The Kennedy Curse ..... family tragedies and heartbreaks through the years

 The Kennedy family has been at the forefront of tragedy and heartbreak with the deaths and accidents of loved ones for generations.

Most recently, the clan mourned the death of Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of late President John F. Kennedy, after a battle with leukemia on Dec. 30.

The journalist’s passing reignited chatter of the “Kennedy Curse,” which refers to the continuous tragic deaths within the family from illnesses and crashes to assassinations.

Joseph P. Kennedy, the eldest son of Joseph Sr. and Rose Kennedy, was killed while on a secret WWII mission. He was 29. The aviator died when his explosive Navy bomber aircraft blew up midair. He was flying over the English Channel.

Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, the daughter of Joseph Sr. and Rose Kennedy, died in a plane crash in France on May 13, 1948.

Kick, who was 28, was on the way to the French Riviera with her lover Earl Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, author Barbara Leaming wrote in “Kick Kennedy: The Charmed Life and Tragic Death of the Favorite Kennedy Daughter,” per People. The plane’s pilot and a navigator were also killed.

Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, the son of Jacqueline and JFK, died on Aug. 7, 1963 — less than 40 hours after he was born. He passed away a few short months before his father was assassinated.

President John F. Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald while riding in a motorcade with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.He was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead at the age of 46. Oswald was shot dead while being transferred to a different jail location a few weeks later.

JFK and Jacqueline wed in 1953 and were parents to four kids: Arabella, who was a stillborn baby, Caroline, John, and Patrick, who died shortly after his premature birth.

Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated shortly after winning the California presidential primary on June 5, 1968. He died the following day at the age of 42.

The politician was at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles when he was shot by Sirhan Sirhan.

He married Ethel Kennedy in 1950 and they shared 11 children: Kathleen, Joseph, Robert Jr., David, Courtney, Michael, Kerry, Christopher, Max, Douglas and Rory.

Shortly before midnight on July 18, 1969, Ted Kennedy drove his car off Dyke Bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, located off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.

At the time, the late former senator, whose brothers were JFK and RFK, fled the scene, and authorities later found the body of 28-year-old aide Mary Jo Kopechne in the car. He didn’t report the accident until 10 hours later and claimed he attempted to save Kopechne.The lawyer died in August 2009 at the age of 77.

Jewish donors from US will only donate to Torah institutions that support IDF

DIN: This issue may have repercussions as many who signed this letter are on the board of ArtScroll, and pathetic rabbis in Israel are now threatening to ban the Schottenstein Hebrew Talmud! I believe Artscroll will cave and make their donors retract their signatories! After all כסף יענה את הכל ... but whatever the outcome, this shows that people are becoming frustrated with Charedie Torah Leaders!

 A group of Charedi businessmen and Jewish donors from the US has announced the establishment of a new framework titled the “Coalition for Torah Study and Security,” declaring that it will cease financial support for Torah institutions in Israel that publicly speak out against the Israel Defense Forces.

The move, endorsed by numerous donors and community leaders, has sparked controversy within Charedi communities both in Israel and in the US.

In a letter published by the coalition, its founders explained their position against the backdrop of rising global antisemitism. “The Jewish nation is under sustained attack,” the letter states. “The struggle against Jews has become global. Intimidation and violence are taking place on the streets of Europe and North America, reaching a tragic peak recently in the massacre at Bondi Beach in Australia.”

The letter continues by emphasizing the centrality of Israel’s security:

 “Israel’s security has become a critical issue. The future of our people is increasingly tied to the Land of Israel, and the security of Jews throughout the Diaspora depends on the strength of the Jewish state. The IDF bears responsibility for defending the Jewish people in the State of Israel. We support them and pray for their success.”

At the same time, the coalition stressed its ongoing commitment to Torah learning. 

“We remain deeply committed to supporting Torah, yeshivot, and kollelim,” the statement reads. “Precisely because of this commitment, we cannot support institutions whose public stance undermines those responsible for protecting Jewish lives. Accordingly, we will provide financial support only to Torah institutions that do not publicly speak against the IDF.”

The organization clarified that it is not taking a position on the sensitive issue of military conscription. “This stance does not address the debate surrounding the draft law,” the letter states. “It relates solely to the legitimacy of public opposition to the IDF while it is engaged in defending Jewish lives.”

The letter has generated significant discussion within the Charedi sector. In recent years, leading rabbis have traveled abroad to raise funds for yeshivot following government budget cuts, and the coalition’s announcement is now viewed by some as an additional threat to already strained funding sources.

However, the initiative has not received unanimous support among Jewish donors. Several donors have made clear that they intend to continue supporting Torah scholars and institutions and do not plan to cooperate with the newly formed coalition.

List of donors who will not support non-enlistment in the army:

The Levites are actually the proof of the obligation to enlist

by 

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed

 In the previous two columns, I explained that in time of war for the defense of the Nation and the Land, members of the tribe of Levi enlisted and fought more than the other tribes. First, the Kohanim (priests) led the army in the special roles that the Torah assigned them in strengthening the spirit of the fighters. The Levites were the officers responsible for the fulfillment of the commandments of war; they would release those eligible for exemption, and punish those who evaded the obligation to fight.

Beyond that, the other Kohanim and Levites would enlist as regular fighters, to the point that there were even army commanders among them. The war for the conquest of the Land was the only war in which they did not serve as regular fighters, since they did not receive a portion of Land, like the other tribes.

From here we learn that yeshiva students may not be exempted from army service by claiming that they are like Levites, for if they are like Levites, they must volunteer as pioneers at the head of the army, both spiritually and militarily, like the Hasmoneans who led the war against the Greeks.

Latest on the Iranian Chaos

 

The head of Iran's Central Bank resigned Monday as protests erupted in Tehran and several other cities after the country’s currency plummeted to a new record low against the U.S. dollar.

*Israel on High Alert: 

Intelligence Warns Iran May Spark Confrontation With Israel as Regime Wobbles Under Mass Protests

Iran’s unrest is spreading from Tehran into multiple cities, with campuses and the bazaar emerging as flashpoints. Israeli defense officials are increasingly concerned Tehran could try to deflect domestic anger by escalating against Israel—an unpredictable scenario where miscalculation is the danger.

*Unusual scenes at Tehran University:* 

students clashed with the IRGC-linked Basij after the militia was reportedly sent in to intimidate and break up campus protests. Field accounts and circulating footage say Basij forces pulled back and were even chased across parts of the campus—an image of regime muscle briefly losing the street. 

The flare-up comes as unrest widens beyond universities, with videos and reports pointing to protests and strike activity in and around Tehran, plus confrontations with security forces in other areas. Iran International has reported continued demonstrations and violent incidents in multiple locations, and Reuters-linked reporting notes student calls for peers to join the protests. 

Campuses have long been Iran’s pressure valve: when students move, the regime often leans on the Basij—its fast-response enforcers embedded in civilian spaces—to reassert control. Iranian reporting and rights-focused outlets describe new organizing and protest messaging tied to economic hardship and political fury, with Tehran University activists urging broader public participation. 

Israel allows Jewish Visitors to visit Joseph’s Kever

 Israel will allow Jewish pilgrims to visit Joseph’s Tomb during daylight hours for the first time in about 25 years, officials said Monday, marking a significant shift in access to one of Judaism’s most sensitive and contested holy sites in the West Bank. 

The decision follows an agreement between Defense Minister Israel Katz, senior military officials and political leaders, and will expand visits beyond the strictly nighttime access that has been in place since 2000.

Immigration to Israel from North America rose sharply in 2025

 Immigration to Israel from North America rose sharply in 2025, with more than 4,100 Jews making aliyah with assistance from the nonprofit organization Nefesh B’Nefesh, according to figures released at the close of the year. 

The organization said 4,150 immigrants from the United States and Canada settled in Israel in 2025, the highest annual total in four years and an increase of more than 12% compared with the previous year.

Archaeologists uncover a mikvah dating to the Second Bais Ha'Mikdash period

 

Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a mikvah, dating to the final days of the Second Temple period beneath the Western Wall Plaza, authorities said Monday. 

The mikvah, hewn into bedrock and sealed under a layer dated to 70 C.E., contained ash linked to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority. 

Pottery and stone vessels typical of Jewish life at the time were also found. 

Researchers say the mikvah likely served residents and those who were Oileh Regel  preparing to enter the Temple complex, highlighting the central role of ritual purity in daily life in ancient Jerusalem.

Kenneth Kirsch and Michael Greenberg Killed in Helicopter Crash ....They ran into each other

 Authorities on Monday identified two pilots who died after their helicopters collided midair in southern New Jersey. 

Kenneth Kirsch, 65, and Michael Greenberg, 71, were friends who both lived in New Jersey and would often have breakfast together at a cafe near the crash site in Hammonton, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southeast of Philadelphia.

Shekel Continues to Strengthen Against the Dollar

  The Israeli shekel continued to strengthen against the U.S. dollar in late December 2025, with the exchange rate falling to around 3.17-3.18 shekels per dollar - its strongest level in roughly four years.

Pollard to Arutz Sheva: Polls are wrong, Israelis want to return to Gaza

 

Jonathan Pollard addressed a Knesset session this week, calling for Israel to resettle the Gaza Strip with Jews, arguing that public opinion in Israel supports a full return to the territory.

Speaking in an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News from the Knesset, Pollard rejected claims that such a move lacks public backing. He said that polls opposing a return to Gaza were flawed, adding, "I actually feel that the consensus would support a return to Gaza as completely as we can." Pollard said other surveys indicate broad support for a complete Israeli return to the area following the removal of what he described as its current Islamo-fascist population.

Asked how a return to Gaza could be implemented in practice, Pollard said it would require decisive leadership. He stressed the need for a strong prime minister who would clearly convey to the President of the United States that Israel would not relinquish territory gained through war. "What was achieved in blood will never be given up by us ever again," Pollard said.

Pollard warned that indecision and reliance on foreign governments to shape Israeli policy would lead to further losses. He described Gaza as a defining moment, saying that resettling Jews there would demonstrate to Israel’s enemies that attacks would result not only in defeat but also in permanent territorial loss. "If you fight us, we will not only defeat you decisively, but we will take back our land as well, permanently," he said.

Addressing the role of the US, Pollard said that President Donald Trump had provided Israel with an opportunity by lifting weapons embargoes and signaling support for decisive action. He argued that had Israel acted at that time, Hamas would have been destroyed and Israeli resettlement of Gaza would already be underway.

Pollard said his views are shaped primarily by conversations with displaced residents of Gaza envelope communities. "I look at the people first," he said. According to Pollard, all those he spoke with expressed support for a Jewish Gaza, including individuals who previously would not have considered such a position. He said they believe this is the only way to ensure long-term security for southern Israel.

He added that he does not focus on persuading Knesset members, but rather listens to citizens who have lost homes and family members and who fear renewed attacks. Pollard said ensuring their safety is his mission, saying that those he spoke with told him they could not rebuild their lives without knowing the threat would never return. He said this can only be achieved, in his words, through a "100% Jewish Gaza."

Referring again to President Trump, Pollard said the US leader respects strength and success. He called on Israel to act as a winner rather than seek permission. "The man likes winners," Pollard said of President Trump, adding that Israel should adopt an "Israel first" policy beginning with Gaza.

When asked whether he would personally consider moving to Gaza if resettlement took place, Pollard responded humorously that it would depend on the housing, adding that having grown up near the ocean, he could envision living by the sea again.

Israel is getting almost everything it wanted from Trump ....Amit Segal

 Channel 12 News’ chief political analyst Amit Segal explained on Monday evening why the statements at the start of the meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump show that, from Gaza to Iran, Israel has received what it wanted from the United States.

“First, a message to viewers around the world: the sound you heard during the press conference was the popping of yet another balloon that recently tried to claim there is a huge gap between Netanyahu and Trump, and between Israel and the United States -- and that Trump intends to forgo the demilitarization of Hamas. Israel is getting nine out of ten things it wanted, and Netanyahu, apropos the pardon, is getting eleven out of ten,” Segal began.

He added, “Regarding Israel’s security, Trump says there will be no reconstruction of Gaza without the demilitarization of Hamas - which means Israel is not required to withdraw from the territory it currently controls, about 58% of the Strip.”

Segal noted that the most significant statement concerns Iran. “More important than anything is the existential Iranian threat. President Trump closes the small gap between Israel and the United States and says that even if the non‑nuclear ballistic project advances, he is committed to approving a rapid strike. This is an extraordinarily important message and excellent news for all Israelis.”

Yair Lapid to Supreme Court: Transfer of billions to Charedi institutions is illegal

 The Yesh Atid party filed a petition today (Tuesday) with the Supreme Court, requesting a conditional order and urgent interim injunctions against the Finance Committee’s decision to transfer more than one billion shekels to haredi educational institutions.

According to the petitioners, the funds are being transferred unlawfully to institutions that do not teach core curriculum subjects and are not subject to oversight, while bypassing budgetary restrictions and proper procedures.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid, together with party members Vladimir Beliak, Moshe Turpaz, and Naor Shiri, stated that “the petition joins a prolonged struggle against a rotten, corrupt, and wasteful government that disregards Israel’s citizens and treats our money as a bargaining chip and political bribe to solve coalition problems.”

Attorneys Oded Gazit and Eliram Bakal of the Gazit-Bakal law firm, who filed the petition, argued that “the Finance Committee abused its authority and transferred funds unlawfully to institutions that do not meet the educational criteria required by law, rendering the transfers null and void.”

Yesh Atid added that “these are institutions that do not prepare Haredi children for modern life, and the funds are being transferred while attempting to conceal the transfers from the public.”

Yeshiva Bochur Tried To Register For Marriage And Discovered He’s Not Jewish

 Israel’s Ministry of Religious Services held a professional conference last week for marriage registrars from across the country at the Givat Shmuel Religious Council.

At the conference, an extraordinary case was presented to the participants, illustrating the heavy responsibility borne by the marriage registrars.

A couple arrived to register for marriage according to halacha at one of the religious councils in Israel. The chasan—who had grown up with an adoptive family since infancy—is a talmid yeshivah who arrived at the registry fully confident in his halachic status.

However, during the routine lineage verification, the marriage registrar discovered a detail that changed the entire picture. He noticed what appeared to be a minor but suspicious technical detail: the name of one of the parents was missing from the records.

The registrar launched a deeper inquiry, which led to a surprising discovery: the chasan has a biological brother who was adopted in childhood by a different family. Further examination revealed that this brother had married shortly beforehand, and in his case the marriage registration process was preceded by a proper giyur, after it emerged that the original adoption had not included a full giyur.

The conclusion was unavoidable: to the shock of the chasan and his relatives, it was determined that he is not Jewish according to halacha. The painful discovery prevented thorny halachic issues and underscores the critical importance of the verification procedures carried out in marriage registration offices.

A source familiar with the details said that since the chasan was Shomer Torah u’mitzvos, the giyur process was quick and straightforward, and the couple’s chasunah took place at the scheduled time.

The head of the Marriage Department at the Ministry, Rabbi Chizkiyahu Samin, referred to the case at the conference, saying, “The story revealed here is a chilling reminder of the importance of your avodat hakodesh. We must continue to combine advanced, welcoming service with uncompromising adherence to halacha and to the identity of the Jewish people.”

WORRYING REPORT: Iran Developing Chemical and Biological Warheads for Ballistic Missiles

 Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is developing chemical and biological warheads for ballistic missiles, according to military sources cited by Iran International.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the IRGC’s Aerospace Force is pursuing the development of the unconventional warheads while simultaneously relocating missile launchers to eastern Iran.

In addition to work on the warheads themselves, the report said efforts are underway to adapt ballistic missiles to carry such payloads and to upgrade related command-and-control systems.

According to the sources, these activities have intensified in recent months amid growing concern in Tehran over the possibility of renewed confrontation with Israel and the United States.

According to Israeli intelligence assessments cited in the report, Iran is rebuilding its missile capabilities with increased urgency following the 12-day conflict in June. Israeli officials estimate that Iran’s missile stockpile declined from roughly 3,000 missiles before the war to about 1,500 afterward, while the number of missile launchers was reduced from approximately 400 to 200.

They added that postwar reconstruction efforts suggest a renewed and intensified focus on restoring and expanding Iran’s missile forces.

TikTok Post Praising Ben-Gurion Airport Triggers Backlash Against Muslim Traveler

 A British Muslim woman has drawn widespread attention — and sharp backlash — after posting a TikTok video describing a positive experience passing through security at Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, challenging widely held perceptions about treatment of Muslim travelers.

The woman, who posts under the name Sanam, shared footage earlier this month recounting her arrival in Israel en route to visit Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque. In the video, which quickly went viral, she said airport officials treated her respectfully and without harassment.

“They gave me a coffee, they gave me a cheese sandwich,” she said. “We weren’t strip-searched or anything like that. It was all good.”

Sanam said she decided to document the experience after hearing negative stories that initially made her hesitant to travel. She said she hoped sharing her account would encourage others to judge the experience for themselves.

The video sparked a flood of online reactions. Critics accused her of “promoting” Israel and questioned her motives, with some commenters asking whether she had been paid to post the video. Others expressed anger over her decision to speak positively about Israeli security procedures amid the ongoing war.

At the same time, many Israelis and Jewish users thanked her for sharing her experience and welcomed her to the country. Several commenters said her post offered a rare counter-narrative to claims of systemic mistreatment at the airport.

In a follow-up video filmed in Jerusalem, Sanam described hearing church bells near the al-Aqsa Mosque and wrote, “One city, three religions.” That post also drew mixed reactions. When some Israelis praised Israel’s religious freedoms and security, she responded dismissively, correcting users who referred to Israel by name and instead calling the area “Palestine.”

The videos highlight how even personal travel experiences can become flashpoints online amid heightened political tensions surrounding Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Second-Temple Mikveh With Charring From The Churban Found Under the Kotel

 A ritual purification bath (mikveh) dating back to the late Second Temple period has been discovered in archaeological excavations beneath the Western Wall plaza.

The rock-hewn mikveh was uncovered beneath a destruction layer, bearing witness to the events of the destruction of Jerusalem nearly 2,000 years ago. The Mikveh itself has heavy charring on its walls, testimony to the huge conflagrations at the time of the Second Temple’s destruction.

Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority believe that the mikveh was used by Jews who lived in the area as well as by pilgrims who came to Jerusalem, who were required to purify themselves before ascending to the Temple.

What the Israel Antiquities Authority is exposing here are stones that tell stories,” explains Ari Levy, the excavation director, his voice filled with emotion. “Stones that connect us to eras, to people, to hardships, to moments in history.”

The mikveh, whose rectangular dimensions have been remarkably well preserved, is carved into bedrock and plastered along its walls. It measures 3.05 meters in length, 1.35 meters in width, and 1.85 meters in height. On its southern side, four carved steps leading down into the bath were uncovered. The mikveh was found sealed beneath the destruction layer. Within the ash, pottery and stone vessels were discovered, artifacts characteristic of the Jewish population that lived in the city just before everything went up in flames.

The dramatic discovery is taking place precisely now, in chilling proximity to the fast of the Tenth of Tevet, the day marking the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem in 588 BCE, which led to the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian exile.

“This find is being revealed just before the Tenth of Tevet, which once again reminds us of the warning signs of destruction,” Levy says in a video statement. “We don’t need any more warnings. We need to take all of this and move forward together.”

**חשיפה מדהימה**
בסמיכות לעשרה בטבת: מקווה טהרה משלהי ימי הבית השני התגלה בחפירות ארכיאולוגיות תחת רחבת הכותל.

המקווה החצוב בסלע נחשף תחת שכבת חורבן עדות למאורעות חורבן ירושלים לפני כ-2,000 שנה.
חוקרי רשות העתיקות משערים, שמקווה הטהרה שימש את היהודים שחיו במרחב ואת עולי הרגל. pic.twitter.com/JPM0UOatcU

— מה חדש. What's new❓ (@Gloz111) December 29, 2025

"Naval Birshus Ha'torah! "

by Scott Kahn

 Three weeks ago, I released an episode of the Orthodox Conundrum Podcast entitled,

 “A $10,000 Bottle of Scotch: Alcohol Abuse, Conspicuous Consumption, and Orthodox Life Today.” 

It has become one of the podcast’s most downloaded episodes, and its message decrying many communities’ increasing emphasis of materialism has resonated with a large number of listeners.¹

The podcast opened with a discussion of “Toameha,” which traditionally meant the custom of tasting food on Friday afternoon to make sure that it was properly seasoned for Shabbat, but has become in certain circles an excuse for a type of erev Shabbat boys’ club, with an elaborate spread and expensive liquor.

It is troubling that many in the Orthodox community take pride in their lavish spending. It is equally troubling that the consumption of alcohol has become a sine qua non for many Orthodox culinary events. But what bothers me the most is that overt materialism and overindulgence in alcohol are implicitly defended as being essential parts of mitzvah observance.

Indeed, the obvious halachic problems with many Toameha clubs - gluttony, drunkenness, staying away from home when one should be helping to prepare for Shabbat, ruining one’s appetite for Friday night dinner, and more - are easily ignored when Toameha is considered a religious desideratum.

There are many other examples where people do what they want to do, think what they want to think, while conveniently and retroactively finding a Torah source that confirms their choices. As I mentioned on the podcast, a fine example of this was offered by Mishpacha magazine in its profile of millionaire businessman Yoeli Landau, who only flies by private jet. His reasoning?

“First of all,” he explains, “I really think that Hashem created shefa so that Yidden should enjoy abundance. If Hashem blessed someone with wealth, and his personal conduct does not come on account of his generosity to tzedakah, then why should he refrain from having a private jet?

“But there’s something deeper here. I think that when someone is generous toward himself, he can then be generous to others. I know enough gvirim who live frugally. They think and rethink every expense, pinching and scrimping wherever possible. You can imagine what their tzedakah is like.

“And I have a third consideration — the spiritual component. With the private jet, I’m not dependent on airline schedules, and this way I can plan my trips in a way that I will never miss out on davening with a minyan. For me, that’s a very firm principle. It’s one of the secrets without which it’s not possible to have birchas Shamayim. Plus, it spares me from walking around in airports, which present serious challenges in shemiras einayim.”

It is possible that Mr. Landau is sincere in his belief that flying on a private jet is somehow a fulfillment of God’s will. I have a harder time believing that those who espouse such practices would have done so before attaining wealth of this magnitude. Is his decision to indulge in this incomparable luxury a result of studying Torah sources, or do the Torah sources justify a decision - consciously or otherwise - that he already wanted to make?²

According to some commentators, the Torah itself describes this psychological process when Jacob’s sons decided to sell their brother Joseph into slavery. The brothers were convinced that Joseph intended to harm them, and responded by striking first.³ Yet the text indicates that they were likely fooling themselves rather than engaging in sober judgment, as they conclude their plans by saying, “And let us see what will become of his dreams,”⁴ and then stripping him of his special coat,⁵ indicating that their jealousy of Joseph was a greater part of their reasoning than they would have liked to admit.

The Ramban famously interprets the Torah commandment of kedoshim tehiyu⁶ - to “be holy” - as referring to the requirement to refrain from indulging in excess, particularly when that excess is not explicitly prohibited by Torah law. The Ramban does not view this as a stringency for the pious, but as an essential Torah value; in fact, he argues that it is parallel to the first of the Ten Commandments, “I am Hashem your God.”⁷

The Va’Ani Niggun, Passed Down for 600 Years

 

Chassidishe Rebbelich Watch Netanyahu's Motorcade in Florida to see how it's done!

 

Chazzanim come to life through AI

 

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