A group of Chareidi investors, together with Jewish-American businessman *Steve Witkoff*, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, purchased large sections of land from the Beit Jamal Monastery in Beit Shemesh in a record-breaking deal worth around 900 million shekels. The sale, approved by the Vatican, marks a historic shift in the region.
They portray Hamas as a rising international player, sidelining Israel from direct talks with Washington, and declare this a “new phase in the conflict.”
“It didn’t start on October 7th.”
— Kosher🎗🧡 (@koshercockney) May 9, 2025
No.
You’re right.
No it didn’t.
Here is a list of Arab attacks and massacres on the Jews since 622 AD
Educate people.
Bookmark this pic.twitter.com/V5TOGAlc9y
New York lawmakers voted to weaken oversight over yeshiva education as part of the state budget deal struck under Gov. Kathy Hochul and approved Thursday evening.
The outcome represents a dramatic victory for the state’s Hasidic leaders, who have been fighting for more than a decade against efforts to ensure that Hasidic all-boys schools provide at least basic instruction in secular topics such as math, English, and science as required by a century-old state law.
Orthodox state Assemblymember Aron Wieder, who represents a district that includes Hasidic enclaves in Rockland County, praised the legislation as protecting “educational freedom” and ending the unfair targeting of Hasidic schools. His framing of the issue was echoed by a major Hasidic Satmar account on X in a statement celebrating the budget deal.
Hochul reportedly allied with Democratic state lawmakers in districts with large Hasidic concentrations on the changes with an eye to next year’s election. Because the Hasidic community tends to vote as a bloc, it is influential relative to its size and could be critical for Democrats in stemming recent Republican gains in the state.
During the British Mandate, the Jews of EretzYisrael were no more united than they are today. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, the Chief Rabbi, extended a warm hand to the secular Zionists. But others, especially the deeply pious group in Jerusalem known as Neturei Karta—the “Guardians of the City”—bitterly opposed them. And for that, they opposed Rav Kook too.
One day, the daughter of a Neturei Karta leader fell gravely ill. A rare and dangerous condition. After much consultation, the doctors concluded that only one man could treat her properly—a world-renowned professor, abroad, a specialist with unmatched skill.
The father inquired and found out what that meant. The professor was in high demand, his time booked solid. And the fee was well beyond anything a simple Jerusalem family could afford. Even if they managed to get her there, they'd be lucky to see him at all.
But then he heard something: the professor was an admirer of Rabbi Kook. A personal letter from Rav Kook, and doors might open. The professor might even clear his schedule to take the case.
Now the man faced a bitter irony. How could he possibly go to Rav Kook? He had publicly disgraced the rabbi, slandering him numerous times. To ask now for a favor? The humiliation would be too great.
Then he had an idea. Rabbi Aryeh Levin, the saintly figure known as the “tzaddik of Jerusalem,” was close to Rav Kook. The man approached Reb Aryeh and, with visible discomfort, asked if he might intercede on his behalf.
Reb Aryeh didn’t hesitate. Of course he would. He went immediately to Rav Kook’s house.
Once Rav Kook understood the problem, he immediately agreed. “Of course I'll write the letter to the professor. What does this have to do with any difference of opinion between us? A child is sick.”
He sat down, took pen and paper, and composed the letter. Deliberately, he described the father in warm, generous terms.
“If I speak of him favorably,” Rav Kook explained, “I ensure no resentment finds its way into my words.”
Reb Aryeh took the letter and left, deeply moved. On his way out, he passed two prominent rabbis who, he knew, could never forgive the zealots of Jerusalem for their hostility toward Rav Kook. He greeted them politely and continued on his way.
Then, just as he turned the corner, he heard his name called. He was being summoned to return.
Reb Aryeh froze. For a moment, he feared that those two rabbis had said something to change Rav Kook’s mind, to revoke the letter.
But his feet carried him back. “If the Rav calls,” he thought, “I must go.”
He returned to the house with a heavy heart.
Rav Kook met him with a smile. “I had another thought,” he said. “The trip abroad is very expensive. I remembered that there is a shipping line that honors my requests, providing a substantial discount to those in need. Let me write a letter to that company as well.”
And so he did.
In a rare public break with Israel’s wartime policy, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff reportedly told families of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza that he believes a new ceasefire agreement — not continued military pressure — is the correct next step in resolving the conflict.
According to Israel’s Channel 12, Witkoff told the families during a closed-door meeting that “Israel is prolonging the war, even though we do not see where further progress can be made,” adding that while the U.S. seeks to return the hostages, “Israel is not ready to end the war.”
Witkoff’s remarks, described as unusually blunt, come amid a stalled negotiation process and increasing international pressure for a deal. He was quoted as saying there is currently “a window of opportunity” that the U.S. hopes Israel and mediators “will take advantage of,” noting that Washington is “putting pressure on all the mediators and doing everything to return the hostages.”
The reported comments drew sharp contrast to Israel’s current stance. Senior Israeli officials, speaking anonymously to Channel 12, said that if no agreement is reached by the end of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the region, Israel will launch a new ground operation in Gaza that “will not end quickly.”
“We won’t agree to quickly halt once we begin the intensified operation,” one Israeli official said. “Hamas will not determine the timeline.”
While Israel is reportedly open to various proposals, including what is being called a “Witkoff proposal-minus” — a plan that would see roughly half of the remaining living hostages released in exchange for a sustained truce — officials say Hamas continues to reject key conditions.
Witkoff is said to be actively engaging multiple sides in the region this week in an effort to shape a workable framework.
This is the first time families of the hostages have heard direct criticism of Israeli policy from Witkoff, who was appointed to the envoy role with strong backing from pro-Israel voices in Washington. His comments may reflect growing U.S. impatience with the war’s pace and outcome, just as political pressure mounts ahead of the 2026 midterms and Trump’s highly anticipated visit.
