77 awesome things about Medinas Yisrael!

In honor of Israel’s 77th birthday, we reflect on the things we appreciate about our economic and financial systems.

Yes, despite these hard times, VAT and overall tax increases, major economic challenges, and looming US tariffs, there is still so much good worth celebrating. Without a doubt, our incredible Israeli resilience and innovative spirit promises better times ahead in this miracle country that has been built in 77 short years. So here is my list of 77 awesome things about Israel’s economy:

Government & Economy
Despite everything we’ve faced in the past year, our economic foundation remains strong, a testament to Israeli ingenuity and determination.

1. A resilient economy continues to show growth despite the war.
2. Google’s acquisition of Wiz for $32 billion, proof that we continue to be a tech giant.
3. The shekel remains stable as a global currency.
4. The Sal Klita (Absorption Basket) currently provides financial support for new immigrants.
5. Free Ulpan programs help immigrants integrate linguistically and culturally.
6. Strong economic leadership from the Bank of Israel, resulting in economic stability.
7. Monthly child stipends from Bituach Leumi, the National Insurance system.
8. Improved digital government services that reduce bureaucracy.
9. Electricity reform now provides consumers with a choice of providers.
10. The introduction of a new category for small business owners, Esek Za’ir, helps reduce bureaucracy and paperwork.

Health Care
Our healthcare system is unique in that both services and innovations continue to be added, with more services available in other languages.

11. Universal healthcare system with minimal out-of-pocket costs.
12. Free hospital services.
13. An extensive list of affordable medication.
14. Birth grants (ma’anak leidah) that support new mothers.
15. Free dental care has been expanded to cover children under 18.
16. Paid maternity leave of 15 weeks (can be split between working spouses).
17. Healthcare services becoming more available in English.
18. World-class leader in fertility treatments at minimal cost.
19. Telemedicine initiatives that are expanding healthcare access.

Savings & Investments
I often tell my clients that Israel has developed some remarkably clever savings vehicles that many people, especially new olim, do not use fully! These programs help us build financial security while navigating Israel’s unique economic landscape. *Not all are suitable for Americans, so please ask your CPA.

20. Mandatory pension systems that ensure retirement security.
21. Tax-free Keren Hishtalmut savings that provide mid-term investment options.
22. Tax-advantaged investment plans, such as Kupot Gemel Lehashka’ah.
23. Government savings plans for children.

NY Magazine Trying To Push Out John Fetterman With Fake News Stories

 

Recent article from NY Magazine that Senator John Fetterman is unable to continue his duties as Senator.

For some reason, no one seemed to have cared about John’s mental acuity when he was running for senator, and his aligned views with the progressives.

Which is why many people view this NYMag hit piece on Fetterman as solely motivated by his support for Israel. Nothing more.

There’s a lot more brain damage and mental illness in the Democratic Party than anything anyone ever seen from John Fetterman. Sick party.

Ramat Beit Shemesh Residents Fighting Satmar Hooligans That are Tearing Israeli Flags Down!

 

United Airlines flight to Israel allegedly turned around after Jewish passenger sat in attendant’s seat

These skies were not friendly toward Jews, a lawsuit claims.

A United Airlines crew allegedly turned a flight with a significant number of Jewish passengers around after one sat in a flight attendant’s seat while waiting for the restroom, according to a lawsuit.

Nearly 60 passengers claimed the April 22, 2023 flight from Newark to Tel Aviv was returned to New Jersey “after hours of flight for no valid reason” — simply because many of them were Jewish, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court papers.

The flight crew allegedly “blamed all the rest of the passengers” after one person briefly sat in the flight attendant’s spot while waiting to use the bathroom, resulting in the “ill-trained and/or unvetted crew” to act with “prejudice,” the suit claimed.

Many of the passengers in question were “visibly Jews,” on their way to Israel to celebrate Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s national day of remembrance, and Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day.

The passengers got no help booking new trips once the flight returned to Newark, and when one asked for assistance, they were allegedly told by a flight attendant, “Go ask your own kind,” according to the litigation.

“We want to see sensitivity training,” said attorney Yoram Nachimovsky, who is also seeking unspecified damages. “If one person is acting bad it doesn’t mean everyone around them is responsible.” 

“We have reviewed the incident, and the plaintiffs’ claims are meritless,” United said in a statement.

“One passenger who was a safety and security risk caused the flight to return to Newark. Our crew put safety first and exhibited professionalism in managing this matter, and we will vigorously defend against these false allegations,” the company added.

400 ultra-Orthodox men joined the IDF this week, the military announced.

 

Among them are 196 assigned to combat roles and 167 to combat support positions, while another 23 recruits are still awaiting final placement. The combat soldiers have been distributed across several units: 105 to the Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the Kfir Brigade, 48 to the Hasmonean Brigade, 19 to the Tomer Company of the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion, 20 to the Hetz Company of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 202nd Battalion, and four to the ground defense unit at Nevatim Airbase.

In addition to these conscripts, 26 older Haredi men joined as reservists after completing the “Shlav Bet” (Stage B) track— a basic two-week training course for older recruits assigned to non-combat roles. These reservists, along with another 100, are slated to begin an intensive six-month combat training course next week, preparing them to serve in the Hasmonean Brigade’s reserve unit.

The IDF emphasized its ongoing commitment to increasing ultra-Orthodox enlistment while respecting their religious practices and tailoring service conditions accordingly. As part of a broader push that began last summer, the army is nearing completion of distributing 24,000 draft notices to Haredi men. An estimated 70,000 ultra-Orthodox males are currently considered eligible for military service.

For the first time, initial draft notices are also being sent to all Israelis upon reaching age 16.5 — including Haredim, who were previously excluded — though actual enlistment begins at 18.

Despite a current need for 10,000 new troops — 70% of whom are intended for combat roles — the IDF says it can only absorb around 3,000 additional ultra-Orthodox soldiers this year due to the need for tailored accommodations. This would supplement the approximately 1,800 Haredi men who already enlist each year.

Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky Urges Everyone to Vote in WZO Elections!

 

Hagaon Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky Shlita grants permission to publicize that he both permits and encourages those who are concerned about Kedushas Eretz Yisroel to vote in the current WZO elections for the Eretz Hakodesh Slate.

Rabbi David Kushner, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, a globally respected askan, and someone with a close relationship with the R’Y has sought guidance and clarity on this issue from the R”Y multiple times, including as late as today, erev shabbos kodesh, just a couple days prior to the end of the voting period.

After speaking with the R’Y again today, Rabbi Kushner sent us the following detailed update……

“I am reaching out to inform you that the R”Y, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky Shlita has given permission to be mefarsem and share with the tzibbur his unwavering encouragement to participate, vote, and solicit others in our community to do the same in the ongoing WZO elections on behalf of the Eretz Hakodesh Slate.

5 years ago, I went to the R’Y Shlita to speak over this topic and he encouraged me to vote and solicit others to vote as well.

6 months ago, I went to the R’Y Shlita to speak over this topic again, and he encouraged me tnot only to vote and solicit others to vote, but to also join the Eretz Hakodesh slate as a delegate.

1 month ago, after there were a number of statements discouraging participation in the election, and numerous public claims that the R’Y Rav Shmuel Shlita wad rescinded his support, I went back to the R’Y to ask him myself and in person - He clearly stated that I should remain a delegate, I should vote for Eretz Hakodesh, I Should encourage others to vote, and that There were numerous mitzvos involved in participating in the election in this manner.

1 Hour ago,erev shabbos, just 2 days prior to the end of the voting period, I came back to the R”Y one more time, and he made it very clear that his position has not changed, that we need to protect Kedushas Eretz Yisroel, and that voting for Eretz Hakodesh in the WZO elections is a worthwhile form of hishtadlus to help that cause.

The R’Y also expressed a sense of sadness regarding the amount of misinformation that has been spread regarding positions of different Gedolim and the manner in which Chalukei Daos amongst Talmidei Chachomim and Gedolei Hador have been transmitted to the Tzibbur.

The R’Y ended the conversation with Brachos for Siyata D’shmaya, a renewed sense of Kavod for Daas Torah even when there are chulkai daos, hachzokas kedushas eretz yisroel,, and hatzlacha for the Eretz Hakodesh slate in the elections and in their ongoing Avodas Hakodesh,”

This is איק closest we have gotten to confirming Rav Shmuel Shlita ratzon to be mefarsim that he holds it’s a Mitzva to vote …

Zera Shimshon Parshat Tazria-Metzora

 

Freed Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi accused of telling gun shop owner that he used to ‘kill Jews’ in Palestine

 Freed Palestinian Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi was once accused of telling a Vermont gun store owner that he used to “kill Jews while he was in Palestine” with modified automatic firearms that he built himself, court documents allege.

The allegations were laid bare in court papers filed Wednesday as the Trump administration unsuccessfully sought to keep Mahdawi in custody following his arrest for leading anti-Israel protests on the Ivy League campus.

In arguing their case, the Trump admin honed in on a visit Mahdawi made to the gun store in the summer of 2015, which resulted in the owner alerting local cops, the filing states.

“The gun shop owner told Windsor, Vermont, police officers that Mr. Mahdawi had visited his store twice, expressing an interest in learning more about firearms and buying a sniper rifle and an automatic weapon and that he ‘had considerable firearm experience and used to build modified 9mm submachine guns to kill Jews while he was in Palestine’,” the papers charge.

The owner also gave cops the name of another gun enthusiast who’d allegedly had a similar conversation with Mahdawi at a firearm museum where he volunteered.

In that exchange, the filing alleges the Columbia student said, “I like to kill Jews.”

Mahdawi, in his response, noted that he was interviewed by an FBI agent shortly after but denied making the remarks, the court papers state.

“Mahdawi confirmed that he had visited the gun shop and the Precision Museum but that he had never discussed buying weapons or killing Jews,” the filing notes.

He added, too, that he’d visited the gun store to ask whether he needed to register a shotgun his then-wife had bought him.

Mahdawi is said to have told the agent he went to the museum because it was close to his house and he had an interest in machinery.

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The government also pointed to a 2019 incident in which Mahdawi was stopped at the US border and “found to be carrying drugs,” the court filing charges.District of Vermont

“Mr. Mahdawi states that the FBI agent was satisfied with his explanation and closed the investigation,” the docs state.

The government also pointed to a 2019 incident in which Mahdawi was stopped at the US border and “found to be carrying drugs,” the court filing charges.

Two Israeli businessmen murdered hours apart in same LA neighborhood — with one held captive for hours and beaten to death

 

Two Israeli businessmen were found murdered hours apart in their homes in the same section of Los Angeles Saturday, with one tied up and beaten to death while the other was identified as the brother of a prison warden in the Jewish state, police said.

There is no apparent connection between the two killings, but they both occurred in the San Fernando Valley inside the victims’ homes.

The murder of Alexander Modebadze, 47, was particularly heinous, according to cops.

Three attackers broke into Modebadze’s home, held him captive for hours, and savagely beat him to death, police said in a statement.

Police later arrested and charged three Georgian nationals for the murder: Pata Kochiashvili, Zaza Outarashvili and Basiki Kutsishvili.

They are being held on a $2 million bail.

Later that day, cops found another murdered Israeli businessman in the San Fernando Valley: Meni Hidhra, the brother of the warden of Israel’s Nitzan Prison, the Jewish Journal reported.

Police have revealed few details about that crime, including how he was killed, but they did release photos of a possible suspect: a 30 to 40-year-old Hispanic male.

Boy Did the US Miss a bullet with Kamala Harris! The Big Elephant!

 

The Democrats seem to be lost in the wilderness. But at least their former presidential candidate still has elephants for company.

On Wednesday evening Kamala Harris returned to the public stage for the first time in months. And in her own way she reminded us all how much we’ve missed her.

The event she spoke at was a California fundraiser for “Emerge,” an organization designed to help Democratic women to enter politics. And if any Democrat women need a role model for how not to run for political office, Harris once again sure helped them out.

She used most of her 15 minutes to do boilerplate campaign stuff. She claimed that in the Trump administration “instead of an administration working to advance America’s highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals.”

Clearly she is appalled at a US administration doing things like securing the border and enforcing the law. These are certainly ideals she would never have approved of if she had been in office.

Kamala also slammed into the tariffs question. Because if there is one question that all economists and trade experts always had on their minds in recent years it was: “What would Kamala do?”

To the extent that she has any thoughts on the question of economics she showed which side she is on.