Smotrich Sets AG Straight: I’m the Finance Minister and I Keep Haredi Daycare

 

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich last Thursday sent Deputy AG Gil Limon, and the legal counsel of the finance ministry Assi Messing, a detailed letter explaining why, in his opinion, the decision to cancel daycare seriously harms working Haredi women and the integration of the Haredi sector in the job market, sentencing Haredim to poverty. 

Also, Smotrich stressed the entire issue is outside their purview.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara last week ruled that the state must stop funding daycare centers for the toddlers of Haredi families where the father has failed to enlist in the IDF (Collective Punishment: AG Terminates Daycare for Haredi Families with Draft Dodgers). The decision to make life miserable for Haredi families who depend on the state subsidies for childcare, especially when the wife is working full-time too, follows a High Court ruling from July 2023, which canceled the blanket exemption from enlistment for Haredi Israelis.

According to estimates, about 6,700 families will be affected by the decision to stop subsidizing daycare for children of Haredi men aged 18 to 26, just 3 weeks before the school year begins. This means some 10,000 children whose parents will be left without appropriate daycare, some of whom are listed by the Welfare Ministry as economically needy.

Smotrich is furious that the decision was made in a collaboration between the AG and the finance ministry’s legal counsel without consulting the decision-making echelon, the finance minister. “It’s amazing that you conduct discussions, exchange correspondence and make decisions with far-reaching implications on budgetary and economic issues among yourselves, without even thinking of someone who deserves to at least be included in the process, namely the finance minister,” Smotrich wrote. “Yours is a country within a country,” he noted.

Let's See What The Chazon Ish and Harav Eliyashiv REALLY Said About Joining the IDF

לא תעמוד על דם רעיך

Let's begin with the Chazon Ish! 

ליקוטי החזון איש

( קי"ד..ו')או"ח מועד, הלכות עירובין, ליקוטין, סימן) 

  דזה פשיטא,דבשביל פיקוח נפש והצלת העם כולם חייבין. אלא אפילו בזמן שאין צורך אלא למספר מסוים, היה רשות ליקח חתן מחדרו, שאין להחוזרים שום זכות במלחמות מצוה, וכן במלחמת רשות, אינן פטורין אלא בזמן שאין נצחון ישראל תלוי בהם שמספר הצבא שצורך בהן יש בלעדן, אבל אם יש צורך בהן חייבין לבוא לעזרת אחיהם

Loose translation!

There is no question that for the sake of Pikuach Nefesh and the salvation of the people, everyone must join [the army] But even at a time when there is no need but just a certain amount of soldiers, one can draft   a groom even from his marital room,  they have no exemption in wars of mitzvah ,but even in wars that  not for a mitzva, they are not exempt except when there is sufficient people in the army and they are not needed, but if it is necessary, they must come to the aid of their brethren‎

הגרי"ש אלישיב

(חשוקי חמד, בבא מציעא, ק"ח א')

דכל מה שת"ח פטורים, היינו כשעדיין לא באה מכת הגניבות, שאז תורתם תגן שלא יפגעו, אבל כשהמכה החלה, והגנבים השתלטו על המקום ומכירים כל מבואותיו, אין סומכין על הנס וחייבים להשתתף

Loose translation!

A Talmud Chacham is only exempt from the army when the thieves (in our case, murderers) have not yet arrived, in that case, their Torah Learning will protect them that they shouldn't get hurt, but when the thieves (in our case, murderers and rapists) have already managed to dominate and all know that they are already here and for what purpose, then one can no longer rely on a miracle and one is required to join! 

Last week, during the 9 days, Rav Mordechai Neugroschrel, a well-known Chareidie speaker, a clean-shaven "rabbi," addressed a well-attended gathering in Ramat Beit Shemesh and lectured the crowd on why Chareidim should NOT serve in the army! 

I walked in a bit late and walking in I thought I was in the wrong place as the entire crowd burst out in laughter, mind you, this was during the 9 days! Before I had a chance to find a place and sit down, the crowd burst out laughing again and I started thinking this guy must be doing Stand-Up comedy! 

The clean-shaven rabbi continued with his "jokes" in rapid-fire! I found it inappropriate, for a rabbi to joke about a serious topic while Jewish children were dying just a few miles away! 

I need to point out that Beit Shemesh itself lost quite of few of our children in Gaza and in the North and in fact one Beit Shemesh family had just gotten up from Shiva. 

Which genius invited this guy to speak in a city that was mourning its finest? 

 One guy who was army-age, and turned out to be a Hesder soldier, challenged him, and asked him how can he lecture that Charedim should not share in the burden of their neighbors? He pointed out that he loves to learn, actually learns and is a Shomer Torah Umitzvois and so are his buddies and so what is wrong of being in the army like him and learning? 

He continued, asking why is it that there are practically no Chareidim at the funerals of the fallen soldiers? Why is it that you never find Chareidim visiting the wounded soldiers?

The clean-shaven rabbi started pandering to him and said that "he feels for them bla bla bla! 

I keep reminding you guys that he is "Clean-Shaven" because normally someone who considers himself "Chareidie" would never take a "rabbi" like this seriously! But since he is taking up their cause, suddenly he is a celebrity and their hero! 

To support his position that Chareidim even if they "batel" and don't learn should not enlist he brings a Zohar! 

The Zohar is talking about a "Yissacher/Zevulin" relationship where they agree that one learns and the other one supports him! But this whole premise is totally flawed because this "Yissacher/Zevulin" relationship is an "agreement" between the parties. Note: "AN AGREEMENT" not that Yissachar imposes his will on Zevulin. Besides this has nothing to do with a war where even Yissacher, the learner, has to fight just like everyone else!  Even a chassan under the chuppah is dragged to fight! 

This challenge from the soldier was only at the end of the lecture that was peppered with continued jokes and hysterical laughter from the crowd! Clean-Shaven Neugroschel quoted all HIS gedoilim but conveniently left out the  Chazon Ish , Rav Eliyshiv's Pask seen above, and Rav Shach's psak below! 

See a letter from Harav Shach, where he writes only someone whose "Torahorah is Umnosah" should get a "patur" everyone else goes to the army! In other words only someone whose intention is make Torah, his profession gets an exemption! 

Forget eating salmon, eat like a salmon.

 To get essential nutrients, a new study suggests that people should be eating as if they were salmon.

The study, published in the journal Nature Food, found that consuming the sort of wild fish on which salmon prey, such as mackerel, herring and anchovies, could be healthier than salmon itself.

“Making a few small changes to our diet around the type of fish that we eat can go a long way to changing some of these deficiencies and increasing the health of both our population and planet,” lead author, Dr. David Willer, Zoology Department, University of Cambridge, said in a statement.

Research shows that there’s an overall loss of essential dietary nutrients in the production of farmed salmon, so eating the individual fish that are fed to salmon is a healthier alternative.

“Whilst still enjoying eating salmon and supporting sustainable growth in the sector, people should consider eating a greater and wider variety of wild fish species like sardines, mackerel and anchovies, to get more essential nutrients straight to their plate,” Willer advised.

Directly eating more wild “feed” species could ultimately benefit our health while also reducing the demand for finite marine resources.

Scientists analyzed the flow of nutrients from the edible species of the wild feed fish compared to the farmed salmon they were fed to, focusing on nine nutrients that are concentrated in seafood and essential to human diets — iodine, calcium, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin A, omega-3, vitamin D, zinc and selenium.

The wild fish that were studied included Pacific and Peruvian anchoveta, and Atlantic herring, mackerel, sprat and blue whiting – all of which are marketed and consumed as seafood.

These six wild fish contained a greater — or similar — concentration of nutrients as farmed salmon fillets.

Most wild-feed fish met dietary nutrient recommendations at smaller portion sizes than the farmed Atlantic Salmon — including omega-3 fatty acids which are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Compared to the salmon fillets, quantities of calcium were over five times higher in wild-feed fish fillets, iodine was four times higher, and iron, omega-3, vitamin B12, and vitamin A were all over 1.5 times higher.

“It was interesting to see that we’re effectively wasting around 80% of the calcium and iodine from the feed fish – especially when we consider that women and teenage girls are often not getting enough of these nutrients,” Dr. Richard Newton of the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, said.

“What we’re seeing is that most species of wild fish used as feed have a similar or greater density and range of micronutrients than farmed salmon fillets,” Willer added.

However, despite the clear health benefits, the scientists noted that 24% of adults eat salmon weekly, but only 5.4% eat mackerel, 1% eat anchovies and 0.4% eat herring.

“Farmed salmon is an excellent source of nutrition, and is one of the best converters of feed of any farmed animal, but for the industry to grow it needs to become better at retaining key nutrients that it is fed,” Newton explained. “This can be done through more strategic use of feed ingredients, including from fishery by-products and sustainably sourced, industrial-grade fish such as sand eels.”

The researchers hope the study’s findings will push the fishing and aquaculture industries to become more efficient and reduce the burden on fish stocks that also provide seafood.

“We’d like to see the industry expand but not at a cost to our oceans,” Willer said.

“We’d also like to see a greater variety of affordable, convenient and appealing products made of wild ‘feed’ fish and fish and salmon by-products for direct human consumption.”

Study finds eating Israeli Bamba drastically cuts peanut allergy risk in young kids

 

ating Bamba, Israel’s quintessential peanut-butter-flavored snack, is proven to reduce peanut allergies in children by 75 percent, according to a recent study in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, bearing out what many Israelis already know.

The longitudinal study began in 2008 when a group of British and Israeli researchers were intrigued by how peanut allergy in Israeli children was significantly less common compared to Jewish children in the UK with similar genetic backgrounds.

They hypothesized that the low level of peanut allergy in Israeli children resulted from their high level of peanut-flavored snacks from an early age. They set out to test it, eventually proving right their hypothesis.

The research created a buzz in the Hebrew media after Dr. Elee Shimshoni and Dr. Sagie Brodsky, two scientists who volunteer at Little, Big Science, wrote about the landmark study. According to its website, this organization is made up of volunteer scientists who explain science in simple Hebrew to the general public.

In their article, the authors explained the researchers’ Bamba study in easy-to-understand language with a bit of humor.

“Slackers, give yourselves a pat on the back for giving your children Bamba” instead of a “fresh and nutritious zucchini quiche,” Shimshoni and Brodsky begin. “You may have prevented your children from developing a peanut allergy.”

In their article, The New England Journal of Medicine researchers said that peanuts are a common culinary ingredient, and “hard to avoid.”

Treatments to protect children against reactions from peanut exposure “would improve the children’s socialization and the quality of life of the children and their families,” the researchers wrote.

Peanut allergy is a common cause of pediatric anaphylaxis, a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can cause a range of symptoms, including difficulty breathing, swelling, hives, and a sudden drop in blood pressure that requires immediate medical attention.

Although treatment strategies are emerging,  therapies for children under 4 years of age do not exist.

Unlike many other food allergies that develop in childhood, peanut allergy can persist into adulthood.

Meet Morgan Overton the Harris Delegate Pushing a BDS Resolution That Would Cripple Pittsburgh’s Jewish Orgs and Punish Local Hospitals

 Morgan Overton is a Pennsylvania delegate for Kamala Harris at next week’s Democratic National Convention, a member of Democratic governor Josh Shapiro’s advisory council for women, and a Planned Parenthood Western Pennsylvania board member. She’s also a quiet supporter of a Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) ballot initiative that would cripple the city’s Jewish organizations and punish its largest hospital system.

Overton, who said she is “so energized” to back Harris in Chicago, signed a petition that would trigger a BDS ballot measure come November, documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show. If passed, the measure would force the city of Pittsburgh—and all of its nonprofit entities—to cut ties with Israel or lose tax-exempt status and all public funding. Overton, who has been described as “besties” with Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, signed the petition on July 27, though she has not voiced public support for the measure.

Rabbi "Paskens" That ‘Sacred Texts’ Require Jews To Vote for Harris

An influential Washington, D.C., synagogue is facing backlash from furious congregants after its rabbi claimed Jews “need to elect Vice President Kamala Harris” in order to comply with “sacred texts.”

Adas Israel, whose membership has included Supreme Court justice Elena Kagan and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is one of the oldest and largest synagogues in Washington, D.C. But members have become increasingly frustrated with the leadership’s “insulting” left-wing advocacy that has left congregants “dreading the upcoming high holidays,” the Washington Free Beacon has learned.

The controversy came to a head at a Jewish Democratic Council of America event earlier this month, when Adas Israel Co-Senior Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt cited Jewish scripture as a basis for why Jews must vote for Harris.

“I could tell you that we need to elect Vice President Kamala Harris because as Jews our sacred texts tell us we need to build a world where we feed the hungry, where we care for the sick, where we love the stranger, where we guard and nurture this planet,” said Holtzblatt on the JDCA Zoom call with Harris supporters. “Those are her values. That is what her policies seek to achieve.”

Holtzblatt, who officiated Ginsburg’s funeral and has appeared on The Forward’s “Forward 50” list, is a vocal supporter of Harris and led a Passover seder at the vice president’s home last spring. She did not respond to a request for comment regarding which Jewish texts support her assertion that Jews “need to elect” Harris

Holtzblatt’s comments drew criticism from some Adas Israel congregants, who said the synagogue’s political bias has become “insufferable.”

“[T]o be lectured that as Jews we are compelled to vote a certain way is frankly insulting,” wrote a longtime congregant in an email to Adas Israel’s rabbinical leaders. Two other Adas Israel congregants independently shared the exchange with the Free Beacon.

“[T]ying ‘our sacred texts’ to a political candidate in this way is, at best, simplistic. And easily rebutted with myriad other examples from scripture,” wrote the members. “The reality is that Adas has become borderline insufferable for anyone who doesn’t share what is assumed by leadership to be the universal point of view. It’s politics all day everyday; politics always from the same direction—no balance.”

Members are also reportedly irked by Adas Israel’s decision to have Hamilton director Lin-Manuel Miranda, a non-Jewish Democratic activist, headline the synagogue’s Yom Kippur programming in October.

“[T]here are many more Adas members than you might realize, who are put off as well (some of whom are BCC’d here),” wrote the congregants. “I have spoken with a number who are dreading the upcoming high holidays, headlined bizarrely by father and son Miranda (hawking his book no less!).”

 

Mendel Furst a Satmar Lakewood Rebbe accused of grabbing a 10-year-old student by the neck and dragging him up stairs

The prosecutor in the case of a Yeshiva teacher accused of endangering the welfare of a child by grabbing him by the neck and dragging him up a flight of stairs has offered the teacher a deal in which he would avoid trial but would have to forfeit his teaching position – or any work at a school – for three years.

The deal was proposed in Ocean County court on Wednesday. It follows a July 10 hearing at which the prosecutor asked for additional time to determine that the victim’s family wasn’t being subject to “undue pressure or threats” from rabbis. If he accepts, the Hasidic schoolteacher who faces charges of abusing the 10-year-old boy will be admitted to New Jersey’s Pre-Trial Intervention program.

The defendant, Rabbi Mendel Furst, who teaches at a Satmar boys’ school in Lakewood, allegedly grabbed the child by the neck and dragged him up a stairwell, leaving scratches and bruising around his neck, according to a Lakewood police report from January.

Furst was seen in surveillance video committing the offense as a way of scolding the boy on Nov. 12, 2023, police said. He was charged with fourth-degree cruelty and neglect of a child.

In response to Shtetl’s request, the police only released heavily redacted bodycam videos of officers executing their search warrant, while neither prosecutor nor police would share the surveillance footage they obtained from the school. However, the attorney for the boy’s family wrote a memo describing what he saw in the school surveillance footage. A man’s “right hand was wrapped around the child's hand in a head lock,” the attorney, Terrance Turnbach, wrote. “At one point in time on the video, the child's feet are actually in the air while being restrained.”

“The child was visibly carried up the staircase in this manner while the Rabbi was chanting ‘What do you say to the wicked, there will be no peace to the wicked’ in Hebrew in a sing song chant,” Turnbach added.

In Ocean County criminal court on Wednesday, the prosecutor, Kimberly Carr, said that she and the alleged victim’s father supported pre-trial intervention, a program that allows defendants to avoid a trial, as long as Furst agrees to certain conditions.

Furst would have to avoid contact with the alleged victim and his family, go to anger management classes, and not work as a teacher or school administrator for three years. Furst’s attorney, Yosef Jacobovitch, said they needed time to consider the proposal; they are due back in court on Sep. 4.

But at the previous hearing, on July 10, Carr was reluctant to agree to  PTI. She said that the victim’s father who had initially opposed Furst’s participation in the program “received phone calls from rabbis on behalf of this defendant inquiring as to the basis for his opposition to the program.”

The morning of that hearing, the father’s attorney told Carr the father had a “change of heart” and now supported PTI. The prosecutor was suspicious about this change and said she would evaluate further, before agreeing to the deal.

“I want to have an opportunity to make sure that that change of heart is not a result of undue pressure or threats that are coming on behalf of the defendant,” Carr said. “To not ask those questions, I feel, would not be doing my due diligence.”

In response, Jacobovitch said that any inappropriate calls made to the alleged victim’s father were not made from him. “There was absolutely nothing that was presented to the victim or his father that would make him change his position,” Jacobovitch said. “That definitely did not come from us. And if that was the case, you know, obviously we would apologize for that.”

The judge, Linda Baxter, then advised Jacobovitch: “I’m going to underscore what I know the state is going to say to you, which is that your client and you should both do whatever you can to make sure that third parties do not reach out to the alleged victim or his father, because that’s not helping.”

At the time, the judge proposed the next hearing be on Aug. 7, but postponed it to Aug. 14 after Jacobovitch asked to have it changed — likely because Aug. 7 would’ve fallen during the last nine days of the Three Weeks, a period between the fast days of Shiva Asar B'tammuz and Tisha B’av, which many Orthodox Jews consider an unlucky time. 

Jacobovitch would not stop to talk to Shtetl’s reporter at the courtroom on Wednesday, and his law firm has not returned a call from Shtetl.

New details of how Israel eliminated Fuad Shukr

A Hezbollah official revealed new details about the assassination of the terrorist organization's most senior military commander and the head of its Strategic Unit, Fuad Shukr, last month, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the source, on the day on which Shukr was eliminated, he received a phone call telling him to go up the five floors to his apartment in which he had stayed throughout the day.

As soon as Shukr entered his apartment, an Israeli airstrike blew up the apartment, killing him and other members of his family instantly.

According to the report, the phone call to Shukr was made by someone who hacked Hezbollah's internal communication network.

Shukr was assassinated on July 30 in an airstrike in a suburb of Beirut, days after he was responsible for the massacre of 12 children in a Hezbollah rocket attack that struck a soccer field in Majdal Shams in northern Israel.

Shukr was also responsible for the bombing of the US marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 in which 241 American servicemen were murdered. The US has a $5 million bounty on his head

 

Don Lemon of CNN "Surprised" when he interviews Atlantic City Residents

 

 In a recent on-the-ground interview, former CNN anchor Don Lemon found himself at odds with the sentiments of Atlantic City residents regarding the state of the U.S. economy. The segment, intended to gauge public opinion, quickly became a contentious exchange as multiple locals voiced their support for former President Donald Trump, citing a stronger economy and greater financial stability during his administration.

Lemon, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump, was visibly surprised as interview after interview revealed a consistent theme: many residents felt more financially secure under the previous administration.

“Four years ago, it was a lot better. I made a lot more money than I do now,” said one man, reflecting on his personal experience. When Lemon attempted to fact-check the claim, the man responded with laughter, dismissing Lemon’s statistics with a simple, “I know nobody likes him, but we had good times with Donald Trump.”

Another woman echoed these sentiments, expressing frustration with the current economic climate. “The economy was good, life was good,” she said, underscoring a growing disconnect between the realities faced by many Americans and the messaging they receive from the media.

Throughout the interviews, Lemon repeatedly insisted that the economy has improved under Joe Biden. However, these assertions were met with skepticism and even outright laughter from the locals. Many residents pointed to their struggles with rising grocery prices and the overall cost of living as evidence contrary to Lemon’s claims.

This street interview highlights a significant divide between media narratives and the lived experiences of everyday Americans. While economists may present data supporting economic growth under the Biden administration, many people, especially in working-class areas like Atlantic City, are not feeling the benefits.

President Herzog Is Surveying the Jewish People – Go Tell Him How You Feel!

 

President Isaac Herzog announced the launch of a pivotal global survey to shape dialogue and leadership development within the Jewish world — the first step of his Voice of the People initiative. The survey will help create a new worldwide Jewish advisory council to address the most pressing challenges facing Jewish communities in Israel and the Diaspora.

President Isaac Herzog said, “We are currently engaged in safeguarding the State of Israel and reinforcing the strength of the Jewish people amid a challenging war and rising antisemitism. Simultaneously, we face critical issues that demand our attention. In response, we are establishing the Voice of the People council, which will ensure the Jewish people’s ability to thrive in a changing world. The survey we are launching today will shape the council, and therefore shape the discussions impacting the future of the Jewish people. I encourage everyone to participate and contribute to help build our collective future.”

Voice of the People, Kol Ha’am, in Hebrew, was launched to become an incubator for innovative and practical solutions to the pressing challenges facing the Jewish people worldwide, while also fostering international Jewish leadership. Led by CEO Shirel Dagan-Levy, the initiative will set goals and objectives to implement the ideas generated in working groups, aiming to bring about real change in shaping the Jewish future.

The initiative will include the establishment of an international Jewish council composed of 150 leaders from communities around the world — 50 representatives from Israel, 50 from the US and Canada, and 50 from other countries. This council will convene online once a month for two years, culminating in a conference in Israel in March 2025, with all representatives attending in person.

The first step in launching the project involves distributing a survey to the global Jewish community to select the topics for discussion in the first council meeting. This survey will be open for responses for the next 45 days, after which the results will guide the council’s priorities and strategic actions. Twenty survey respondents will be selected to participate in a private conversation with the President during the virtual launch event on September 15, 2024.

NY Times reporter leaked Jewish WhatsApp group data that fell into hands of anti-Israel activists who harassed members

The New York Times said it took disciplinary action against a reporter who acknowledged leaking data about a WhatsApp group chat for Jewish business people that led to its members being doxxed and harassed by activists sympathetic to Palestinians.

Natasha Frost, a Times reporter who was based in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this year, downloaded and shared 900 pages of content from the private WhatsApp chat that was launched by Jewish professionals in response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas terrorists that claimed the lives of nearly 1,200 Israelis.

Frost acknowledged to the Wall Street Journal that she shared the information with one individual before it fell into the hands of anti-Zionist activists.

Zera Shimshon Parshas Ve'Etchanan

 

Trump and Elon Musk Dance a "Mitzvah Tanz"

 

Haters will say this is AI 🕺🕺 pic.twitter.com/vqWVxiYXeD

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 14, 2024

Leftists Protested Outside Shas MK’s Home – Ends On A Surprising Note

 Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Haskel, one of the leading protesters against the government, published a long post on his Facebook account on Thursday under the title “A Surprising Meeting,” in which he described how he was hosted at the home of Shas MK Yinon Azoulay.

“We started the protest two weeks ago by standing in front of the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, in front of the home of Knesset member Aryeh Deri, and in front of the home of Minister Moshe Arbel. This evening, it was in front of the home of Shas MK Yinon Azoulay in Ashdod in order to request from him and the members of his party to take another significant step to advance a plan to release the hostages.”

“While I was still talking on the megaphone, MK Azoulay approached me and invited us for a conversation in his home. We went up to the fourth floor, to a modest apartment in a regular apartment building. MK Yinon has six sons. As soon as we came in, Yinon asked one of his kids to prepare drinks for us and served us homemade cookies that his wife made.”

“We introduced ourselves and explained why we came late at night to disturb his rest. I must point out that MK Yinon was attentive and told about what he and the other Shas members have done for the hostages. MK MK promised to convey our words to Deri. At the end, we took a picture and said goodbye.”

He ended: “Until today, we’ve received police intervention during our protest. Today we were treated to listening and friendly hospitality.” He signed the post with the words: “There will still be good days.”

HORRIFIC TRAGEDY: 2 Chassidim Killed When Their Vehicle Rolls Down Embankment In Mountaindale

 

A horrific tragedy struck the Jewish community on Thursday night, as word spread of the deaths of two young men in the Chassidish community who were killed in a car crash in the Catskills.

Catskills Hatzolah and other emergency personnel were at the horrific scene on Church Road in Mountaindale, where a vehicle had overturned, rolled down an embankment, and burst into flames, killing both of the vehicle’s occupants.

Hatzolah personnel rushed to the scene but were tragically unable to save the crash victims.

Chevra Kadisha were at the scene to ensure kavod hameis.

The victims were identified as Yisroel Sholom (ben Yaakov) Oshri Z”L, from the Belzer Community in Boro Park, and Mendel (ben Moshe) Weinberger Z”L, from the Satmar Kehilla.

The Levaya for Yisroel Sholom Oshri will take place on Friday morning at the Belzer Bais Medrash at 1350 39 Street in Boro Park at 10:00am, followed by a Levaya in Monsey at the Belzer Bais Medrash at 12 Maple Terrace. The Kevura will be held in Monsey.

Levaya details for Mendel Weinberger will be published when they become available 

Should Hamas Talks Fail, US Plans Direct Offensive on Smotrich, Ben Gvir, Maybe Netanyahu

 

If the negotiations with Hamas fail this time as well, the Americans will be faced with a dilemma of how to proceed, when the chances of a deal are so slim and the Democratic Party convention is starting next week. Make no mistake about it, this was never about the suffering civilians in Gaza or, alternatively, the remaining living Israeli hostages who have not been murdered yet. This has always been about winning the White House and gliding problem-free into the January 20, 2025 inauguration.

So, what will the administration do if Israel fails to deliver? Mind you, it’s always about Israel. No one expects Hamas’s lone boss Yahia Sinwar to be flexible – only Netanyahu is being ordered to give a little more. And this is not coming only from the Americans – the IDF brass are convincing themselves and anyone suicidal enough to listen that no harm could come from withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor that separates Gaza from Egypt. They’ll sprinkle sensors everywhere to make sure the tons of Iranian weapons and ammunition waiting on the Egyptian side are not delivered to breathe new life into the expiring Hamas. And should push come to shove, no problem, the IDF is perfectly capable of retaking Philadelphi.

The Hebrew word for this kind of hubris is “Smokh.” It means, literally, “count (on me).” Israelis used to trust the IDF’s smokh. But since October 1973, and even more so since October 2023, no one does. Not even a little. Netanyahu and the majority right-wing contingency in his cabinet and coalition are well aware that once the IDF abandons Philadelphi, the war gains would be reversed.

And this is why Hamas is pushing this point above anything else. It all comes down to getting the IDF to stop punishing them in southern and central Gaza. Luckily, they’ve got a Michigan-pleasing White House on their side. Heck, they have the IDF Command on their side.

Zionists Home Front Command Worry about Charedi hikers who may be at risk during Bein Hazamanim

The IDF's Home Front Command is concerned that haredi hikers may be at risk due to the security situation, especially in northern Israel.

With the start of the yeshivas' three-week vacation, the number of haredim hiking around Israel is expected to skyrocket, and many, if not most, do not have smartphones which support the Home Front Command's app or similar apps which warn of incoming missiles or hostile aircraft infiltrations.

Air raid sirens sound only in populated areas, and missiles which are expected to land in open areas are usually not intercepted.

Galei Zahal reported that in light of this situation, the Home Front Command has published an information sheet for haredi hikers; a Home Front Command document details the steps taken to educate the public during this period.

Among the warnings included in the information sheet is that without a cellular device on which the Home Front Command app is activated, those hiking in open areas are in danger of their lives. If there is no absolute need, it is recommended to avoid areas which are often targeted by missiles or hostile aircraft, especially those in northern Israel.

The paper also emphasized the importance of maintaining a distance from fallen missiles, which abound in open areas where dozens or even hundreds of rockets have fallen during the course of the war.

Bereaved Father Slams Haaretz: “מלשינים ארורים: Our Son Was Burned Alive & You Burned Our Hearts”

 Eliyahu Libman, the head of the Kiryat Arba Regional Council, whose son Elyakim, H’yd, was murdered on October 7, slammed the Haaretz newspaper which recently published an investigation claiming that IDF soldiers use Gazans as human shields.

Haaretz reported that the IDF uses Palestinian civilians as human shields in Gaza by ordering them to enter homes and tunnels that may be booby-trapped. Apparently, Haaretz writers believe that it is better that IDF soldiers serve as human shields and should willingly allow themselves to be blown up by entering tunnels and homes that are likely to be booby-trapped

“You’re cursed informers [מלשינים ארורים],” Libman wrote. “All those murdered, abducted, and wounded aren’t enough for you so you endanger IDF heroes with your investigations. You endanger the State of Israel.”

“There is no forgiveness for you nor atonement. How much Jewish blood could have been spared without your perverted morality. Our son was burned alive and you’re burning our hearts with your wickedness.”

EXPOSED: Iran is helping Kamala’s campaign

 

The two-track Iranian plan to either kill or defeat Trump is everything that the media falsely claimed about Russia and the 2016 election.

By Daniel Greenfield, Frontpage Magazine

With headlines like “Harris Surges Ahead: A New Era of Democratic Enthusiasm and Opportunity” and “Former Friend Exposes JD Vance’s Radical Transformation: A Study in Political Opportunism”, you might mistake NioThinker for another mainstream media outlet.

Only the occasional odd word choice and a convoluted bit of grammar hints that the digital media site flowing with enthusiasm for Kamala and contempt for Trump isn’t really American.

Classified as part of Iran’s ‘Storm-2035’ network: NioThinker is an enemy operation.

Why is an Islamic terrorist state spending its time putting up articles like “Trump Silent After Fox News Poll Favors Harris in Swing States” and “Pelosi Can’t Stop Laughing At Trump’s Choice’ Of J.D. Vance For VP”.

Like everything else Iran does, it’s a strategic choice. Iran has been boosting Biden-Harris while doing everything possible to undermine Trump.

Israel responds to European support for Palestinian state by approving new settlement in Judea

 

Nahal Heletz, one of five new towns planned in Judea and Samaria, will create continuity of Israeli control from Jerusalem through to the Gush Etzion area.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli defense authorities gave approval for the establishment of a new Jewish town south of Jerusalem in Judea Wednesday.

The Israeli defense ministry’s Civil Administration, the governing authority in the roughly 60% of Judea and Samaria under full Israeli control, finalized the municipal boundaries for the new town of Nahal Heletz, which will be built as part of the Gush Etzion bloc south of the capital.

Once completed, Nahal Heletz and another new planned town, Sde Boaz, will create territorial continuity of Israeli townships between Jerusalem and the existing Gush Etzion bloc.

The Israeli government voted to green light the establishment of five new recognized towns in Judea and Samaria in late June, in response to European states recognizing unilateral Palestinian statehood.

In addition to Nahal Heletz, towns selected for recognition include Evyatar, Givat Assaf, and Sadeh Efraim in Samaria, and Adoraim in Judea.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionist Party), who also serves as Minister in the Defense Ministry, with authority over settlement affairs inside the ministry, celebrated the finalizing of municipal boundaries for Nahal Heletz as a “historic moment” for the settlement movement.

“About two months ago the security cabinet approved my proposal for the establishment of five new towns in Judea and Samaria,” Smotrich tweeted Wednesday.

“Through combined work of the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Administration, they have put in much effort to implement the decision and, among others, promoted the outline of Nahal Heletz, that will be part of the continued momentum and construction of Jewish towns and villages.”

“No anti-Israel and anti-Zionist decision will stop the further development of Jewish construction. We will continue to fight the dangerous idea of ​​a Palestinian state and establish facts on the ground.”

Iran Blackmailing Netanyahu into Surrendering Gaza or Facing Massive Retribution

 

So, why hasn’t Iran avenged the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on its territory last July 31?

Suleiman Maswadeh, Kan11’s Israeli Arab correspondent (he was born in the Muslim quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem) suggested Tuesday night that maybe the reason why the attack on Israel by Iran and its affiliates has not been carried out so far is because the joint preparation between Iran and Hezbollah regarding the attack has not yet been completed.

In other words, they haven’t attacked because they’re not sure when and how to attack. Should Iran attack first and be followed by Hezbollah? Should they attack together? Either way, both Shiite allies would receive a devastating response from Israel and, hopefully, from the US armada parked on Israel’s shore. But the keener question is when to attack Israel.

Erdan at UN: 'You convened for these terrorists, but not for the children of Majdal Shams'

 

The UN Security Council convened for an urgent session, at the request of Algeria, regarding the IDF’s strike on the Al-Taba’een school in Gaza. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, presented the Council with images of the Hamas terrorists who were eliminated in the school. Strongly criticizing the Council, he remarked: “You convened for these terrorists who used a school as their terror base, but for the children of Majdal Shams, murdered by Hezbollah’s rocket fire, you couldn’t find the time for an urgent session! Shame on you!”

Erdan presented the UN with images of the Hamas terrorists who were the target of the strike in Gaza, as well as images of the Israeli children who were murdered in Majdal Shams, and sharply criticized the Security Council: “The Council convened today to discuss Hamas’ false claims. Shockingly, it seems that you have decided to dedicate your time to listen to the terrorists’ lies while no real concern has been shown when Israeli children were murdered recently be Hezbollah.”u

He also displayed a board with the faces of the children who were murdered by a Hezbollah missile in Majdal Shams: 

“While those terrorists used a school as their terror base, these children will never see their school again. But for them, you couldn’t find the time for an urgent session! Shame on you!”

In addition, he further criticized the Council for its disregard of the threat of an Iranian attack against Israel, stressing, “The most unbelievable thing is your inaction to condemn and stop the biggest danger and threat to the entire region: Iran.”

“Right now, millions of Israelis are preparing for a direct Iranian attack, just as they did in April. Iran’s aggression threatens the entire region with war. Yet, you are here wasting time on falsehoods spread by the words of terrorists.”