Freed Kibbutznik Thanks Hakadosh Baruch Hu In Yom Ha’atzmaut Ceremony

The live Yom Ha’atzmaut ceremony at Har Herzl and small ceremonies across the country, scheduled for Wednesday evening, were canceled due to the fires still raging across Israel.

Instead, a recorded dress rehearsal was broadcast on Israeli TV channels. One of the torch-lighters was freed hostage Emily Damari, who was abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

Speaking briefly from stage before lighting the touch, Emily said that she is lighting the torch in honor of the 59 hostages still in captivity; the 64 residents of Kfar Aza who were murdered during the massacre; including two of her close friends, the Israeli security forces who risk their lives; those who fell in battle; the orphan and widows, and bereaved families who lost their loved ones.

She then raised her voice, and pointing upwards, she said: “And to Hakadosh Baruch Hu who gave me the kochos to survive captivity and to return on my feet to the country and nation I love so much!”

It should be noted that this is not the first time that Emily publicly thanked Hashem. Shortly after being released, she posted a message on social media, writing:

 “Love, love, love,” Damari wrote. 

“I thank Hashem, my family…to the best friends I have in this world. I’ve returned to my beloved life.”

Netanyahu Honors Fallen Hero by Donning His Tefillin on Memorial Day

 On Wednesday, in a deeply personal tribute marking Israel’s Memorial Day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put on the tefillin of Maj. (res.) Yossi Hershkovitz, an IDF officer and beloved educator who was killed during the war in Gaza.

“On this Memorial Day, I am honored to put on the tefillin of the Hero of Israel, Maj. (res.) Yossi Hershkovitz,” Netanyahu wrote. “Yossi, a wonderful educator, was imbued with true love of Israel. The moment he was called up, he said goodbye to his devoted wife Hadas and to his children—Ari, Hillel, Tal, Shira, and Neta—in order to protect the home of all of us.”

Netanyahu recalled how even from the battlefield in Gaza, Hershkovitz sent uplifting messages to his family, his students, and the nation. “Yossi combined a noble spirit with an uncompromising determination to defend our people and our country. In one hand he held a weapon, and in the other he held his violin.”

“We will turn the grief over Yossi and all our fallen heroes into a melody,” the prime minister added, “the melody of the power of the generation of victory.”

‘Best 20 Minutes Of My Life’, Wrote Dying Soldier On Oct. 7

  Lieutenant Yoav Maliaev, who served as the deputy communications officer of Battalion 77, fell in battle at the Yiftach outpost near Israel’s southern border on October 7. 

His father, Alex, shared in a Reshet Bet interview about his son’s determination to serve in a meaningful role — specifically in a place most would avoid. The grieving father also spoke about the note his son wrote for his loved ones just moments before he was killed — a note that was only discovered after his death. Even in the most difficult moments of the morning of October 7, Yoav insisted on encouraging and supporting everyone around him.

Alex shared the story of his late son’s military journey:
“Yoav enlisted in the IDF’s dedicated officers’ track in the Telecommunications and Cyber Defense Corps, despite having some health issues. He graduated the course with distinction, and although he could have chosen to serve anywhere — he asked to be placed in Battalion 77 of the Armored Corps. When asked why he chose a place no one else wanted, he said, ‘Because even in the places no one wants to be — good people are needed too.'”

Watch how "Torah Learners" Tear off Israeli Flags from a Car During a Siren

 

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Young Frum Widow Tells the story of How Her Husband Left on Oct 7 to help Save his people and Never Came Back

 

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At Har Herzl a group of young people stood and sang together: “Shaarei Shamayim Psach

 

With open hearts, with broken voices, out of a sense of responsibility and remembrance, they asked for mercy.

It wasn’t a performance, not a planned ceremony. It was a true prayer, straight from the heart – for an entire people grappling with loss, with longing, with a hope that has not yet been extinguished.

THE ZIONIST שמד

 

from EMAILIM BATORAH

When the Zionist movement was founded, there was a real danger
of the Frum community joining this secular organization.

The Gedolim of the time vehemently opposed Zionism and spoke out
against the movement.
They explained how dangerous this movement is for Yiddishkeit. They argued & warned that the sole goal of the Zionists was to uproot the Torah and destroy Yiddishkeit. They considered all the Zionists as 'כופרים בהקב"ה ועובדי ע"ז וכו
who are trying to שמד כלל ישראל

The Gedolim were successful in preventing most Frum Yidden from joining the secular Zionist movement. However, like in all generations, there were Yidden who went off the Derech, and many of them joined the Zionists.

The Gedolim of the past and present, with סיעתא דשמיא, accomplished that the Zionists didn't manage to Shmad any Frum Yidden for the past seventy years. Since the Parsha of the ילדי תימן in the years 1948-1954, thanks to the Gedolim, there was no Shmad taking place by the Zionists.

Yes, indeed, many Yidden in E.Y. did go off the Derech, but hey did so not because of Zionism. Had they lived in Monroe or New Square, etc., they most likely would have done the same and gone OTD.

Some will claim that the Zionists were the cause of so many of our Sephardi brethren adopting a secular lifestyle. Evidence has proven this to be wrong. The number of Sephardim who immigrated to Chutz Laaretz and forsaken their Yiddishkeit is more than tenfold that of the Israeli Sephardim.

Sephardic Torah Chinuch Mosdos in Eretz Yisroel versus Sephardic Mosdos in Chutz Laaretz is probably one hundred to one.

If it is not the Tziyoinim who are Shmading us, whom should we blame for the Shmad?

We should blame the entire non-religious community. Even those non-Frum מחללי שבת etc. who aren't עובר the שלש שבועות. The שנאת עמי הארץ towards the Frum community is not exclusive to the Zionists.

This Schmad is happening all over the Jewish world, in Williamsburg, Monsey, Lakewood, London, Bnei Brak Yerushalayim, and countless other cities where Yidden live.

The Shmad in Chutz Laaretz is much greater than that of the Tziyoinim in E.Y.
In Chu"l we have hundreds of thousands who intermarried with Goyim.

Part #2 - Stopping the Shmad

Sixty years ago, most of כלל ישראל adopted a new method of fighting the non-Frum,
 instead of calling them "עמלקים-ערב רב-נאצים", etc. We called them תינוק שנשבה - אחינו בני ישראל
 Instead of hurling rocks & stones at them, we showered them with brotherly love.

Instead of shouting angrily at them, "SHABBOS," we invited them into our homes and sang with them "SHABBOS HAYOM."
 Instead of chanting נמות ולא נתגייס, we chant - נקדש את שמך בעולם (הזה)
עם ישראל חי

This new method of warfare against secularism proved to be so effective that over a hundred thousand Yidden returned to become חוזרים בתשובה.
In the entire history of כלל ישראל, never has there been such a large amount of בעלי תשובה as in the past generation.

Sadly, in the past few years, the number of new בעלי תשובה has drastically dwindled. Our inaction, of not being מוחה, protesting, and putting a stop to the rioting לשם שמים, discourages Yidden from being חוזרים בתשובה.

People stuck in traffic for hours due to illegal demonstrations don't want to join a community that disregards others trying to get to work, get to appointments, or return home after a long day.

The millions who watch the nightly newscast of our boys rioting like Mr. Schwartz's boys in the African jungle will not be convinced to change their lifestyle and become שומרי תורה ומצוות.

TO STOP THE SHMAD. The Roshei Yeshivah, Rebbes, leaders, Parents, etc. must clearly & loudly declare,
לא זו הדרך - דרכיה דרכי נועם

Forest Fire Reaches Homes in Ramat Beit Shemesh "Bet"

 The wildfire in Ramat Beit Shemesh has now reached the residential area. Firefighting teams are working to contain the blaze.

Massive Fires in Beit Shemesh, Motorists Abandoning Their Cars!

 

🚨 *EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT:*

If anyone from beit Shemesh  is currently in Jerusalem, DO NOT travel home on Highway 1.

It is closed due to massive fires that have overtaken part of the highway. Motorists are stranded and abandoning their vehicles evacuating the area on foot or any way they can.

Highway 375 from south Jerusalem via Beitar is still open.

*Make sure to share this as much as possible.*

Harav Yitzchok Yosef Permits Elevators on Shabbos "Le'chatcilah"

DIN: We are talking, of course, about specially modified elevators. In Israel, Shabbos Elevators have been modified with the latest scientific mechanism so that they are in line with halacha! 

But, .......and this is a big "butt", there are Charedie Poiskim who prohibit it nevertheless! 

A few years ago I bought a dira in an apartment building with a Shabbos Elevator! I live on the 3rd floor and B"H I can climb the stairs. The Vaad Habyis at the time shut off the elevator on Shabbos since no one, I guessed, needed to use it! 

Then my wife invited a relative for the Shabbos Night meal, and this relative couldn't climb stairs for health reasons, so I asked the Vaad Guy if he could activate the elevator for Shabbos so I could accommodate this relative!

He answered politely that he asked "Daas Teirah" and that the Rav paskened that the elevator is prohibited on Shabbos, regardless of the latest scientific modifications! 

So, again, I asked politely if he can tell me which floor that Rav lives in his building! He asked of what difference that makes, since the Rav paskened like that! I told him, "I'm just curious!" 

He answered, turning red like a boiled beet, that the Rav lives on the Ground Floor!

 I told him sternly and firmly that unless he gets a Rav that lives on the 3rd floor or higher, he better have that elevator activated! 

To make a long story short, he did in fact activate the elevator for that Shabbas!

Fast forward three years I notice that the elevator has been activated as a Shabbas Elevator every single Shabbos! So, again, I asked politely, completely innocent, "What happened? Did that Rav change his psak?" He didn't answer me, but it turns out that his father-in-law lives on the 2nd floor and he has "loi aleinu" Parkinson's disease and can't climb stairs! 

So I see that Chareidim listen to "Daas Teirah" as long as it doesn't affect them personally, once it hits home.... The Rav and his psak go out the window!

מי כעמך ישראל