Half of Israel's flagship faculties signed a War Crimes letter

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432304

Half of the faculty audited at Israel's most prestigious research universities put their name to a document accusing the IDF of war crimes and crimes against humanity, during a war that responded to the deadliest single massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Opinion.

The Olam has just finished an audit of 2,844 faculty members across eight of Israel's leading universities, and the number we found should stop every Jew who cares about Israel mid-signature: 50.4% of them, 1,434 professors, publicly signed a letter declaring that Israel's own war in Gaza amounted to "a horrifying litany of war crimes and even crimes against humanity."

The Black Flag Letter "An Urgent Call to the Heads of Academia in Israel," released in May 2025 and addressed to the Association of University Heads in Israel, Israel's academic leadership. It asked those leaders to "mobilize the full weight of Israeli academia to stop the Israeli war in Gaza."

Trump’s Biggest Middle East Crisis Looms Not in Iran, But Among Two Allies

 https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-biggest-middle-east-crisis-looms-not-in-iran-but-among-two-allies-12361926

As President Donald Trump attempts to land a decisive blow against Iran with an intensified economic campaign, another battle is brewing on the sidelines of the six-month war that could prove even more challenging for the United States.

The feud between Israel and Turkey took a new turn last week with an Israeli strike against a Syrian airbase reportedly visited just hours earlier by a Turkish defense delegation. Israel accused Damascus of moving to violate security arrangements by inviting Ankara's military presence, while the Turkish government railed against the Israeli move as a violation of Syria's sovereignty and called for the Israeli premier's arrest on charges of genocide and other crimes.

As the war of words escalated on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office slammed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an "antisemitic dictator" behind a "pathetic attempt to intimidate ⁠the leaders and soldiers of Israel," to which Erdogan's communications office soon hit back at Netanyahu’s “petty political tactics” and efforts “to present Türkiye as a new threat."

Interactions with Non-Religious Jews

 https://halachipedia.com/index.php?title=Interactions_with_Non-Religious_Jews#cite_note-1

The Rambam writes that the children and grandchildren of the Karaites were considered like tinokot shenishbau since he was brought up by a mistaken ideology. It is as though they were forced to accept heretical beliefs and even if they are exposed to Orthodox Jews they are still a tinok shenishba because they were brought up with those ideas.[1]Mamrim (03:03) The children of these errant people and their grandchildren whose parents led them away and they were born among these Karaities and raised according to their conception, they are considered as a children captured and raised by them. Such a child may not be eager to follow the path of mitzvot, for it is as if he was compelled not to. Even if later, he hears that he is Jewish and saw Jews and their faith, he is still considered as one who was compelled against observance, for he was raised according to their mistaken path. This applies to those who we mentioned who follow the erroneous Karaite path of their ancestors. Therefore it is appropriate to motivate them to repent and draw them to the power of the Torah with words of peace. Even though many rishonim disagree,[2] theoretically they agree for someone completely brought up with a secular upbringing but they consider that the Karaites were too exposed to Jews to say they were forced to believe their beliefs.[3]

Most poskim applied the Rambam's approach to Karaites to secular and non-religious Jews today.[4] However, not all poskim agree to this assertion,[5] especially where a non-religious Jew was raised in a non-religious home but was in the presence of an Orthodox community.[6]

Rav Elyashiv's opinion was that there is a doubt whether they are a tinok shenishba or not and we're strict for both possibilities.[7]

Rav Moshe Feinstein held that we can't apply tinok shenishba status to someone who lived near an Orthodox community and was aware of religious Jews. However, Jews who didn't know of religious Jews can be considered tinokot shenishbau.[8]

Rav Ovadia Yosef held similarly that it depends on whether they were familiar with a Torah community. In practice that could mean non-religious Israelis and "in town" Americans are not considered tinokot shenishbau.[9]

Rav Asher Weiss held that non-religious Israelis are tinokot shenishbau since they have developed a disdain for Orthodoxy because of the media.[10]

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach held that non-regiligous Israelis are not considered tinokot shenishbau.[11]

It is impossible to make a general statement for everyone and it really depends on a case by case judgement of a bet din.[12]

Concerning someone who strayed from Torah factors that are important to consider in order not to consider him a mumar are: was he abused physically or sexually by a parent or teacher and was he exposed to a critical amount of Torah learning he was exposed to.[13]

A non-religious Jew who doesn't believe in Hashem even if he is a tinok shenishba can't get an aliyah.[14]

A non-religious Jew even if is a tinok shenishba is culpable for not believing in the primary tenants of our faith.[15] Others contend with this assertion.[16]

It is forbidden to hate any Jew today even if they are a mumar and not a tinok shenishba.[17]

Astrology is not from Sinai

 Maharam Schick (E.H. #7): My opinion is that these matters of planetary motion were not received by our Sages as halacha l’Moshe m’Sinai (Divinely given on Sinai) but rather were said according to their own reasoning. In such matters which are not part of our Tradition and have no root in our Torah but rather are the result of investigation and experience – it is difficult to determine if it is actually true. There are many times when sages decided matters according to their own intellects, but later generations investigated deeper and rejected the findings of the earlier generations. Therefore all matters that are based upon experience are impossible to decide unequivocally but can only be described in terms of whether most people agree with it. That is why in Pesachim (94b), Rebbe says that, “the view of the secular sages appears to be correct.” He did not simply say that they were correct. That is because they only produced logical proofs and thus it is impossible to declare that the matter is finally resolved…. Final resolutions are only relevant concerning the laws of the Torah where we are commanded to do according to that which appears correct – “a judge can only decide based on what he sees” – and G d agrees to the decision of man. This is not so concerning investigations of nature and science.

Disagreeing with Earlier Sages

 Maharal (Be’er HaGolah #6): A book came into our hands that was written by one of our people. When it was brought to me, they told me that it contains new insights. When I saw it, I rejoiced at the opportunity - as a bridegroom meeting his bride. However, when I started reading it, my heart was torn and I became severely depressed. I cried out: “Woe are my eyes that saw such material and woe to my ears which heard such things. Cursed is the day that such words were revealed in the world.” The man who wrote this book did not understand the words of the Sages - not even one minor thing and surely the great things. He obviously was incapable of grasping their profound discussions. How could it be that he did not fear to speak about the Sages? In fact, he spoke about them as if they were his peers - men of his generations and his colleagues. Such a thing has never occurred before amongst Jews until this generation. One only has to look carefully at the past and how people spoke. One will find that the Amoraim did not dispute their predecessors the Tanaim. Similarly, we find those after the Amoraim did not dispute them. This was because each period recognized themselves their value relative to their predecessors and the predecessors were close to the level of the prophets. However, now in this lowly generation which is lowly and missing all wisdom, there arises one who dares to speak against the holy ones who preceded him by more than a thousand years and he proclaims 'look at my approach and wisdom'. And in addition he brings proof and support to his position from the works of the Kasdim and the Christians while in contrast he treats the words of the holy and authentic Sages as fraudulent and nonsense. Even worse, he actually published his views to publicize these things which in fact are more appropriately burned like the works of heretics and magic. In fact, his opinions are even worse than the latter but he printed them as if they were sacred works...

RFK Jr. once again proves his critics correct

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/08/26/rfk-jr-anti-vaccine-statements-prove-his-critics-correct/

As a measles outbreak kills in Pennsylvania, the HHS secretary spreads falsehoods about the MMR vaccine.

When measles starts to spread, every responsible public health official knows to stick to a clear and simple message: Vaccines are the best options for parents to protect their children. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., however, has responded to Pennsylvania’s deadly outbreak by doubling down on false and inflammatory statements about immunizations.

Authorities in the Keystone State reported on Tuesday that two unvaccinated people died from measles. The highly contagious viral disease is ravaging Lancaster County, where 70 people have been hospitalized and hundreds infected. So far this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 2,777 cases nationwide, the highest level since 1991.

A Pancreatic Cancer Revolution

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/fda-approves-daraxonrasib-pancreatic-cancer-drug-revolution-medicines-5a7ff903?mod=hp_opin_pos_5

Pancreatic cancer has long been an agonizing death sentence, but it could be commuted by novel treatments and earlier detection. That’s the hope after the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Revolution Medicines’s novel drug, daraxonrasib, which doubled survival time in a late-stage trial for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Oncologists herald the small-molecule pill as a revolution in pancreatic cancer care. The prognosis for pancreatic cancer is typically bleak, with a five-year survival rate of about 3% for Stage 4. Patients fare better if their cancers are caught early (40%), but very few are.

IDF says Gaza mission canceled after religious troops refuse to serve with female paramedic

 IDF says Gaza mission canceled after religious troops refuse to serve with female paramedic

Soldiers in the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion refused to enter an armored personnel carrier in the Gaza Strip for operational activity on Tuesday night because a female paramedic was attached to the force, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday.

As a result, the mission was canceled, according to the army.

The incident was the latest in a series of cases of male Orthodox soldiers refusing to interact with servicewomen in the army, due to the men’s religious sensibilities. The cases play into the larger debate in Israeli society over whether Haredi men must serve in the military, and how much the IDF must do to accommodate their religious observances and strictures.

The Rotem Battalion is not an ultra-Orthodox unit, and therefore the soldiers serving there, under the IDF’s protocols, may have to serve alongside women.

Trump admin.’s childish threat of ‘economic D-Day’ is mocked by Iran as ‘improv night’

Using Reform and Conservative Synagogues: A new halakhic clarification

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/351277

 The Orthodox objection is to the organizational rejection of the ideals, but in no way do the orthodox reject the Reform or Conservative Jew.  Conflating and obscuring this distinction is a tactic of some of the less ethical members of the Reform and Conservative clergy.   The purpose of this falsehood is to rally the masses against the orthodox and to draw away attention from the organizational rejection of thousands of years of Torah-true belief. 

Rav Moshe responded with three points:

a kosher individual should not be present at a wedding in a Conservative Temple where the Rabbi will officiate. 

If, however, a kosher Rabbi will arrange the Kiddushin properly and the wedding is held at a time where people do not come to pray there – there is no prohibition technically – for there is no concern that they will suspect that he is praying there. 

However, a choshuv (important) individual should not go there even under such circumstances.  He may only go there if it is a great need and also only derech mikreh shenizdamen kain – if he happens to be nearby. 

Generally speaking, one may apply Rav Feinstein’s dictum of “nit shain” but if a Rabbi has special reason to attend a simcha there – the principles of V’ahavta larayacha kamocha would override a “nit shain.”

A False End of the ‘Two-State Solution’

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/israel-e1-land-jerusalem-palestinians-west-bank-europe-53cbba94?mod=hp_opin_pos_4

Long-proposed building in the Jerusalem suburbs isn’t the death of peace.

Our friends, the Europeans, are always on the lookout for opportunities to bash Israel. Their latest is called E1, a small area of land just east of crowded Jerusalem, where Israel has long wanted to build to connect to a nearby suburb. Plans approved in 2025 are now moving forward with construction tenders. Cue the “grave concerns.”

The U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and (honorary European) Canada published a statement last week warning of “serious breaches of international law.” Developing the E1 area, they warned, “will undermine the prospect of the two-state solution by driving a wedge through the West Bank and harming the contiguity of the Palestinian Territories.” The U.K. said it will soon impose sanctions. A Dutch boycott is set to begin next month.

Fact check: Trump keeps making stuff up about Canada

 https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/25/politics/fact-check-trump-canada

Throughout his on-again, off-again trade war with Canada, which has erupted again this week, Trump’s criticism of the US neighbor has been filled with lies – a remarkable variety of assertions that either wildly distort a kernel of truth or are just plain made up.

Among other things, the president has falsely claimed that the Canadian public likes the idea of becoming the 51st US state, which is overwhelmingly unpopular with the Canadian public; that Canada is one of the world’s highest-tariff countries, though it is actually low in world rankings; that Canada prohibits US banks from operating there, though more than a dozen US banks operate in Canada; that Canada doesn’t accept US agricultural exports, though Canada is the world’s second-largest purchaser of those exports; that Chinese and Russian ships are “constantly surrounding” Canada, though that never happened; and that “they don’t, essentially, have a military,” though Canada’s very-much-existent military jointly operates the North American Aerospace Defense Command with the US and fought alongside the US in Afghanistan, against ISIS in the Middle East and in various prior wars.

There’s no doubt that the Canadian economy is heavily reliant on the US, but there’s no apparent basis for Trump’s “95%” figure. In 2025, about 72% of Canadian merchandise exports went to the US – down from about 76% in 2024 and the lowest percentage since the early 1980s. Even 72% is a very large number, of course, but it’s far from the one Trump used. And the percentage fell below 70% in the first half of 2026.

Trump learns the hard way, 'incompetence has consequences'

Jewish Demons

 https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/history/articles/rabinnical-monsters-maoz-kahana

In 1651 the rabbi-politician-philosopher and ex-converso Menashe ben Israel (1604-57) published Nishmat chaim—a polemic treatise proving the immorality of the soul from almost every possible aspect. The course of the discussion led the author to look into the possibility of the existence of “mixed” human-demonic hybrids: “And indeed, if, as investigation shows, it is possible for women to have sex with demons, we must ask whether they [the demons] have reproductive organs.” To investigate the issue, ben Israel reviewed the opinions of “the great Christian sage Augustine,” alongside the words of R. Simon bar Yochai, and referring also to his own lived reality: “Now, all of Germany, Alsace, and France ... know of the craft of witches … who are women who have made covenants with demons … They assemble in groups in a designated place where they dance and hop in the night, and they have intercourse with satyrs, that is, with spirits.”

As the discussion continues, Menashe embarks on a scientific description of such creatures, and questions the necessity of judicial actions against the human participants of such strange interactions, namely, the witches.

Nishmat chaim was part of an early modern process that saw an increased scholarly interest among Hebrew writers in novel intellectual regions and domains. As such, its use of intertwining scientific, demonological, and kabbalistic language closely corresponded with the literature of its age, such as Rabbi Aron Modena’s Ma‘avar Jabok (1626), or the more homiletic-theoretical works of kabbalists like Rabbi Isaia Horowitz’s Shney luchot ha-brit (1648), as well as the later, and more scientific-medical approach taken by Tuvia Ha-Cohen in his Ma‘ase Tuvia (1707), which was devoted to enriching Jewish knowledge with detailed scientific descriptions.

The fascinating nature of such mixed or magical creatures as dragons, centaurs, sirens, and the aforementioned human-demonic hybrids was a common focus of such early modern Jewish works. Science, Kabbalah, and Jewish Talmudic and medieval demonological traditions were merged together, creating a vibrant and widespread discussion. In this manner, these 17th-century works contributed to the growing place of wondrous creatures in Jewish imagination and literature. In this specific realm, Jewish interest can be seen as closely corresponding with the growing European concern with similar creatures. This interest is evident, for instance, in Francis Bacon’s influential plan for cataloging the wondrous phenomena of the natural world, and its subsequent materializations such as Joseph Glanvill’s works on magic and witchcraft. These and similar works played no small role in what might be termed the “new science” of the 17th century.

Trump was warned an Iran war could spiral. Six months later, it has

 https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skrtdj5vfx

Days before President Donald Trump ordered the United States into war with Iran in February, he summoned his intelligence chief to the Oval Office and asked whether a full-scale attack was the right move, according to a Wall Street Journal report detailing the warnings he received before the conflict and the decisions that followed.

Iran was at its weakest point in decades, senior aides and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump, offering what they saw as a rare chance to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear program and strengthen the president’s legacy as a peacemaker. The question was whether a major attack could achieve that goal and perhaps even bring down the regime.

Then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard presented a far more cautious assessment.

According to people familiar with the meeting, she warned Trump that killing Iran’s supreme leader could produce an even harder-line government, one more willing to pursue nuclear weapons. Tehran would likely move to close the Strait of Hormuz, destabilizing global energy markets, and strike US forces and allies across the Middle East, raising questions about Washington’s credibility and resolve.

Those warnings were not isolated. Senior military leaders also cautioned that a war could result in American casualties, strain weapons stockpiles and create readiness problems for an already stretched military.

Trump was warned an Iran war could spiral. Six months later, it has

US officials warned Trump that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, attack American forces and survive regime change; after six months of war and failed diplomacy, he is now betting on sanctions and a blockade

ynet|08:37

Days before President Donald Trump ordered the United States into war with Iran in February, he summoned his intelligence chief to the Oval Office and asked whether a full-scale attack was the right move, according to a Wall Street Journal report detailing the warnings he received before the conflict and the decisions that followed.

Iran was at its weakest point in decades, senior aides and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump, offering what they saw as a rare chance to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear program and strengthen the president’s legacy as a peacemaker. The question was whether a major attack could achieve that goal and perhaps even bring down the regime.Trump was warned an Iran war could spiral. Six months later, it has 

Those warnings were not isolated. Senior military leaders also cautioned that a war could result in American casualties, strain weapons stockpiles and create readiness problems for an already stretched military.

Trump ordered the attack anyway. It began on Feb. 28, accompanied by calls for Iranians to overthrow their government.

Nearly six months later, a war Trump had said would be over within six weeks is still underway, with no clear end in sight.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains in control of the country and continues attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The government led by Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father after the supreme leader was killed, has shown no sign of surrendering.

The stalemate has pushed Trump to consider declaring victory if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, even without securing the nuclear agreement he originally sought.

For now, the president has shifted toward sanctions and a continuing blockade, betting that economic pressure can accomplish what military force and diplomacy have so far failed to deliver.

The cost has already been heavy.

An estimated 3,000 Iranians and 18 US servicemembers have been killed in combat-related operations, while the Pentagon says another 756 American troops have been wounded. US bases have been damaged, emergency oil reserves have been depleted and American munitions stockpiles have been strained.

Politically, the war has also become a growing liability. It is weighing on Republican prospects ahead of the midterm elections and has helped push Trump’s approval ratings to the lowest point of his presidency.

Some former White House and national security officials argue there is no simple path left to Trump’s preferred outcome: a deal that indefinitely restricts Iran’s nuclear program while allowing him to claim a historic wartime achievement.

“This was all predictable and predicted,” said Eric Brewer, a deputy vice president at the Nuclear Threat Initiative who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations. “You can draw a straight line from the fact that the war was launched without any clear political objective to the mishandled diplomacy in trying to end it.”

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump had devastated Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure and was now preparing to crush its economy through sanctions and a naval blockade.

“He will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Wales said. “It would be wise for Iran to reach a deal. Otherwise, they know what could happen.”

Despite the warnings from national security officials, Trump repeatedly suggested that the military could deal with complications as they emerged.

Hegseth and Caine responded on several occasions that they would manage whatever problems developed, according to officials who attended the meetings. Early applause gives way to doubts

Shortly after the war began on Feb. 28, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Steve Witkoff, one of Trump’s principal Iran envoys, arrived at a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago with major news: Israel had killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Trump was delighted. He told them to announce the news to the crowd.

The room erupted in applause. Trump crossed his arms and puffed out his chest as he absorbed the reaction, according to people familiar with the event.

The satisfaction did not last.

'A small taste': MK Sukkot confirms he destroyed monument in West Bank town while guarded by IDF

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-906496

MK Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionist Party) confirmed he had destroyed a monument in Kafr Madama near Nablus, after footage circulated on social media and was shared by Israeli outlets on Tuesday morning. 

The monument appears to be in honor of members of the al-Aqsa brigade and Palestinians killed in the intifada.

"Every child who sees every day a giant monument that glorifies murderers of Jews will dream of being a terrorist," Sukkot said in a post to X/Twitter. He claimed that he had taken action after appealing to the IDF several times to remove the "terror monuments throughout the area," and that destroying the monument in the village was "a small taste."

רעידת אדמה בלונדון | בית הדין הורה להשבית את הלימודים בכל הסמינרים בעיר; זו הסיבה

 https://www.kikar.co.il/haredim-news/london-seminary-shutdown-rabbinical-court

צעד חסר תקדים בציבור החרדי: בית הדין בלונדון הורה להשבית כליל את פתיחת שנת הלימודים בכל הסמינרים בעיר • הרבנים מתייצבים לצד הבנות שטרם שובצו ומבהירים: "לא יפתחו השערים עד שאחרונת התלמידות תמצא את מקומה" • בעולם החינוך קוראים: "מהם יראו וכן יעשו בכל העולם" • המכתב המלא (חרדים)

סערה חסרת תקדים בעולם החינוך החרדי בבריטניה: המשבר העמוק סביב מצוקת השיבוצים במוסדות החינוך בלונדון מעמיק, ומגיע ביממה האחרונה לשיא חדש, דרמטי וחסר תקדים.

בצעד היסטורי שלא זכור כמותו, יצא מכתב נוקב מטעם בית הדין צדק של 'התאחדות קהילות החרדים' בלונדון, החתום על ידי גדולי הרבנים ומנהיגי הקהילה. במכתב מורים הרבנים בצורה נחרצת וחד-משמעית: פסק דין - היות שעדיין לא נסתדרו כל הבנות שבעיר בהסעמינארן (סמינר, ח.ר.), על כן הננו להודיע שבלית ברירה, על כל הסעמינארן להיות סגורים עד שיסודר הדבר שיתקבלו כולם.

Trump received a warning on Iran fallout – but overruled his generals

 https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/25/trump-shifts-economic-warfare-iran/

Tulsi Gabbard and senior commanders predicted heavy casualties and a severe drain on munitions ahead of the military campaign, with massive fallout affecting the world economy.

Trump repeatedly brushed aside the reservations expressed by top national security officials during these discussions, expressing confidence that the military would organically resolve any complications. Officials present at the briefings recalled that Caine and Hegseth continuously promised they would manage whatever difficulties emerged.

A major breakthrough materialized on June 17, taking the form of an interim peace accord designed to open the strait and facilitate a 60-day window for nuclear diplomacy. When questioned by close associates about his willingness to accept a temporary arrangement, the president referenced internal White House surveys showing that nearly 80% of the public favored any agreement that would stop the war, regardless of its specific details. Following the implementation of the June interim agreement, Tehran immediately resumed its attacks on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump interpreted the renewed aggression as an outright betrayal.

Trump to Ford Motor: Drop Dead

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-auto-tariffs-50-percent-canada-ford-motors-7111dadb?mod=hp_opin_pos_4

A 50% tariff on autos and parts from Canada would punish U.S. companies.

There he goes again. President Trump on Monday raged against Canada on the social-media heath, threatening it with 50% tariffs on autos and auto parts. What does he have against U.S. car makers?

Mr. Trump is angry that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over the weekend vowed to retaliate dollar-for-dollar against his latest tariff barrage. “Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years,” Mr. Trump wrote. “On January First, 2027, Tariffs on all Cars, Trucks, both large and small, Automotive Parts, and Steel, will be increased to 50%.”

Wife of active-duty Army sergeant is deported to Honduras under Trump’s immigration crackdown

 https://apnews.com/article/immigration-military-spouse-deported-1f7b72c850410fa1e314902b0464eca5

Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo is at least the seventh spouse or parent of an active-duty U.S. military service member to be deported under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The Associated Press has found more than 50 cases in which immediate family members of U.S. troops were placed in federal immigration detention after the Trump administration rolled back protections for military families. In some instances, DHS has released military spouses following media attention and advocacy by congressional leaders.

Prior to Trump’s second administration, U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement would typically allow immediate family members of U.S. troops to adjust their legal status even if they had been issued a final order of removal, according to Dan Gividen, who served as ICE deputy chief counsel from 2016 to 2019 under Trump.

'The Antithesis Of My Politics': Graham Platner Slams Nazism, Fascism Amid Controversy Around Tattoo

Lies and Slander

 There is a frequent false claim being made by a commentator that I supported the election of a neo Nazi.

I generally delete such slander, I assume he is referring to Graham Platner who was at one time running in a Democratic race as an anti- Israel progressive. I never voiced support or opposition for him and furthermore he clearly is not a Nazi. He did have a tattoo which is associated with the Nazis There is more evidence that Trump is a Nazi than that he is. But our commentator has a problem with the truth and enjoys slinging mud instead of facts

Protests expected following yeshiva student's arrest

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432139

Arrest of alleged haredi draft evader ends five weeks of relative calm, with protesters expected to target Highway 4 near Bnei Brak.

The attempted handover in Holon follows the arrest of another yeshiva student on Sunday in Haifa. The student, who attends the Kfar Hasidim Yeshiva in Rechasim and was formerly a student at Beit Midrash Elyon, was arrested and handed over to the Military Police following a clash with an inspector over a "Rav Kav" card payment issue. Police were called to the scene, arrested him, and later transferred him to the Military Police because he is classified as a draft evader.

Following the arrest, the smaller Peleg faction is expected to hold protests in central Israel on Monday. The location and time have not yet been finalized, but the protest is expected to take place near Highway 4 at the entrance to Bnei Brak at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Kindergarten MMR vaccine coverage still below ideal rate to prevent outbreaks: CDC

 https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6033790-mmr-vaccine-coverage-falls-below-target/

Vaccination coverage for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) among kindergarteners in the U.S. remains below the ideal rate needed to best prevent widespread outbreaks, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the number of exemptions going up.

The CDC on Monday released the latest figures on vaccine coverage among kindergarteners during the 2025-26 school year, finding that 92.4 percent of students had received the MMR vaccine.

The ideal rate required to prevent widespread outbreaks is considered to be 95 percent. The U.S. has been steadily falling away from this coverage rate since the 2019-20 school year, when the coverage rate was 95.2 percent. Since then, the rate has remained below 94 percent.

Lesser of Evils

 Garnel Ironheart August 23, 2026 at 7:26 PM

So what you're saying is that you prefer a DSA-controlled Democrat government that will be hostile to American Jews and especially to Israel. You're saying you want the Jew haters to be in charge. Because that's the choice right now.

This is  an ongoing discussion.  

It is recognized and acknowledged that Trump and family are corrupt, criminal and incompetent. He is the most disliked president in history. He has destroyed the economy, armed forces and health of America as well as democracy itself. But it is argued he is openly pro Israel and Jews and therefore he is better than the left wing Democrats. Bibi no longer brags about his close ties with Trump. However a major factor in anti Israel and anti Jew feelings is that Trump is supportive.

This argument justified the approval of his incompetent attorney general since otherwise the next candidate will be worse.

This fear is widely used.  Don't degrade or even acknowledge problems in the frum community such as child or wife abuse because it is better than a secular society. The Nazis rose to power largely because they were viewed as better than the communists. Ignore the mistakes of gedolim because acknowledging their fallibility strengthens  secularism. Censor all negative facts since this will only lead to weakening of society. Sometimes competence is more important than flattery.

I grew up in the McCarthy  Era. He was supported because he was viewed as saving us from the much greater evil of communism. The basis of the Vietnam War was the fear of communism I remember the Birch society and black listing but they were better than the Russians. It is not clear that a government that doesn't support Israel will be a disaster though it obviously could. It is clear that the present government is the best supporter of Russia and China. However Jews have successfully lived in secular and antisemitic countries

The issue is moot since Americans seem finally fed up  and will vote against Trump and the Republicans with the Jewish vote being insignificant 

Bnei Brak Is Not a Failure of Modernity

 https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/bnei-brak-is-not-a-failure-of-modernity/

The usual secular account sees Bnei Brak as a problem: crowded streets, poverty, political bargaining, educational separation, rabbinic authority, non-participation in military service, and a civic structure that seems to draw heavily from a state it does not fully join. Much of this criticism is legitimate. None of it should be dismissed. But criticism becomes shallow when it begins from contempt. Contempt does not analyze. It merely enjoys its own superiority.

The real question is not whether Bnei Brak is admirable or troubling. It is both. The real question is how it became possible, and what price its possibility now asks from everyone else.

 A city that preserves Torah life cannot pretend that preservation has no civic cost. A community cannot indefinitely treat the surrounding state as the military, economic, medical, infrastructural, and fiscal condition of its own protected separation.

That is not antisemitic. It is not anti-religious. It is not secular hatred. It is the minimum honesty required by political life.

But the Haredi fantasy is equally exhausted: the fantasy that a dense Torah society can remain protected while the broader state endlessly absorbs the military danger, economic pressure, and civic obligations that make such protection possible.

The Dumbest Trade War Revisited

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-dumbest-trade-war-revisited-57c9fe81?mod=hp_opin_pos_1

Trump’s decision to escalate a tariff brawl with Canada makes no economic or political sense.

President Trump took exception last year when we called his tariffs against Canada and Mexico the dumbest trade war in history. It got dumber this weekend as Mr. Trump escalated with another round of border taxes on Canadian imports, a mere 10 weeks before midterm elections.

Mr. Trump issued his latest tariff threat against Canada last month under Section 338 of the 1930 Tariff Act. The law lets the President impose tariffs up to 50% on countries that discriminate against “commerce of the United States, directly or indirectly” in relation to foreign countries. No previous President has used this power.

A Wake-Up Call: Rethinking the Western Wall

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/431996

For many years, it has become customary to sound the shofar every day during the month of Elul, at the conclusion of the morning prayers. This custom has become firmly established throughout the Jewish world and is practiced by both Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews.

The Western Wall built by Herod, however, is fundamentally different. It was not constructed by virtue of a Divine command. Herod was one of the most cruel kings in Jewish history and was responsible for the torture and killing of many of the Sages of Israel.

The Gemara (Bava Batra 3b) relates that Herod was originally a slave in the household of the Hasmoneans. He rebelled against his masters, murdered the entire Hasmonean family, and left only one young woman alive, hoping to marry her and thereby lend legitimacy to his ruleThe evidence presented here therefore indicates that the wall before which we pray is not the original western wall of the Temple Mount. The sanctity of this wall does not derive from a Divine command, but solely from the work of human hands-“the work of human hands, wood and stone." The true sanctity, Ritmeyer says, lies beyond it, slightly farther to the west-the original western wall of the Temple Mount, which was sanctified by virtue of the command of the Holy One, blessed be He.

The evidence presented here therefore indicates that the wall before which we pray is not the original western wall of the Temple Mount. The sanctity of this wall does not derive from a Divine command, but solely from the work of human hands-“the work of human hands, wood and stone." The true sanctity, Ritmeyer says, lies beyond it, slightly farther to the west-the original western wall of the Temple Mount, which was sanctified by virtue of the command of the Holy One, blessed be He.

‘Brazen act of self-dealing’: Democrats seek to block a Trump-linked crypto bank

 https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2026-08-18/democrats-seek-to-block-trump-linked-crypto-bank

Federal regulators have given preliminary approval for a cryptocurrency venture tied to President Trump and his family to operate a digital-asset bank, a decision that has drawn immediate condemnation from Senate Democrats who are now pushing legislation to bar such an action.

If the firm gets final approval, it would not act like a conventional bank and take deposits or make loans. Instead, the chartered bank would be able to issue and manage cryptocurrencies and digital assets. But the move would grant new financial powers to the Trump family’s crypto business, which has already shown to be profitable for the president in his first year back in the White House.

Aside from World Liberty Financial, Trump last year took in more than $600 million from sales of souvenir-type “meme” coins stamped with his likeness.

The White House said Tuesday “there are no conflicts of interest.” But the recent decision by federal regulators in relation to World Liberty Financial is now giving more ammunition to Democrats, who have pushed for more ethical guardrails to crack down on the Trump family’s crypto ventures.

Edifice Complex US Aircraft Carrier Could Be Renamed After Trump

https://www.newsweek.com/who-is-doris-miller-aircraft-carrier-could-be-renamed-after-donald-trump-12351168

Reports that the U.S. Navy is considering renaming the future USS Doris Miller aircraft carrier and potentially naming it after President Donald Trump have sparked criticism from lawmakers and veterans' advocates, while shining a renewed spotlight on one of the most celebrated enlisted sailors in American military history.

The Ford-class aircraft carrier, designated CVN-81, was named after Doris "Dorie" Miller during Trump's first term in 2020, marking the first time a U.S. aircraft carrier would be named after an enlisted sailor and the first named after a Black American.

Now, Navy officials have discussed changing the vessel's name, with Trump reportedly among the names under consideration.

Torah Learning and Pleasure

Avoda Zara (19a)   Levi and Rabbi Shimon, son of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, were sitting before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and they were learning the Torah portion. When they finished the book that they were learning and were ready to begin a new subject, Levi said: Let them bring us the book of Proverbs; and Rabbi Shimon, son of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, said: Let them bring us the book of Psalms. He compelled Levi to acquiesce, and they brought a book of Psalms. When they arrived here, at the verse: “But his delight is in the Torah of the Lord,” Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi explained the verse and said: A person can learn Torah only from a place in the Torah that his heart desires. Levi said: My teacher, you have given us, i.e., me, permission to rise and leave, as I wish to study Proverbs, not Psalms. 

Loving Learning Or Learning What You Love?

 https://www.torahmusings.com/2026/05/loving-learning-or-learning-what-you-love/

Question: Should a person only learn what he enjoys?

Short Answer: While learning what you enjoy has special power, there are certain limits to this principle.

The Gemara (Avoda Zarah 19a) states that a person only learns “from a place” that he wants to learn from. Rashi explains that this means that a Rebbi should teach his student the mesechta of the student’s choosing, as the Torah will remain with the student when he learns a topic he enjoys or is interested in learning. This fits with the next story in the Gemara, where Levi looked for an excuse to leave shiur when it was not learning what he wanted. Rabbeinu Chananel has a slightly different girsa – a person only learns what his heart desires.

Does this learning what you desire principle apply to children?

The sefer Michtam L’Dovid (cited in Avodah B’rurah, ibid) holds that it does not apply, as a child has no “da’as” to decide what he desires.

On the other hand, R’ Chaim Segal (Gam Ani Odecha, p.184) holds that you may learn torah with a young child on erev tisha ba’av, because otherwise the child won’t learn anything. Certainly, the child is not interested in learning the “bad topics” normally learned on tisha ba’av, and thus the learning what you desire principle trumps him not learning. R’ Segal apparently holds that this principle applies to young children as well.

Dead buried outside Israel

 Bereishis Rabba (96: 06)  The righteous who are buried outside of Israel what happens to them.  God makes cavities like channels for them in the earth, and they roll along in them until they reach Eretz Israel, when G-d will infuse into them a spirit of life and they will arise. How do we know this? Because it is written, Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O My people; and I will bring you into the land of Egypt; and after that, I will put My spirit in you, and ye shall live. Resh Lakish  said: There is a text explicitly teaching that when they reach Eretz Israel G-d will put a soul into them, for it says, He giveth a soul unto the people upon it.