Just a little bio on this guy:
He was sentenced on May 12, 2015, to one year in prison, and to pay a fine of 1 million shekels. He began serving his prison sentence on February 16, 2016. After his release, he became the Chief Rabbi of Morocco in 2019.
Russia has invited Israel to attend its Victory Day commemorations in May alongside representatives of China, Brazil, Slovakia and Serbia—but not Germany, the United States or most European Union’s member states, Russian media reported Sunday.
The annual May 9 commemorations on Red Square in Moscow feature a military parade and speeches by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in recognition of the sacrifices made by his country in its war against Germany in World War II. This year is a round anniversary since the German surrender to the Red Army 80 years ago.
A national holiday, May 9 is a major patriotic holiday in Russia and throughout much of the post-Soviet world. The holiday’s main event is the Red Square parade. In contrast to past anniversaries this year, Russia did not invite the United States, most of the European Union, Canada, Australia and other countries it deems “unfriendly,” according to News.ru.
Western leaders have attended the event in the past, including in 2005 when Putin hosted U.S. President George W. Bush and his French counterpart Jacques Chirac. Israel’s then president Moshe Katsav represented it at that event.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last attended the parade in 2018 as one of the only Western leaders present. Israel’s Knesset designated May 9 the previous year as an official holiday. Israel is one of the only countries outside the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States where May 9 is on the official calendar. The day’s addition to the calendar was widely seen as a gesture to Russia but also as recognizing the thousands of Jewish Red Army war veterans living in Israel.
U.S. Ambassador-Designate to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik, delivered a powerful speech at the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) “Never Is Now” Summit, vowing to take strong action against antisemitism both globally and within the United Nations. Stefanik’s remarks followed the October 7th Hamas attacks, which she described as a pivotal moment in the global fight against antisemitism and extremism.
Addressing the gathered audience, Stefanik declared, “The antisemites at the United Nations better buckle up, because I’m coming.” Her words marked a firm commitment to confronting the UN’s persistent bias against Israel and its failure to address rising antisemitism on the world stage. She stressed that under her leadership, the U.S. would no longer tolerate organizations like UNRWA, which she accused of enabling Hamas and perpetuating anti-Israel sentiment.
Stefanik, who expressed deep personal ties to the Jewish community, emphasized the critical need for action in the wake of the October 7th atrocities. “This fight is not just Israel’s fight; it is the West’s fight,” she said, describing the struggle as one between civilization and barbarity. She reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring the U.S. remains steadfast in its support for Israel and the Jewish people, underscoring that the Trump administration’s policies would continue to champion this cause.
The Ambassador-Designate also reflected on the moral failure of some U.S. universities to address the rise of antisemitism on campuses, citing her questioning of university leaders in hearings where they failed to condemn genocidal rhetoric against Jews. “We will not rest until every single hostage is returned home and Hamas terrorists are eradicated,” Stefanik vowed.
In closing, she echoed her call for decisive action, pledging to continue the fight for Israel, the Jewish people, and the values of freedom and democracy. “Never again is now,” Stefanik concluded. “We will win this fight for Israel, for America, and for all of Western civilization.”
⚠️ Warning: Graphic Content*
Anybody who watched the entire Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky would know that it was not an “ambush” or a “setup” by Trump, as characterized by Democrats and malign media entities.
It was the opposite. If anyone came to that meeting in bad faith, it was clearly Zelensky, whose body language and attitude was negative from the start. Trump could not have been more cordial, having steered the complex negotiations with Russia and Ukraine to a first step where he believed peace was a real possibility.
But Zelensky had other ideas. He contradicted, interrupted and insulted Trump, even before Vice President JD Vance said a word.
It was 11 minutes in when Zelensky first contradicted Trump with a gratuitous defense of Europe’s financial support for the war, which Trump repeatedly has said was less than America’s.
“President Trump said that they made less support but they are our friends and they are our very supportive partners. They really gave a lot, Mr. President.”
Trump responded: “They gave a lot but they gave much less.” “No,” said Zelensky.
“Much less,” said Trump. “No,” repeated Zelensky. “Nooooo, no.”
Trump smiled and flicked him jokingly to make the exchange look like light-hearted banter.
“OK,” said Trump, ending it. OK,” said Zelensky smirking.
As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said later, if Zelensky wanted to contradict Trump, “the proper venue for that would have been 15 minutes later [when] we were going to walk into the White House dining room and have lunch, just 16 of us.
“I actually think he was always going to do this and I think he was surprised by the forceful reaction he got back,” Bessent told Fox News.
Direct Polls, which accurately predicted the results of the Jewish state’s most recent general election on Nov. 1, 2022, surveyed a representative sample of 499 Israelis on Feb. 27. (The margin of error is plus or minus 4.6 percentage points at a confidence level of 95%, Direct Polls said.)
If a vote were to be called now, Netanyahu’s coalition would secure 63 mandates out of the Israeli parliament’s 120, up one since the Feb. 13 Direct Polls survey but one fewer than it won in the 2022 general election.
The opposition would take 57 seats, including 10 for the Arab parties, according to the poll, conducted for Israel’s Channel 14 News.
After the Likud, Yair Golan’s The Democrats received the next most projected seats (16), followed by the Yisrael Beytenu Party (15), Shas (10), the National Unity Party (nine), United Torah Judaism (eight), Yesh Atid and Otzma Yehudit (seven each), and Religious Zionism, Ra’am (aka the United Arab List) and Hadash-Ta’al (aka Hadash-The Arab Movement for Renewal) (five each), per the latest Direct Polls survey.
In head-to-head matchups as to who would be best suited in the role of prime minister, Netanyahu defeated National Unity Party’s Benny Gantz, 46%-to-18% (33% of respondents said neither was suited).
When choosing between Netanyahu and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, 47% said the longtime Likud prime minister was best suited to lead the Jewish state, 22% said Lapid and 31% said neither was suitable.
MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionists) spoke to Arutz Sheva-Israel National News about Israel's decision to freeze humanitarian aid to Gaza as well as Israel's stance on the current situation between the US and Ukraine.
Rothman hopes that the halt on aid will lead to the realization of US President Donald Trump's threat to "open the gates of Hell" on Hamas if the hostages are not released. "I think that's the way to go. I was against the deal, to begin with, but we had 42 days of the deal, we are happy about every hostage who came back, but the only way to get all the hostages back is to adopt Trump's original plan to give Hamas an ultimatum." He adds that "stopping the humanitarian aid that was forced on Israel by the Biden administration and other players is the first step towards adopting President Trump's plan."
Asked about the current extension to the ceasefire proposed by White House Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff, which Israel has adopted, Rothman says the plan is "a middle ground between the first plan of stage two, and President Trump's plan. But as we see, Hamas said no to Witkoff's plan. Israel said yes because Israel, above everything else, puts the lives of the hostages at a very high level of importance. That's the way we are, that's part of our Jewish heritage. I personally think that the only way to get the hostages back is Trump's original plan, and not any 'halfways.'"
Rothman also mentions the confrontation between US President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stressing that he is not interfering in US-Ukraine relations, he did note that "I don't see any reason for the State of Israel to take any position, especially when Zelenskyy bad-mouthed Israel, said Israel should stop fighting Hamas, said that he supports a two-state solution, basically taking pieces of land from Israel. I think Israel should not take a stand, definitely not between Ukraine and the US, but even between Ukraine and Russia. When Ukraine starts voting for the State of Israel, supporting Israel's views in the international arena, we would have to consider President Zelenskyy as a friend. Currently, we are only getting attacked by Zelenskyy and Ukraine, so we shouldn't take sides on this matter."
American-Israeli diplomat Dore Gold passed away on Monday at the age of 71.
Gold, who served in the past as the director of the Foreign Ministry, Israeli Ambassador to the UN, and diplomatic advisor to PM Netanyahu, was among those who laid the foundations for the Abraham Accords. He was central in shaping Israel's foreign policy.
His last position was as President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
Gold was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and immigrated to Israel in 1980.
His funeral be held at 4:00 p.m. Israel time at the Kehillat Jerusalem funeral home in Har Hamenuchot in Jerusalem. He is survived by his wife, two children, and six grandchildren.
Released hostage Agam Berger visited Joseph's Tomb last night alongside Samaria governor Yossi Dagan, her mother Merav, and Rabbi Eliyahu Levanon.
Before entering the tomb complex, Agam and her mother visited a winery in the Elon Moreh area.
Inside Joseph's Tomb, Berger and Dagan lit the Ner Tamid, a light that is traditionally kept burning continuously in synagogues. Dagan presented her with a special certificate of appreciation containing a quote that Berger wrote on her way back from Gaza: 'I chose the path of faith.'
“To dear Agam Berger, with your unwavering faith, you maintained the Jewish spirit. Your strength inspired an entire generation. With your determination, you granted the Jewish people power and hope. We deeply appreciate your visit to Joseph's Tomb,” read the certificate of appreciation.
Dagan also gifted her a prayer book engraved with her name, saying, “You symbolze faith. You have no idea how much the Jewish people love and admire you.”
Rabbi Levanon blessed Agam and her mother and led a prayer for the return of hostages and victory in the war. “May you be a messenger of the Jewish people with your inner strength, to bring good news and to see the good in everyone.”
Agam Berger stated, “I want to thank the soldiers. Stay safe; you are truly heroes. Let’s not forget anyone. They need us, they need our prayers, and they need us to be strong for them.”
Yossi Dagan added, “Agam, you and your mother, who raised you to be this way, symbolize something superhuman. You shared incredible hair-raising stories, keeping kosher and honoring Jewish values under conditions that no one could withstand. They respected you more because of this—those barbarians.”
"You are here with us, in this holy place, at the Tomb of Joseph the righteous, who came out of the pit to kingship. Our sister, we are excited that you are here, and we are glad you chose to come here to pray together with the strength of Joseph the righteous, who came out from the pit, and with your strength, that you continue to embody. May the Almighty send, through the IDF, the Israeli government, and all the Jewish people, salvation and bring all the captives out of the pit with a great victory.”
Merav, Agam's mother, also spoke: “After October 7, there were two occasions when I almost reached Joseph's Tomb. It was planned and did not succeed, and today it came to fruition. It feels like Joseph the Righteous invited you, that this will happen with you here. From here, I pray for the redemption of the Jewish people."
"'I am my brother's keeper.' I think this is the Jewish national moral mission of utmost importance. October 7 was a time to take personal and collective stock. I came here to pray for our brothers to receive a hug from their families. Agam in captivity missed her family very much. Family is a sacred value; we need to return to the basics and see ourselves as a family. May the captives merit to visit this holy place, which belongs to us Jews, and not in the dead of night. Agam was abducted as a Jew, and it is time for us to return to our identity, to our values, to act as Jews.”
Dagan thanked the security forces for escorting the group to the tomb, the volunteers of the Local Holy Sites Administration of the Samaria Regional Council, and the team from the Samaria Regional Council that coordinates visits.
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| Elazar Stern |
Stern emphasized that he supports the opening of cultural and leisure institutions on Shabbat: "I supported and I support the opening of cafes, restaurants, theaters, movies, and cultural performances on Shabbat. Anyone wishing to drink coffee on Shabbat or go to a restaurant is likely to do so on weekdays as well, so there will be both those who open on Shabbat and those who do not. But someone who buys shoes on Shabbat will not buy them again on a weekday."
In conclusion, he called on the operators of the center to reconsider their decision: "Therefore I call on the operators of the mall to retract their decision to open on Shabbat. Until then, I will not shop there and I assume many others will not either. Shabbat is important even to those who travel or go to the movies. It is the first and most successful Jewish startup to this day."
