Aviezer Wolfson Composer Of “Ma Ashiv”, Niftar At 87

 

We regret to inform you of the petirah of R’ Aviezer Shimon Yosef Wolfson zt”l, a respected talmid chochom and former rebbi at Yeshivas Toras Chaim in Moscow, who was niftar today in Yerushalayim at the age of 87. He was the father of Rav Daniel Wolfson, Rosh Yeshivas Netivot Chochma, and philanthropist R’ Uri Wolfson.

R’ Aviezer spent most of his days immersed in Torah both in Israel and abroad. Known for his humility and kindness, he was deeply admired for his anivus, generosity, and his ability to connect with both young and old.

Throughout his life, R’ Aviezer was renowned for his kiruv efforts, inspiring countless individuals to strengthen their connection to yiddishkeit. He often shared stories of his father’s miraculous survival during the Holocaust, noting his father’s steadfast dedication to donning tefillin daily despite the dangers.

The niftar was a close talmid of Rav Shlomo Wolbe zt”l and Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapira zt”l of Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov. He also played a key role in facilitating the donation of the Bais Midrash building of Be’er Yaakov, funded by his uncle, Sir Yitzchok Halevi Wolfson.

R’ Aviezer gained fame for composing the widely sung “Mah Ashiv” melody, famously performed by Reb Leibele Hashel z”l, which has since become a staple in shuls worldwide.

On Sukkos, R’ Aviezer was seen praying with great kavana at the Minchas Chinuch shul in Shaarei Chesed, and on the day of his petirah, he spent the morning learning in the shul’s sukkah, deeply engaged in limud hatorah until his final hours.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

Legendary Jewish Music Pioneer Yigal Calek Passes On At 84

 

Yigal Calek, the visionary composer, choir director, and founder of the London School of Jewish Song, was niftar today at the age of 84. Yigal z”l, whose contributions to Jewish music revolutionized the genre beginning in the early 1970s, had been seriously ill in recent months.

Yigal began his career as a sixth-grade rebbi, but his deep passion for music led him to create the London Pirchim Choir, later known as the London School of Jewish Song. His debut album, Ma Navu (1970), featured iconic songs such as “Sali Umetzudasi” and “Al Zeh Hayah Daveh Libeinu,” and marked the beginning of a groundbreaking era in Jewish music. He followed it with Borchi Nafshi in 1971, and later collaborated with Neginah Orchestra to produce timeless hits like “Ashira,” “Ko Amar,” “Chamol,” and “Children of Silence.”

His innovative approach not only elevated the musical standards within the Jewish world but also helped shape the frum concert scene, taking Jewish musical performances from shul basements to prestigious venues like Brooklyn College and Lincoln Center. His concerts were known for their theatricality, with choreographed performances and costume changes that enthralled audiences around the world.

Beyond his musical genius, Yigal z”l was beloved for his genuine warmth and commitment to yiddishkeit. His music reflected a deep love for Hashem, which resonated with listeners, young and old, for decades. His energy on stage, combined with the sincerity he brought to his compositions, left an indelible mark on Jewish music.

On the last night of Chanukah 2021, alumni of Yigal’s choir gathered for a reunion at his home in Golders Green to once again sing some of the songs that made the London School of Jewish Song a worldwide sensation.

Nova Festival Survivor Takes Her Life On Her Birthday

 Nova festival survivor Shirel Golan was found dead in her home in Moshav Porat in the Sharon on her 22nd birthday in an apparent suicide.

Shirel was supposed to join her parents for a trip to the Kotel and Me’arat Hamachpelah but cancelled the trip and was later found dead in her bed. Shirel, the youngest of five brothers and sisters, is survived by her parents and older siblings.

“Since she was saved, I had seen that she was suffering from symptoms of post-trauma but the state did not treat her,” her brother Eyal said.

“She reached a state of depression and was committed twice to a psychiatric hospital in Pardesiya, because nobody from the state noticed her. They didn’t recognize her as post-traumatic. The state murdered Shirel,” Eyal claimed.

He said that he saw her for the last time on Thursday in the Sukkah. “I asked her how she felt, and she said she was fine. I gave her a hug and kiss, never imagining it would be the last one ever.’

Eyal said that when Shirel did not respond to messages or phones, a former boyfriend was sent to see what was wrong. He found her lifeless in her bed.

The ministry of welfare and social security claimed that “Shirel was treated by social services even before Oct. 7th and especially afterwards and was recognized by the health system. Unfortunately the family’s claims that she did not receive a response from authorities is unbased. For discretionary reasons we cannot add more details.”

Israel Will Be Bombing Hezbollah Financial Building in Lebenon in the coming Hours

 

"In a few minutes, we will issue early evacuation warnings to residents of Lebanon in Beirut and other areas, to evacuate from sites used to finance Hezbollah's terror activity," Hagari says.

"I stress here, that whoever is near the sites, which are used to finance Hezbollah's terror activity, is required to distance themselves from them immediately," he says.

"We will strike many sites in the coming hours, and more sites overnight. In the coming days, we will reveal how Iran finances Hezbollah's terror activity using civilian institutions and associations as a cover," Hagari continues.

"We will strike them tonight, and update on the results in the coming days," he adds.

The Chareidie Hero Soldier who eliminated the evil Yahya Sinwar

The hero who eliminated the evil mastermind of the October 7th attacks, Yahya Sinwar, is a 19-year-old soldier from the 97th Netzah Yehuda Battalion, previously known as Nahal Haredi, a unit in the Kfir Brigade of the IDF.

 The purpose of the battalion is to allow ultra-Orthodox Jewish men to serve as combat soldiers in the IDF, by creating an atmosphere conducive to their religious convictions and strict observance of Jewish ritual laws.

In April 2024, Axios reported that the U.S. government plans to sanction the battalion under the Leahy Law for alleged human rights violations. The sanction would prevent the battalion or any of its members from receiving U.S. aid or entering the United States. Israeli leaders, including Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and Benny Gantz, criticized the sanction plans, arguing that Israel’s justice system independently and adequately addresses human rights concerns.

MSNBC shows entire panel of Arab-American voters refusing to back Harris: Host Completely Embarrassed!

 

MSNBC brought on a panel of Michigan voters, and not a single one was voting for Kamala Harris

Host: "Who's voting for Kamala Harris here?"

Voters: "NO. There's nothing she can do or say for us to change our mind." 😂

That host looked completely embarrassed. pic.twitter.com/08Y2PLm4LE

— George (@BehizyTweets) October 18, 2024

Experts Say Netanyahu’s decision to ignore Biden, Harris warnings not to invade Rafah responsible for Sinwar’s death

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to ignore dire warnings from President Biden and Vice President Harris not to conquer the last major stronghold of Hamas terrorists in Rafah proved to be correct, according to military and Middle East experts.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the country’s Shin Bet intelligence agency announced Wednesday that “soldiers from the Southern Command eliminated Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip.”

Biden and Harris congratulated Israel over the death of the Hamas terror chief, but, earlier this year, both warned Israel about going into Rafah, where Sinwar met his end.

Sinwar oversaw the massacre of nearly 1,200 people Oct. 7, 2023, including over 40 American citizens.

In March, Harris declined to rule out “consequences” for Israel if it moved forward with an invasion of Rafah in Gaza.

US Can NO Longer be Trusted With Israeli Intel ...US docs show Israel preparations for airstrike in Iran and leaked online

 

US intelligence documents showing Israeli military preparations for a looming strike on Iran were leaked online, according to reports.

Federal intelligence officials confirm the authenticity of the top secret documents that were leaked by Telegram user “Middle_East_Spectator.”

There is an active investigation into who had access to the alleged Pentagon document, according to CNN.

The document is marked top secret and is only meant to be seen by those with proper clearance in the US and the “Five Eyes” – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

The documents describe military preparations by Israel – including the amount of various kinds of missiles – at Ramat David Airfield on the dates of October 15th and October 16th.

There are multiple agencies compelled to conduct investigations into leaked intelligence reports – including the FBI and the Pentagon, CNN reports. 

This leak comes as the region waits with bated breath for Israel to respond to the October 1st missile barrage Iran launched into the country.

“If it is true that Israeli tactical plans to respond to Iran’s attack on October 1st have been leaked, it is a serious breach,” Mick Mulroy, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East told CNN.

“Trust is a key component in [the US-Israel] relationship, and depending on how this was leaked that trust could be eroded,” Mulroy added.

In a statement posted to X, Middle East Spectator wrote, “We have no connection to the original leaker, and we are not aware of his identity. We also have no knowledge on the authenticity of the documents.

“Furthermore, we assumed that the documents had been floating around elsewhere on Telegram, making them a part of the public domain.”

The Middle East Spectator statement added the self-proclaimed “open-source news aggregator” was “not aware of any additional leaked classified US documents.”

Earlier Saturday, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu’s vacation house was struck with an explosive drone that launched from Lebanon in an apparent assassination attempt. Netanyahu was not at that residence at the time of the attempt.

Kamala Harris publicly agrees with protestor accusing Israel of genocide: ‘What he’s talking about, it’s real’

 

Vice President Harris publicly agreed with a protestor this week who interrupted her to accuse Israel of committing “genocide.”

The moment went down during a campaign stop Thursday at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, when a pro-Hamas UWM student began yelling out while the Democratic presidential nominee was speaking, video of the exchange showed.

“I am so invested in you all, in every way,” Harris can be heard saying as the interruption began.

“And in genocide right?” the heckler said.

“Billions of dollars in genocide. Billions of dollars in genocide.”

Someone off-camera can be heard whispering “shut up,” but the outburst continued.

“I’m speaking right now,” Harris said before launching into her now well-worn response to similar interruptions.

“I know what you’re speaking of. I want the ceasefire. I want the war to end. And I respect your right to speak but I am speaking right now.”

“But what about the genocide? What about the genocide though?” the protestor, wearing a keffiyeh, yelled.

The man was then escorted out of the hall while yelling, “19,000 children are dead, and you won’t call it a genocide.”

In the silence that followed his exit, Harris turned back to the audience.

“Listen, what he’s talking about, it’s real. That’s not the subject that I came to discuss today, but it’s real and I respect his voice,” Harris said.

The vice president has never previously suggested that Israel’s defensive war in Gaza amounts to a genocide of Palestinian people.

“Kamala Harris just publicly validated the false and vicious accusation that Israel is engaging in genocide,” David Friedman, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, told The Post Saturday.

“Many, including myself, always suspected that she held this warped, antisemitic view of Israel’s self-defense against Hamas barbarism. But the cat is now out of the bag,” he added.

“Her view is as ignorant as it is malign. … To give credence publicly to this disgusting blood libel disqualifies Harris from holding any public office, let alone the presidency,” he said.

The behind-closed-doors event at the school’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center was closed to journalists, but video of the moment was posted online. Harris’ motorcade was also met with pro-Hamas protesters when she arrived on campus, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The heckler appears to have been affiliated with the group UW-Milwaukee Popular University for Palestine Coalition, which posted a first person account of the confrontation to their Instagram page Friday.

Harris’ family has also been public about their sympathies.

Both Harris’ stepdaughter Ella Emhoff and niece Meena Harris, have raised cash for the Palestinian cause.

Ella Emhoff’s activism has included soliciting funds for the UN’s Palestinian relief agency, which the United States cut funding to over staffers’ potential involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks.

The incident comes as Harris has faced growing skepticism from Jewish voters, with poll after poll suggesting their support for the Democratic party is eroding.

Harris’ comments seemingly endorsing the position that Israel is committing genocide took place just one day after the country killed Hamas terror leader Yahya Sinwar.

“That is not the view of the Biden-Harris Administration or the Vice President,” A Harris campaign official said. 

Israel’s success has humiliated its critics

 

Opinion by Telegraph View

In the words of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the death of Yahya Sinwar marks the “beginning of the day after Hamas”. After a year of fighting in Gaza, the architect of the October 7 massacre has faced justice. It is a triumph for the Israel Defence Forces, a grievous blow to Hamas and Iran’s terrorist network – and a chastening moment for London and Washington.

After all, if Sir Keir Starmer and President Joe Biden had got their way, Israel would have been forced into accepting a ceasefire months ago that would have left Sinwar at large, and Hamas’s military network considerably more capable.

Indeed, at one point Mr Biden stated that he would cut the supply of arms to Jerusalem if Israeli forces entered the city of Rafah. His justification was that America would not be “walking away from Israel’s security”, but Israel’s ability to “wage war” in heavily populated areas.

Given the proclivity of Hamas and its terrorist cells for hiding among civilian populations, the flaws in such a position should have been obvious. And indeed, Rafah is where Sinwar was eventually caught and killed.

Predictably, Sir Keir and Mr Biden have seized on this triumph to once again attempt to pressure Israel into negotiating with Hamas. Mr Biden has declared that he will discuss “ending the war once and for all” with Mr Netanyahu, while Sir Keir has said “an immediate ceasefire” is “long overdue”.

Humility, apparently, is not a characteristic either leader greatly values. Despite the mounting evidence, neither appears to be willing to accept the clear fact that Israel knows how to prosecute its own conflicts better than they do. Then again, the advice of these so-called allies is not given with Israel’s well-being uppermost in mind. In the case of Sir Keir, his stance appears to be at least partly the result of electoral considerations, with the Labour Party having suffered unexpected setbacks in heavily Muslim constituencies in this year’s general election.

The result has been a series of decidedly unfriendly gestures, including withdrawing opposition to highly politicised efforts by the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for Mr Netanyahu, and suspending a set of arms exports licences to Israel. The absurdity of these actions has been amply highlighted by the fact that while our Government is piling criticism and pressure on Jerusalem, our own Armed Forces are having to intervene to protect the Jewish state from Iran.

Rather than once again assuming that we know better than leaders in Jerusalem what is best for Israel, or what military action might achieve, we should simply offer our support to an ally in its fight for freedom and democracy.