“I don’t speak because I have the power to speak; I speak because I don’t have the power to remain silent.” Rav Kook z"l
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Friday, August 23, 2024
Yisrael Duvid Weiss ym"s says that 'Khamenei is a great leader; amazing how similar we are'
Israel David Weiss ym"s, representative of the virulently anti-Zionist fringe Neturei Karta sect, was interviewed by Iranian media and said that he is interested in meeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
At the beginning of the interview, Weiss praised the pro-Palestinian protesters at the US universities who were protesting against Israel and Khamenei's letter supporting the protesters. "I was very surprised by this letter. This is an amazing letter and an indication of change. I think this letter gave a lot of encouragement to students in America and around the world. They want to hear encouragement and students need encouragement. I would love to meet him in person and talk about this. It is amazing how similar we are."
Weiss praised Khamenei: "There is a Jewish community living here in the Islamic Republic of Iran and they enjoy freedom of religion and worship. They observe Jewish customs and there is no pressure on them. This is what the great leader says, ‘We are not against the Jews, we are against the Zionist regime and Israel’.”
Yeshiva student from Bnei-Brak dies after hiking trip in the north
Hundreds attended the funeral of Mordechai Abuhav, a Yeshiva student from Bnei Brak, who died on Wednesday night. He was only 18 years old.
Abuhav returned at the beginning of the week from a hiking trip with friends in the north. When he returned home, he said that he did not feel well. Throughout the night his body temperature gradually increased, until he suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness.
He was rushed to Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer, where he was diagnosed with brain edema.
For two days he lay in the hospital sedated and ventilated, while the doctors fought for his life. However, despite all efforts, and to the despair of his family and friends, he passed away.
The family says that this is the second tragedy in the family during the “bein hazmanim” period, after the deceased’s uncle drowned during this period twenty years ago.
Details of Baltimore 8 year-old Boy’s Rescue
It was just after 11 PM on August 21st when Chaverim of Rockland coordinator Yossi Margaretten’s cell phone started to ring.
Despite being in the middle of an appreciation dinner for his members, Margaretten took the call from a desperate mother who told him that her son had been missing for three hours after a family visit to Lava River Cave, a 3,820 foot long lava tube located in the Arizona’s Coconino National Forest.
“She was crying,” Margaretten said. “She said they had been searching for three hours and they couldn’t find him.”
Margaretten reached out to Eli Rowe of Hatzolah Air, who didn’t hesitate for a moment when asked if he would be willing to send a plane out to the West Coast.
“He told me whatever we needed, he would do,” recalled Margaretten.
Interrupting the dinner, Margaretten explained the situation to his volunteers, telling them that he needed to assemble an elite team of volunteers to go out to Flagstaff.
“There were only 14 seats on the plane, so we took the best of the best, including our drone team,” noted Margaretten.
The Chaverim volunteers assembled at Sullivan County Airport at 3 AM, where Rowe had a plane fueled and ready to take off. Members davened Shachris on the plane, using a small Sefer Torah that had just been completed four days earlier.
Trump Leads Harris by 3 Points in New National Rasmussen Poll
In a recent Rasmussen Reports national head-to-head poll, former President Donald Trump edged out Vice President Kamala Harris by three percentage points. Trump secured 49% of the vote compared to Harris’ 46%. This represents a slight improvement for Harris, who trailed by four points in Rasmussen’s poll last week, where Trump also led with 49%.
The poll also explored voter preferences when third-party candidates were included in the mix. Trump maintained his lead with 47% of the vote, while Harris followed closely at 45%. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. garnered 4%, and other candidates received 1% or less.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Sinwar Reverses Stance, No Longer Wants the 72 Virgins
Hamas ‘absolute leader’ Yahya Sinwar has added a new condition to the terror group’s demands for a hostage release and ceasefire deal: his survival.
“Sinwar insists on guarantees for his safety and life,” including after the war is over,” according to a senior Egyptian official quoted by Ynet.
The Hamas chief was among more than 1,000 terrorists released from prison in Israel on October 18, 2011, in a swap for Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier kidnapped on Jun 25, 2006, by Hamas and allied terrorists. At the time, Sinwar had spent 22 years in prison, serving multiple life sentences for murder.
For months, the Hamas leader has claimed the terrorists “have the Israelis right where we want them” and telling fellow Hamas leaders in Doha that Gaza’s civilian losses “are necessary sacrifices.”
Sinwar once referred to the thousands of Gazans he placed in harm’s way as “necessary sacrifices” in his terrorist group’s war to annihilate the Jewish State. And just a few months ago, he likened the ongoing conflict to a 7th-century battle in Karbala, Iraq in which the Islamic Prophet Muhammad’s grandson was killed.
“We have to move forward on the same path we started or let it be a new Karbala,” Sinwar wrote in a message to his allies.
That is not to say that Sinwar is personally willing to die for his people, “martyr” or not.
As he draws closer to meeting the 72 virgins promised by Islamic jihadist belief to every “shahid” (martyr) who dies fighting an enemy, Sinwar may indeed be reconsidering his desire for eternal life.
Former Israeli national security adviser Jacob Nagel, who is currently a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), has said he believes Sinwar will do anything to survive, keeping at least some hostages around him as life insurance.
CNN commentator scorches Dems blaming Trump at DNC: 'She's in the White House right now'
CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings went viral after confronting Democrats with the "glaring" problem they face with Vice President Kamala Harris on the 2024 ticket.
The political commentator's criticism came amid a chorus of enthusiasm from liberal commentators on the network praising former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama's speeches that night.
The Obamas each took shots at the GOP nominee during their time on stage and drew a contrast between Trump's presidency and one under Harris.
Jennings' warning about the pitfalls of Harris, the incumbent vice president, blaming Trump for the current administration's ongoing problems, went viral on social media.
One post sharing the CNN clip attracted over 2 million views on Wednesday.
Hilarious: Commerce Sec doesn’t ‘believe’ news of grim job revisions put out by her own office 🤣
Social media users trashed President Biden's Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo for admitting to ABC News on Wednesday that she wasn’t "familiar" with the day's major revision to the jobs numbers.
Watch Chareidie Yeshivah in Mexico Honoring the Mexican Flag with a Huge Ceremony
@ruthdahn1 מנהג מעניין במקסיקו גם בתי הספר היהודים והגויים חייבים כל חודש לשיר את המנון מקסיקו וטקס כבוד לדגל🙏♥️ #אחייןשלי♥️ ♬ צליל מקורי - רות דהן473
US job market sees biggest markdown since 2009 with 818K fewer jobs than previously reported
The US economy wasn’t as hot as it seemed between early this year and early 2023, according to revised figures released by the feds.
The nation’s labor market likely created 818,000 fewer jobs during the 12 months ended in March — the largest preliminary downward revision to US payroll figures since 2009, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday.
That means that the reported job growth during that period — 2.9 million non-farm payroll positions amounting to 242,000 jobs per month — was likely around 30% less, or 174,000 jobs per month, according to new data gathered from state unemployment tax records.
The massive markdown — short of the 1 million downward revision some economists had feared, but well beyond more optimistic forecasts of 300,000 — fuels concerns that the Federal Reserve has waited too long to start cutting interest rates.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell is expected to give more hints about the central bank’s rate cut plans on Friday in a hotly anticipated speech in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
Former President Donald Trump reacted to the downward revision on his Truth Social account on Wednesday, calling it a “massive scandal.”
Earlier this month, a weak July jobs report ignited concerns that the nation’s labor market isn’t as healthy as economists thought.
The unemployment rate, meanwhile, has risen four months straight.
Wednesday’s report is part of a yearly process in which the Labor Department updates its monthly employer surveys using more comprehensive data from state unemployment tax records.
The update is only preliminary and subject to a final revision in February.
Judy Woodruff falsely tells live audience that Trump tried to talk Israel out of cease-fire deal
A PBS senior correspondent apologized Wednesday after falsely telling her audience that former President Trump tried to talk Israel out of a cease-fire amid its ongoing war in Gaza.
Judy Woodruff passed off blame for the blunder by “clarifying” that she based the flimsy scoop on outside reporting she had read before broadcasting from the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Monday.
“The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the Prime Minister of Israel, urging him not to cut a deal right now, because it’s believed that would help the Harris campaign,” Woodruff told a PBS roundtable.
“Who knows whether that will come about or not, but I have to think that the Harris campaign would like for President Biden to do what presidents do, which is work on that one.”
Woodruff caught plenty of flak online for the comment — overwhelmingly from those who pointed out that the rumors she was citing were proven false days before she regurgitated them live on air.
On Wednesday, the former “NewsHour” host said she wanted to “clarify” the remarks she made about the ongoing ceasefire talks.
“As I said, this was not based on my original reporting; I was referring to reports I had read, in Axios and Reuters, about former President Trump having spoken to the Israeli Prime Minister,” Woodruff wrote on X
“In the live TV moment, I repeated the story because I hadn’t seen later reporting that both sides denied it. This was a mistake and I apologize for it.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday that Woodruff’s statements were a “complete lie.”
The Axios story Woodruff was referring to was published Aug. 14 and cited two sources who claimed Trump, 78, spoke on the phone with Netanyahu, 74, about the Gaza hostage and cease-fire deal.
Reuters reshared the story on its site — but neither reports claimed Trump urged Netanyahu to hold off on a deal.
The day after the story was published, Netanyahu’s office published a statement denying that any phone call between the prime minister and Trump existed.
That same day, both Axios and Reuters published new stories to reflect the new denials — four days before Woodruff regurgitated the false information to her live audience.
PBS did not respond to messages from The Post.
Trump, however, has maintained that he did speak with Netanyahu.
At a press conference, the Republican presidential nominee claimed he encouraged the prime minister to end the war, but he criticized the terms of the proposed cease-fire.
“He knows what he’s doing, I did encourage him to get this over with,” Trump said.
“It has to get over with fast — get your victory, and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop.”
Searches underway for 9 year-old Jewish boy who went missing near Flagstaff, Arizona
Searches are underway in Flagstaff, Arizona after a nine-year-old Jewish boy went missing on Wednesday.
According to Yeshiva World News, the boy was last seen walking with his family towards a parking lot near a forested area when he suddenly disappeared.
Local authorities have put together search teams which are being assisted by Chaverim of Rockland and Rabbi Dovi Shapiro of the Chabad of Flagstaff in coordinating a search effort.
As of Wednesday evening, efforts to locate the child are ongoing, with volunteers and searchers combing the area.
Grandmother of twice wounded soldier in Gaza attacked by Charedi protesters
Yocheved Djerbi, whose grandson was wounded in battle twice, walked passed a demonstration against haredi conscription in Jerusalem on Wednesday and was assaulted by protesters.
Djerbi was appalled by the protesters' behavior and shared with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News: "My grandson was wounded twice and is currently in rehab after being seriously wounded, and I walk past by on the street and see these haredi protesters. They have no share in our country."
She added: "They must enlist and carry the yoke like all of the grandchildren, children, and the entire nation of Israel. As I walk by, they throw water and spit at me as I tell them that they have no share or part in the State of Israel."
In conclusion, she stated: "My demands are that everyone must bear the yoke of the entire nation. I am shaking, unfortunately. It pains me to see this situation."
Fearless Ami Horowitz Leads Chant ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ at Pro-Hamas Protest
Undercover ‘guerilla journalist’ Ami Horowitz, who is renowned for fearlessly entering enemy territory throughout his career, usurped a pro-Hamas rally outside of the Democratic convention.
He chanted Am Yisrael Chai before being rushed away by organizers.
I took over a pro Hamas rally at the Democratic National Convention pic.twitter.com/v3eT78CnSd
— Ami Horowitz (@AmiHorowitz) August 21, 2024
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Bein Hazamanim and Charedim leave Torah Learning to Block all Roads in Yerushlayim ..Chareidie Women Mock Them in Counter Protest
Not ONE Jewish Speaker at DNC Mentioned Israel or Hostages but Schumer Warns them of ‘Islamophobia,’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) spoke out against “Islamophobia” at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday night.
During his seven-minute speech, he notably did not mention Israel or the hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
“As the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in American history, I want my grandkids and all grandkids to never, never face discrimination because of who they are,” the 73-year-old Capitol Hill veteran told the United Center audience, before quickly pivoting to attacking the Republican nominee for the White House in this November’s election.
“But Donald Trump, this is a guy who peddles antisemitic stereotypes. He even invited a white supremacist to Mar-a-Lago,” Schumer said.
“And unfortunately, his prejudice goes in all directions. He fuels Islamophobia and issued a Muslim ban as president,” he added.
The New Yorker then pointed to a blue, square pin on his lapel from the “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign initiated by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, founded by billionaire CEO of the Kraft Group and owner of the New England Patriots Robert Kraft in 2019.
“Tonight folks, I’m wearing this blue square to stand up to antisemitism. To stand up to all hate,” Schumer declared.
In a speech to Jewish supporters at his private golf club in New Jersey last week, Trump said that once, attacking Israel would have resulted in the end of a politician’s career. “The most powerful lobby in this country by far was Israel and Jewish people,” he added.
Today, however, “it’s like what happened?” he continued. “What happened to Schumer? What happened to all these people? Schumer is like a Palestinian.”
In March, the senator called Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu “an obstacle for peace” and called for new Israeli elections, drawing backlash from Republican lawmakers and even one Democrat in Congress—Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who is retiring at the end of this term.
“Israel has long been a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, and it’s imperative that we trust in the resilience and wisdom of its citizens at the ballot box and beyond,” the Jewish Maryland Democrat stated in part. “As allies and friends, we must support the Israeli people in their efforts to shape their own destiny and chart the course of their post-war nation.”
Progressive Jewish Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats, also spoke.
The Brooklyn native said that “we must end this horrific war in Gaza,” drawing boisterous applause from the thousands of delegates in the arena.
“Bring home the hostages,” Sanders continued. “And demand an immediate ceasefire,” drawing one of the loudest applause lines of the night.
Other Jewish speakers included Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. JNS no one mentioned Israel
Trump pulls ahead in key 2024 betting forecast
Former President Donald Trump has reclaimed a narrow lead over Kamala Harris in Polymarket’s 2024 presidential election forecast, marking a sharp turnaround following her surprise appearance the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Monday.
The Nate Silver-backed prediction market and betting platform is now giving Trump a two-point edge over the Vice President, 50% to Harris’ 48%.
Trump led Harris in the forecast by as much as 10% when she clinched the party’s nomination for president Aug. 5.
Harris quickly narrowed the gap, after her campaign got a boost of momentum, taking the lead in the forecast for the first time on Aug. 8, when the odds favored her over Trump by a margin of 50% to 48%.
The California Democrat’s lead steadily widened, peaking at 54% to 44% a week later on Aug. 15 before quickly sliding back to a near even split, where the rivals have remained until her unannounced appearance at the DNC paying tribute to President Biden Monday night.
The forecast’s odds are evenly split between the candidates among six key swing states. Trump leads in Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, all of which Biden carried in 2020. The Republican’s lead in Georgia is the highest of the three, where he tops Harris 59% to 41%.
Fed-up California woman catches mail thieves by sending herself an Apple AirTag
A California woman who was sick of repeatedly losing her mail to thieves helped police nab two offenders after she cleverly mailed herself an Apple AirTag
The unidentified woman kept a mailbox at the Los Alamos Post Office in the Santa Maria Valley and had been the victim of mail theft on several occasions, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
Police responded to the post office on Tuesday around 7:15 a.m. after the woman reported the latest theft. She told police she had mailed herself a package that included a small Apple AirTag device that she was able to track.
Cops quickly located the two suspects in Santa Maria, who were found with the victim’s mail — including the package with the AirTag.
They also had items believed to be stolen from more than a dozen additional victims, according to the sheriff’s office.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to commend the victim for her proactive solution, while highlighting that she also exercised appropriate caution by contacting law enforcement to safely and successfully apprehend the suspects,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Virginia Francesca Lara, 27, of Santa Maria and Donald Ashton, 37, of Riverside were charged with possession of checks with intent to commit fraud, identity theft, credit card theft and conspiracy.
Lara was held on a $50,000 bond at the county’s Northern Branch Jail.
Terry, who was also booked on several theft-related warrants out of Riverside County, is being held on a $460,000 bond.
The case remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and detectives are working to contact additional victims.
In May, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the city would be dishing out free Apple AirTags to residents as part of an effort to pump the brakes on surging car thefts.
A Toronto man whose SUV was stolen in Aug. 2023 tracked the vehicle some 6,800 miles across the globe to the Middle East with the tech where it ultimately ended up in a car lot near Dubai.