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. Trump takes office for his second non-consecutive term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

This latest $40 million infusion is expected to have a major impact as Republicans work to defend and expand their position in Congress, particularly in close races.

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Fight for freedom republican election vote sign. . (Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

photos: Avrumi Blum 

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — BDE: Medical teams from United Hatzalah performed resuscitation on a 5-year-old boy who was critically injured in a road accident on Hazon Ish Street in Beit Shemesh on Thursday morning. Sadly, shortly afterward, his death was pronounced upon arrival at Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

The hospital stated: “A 5-year-old boy in critical condition following a road accident in Beit Shemesh was brought to the trauma unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Unfortunately, despite resuscitation efforts that began at the scene and continued in the trauma room, the medical teams were forced to pronounce his death.”

First responders Yaakov Yungreiz and Yehiel Rosenberg from United Hatzalah said:
“This is a harsh scene involving a pedestrian child, about 5 years old, who was struck by a vehicle. We performed advanced resuscitation and he was transported to the hospital in critical condition.”

Magen David Adom reported that at 08:14 a call was received about a child pedestrian struck by a car on Hazon Ish Street. Paramedics treated and evacuated the child to Shaare Zedek in critical condition while performing resuscitation, noting that he had multi-system trauma.

MDA emergency medic Yosef Haim Huzzi said: “This was a very serious incident. The child was lying on the road near the vehicle, unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing, with severe multi-system injuries after being hit. We immediately began CPR, including chest compressions, ventilation, and medication, and rushed him to the hospital in critical condition.”

A senior Iranian official threatened to destroy American naval vessels patrolling the Strait of Hormuz and claimed a U.S. ground invasion would benefit Iran by producing billions of dollars in hostage revenue.

Mohsen Rezaee, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and current senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, made the statements on Iranian state television.

“These ships of yours will be sunk by our first missiles,” Rezaee said, addressing Trump directly. “They can definitely be exposed to our missiles and we can destroy them.”

Rezaee pushed back against assessments that Iran’s navy has been severely degraded, questioning why the U.S. has not attempted to cross the strait. He asserted that Iran would not relinquish control of the waterway until its demands are met, and declared that Tehran — not Washington — is setting the terms of any future agreement.

On the prospect of a U.S. ground invasion, Rezaee went further, claiming Iran would welcome it. “We would take thousands of hostages,” he said, “and for each hostage we would get a billion dollars.” He also said he opposed extending the current ceasefire.

The statements came as the Pentagon dispatched more than 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East, according to the Washington Post. Approximately 6,000 are aboard the USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group, with around 4,200 more expected to arrive by the end of the month. The carrier will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald Ford, both already operating in the region.

Last month, the U.S. was reported to be weighing ground deployment options that could include securing the Strait of Hormuz, Kharg Island, or safeguarding Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Despite the escalatory rhetoric, diplomatic activity continues. A second round of peace talks is reportedly being arranged in Pakistan, following a first round last weekend that included 21 hours of negotiations but ended without an agreement. The White House said the administration remains optimistic about reaching a deal.

Trump said Wednesday the war is “very close to being over.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

YouTube shut down a channel operated by a pro-Iran media group known for widely shared AI-generated Lego-style videos targeting President Donald Trump, the platform confirmed Wednesday, drawing criticism online even as the content continued to circulate elsewhere.

The group, Explosive Media, has gained significant attention during the U.S.-Iran conflict for producing animated clips that have amassed millions of views. While it describes itself as independent, it is broadly suspected of having links to the Iranian government.

A YouTube spokesperson said, “We terminated the channel for violating our spam, deceptive practices and scams policies,” but did not provide further details.

According to the company, the channel had already been taken down on March 27.

Despite the removal, Explosive Media continued publishing similar content on other platforms, including the Elon Musk-owned X and Telegram.

Instagram, which is owned by Meta, also removed the group’s account, according to U.S. media reports, though another account under the same name remained active as of Wednesday.

Meta did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.

Responding to YouTube’s decision, Explosive Media posted on X: “Seriously! Are our LEGO-style animations actually violent?”

Even after being removed from YouTube, the group’s reach appeared largely intact, as its videos continued to be widely reshared by other users on the platform.

The animations, often styled after elements of American pop culture, portray Trump with exaggerated features, including a large yellow head, and depict him as an isolated and erratic figure prone to childish behavior.

Following a two-week ceasefire announced last week, the group released a new video on X with the caption: “TACO will always remain TACO,” referring to the acronym “Trump always chickens out.”

The video, accompanied by dramatic music, shows a Trump-like toy figure meeting with Arab leaders, throwing a chair at U.S. military figures, while Iranian commanders press a red button labeled “Back to the Stone Age,” triggering widespread destruction across the region.

Analysts say such cartoon-style content is becoming an increasingly prominent tool in modern information campaigns, a trend some have labeled the “Legofication” of propaganda.

In recent weeks, similar viral videos have depicted imagined Iranian battlefield successes, global leaders portrayed as dependent on Iran for oil, and even the Strait of Hormuz reimagined as a stylized toll checkpoint.

Much of Explosive Media’s output is produced in English, suggesting it is aimed primarily at international audiences rather than viewers inside Iran, where access to platforms such as X has long been restricted without the use of virtual private networks.

With internet monitoring group NetBlocks reporting an “internet blackout” affecting many users in Iran, the group’s ability to consistently release high-quality content has intensified speculation about potential state backing.

Explosive Media has denied those claims, calling them a “media distortion.”

{Matzav.com}

The Emes L’Yaakov B’Yisrael organization filed a petition to the Supreme Court on Thursday, demanding an immediate halt to the “economic punishment campaign” against Chareidi families, which is being advanced by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara without any legal basis.

The petition describes what it calls a distorted legal reality: while every citizen in the state is protected by Israeli law, based on the principle that penalties are only implemented after legislation and due process, the Attorney General has assumed the roles of legislator, judge, and executioner regarding the Chareidi public, introducing sanctions without explicit legal authorization.

The main argument in the petition is the fact that the proposed sanctions—some of which are already being implemented—include the removal of daycare subsidies, education funding, property tax discounts, and National Insurance benefits—have no basis in any law passed by the Knesset and amount to “punishment without trial.”

According to the organization, this constitutes imposing economic punishment without legal proceedings by an administrative authority rather than a judicial one. “Her role does not grant her authority to create new punitive norms or instruct government agencies to act contrary to the law,” the petition states.

Moreover, the petition highlighted the “double enforcement” against Chareidim. Under the existing Security Service Law, draft evasion is already subject to criminal proceedings and potential imprisonment, and Baharav-Miara is adding her own harsh system of civil and economic sanctions not formally enacted by the Knesset that she has no authority to impose.

A separate section of the petition focuses on the harm to families as a tool of political pressure, including the revocation of housing benefits such as eligibility for subsidized housing programs and the imposition of heavy taxation on the purchase of an apartment, as well as the cancellation of municipal tax discounts and daycare subsidies—steps described as collective punishment against women and children who have committed no offense.

The petition states that even the families of terrorists and murderers cannot be denied housing or welfare support, referencing a previous Supreme Court ruling that held that the children of terrorists should not be stripped of benefits despite the fact that such measures would provide deterrence for acts of terror. The petition raises the question of whether a Chareidi child could be treated more harshly than the child of a terrorist.

“The Attorney General proposed revoking eligibility for subsidized housing programs and imposing a full capital‑gains tax even on a single qualifying apartment. These punitive recommendations severely harm families, aiming to cause loss of housing for those who committed no offense. Even if the father committed an offense, what did his wife and children do?”

The petition also accuses the Attorney General of intentionally concealing professional assessments from government ministries that concluded that the sanctions are ineffective and even counterproductive, withholding these opinions from the Court to advance a personal agenda against Chareidim.

“The Attorney-General is acting like a political commissar of a re-education campaign, exceeding her authority and imposing collective punishment…while bypassing the legislature.”

The petition also noted that the Attorney General’s decisions violate international conventions to which Israel is a party. “The state and all its branches, including and especially the Attorney General, are bound by international conventions. Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits collective punishment. This principle is recognized in case law (HCJ 2056/04) as part of binding international law. The ICCPR requires equality before the law; no punishment may be imposed without a specific trial against an individual, and every person is entitled to the presumption of innocence.”

The petition concluded by asking the Court to issue a conditional order requiring the Attorney General to explain:

• Why she should not be prohibited from adopting an opinion that imposes sanctions not explicitly grounded in legislation passed by the Knesset.
• Why no sanction should be recommended except after an individual conviction grounded in legislation and by a court.
• Why she should not be required to disclose all internal opinions regarding the legality of these sanctions.
• Why she should not be required to stop concealing information regarding the invalidity of the sanctions, if such information exists.

The petitioner argues that this is a constitutional question of the highest order concerning the limits of the Attorney General’s authority.

The organization concluded by noting that in a state governed by the rule of law, punishment is determined by the legislature and the courts, not by the opinion of a government legal official, however senior.

It emphasized that the key question is whether the country operates as a democracy or under a “judicial dictatorship” in which families can be economically harmed and property rights restricted without due process, and that the Supreme Court must clarify the limits of executive legal authority regarding this matter.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

To say that we are living in historic times would be an understatement. The United States and Israel undertook a major effort to strip Iran of its ability to threaten the world with nuclear weapons. Over the course of more than a month, thousands of sorties were flown over Iranian territory with minimal interference, and over 30,000 bombs were dropped on a wide range of strategic targets. Much of Iran’s military infrastructure was significantly damaged, including key elements of its missile production capability.

However, despite these blows, Iran retains significant residual capacity. It continues to possess enriched uranium necessary for nuclear weapons development, maintains the ability to launch attacks against Israel and several Arab Gulf states, and still holds leverage over global energy markets through its control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.

President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to a two-week ceasefire, which remains in effect as of this writing. However, negotiations stalled over Iran’s refusal to meet key demands, including a full halt to uranium enrichment, the dismantling of its nuclear infrastructure, an end to supporting terrorist proxies, the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a broader commitment to regional peace. At this point, it remains unclear whether, or when, the United States and Israel will resume military operations against Iran.

Yet, beyond the strategic developments and geopolitical calculations, as Torah Jews, we know that history is never only shaped on the battlefield. Events of this magnitude tend to sharpen our awareness that beneath the headlines and beyond the arena of nations, there are deeper forces at work. Chazal state (Avodah Zora 2b) that Hakadosh Boruch Hu says, “Milchamos Ani osisi, shene’emar Hashem ish milchomah—Hashem is the one who fights the wars,” though we can affect their outcomes through our actions. Many gedolim have spoken of the correlation between Israel being under attack and the country’s ongoing court-imposed battles against yeshivos.

Shuvu, the network of kiruv schools in Eretz Yisroel, is facing a serious financial emergency, prompting three Gedolim to travel to the New York area this week on its behalf. Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rav Shimon Galei, and Rav Yehuda Silman addressed gatherings, underscoring the critical importance of sustaining an organization that brings children and their families closer to Torah. Support for Torah causes is always essential, but especially in times of danger, when Klal Yisroel needs added zechuyos. Helping bring children tachas kanfei haShechinah is a unique and powerful source of merit, clearly significant enough for these leaders to undertake the journey to strengthen Shuvu’s vital work.

The war brought to mind the statement of the Pesikta Rabbosi (37:2) which I paraphrase here: Rabi Yitzchok stated that the year in which the Melech HaMoshiach will reveal himself, the leaders of the world will be fighting with each other. The leader of Poras (Iran) will be fighting with the leader of Arabia, and the leader of Arabia will go to Edom for advice and help, and the leader of Poras will seek to destroy the world; the nations of the world will become fearful and fall on their faces as they are overcome with pangs similar to birth pangs.

As we entered Nissan, the month of geulah, we were reminded of this Medrash, and as we celebrated Pesach, which is the Yom Tov of geulah, and the fighting continued and then abated, we were hopeful that the war, its bombardments, and Iran’s refusal to accede to America’s demands—which would be expected of any defeated nation in Iran’s situation—are indications that this conflagration can lead to the arrival of Moshiach, which we all long for.

But we have to prove ourselves worthy. Many times during our history, the time was ripe for Moshiach, but the people weren’t, so the opportunity was lost. The period of Sefirah is a most opportune time for us to rectify the sinas chinom that led to the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh and our dispersal into the golus which continues to this day.

On Pesach, we celebrated the birth of our nation, the defining moments when we stood together and became Hashem’s beloved people. The Maharal writes that since the world was created for Torah and for Am Yisroel, with the forming of our people at Yetzias Mitzrayim and Krias Yam Suf, creation was complete.

This historic transformation is reinvigorated each year on Pesach, as we each view ourselves as freshly redeemed from Mitzrayim and welcomed into Hashem’s embrace.

During the uplifting days of Yom Tov and Chol Hamoed, we stepped out of the cumulative noise of everyday life and into a world of clarity and connection. Through the Sedorim, the festive meals, the spirited tefillos, and the gift of being unburdened by routine pressures, we were able to breathe again, spiritually and emotionally. We recharged our neshamos and reconnected with what defines us and with who we are.

Pesach reminds us that we are more than individuals navigating our private struggles. We are part of something larger, something eternal. It calls upon us to remember who we are and why we are here, not just in the abstract, but in our purpose in life itself: in the way we live, the way we treat each other, and the way we carry ourselves in the world.

In a displaced persons camp after the war, a group of survivors gathered to conduct a Pesach Seder. They had all lost their families, homes, and everything familiar. The table before them was bare, aside from some matzah and wine, but they were determined to relive the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim, Klal Yisroel’s and their own individual deliverances from death.

The air was charged with emotion, and when they reached Avodim Hoyinu, one of the men rose to speak.

“We say that we were slaves,” he began, his voice unsteady. “But we have just come from a place worse than slavery. We saw what man is capable of doing. And yet, we are still here. We are still together. We are still Hashem’s people. They tried to break us, to separate us, to erase us, but they failed. We are here. We have persevered, as have our forefathers throughout the ages.”

Shebechol dor vador omdim aleinu lechaloseinu. In every generation, people have risen up to destroy us, to wipe us off the face of this earth. Just as each era has its modes of war, of expression, and of speech, so does each generation experience differing methods of hate and means to kill Jews.

Over the past month, and during Pesach, our brethren in Eretz Yisroel retreated to shelters and safe rooms as they sought protection from an array of missiles and drones sent by enemies bent on their destruction. Tragically several people lost their lives. Despite the loss of property across the country, quite miraculously relatively few were harmed, and a ceasefire of sorts settled in, granting at least a temporary reprieve.

And now, as Yom Tov fades and we gently return to our responsibilities, the challenge begins. It is easy to feel elevated within the embrace of the chag, with its special mitzvos, minhagim, celebrations, and kedusha. Our task now is to carry that elevation forward and allow the clarity, joy, and fulfillment of Pesach to charge our daily lives and keep us on the higher levels we attained, so that we can continue our march toward Kabbolas HaTorah and merit geulah as well.

Pesach leads us into the Sefirah period, with its focus on tikkun hamiddos. The parshiyos of Tazria and Metzora, which we lain this week, form a bridge between Pesach and Shavuos. These parshiyos discuss the affliction of tzora’as and the necessity of removing the afflicted person from among the community and placing him in isolation for weekly periods.

The Medrash (Vayikra Rabbah 16:1) teaches that tzora’as is brought on by engagement in any one of seven corrosive traits: haughty eyes, a deceitful tongue, hands stained with innocent blood, a heart that schemes evil, feet that rush toward wrongdoing, false testimony—and, most grievous of all, the sowing of discord between people. This final sin is often carried out through slander and lies—motzi sheim ra and lashon hora. Thus, the Torah refers to the person with tzora’as as a metzora, for the word is formulated from the words motzi sheim ra. Someone who speaks lashon hora is punished with tzora’as.

In this world, there are four elementary forms, each one on a higher level than the one below it: domeim, tzomei’ach, chai, and medaber—the inert, such as stone and dirt; that which grows, such as grass and trees; that which is alive, such as animals; and, above them all, man, who is granted the gift of speech.

The ability to speak allows us to effectively communicate with each other. With speech, we can learn, grow, develop, study Torah, engage in mitzvos, and be part of a cohesive social fabric. Thus, Targum Onkelos famously says that the words in Bereishis that state that man was alive, “Vayehi Ha’adam lenefesh chaya,” indicate that “vehavas b’adam ruach memalela,” man was given the power of speech. The ability to speak gave man his spirit and life.

Life is that ability to connect with other people—the experience of joining with others, interacting with them, and using words to convey emotion. The breath invested into each word is the very essence of life itself.

Humans were given the gift of speech to enable us to live an exalted life, connected with Hashem and Klal Yisroel. Someone who misuses that gift to cause dissension and separate people from each other is therefore isolated from everyone else and set apart.

Bodod. Alone. Because he rejected the gift of life and used his words to create division and hate, he is forced to withdraw from society, deprived of the essential joy of life and social interaction.

We received the Torah when we were united, k’ish echod beleiv echod, and all of Klal Yisroel became areivim zeh bozeh, interconnected. Yisroel v’Oraisa v’Kudsha Brich Hu chad hu. We are connected to each other, to the Torah, and to Hashem as one.

Hatred causes dissension, disconnects people from each other and from Hashem, and prevents Him from returning His Shechinah to us in the Bais Hamikdosh.

Those who recognize that all of Klal Yisroel is one body that is meant to be united are not encumbered by pettiness or jealousy. They understand that our neshamos emanate from the same place beneath the Kisei Hakavod. When they see another Jew, they feel that connection, unfettered by the externals that often distract people from one another.

Man is composed of two parts, chomer and tzurah. Chomer refers to the physical side of a person: the body, material concerns, and the day-to-day demands of life. Tzurah, on the other hand, is the inner essence of a person, the spiritual core: his character, values, and soul.

While both are part of who we are, the true self is the tzurah. That is the deeper identity of a person, the part that gives meaning and direction to everything else. The chomer is only the outer layer, like a garment that covers what is inside. When a person becomes overly focused on his chomer, he becomes absorbed in the external and superficial, losing sight of what life is truly about.

A person who lives only in the world of chomer naturally becomes self-centered. Without a strong inner tzurah, he lacks the depth to properly appreciate others. He may become consumed with comparison, jealousy, and resentment. Other people’s success threatens him rather than inspiring him. Instead of feeling connected to others, he views himself as being in competition with them. This makes genuine unity impossible for him, and he ends up isolated, not only socially, but emotionally and spiritually as well.

That can lead to lashon hora and negativity. When a person is focused only on appearances and externals, he is more likely to judge, criticize, and tear others down, because he sees life through the lens of ego and insecurity rather than truth and connection.

In this sense, tzora’as is not just a physical affliction, but a wake-up call. It forces a person who has become overly focused on external appearances to confront something deeper—namely, his vulnerability and imperfection. Through that experience, he is meant to pause and reflect, to step back from the surface of life and ask what truly defines him.

It is an invitation to rediscover the tzurah within, the inner self that connects rather than divides, that builds unity rather than isolation, and that gives a person meaning beyond the physical world.

The posuk in Bereishis (2:18) states, “Lo tov heyos ha’adam levado—It is not good for a person to be alone.” As Hashem was creating the world, He declared that loneliness is unhealthy for a person, and He therefore fashioned a partner for him. Man is not meant to exist in isolation. He is meant to live in relationship, connection, and community.

This idea is not only spiritual, but also reflects what we see in human experience. Modern research and medical studies have shown that people who maintain friendships and meaningful social bonds tend to live healthier lives. Isolation, by contrast, is damaging to body and soul.

This goes even deeper on a spiritual level. A person who is consumed with lashon hara, hotza’as sheim ra and rechilus ultimately becomes a divider of people. Instead of building connections, he creates distance. Instead of strengthening relationships, he weakens them. And in doing so, he brings about his own punishment, because the world he creates is one of suspicion, mistrust, and loneliness, where people pull away from him in return.

He is, in effect, left alone in the very world he helped shape.

In contrast, a person of tzurah, rooted in arvus and animated by a ruach memalela, is sensitive to the neshomah of another person. He does not merely see people as bodies or external figures, but as inner worlds. He feels connection rather than competition, unity rather than division.

Great people, in this sense, experience genuine joy in being with others. They value being part of something larger than themselves. They look for ways to uplift, to support, and to contribute. They seek out people not to use them, but to help them, because they understand that we are all fundamentally one.

Everyone can use encouragement and some chizuk. Let people know you care. Even a small expression of interest, a sincere question, or a moment of attention can mean a lot to anyone.

A person who speaks lashon hara is not simply speaking negatively about others. He is trying to diminish them, to strip them of their kavod, their self-worth and the respect others have for them. When a person loses the respect of those around him, he often begins to lose respect for himself as well. In that sense, lashon hara can not only damage a reputation, but it can also erode a person’s spirit and cause him to withdraw from others.

This is reflected in the punishment of “vehisgiro shivas yomim,” where the person with tzora’as is confined and isolated, given space away from others until he learns once again how to value them.

With the gift of speech, ruach memalela, we have the ability to build people, restore dignity, and breathe life into someone who is struggling.

During Sefirah, we recall and mourn the talmidim of Rabi Akiva who passed away because “lo nahagu kavod zeh bazeh,” they did not treat one another with proper respect. Kavod—respect, validation and acknowledgment—is not an extra layer of refinement. It is life itself. A person needs kavod, self-worth, and the respect of others in order to function and live.

Just as the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh was caused by sinas chinom, it will be rebuilt through love and respect for others, through hearts and neshamos that are open to one another.

We can prepare for the coming of Moshiach with every word we speak and every interaction we have. Each moment of restraint from negativity, each effort to uplift rather than diminish, and each act of restoring another person’s kavod is another step toward the coming of Moshiach.

May we merit to internalize the lessons of Tazria and Metzora—the power of speech, the sanctity of connection, and the value of every Yid. And through that, may we strengthen unity among Klal Yisroel and hasten the arrival of the day when sinas chinom will be erased. Let us return to where we were at the time we became a nation, with complete unity, k’ish echod beleiv echod, so that we may merit the arrival of Moshiach very soon.

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a dramatic shift in Israel’s foreign policy regarding the right-wing parties in Europe, Israel’s ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, held a secret meeting at the Israeli Embassy in Paris with far-right leader Marine Le Pen, according to Le Parisien. The embassy later confirmed the meeting.

Until now, Le Pen, like her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was known for his antisemitic remarks,  had been considered persona non grata by Israel. The meeting at the Israeli Embassy grants her significant legitimacy.

The Ynet site stresses that this move marks a turning point. Israel has long boycotted far-right parties in Europe and avoided contact with them. Even when their representatives visited Israel, they were not received by officials. Under the current government, that policy has shifted.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has maintained ties with far-right figures in Europe, including Spain’s Vox party, and recently invited British far-right activist Tommy Robinson to Israel, drawing criticism from the Jewish community in the United Kingdom. At a conference on combating antisemitism, he also hosted several far-right members of the European Parliament, including Marion Maréchal, Le Pen’s niece. In addition, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has instructed some ambassadors to meet with leaders of far-right parties in their host countries, effectively normalizing official ties.

Supporters argue these parties are no longer extremist but part of the legitimate right, and that many express support for Israel. The case of Le Pen is particularly symbolic: her family name is closely tied to Europe’s far-right history, and engaging with her after years of exclusion represents a notable shift.

Jean-Marie Le Pen made repeated antisemitic statements over the years, including minimizing the Holocaust, and was convicted in court for some of them. Marine Le Pen, who led his removal from the party he founded, has spent years trying to distance the movement from its antisemitic past. The two were publicly at odds, including over his claim that Nazi gas chambers were a minor detail of World War II.

Still, the decision to host her at the Israeli Embassy raises questions. While her party has moved toward the political center, it still includes extremist elements. As a symbolic figure, her reception carries weight, and some argue that a younger party leader, Jordan Bardella, who has visited Israel and attended Chikli’s antisemitism conference, could have been a less controversial choice.

The meeting also comes as France enters the early stages of a presidential campaign, with Le Pen a candidate. The fact that she alone received attention from the Israeli Embassy, and not other candidates, could be viewed as implicit political support.

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By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

As Erev Rosh Chodesh Iyar falls on a Friday this year, many are wondering: can one take a haircut in the midst of Sefirah — and if so, what about Thursday night?

The Friday Heter 

The Mishna Brurah (493:5) permits getting a haircut when Rosh Chodesh Iyar falls on Friday, Erev Shabbos. The rationale is straightforward: one is getting the haircut for two reasons simultaneously — in honor of Rosh Chodesh and in honor of Shabbos. When both reasons converge, even those who keep the first half of Sefirah may shave and get a haircut. This ruling even overrides the custom of avoiding haircuts on Rosh Chodesh itself (Rav Yehudah HaChassid).

What About Thursday Night?

Now this is where it gets a bit more interesting. The Thursday night question was addressed directly by Poskim in the context of Lag BaOmer falling on a Sunday — the parallel leniency that permits haircuts on the preceding Friday for Kavod Shabbos. The following views, while stated in that context, logically extrapolate to our case as well, since the underlying heter in both situations rests on the same foundation: a Shabbos-adjacent leniency that creates a Friday haircut permission during Sefirah.

Rav Shteinman zt”l — According to Rav Mordechai Bunim Silverberg, Rav Shteinman permitted haircuts even on Thursday night.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l — Kikar Shabbos reported a ruling from Rav Chaim Kanievsky similarly permitting Thursday night.

Rav Shmuel Vosner zt”l — Was stringent and held that one may not take a haircut on Thursday night (MiBais Levi, Nissan 5758, p. 87, note 3).

It must be emphasized that these rulings were stated regarding the Lag BaOmer leniency, and their application here to Rosh Chodesh Iyar on Friday is an extrapolation. One should ask one’s own Rav whether the Thursday night extension applies in this case as well.

What time on Thursday Night?

Shkiya in New York in 2026 tonight is 7:36 PM. If you want to wait 42 minutes that would be 8:12 PM. For Rav Moshe’s Rabbeinu Tam it would be 8:20. For standard Rabbeinu Tam – 8:42 PM

Bottom Line

On Friday itself — absolutely permitted, and the barbers can expect a busy morning. Thursday night — there is strong support among major Poskim, though it is an extrapolated application and Rav Vosner dissented. This author’s personal view is to only do it if one cannot do it on erev Shabbos or it will cause too many shalom Bayis issues. As always, ask your own Rav or Posaik.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

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If the U.S. and Iran aren’t able to soon come to a deal to end the war or extend the ceasefire that expires next week, the Trump administration is setting the stage to shift its war campaign toward a more economic-focused effort aimed at choking Tehran into submission rather than relying on bombs alone.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters at a White House briefing Wednesday that the U.S. plans to ramp up economic pain on Iran, and said the new moves will be the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

The threat of secondary economic sanctions on countries doing business with people, firms, and ships under Iranian control — including allies like the United Arab Emirates and competitors like China — represents an escalation of sanctions that the U.S. is already employing.

Bessent said the administration has “told companies, we have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions, which is a very stern measure. And the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities.”

The Treasury Department warns China, Hong Kong, the UAE and Oman

The warning comes the day after the Treasury Department sent a letter to financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Oman, threatening to levy secondary sanctions for doing business with Iran, and accusing those countries of allowing Iranian illicit activities to flow through their financial institutions.

It’s part of an economic playbook that President Donald Trump still can use to pressure Iran to accept U.S. proposals to limit its nuclear ambitions, a person familiar with the administration’s thinking told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private discussions on the record.

Privately, the argument being made to Trump is that the Iranians think they can weather the storm — but if they cannot pay their loyalists, that could pressure Iran to the table.

And some in the administration believe there are still more economic targets that can be hit that would put the economic hurt on Iran, including bonyads, the charitable trusts that account for a significant percentage of the Iranian economy.

Bessent told reporters that two Chinese banks have received warnings about handling Iranian money. Trump is preparing to visit Beijing next month for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Bessent also said that Iran’s Gulf neighbors are now willing to look at freezing Iranian money in their banks because of Iran’s aggression during the war.

More sanctions could be ineffective or risk blowback, say experts and lawmakers

Still, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Banking Committee, argued that any new economic sanctions would be effectively offset by the financial windfall that Iran was seeing in the aftermath of the war.

“Instead of circumstances where we can keep sanctions on Iran and constrict their economy, the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz — combined with the sharply rising price of oil — has helped Iran’s economy,” Warren said, adding, “What Secretary Bessent is trying to do is mop up the mess that Donald Trump has created by initiating this war.”

Daniel Pickard, a sanctions attorney, said imposing secondary sanctions could result in “diplomatic and economic blowback” from allies that could hurt efforts to build coalitions against Tehran.

“A lot of our trading partners have been outspoken in regard to their opposition to the conflict in Iran,” Pickard said. “Most economic sanctions professionals would agree that when you get more people on the team, the chances of your economic sanctions being effective or greater.”

On Wednesday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on an oil smuggling network connected to the deceased senior Iranian security official Ali Shamkhani, who was a close adviser to the former Supreme Leader of Iran. Sanctions include dozens of individuals, companies, and vessels involved in secretly transporting and selling Iranian and Russian oil through front companies, many of which are in the UAE.

“Treasury will continue to cut off Iran’s illicit smuggling and terror proxy networks,” Bessent said in a statement. “Financial institutions should be on notice that Treasury will leverage all tools and authorities, including secondary sanctions, against those that continue to support Tehran’s terrorist activities.

The administration believes the momentum has shifted

Trump administration officials have also signaled growing confidence that the ceasefire and a blockade of shipments from Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz have shifted momentum in Trump’s favor.

Iran has endured tens of billions of dollars in damage during the bombardment to the country’s infrastructure — including setbacks to its oil industry, the heart of its fragile and long-isolated economy — that could take years to repair.

Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday said Trump “doesn’t want to make, like, a small deal. He wants to make the grand bargain.”

“That’s the trade that he’s offering,” Vance said. “If you guys commit to not having a nuclear weapon, we are going to make Iran thrive.”

The president’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, offered a more caustic assessment of the moment, suggesting that Trump had “played the checkmate move” on Iran by implementing the blockage in the strait.

“If Iran chooses the path of a deal that’s great for the world, that’s great for everybody. If Iran chooses the path of economic strangulation by blockade, then the world will pass Iran by,” Miller said in a Fox News appearance Tuesday evening. “New energy routes will be established. New supply chains will be established. Other nations throughout the region — throughout the world, and especially America — will power the world and Iran will become a footnote.”

Some Republicans are skeptical that more sanctions will work

Some Republicans believe that any tactic to exert more pressure on Tehran is worth trying.

“I would support anything,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. “If the administration came up with the ideas, I would support all of the above. More pressure, the better.”

Others were skeptical, noting that Tehran was already facing a litany of economic penalties that had little impact on its behavior.

“I’m not sure if it’s sanctions that’ll do it. I think we’re putting some pretty heavy sanctions on right now,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Banking and Armed Services Committees. “I personally am just not optimistic that we actually can fix this thing without a regime change.”

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, a think tank that has been critical of Trump’s decision to launch the war, says that Trump had been “politically cornered and strategically constrained” before he announced the ceasefire. But now, Parsi argues, Trump may have altered the difficult dynamic and created a situation where “Iran now appears to need an agreement more than the United States does.”

“The window now open offers Tehran a chance to convert battlefield leverage into lasting strategic gain,” Parsi wrote in a new analysis. “To let it close would mean forfeiting not just incremental progress, but the possibility of reshaping its economic and geopolitical position. By contrast, the United States, having already secured a tenuous exit ramp through the ceasefire, has less at stake in the short term.”

(AP)

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Sen. Ted Cruz sharply attacked commentator Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, accusing him of adopting extreme views amid an ongoing dispute over President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and the broader Iran conflict, turning into a “deranged, Leftist psycho” who “loves Sharia” law.

The clash intensified after a post circulated by Carlson’s media network on X stating, “Muslims love [Yoshka].”

Responding to that message, the Tucker Carlson Network added, “That’s why Donald Trump’s painting depicting himself as the Son of God offended the president of Iran. It was an attack on his religion as well as Christianity,” referencing controversy surrounding a recent post by Trump.

The uproar began after the president shared an AI-generated image on Truth Social that appeared to portray him as Jesus, following a disagreement with Pope Leo XIV regarding the war with Iran. The image drew criticism from some of Trump’s supporters, including Joe Rogan and Marjorie Taylor Greene, and was later removed.

Trump maintained that he viewed the image differently, saying he believed it depicted him as a doctor, and denied that its removal was due to backlash.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also weighed in, criticizing the post in a message on X. “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV … I condemn the insult to Your Excellency on behalf of the great nation of Iran, and declare that the desecration of Jesus, the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is not acceptable to any free person,” he said.

Cruz’s criticism of Carlson escalated in a separate social media post, where the Texas senator accused the commentator of going too far in his positions, calling him a “deranged, Leftist psycho” who “loves Sharia” law.

The dispute between the two figures is not new. Carlson has become increasingly critical of Trump since the outbreak of the Iran war, drawing repeated responses from Cruz.

After Carlson objected to Trump’s demand for Iran to accept an “unconditional surrender” last month, Cruz pushed back forcefully, saying the position was “to the left of [Sen.] Chris Murphy.”

“That is more anti-American rhetoric than anything I’ve ever heard Bernie Sanders say,” Cruz said on his podcast. “Tucker continues to go to new lows and new lows. The more Tucker Carlson attacks Donald Trump the more fringe he gets.”

Carlson has also faced criticism directly from Trump. In a recent podcast, Carlson accused the president of crossing a line in his rhetoric toward Iran.

“The message of all faith at the biggest picture level is the message in our Bible, which is you are not God. And only if you think you are, do you talk this way,” Carlson said. “But it’s not just mockery of Islam. And no president should mock Islam. That’s not your job. This is not a theocracy.”

Trump responded to Carlson in an interview, dismissing him outright. “Tucker’s a low IQ person that has absolutely no idea what’s going on,” the president said. “He calls me all the time; I don’t respond to his calls. I don’t deal with him. I like dealing with smart people, not fools.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday pushed back against claims that high taxes are driving wealthy residents out of the city, arguing instead that the real departure is among working-class New Yorkers struggling to afford living costs.

The idea that affluent residents have been leaving in large numbers for lower-tax states such as Florida gained traction ahead of the 2025 mayoral race, particularly as Mamdani promoted significant tax hikes to fund expanded social programs. Speaking at a Tax Day event beneath a “Tax The Rich” banner, he rejected those claims and said the narrative does not reflect reality.

“So for all of the discussion of the imagined exodus that would take place were we to tax the wealthiest New Yorkers by the appropriate amount — I say imagined because before I was a mayor I was a state legislator and I was part of an effort to increase taxes on millionaires at that time — we were told the same thing then — and what we find now is that we have more millionaires today than we did at that time even after having passed that tax,” Mamdani said.

He argued that the focus should instead be on those being priced out of the city. “And so for all of that conversation about this imagined exodus, we have to reckon with the very real exodus that we are seeing in the city, an exodus of working class people, an exodus of those who cannot afford to live here,” Mamdani continued.

Earlier this year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul also addressed the issue, urging wealthy individuals who relocated to places like Florida to return, noting that a sizable portion of the state’s tax base had shifted to areas such as Palm Beach.

Mamdani pointed to broader migration trends among residents seeking more affordable living elsewhere. “For many who work here who now find their residence in Jersey City or in Connecticut or in Pennsylvania, anywhere else where their dollar can go a little bit further,” Mamdani said. “And we’ve seen just in a snapshot from 2000 to 2020, the city lost 200,000 of its black residents.”

Following Mamdani’s primary victory in June 2025, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suggested that the mayor’s policies could accelerate departures from New York, particularly among higher-income residents.

“If this socialist mayor candidate wins – you’re gonna see real estate value skyrocket even more in Palm Beach, because people are gonna get out of that city,” DeSantis said. “As bad as DeBlasio was, this guy is like going to be way, way, worse.”

Migration trends in recent years have shown movement from states like New York and California to states such as Florida, which has no state income tax and operates with a budget comparable in size to New York City’s. A 2023 Siena College poll found that 27% of New York residents were considering leaving the state within five years, while 31% said they planned to relocate upon retirement.

{Matzav.com}

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY (VINnews)- In a move that has sparked strong reactions from both contractors and residents, Rockland County lawmakers voted Tuesday evening to significantly scale back the county’s home improvement contractor licensing requirements.

The Rockland County Legislature approved amendments to the Home Improvement Law, dissolving the existing Home Improvement Licensing Board and shifting primary licensing authority to the Legislature itself. The changes passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 14-1, with two legislators absent.

Under the new rules, the former licensing board will be reduced to an advisory role, losing its power to issue or revoke licenses. Licensing responsibilities will now fall under the Rockland County Legislature, with the process streamlined to align more closely with the model used in neighboring Westchester County.

Supporters of the overhaul argue that the previous system imposed excessive red tape, limited the number of available contractors, and created unnecessary barriers for small businesses and homeowners seeking services. They say the reforms will make the process more business-friendly while preserving essential consumer protections.

The public hearing preceding the vote was tense, with tempers flaring as contractors, homeowners, and other stakeholders voiced sharply divided opinions. At one point, the discussion was paused after tensions escalated, leading the Legislature chair to order one individual removed from the meeting.

Opponents, including some residents and County Executive Ed Day, have expressed concern that lowering standards could reduce oversight and potentially expose homeowners to unqualified or unethical contractors.

The changes are expected to take effect in the coming weeks, with officials anticipating a more efficient licensing system that could benefit local businesses and increase options for county residents undertaking home improvement projects.

VINnews will continue to monitor developments and any potential legal or administrative challenges to the new regulations.