Souring on JD Vance, many Jewish Republicans rally behind Marco Rubio for 2028

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/souring-on-jd-vance-many-jewish-republicans-rally-behind-marco-rubio-for-2028/

Prominent GOP figures don’t back a bid by the vice president amid concerns over his invoking conspiracy theories, and silence on right-wing antisemitism and voices like Tucker Carlson

It’s no secret that JD Vance has lost the confidence of many Jewish Republicans, who have taken issue with the vice president’s reprimanding of Israeli officials, indulgence of anti-Israel conspiracy theories and silence on Tucker Carlson, the prominent pundit who has turned against Israel.

But Vance is still thought by many to be US President Donald Trump’s likeliest successor at the top of the party’s ticket in 2028, leaving the GOP’s Jewish supporters with the question of whom to back when Trump’s second term ends.

Many are finding an answer elsewhere in the Trump administration.

Key Takeaways From Donald Trump’s Speech Debunked

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-speech-election-china-save-act-midterms-12207558 

In a prime-time address Thursday, President Donald Trump alleged a far-reaching campaign of election interference involving China and the U.S. "deep state," using the speech to push for tougher election security measures, stricter voter registration standards and a renewed investigation into the 2020 presidential election.

Claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was "stolen" or "rigged" have been extensively investigated and repeatedly found to lack credible supporting evidence. Dozens of lawsuits challenging the election's outcome were heard in state and federal courts, including by judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents—including Trump. These cases were dismissed or ruled against because they failed to present evidence of fraud on a scale that could have changed the election's outcome.

In 2022, a group of prominent conservative legal experts—including former federal judges, Republican election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, former Solicitor General Ted Olson and ex-U.S. Senators John Danforth and Gordon Smith—released a report titled Lost, Not Stolen, concluding that "Joe Biden was the choice of a majority of the Electors" and that there was "absolutely no evidence of fraud" sufficient to alter the results.

Trump's Ex-Campaign Manager Is Running An Israeli Influence Operation Targeting the MAGA Base

 https://time.com/article/2026/07/13/brad-parscale-israel-influence-operation/

After the U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire deal on June 17, a senior U.S. official was monitoring the online reaction when they noticed something surprising. 

President Donald Trump’s aides had expected his supporters to celebrate the agreement. Instead, online influencers in Trump’s MAGA movement were excoriating it on social media. One shared an Israeli op-ed titled, “You Could Have Been the Greatest President of All—But You Failed.” Several posted the same video of Qatar’s prime minister appearing to snub Vice President J.D. Vance in Israel, arguing it showed regional powers dismissing the Trump Administration’s “naivete.” Others accused Trump of surrendering before achieving his stated objective of eliminating Iran’s nuclear program. Many of the posts appeared almost simultaneously, with similarities in language and tone.

‘Go to hell’: Vance rails at reported Israeli-backed online campaign smearing Iran MOU

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/go-to-hell-vance-rails-at-reported-israeli-backed-online-campaign-smearing-iran-mou/

In Joe Rogan interview, VP claims some elements within Israeli ‘system’ are ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely’

US Vice President JD Vance fumed on Wednesday at a reported Israeli government-funded influence campaign aimed at criticizing the efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration to negotiate an end to the Iran war.

“There was this Time article that came out yesterday… It lists a bunch of people who have been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government, and those people are attacking me viciously for trying to accomplish the negotiation objective that the president set for the country,” Vance said during an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, calling it a “very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign to try to derail the negotiations.”

Time revealed on Tuesday that Trump’s former campaign manager has been leading a pro-Israel influence campaign directed and funded by the Israeli government, targeting young Americans within Trump’s MAGA base.

Petira of HaRav Yosef Rabinowitz ZT”L, Longtime Flatbush Rav

 https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/2575306/bde-petira-of-harav-yosef-rabinowitz-ztl-longtime-flatbush-rav.html

https://matzav.com/rav-yosef-rabinowitz-ztl/

YWN regrets to inform you of the petira of HaRav Yosef Rabinowitz ZT”L, longtime Rav of Khal Zichron Aryeh Leib in Flatbush, where he served the kehillah for more than 40 years.

The levaya will take place today at 12:30 p.m. at 2915 Avenue J in Brooklyn. Special screens and speakers will be available for Kohanim at Rabbi Scheinkopf’s shul across the street.

The kevurah will follow at Beth David Cemetery, 300 Elmont Road, Elmont, NY.

Those unable to attend the levaya may watch the livestream at: http://zkstream.com/lryr.

Levaya Rav Yehoshua Max

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/news/petirah-of-reb-yehoshua-max-zl-of-lakewood/

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81764884715?pwd=naDprUuard7VTj4W9OOkPpg655vDxl.1

 

Supreme Court freezes law barring arrest of haredi draft-evaders

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/430210

Supreme Court justice temporarily freezes implementation of newly-passed law halting the arrest of haredi draft evaders, orders State to justify.

On Tuesday, the Knesset plenum approved legislation to halt the arrests of haredi draft dodgers in its second and third readings with a majority of 58 votes against 54.

MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) slammed the Supreme Court's decision, claiming that it is not legal, and that any soldier or police officer who participates in arresting haredi draft-evaders will be acting in violation of the law.

Rabbi Max - Baruch Dayan HaEmes

 

Chochma (wisdom)

 Moreh Nevuchim (03:54) The term wisdom in Hebrew is used of four different things: (1) It denotes the knowledge of those truths which lead to the knowledge of God. The word occurs frequently in this sense. (2) The expression ḥokmah denotes also knowledge of any workmanship. (3) It is also used of the acquisition of moral principles. (4) It implies, lastly, the notion of cunning and subtlety It is possible that “wisdom” expresses the idea of cunning and planning, which may serve in one case as a means of acquiring intellectual perfection, or good moral principles; but may in another case produce skill in workmanship, or even be employed in establishing bad opinions and principles. The attribute “wise” is therefore given to a person that possesses great intellectual faculties, or good moral principles, or skill in art; but also to persons cunning in evil deeds and principles.

Soul is in Brain

 Ibn Ezra (Shemos 23:25) Man’s body comes from the lowest world. However, man’s soul, which is tied to the body, comes from on high. There are two powers that are intermediate between the body and the soul. These two powers are referred to in the main in Hebrew as ru’ach  and nefesh, for the soul  is the rational part of man and its place is in the brain of man. From it comes the power of all emotions and the desire to move. The ru’ach is situated in the heart. Life depends on the ru’ach. The ru’ach desires to dominate; that is, it seeks to overcome all opposition. It is the source of anger. The seat of the nefesh is in the liver.

Ibn Ezra (Shemos 31:03) Wisdom  refers to the type of intelligence that is stored in the back of the brain. The word tevunah  and also the word binah  are related to the word ben (between). They refer to the intellectual faculty that lies in the middle cavity of the brain between knowledge and wisdom. For wisdom is situated in the posterior cavity of the brain, and knowledge, which is gathered by the senses, is located in the cavities of the brain that are adjacent to the forehead. Knowledge is called al takyil in Arabic. Understanding is called al fakrah and wisdom al hakhmah. Now Bezalel was endowed with every wisdom. He mastered the science of mathematics, geometry, proportions, astronomy, biology, and the secret of the human soul. He also towered over the people of his generation in that he knew all manner of workmanship. Many intelligent people do not possess even one practical skill. Hence Scripture prefixes a vav to the word kol (and) and reads, and in all manner of workmanship.

ICE suspends vehicle stops after two deadly shootings

 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-15/trump-administration-orders-ice-to-suspend-most-vehicle-stops/106916922

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ordered its officers to suspend most vehicle stops around the country after agents fatally shot two men six days apart during stops in Maine and Texas.

This marks a significant shift in arrest tactics, and comes after the shooting of two US citizens in January sparked In a post on X, outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called the shooting of Mr Guerrero a targeted killing "at the hands of the US government".

Mr Petro, who has openly quarrelled with Mr Trump, urged his US counterpart to explain and accused ICE officers of treating Mr Guerrero as "an inferior being without rights".

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said that her government plans to file criminal complaints in the US regarding Mexican citizens who have died in immigration custody or while being targeted in anti-immigration operations.nationwide protests.

'They don't want you there': Trump tells Netanyahu to pull IDF troops from Syria, Lebanon

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-902520

IDF sources told the Post the Axios report caught them by surprise, adding there has been no change on the ground in Lebanon or Syria.

US President Donald Trump allegedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel should remove IDF troops from Syria and Lebanon during a phone call on Thursday, according to a Tuesday Axios report citing US and Israeli officials.

Trump claimed that the presence of Israeli military personnel in Syrian territory could create tension and may lead to escalation, one US official told Axios.

“They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” Trump allegedly told Netanyahu, according to the official.

Trump pressed Netanyahu to pull out of Syria, Lebanon

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/430164

According to Axios, President Trump urged Netanyahu to redeploy Israeli forces from Syria and Lebanon while Israel cites ongoing security concerns.

US President Donald Trump told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Thursday that Israel should begin redeploying its forces from Syria and encouraged him to do the same in Lebanon, according to US and Israeli officials cited by Axios.

The request comes as Israel maintains military positions in parts of southern Lebanon and southern Syria, with Israeli officials saying the deployments are necessary to prevent future attacks similar to the October 7th Massacre.

According to Axios, a US official said Trump told Netanyahu that the Israeli military presence in Syrian territory was creating tensions and could lead to escalation. The official quoted Trump as saying, "They don't want you there. You should redeploy," adding that the same message applied to Lebanon.

Knesset passes law that will freeze Haredi enlistment, halt draft-dodger arrests

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-july-14-2026/

The Knesset votes 58-54 to pass a coalition-backed law banning the arrest and prosecution of ultra-Orthodox men evading military service, a measure that will, in practice, halt Haredi enlistment to the IDF for at least the next few months.

The law grants tens of thousands of Haredi draft evaders immunity from arrest until November 30, and extends that protection to those who become eligible for military service after it takes effect, effectively eliminating both the threat of arrest and the incentive to enlist during that period. It also suspends ongoing criminal proceedings against those already facing enforcement measures.

Yesterday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called the proposal “inconceivable,” saying it was “clearly and unequivocally inconsistent with the IDF’s needs” and amounted to “providing mass exemptions from prosecution.”

There are roughly 72,000 Haredi men who were liable to arrest until today, according to figures released in May by the attorney general.