Qatar behind ICC Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu .... Wall Street Journal

 

Testimony cited in a Wall Street Journal editorial raises suspicions that Qatar allegedly promised to “take care of” International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan if he advanced an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to the report, the claims are based on an affidavit submitted to the FBI, supported by audio recordings. The affidavit was provided by a person familiar with a private intelligence operation linked to the case, who requested anonymity. It has been shared with several members of the U.S. Congress.

The Smash House Story

 

The story has been spreading across WhatsApp groups and frum news sites for the past several days. The details vary depending on which version one encountered. A family in the Lakewood area was without parents at home one evening. Dinner was ordered through Uber Eats. The intended restaurant was Smash House Burgers — a kosher establishment with locations in several cities, well known to many. The actual restaurant the order went to was Smashburger, the national chain that serves bacon, cheeseburgers, and milkshakes.

In one version, the family caught the mistake when the packaging looked unfamiliar and the food was not eaten. 

In another, three children sat down and ate before anyone realized what had happened. The differences matters, and should not be glossed over, but for what needs to be said now, the discrepancy is almost beside the point. Because in either version of the story, the same critical safeguard was missing.

There was no kosher seal – or rather: there was no checking for one.

Other conversations abound:   

“Kosher restaurant shouldn’t use a confusing name!”  

“Why do we need to follow goyisha names for restaurants?”

“Uber Eats should label kosher establishments more clearly!”

“Hashgachos shouldn’t permit menu items that resemble cheeseburgers!”

 And more.

But maybe, in this modern era, we should retool our Chinuch.  Maybe we should create a curriculum that addresses the underlying issue – something that Chazal had addressed long, long ago – The concept of Chosamos.

Zelensky the Ukrainian Threatens Israel over grain shipment from Russia that he claims are "stolen"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday issued a sharp criticism of Israel over what he described as the arrival of a vessel carrying “stolen" Ukrainian grain to an Israeli port.

“In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability. This applies, in particular, to grain stolen by Russia," Zelenskyy said in a statement. “Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload. This is not - and cannot be - legitimate business."

Zelenskyy added that Israeli authorities “cannot be unaware of which ships are arriving at the country’s ports and what cargo they are carrying."

According to the Ukrainian president, Russia has been “systematically seizing grain on temporarily occupied Ukrainian land and organizing its export through individuals linked to the occupiers," describing such actions as violations of Israeli law.

“Ukraine has taken all necessary steps through diplomatic channels to prevent such incidents. However, we see that yet another such vessel has not been stopped," he stated.

Police Arrest Chareidie Hoodlooms that attacked Charedi soldier and his friends in Beit Shemesh

 

The police announced today (Tuesday) the arrest of three suspects, residents of Beit Shemesh aged 32 and 41, on suspicion of involvement in the severe assault of a Charedi soldier and his friends during last Shabbat.

The arrests were carried out following an intensive investigation that began immediately after the end of Shabbat.

The incident began on Friday night, when a group of dozens of youths affiliated with an extremist sect in the city arrived at the home of a Charedi soldier. According to the complaint filed by the soldier, the extremists began to threaten him and his family, while shouting, "we will burn down your house."

A violent confrontation developed on the scene between the extremists and a group of worshippers from a nearby synagogue who came to defend the soldier. During the disturbance, the soldier and his friends were attacked. One of the soldier's friends sustained significant facial injuries.

The three detainees are currently under investigation at the Beit Shemesh station, and the police will seek today from the Magistrate's Court to extend their detention.

Crazy Chassidim Use a "Graphologist" , in order to analyze personality traits and determine compatibility.

It is no secret that the shidduchim world within the Hasidic community has been experiencing a serious crisis in recent years. Many older bachelors remain unmarried for long periods, while their peers have already built families, raising children and guiding them in a life of Torah and Mitzvos.

The situation in which one young man remains single from an entire class is heartbreaking. Beyond the personal pain of the unmarried individual, his friends also face a difficult reality. On the one hand, they want to maintain their relationship with him; on the other, it’s hard to ignore the feelings of jealousy that may arise when meeting or speaking with someone who has not yet had the chance to establish a home.

While there is no single explanation for why some individuals do not become engaged even after dozens or hundreds of dates, recent accounts suggest an interesting phenomenon that may be contributing significantly to the crisis.

From conversations with older singles and parents, a concerning picture emerges, as reported on the Emess (Kol Chai) site. In some Hasidic circles, it has become common to send the handwriting of a prospective couple to a graphologist before finalizing a match, in order to analyze personality traits and determine compatibility.

This practice is especially widespread in one of the larger chasidic groups in Israel. In many cases, families consult well-known graphologists, sometimes considered among the best in the country, to decide whether to proceed with a proposed match.

“What’s holding the sector back in recent years is this issue of graphology. Ninety percent [of matches] are rejected,” says “A,” who has experienced the crisis firsthand and asked to remain anonymous. “I understand that in Gur Hasidic dynasty they’ve only recently begun to scale this back.”

He adds: “This has led to a large number of unmarried young men within the community. People have become almost addicted to it. It’s a miracle it hasn’t spread to the Lithuanian or Sephardi sectors. I personally had several good matches this past year that could have progressed, but the graphologist said they weren’t suitable.”

Another individual, “T,” shared a similar experience: “I once dated a girl who wouldn’t move forward in any match without approval from a certain graphologist. Eventually she got fed up and switched to someone else, because the first one rejected all her matches.”

He added: “At one point I met that graphologist and told him: ‘Stop destroying homes that could be built in Israel. Even if it’s your livelihood, there are other ways to make a living without harming people like this.’”

“B,” a parent of two older sons navigating the matchmaking system, offered further insight: “A very senior graphologist told me that those who say whether to go ahead with a match or not are charlatans motivated by money. A graphologist can analyze personality, but should never determine compatibility.”

He continued: “He even told me that if he had analyzed his own handwriting and that of his wife, he would have concluded they were completely incompatible, yet thank G-d they’ve been happily married for 40 years.”

These testimonies come from people directly affected by the matchmaking crisis, who have chosen to speak out in hopes of raising awareness and perhaps contributing to at least a partial solution.

Ha Ha!! Ilhan Omar thinks we were in Eleven World Wars! Reads World War II as ‘World War Eleven’

 

Online reaction was swift and intense. Avi Glaserman questioned, “How the hell was she elected into office if she thinks (II) in Roman numerals equals 11?”

Others piled on. A commenter identified as Melissa Rubin from Pennsylvania wrote, “How can she think there have been 11 world wars? She obviously misread Roman numeral II from a speech a staffer wrote for her: Perhaps because she graduated from Quality Learning Center.”

Another user, Michael Sternstein, posted: “I am embarrassed she is my congresswoman but then again what can I expect? She graduated from Quality Learing Center and her family tree is a circle since she married her own brother.”

The moment also revived past criticism from Donald Trump, who previously referred to Omar as a “low IQ individual” countless times.

JBN has verified the authenticity of the clip, with C-SPAN footage confirming Omar’s remarks.

Rabbi Yechiel Farkash, Facing Extradition to Israel for Alleged Sexual Abuse of Students at Bnei Brak Yeshiva Denied Bond Ahead of Extradition Hearing

WARNING! TERRIBLE REPORT! 

Explicit Language

 Lakewood Resident, Rabbi Yechiel Farkash, Facing Extradition to Israel for Alleged Sexual Abuse of Students at Bnei Brak Yeshiva Where He Taught, Denied Bond Ahead of Extradition Hearing

According to a complaint filed in New Jersey Federal Court, Rabbi Yechiel Farkash, 43, was working as a rebbi, menahel, and remedial teacher at Yeshiva Toras Hachayim in Bnei Brak between 2020 and 2023. During that time, the complaint alleges, he began giving Victim 1 extra attention relative to other students, summoning him to Farkash's office often, buying him clothing, and giving him money for that purpose. According to the complaint Victim 1 was living at Keren Hayeled, a boarding house in Bnei Brak that caters to orphans, children with mental illness, and children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

On multiple occasions between June 2021 and October 2023, according to the complaint, Farkash called Victim 1, who was a teenager, to his office, where he would hug Victim 1 from the front or back, and occasionally press his erect genitalia against Victim 1's body. In June of 2022, according to the complaint, Farkash and Victim 1 visited the Knesset in honor of Victim 1's birthday. During the drive, the complaint alleges, Farkash touched Victim 1 near his lower abdomen and genitalia, and reminded Victim 1 of everything Farkash had bought him when Victim 1 resisted, which made Victim 1 stop resisting. The complaint alleges that while in a Knesset elevator Farkash hugged Victim 1 and pressed his genitalia into Victim 1's body.

Aliyah continues: Nearly 19,000 Jews move to Israel amid war....UK Aliya hits 40 year High

 

Nearly 19,000 Jews immigrated to Israel over the past year, arriving from 103 countries despite ongoing war and regional tensions.

Russia, the US, and France led in numbers, with rising immigration from Western countries linked to growing antisemitism.

Most newcomers settled in central Israel and Jerusalem

Leaving Britain? UK aliyah hits 40-year high as antisemitism rises fast

According to a new report from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 742 Jews from the United Kingdom made aliyah in 2025, the highest annual total since the mid-1980s.

Over the past two decades, aliyah from the UK has remained stable, typically ranging between 400 and 740 people per year, with a long-term average of about 566 annually.

In practical terms, that means roughly 2 out of every 1,000 British Jews make aliyah each year, higher than other countries like Canada but still far below places like France, where migration levels are significantly higher.

So this is not, at least yet, a mass exodus. But something is changing.

Firstly, this marks two consecutive years of growth, rising from 561 immigrants in 2024 to 742 in 2025.

Secondly, since October 7, studies show British Jews are more likely than before to consider aliyah, even if many have not yet acted on it.

That change is especially pronounced among younger Jews, Orthodox communities, and those who have personally experienced antisemitism.

Many British Jews find that there are many factors to consider regarding aliyah. Economic opportunities, family, and connection to Israel all play a role.

Antisemitism in the UK has surged in recent years, which reshapes how many Jews view their place in British society.

Cute 12 year-old Cancer Victim Tells her Story of her fear of losing her hair

 

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Chassidic sect in northern Israel churns out child brides and conceals sex abuse

The late Cult leader Eliezer Shlomo Schick.

 Hundreds of families from an insular Chasidic sect in northern Israel are systematically marrying off girls as young as 12 to husbands who are not much older, as welfare services fail them and community members fear speaking out, Haaretz reported Thursday.

The report cited current and former members of the Bratslav community in Yavne’el, officials with knowledge of the matter, and the previously unpublished findings of a government panel established in 2023 to look into the closed community.

The panel that looked into the community reportedly found “cases that give rise to suspected crime,” “multiple cases of dysfunctional parenting,” and “sexual abuse, part of which goes unreported.”

“It’s straight-up rape,” said a current community member . “Nobody asks a 14-year-old girl if she wants to get married. A year later she’s taking a baby to the playground.”

According to the government panel, the weddings are mainly between children aged 15-17, who are taught from an early age to get married young

“The community perpetuates and is permeated by a religious and cultural outlook that says early marriages of minors are desirable and, among other things, help keep youth away from various dangers,” said the government report, without elaborating, 

The newspaper cited current and former community members as saying the “dangers” that the community fears are non-procreative seminal emissions, which are prohibited in halacha, or Jewish ritual law.

Current community members agreed to speak only on the side of the road, far away from the town, and were wary of approaching cars, Haaretz said. 

It quoted one female community member as saying, “Whoever talks risks ruining their and their family’s lives.”

The government panel that looked into the Yavne’el community was established by the Welfare Ministry with representatives of the police and of the justice, education, and health ministries following an interview by the Kan public broadcaster with a woman who escaped abuse in the sect.

The woman, Mika Maimoni, was wed at 14 to a 19-year-old husband and got pregnant in three months. Maimoni was sent to give birth in Bnei Brak and was instructed on the way there to memorize a cover story to explain her pregnancy, she told Kan. She escaped the sect in 2015 when it was grieving the death of its spiritual leader Eliezer Shlomo Schick.

Marriages like Maimoni’s are common in the Yavne’el Bratslav community, according to Haaretz. Community members cited by the newspaper said the weddings take place at a rate of one or two a month.

In 2003, Tiberias police uncovered about 20 cases of marriages arranged by Schick of young girls, some of them aged 12, to grooms as young as 15.

And in its report, the panel established in 2023 found child marriages to be “very widespread” in the community of roughly 500 families, which accounts for over half the residents in the 5,000-odd town, according to Haaretz.

But the panel reportedly said it could not give exact figures because of conspirators’ “synchronized and systematic cover-up technique and subterfuge.”

Those were said to include holding weddings in secret, changing child spouses’ addresses, giving authorities false information, appointing loyalists as teachers and counselors, and getting doctors to register adult mothers as the patients of fertility treatments performed on young girls.