By FrumNews.com

A State of Emergency was issued across the Northeast U.S. as a blizzard is expected to hit the region, which included travel bans. 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a travel ban for New York City ahead of the city’s first blizzard in a decade, which is about to slam the city with up to two feet of snow.

The declaration establishes a temporary citywide travel restriction by closing NYC streets, highways, bridges and tunnels to vehicular traffic from 9 PM Sunday to 12 PM Monday. 

Most vehicle traffic – including but not limited to commercial trucks, electric bicycles, scooters, and mopeds – is prohibited during that period, except for authorized categories.

Long Island and Westchester are also under a travel ban beginning at 9 PM, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

The MTA said that as of 3 PM on Sunday, there will be service changes on subways, buses, the LIRR, Metro-North Railroad, and Access-A-Ride due to the ongoing winter storm. “Avoid unnecessary travel; if you must travel, check service status before you go,” the MTA said. 

NJ Transit is suspending bus and light rail services by 6 p.m., while trains are expected to run later into the night (weather dependent).

“We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non-essential travel,” Mamdani said.

Gov. Hochul also issued a state of emergency for Southern New York.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency for New Jersey, beginning at noon Sunday, noting that updated forecasts show rapidly worsening conditions.

FrumNews previously reported that the Northeast is under a blizzard warning from Sunday morning until Monday morning, with 18 to 24 inches of snow possible.

Gov. Sherrill emphasized that this system will be dramatically different from the January storm that brought heavy snow. “At its peak, the January storm had about one inch per hour. This will be considerably worse.”

“A major, potentially historic winter storm is expected to bring very heavy, crippling snowfall and areas of blizzard conditions,” the NWS said in an update on Sunday morning. “Your window to finalize preparations is rapidly closing.”

By FrumNews.com

A State of Emergency was issued across the Northeast U.S. as a blizzard is expected to hit the region, which included travel bans. 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a travel ban for New York City ahead of the city’s first blizzard in a decade, which is about to slam the city with up to two feet of snow.

The declaration establishes a temporary citywide travel restriction by closing NYC streets, highways, bridges and tunnels to vehicular traffic from 9 PM Sunday to 12 PM Monday. 

Most vehicle traffic – including but not limited to commercial trucks, electric bicycles, scooters, and mopeds – is prohibited during that period, except for authorized categories.

Long Island and Westchester are also under a travel ban beginning at 9 PM, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

The MTA said that as of 3 PM on Sunday, there will be service changes on subways, buses, the LIRR, Metro-North Railroad, and Access-A-Ride due to the ongoing winter storm. “Avoid unnecessary travel; if you must travel, check service status before you go,” the MTA said. 

NJ Transit is suspending bus and light rail services by 6 p.m., while trains are expected to run later into the night (weather dependent).

“We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non-essential travel,” Mamdani said.

Gov. Hochul also issued a state of emergency for Southern New York.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency for New Jersey, beginning at noon Sunday, noting that updated forecasts show rapidly worsening conditions.

FrumNews previously reported that the Northeast is under a blizzard warning from Sunday morning until Monday morning, with 18 to 24 inches of snow possible.

Gov. Sherrill emphasized that this system will be dramatically different from the January storm that brought heavy snow. “At its peak, the January storm had about one inch per hour. This will be considerably worse.”

“A major, potentially historic winter storm is expected to bring very heavy, crippling snowfall and areas of blizzard conditions,” the NWS said in an update on Sunday morning. “Your window to finalize preparations is rapidly closing.”

With a major winter storm expected to impact our area Sunday into Monday, Hatzolah of Central Jersey is urging residents—especially seniors and those with medical needs—to take important precautions now.

Residents who rely on prescription medications are advised to refill and secure all necessary medications as soon as possible. Severe weather conditions may make travel difficult or impossible for several days, limiting access to pharmacies and medical facilities.

Hatzolah is also warning of the potential for widespread power outages during the storm. Elderly individuals and medically vulnerable residents who depend on electricity for medical equipment, heating, or other essential needs should make arrangements in advance. When possible, they are encouraged to stay with family members or friends who have reliable backup power, such as generators.

Additionally, Hatzolah is warning that this storm is expected to bring mostly wet, heavy snow, which is significantly harder to shovel and can place severe strain on the heart. Every winter, emergency responders see a rise in cardiac emergencies linked to snow shoveling. Residents—particularly older adults and those with heart conditions—are strongly urged to avoid overexertion, shovel slowly and in stages, take frequent breaks, or arrange for others to assist. If chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or unusual fatigue occurs, stop immediately and call Hatzolah.

“We strongly encourage families to check in on elderly relatives and neighbors and help them prepare,” Hatzolah said. “Taking steps now can prevent emergencies later.”

Residents are also reminded to stock up on basic necessities, remain indoors during dangerous conditions, and avoid unnecessary travel.

Hatzolah of Central Jersey remains on standby and fully prepared to respond throughout the storm. In case of emergency, residents should call Hatzolah immediately.

Stay safe, stay prepared, and look out for one another.

By FrumNews.com

Monsey, NY — The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Blizzard Warning for New York and New Jersey for the first time in eight years, with total snow accumulation of 15 to 24 inches possible:

• New York City, Lakewood and Union City could see up to 18 inches of snow.
• Monsey, Monroe and Philadelphia could see up to 12 inches of snow.
• The Catskills and Scranton will see up to 8 inches of snow

The NWS said the warning will go into effect on Sunday at 1 PM and remain in effect through Monday. Wind gusts are expected to go up to 50 mph, with moderate coastal flooding also possible. 

The forecast is still evolving, and a storm tracking farther east could mean much less snow. Some weather models show less than 10 inches of accumulation.

“I’m asking all New Yorkers to stay inside and stay off the roads for your safety. These have the potential to be even more hazardous conditions than we faced the last time around,” NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said during a news conference on Shabbos.

The storm could produce the most snowfall the city has seen since 2021, when 14.8 inches hit the five boroughs. The last time NYC faced a blizzard warning was back in March 2017.

From the NWS on Saturday, 3 PM:

• Increasing Confidence – A winter storm with significant impacts is becoming increasingly likely in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Sunday into Monday. A combination of heavy snow and gusty winds is most likely along the 1-95 corridor from Philadelphia, to New York City, to Boston, and nearby areas closer to the coast. Changes to the forecast are expected. Check back for the latest updates.
• Heavy Snow Likely – Snowfall rates over 1″ per hour will occur at times, leading to hazardous travel conditions. Where snow accumulates more than 6 inches, the weight of the heavy, wet snow may lead to scattered power outages.
• Strong Winds and Blowing Snow – Strong, gusty winds are expected in the coastal Mid-Atlantic, as well as coastal and southern New England, which may lead to power outages. Where these strong winds overlap with snowfall, expect reduced visibility and difficult travel.
• Coastal Flooding and Erosion – Moderate coastal flooding, with inundation of roads and property near the waterfront, is most likely in coastal New Jersey and Long Island.

Lakewood, NJ – CHEMED Health, the region’s leader in community-based healthcare, hosted its annual Medical and Ethics Conference, drawing more than 1,000 participants, including physicians, nurses, medical students, rabbanim, and healthcare leaders for an intensive, multi-day gathering exploring the intersection of medicine, ethics, and Halacha.

The conference opened Thursday evening with an inspiring keynote lecture by Rav Sholom Kamenetsky, titled “AI, Autonomy, and Halacha: How Jewish Law Approaches the Future of Decision Making.” His address set the tone for a program focused on navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of modern medicine through the lens of timeless ethical and Torah-based principles.

Over the course of the conference, attendees participated in 52 lectures featuring prominent rabbinic authorities, academic leaders, and medical professionals. Notable presenters included Rabbi Doctor Aaron E. Glatt, Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz, Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, Rav Professor Avrohom Steinberg, and Dr. Isaac Schechter, among many others, who addressed a wide range of clinical, ethical, and policy-related topics shaping contemporary healthcare practice.

On Motzei Shabbos, a highlight of the conference was a special question-and-answer session with Rav Asher Weiss שליט״א, who traveled from Eretz Yisroel for the occasion. Rav Weiss opened his remarks with warm and effusive praise for CHEMED and for Dr. Dovid Friedman’s leadership and vision before engaging attendees in an in-depth discussion of complex medical halachic scenarios, offering guidance that reflected both rigorous scholarship and real-world clinical sensitivity.

The conference concluded with a major announcement from Dr. Dovid Friedman, CEO of CHEMED, who, together with the Medical Village development team, presented a comprehensive vision for CHEMED’s next chapter through a special video unveiling of The Medical Village — a transformative outpatient healthcare campus designed to redefine coordinated care for the region.

The Medical Village represents CHEMED’s most ambitious initiative to date — a first-of-its-kind, fully integrated outpatient campus that will bring more than 50 medical specialties together under one coordinated system. The campus will include primary care, pediatric and adult subspecialties, dental services, behavioral health, women’s health, advanced diagnostic radiology, an ambulatory surgery center, and a standalone emergency department, all designed to provide seamless, high-level care within a single environment.

“For nearly two decades, CHEMED has been committed to expanding access to quality care,” said Dr. Friedman. “The Medical Village reflects our next step forward — building a future-ready healthcare model that integrates specialty medicine, academic training, and coordinated care delivery to serve our rapidly growing community.”

Beyond its clinical scope, the campus will also feature dedicated educational space for medical students and residents, strengthening training opportunities and advancing the level of academic medicine in the region.

With record attendance, a robust educational program, and the unveiling of a transformative healthcare initiative, this year’s conference underscored CHEMED’s dual commitment: advancing medical excellence while grounding healthcare delivery in enduring ethical and community-centered values.

By FrumNews.com

The Pentagon has dispatched a second aircraft carrier group, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Arabian Ocean to put pressure on Iran as talks are ongoing, reports indicate.

Trump told reporters on Friday he’s dispatching the second carrier group in case he is unable to reach a diplomatic agreement, “I think they’ll be successful. And if they’re not, it’s going to be a bad day for Iran — very bad,” Trump told reporters. Adding the ships would depart if diplomacy is successful.

.@POTUS on Iran negotiations: “I think they’ll be successful, and if they’re not, it’s going to be a bad day for Iran — very bad.” pic.twitter.com/jJNKO8jLzV

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 13, 2026

The Ford carrier strike group is the most advanced carrier the U.S. currently has, which was positioned in the Caribbean Sea for several months amid Trump’s campaign against Venezuela, which led to the arrest and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Previously, the USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, arrived in the Indian Ocean last month after the Iranian protest broke out, putting it closer to assisting in any potential US operations targeting Iran.

Yeshiva Kinyan Daas in Yerushalayim, headed by Rabbi Moshe Roth, celebrated the Siyum on the Seder Kodshim, combined with Tu Bishvat, in a particularly moving and uplifting event.

During a visit to Eretz Yisroel, the musician Rabbi Shlomie Taussig from the U.S., who maintains a close and ongoing connection with the yeshiva, joined this special Farbrengen. At his request of Shlomie, his close friend, the musician Rabbi Akiva Gruman, also joined the evening—along with musician Nachman Cohen and his orchestra.

During the evening, the great power of kind words between friends was emphasized, with the popular Yiddish song “Ein Gut Vort.” Rabbi Akiva Gruman added a unique touch when he put Yiddish lyrics to the song “Tzi’uka” by Mordechai Ben David, and taught it to the talmidim with great enthusiasm and an atmosphere of elation.

The event left a deep impression on the participants, blending Torah, emotion, music, and encouragement, befitting such a sublime occasion.

By FrumNews.com

Brooklyn, NY — Instacart, the food delivery service, blindsided its customers in New York City by adding a $6 surprise fee per delivery. The company claims this is a “Regulatory Response Fee” following the enactment of a new law.

The fixed $5.99 fee, labeled “NYC regulatory response fee,” came because Instacart was mad that the city placed a minimum wage of $21.44 per hour for delivery apps, at first it only applied to food delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash—but it was expanded to cover grocery delivery workers as well.

The worker protection measure will further raise the minimum rate to $22.13 per hour by April due to inflation. Previously, there was no legal minimum specifically for grocery delivery workers.

Instacart, like Uber and DoorDash, responded to the new regulations with added fees, hoping its paying users will force and vote those who introduced these fees out of office.

The fees are the same for premium subscribers, such as Instacart+, which makes you wonder whether Instacart and Uber are worth the convenience in the first place.

• Dummy cart using Instacart+ delivery, showing $12 of added fees, including the "regulatory response fee," on a $51 food delivery order from Aldi

An Instacart spokesperson told FOX Business that the new fees are in place as a “is the direct result of the City Council’s misguided and burdensome grocery delivery laws.” Adding that “For months, we raised clear, data-backed concerns that the policy would increase grocery delivery costs for New Yorkers, but those warnings were repeatedly ignored.”

More egregiously, Instacart secretly used your data to charge you more through algorithmic pricing—until Consumer Reports caught on and it stopped.

The company was also forced to refund $60 in fees as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission several months ago.

The FTC alleged that Instacart engaged in deceptive practices that misled consumers about fees for its delivery promotion, made it difficult to initiate refund requests, and did not fully disclose the terms of the Instacart+ membership trial.

“Rather than truthfully advertising the cost of its delivery services, Instacart forced consumers to invest their valuable time and energy — in many cases exceeding 30 minutes — so that it could coerce them into paying hidden fees,” the FTC said in the complaint.

By Moshe Phillips

Ever since taking office for his second term, President Donald Trump has regularly spoken about the Nobel Peace Prize, and this month marks one year since President Trump presented his idea during a White House press conference that Gaza’s population be relocated to “a good, fresh, beautiful piece of land” in another country.

The two items are far more connected than may be obvious.

“I feel very differently about Gaza than a lot of people,” explained President Trump as he outlined his relocation idea. While it may be true that “a lot of people” disagree, President Trump was expressing the same idea that Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Yitzhak Rabin once proposed.

In 1973, Rabin, a former chief of staff of the Israeli army, was serving as Israel’s ambassador in Washington. In an interview published in the Israeli daily Maariv on February 16, Rabin discussed the question of what should be done about the large number of Palestinian Arab refugees residing in Gaza. Much of Gaza’s population consisted of Arabs who had settled there during the 1948 War of Independence and their descendants. Rabin said: “The problem of the refugees of the Gaza Strip should not be solved in Gaza or el-Arish [in the Sinai] but mainly in the East Bank”—meaning the Kingdom of Jordan.

Rabin continued: “I want to create conditions such that during the next 10 or 20 years, there will be a natural movement of population to the East Bank. We can achieve that, in my opinion, with [King] Hussein and not with Yasser Arafat.” As far as I know, Rabin never backtracked on that comment.

He was not a “racist,” “fascist,” advocate of “ethnic cleansing,” or any of the other harsh names now being hurled at Trump. The future prime minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate was simply taking a long, hard look at a difficult problem and proposing what he considered to be a practical solution.

The heart of the problem facing Rabin was that when Egypt illegally occupied Gaza from 1948 to 1967, it refused to absorb the refugees into the Egyptian population. The Egyptian government kept the Gazans impoverished and kept separate, languishing in shanty towns and refugee camps administered by the United Nations. What’s more, Egypt sponsored Gaza-based terrorist groups, known as fedayeen, to attack Israel.

During Egypt’s rule in Gaza, the United Nations set up schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East—the same morally bankrupt UNRWA that Israel has only very recently taken action against. In UNRWA schools, young Gazans were educated to hate Jews and Israel and to glorify Arab terrorism.

Following the 1967 war, Israel found itself dealing with all these hate-filled Gazans. So unless something was done to change the situation, Israel would continue to face constant terrorist attacks from Gaza.

And that’s exactly what happened. Nobody listened to Rabin’s 1973 advice to move the Gazans to Jordan. The Gazans stayed in Gaza, launched constant terrorist attacks on Israel, and eventually voted Hamas into power in 2007. The horrors of October 7, 2023, followed.

It made perfect sense for Rabin to think of Jordan as the destination for the Gazans. After all, Palestinian Arabs who settled in Gaza and those who settled in Jordan are indistinguishable. They have the same history, culture, language, and religion.

The problem, though, is that Jordan’s King Hussein had lost patience with them. For years, Hussein let the PLO set up its bases on Jordanian territory. Hussein was fine with the PLO attacking Israel. But some of Arafat’s terrorists began talking about how Jordan really was Palestine. Hussein became concerned that the PLO would try to overthrow him.

The PLO terrorist army was also causing Jordan problems in the international arena by repeatedly hijacking planes, forcing them to land in Jordan, and then holding the passengers hostage while demanding to trade them for imprisoned terrorists. Some things never change, it seems.

How did King Hussein solve the problem? He kicked them out. In the autumn of 1970, the King of Jordan forcibly relocated more than 2,000 PLO terrorists, including their entire leadership, to Syria. From there, they continued into Lebanon, where they soon plunged that country into years of chaos, civil war, and bloodshed.

Understandably, the current king, Hussein’s son Abdullah, may not be too keen on welcoming in Gazans. Or, on the other hand, he might decide to exclude terrorists while welcoming ordinary Gazans—in the same manner that Jordan took in so many refugees from the bloody Syrian civil war.

It remains to be seen if the Board of Peace moves forward with the relocation ideas of Trump and Rabin. If they don’t, what will stop history from repeating itself?

---

Moshe Phillips is national chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel (AFSI, www.AFSI.org), a leading pro-Israel advocacy and education organization.

by Rafael Medoff

The Norwegian capital of Oslo, where the accords between Israel and the Palestinian Arab leadership were negotiated thirty-three years ago, this week became their burial site.

Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas visited Oslo this week, where he met with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and other officials of the Labour Party-led government.

A previous Norwegian Labour government shepherded the talks that led to the Oslo accords in 1993. Yet Prime Minister Store did not say anything this week about the PA’s decades of flagrant violations of the accords, including its failure to outlaw or disarm terrorist groups; its refusal to honor Israel’s 36 requests for the extradition of terrorists; its payment of salaries to imprisoned terrorists and the families of dead terrorists; or the torrent of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel propaganda in the PA’s news media, schools, and summer camps.

The PA’s hostile propaganda—which is explicitly prohibited by the Oslo accords—includes its notorious policy of naming institutions after terrorists.

Yet that did not stop the Norwegian government from contributing 500 million kroner ($52-million) or more each year to the Palestinian Authority.

In 2013, Norwegians elected a Conservative Party government, and in 2017 it suspended Norway’s $16-million annual grant to UN Women because that agency’s “Palestine” branch gave Norwegian funds to a PA women’s center that was named after mass murderer Dalal Mughrabi.

Mughrabi was the leader of the terrorist gang that slaughtered 37 Jews in the Tel Aviv Highway bus hijacking in 1978. Among Mughrabi’s victims was American Jewish nature photographer Gail Rubin, the niece of U.S. Senator Abraham Ribicoff (D-Connecticut).

At the trial of one of Mughrabi’s accomplices, a survivor of the attack testified that when the bus caught fire, Mughrabi “grabbed a baby and threw it on a burning [seat].”

In October 2021, four years after the Norwegian funding of UN Women was suspended, Norway’s Labor Party returned to power. The new government soon announced it would contribute 9 million kroner (about $1-million) to UN Women’s projects in PA territory. The announcement said nothing about whether Mughrabi’s name was ever removed from that PA women’s center.

Mughrabi’s name also adorns numerous schools, streets, parks and sports tournaments in the PA territories. Both her birthday and the anniversary of the massacre she led are celebrated by PA officials and media. She is presented as a hero in the textbooks used in PA schools.

Yet such blatant violations of the Oslo agreements appear to be of no interest to the international community, not even to the very government in Oslo that helped engineer the accords in the first place.

The visit to Oslo this week by the serial violator of the Oslo accords was an opportunity to uphold the integrity of those agreements. Instead, Oslo’s leaders remained silent, and in doing so symbolically presided over the funeral of their own handiwork.

---

Dr. Medoff is the author of more than 20 books about Jewish history, Zionism, and the Holocaust. Follow him on Facebook to read his daily commentaries on the news.

By FrumNews.com

In the aftermath of the UK’s shift to the left in the 2024 election, in which the Labour Party took over 10 Downing Street. British Jews have been left suffering, literally, as anti-Semitic incidents and attacks have risen to 3,700 in 2025 — and the UK’s political leaders disregarded the warning signs, new data shows.

The Community Security Trust (CST) watchdog group reported that it recorded 3,700 anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in 2025, the second-highest total ever reported to CST in a single calendar year. This is an increase of 4% from the 3,556 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded by CST in 2024, and 14% lower than the highest-ever annual total of 4,298 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2023. CST recorded 1,662 anti-Semitic incidents in 2022 and 2,261 in 2021.

The year has seen a number of high-profile attacks and incidents, including the deadly terror attack at Heaton Park Synagogue on Yom Kippur in Manchester, which resulted in the deaths of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby and left three others seriously injured. This was the first time that an anti-Semitic terror attack in the UK has resulted in the loss of life since CST began recording incidents in 1984.

The annual total reflects that anti-Semitic incident levels remain significantly higher than they were prior to 7 October 2023. CST recorded an average of 308 anti-Semitic incidents per month, exactly double the monthly average of 154 incidents reported in the year preceding Hamas’ attack on Israel. For the first time ever, CST recorded over 200 cases of anti-Jewish hate in every calendar month in 2025. Prior to October 2023, monthly incident totals exceeding 200 had only been reported by CST on five occasions, each coinciding with past periods when Israel was at war.

Other incidents have caught the news, such as when a music venue abruptly canceled a Benny Friedman concert at the last second, or when chants of “Death to the IDF” at the Glastonbury Music Festival were broadcast live by the BBC. And with the return of the Labour Party to 10 Downing Street, which pushed for anti-Israel policies in the UK, the climate doesn’t look bright for the UK’s Jews.

The attacks mirror the anti-Semitism in the rest of the Western world, such as Paris, New York, Toronto and Sydney, which have seen a dramatic rise in hate crimes — and terror attacks — against the Jewish community since teror attack of October 7th.

When Terror Strikes, Incidents Spike

The terror attack in Manchester triggered an immediate spike in anti-Semitism, CST stated. It recorded 40 anti-Semitic incidents on 2 October, the day of the attack, and another 40 the following day, 3 October. These were the two highest daily totals for anti-Semitic incidents in 2025. In the week preceding the attack, CST recorded 64 cases of anti-Jewish hate.

In the following week, CST recorded 181 incidents, an increase of 183% from the previous week. CST recorded 463 instances of anti-Semitism across October, a 65% rise from the 281 incidents in September. This makes October 2025 the highest monthly total in 2025 and the fifth-worst month for anti-Semitism in CST’s records. While CST usually records a small increase in anti-Semitic incidents on Yom Kippur – for example, there were 17 incidents recorded on Yom Kippur in 2024 – this alone cannot explain the much larger spike in incidents on the day of, and days following, the attack.

Of the 80 anti-Semitic incidents recorded across 2 and 3 October, 42 (53%) involved direct reactions to the attack on Heaton Park Synagogue. Three involved face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack toward Jewish people, while 39 were anti-Semitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions. As observed in previous years, violent attacks on Jews, whether in Britain, Israel or elsewhere, sometimes generate more anti-Jewish invective from anti-Semites who feel emboldened to express their prejudice.

Similarly, a smaller spike was observed in December in the wake of the Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack at a Chanukah event in Bondi Beach, Australia. This shooting claimed the lives of 15 people who attended the event. CST’s highest daily incident totals for December 2025 fell on 14 December, the day of the attack, with 16 incidents reported, and the two subsequent days, with 19 and 15 incidents recorded respectively. Of these 50 incidents, 21 directly referenced the attack on Bondi Beach – 20 online and one offline – and recycled much of the same anti-Jewish rhetoric observed in incidents reported in the wake of the attack on Heaton Park Synagogue.

The Numbers

CST recorded 170 incidents in the category of Assault, a decrease of 16% from the 202 reported in 2024. These comprise anti-Semitic physical attacks that did not have the intention or potential to cause life-changing or life-threatening injuries. Taken together with the four instances of Extreme Violence, physical attacks on Jewish people constitute 5% of the annual total in 2025, compared to 6% in 2024.

Cases of Damage and Desecration to Jewish property rose by 38%, from 157 in 2024 to 217 in 2025, the highest annual total ever recorded in this category. Sixty-eight of these involved damage to the homes and vehicles of Jewish people, 51 to posters, ribbons and memorials in honour of the hostages captured by Hamas, 25 to synagogues, 20 to the property of Jewish businesses and organisations (including six to public chanukiahs – a candelabra used during the festival of Chanukah), eight to Jewish schools, six to kosher food aisles at supermarkets, and three to Jewish cemeteries.

There were 196 incidents reported to CST in the category of Threats in 2025, which includes direct threats and explicit incitement of violence to people, institutions or property, rather than general abuse containing non-specific threatening language. This is a decrease of 22% from the 251 incidents of this type recorded in 2024.

CST recorded 3,086 reports in the category of Abusive Behaviour in 2025, more than in any other year bar 2023 and a 6% rise from the 2,917 such incidents logged in 2024. This figure eclipses every previous annual figure across all categories with the exception of 2023 and 2024, and forms 83% of all cases of anti-Jewish hate reported to CST in 2025.

There were 27 incidents reported to CST in the category of mass-produced anti-Semitic Literature in 2025, equal to the number of such cases recorded in 2024.

Of the 3,700 anti-Semitic incidents recorded by CST in 2025, 1,977 (53%) referenced, or were linked to, Israel, Palestine, the Hamas terror attack or the subsequent war. Each of these cases also evidenced anti-Jewish language, motivation or targeting. This was true of 52% of the incidents reported in 2024, 43% of those in 2023 and 15% of those in 2022, a year unaffected by a significant trigger event in the region.

CST recorded four incidents that involved Grievous Bodily Harm or threat to life in 2025 (including the fatal attack at Heaton Park Synagogue), meaning that they were severe enough to be categorised as Extreme Violence, double the number recorded in 2024 and more than the total for the previous three years combined. There were an additional 170 cases of anti-Semitic Assault. Taken together with the four reports of Extreme Violence, physical attacks accounted for 5% of all incidents, compared to 6% in 2024. Incidents of Damage & Desecration of Jewish property rose sharply by 38% to a record 217 cases, including attacks on homes, vehicles, synagogues, schools, Jewish businesses and hostage memorials. CST recorded 196 direct anti-Semitic Threats, 27 cases of mass-produced anti-Semitic Literature, and 3,086 instances of Abusive Behaviour. The latter is the widest and most frequently logged category of anti-Jewish hate, accounting for 83% of all anti-Semitic incidents in 2025.

You can read the full report here.

In a truly inspiring display of commitment to Torah learning, the Kav Halacha Kollel, located in Ramat Eshkol, Yerushalayim, recently marked the completion of Hilchos Nidda by its Avreichim. The event, a Semicha Siyum, was a powerful night of chizuk that highlighted the Kollel’s critical mission: preparing the next generation of highly qualified Rabbanim and community leaders. Avreichim in the chaburah include those from Lakewood, Brooklyn, Far Rockaway and RBS.

One of the projects of the Kav Halcha Network worldwide, the Kollel has a strong emphasis on practical Halacha -learning from active Poskim. This unique focus includes bringing in leading Rabbanim and experts in various fields to perfectly equip the Avreichim to become truly excellent and competent leaders for Klal Yisrael in the near future.

• R' Ari Plutchenik recvies an award from Rav Asher Weiss and Rav Sofer of Kav Halacha

• Rav Asher Weiss addressing the Kav Halacha Network Asifia for aspiring Yungeleit

• Some of the Bnei Chaburah

• Rav Asher Weiss testing and teaching the Yungleit in his home

The evening’s significance was underscored by the distinguished Rabbanim who personally tested the graduates. After being thoroughly tested within the Kollel by the Roshei Kollel, Harav Shimon Sofer and Harav Matis Zelman, the Avreichim faced rigorous tests from senior Poskim, Harav Pinchas Breur Shlit”a, Harav Bentzion Wosner Shlit”a, and Harav Asher Weiss Shlit”a. Each also gave hadracha and lessons in practical Psak.

Harav Asher Weiss also graced the Siyum with a powerful address focused on the crucial importance of training future Rabbanim and addressed the urgent need facing Klal Yisrael. Harav Weiss noted that while the Jewish population is growing at a rapid pace, the number of new, qualified Rabbanim, who trianedn and learned with shimush l’maaseh, available to guide them is simply not keeping up.

He was profoundly impressed after speaking with the Avreichim, commenting on how well they knew the Halachos and their clear competence to hopefully take on vital leadership roles one day.

The evening concluded on a high note as Harav Weiss personally presented the Avreichim with plaque of recognition and divrei hadracha from Rav Shimon Sofer. Rav Sofer who serves as the Rosh Kollel also is a director of the Kav Halcha Network which with over 100 Rabbonim worldwide answers hundreds of shailos each day on its flagship hotline. From his in the trenches experience he shared chizuk as they continue their learning in other areas of Halacha, ensuring they are fully qualified to become the exceptional leaders that our generation desperately needs. This siyum marked a momentous occasion and plan are underway to open avenues of limud and shimush for others in Lakewood and with virtual chaburos as well as encouraged by the Gedolai HaPoskim.

Learn more: www.KavHalacha.org

By Moshe Phillips

“Gaza Crossing to Egypt Reopens in Step Forward for Fragile Cease-Fire,” celebrated The New York Times on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day. And just like the 1993 Bill Murray film of the same name, it feels like we are seeing the same thing occur yet again.

Only this is real life and far from funny. It’s deadly serious. Opening the Rafah border crossing while Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad continue to be fully armed benefits the terrorists more than anyone.

Aside from handing Hamas more to brag about to everyday Gazans, it gives the terrorists every reason to hope that they can continue to remain armed. Meanwhile, the leadership of Hamas can see the opening as a sign that they will be able to escape from the Strip.

All of this seems tragically familiar. Dennis Ross is now a pundit, but he served as an American diplomat focused on Israel in the Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Obama administrations. In 2023, Ross said that “the way to end the war in Gaza” would be for Israel to allow the Hamas leadership to leave the territory in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. He said that he hoped the Biden administration would promote such a proposal. Thankfully, Hamas leaders have not been able to escape.

Those remarks referenced above were made when he appeared on MSNBC on Nov. 21, 2023. At the time, Ross cited a precedent: Israel’s decision in 1982, under U.S. pressure, to allow Yasser Arafat and the rest of the PLO terrorist leadership escape from Beirut.

While on MSNBC (now called MS NOW), Ross failed to tell his viewers what happened after Arafat was allowed to leave Lebanon. The PLO and Arafat did not ride off into the sunset of some quiet and peaceful retirement. He sailed to Tunisia, set up PLO terrorist headquarters there and embarked on 20 more years of deadly terrorism—shootings and stabbings, bus bombings and intifadas. Thousands of Israelis were murdered or maimed in the process.

And now the pressure is on Israel to keep the Rafah crossing open. It appears that this could be only the first part of the effort to get Israel to repeat the tragic mistake made with the PLO, this time with the much more dangerous Hamas terror group. Once again, international pressure is being exerted so that terrorist leaders are rescued, which would leave them with the capacity to orchestrate more Oct. 7-style massacres, God forbid.

Israel’s political leadership has seldom been very good at learning the lesson that far too many foreign diplomats, even Jewish ones like Ross, have bad ideas.

This is, after all, the same Dennis Ross who publicly admitted—on the op-ed page of The Washington Post—that he pressured Israel to let Hamas import concrete. Ross insisted that the concrete would be used to build houses. Israel was afraid it would be used to build terror tunnels. But under Ross’s pressure, the Israelis gave in, despite the danger.

Years later, when the damage was already done and the terrorists had built a vast tunnel network, Ross admitted that the Israelis were right to be worried.

Israeli families paid the price for that grave error. Hundreds of innocent Israelis—and other foreign nationals, including American citizens—were kidnapped and taken to those terrorist tunnels, which were built with the concrete Ross helped bring into Gaza.

Former American diplomats are quoted regularly in The New York Times and appear frequently on television shows, where they are asked softball questions and dish out unsolicited advice on how Jerusalem should conduct itself. They are treated as if the fact that they were involved in past Middle East diplomatic efforts somehow makes them experts on how to bring peace to region today.

Nobody seems to notice that far too often, their diplomacy is an utter failure. Not only did they fail to achieve anything remotely resembling peace with the Palestinian Arabs; they actually made things worse. Much worse.

They pressured Israel to make one-sided concessions that were never reciprocated. They intimidated Israel into setting free hundreds of terrorists in worthless “gestures.” They emboldened Palestinian Arab extremism by covering up the Palestinian Authority’s constant violations of the Oslo Accords. And they helped turn world public opinion against Israel by constantly blaming it as the main obstacle to peace.

And, after all that, now they have the gall to show up on op-ed pages and talk shows, posing as neutral experts, trotting out new proposals that are supposed to magically succeed where every previous proposal of theirs has failed.

Isn’t it time to learn some lessons from history? Isn’t it time to learn from the mistakes of the past? Rescuing terrorist leaders always leads to more terrorism and atrocities.

That’s what happened with Arafat in 1978, when U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his administration stopped Israel from completing “Operation Litani” against the PLO in Southern Lebanon.

That’s what happened again with Arafat in 1982, when U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his administration stopped the IDF from destroying the PLO when it was cornered in Beirut.

Having the Rafah border crossing open while Hamas is armed—and when it has pledged to stay armed—must be called out for the utter mistake that it is.

---

Moshe Phillips is national chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel, AFSI, (www.AFSI.org), a leading pro-Israel advocacy and education organization.

Hatzolah of Central Jersey held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to mark the addition of a newly dedicated Shabbos vehicle to its growing operational fleet, an initiative designed to support emergency response while upholding the community’s commitment to Shemiras Shabbos at the highest level.

The Shabbos vehicle was generously sponsored by Lilac & Creme, a beloved local cheesecake company known throughout the region for its quality products and strong commitment to our community. The dedication ceremony recognized Lilac & Creme’s meaningful contribution and the impact the vehicle will have on Hatzolah’s ability to serve patients quickly and responsibly around the clock.

Shabbos vehicles play a unique and essential role in HCJ’s emergency operations. When Hatzolah members respond to medical emergencies on Shabbos, their focus remains solely on delivering immediate care and safe transport when needed. After a call is completed, a Shabbos vehicle, operated by a non-Jewish driver, enables members to return home without unnecessary additional driving, helping HCJ maintain both operational readiness and a rigorous standard of Kedushas Shabbos.

“This vehicle exemplifies who we are and how we serve,” said Meilech Esterzohn, CEO of Hatzolah of Central Jersey. “Our community relies on us for rapid, professional emergency medical response, and we take that responsibility seriously every day of the week. We are equally serious about maintaining the highest standard of Shemiras Shabbos. This vehicle helps us do both, and we’re deeply grateful to Lilac & Creme for stepping forward in such a thoughtful and impactful way.”

Hatzolah of Central Jersey thanked Lilac & Creme for its generosity and partnership, and expressed appreciation to community members whose ongoing support enables HCJ to expand its lifesaving work.

By Rabbi Yitschak Rudomin

In a clear case of perversion of logic and reality, Israel the victim, yet again, became the “villain” in the eyes of the looney leftist mobs and pro Islamist Hamas supporters around the world who go about screaming “Free, free Palestine” in opposition to Israel’s self-defense in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 massacres by Hamas. As long as Israel has the audacity to fight for its survival, and win, the global Intifada will not rest in its sloganeering against Israel and Jews in general, such as “From the river to the sea” and “genocide in Gaza”. With demonstrations against Israel where the ubiquitous Palestinian flag always dominates regardless of the country they live in.

Now, reports coming out of Iran say that anywhere from 2,000 to 20,000 Iranian demonstrators have been killed by the Ayatollah regime in just a few weeks of anti-government demonstrations. The Iranian demonstrators are unarmed but determined to make their voices heard while the Iranian government and its security forces have resorted to the maximum use of live firepower to quell the uprising. Nobody even knows the exact number of Iranian citizens executed by the oppressive Islamic fundamentalist regime because the protests are constant and so is the rising death toll of shot and dead protesters.

There are no mass protests in the Western capitals and cities of Western Europe and the United States and Canada against the mass killings of its own citizens by the Iranian Mullah regime. All seems eerily quiet on this front in London, Paris, New York while the media is reporting the events in Iran in very measured tones unlike the panicked type of reporting when Israel was battling Hamas militias inside Gaza to kill the heartless killers and to find and liberate the missing dead and alive Israeli hostages.

The hypocritical silence of all the leftist pro Hamas agitators is deafening. It would seem to be that this is in fact a conspiracy of silence, a kind of unspoken pact that leftists and Muslims living in Western countries not to criticize fellow Muslims even if they are at the point of massacring their own citizens.

In America the leftist loonies have taken to protesting the capture of Venezuela’s former dictator Maduro and falsely claiming that Trump has brought the United States to be “at war” with Venezuela when it is just not so. The recent US attack on Venezuela to extract Maduro lasted a few hours and there was no ground invasion. Now in addition the lefties are mourning the death of a woman, who has a “wife”, who was shot by a US ICE agent in Minneapolis when she deliberately inserted herself and her vehicle into the midst of a law enforcement operation obstructing the work of ICE agents on the street that resulted in ICE opening fire on her and her vehicle.

Maduro and Minneapolis are used as useful idiot canon fodder and decoys to distract the leftist radicals and the left-leaning media while no one speaks up for the hundreds of thousands of living Iranian demonstrators and the mounting death toll as they face execution on the streets. In America all sorts of leftist and radical Islamic agitators enjoy the freedom of expression and of the press and religion and all the protections and privileges of established freedom and democracy. While in the Islamic Republic of Iran no such protections and privileges exist for its citizens.

While blood is flowing in the streets of Iran’s cities and towns as those pleading for freedom and democracy are crushed and trampled underfoot, in Western countries all is quiet on the streets as the leftist lunatics and Islamic jihadists are pretending as if nothing is happening and show zero sympathy and compassion for the Iranian people fighting for basic liberties and finally rejecting the yoke of the murderous Iranian Islamic tyranny!

---

Rabbi Yitschak Rudomin is an alumnus of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and of Teachers College-Columbia University, and heads the Jewish Professionals Institute dedicated to Jewish Adult Education and Outreach – Kiruv Rechokim.

• First Published on Israel National News

The post Op-Ed: The missing cry not heard around the world – Free, free Iran appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Florida — Over 1,200 guests gathered at the magnificent Diplomat Hotel for CHAZAQ’s historic Gala Dinner, an unforgettable evening dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity and education for the next generation. The ballroom was transformed into a breathtaking setting of elegant floral arrangements, glowing candlelight, and dramatic spotlighting, creating an atmosphere of warmth, dignity, and celebration.

The program opened with stirring musical performances by renowned artist Gad Elbaz, beginning with soulful melodies and rising into lively, uplifting songs that set the tone for a night of inspiration. A powerful video presentation followed, showcasing CHAZAQ’s life-changing work across dozens of communities, touching the lives of public-school Jewish children in over 25 locations.

Introductory remarks were delivered by distinguished philanthropist Mr. Harry Adjimi, followed by an address from Rabbi David Ozeirey of the Yad Yosef Center in Brooklyn, who spoke passionately about CHAZAQ’s transformative mission across the United States. CHAZAQ Director Rabbi Ilan Meirov then presented compelling data and personal stories reflecting the organization’s remarkable impact and rapid growth.

The evening continued with the honoring of exceptional supporters who have served as ambassadors of CHAZAQ’s mission:
• Mr. and Mrs. Kobi Karp
• Mr. and Mrs. Rafael Ilishayev
• Mr. and Mrs. Shalom Zirkiev
• Mr. and Mrs. Michael Farah

Each honoree was recognized for their unwavering dedication to Jewish continuity and for championing CHAZAQ’s life-changing work.

A special tribute was presented to NBA legend Mr. Amar’e Stoudemire, whose extraordinary personal journey captivated the audience. A video chronicled his rise from humble beginnings to NBA stardom, his spiritual awakening while playing for the New York Knicks, and his years of Torah study in Jerusalem. Today, he proudly serves as an ambassador of CHAZAQ’s mission, inspiring thousands with his story of transformation.

The highlight of the evening was the arrival of the Chief Rabbi of Israel, the Rishon LeTzion HaRav David Yosef, whose presence elevated the event to historic significance. The entire ballroom rose in a standing ovation as the Chief Rabbi entered, accompanied by security, in a powerful display of honor and respect.

In his address, the Chief Rabbi spoke of his close involvement with CHAZAQ over the past decade and his admiration for its extraordinary growth under the leadership of Rabbi Ilan Meirov. He urged attendees to join CHAZAQ and assume leadership roles in their communities to ensure that every Jewish child receives a strong and proud Jewish education.

Guests enjoyed a luxurious gourmet dinner, surrounded by an atmosphere of unity and purpose, as Jews of all backgrounds came together in support of a shared mission.

A particularly moving element of the evening was the extraordinary gathering of rabbinic leadership who came to show support for CHAZAQ’s mission. Over fifty rabbanim joined this special event, including the Chief Rabbi of the Bukharian Community, HaRav Yitzchak Yisraeli, and HaRav Yosef Galamidi of the Safra Synagogue. Also in attendance were Rabbi Moshe Matz, Rabbi Abraham Dadoun, Rabbi Duvi Katz, Rabbi Ronen Abitbul, Rabbi Yaakov Blejer, Rabbi Shai Amar, Rabbi Chaim Frankel, Rabbi Yair Massri, and many other respected rabbinic and community leaders — a powerful display of unity behind the cause of Jewish education and continuity.

“The purpose of this event in Florida is to enable CHAZAQ to gradually expand into new communities,” said Rabbi Yaniv Meirov. “Florida has a rapidly growing population of Jewish families — many from Israel — who lack access to Jewish education. Together with local rabbanim and community leaders, and with Hashem’s help, we aim to spark a major revolution in Jewish life throughout the state.”

The evening concluded with inspiration, gratitude, and renewed commitment — a powerful testament to CHAZAQ’s mission:

Born in Queens. Inspiring the Globe.

https://frumnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/WhatsApp-Video-2026-01-13-at-8.13.35-PM.mp4

The post CHAZAQ Hosts Landmark Gala in Florida — A Night of Inspiration, Unity, and Jewish Pride appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By FrumNews.com

Williamsburg — With Pesach several months away, Matzah is on everyone’s mind — if you run a Matzah bakery, that is — especially as tariffs on it were recently waived.

For the past several years, FrumNews has reported extensively that New York City was adding a rule that effectively “banned” New York’s Matzah bakeries, forcing them to acquire expensive new equipment to continue operating. (While this law was intended to go after NYC Pizza shops, Matzah bakeries have been collateral damage.)

Now, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) did a small reversal after a year-long battle and a public hearing in December, allowing a Matzah bakery to continue using its wood oven for Matzah.

The Matzah bakery that received a waiver is the famous Kehilath Yakov Pupa & Zehlem Matza Bakery in Williamsburg, famous for its high-quality, handmade shmurah matzah. The bakery argued that based on emission tests, “the facility meets the required emission standard and the requirement to install an emission control device is an unnecessary hardship.”

• File Photo: Oded Kaizerman/FrocksInStock.com

According to documents reviewed by FrumNews.com, the bakery obtained the waiver from the DEP because it proved it wouldn’t “harm the environment.”

“[The] DEP reviewed the testimony and comments, only one of which was in opposition. DEP also reviewed the application, lab report and cook stove registration, which are attached to this determination,” the DEP said in its approval letter to the bakery. “Your variance application or testimony stated that a small amount of firewood is used when baking matzoh to maintain a religious custom. The application also demonstrates from the lab results that even without an emission control device, this establishment’s emissions do not exceed the 10 ug/m3 upper limit for particulate matter.”

The waiver is also a narrow 100-day window, allowing each oven to use 32 logs over 8 hours per day.

In NY’s Pizza scene, one pizza shop, Don Giovanni, also submitted an application to use coal- or wood-burning stoves at its two shops, which is under review. It that “This cooking method is essential to our business and creates a product that cannot be replicated with gas, electric, or wood-fired alternatives,” Giovanni’s argues in its application. “Our three-decade track record demonstrates that anthracite ovens can operate safely and cleanly. This method is integral to our authentic Italian pizza preparation and the distinct flavor profile our customers expect.”

The key difference is that for Matzah, it’s a Halachic issue, whereas for pizza shops, it’s a matter of preference and cost.

For example, a Brooklyn Matzah bakery would have to incur significant expenses to comply with these new regulations, thereby significantly raising the cost of our locally produced Matzah and pushing customers to non-New York City Matzah bakeries, which can better compete with lower costs.

(These disastrous regulations have had one casualty since they went into effect: the revered Boro Park Matzah bakery, which tragically went up in flames last month. The Fire was at least in part due to the new gas unit installed — that was installed due to the new regulation — which apparently blew up inside the bakery, according to a mashgiach who spoke to Anash.org.)

Last year, FrumNews.com reported that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s office was aware of the oven ban and was considering all legal options against the state of New York to save the Matzah bakeries.

It’s clear now that Matzah bakeries didn’t see that federal relief on the horizon and took this seriously, and are seeking waivers from the city — such as the one we see here.

Some argued for this bill on environmental grounds, including one opinion piece on FrumNews, “this regulation is to save our lungs from further damage,” the author wrote. “The air quality of these levels is harming our quality of life. It is up to us to change that narrative and save ourselves from further damage.”

However, what changed was that the Pupa-Zehlem Matzah Bakery proved to the DEP that their ovens aren’t causing the emissions the city claimed they did.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Matzah Bakery Scores Win As NYC Reverses Course On Oven Ban appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Lakewood, NJ — Legislation reforming New Jersey’s nonpublic school auxiliary services funding program, known as Chapter 192/193, was signed into law by former Governor Phil Murphy as one of his final actions in office.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Avi Schnall, updates and streamlines the way Chapter 192/193 funds are allocated to nonpublic schools, ensuring that existing state dollars are fully utilized to provide compensatory and remedial education services to eligible students—without increasing overall state spending.

Chapter 192 funding was established to support nonpublic school students who require additional educational services. However, the allocation system has long relied on outdated enrollment data, creating significant inefficiencies. In fast-growing communities, this lag has resulted in underfunding, while in other areas it has led to unused allocations that must be returned to the state.

For Fiscal Year 2024 (SY23-24), unused allocations that had to be returned to the state totaled $15,841,336. Lakewood’s portion of that figure was $6,635,333 – more than 40 percent of the total.

Under the new law, funding will be based on current student data and on the actual services delivered by schools, rather than projections. The legislation also requires the Commissioner of Education to ensure that all allocated funds are used within the school year, with adjustments made to maximize per-student services. These changes are intended to increase instructional time, reduce class sizes, and improve program effectiveness, all within existing budgetary constraints.

“This legislation reflects years of collaboration and careful work to fix a system that was not serving students as intended,” Schnall said. “I am grateful to Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, and especially to Rabbi Shlomo Schorr, for their leadership and persistence in helping move this bill across the finish line.”

The reforms take effect beginning with the upcoming school year and are expected to significantly improve the delivery of auxiliary services to nonpublic school students across New Jersey.

The post Assemblyman Schnall’s Legislation Fixing Funding for Nonpublic School Services Becomes Law appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By FrumNews.com 

Pennsylvania’s Jewish Governor, Josh Shapiro, who was a frontrunner to be the running mate for Kamala Harris, was apparently asked, “Have you ever been an agent of the Israeli government?” — along with other related inquiries as he was being vetted to be the Vice Presidential pick for the 2024 Democratic ticket, a role that went to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. 

The question allegedly came from President Joe Biden’s former White House counsel, Dana Remus, who was a key member of Harris’s VP search team, according to Shapiro’s upcoming book.

Shapiro says he took umbrage at the question. Shapiro wrote, “Had I been a double agent for Israel? Was she kidding? I told her how offensive the question was.”

“These sessions were completely professional and businesslike,” Mr. Shapiro asserts, according to The New York Times. “But I just had a knot in my stomach through all of it.”

He was pressed on other questions about Israel, according to the Times. “I wondered whether these questions were being posed to just me — the only Jewish guy in the running — or if everyone who had not held a federal office was being grilled about Israel in the same way.”

The Atlantic reported that the interaction became even more tense, he writes, when Remus asked whether Shapiro had ever spoken with an undercover Israeli agent. The questions left Governor Shapiro feeling uneasy about the prospect of being Harris’s VP pick. 

After Harris and Walz lost to Donald Trump, numerous Democrats were critical of her decision to skip over Shapiro, the popular governor of the nation’s largest — and most crucial — swing state. 

In the forthcoming book, Shapiro says that the decision may not have been fully hers; he says he had “a knot in my stomach” throughout a vetting process that was more combative than he had expected. Shapiro wrote that he decided to withdraw his name from consideration after a one-on-one meeting with Harris that featured more clashes, including over Israel.

At the time, the Harris campaign called the claim that Governor Shapiro wasn’t picked because he was Jewish, or because of Israel, “absurd” and “absolutely ridiculous and offensive,” according to The Forward.

Now, as the political fortunes of Tim Waltz have ended (after a number of scandals), and Shapiro looks forward to a 2028 run for President — even as the Democratic Party becomes more socialist and anti-Semitic — a bit ironic. 

Aaron Keyak, Biden’s former Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism in the U.S. Department of State, slammed the former Harris campaign and the Democratic Party’s vetting system, over the line of questioning — calling it “an antisemitic inquiry,” and that “now and especially during the next Presidential campaign, we must demand better.”

“The minimum demand of Jews in the United States and our allies—even those in public service—is to simply be treated like any other American, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or race. That Governor Josh Shapiro wrote that he was asked if he was a double agent of the world’s only Jewish state is an antisemitic inquiry,” Aaron Keyak said in a statement. “While we can safely assume that asking all potential Vice Presidential picks if they are an Israeli double agent is not included on the standard list, the obvious question is why it was Governor Shapiro who was targeted by the staff of the presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee, Kamala Harris, in particular.”

“The truth is, we almost certainly know why,” Keyak added. “Unfortunately, this is not the first time the U.S. government or a presidential campaign has applied a double standard to American Jews during the vetting process for a wide range of officials. I have heard from too many [people] being asked similar questions over many years and I can speak from personal experience. During my vetting process, I faced questions in a classified setting that my fellow non-Jewish political appointees did not. These sort of antisemitic questions are anti-American and do not represent the best that the Democratic Party offers. Now and especially during the next Presidential campaign, we must demand better.”

The post “Are You An Israeli Agent?” – Governor Josh Shapiro Claims Harris Campaign Grilled Him Over Israel  appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

by Rafael Medoff

You wouldn’t think Vladimir Putin, the BBC, and the National Education Association have much in common. But in recent weeks, they have demonstrated that they share a peculiar understanding of the Holocaust—one which omits the Jews.

Putin last week announced the establishment of a “Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Soviet People” by the Nazis during World War II. The actual victims of that genocide, Europe’s Jews, were not mentioned in Putin’s description of what the Nazis did.

Not that this is anything new for the Soviet dictator. Back in 2005, Putin spoke at the site of the Auschwitz death camp about Soviet soldiers who died while liberating Poland from the Nazis, and about other Russians who were killed in World War II. But no mention of the Jews.

Coincidentally, the BBC last week aired a television program about the Kindertransport, which brought 10,000 children from Nazi territory to Great Britain in 1938-1939.

Somehow the writers and producers forgot to mention that nearly all the children were Jewish, and were fleeing antisemitic persecution. According to the London Jewish Chronicle, actress Helen Mirren, who appeared in the program, did mention the word “Jew”—but it was edited out.

Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic, the National Education Association—the largest union of public educators—has been circulating a similarly revised version of the Holocaust.

The NEA’s annual handbook contains a description of the Holocaust as having claimed the lives of “more than 12 million victims of different faiths, ethnicities, races, political beliefs, genders, and gender identification, abilities/disabilities, and other targeted characteristics.”

The “12 million” figure was calculated by combining the fatality numbers among various people who suffered in the war, but who were not targeted by the Nazis for mass annihilation. And, incredibly, the NEA did not even mention the actual victims of the genocide, the Jews.

All of this is painfully reminiscent of the way in which President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration omitted Jews from their references to the Holocaust—even as the mass murder was still raging.

The Roosevelt administration’s statement announcing a conference in Bermuda in 1943 to discuss the Jewish refugee crisis emphasized: “The refugee problem should not be considered as being confined to persons of any particular race or faith.”

Senior American, British, and Soviet officials met in Moscow later that year to discuss the war effort. Afterwards, they issued a statement threatening postwar punishment for Nazi war crimes against “French, Dutch, Belgian or Norwegian hostages…Cretan peasants…[and] the people of Poland”—but not Jews.

President Roosevelt did not use the word “Jews” even in his 1944 statement commemorating the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto revolt—a revolt by the Jews against the Nazis.

In early 1944, officials of the U.S. War Refugee Board prepared a draft of a statement that they wanted the president to send to the people of Axis-occupied countries, warning them not to collaborate in atrocities against Jews. But White House aides informed the Board that President Roosevelt “wanted the statement rewritten so as to be aimed less directly at the atrocities against the Jews.”

The final version deleted a reference to Jews being murdered “solely because they were Jews.” It also removed three of the statement’s six references to Jews. And it added three introductory paragraphs naming various other nationalities who were suffering because of the war.

In September of that year, the War Refugee Board ran into a similar problem with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe.

The Board drafted a leaflet which it wanted U.S. planes to drop over Europe, warning civilians to refrain from participating in Nazi atrocities against Jews. But Eisenhower insisted on deleting the leaflet’s reference to Jews. The final version urged readers not to “molest, harm or persecute” any of the “great many men” who were being held by the German authorities, “no matter what their religion or nationality may be.”

Arthur Szyk, the famous artist and Jewish activist, charged that the persecution of Europe’s Jews was being “treated as a pornographical subject—you cannot discuss it in polite society.”

There was a reason behind the Roosevelt administration’s policy of downplaying or denying the Jewish identity of Hitler’s victims. FDR and his advisers were concerned that if they publicly recognized that the Jews were being singled out, then “the various [Allied] Governments would expose themselves to increased pressure from all sides to do something more specific in order to aid these people,” as one State Department official explained in an internal discussion.

Obviously the motives of today’s Holocaust-revisers are different from those of the Roosevelt White House. But whether today’s distorters are motivated by callousness, political convenience, or simply ignorance, the result is the same—the Jews are still regarded as unmentionable.

---

Dr. Medoff is founding director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and author of more than 20 books about Jewish history and the Holocaust. Follow him on Facebook to read his daily commentaries on the news.

• Originally published in the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles – Jan. 14, 2026

The post Op-ed by Rafael Medoff: The Holocaust, Without Jews appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By Moshe Phillips

Bangladeshi officials issued statements on Jan. 10 saying that their military should be deployed as part of the planned “International Stabilization Force” in the Gaza Strip. They also claimed that their national security adviser, Khalilur Rahman, also an economist and a former U.N. official, met with members of the Trump administration in Washington and discussed the idea. News reports indicated that the U.S. State Department had no immediate comment on the Bangladeshi claims.

This is very disturbing, as Bangladesh is completely unfit to be involved in any way with future peacekeeping forces in Gaza.

The success of any future “International Stabilization Force” in the Palestinian enclave hinges on one principle: genuine neutrality. Without it, no peacekeeping mission can function. That is why the deployment of Bangladeshi soldiers to the Strip as part of a future force should be a non-starter for U.S. diplomats and mediators.

It is time for the American government to realize that nations with a documented history of hostility toward Israel cannot credibly serve as neutral peacekeepers. Bangladesh does not recognize Israel; officially prohibits trade with Israel; bars its citizens from traveling there; and consistently sides with Israel’s enemies at the United Nations and at other international bodies. It has also persecuted its own citizens who have shown interest in a rapprochement with Israel. These are far from insignificant positions; they are core elements of Bangladeshi state policy toward Israel.

Also troubling is that in 2024, Bangladesh rescinded a ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami Party, which has been linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood rejects Israel’s existence and seeks the destruction of the Jewish state.

In January 2024, Bangladesh accused Israel of violating the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. That fact alone should rule out Bangladesh from having any role in Gaza.

This libel against Israel was included in a U.N-published 10-page official “Written Statement” from Bangladesh that is little more than a tirade against Israel.

In this “Statement,” Bangladesh places no responsibility on the Palestinian Authority for violence in Judea and Samaria. The P.A. has never fulfilled its obligations under the Oslo Accords, which include fighting terrorism and halting Palestinian incitement. Responsible nations that claim to care about negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs cannot be taken seriously if they ignore P.A. incitement and support for terrorism.

Bangladesh’s 2024 anti-Israel “statement” was outrageous not only for what it omitted, but for how it excused the P.A.’s intransigence by arguing that “the Palestinian people must not be compelled to negotiate.”

This Bangladeshi “Written Statement” also charges Israel with “illegal” acts 23 separate times. Also in the “Statement,” Bangladesh denies Israel’s rights to Jerusalem’s Old City. The statement asserts that Israel is “occupying” what it refers to as “East Jerusalem,” meaning the heart of Jerusalem: the walled Old City where the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, are located; the area where, after the 1948-49 war, Jordan destroyed 58 synagogues and desecrated thousands of Jewish gravestones in the Mount of Olives cemetery; and the section of the city where Jordan enforced real-life apartheid by barring Jews from entry for 19 years.

Another highly disturbing part of the 2024 “Written Statement” is Bangladesh’s support for the International Court of Justice’s opinion against Israel’s anti-terror barrier (the so-called “Wall”). Opposing this barrier effectively denies Israel’s right to defend its civilians from terrorism. Given Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, can one imagine what that day of horrors may have looked like if the anti-terror self-defense barrier had not been in place?

This “Written Statement” and Bangladesh’s other official policies make the idea of its participation in an effective peacekeeping role simply absurd. Peacekeepers must be trusted by all sides if they are to function effectively. Given Bangladesh’s record, Israel cannot reasonably be expected to view Bangladeshi soldiers as neutral actors. Nor should the United States do so.

Washington, therefore, faces a clear responsibility. If the United States wants a credible, functional and genuinely stabilizing international mission in Gaza, then it must make clear that no force involving Bangladesh will receive American diplomatic, financial or military support. A peacekeeping unit cannot include a nation that refuses to maintain any relations with Israel.

---

Moshe Phillips is national chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel (www.AFSI.org), a leading pro-Israel advocacy and education organization.

The post Op-ed: No Postwar Role for Bangladesh in Gaza appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By FrumNews.com

Far Rockaway, NY — Pesach Osina, a longtime frum political staffer and former New York City Council candidate, announced he will seek the seat vacated by Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer-Amato, who represents the Jewish community of Far Rockaway, this coming November. 

“In these roles, I wasn’t focused on titles—I was focused on people. I listened, I educated, I advocated, and I helped residents navigate government so they could get real, meaningful results,” Pesach Osina said. “With so much uncertainty, we need elected leaders who understand how to make government work for working people. That’s what I’ve done my whole career, and that’s how I’ll deliver for our communities as our next Assemblymember.” 

Pheffer-Amato, the incumbent, swiftly announced her strong endorsement of Osina, saying he “will be a commonsense legislator in Albany by supporting our first responders and law enforcement, fighting to make our neighborhoods more affordable, and standing up for our community.” 

“I’m proud to endorse my good friend Pesach Osina for NYS Assembly. I’ve worked hand in hand with Pesach over the last decade and know he will show up and deliver for our community,” said Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato. “Pesach will be a commonsense legislator in Albany by supporting our first responders and law enforcement, fighting to make our neighborhoods more affordable, and standing up for our community. In challenging times like these, we need a leader who knows how to cut through the noise and focus on what’s really important. That’s Pesach Osina and that’s why I’m strongly endorsing him for NYS Assembly.”

“I am running to serve as the next Assemblymember for the 23rd District—not for a title, but to serve, to lead with humility,” Pesach Osina said. “Our communities need a leader who understands the issues on the ground, and can build coalitions across neighborhoods. In a divided city, I will be that bridge – bringing resources, attention, and action to every corner of the district—so that all communities are seen, supported, and able to thrive.”

In a statement, the Osina campaign emphasized his experience as the case of Pesach Osina, saying he “has the experience to lead on day one”, and that for the past two decades “he has been responsive, accessible and has held numerous roles in government, including this Assembly District,” as well as the New York City Comptroller’s office and for the past four years with the New York City Council Speaker’s office. 

The campaign also focused on his work during Superstorm Sandy, “Osina worked alongside community leaders and local stakeholders to prepare neighborhoods across the district. As the storm hit, he stayed through the night coordinating with local organizations to reach stranded families. In the months that followed, he traveled throughout the district—helping establish relief sites, working side by side with stakeholders, to ensure that no community, no family, and no individual was forgotten.”

In November, FrumNews reported that Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer-Amato announced she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2026, after 10 years in the job.

In both 2022 and 2024, she narrowly beat GOP candidate Thomas Sullivan for the seat, which was widely reported by FrumNews. In 2024, she won by less than 2000 votes, and in 2022, she won by just 15 votes.

Sullivan confirmed to The Wave, a local news organization, that he will run again in 2026.

The post Pesach Osina Enters Race For Far Rockaway’s State Assembly Seat appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By FrumNews.com

Yerushalayim — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it eliminated Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, a terror leader affiliated with the terror organization, Al-Qaeda, who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for an ambush, which killed two U.S. service members and an American interpreter in December.

According to Central Command, Al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected with the ISIS gunman, who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked the death of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you.”

• German Soldiers load into an LMTV for transportation to the Schützenschnur qualification at Beneswala Range on Oct. 31, 2025. The movement supported seamless integration for partnered forces participating in the joint marksmanship event. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Doniel Kennedy.)

Central Command said it launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack. The operation, dubbed Hawkeye Strike, resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.

Additionally, U.S. and partner forces have captured more than 300 ISIS operatives and killed over 20 across Syria during the past year, removing terrorists who posed a direct threat to the United States and regional security, Central Command said.

According to Fox News, Tom Barrack, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria, met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (who was also heavily affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the past), Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and members of their team in Damascus on January 10 to discuss recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s so-called “historic transition.”

The post “We Will Find You” – U.S. Strike Eliminates ISIS-Linked Terrorist Who Killed 3 Americans in Syria appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

The Montreal community warmly hosted the National Bnos Agudas Yisroel Leaders Convention, an extraordinary gathering that left a lasting impact on nearly 500 young leaders who traveled from 20 different cities across the globe, including Miami, Los Angeles, and Lakewood. Despite the freezing winter temperatures outside, the atmosphere inside was electric. This year’s event shattered expectations, hitting capacity before the early bird deadline and leaving a significant waiting list.

The convention serves a vital mission: providing Bnos leaders a unique platform to gather with peers from across the globe to realize they are not just leaders in their own cities, but part of a larger, unified movement. By bringing the leaders together, the convention offers a space to network, gain chizuk, and acquire practical tips to bring back to their local branches. The theme, “From Roots to Fruits: Rooted and Responsible,” focused on the importance of strengthening one’s personal spiritual foundations to create a lasting impact on others.

In signature Bnos style, the program offered a perfect mix of practical training and spiritual recharging. The attendees participated in targeted workshops focusing on essential leadership skills and the art of storytelling, complemented by a Game Expo. The sessions were balanced by insights from esteemed speakers. Rabbi Yisroel Besser spoke on the power of Tefillah, while Mrs. M. Paneth discussed the essence of Achrayus. The leaders also engaged in a live “Ask the Menahel” session with Rabbi Menachem M. Karmel and received inspiration from Rabbi Kirzner, Rav of Agudas Yisroel of Montreal.

Beyond the formal sessions, the convention fostered a sense of community through unforgettable shared experiences. The girls enjoyed a Friday bowling trip and a live Cantata presentation, followed by a beautiful Kumzitz and an energetic “Theme Dance.” This combination of tochen and ruach ensured that every participant felt both professionally equipped and spiritually uplifted.

The influence of the convention has already caught the attention of educators and school administrators. One school principal noted that this is the only convention for which she grants her students two full days off, as they return “truly charged and full of substance”. Another school was so moved by the impact on its students that they held an entire assembly dedicated to the convention’s lessons. As one advisor remarked, the inspiration and networking carry the leaders long after the weekend concludes.

“The girls see that they’re part of a bigger picture,” says Mrs. Chana Baila Hass, National Director of Bnos Agudas Yisroel. “They go back home with renewed purpose and enthusiasm”. The effects of the event are set to reverberate for months, with many cities already planning local “mini-conventions” to share the “Bnos Energy” with those who were unable to attend. Bnos Agudas Yisroel extends its heartfelt thanks to the Montreal coordinators, Mrs. Chaya Huttman and Mrs. Chaya Gestetner, for making this “magical” event possible.

To learn more about leadership opportunities or to bring Bnos to your city, please contact [email protected]

The post Rooted and Responsible: National Bnos Agudas Yisroel Leadership Convention Inspires Hundreds in Montreal appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Yerushalayim  — ZAKA Search & Rescue volunteers are entering 2026 with a renewed focus on training and preparedness, conducting intensive disaster exercises alongside the IDF Home Front Command. The drills test volunteers’ skills in search and rescue, casualty extraction, operation of specialized equipment, and multi-agency coordination under pressure, preparing responders for both the rescue of the living and the dignified recovery of the deceased.

“Training is the foundation of everything we do,” said ZAKA CEO Dubi Weissenstern. “Our volunteers must be ready not only to save lives but also to honor those who have passed. Every exercise ensures we respond with professionalism, precision, and compassion, giving families a measure of closure in their darkest moments.”

ZAKA’s dual mission is central to its training philosophy. Volunteers practice rapid response to emergencies, from car accidents to collapsed buildings to mass-casualty events, while also emphasizing _Kavod Hameis,_ the dignified handling of human remains in accordance with Jewish faith and tradition. These exercises ensure that victims are treated with respect, and that families can trust their loved ones are cared for when they cannot be present.

“What we do in drills translates directly to how we respond to real-life emergencies,” said ZAKA Vice President of Operations Chaim Weingarten. “Working alongside the IDF Home Front Command allows our volunteers to integrate and operate seamlessly alongside Israel’s emergency services, ensuring that both lives and the dignity of the deceased are protected when every second matters.”

Beyond its drills for volunteers in Israel, ZAKA is expanding its awareness and training programs for U.S. law enforcement leaders. It continues to offer its _Kavod Hameis Awareness Seminar_ nationwide and, in early 2026, will host a more intensive program in Israel for senior law enforcement officials, homicide investigators, and medical examiners. These courses help U.S. agencies understand the religious and cultural needs of the Jewish community in fatal incidents while integrating these considerations into investigative practices.

“By sharing our expertise with U.S. agencies, we help investigators across the United States to better understand the unique customs surrounding Jewish fatalities,” said ZAKA U.S. Executive Director Moshe Rozenberg. “We showcase how Israel has integrated these customs into its emergency and investigative practices and discuss what can be adapted in their own jurisdictions.”

“Every drill, every training session, every partnership matters,” Weissenstern added. “We are investing in preparedness today so that when disaster strikes tomorrow, our volunteers and partners are ready to save lives and honor those who have passed.”

The post ZAKA Invests In Training & Preparedness to Strengthen Rescue & Recovery Ops In Israel & Abroad appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Washington, DC — In response to recent hate crimes and attacks, a new proposal would create a multi-million-dollar federal grant program to help protect shuls – lehavdil other houses of worship – and at-risk religious institutions from attacks.

The new proposal is contained in the recently released Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026. It will designate “not less than $5 million” of the grant funds provided to state and local police by the U.S. Department of Justice to be awarded to local law enforcement agencies that provide more protection to at-risk religious institutions.

The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center (OUA), the public policy arm of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, praised the proposed grant program, which it helped introduce.

“Jewish communities have been forced to pay what amounts to an ‘antisemitism tax’ to fund private security guards because local law enforcement does not have the resources to meet the rise in antisemitic threats,” OUA Executive Director Nathan Diament said. “This new program will start to alleviate that burden at a crucial moment when antisemitic crimes have skyrocketed.”

OUA worked closely with key congressional allies to introduce and include this new line item in the face of the recent increase in violent hate crimes. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, and Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, spearheaded this effort.

“We thank Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) for spearheading this effort and taking the Jewish community’s concerns to heart.”

“Last year, I attended the funeral for a young Kansas woman, Sarah Milgrim, who was killed in a targeted, antisemitic attack,” said Senator Moran. “In the months since then, the Jewish community has been rocked by numerous attacks that have prompted increased police presence at synagogues and houses of worship across the country. The freedom to worship is one of the most fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. While it is disheartening that places of worship and faith-based organizations are coming under attack, we have a responsibility to protect these institutions and in doing so, protect the rights of Americans of all faiths.”

“In recent years, there has been a significant rise in attacks on houses of worship of Americans of many faiths, including the Jewish community,” said Congresswoman Meng. “As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, public safety is a top priority for me. That’s why I was proud to work across the aisle to secure millions in federal funds to make it easier for houses of worship to hire security personnel. This bipartisan win will help stop incidents before they occur and builds on existing programs that help at-risk institutions enhance their physical security. I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect Americans of all faith communities.”

In the coming weeks, the House of Representatives will vote on the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Act, part of the minibus released Monday, as Congress seeks to pass 2026 funding bills before the end of the month.

The post Proposed Multi-Million Federal Grant to Help Protect Shuls From Hate Crimes appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Lakewood, NJ — The room was filled with energy, gratitude, and appreciation as Shomrim hosted its Member Appreciation Event on Tuesday night, honoring the volunteers and partners who stand on the front lines of community safety every day. Community leaders, law enforcement officials, public servants, and families gathered for a powerful celebration of service, sacrifice, and unity.

With nearly 100 highly trained volunteers, Shomrim has become a driving force in public safety across greater Lakewood. From overnight patrols while the community sleeps, to rapid emergency response, to securing massive events with tens of thousands in attendance, Shomrim’s presence is constant, professional, and trusted. Its specialized divisions—ranging from dispatch, first responders, aviation and drone units, search and rescue, surveillance, traffic and event coordination, crime prevention, and violence intervention—operate with one shared mission: keeping the town safe.

What made the evening especially meaningful was the overwhelming show of respect from law enforcement at every level. Shomrim leadership opened the program by recognizing the volunteers and the families who support them. Rabbi Hillel Eisenberg spoke passionately about the responsibility and merit of serving others. Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer delivered a heartfelt message praising Shomrim’s professionalism and reliability, citing countless joint efforts that have prevented crime, led to arrests, and strengthened public trust.

That message was echoed by Commissioner Sam Ellenbogen, Mayor Ray Coles, Lt. Colonel Sean Kilcommons of the New Jersey State Police, Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronordy, and Chief Casey Long of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, each emphasizing how extraordinary it is to have a 24-hour volunteer organization of this caliber and how vital Shomrim’s partnership has become to modern public safety.

The night balanced emotion with celebration. Laughter filled the room during a stand-up performance by comedian Ami Kozak, while appreciation awards were presented to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, and Lakewood Police Department. A powerful video recap highlighted Shomrim’s 2025 operations, including security for major regional events, expanded drone and surveillance capabilities, and the quiet vigilance of members who patrol nightly and respond instantly when needed.

In a forward-looking announcement, Shomrim unveiled a new advanced internal operations app designed to dramatically improve dispatch, response time, data security, and coordination, with public features expected to roll out soon.

As the evening came to a close, one message was unmistakable: Shomrim is more than an organization—it is a partnership, a commitment, and a promise. A promise that Lakewood’s safety is guarded every hour of every day, by those who show up, step forward, and serve.

The post Around-the-Clock Heroes: Lakewood Shomrim Celebrates Volunteers and Partners appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Lakewood, NJ — On the final day of voting in the New Jersey Legislature’s current two-year session, Assemblyman Avi Schnall successfully secured $750,000 in critical state funding for two vital organizations serving Lakewood and surrounding communities.

The supplemental funding bill approved by the Legislature includes $500,000 for Tomchei Shabbos of Lakewood and $250,000 for Bridges.

Tomchei Shabbos has been a cornerstone of the community since 1986, providing basic kosher food provisions to thousands of families experiencing economic distress. The organization is widely respected for delivering assistance with discretion and sensitivity, ensuring that individuals and families receive essential support while preserving their dignity.

“Tomchei Shabbos exists to ensure that the basic food needs of every family in our community are met,” said Rabbi Yossi Schreiber, Executive Director of Tomchei Shabbos. “This funding will allow us to continue and strengthen our mission of helping families with care, compassion, and dignity. We are deeply grateful to Assemblyman Schnall for securing this critical support and for recognizing the essential role Tomchei Shabbos plays in caring for those in need.”

The legislation also allocates $250,000 to Bridges, an organization dedicated to supporting families in crisis by providing respite care, host homes, and comprehensive case management. Bridges offers children nurturing environments after school, on weekends, or for longer-term placements when needed, while simultaneously connecting families with therapeutic and practical resources to help them stabilize and thrive.

“I see firsthand how much the right support at the right time can change things for a family,” said Mrs. Rechy Zolty, Founder and Executive Director of Bridges. “Bridges works closely with children and parents during crises, helping bring stability and direction when it’s needed most. This funding allows us to reach more families and do that work thoughtfully and responsibly. We are incredibly grateful to Assemblyman Avi Schnall for his commitment to children and families and for making this support possible.”

Assemblyman Schnall said securing the funding on the final day of the current legislative session was especially meaningful.

“When I joined the Assembly at the beginning of this session, my goal was simple: to help our district on the state level in real, tangible ways,” Schnall said. “In addition to the accomplishments we have – b’siyata d’shmaya – been able to deliver so far, capping off this legislative session by securing additional funding for two such vital organizations is especially fitting. I am deeply grateful that we were able to deliver these resources, and I look forward to continuing this work and accomplishing even more in the next legislative session.”

The post Assemblyman Schnall Secures $750,000 in Funding for Tomchei Shabbos and Bridges on Final Day of Legislative Session appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By Shmuel Sackett שמואל סקט

October 7, 2023, will be remembered as the day that changed Israel forever. From the first news report and right up to this very moment, world Jewry “stepped up to the plate” and shared a tremendous burden with fellow Yidden in Eretz Yisroel. From unprecedented donations of money and supplies, to helping fight evil on social media, Jews – in every part of the world – assisted in countless ways… and we sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It is now time for us to return the favor.

My dear brothers and sisters across the globe; it has become crystal clear that – despite the difficulties and challenges – there is no better place for a Yid to live other than in Eretz Yisrael. Yes, it’s dangerous at times, but having the knowledge that we don’t need to run to the goyim to protect us… is priceless and special. After escaping and fleeing for 2,000 years, from one country to the next, and literally being defenseless… our future, protection and revenge are – Finally! – solely dependent on our unique partnership between HaShem and our own, Jewish army. No longer must we cower in the Shtetels or send a delegation to the Czar to save us. This time, we call on our own brave men and women and arm them with everything they need to fight like Shimon and Levi. Simultaneously, as they courageously fight the enemy, we pierce the Heavens with our Torah, our Tefillos, Gemillas Chasadim and our tears.

Yes, it’s true that things are a bit scary and often frightening… but we do our best to focus on the privilege and opportunity that HaShem has given us to take our place in Jewish history alongside the great Jewish warriors such as Pinchas, Dovid Hamelech, Yiftach, and Yehuda the Maccabee. How unfortunate that Jews outside the Land of Israel – even in 2025 – still run to the nations of the world to plead for help. We have all seen the speeches in the United Nations and the testimony of students begging for help fighting anti-Semitism. How happy we are when the Mayor of NYC promises to protect us or when a university professor stands up to condemn hatred on campus!

Happy when that happens? Satisfied when an email is sent to students urging tolerance of Jews? Comfortable with off-duty cops patrolling your shul on Shabbos protecting your kids? I have the complete opposite reaction. All of these examples – plus many more – prove that the shtetlach mentality still exists. It shows that despite all of our advances, we still need the goyim to protect us. This is the main difference with life in Eretz Yisroel, where it’s our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts… plus our own fathers and mothers fighting, battling and defending Jewish lives and property. In Israel, we don’t turn to the Eric Adams, Kathy Hochul‘s, Phil Murphy‘s or Gavin Newsom‘s for help. We don’t pay off duty Tony and Vinny to protect our shul and we certainly don’t run to Washington to beg Senators and Congressmen to watch over us.

Yidden of the velt; read my words carefully, not because I am anyone special, but because I say what others are afraid to: Your future is in Eretz Yisroel but until that B’ezrat Hashem happens, make sure you put yourselves in charge of your own security! Every neighborhood, every community needs to have patrols and every shul and Yeshiva needs to be carefully watched by. Those that can apply for a concealed carry firearms permit, should!

Jewish eyes. Should an anti-Semite threaten a Yid in any way – whether in Walmart, the pizza store or on campus – that Jew-hater must be taught a lesson with the Jewish fist, not the Jewish head. We don’t condemn acts of anti-Semitism… we crush the anti-Semites the way Moshe did to the Egyptians. A dear friend of mine told me that last Shabbat, a group of 20 pro-Hamas demonstrators stood outside one of the biggest shuls in London with signs – in Arabic – that said, “Kill the Jews”. My response to him was very clear. Find 30 tough Jews to make sure those protestors can’t walk for 6 months because if not, the 20 protestors will turn into 100 rock-throwing rioters. Now is the time to act!

I cannot emphasize this point enough. Anti-Semitism is growing at an alarming rate and until your Nefesh b’Nefesh aliyah flight touches down in Israel, you must be vigilant in securing all Jewish sites. This means patrols which may affect your work schedule but needs to be done immediately. If you think this is too difficult, here’s a word that will change your mind: Hatzola. The amazing volunteers of this incredible organization worked night and day – including Shabbat and Yom Tov – and have successfully changed our minds in cases of a medical emergency. In Frum communities served by Hatzola, who still calls 911? Answer – Nobody!! That is the mindset what I’m talking about when it comes to securing our neighborhoods.

I am not advocating that there should be no need for Law Enforcement, but when the police are only “just 2 minutes away” and the threat and attack is now… Let Jews defend Jewish homes, businesses, shuls and yeshivas, let Jews teach the haters that we are the descendants of Shimshon, Yoav and the Purim hero; Mordechai where it says; “For the fear of Jews had fallen upon them” (Megillat Esther)

***

Shmuel Sackett is the founder and director of the Am Yisrael Chai Foundation and the popular Yerushalayim Dream Raffle

The post Op-Ed: Jews Outside Israel – Protect Yourselves appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Sydney, Australia — Nearly one month after the deadly attack at Bondi Beach in Australia, CyberWell said online reactions to the attack followed a familiar global pattern. These included the glorification of violence, calls for further attacks against Jews, victim-blaming claims that Jews orchestrated the incident and conspiracy theories portraying it as a Jewish or Israeli “false flag” operation.

As part of its initial review, CyberWell, a nonprofit Trusted Partner of Meta, TikTok and YouTube to address online anti-Semitism, analyzed a sample of 164 pieces of content, which together generated more than 8.1 million views and over 255,000 interactions, including likes, shares and comments. The organization said the sample represents only a partial snapshot of the broader online conversation but mirrors patterns it has documented and previously flagged to platforms, following other antisemitic attacks since Oct. 7, including synagogue arsons in Australia, organized violence in Europe and terrorist attacks and physical assaults in the United States.

CyberWell said that in those cases, online spaces often became arenas where violence was justified, normalized, or redirected toward victims through conspiracy narratives, including claims that Jews orchestrated attacks against themselves.

“We are deeply concerned by the nature and volume of this content. This discourse attempts to quickly erase any acknowledgement of Jews as victims of violence. This type of online antisemitism in the wake of the horrific Bondi Beach terror attack, like other targeted attacks, has one dehumanizing message: that Jews are not worthy of empathy, protection, or sympathy. This purposeful dehumanization and open calls to additional violence we observed in our analysis lay the groundwork for the next attack,” said CyberWell Founder & CEO Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor.

Many posts, the organization said, celebrated the deaths of Jewish victims, praised the attacker, and framed the violence as justified because of the victims’ Jewish identity.

In one example, a post written in Arabic compared the Bondi Beach attack to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, in which 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer were killed, praising those who murder Jews “generation after generation.”

The group also identified several conspiracy narratives shifting blame from the perpetrator to the victims, including false claims of Israeli military or intelligence involvement, assertions of Israeli “foreknowledge” based on misleading or fabricated Google Trends screenshots and posts claiming that victims’ injuries were staged or exaggerated. CyberWell also found a screenshot of a fake Facebook account under the name ‘David Cohen’ circulating across all major platforms with the image of one of terrorists on it. This was used to support the wild conspiracy claiming that the terrorist was a former IDF soldier.

“When violence against Jews is justified or reframed through conspiracy narratives meant to shift the blame from perpetrators to victims, the harm does not end with the physical attack,” said Cohen Montemayor. “This discourse strips victims of empathy and accountability and helps normalize further violence against a minority group that is viciously under attack.”

CyberWell also noted a shift in how such content spreads online. Rather than being driven mainly by algorithms or bots, much of the amplification after last month’s attack came from real users, in some cases boosted by influencers and recommendation systems that reward sensational or extreme material.

“Post-attack glorification of violence and conspiracy-driven victim blaming are indicators of broader societal risk, including erosion of trust, social cohesion, and the breakdown of perceived truth,” Cohen Montemayor added. “Social media platforms should be leveraging community standards, Trust & Safety mechanisms, and the generative AI to account and mitigate the risks around these conspiracy theories that perpetuate more violence.”

The post Online Reaction to Bondi Beach Attack Glorified Terrorists & Called for Further Violence against Jews appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Submitted to the FrumNews inbox

It began with the change of music. Soon, the benchers and washing station were tucked away, hidden in hard-to-see places. Ask the waiter if the bread is Hamotzi or Mezonos and you are met with a blank stare and a mumbled “I’ll check with the manager”. Of course, the manager was none the wiser as they only learned of Kosher and Pas Yisroel the other day. The change crept up on us slowly but soon completely altered the Kosher dining experience.

As Frum Yidden, we still only eat at restaurants with the best Hechsherim in the world, which employ professional Mashgichim who observe the gleaming kitchens and confirm that every lettuce leaf was carefully checked. Our meat comes from the shochtim who are Yirei Shamayim with the strictest chumros. Our bread are baked with Yoshon wheat and the tape on our delivery bags with the Hashgocha symbol on it is the strongest yet. Everything is very Kosher, but hardly Jewish.

Eating out in luxury has its place and is perfectly compatible with our frum life. It is just important to remember that we are eating out as frum yidden. There is something that makes our kosher restaurants different from the treif’e steakhouse down the street. The big sign with many signatures denoting the top-notch hashgacha alongside the A+ health rating sign, along with many awards and positive reviews, only tells a small part of the story. Is this a Jewish restaurant? Will this be a Jewish environment where the things necessary for a frum Jew to enjoy their meal come as easily and naturally as the waiter refilling the glass of water?

For hundreds of years, the marketplaces and Kretchme’s in the Shtetlach of Europe and Russia, the bustling Mellah’s were run by bubby’s, zaidy’s, and innkeepers who all wore their Yiddishkeit on their sleeve. You could not walk into their shop without immediately being enveloped in a world that screamed unapologetically we are Torah Yidden.

This is something that has significantly changed in the past years. That feeling when you walk into a restaurant and you know immediately that you are in a Jewish space is slowly disappearing. No matter how up-scale or exclusive a restaurant, there used to always be the tell-tale signs that you were in a place made for frum Yidden. Now, however, it seems that feeling is slipping away. It is often unintentional on the owner’s part. They are running a high-stakes, stressful business and barely have enough time to walk inside their actual store to see what it looks like as a visitor. They are overworked and can barely concentrate on the bills stacking up and their payroll, let alone check if their waiters are knowledgeable in the specific details and Halachos of frum life.

One way to mitigate this is hiring frum managers. This has the advantage of firstly giving a frum Yid a good parnasah, and secondly having someone on-site who is intimately familiar with the needs of frum Yidden and our unique sensitivities. They are constantly aware of the ambiance of the restaurant and can take steps to make it a more comfortable experience for frum clientele. They will be aware when the playlist plays music that does not belong and can step in when matters need the attention of someone who knows the neighborhood well.

We have also all heard of far too many stories in recent years where, despite restaurants having frum owners, non-kosher food was still brought in and served to unwitting customers. This has led to deep mistrust on the customers’ part that even a store with a good hashgacha can’t prevent such things from happening when all the backroom staff will never be able to really understand why this matter is so important to us. Having a full-time frum store manager, at the bare minimum, will provide an extra set of eyes on the process. Hiring someone well-regarded will give regular customers confidence again that kashrus is something this kosher restaurant takes seriously.

There are only benefits to such an arrangement and providing community members with good paying jobs whilst also raising the standards of our restaurants kashrus is a win win for all.

*

The views expressed here 100% reflect the views of FrumNews Otherwise, we would not have published this opinion piece.

The post Op-Ed: I Ate In a Kosher Restaurant, But Is It a ‘Jewish’ Establishment? appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By Moshe Phillips

When Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, tweeted on Dec. 9 that America “is in ongoing discussions with Turkey regarding their desire to rejoin the F-35 program,” it should have sent chills through any American who cares about the future of the Middle East. An F-35 stealth fighter jet taking off from Turkey could reach Israeli airspace in about 15 minutes. Cyprus is even closer, and Turkey doesn’t even recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

The reaction to Barrack’s statement was both swift and intense—and that should come as no surprise.

At a summit in Jerusalem on Dec. 22, Greece, Cyprus and Israel adopted a strident tone and agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation in the Mediterranean. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides signed a joint declaration to advance an energy deal and pledged to “reinforce our ongoing trilateral cooperation on security, defense and military matters.”

Clearly addressing Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during a joint press conference, Netanyahu stated: “To those who fantasize they can re-establish their empires and their dominion over our lands, I say: Forget it. It’s not going to happen. Don’t even think about it.”

Erdoğan responded by sharply criticizing Israel and Cyprus. “We will not permit the violation of the rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots,” he said. About Israel, he said: “Turkey … will not back down, we will not stay silent, we will not forget; we will never leave Gaza alone.”

It is also worthwhile to consider who might come after Erdoğan.

• President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey arriving at a NATO summit in 2018

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is often mentioned as a possible successor and has repeatedly condemned Israeli actions. On Nov. 30, while in Iran, he described Israel as “the biggest threat to stability in the Middle East,” even as he touted expanded Turkish cooperation with Iran on energy, trade, border security and regional security matters.

In August, Fidan said that “Israel’s reckless attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iran are the clearest sign of a terrorist state mentality defying international order,” and accused Israel of “committing genocide in Gaza for the past two years, ignoring basic humanitarian values right before the world’s eyes.”

While Turkey presents itself as a U.S. ally and a NATO member with regional influence, this nominal status cannot override its extensive ties to Hamas. These ties raise serious questions about whether Turkey should be a recipient of advanced American F-35 fighter jets, especially when Fidan’s frequent anti-Israel rhetoric is taken into account.

For years, Turkey has described Hamas as a “liberation movement” and has not formally designated it as a terrorist organization. Hamas has used Turkish territory as a base for coordination, recruitment and financial operations linked to terrorism. U.S. and allied security services have repeatedly warned about networks tied to Hamas activities on Turkish soil.

Since at least 2023, senior Hamas leaders have had connections with Turkey. Ismail Haniyeh, the former head of Hamas’s political bureau, was killed in Tehran in July 2024, and Turkey publicly mourned his death.

Turkey’s ruling party, the AKP, and Hamas share ideological roots in the broader Muslim Brotherhood movement. Erdoğan has been a vocal critic of Israel’s response to the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and has used his international platform to offer political support to Hamas. And he has consistently rejected characterizing Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Washington must reconsider selling advanced weapons to authoritarian rulers in the Middle East. History shows how quickly allies can turn into adversaries.

Selling cutting-edge weapons like the F-35 to autocratic governments is a national security risk. Congress must act quickly to place strict limits on these sales. Greece, Cyprus and Israel are depending on America to do the right thing.

Moshe Phillips is national chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel (www.AFSI.org), a leading pro-Israel advocacy and education organization.

The post Op-Ed: Washington should hold off on selling F-35s to Turkey appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

by Rafael Medoff

It’s not against the law to paint an antisemitic mural.

But that doesn’t mean that a museum is required to display it—especially when that museum is funded by taxpayers.

The museum in question is the History Colorado Center, a state institution, which commissioned a local artist named Madalyn Drewno to paint a portrait of Denver’s Vietnamese immigrant community.

Drewno decided, instead, to paint a mural showcasing anti-Israel and anti-Jewish themes, with a few Vietnamese-Americans thrown in. The history center objected, and now Drewno and the American Civil Liberties Union are accusing the museum of suppressing her right to free artistic expression.

Several scenes in the mural indulge in Holocaust-inversion, by falsely accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza. One charges U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Col.) with “funding genocide,” because he supports enabling Israel to defend itself against the mass murderers and gang-rapists of Hamas.

It should be noted that comparing Israeli actions to those of the Nazis—which is what the genocide slur means—is antisemitic, according to the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which the Obama administration began using more than fifteen years ago.

Several of Drewno’s images depict Jewish money controlling American politicians, which is one of the oldest antisemitic canards in the book.

In one, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Col.) has dollar signs instead of eyes. In case anybody misses her meaning, Drewno helpfully explained to the New York Times this week that she was referring to Hickenlooper receiving donations from “pro-Israel lobbyists.”

The mural also has an image of a protester holding a sign that reads, “Congress is Not For Sale,” calling to mind the infamous claim by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) that her colleagues support Israel because they are bribed by the Jews. “It’s all about the Benjamins,” Omar declared.

There are quite a few scenes involving protesters in Drewno’s mural. Some show them waving the official flag of the PLO, a longtime symbol of the campaign to destroy Israel and replace it with “Palestine.” No fewer than thirteen PLO flags appear in the painting.

The most ironic aspect of the mural is its image of someone holding a sign that reads “Sudan Stands with Palestine.” The Biden administration labeled the ongoing slaughter in Sudan as “genocide” because “Arab militias” there “have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence.” That sounds a lot like October 7.

In Sudan, Arabs are massacring non-Arabs. In southern Israel two years ago, Arabs massacred 1,200 non-Arabs. That’s why both the Arab militias of Sudan and Hamas are guilty of genocide.

Thus the sign Drewno painted should say “Sudan Stands with Israel,” alluding to the natural kinship of victims of genocide.

Instead, in her mural, perpetrators of genocide in effect “stand” with other perpetrators of genocide, and Drewno cheers them on. The slogan “Sudan Stands with Palestine” will be remembered for its painful, unintended irony.

In its reporting this week on the Drewno controversy, the New York Times noted that the Colorado town of Vail last year canceled the artist residency of Danielle SeeWalker because, as the Times put it, she “posted a piece on social media that reflects her views on the war in Gaza.”

The problem was not that Vail objected to artists expressing their “views” on Gaza. The problem was that the piece in question promoted the same Holocaust-inverting lie as Drewno’s mural—that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

SeeWalker titled her painting “G is for Genocide,” and wrote this accompanying text: “Some days I have overwhelming grief & guilt for walking around privileged while people in Gaza are suffering.” Instead of expressing her grief by, say, donating her salary to Gazans, SeeWalker opted to invert the Holocaust and sue Vail when it objected.

The town of Vail decided to settle SeeWalker’s suit out of court. It remains to be seen whether Drewno will sue the History Colorado Center.

It’s difficult to imagine that Drewno has any legal grounds to force the taxpayer-funded history center to display her antisemitic mural. But leaving legal technicalities aside, let’s consider the moral angle.

What if the History Colorado Center commissioned an artist to create a mural about the state’s African-American community, and the artist produced a painting that justified lynching and apartheid, and glorified white supremacists marching through black neighborhoods waving racist flags?

Would that qualify as artistic free expression that the public must support and display? Would civil libertarians leap to the artist’s defense? Or would the bigoted mural be shunned?

In the United States, racist and antisemitic artists are free to paint whatever they choose. But that does not mean the public must embrace or fund them.

---

Dr. Medoff is founding director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and author of more than 20 books about Jewish history and the Holocaust. His latest is The Road to October 7: Hamas, the Holocaust, and the Eternal War Against the Jews, published by the Jewish Publication Society & University of Nebraska Press.

• Originally published in the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles – Dec. 19, 2025

The post Op-ed by Rafael Medoff: Art in the Service of Antisemitism appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Earlier this week, Governor Hochul announced she would sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act, which would legalize physician-assisted suicide in New York.

Agudath Israel expresses its profound disappointment at Hochul’s announcement. “For over a decade, Agudath Israel has been a leader in opposing physician-assisted suicide. That opposition remains today. We have had dozens of meetings with legislators, presented public testimony, made personal pleas to the governor, and circulated many action alerts, which generated thousands of emails and phone calls. Our longtime opposition, and that of our coalition partners, has surely deferred this day. This law reflects, sadly, societal shifts on the value of life.”

This past July, in a letter to the governor, Aguda wrote that the legislation would represent a paradigm shift in how New York treats life and its most vulnerable citizens. It raises a host of deep moral, medical and religious concerns.

“While we appreciate the proposed amendments to the new bill that would add additional safeguards against abuse of the newly created right to assisted suicide (in addition to the two clauses added last year a) to allow medical practitioners to decline participation without fear of sanctions, and b) to prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for end of life treatment), our opposition to the bill remains steadfast,” Aguda wrote in a statement.

“Physician-assisted suicide crosses a moral line that has long been sacrosanct. It no longer is. This is a dark day.”

The post “A Dark Day” – Hochul To Sign Bill Legalizing Physician-assisted Suicide in NY appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

A great night at the White House Chanukah party with the best President ever @realDonaldTrump @howardlutnick @AAGDhillon pic.twitter.com/R6NG5iNFhO

— Sheya Landa (@LandaSheya) December 17, 2025

The post Picture of the Day appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Lakewood, NJ — Assemblyman Avi Schnall is co-sponsoring new legislation that would fix one of the biggest problems in New Jersey’s school funding system: how the state pays for special education.

According to Schnall’s office, under the current system, the state funds special education by assuming that 16 percent of students in any district need special education services. But in Lakewood – the 30th District’s largest municipality – the public school census lists only about 5,000 students, even though the town is home to more than 60,000 school-aged children. Thousands of these children receive special education services funded by the public school system while attending specialized nonpublic programs such as the School for Children with Hidden Intelligence (SCHI) and the Special Children’s Center. Because the formula only counts public school enrollment, these students were left out completely.

“For years, school districts across New Jersey have been shortchanged by a formula that never reflected reality,” Schnall says. “Districts with large and diverse student populations were hit especially hard. In the 30th Legislative District, no community has felt this more acutely than Lakewood. The result has been devastating underfunding year after year.”

The effects became clear last year when Governor Murphy temporarily fixed the formula and counted Lakewood’s full student population. That adjustment resulted in an additional $10 million for the district.

“That wasn’t a bonus,” Schnall says. “That was a restoration of what our students should have been receiving all along. It demonstrated how urgently this fix is needed.”

The new legislation, introduced in the Senate by Senator Vin Gopal and in the Assembly by Assemblywomen Margie Donlon, Luanne M. Peterpaul, and Verlina Jackson-Reynolds, would make this correction permanent. Rather than relying on the limited public school census, the state would fund special education based on real enrollment numbers.

“By funding based on real school counts, we ensure that districts are no longer penalized simply because their public school census fails to capture the full scope of their student populations,” Schnall said after signing on as a co-sponsor of the bill.

Beyond fixing the formula, the bill also increases transparency by requiring clear public explanations of how state aid is calculated. It strengthens the Educational Adequacy Report process, which guides school funding statewide, and creates a Special Education Funding Review Task Force to recommend future improvements.

Assemblyman Schnall expressed his appreciation for the bipartisan coalition behind the effort. “I thank Senator Gopal for his leadership, and I am grateful to my Assembly colleagues for championing this legislation. Our students, families, and educators deserve nothing less than a funding system that is accurate, fair, and sustainable.”

The post Assemblyman Schnall Co-Sponsors Legislation to Fix New Jersey’s Broken Special Education Funding Formula appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

From “Hidden Lights: Chanukah and the Jewish/Greek Conflict” (David Dov Publications, 2005, pp. 41-3) by Rabbi Pinchas Stolper (1931–2022) based on a lecture by Rav Yitzchok Hutner (1906–1980) in 1978.

Presented by Rabbi Yitschak Rudomin

“What is the significance of the eventual Jewish Maccabean victory over Greece? The Ancient Greeks under Alexander the Great (356 BCE–323 BCE) had conquered Judea about 2,300 years ago and prided themselves in their great Greek philosophy. Ancient Greek wisdom tore chunks from the Torah as it has been doing throughout the ages. The essential Chanukah miracle, greater even than the miracle of the Temple Menorah or the miracle of ‘the weak and the few who overcame the strong and the many’ (i.e. the eventual military victory of the Maccabees against the Greeks) was the initiation of a new era of Torah learning and transmission. The rekindling of the Temple Menorah on Chanukah represents this new era of Torah transmission. The Temple Menorah was located in the southern side of the Temple. For this reason the Talmudic Sages teach: ‘He who wishes to pursue wisdom should face south’ (Baba Basra 25b); i.e. the acquisition of Torah wisdom is symbolized by the Menorah itself.

We have already mentioned (in previous lectures) that the Chanukah menorah is an extension of the Temple Menorah. As we light the menorah on Chanukah, we say, ‘These lights are holy, it is forbidden to make use of them; we are only permitted to gaze on them.’ The rule that ‘it is forbidden to use the Chanukah lights’, says the RAN (Rabbi Nissim of Gerona, 1290–1376), derives from the laws governing the Temple Menorah. The Temple Menorah was the flame of Klal Yisrael — the Jewish collective. On Chanukah, we place the Temple Menorah in the home of each and every Jew to mark the transition from collective Torah to the Torah of the individual.

The Beis Hamikdash (Jewish Temple in Jerusalem) is a sacred precinct. Reshus G’vohah (‘higher domain’), sanctified and elevated territory, while the outside world is secular territory. While it is true that all of ‘the earth is the Lord’s,’ Jewish Law defines the world as secular territory. Even if on some level everything in the world is sanctified and belongs to G-d, Halachically (according to Jewish Law) only the Holy Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is sacred territory.

On Chanukah, when we install the flame of the Temple Menorah in each Jew’s home, each Jewish home becomes sacred territory. G-d said to a dejected Aaron the High Priest (Moses’ brother), ‘Your portion is greater than theirs’ (i.e. greater than the other heads of the Tribes of Israel) because your Menorah will glow forever!

When we say in the Chanukah prayers: ‘You created a great and holy Name in Your world,’ means that G-d’s Name is holy not only in the Temple, but also in the home of each Jew. This is accomplished through the annual re-enactment of the Chanukah miracle. The Temple Menorah has now become the menorah of each individual Jew. As each Jew installs the sacred menorah in his home, its light spreads from there to the world.

The phrase in the Chanukah prayers: ‘You have made for Yourself a great and Holy Name in Your World’ refers to the task of each Jew and every Jewish home to serve as an instrument for generating and disseminating sanctity. The collective Torah of Klal Yisrael is now the Torah of the individual through the instrumentality of the Chanukah Menorah.

From the time of the confrontation with Ancient Greece over 2,300 years ago, until the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem by Ancient Rome about 2,000 years ago, the Jewish People underwent a major transformation. Until this period inspiration came from the Jewish Biblical Prophets, from the multifaceted Jewish Temple, and from the presence of G-d as a readily apparent force. The Jews were inspired by external experiences. Beginning with Chanukah and the confrontation with Ancient Greece, motivation had to come from within each individual Jewish person.

So long as the Jewish Biblical Prophets proclaimed the Divine message of G-d, so long as the Jewish Temple stood, these institutions carried the Jewish People. They were the source of instruction, inspiration and motivation. The Anshei Knesses Hagedolah (‘Men of the Great Assembly’ that lived about 2,500 years ago) and the Sanhedrin (the highest Jewish Court that coexisted with the Jewish Temples at the time the Jewish Temples stood) defined the Jewish People. Then (after the decline and destruction of the Jewish Temples) a new era dawned. The Temple Menorah, so to speak, was ‘installed’ in each Jewish home (in miniature) in the form of the Chanukah menorahs. From then on and into the future until the present, Torah tradition had to be borne aloft by inspired Jewish individuals.

This is how Jewry prepared for 2,000 years of exile following the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Each Jewish home was transformed into a (‘miniature’) Jewish Temple; like the ancient Maccabees individual Jews demonstrated martyrdom and heroism throughout the ages. Holiness could no longer be obtained from the Jewish Biblical Prophets and the fallen Jewish Temples, now it had to glow from within each individual Jew and each Jewish home wherever they may exist and be found. Simultaneously on the other hand, the Jewish People had also become equipped with the wherewithal to provide that glow of the Chanukah lights that represented the glow of Torah.”

---

• This article was first published in Israel National News

The post Chanukah: Rav Yitzchok Hutner on the significance of the Maccabees’ victory over the Greeks appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Join us for an uplifting Shabbos experience in the Poconos, featuring world-renowned speaker Rabbi Shais Taub. This exclusive weekend, taking place January 30 – February 1 (12–14 Shevat) at the Bushkill Inn, offers a unique blend of spiritual inspiration, relaxation, and family-friendly programming.

Guests will enjoy inspiring sessions with Rabbi Taub, Motzei Shabbos entertainment with Dr. Schnitzel, and a gourmet culinary experience throughout Shabbos.

The weekend also includes access to an indoor heated pool, elegant ballrooms, comfortable hotel rooms, a 24-hour tea room, and a Musical Kumzitz. Only 55 rooms will be sold creating a intimate warm atmosphere. Babysitting and day camp services are available, making it ideal for families with children.

Whether you’re seeking a meaningful weekend getaway or looking to recharge, this Shabbaton will be spiritually enriching and deeply refreshing. For more information or to reserve your room, email [email protected] or call 201-298-3299.

And when Shabbos ends, the fun continues! Hit the slopes for snow tubing and skiing, and catch the amazing Midwinter Concertfeaturing Benny Friedman, Avraham Fried, and Moshe Tischler — get concert details at MidwinterConcert.com

The post Shabbos in the Poconos: A Serene, Inspiring Winter Retreat appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Last Tuesday afternoon marked the first day of operations at Masbia’s newest food pantry, located in the yard of Congregation Shearith Israel, the historic Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue on the Upper West Side. The pantry served local families through both pickup appointments via the Plentiful app and home deliveries through DoorDash.

“While most of the equipment needed for full operation is still on its way, we were committed to beginning service before Hanukkah, just as we announced,” said Alexander Rapaport, Executive Director of the Masbia Soup Kitchen Network.

Masbia was invited by America’s oldest Jewish congregation, founded in 1654, to open this new annex as part of Shearith Israel’s celebration of America turning 250 years old. The partnership emphasizes sharing with others and strengthening community ties through acts of giving.

In preparation for the opening, Masbia contacted rabbis across Manhattan to identify families in need of Kosher food assistance and created a delivery list to reach them directly. The pantry is also open to the general public through Plentiful, where pickup appointments become available 24 hours in advance. For those without the app, appointments can be made by texting FOOD to 726879, where an automated chatbot assists with scheduling.

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce\_SELRES\_start"></span>

On its first day, the new annex served about a dozen families in person and sent out nearly three dozen home deliveries. Masbia expects these numbers to increase significantly as more people become aware of the new resource.

One of those showing up, at the beginning, was an elderly woman who arrived with her service dog. She told the Masbia staff that she was blind and needed help identifying each of the nearly 50 items we were giving out that day. The staff went through them one by one, slowly, patiently, and she chose what she felt she could manage to carry home in her knapsack. She made careful decisions as every item mattered. Even the 3-pound bag of onions, she asked to open so she could take only a few. But when she heard there was a pack of chicken, her face lit up. That was the item she was most excited to bring home.

Later, back at the office, staff looked up her name in Plentiful, and called the number on her profile. She was asked whether she might prefer DoorDash home delivery, part of Masbia’s partnership to help clients who cannot easily carry food back themselves. She was overjoyed. On the phone, she shared her full name with us for the first time and confirmed her address. From now on, she will receive deliveries directly to her home, without having to choose between the food offered and what she can physically carry.

To support Masbia’s efforts or learn more, please visit www.masbia.org

• Masbia relief food distribution at Congregation Shearith Israel The Spanish and Portuguese synagogue, Manhattan NY Photo by Stefano Giovannini

The post Masbia Opens New Annex on the Upper West Side at Congregation Shearith Israel appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Tax credits for K-12 scholarships are one step closer to implementation.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced they are seeking feedback on key issues related to the new federal scholarship tax credit (FSTC).

Starting in 2027, the FSTC allows individual taxpayers to contribute to a nonprofit scholarship granting organization (SGO) and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit worth up to $1700. The SGO then pools the funds and distributes scholarships to eligible students for a wide range of K-12 educational expenses including private school tuition However, in order for SGOs to be approved, the state in which they are located must opt in to the tax credit and include them on a list sent to Treasury.

The administration’s first official memo on the FSTC included some encouraging hints about where they may end up on key issues, such as the role of governors in approving scholarship organizations. Agudah helped draft a coalition letter to the Treasury earlier this year with initial comments and will be following up with additional recommendations. Agudah will also be providing guidance to other stakeholders who want to submit comments to Treasury before the December 26th deadline.

Agudath Israel of America celebrated the announcement.

“We thank Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Assistant Secretary Ken Kies for sharing our sense of urgency in prioritizing this tax credit in rule-making,” said Rabbi A. D. Motzen, Agudath Israel of America’s national director of government affairs. “This game-changing legislation has the potential to generate billions of dollars to enhance the education of children in all 50 states and we look forward to working with Treasury and other stakeholders to get it right.”

The post Nationwide K-12 Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Inches Forward appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

UPDATE Dec. 10: Frumnews.com has learned that NYC inspectors have continued to crack down on fining Grocery stores in Crown Heights and other neighborhoods.

---

UPDATE Nov. 23: Frumnews.com has learned learned that other stores have been targeted in Crown Heights.

---

Original post Nov 20:

By FrumNews.com

Brooklyn, NY — New York City officials are fining Grocery stores in Boro Park and Crown Heights for distributing plastic bags, a regulation the city imposed a while back, but never enforced.

Earlier this week, BoroPark24 reported that inspectors issued separate fines for each cash register, resulting in significant penalties for some Kosher grocery stores in Boro Park.

For now, the stores absorbed the cost, but the burden is already being felt. “This is a new reality,” a grocer told BP24. “We received many fines at once, and we simply cannot keep absorbing these costs.”

FrumNews was informed that a Crown Heights Kosher store, The Market Place, informed customers that they would not be supplying grocery bags at the register.

According to the law, businesses are required to collect a non-taxable 5-cent fee from customers on paper carryout bags, with some exceptions. You can avoid paying the paper bag fee by bringing your own reusable bags to stores. Stores are required to allow the use of reusable shopping bags.

***

• Photo: David Katash/frocksinstock

Over the decade that liberals tried to shoehorn this “tax” on New Yorkers, frum legislators—Simcha Felder, Chaim Deutsch, Kalman Yeger, and Simcha Eichenstein—rallied against the law, which hurts the frum community. Even after it passed, Felder pushed a bill that would reverse the tax.

“I am completely opposed to the legislation…requiring retail and grocery stores to charge at least 10 cents for paper and plastic bags at retail and grocery stores,” then-State Senator Simcha Felder said in 2013. “New Yorkers cannot afford the basics, and now the City Council is essentially telling the average New Yorker who’s in trouble, ‘not only are you suffering, but we’re really going to stomp on your head by charging you 10 cents extra per bag.’ This is nothing more than a tax and an attempt to make money. People are already overtaxed and overburdened…It was a tax five years ago, and it’s still a tax today.”

Perhaps because of the heavy backlash by the frum legislators and their community, officials never really enforced the law on Kosher supermarkets, but now that’s changing.

One askan told FrumNews, “Now the officials are going specifically to the so-called ‘Hasidic’ community, because according to officials, they are separate from the wider Jewish community and they can easily target them, just like during COVID.”

“Kosher food is expensive enough, so why is the city making it even more expensive and unmanageable?” a Crown Heights resident told FrumNews. “Here in Brooklyn, where more people shop without a car, this law just makes life harder.”

***

Kosher grocers are urging residents to bring reusable bags to avoid extra charges and help stores stay compliant. “Reuse your bags so you won’t get charged all the time,” a grocer told BP24—hoping that cooperation from the community would ease the burden of the new regulations.

The post NYC Cracks Down: Kosher Groceries Hit With Wave of Bag Fines (Updated) appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Cedarhurst, NY — Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced his bid for New York governor, taking on Rep. Elise Stefanik for the GOP nomination, and potentially Democratic incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul.

For weeks, speculation over whether Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a longtime friend of President Trump, would take the fight to Stefanik was brewing. He is a known commodity in Downstate New York as a firebrand Republican in an overall Democratic part of the City. In the November election, Blakeman got 56% of the vote in Nassau County—more than the barely 50% Mamdani got in all of New York City.

In interviews following the announcement, Blakeman said he would be using his track record in Nassau County as a model for how he would handle crime and rising costs.

“New York is desperate for change, for new leadership that will put New Yorkers first,” said a narrator in Blakeman’s two-minute ad announcing his candidacy. “For too long, Albany has been controlled by one party, the Democrats. We need a strong Republican, one who will take the fight to Hochul and her liberal policies that are causing taxes, utility bills and crime to soar.”

In October, Stefanik launched her campaign with a post on social media, calling Hochul—who endorsed Zohran Mamdani against her former boss Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race—“the worst governor in America,” a line Republicans have been calling her for months.

For Blakeman, it will be an uphill battle with Stefanik, who, as previously reported by FrumNews.com, secured support from many Republicans, including Congressman Mike Lawler and 58 County GOP Chairs representing over 75% of the New York Republican Party’s weighted vote in her campaign for Governor.

In the 2022 gubernatorial election, GOP nominee Lee Zeldin (who is now Trump’s EPA head) ran up the numbers against Hochul, losing by just 6%. In 2024, Trump improved his vote share from 38% in 2020 to 43%. Now with Mamdani coming onto the stage—and with Hochul’s low polling numbers—Stefanik and New York Republicans are hoping the political winds will change over the next 11 months against New York Democrats.

The post It’s Official: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman Enters New York’s Governor Race appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Netanyahu addressed his request for a pardon from President Isaac Herzog during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is on a visit to Israel, vowing that he would “not retire from politics in exchange for a pardon.”

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a formal request for a pardon from Israeli President Isaac Herzog, saying it would free him to “tackle national security without trial distractions.” 

• President Donald J. Trump

The request comes after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened in a letter to President Herzog, requesting a pardon for the Prime Minister, labeling the corruption charges against Netanyahu as a political attack on a strong wartime leader. 

The ongoing trials since 2020 charge Netanyahu with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which the Prime Minister and his allies have called a political witch hunt.

President Herzog said he will consider Netanyahu’s pardon request after getting all the necessary legal opinions. That process could take two months.

The post Netanyahu: “I Won’t Retire From Politics In Exchange for a Pardon.” appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By FrumNews.com

Paris, France — Leila Y., a 42-year-old Algerian Muslim woman, was hired by a French Jewish family as a live-in nanny in a Paris suburb in January 2024.

But just a month later, she was accused and arrested for mixing toxic household products into the Jewish family’s food and drink, which resulted in them falling sick for over eight days, including three young children, Baruch Hashem, they survived.

The family grew suspicious of Leila, who was hired using a fake Belgian ID, after tasting drinks and dishes with strange flavors. But the investigation shifted dramatically after the family’s 5-year-old testified that she saw the nanny pour a soapy liquid into a bottle of alcohol.

They also alleged that, after Leila left the home the evening before, there was foam on a bottle of grape juice and a bleach smell coming from a bottle of wine.

During later interviews, the children also reported that the nanny “regularly asked them questions about religion,” according to the Daily Mail.

After her arrest, Leila admitted to using a soap-based lotion as “punishment” and “warning” related to salary issues.

Toxicology results showed that massive amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and chemical agents were found in the wine, whisky, fig brandy, grape juice, and pasta.

The nanny, who has been detained since February, is set to be tried at the Nanterre Criminal Court in December for “administering a harmful substance resulting in incapacity exceeding eight days, committed on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, or religion.”

The nanny didn’t even try to justify or deny her actions. On the contrary, she said blatantly, “I never should have worked for a Jew. They have money and power. This brought me only problems.”

In other words, she tried to murder them for being Jewish.

The post “Absolutely Horrifying” – Anti-Semitic Nanny On Trial For Poisoning French Jewish Family In Their Paris Home appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By FrumNews.com

Miami, FL — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis followed actions taken by President Donald Trump and fellow governor Greg Abbott of Texas, designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations.

DeSantis directed state agencies to take all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support. This designation is at the state level. It does not carry the legal force of a federal Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) listing—which only the U.S. State Department can issue.

DeSantis grounds his argument based on the actions of the Muslim Brotherhood in relation to the attacks of October 7th: “In the aftermath of the October 7 attack, Muslim Brotherhood chapters in the Middle East joined attacks against Israel with, or otherwise provided material support to, Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Palestinian groups; and organizations affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas have had active fundraising arms in the United States, which have raised funds to support Hamas’s terrorist attacks in the Middle East; and the Palestine Committee, an organization affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and created to support Hamas in the United States, expressly sought to “increase the financial and moral support for Hamas” and oversaw front organizations designed to raise money for Hamas.”

In the order, DeSantis ties CAIR to the Muslim brotherhood, “[which] was founded by persons connected to the Muslim Brotherhood and was created, in the words of persons affiliated with CAIR, as “an official U.S. cover representing the Islamic community” to conceal ties to Islamic extremist groups; and CAIR was designated as an unindicted co-conspirator by the United States Government in the largest terrorism-financing case in American history, and the court found “ample evidence to establish the association” of CAIR with terrorist organizations.”

[I]ndividuals associated with CAIR have been convicted of providing, and conspiring to provide, material support to designated terrorist organizations; and pursuant to section 943.0311, Florida Statutes, the executive director of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement serves as the Chief of Domestic Security and is responsible for coordinating ongoing assessments of the State’s vulnerability to terrorism and its ability to detect and prevent acts of terrorism within or affecting Florida.”

• File photo: Governor DeSantis signs legislation in May 2024.

Last month, President Trump designated specific chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and ordered reports on similar designations for CAIR, citing support for Hamas. Texas Governor Abbott made an identical order to DeSantis.

“For decades, the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliated branches promoted antisemitism, spread radical ideology, encouraged violence, and supported groups that target civilians and destabilize governments committed to peace. These networks drive conflict, inflame hatred toward Jews and Israel, and endanger the security interests of the United States and responsible regional partners,” Betsy Berns Korn, Chair, and William C. Daroff, CEO, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, commended Trump’s actions against the Muslim Brotherhood in a statement last month. “[Trump’s] Executive Order launches a focused review that will identify the chapters that meet the standards for designation. This step equips the United States with stronger tools to cut off financial, operational, and ideological support for extremist movements and to hold accountable the actors that fuel regional violence.”

“The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world,’” Texas Governor Abbott said last month. “The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable. Today, I designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas.”

***

If anyone still cares, CAIR said it launched a lawsuit against the orders by Trump, Abbott, and DeSantis and complained in a statement about the actions, even though they can’t deny the facts. They claim that the Florida Governor, “is an Israel First politician who wants to smear and silence Americans, [and] ‘especially’ American Muslims, critical of U.S. support for Israel’s [made up by CAIR and Al-Jazeera] war crimes.”

The post Protecting Florida: Governor Ron DeSantis Designates Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR As Foreign Terror Organizations appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By Moshe Phillips

The bureaucratic diplomats at the United Nations again demonstrated their addiction to attacking Israel’s best interests with a vote on Dec. 2 about the Golan. In a resolution sponsored by Egypt, 123 nations voted for Syrian control over the Golan Heights and for Israel to return to the June 4, 1967 lines.

The resolution received much more support than in 2024, when 97 nations voted against multiple generations of Israeli families remaining in their homes on the Golan. The resolution states that Israel’s decision in December 1981 to expand sovereignty must be rescinded.

What’s more, the U.N. General Assembly had a second vote on Dec. 5 that labeled Israeli communities on the Golan as “illegal.” A total of 146 nations voted in favor of this resolution.

Can you imagine the danger Israel would have faced last December when chaos enveloped Syria? Or if, on Oct. 7, 2023, Iranian proxy terrorists on a Syrian-controlled Golan had joined Hamas and Hezbollah, and opened up a third front against the Jewish state?

If Israel had surrendered to U.S. demands in the 1990s to give up the Golan Heights, how many Israeli lives would have been lost in the ensuing 25 years?

On March 25, 2019, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the following to U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House: “Mr. President, just as Israel stood tall in 1967, just as it stood tall in 1973, Israel stands tall today. We hold the high ground, and we shall never give it up. Mr. President, we have a saying in Israel. I’ll say it in Hebrew. It says, Ha’am im Hagolan. That means, ‘The people are with the Golan.’ But thanks to you, we now know that there are two peoples who stand with the Golan: the people of Israel and the people of America. So, on behalf of all the people of Israel: Thank you, President Trump.”

On the same day as the first U.N. vote about the Golan, Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, was speaking across town at the Israel Hayom summit in Manhattan. He stated that there is “a full-scale assault on truth, on democracy and on the safety of Jewish people everywhere.”

He could have said “everywhere at the United Nations” and been correct.

Additionally, Lauder declared that “there are Muslims and Arabs who reject terrorism, who reject extremism, who reject using Israel as an excuse for hatred. Let us build a coalition so strong, so united, so determined, that no extremist movement can fracture it.”

Lauder, who has served as president of the WJC since 2007, is demanding far too much from Israel. Israel cannot be expected to build this fantasy “coalition” while Hamas is still armed and in power in Gaza. In fact, it shouldn’t even be discussed now.

Truthfully, such ideas as this “coalition” have no place in the current Middle East era of autocracies, when there are no true democracies in the region besides Israel. The Arab world is legendary for revolutions and violent coups; it is beyond naive to suggest that Israel can risk a Palestinian state of any size just to be part of some anti-extremist “coalition” that could prove to be short-lived and extremely ineffective.

And make no mistake: A Palestinian state is the price that the Gulf sheikdoms and other authoritarian, repressive regimes that comprise the region would exact from Israel to launch this “coalition.”

In August 2025, Lauder said “the inciteful calls” from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to “ ‘bury the idea of a Palestinian state’ are wholly unbecoming of a representative of the state of Israel.”

American Jewish leaders must come to understand that, to critics of Israel, there is no difference between “settlements” in Judea and Samaria and “settlements” on the Golan. When American Jews attack the rights of Jewish families to live in Judea and Samaria, the Israelis in the Golan are put even more at risk.

Just weeks after Lauder’s broadside against Smotrich, the Hamas-led terrorist invasion of communities in southern Israel caused Israelis who were previously open to it to rethink a Palestinian state.

Perhaps the best example of this is Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who in January said to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, that “the idea of the two-state solution is something which, on record, I supported in the past, many times. But I would say that I had a wake-up call following Oct. 7, in the sense that I want to hear my neighbors say how much they object, regret, condemn and do not accept in any way the terrible tragedy of the terror attack of Oct. 7 and the fact that terror cannot be the tool to get there.”

It is long past time for American Jewish leaders to “wake up” and realize that, just as Israel’s leaders in the 1990s were right to stand with the Israeli communities in the Golan Heights, they are right today to support Israelis who wish to remain in Judea and Samaria, despite that critics such as U.N. diplomats, Zakaria and even Lauder dismiss these communities as “settlements.”

---

Moshe Phillips is national chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel (www.AFSI.org), a leading pro-Israel advocacy and education organization.

This article was first published on JNS. 

---

The views and opinions presented here belong solely to the author and do not reflect the opinions of the FrumNews editorial team. We accept no responsibility for their content. Your voice matters! Send us your opinion piece to [email protected]

The post Op-Ed: The UN War on Israel’s High Ground appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

By FrumNews.com

In a symbolic move, outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order that would prohibit the city from divesting from Israel, as the so-called “anti-Zionist” mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani steps into City Hall next month.

According to the Mayor’s office, Executive Order No. 60 prohibits mayoral agency heads, agency chief contracting officers, and any other mayoral appointees with discretion over contracting from engaging in procurement practices that discriminate against the State of Israel, Israeli citizens, or those associated with Israel.

The executive order also prohibits the chief pension administrator and mayoral trustees of the city pension system from opposing divestment from bonds and other assets that would discriminate against the State of Israel, Israeli citizens, or those associated with Israel.

Leaked memos from the New York branch of the Democratic Socialists of America reveal that they “demand” the Mamdani administration to divest from Israel.

Now, the Adams is signaling from City Hall, not so fast to the new administration, by adding roadblocks and guardrails around what NYC actually cares about. However, the incoming Mayor can always repeal any executive order.

Adams also signed Executive Order No. 61, which directs the commissioner of the NYPD, in coordination with the New York City Law Department to review the NYPD patrol guide to evaluate new proposals for regulating protest activity occurring close to houses of worship, while mulling existing federal, state, and local laws regulating protests and other existing legal constraints on policing demonstrations and large gatherings.

“New York City has always been this nation’s melting pot, but, too often, over the last few years, we’ve seen those of Jewish ancestry be singled out and targeted,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, we are ensuring our city government doesn’t participate in that type of behavior and are putting in safeguards that protect New Yorkers’ tax dollars and protect their right to practice their religion without harassment.”

“[NYC] not only has a strong bond with the State of Israel because of our commitment to protecting a Jewish homeland, but also because it has always been a sound financial investment, and our financial decisions should continue to reflect that truth,” Adams continued. “Today, we are proud to sign this executive order and affirm that our investments and contracts should be made on the basis of what is best for New York City and our economic future, and not in pursuit of discriminatory policies on the basis of politics and national origin.”

“We are proud to sign an executive order to evaluate additional ways to ensure New Yorkers’ right to peacefully and safely practice their religion at houses of worship, while protecting the First Amendment rights to protest, to which all Americans are entitled. Together, these executive orders put us on a path to addressing these complex issues without discrimination,” Adams added.

In June 2025, Mayor Adams signed a historic executive order to recognize the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The IHRA working definition identifies demonizing Israel and holding it to double standards as forms of contemporary antisemitism; these are exactly the core tactics of the BDS movement.

The post NYC Stands With Israel: Mayor Adams Signs Executive Order Restricting BDS Divestment appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

In a Presidential message, President Donald Trump marked the eighth anniversary of his December 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the relocation of the United States Embassy there, which was dedicated in May 2018.

Full presidential message:

“On December 6, 2017, during my first term in office, I proudly signed a proclamation to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to relocate the United States Embassy to that marvelous city—a transformative step forward in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. Today, 8 years later, my Administration renews its commitment to ushering in a new era of peace, prosperity, and stability in the region and all around the world.

“For centuries, Jerusalem has been a sacred city of pilgrimage and worship for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, revered for its rich history and deep biblical origins. Since the establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948, Jerusalem has served as its cultural and religious heart and the seat of its government. However, for decades, weak politicians refused to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital—despite Congress voting to support the action—because they believed that moving our embassy would harm the cause of peace in the region. Yet delaying the recognition brought us no closer to a lasting peace agreement and showed that repeating the same approach to old challenges produces only the same failed results. In recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving our embassy to that beautiful city, we acknowledged the rightful capital that stands at the heart of Israel’s traditions, government, and heritage—and now we stand on the doorstep of one of the greatest diplomatic achievements in history as a strong, durable, and everlasting peace is emerging across the Middle East.

“We further strengthened this commitment to peace during my first term by brokering the historic Abraham Accords, acknowledging Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and securing groundbreaking peace agreements between Israel and other Arab-Muslim countries.

“Ever since I returned to office as the 47th President of the United States, my Administration has built upon these unprecedented achievements by once again leading the world with courage, strength, and resolve—setting the stage for lasting peace in regions around the world marked by long-standing conflict. I am proud to have led a significant peace agreement between the State of Israel and Hamas to end more than 2 years of profound suffering and loss, secure the full liberation of all hostages, and deliver humanitarian relief to the communities affected by this deadly war. This monumental agreement is a massive leap toward an enduring peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people—one that ensures security, brings stability, and offers hope for generations to come.

“As President, I will always work tirelessly to bring peace to conflicts in every region and on every continent—and my Administration will never waver in promoting a foreign policy of peace through strength.”

The post President Donald Trump Marks Eight Years Since Recognizing Yerushalayim As Israel’s Capital appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.

Turkey’s Jewish community, which numbers approximately 15,000-20,000, has welcomed its new chief rabbi, Rabbi David Sevi, officially installing him last week in his new post in a ceremony at Istanbul’s Neve Shalom synagogue, nearly a year after the passing of his predecessor, Rabbi Ishak Haleva z”l.

Rabbi Sevi, who was born into a family with deep roots in Turkey, is the fourth Chachom Bashi (the title of the chief rabbi) since the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, and the 34th in office since the days of the Ottoman Empire.

For decades, he has worked to promote chinuch in the country, preserve the traditional and storied minhagim of the Turkish Jewish community and strengthen Yiddishkeit in the community life. He also served as Shochet and Chazzan in the community and is a member of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States.

Rabbi Sevi was elected ahead of Rosh Hashana after the city’s Jewish community held an internal election. He was chosen unanimously, with no other candidates running for the position.

“We wish the newly installed Chief Rabbi of Turkiye Hahambaşı Rav David Sevi and the entire Jewish Community much success on the occasion of this historic installation at the Neve Şalom synagogue,” the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States said on X (Twitter).

The post Historic Transition: Turkey’s Jewish Community Installs Rabbi David Sevi As Its 34th Chachom Bashi appeared first on FrumNews.com – News For The Frum Community!.