Rav Mordechai Gifter Zt”l On Eretz Yisroel And Its Role In Global Destiny " The world will continue to be turbulent as long as Eretz Yisroel is threatened"

Hashem said through the Prophet Isaiah (62:1): “For the sake of Zion I will not hold My peace and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still.” ​The Targum’s interpretation of this verse casts a brilliant light on the current world situation: Hashem pledges that until Zion and Jerusalem are peaceful and secure, He will allow no rest to the nations of the earth. The situation of the Jewish people cannot be viewed in a vacuum, separate and apart from the world order. ​

We are in the habit of scanning the long list of international crises and feeling that the situation of our beleaguered brothers in Eretz Yisroel would matter precious little to anyone except fellow Jews, were it not for the ever-present danger of a superpower confrontation. Energy crises, floundering Great Britain, Watergate and its threat to the American political system, French recalcitrance in Europe, Russo Chinese hostility, the sanguinary “cease-fire” in Vietnam, and the list goes on and on. People who see things in “perspective” are well aware that in terms of “the big picture” a few pieces of real estate in Sinai and Golan are of little significance on the larger landscape. So on the one hand; we are grateful that the physical survival of three million Jews in Israel is interwoven in the fabric of American-Russian relations; hence, it is important enough to demand the notice of the White House and the Kremlin. But on the other hand, we tremble in anticipation of possible Jewish sacrifices upon the altar of detente and increased petroleum production. ​

Harvard Settles Antisemitism Lawsuits With Sweeping Policy Changes, Angering Palestinian Activists

 

Harvard University has reached settlements in two lawsuits accusing the institution of fostering antisemitism on campus. The lawsuits, filed by the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education, and Students Against Antisemitism, alleged a hostile educational environment for Jewish students.

As part of the settlements, Harvard agreed to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. The university will also update its bullying policies with examples illustrating how Zionism is a central aspect of many Jewish identities.

The updated policies explicitly state that conduct targeting Jewish or Israeli individuals, including Zionists, could violate Harvard’s non-discrimination rules. Examples include excluding Zionists from events, disseminating stereotypes about Zionists, or pressuring individuals perceived as Jewish or Israeli to declare their stance on Zionism.

The settlement also includes plans to partner with a university in Israel, provide expert training for staff on antisemitism, and annually reaffirm its commitment to combating antisemitism.

“Today’s settlement reflects Harvard’s enduring commitment to ensuring our Jewish students, faculty, and staff are embraced, respected, and supported,” the university said in a statement.

Marc Kasowitz, representing Students Against Antisemitism, praised the resolution. “This agreement demonstrates meaningful actions to combat antisemitism, hate, and bias on college campuses,” he said, encouraging other institutions to follow Harvard’s example.

The settlements have drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, who view the measures as controversial.

Coinciding with Harvard’s announcement, a bipartisan Senate bill was reintroduced to simplify filing civil rights complaints against universities over discrimination tied to heritage.

ReMarrying Your Ex-Wife: Is it a Mitzvah? Rabbi Yair Hoffman vs “emailing baTorah”

 By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

What do Larry King, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Pryor, and Eminem, all have in common?  You guessed it.  They all re-married their ex-spouse. 

The question is, however, is there actually a bone-fide Mitzvah in doing so? 

A recent and very prestigious email list entitled “emailing baTorah” ( a play on “Amailim baTorah – even its very name is brilliant) recently sent out a post that although most people think that it is a Mitzvah – it is not.

Respectfully, this author disagrees with the categorical statement that it is not a Mitzvah – but rather it should  be considered a Machlokes – a debate in halacha.

Eliot Resnick former Chief Editor of the Jewish Press Pardoned by Trump!

Eliot Resnick,  a podcast host, has been released from prison, after being pardoned by President Trump.

According to Newsweek, Resnick, an orthodox Jew and former Chief Editor of the Jewish Press, was one of many Jan 6 prisoners who was granted a full pardon. He had been convicted of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. He was sentenced to four months in prison, four months of home detention, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $10,539 in fines and restitution.

He was in the process of serving his four month prison sentence, which began on Election Day. Presumably the other penalties have been completely lifted, thanks to Trump’s swapping pardon.

Just after his conviction, Resnick posted the following on X:

“For now, I have just two comments: 1) The January 6 protesters are heroes. 2) The left knows no rules, it respects no boundaries,” he said, promising more comment later. “It will do whatever it takes to win and advance its agenda. If the right doesn’t wake up and start matching the left’s ferocity, zealotry, and deviousness, this country will go down the drain,” he said.

The Department of Justice in a statement after the sentencing said Resnick had waved rioters into the Capitol, pulled rioters into the Capitol past police officers seeking to stop them, and held the arm of an officer who was attempting to spray irritant at the rioters.

 

Stefanik: Israel Has Biblical Right to Judea, Samaria

 

Israel-related issues dominated the Senate confirmation hearing of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) on Tuesday to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Nearly every senator on the Foreign Relations Committee probed her views on the Jewish state and the region.

The congresswoman vowed to use her seat in Turtle Bay to combat antisemitism just as she had done in Congress.

“If you look at the antisemitic rot within the United Nations, there are more resolutions targeting Israel than any other country, any other crisis, combined,” Stefanik said. “We need to be a voice of moral clarity on the U.N. Security Council and at the United Nations at large for the world to hear the importance of standing with Israel and I intend to do that.”

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Stefanik said that she would like to emulate Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who as U.S. ambassador to the global body in 1975 spoke out forcefully against a General Assembly resolution that determined that “Zionism is a form of racism.”

That resolution passed with the support of Muslim and Soviet-aligned countries but was later revoked in 1991. It is to date the only G.A. resolution ever to be withdrawn.

Stefanik’s nomination was greeted warmly by Republicans but met with greater skepticism from Democrats, who questioned her about what the “America First” agenda would mean for engagement with multilateral institutions during U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term.

A "Victory" in Ruins

 The scale of destruction in Gaza surpasses Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Dresden. Gazans are slowly realizing that Hamas's "victory" declaration might be the cruelest joke they've ever heard. Tragically, this time, the joke is on them.

Watch Chuck Schumer on Trump potentially issuing preemptive pardons!

 

FLASHBACK: Chuck Schumer on Trump potentially issuing preemptive pardons:

“That would be a gross abuse of the presidential pardon authority”

Any comment on Biden’s preemptive pardons @SenSchumer? pic.twitter.com/kNNRYMhpkU

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 20, 2025

Riots in Beit Shemesh during attempted arrest of Suspected Pedophile!

Fourteen suspects were arrested overnight in the city of Beit Shemesh during a violent riot that began during police activity to arrest a suspect for committing indecent acts on 9-year-old and 4-year-old children.

Four police officers and a medical responder were injured by the rioters and property damage was caused. During the day, the police will request to extend the detention of the suspects involved.

The incident took place shortly after 1:00 A.M. Detectives from the Jerusalem District arrested a 20-year-old suspect on suspicions of sexual abuse of minors. Immediately thereafter, a riot erupted in which dozens of violent rioters tried to prevent the arrest.

Consequently, a large number of police forces from the Jerusalem District were summoned to the scene in order to restore order and complete the arrest of the suspect while transferring him to the police station for further investigation.

During the riot, stones and other objects were hurled at the police. A stone was thrown at a medical vehicle summoned to treat a policeman injured by the rioters, shattering the vehicle's windshield and apparently causing the driver to be sprayed with pepper spray. In addition, four police officers were injured as a result of the thrown objects, stone-throwing, and other violent acts, among them a police officer who was struck by a stone in the head. Damage was also caused to several police vehicles.

The rioters did not obey orders to disperse and ispersal orders and blocked the path of a police vehicle in which a detainee was being held as they tried to convince the police to release him in exchange for calming the situation down. The police employed crowd control munitions l and arrested another suspect (39 from Beit Shemesh) for assaulting police officers and disturbing the peace.

After a great deal of effort, order was restored and two detainees were transferred to the police station in the city for further investigation. During the day, as mentioned, these suspects will be brought before the court in demand to extend their detention for the purpose of exhausting the investigation in their case.

"The Israel Police will act with determination and without prejudice in all matters pertaining to the exhaustive investigation of criminal offenses and in offenses of sexual abuse of minors in particular, and against those who violate order and lawbreakers who endanger the security of the public and the police officers in general," the police stated.

 

Trump’s Day One Executive Orders: Strengthening Support for Israel and Jews, Cracking Down on Antisemitism

 

On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of groundbreaking executive orders prioritizing U.S. support for Israel and addressing issues concerning Jews and national security:

1. Revocation of Sanctions on Israeli Settlers: Trump repealed Executive Order 14115, lifting sanctions on Israeli settlers in Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”), reinforcing U.S. backing of Israel’s sovereignty.

2. Restoration of ICC Sanctions: Sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), removed under President Biden, were reinstated to combat perceived anti-Israel bias.

3. Foreign Aid Suspension: A 90-day halt on U.S. foreign aid programs, such as those benefiting UNRWA, accused of ties to Hamas, to reassess their alignment with administration policies.

4. Deportation of Extremism Supporters: Trump authorized the removal of visa holders engaged in pro-Hamas protests, riots, or fundraising on U.S. campuses or those who support hateful ideologies.

5. Expanded Arms Support to Israel: Restrictions on advanced weapons sales, including 2,000-pound bombs, were lifted to strengthen Israel’s defense capabilities.

These measures reflect Trump’s firm commitment to Israel, the Jewish community, and addressing global and domestic extremism.

A Wave of Trump-Demanded Departures Hits Senior Leadership at the Antisemetic State Department

 

A large number of senior career diplomats who served in politically appointed leadership positions at the State Department have left their posts at the demand of the incoming Trump administration, which plans to install its own people in those positions, according to current and outgoing U.S. officials.

Personnel changes in the senior ranks of the department, like those at all federal agencies, are not uncommon after a presidential election, and career officials serving in those roles are required, just as non-career political appointees, to submit letters of resignation before an incoming administration takes office.

In the past, some of those resignations have not been accepted, allowing career officials to remain in their posts at least temporarily until the new president can nominate his team. That offers some degree of continuity in the day-to-day running of the bureaucracy.

One senior career diplomat who will be staying, Lisa Kenna, a former ambassador to Peru who served in senior positions under Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, was appointed acting secretary of state shortly after Monday’s inauguration, officials said.