Igros Moshe (OC4:40:26) Question: Is it permissible for children to play basketball in a hall which is part of a church? Answer. It is certainly prohibited even if it doesn’t have images since we are to distance far from anything connected to idolatry. It is important to teach our children to stay away from such a disgusting place. Even if this is needed for a Jewish school even if it requires spending more money for another place
Monday, August 10, 2026
Trump Claim That Muslims Don't Assimilate Is 'False,' PolitiFact Finds
Hannity said that Muslims have different religious and cultural practices than many Americans. He asked Trump, “If you grow up (as a Muslim overseas) and you want to come to America, how do we vet somebody's heart and ascertain if they're coming here for freedom or if they want to proselytize, indoctrinate and bring their theocracy with them?”
Trump responded, “Assimilation has been very hard. It's almost — I won't say nonexistent, but it gets to be pretty close. And I'm talking about second and third generation. They come — they don't — for some reason, tWe concluded that the implication of what Trump said — that Muslims want to isolate themselves from the mainstream American culture — is flat wrong. However, we also learned that the question involves some important nuance. In particular, the task of “assimilation” facing post-1960s immigrants to America is more complicated than, and thus distinct from, what it was for white, Christian, European immigrants who came to the United States in prior generations.
We concluded that the implication of what Trump said — that Muslims want to isolate themselves from the mainstream American culture — is flat wrong. However, we also learned that the question involves some important nuance. In particular, the task of “assimilation” facing post-1960s immigrants to America is more complicated than, and thus distinct from, what it was for white, Christian, European immigrants who came to the United States in prior generations.
The data and the experts agree that Trump is wrong. Substantial evidence confirms that Muslim Americans want to have an American identity and think that doing so is achievable. In fact, their preferences for self-identification mirror those of Christian Americans.
The data and the experts agree that Trump is wrong. Substantial evidence confirms that Muslim Americans want to have an American identity and think that doing so is achievable. In fact, their preferences for self-identification mirror those of Christian Americans.
The immigrants you fear are just like your ancestors. Don’t fall for political scare tactics.
https://thehill.com/opinion/4882760-immigrant-assimilation-america/
Growing up in New Jersey as an Indian-American kid during the 1980s and 1990s, I dealt with bigotry and prejudice. But the person who understood most what I was going through was my 80-year-old Italian American piano teacher, Mrs. Baldino.
Talking to her, I realized that what I endured was remarkably similar to what she had gone through through growing up in the 1920s and 1930s. It was confusing to me, however, because some of the kids who gave me a hard time were Italian Americans. Mrs. Baldino explained to me, “They always forget what their grandparents went through.”
15 Myths About Immigration Debunked
https://carnegie.org/article/15-myths-about-immigration-debunked/
Garnel IronheartAugust 9, 2026 at 8:21 PM
But whereas 100 years ago people washed up on America's shores and said "I want to be American!", they now say "I want to change America into the hellhole I just left!"
MYTH #6: “Today’s immigrants don’t assimilate as immigrants from previous eras did.”
FACT: Immigrants to the United States — including Mexicans — are assimilating as well as or better than immigrant groups from Europe over a hundred years ago.
Netanyahu Rejects Trump’s 15-Point Peace Plan for Gaza
https://time.com/article/2026/08/09/netanyahu-says-israel-to-reject-trumps-plan-for-gaza/
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his country rejects U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest peace plan for Gaza.
The 15-point plan, issued by Trump’s Board of Peace, envisioned a phased peace process. Through it, Hamas would gradually cede its weapons and power to a new Palestinian administration, while Israel would withdraw its troops to the “yellow line” established in the ceasefire deal both sides signed in October 2025.
When it was released by the Board of Peace on July 31, Netanyahu remained silent for multiple days and then acknowledged that the Trump Administration had “sent us a draft.”
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Weak jobs report clouds economy as Trump barrels toward midterms
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6017947-trump-economy-jobs-report-inflation/
New clouds darkened the economic landscape on Friday, as the latest employment report showed the nation shedding 23,000 jobs in July.
The number came as an unpleasant surprise to most economists. The consensus prediction from experts canvassed by Dow Jones had been that more than 80,000 jobs would be created.
Democrats pounced on the number to reinforce their case that President Trump is mismanaging the economy.
Blanche set to lead a Justice Department shaped to serve Trump
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/08/politics/senate-todd-blanche-attorney-general
Since Trump re-entered the Oval Office, Blanche has been instrumental in reshaping the department in the president’s image, effectively switching from being the face of Trump’s defense to the face of his far-reaching retribution campaign.
Senate narrowly approves Todd Blanche as AG, capping tough confirmation fight
The Senate narrowly voted to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general early Saturday morning, cementing President Donald Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer as the head of the Justice Department despite rare pushback from Republicans that had left his nomination in doubt.
Explaining his decision, Cassidy described it as a choice between Blanche — who before his time as Trump’s personal lawyer had spent years as a federal prosecutor and a partner at a prestigious Manhattan law firm — and the possibility that Trump might pick someone worse.
Since returning to the White House last year, the president has eroded the Justice Department’s long tradition of independence, demanding it pursue prosecutions of his political enemies and directing resources toward rewarding his allies.
Israel Is Making Plans for a Post-America Middle East
https://www.newsweek.com/israel-making-plans-for-post-america-middle-east-12294719
Asked what worries him most, Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis said it's not the uncertainty surrounding the war with Iran, nor the other bouts of turmoil and conflict ravaging the Middle East—it's a drift in American politics he warns could one day spell the end of a historic alliance.
"You can hate your president, you can love your president, you can ignore him, you can want to change the administration," Akunis told Newsweek. "All of this is within the frame of the democratic game. But to prefer your enemies rather than your political opponents, this is something new."
The West’s Demographic Math No Longer Adds Up
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/08/08/europe-us-fertility-immigration-01029122
Modern welfare states rest on an intergenerational bargain. Today’s workers finance pensions and health care for older people, trusting that others will eventually do the same for them.
Low fertility is straining that bargain. Fewer young people are entering the workforce just as large generations approach retirement. Pension reform has already become one of Europe’s most politically difficult issues, and the viability of the Social Security system is a perennial concern in the United States. Those political pressures will continue to intensify as the population ages.
That has forced governments to confront an increasingly urgent question: Can they persuade people to have more children — and, if not, can immigration prevent the demographic arithmetic from breaking down?
In much of the rest of Europe, immigrants have been harder to absorb: Newcomers often arrive without the language, credentials or cultural familiarity that make it easier to find work and settle quickly. Migrants from Muslim-majority societies have also faced greater political and public pushback than Spain’s Latin America newcomers
Friday, August 7, 2026
LevinAt11-ReversePartisanism
בס"ד
ע"ש ראה, כד מנחם אב, תשפו
Below is linked this week's LevinAt11 08-06-2026 radio broadcast.
תכנית רב יהודה לעוין שליט"א, פרשת ראה, תשפו
Topics Covered Included:
1) The blight of Partisanism in the Orthodox community, discussed in recent programs, with emphasis tonight on its' flipside: blind rejection of all positions espoused by the opposition, even when rooted in the Torah; the phenomenon arises in both anti-Zionist and pro-Zionist camps, as well as among many of those ostensibly fighting against Jew-hatred.
2) How should a Torah-devoted Jew look at - and react - to escalating Jew-hatred? And how should we not be reacting? First, we need to focus on "Do no harm!"
(We just scratched the surface of both of these broad topics.)
3) In the context of accepting our tribulations as Divine Messages, see below, in Hebrew, excerpted from unpublished Review Notes on Mishnayos Negayim, on 11:9. (We didn't have time to cover this in the program, other than by a very brief reference.) A proper perspective on Divine Providence helps people avoid all types of irrational, emotional reactions, rooted in despair and desperation.
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Here's an important appeal:
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Our organization recently designed and sponsored a half-page running ad in the upcoming Jewish Upstate Business Directory (in the "Community Pages") for Chomosayich. As they're so overwhelmed with the immediate needs of saving neshomos - Chomosayich
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To donate directly to Chomosayich, call or text 347-661-0172.
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(* If you'd like to see a copy of the ad, or the latest summary/ update from Chomosayich, you may contact us directly at torahjewsfordecency@gmail.
That ad is not yet fully covered for - and we request immediate partnership in covering the remaining expenses involved, within the next week or so.
Additionally, we've fallen behind in our own ongoing work in saving girls from being drafted into the Israeli Army.
Please call / text us at 771.215.8892 to donate by credit card, and/or donate here:
TO DONATE TODAY:*
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For link*: https://secure.
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Specify "GB" (for our work saving girls from "Giyus Banos").
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"No salaries or commissions paid,
100% of donation goes to the needy."
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Previous Broadcasts:
3 weeks ago:
פרשת דברים:
Two weeks ago:
פרשת ואתחנן:
Last week:
פרשת עקב:
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היומי: excerpt discussed on the Parshas Eikev program:
חולין דף צ"ב ע"א:
... {הושע ג-ב} ואכרה לי בחמשה עשר כסף" א''ר יוחנן משום ר' שמעון בן יהוצדק אין כירה אלא לשון מכירה שנאמר {בראשית נ-ה} בקברי אשר כריתי לי בחמשה עשר זה ט''ו בניסן שבו נגאלו ישראל ממצרים כסף אלו צדיקים וכן הוא אומר {משלי ז-כ} צרור הכסף לקח בידו חומר שעורים ולתך שעורים אלו מ''ה צדיקים שהעולם מתקיים בהם ואיני יודע אם שלשים כאן וט''ו בארץ ישראל ואם שלשים בארץ ישראל וט''ו כאן כשהוא אומר {זכריה יא-יג} ואקחה שלשים הכסף ואשליך אותו בית ה' אל היוצר הוי אומר שלשים בארץ ישראל וט''ו כאן אמר אביי ורובייהו משתכחי בבי כנישתא דתותי אפתא והיינו דכתיב {זכריה יא-יב} ואומר אליהם אם טוב בעיניכם הבו שכרי ואם לא חדלו וישקלו את שכרי שלשים כסף רבי יהודה אומר אלו שלשים צדיקי אומות העולם שאומות העולם מתקיימים עליהם
עולא אמר אלו שלשים מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נח ואין מקיימין אלא שלשה אחת
{ חולין-דף צב - ב}
שאין כותבין כתובה לזכרים ואחת שאין שוקלין בשר המת במקולין ואחת שמכבדין את התורה:"
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Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter,
Executive Director,
Help Rescue Our Children
Email: torahjewsfordecency@
845.642.1679
Direct: 771.215.8892
Israeli Helpline: 03.721.3337
Heard weekly on New Jersey's WSNR Radio 620AM, co-hosting the renowned Levin At Eleven program, every Thursday evening, 11pm to midnight (ET).
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News of interest:
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This is an excerpt of unedited review notes on Mishnayos Negayim, Chapter 11, mishna 9:
משנה ט:
"רבי שמעון אומר... אם היה רצוף מיטמא"
- אבל בלי זה, טהור.
...
בענין לשון רצוף, ע' שה"ש "תוכו רצוף אהבה" (ג:י); ויש במפרשים שם ב' פירושים, א' מסודר, כמו כאן, וא' רותח, מלשון ריצפת גחלת.
ולכאורה יש לשלב שני הפירושים יחד - מסודר ו"רותח" - שהרי תוקף אהבת הש"י לנו - לכאורה, שלא יםריד שום דבר בינינו - מופיע ע"י גילוי עוצם תוקף השגחתו עלינו, במה שכל דבר קטן שאירע לנו הוא מסודר בתכלית הסדר, כמבואר בפירוש הגר"א על הסידור, על מזמור קמ"ז, ע"ש, בפרט מה שמביא ממס' ברכות ל"ב: "בתי, י"ב מזלות בראתי... ואת אמרת עזבתני ושכחני!"*
* לשון הגמ' ברכות לב: - שמתחיל עם הפסוק שבראש הפטרת פרשת עקב:
{ישעיה מט-יד} "ותאמר ציון עזבני ה' וה' שכחני" היינו עזובה היינו שכוחה אמר ר''ל אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקב''ה רבש''ע אדם נושא אשה על אשתו ראשונה זוכר מעשה הראשונה אתה עזבתני ושכחתני
אמר לה הקב''ה בתי י''ב מזלות בראתי ברקיע ועל כל מזל ומזל בראתי לו
שלשים חיל
ועל כל חיל וחיל בראתי לו שלשים לגיון
ועל כל לגיון ולגיון בראתי לו שלשים רהטון ועל כל רהטון ורהטון בראתי לו שלשים קרטון ועל כל קרטון וקרטון בראתי לו שלשים גסטרא ועל כל גסטרא וגסטרא תליתי בו שלש מאות וששים וחמשה אלפי רבוא כוכבים כנגד ימות החמה וכולן לא בראתי אלא בשבילך ואת אמרת עזבתני ושכחתני ..."~~~~
ובענין הגמ' ברכות לב:, ע' בבעל-הטורים על פרשת עקב (ט:כד) "ממרים הייתם עם ד' מיום דעתי אתכם," ושמתחיל ומסיים עם מ"ם - להורות שכל מ' שנה היו ממרים, עכת"ד. וצ"ב, איך שייך לומר כך על הדור דיעה - שכל 40 שנה היו ממרים?
ע"ש מש"כ לפשרו על דרך פשט, שלא הכירו עוצם הפלגת אהבת ד' להם, לרצונו ית' להיטיב להם.
(ואולי לפי זה שייך לפרש "צרעת ממארת" (תזריע, יג: נא-נב; מצורע יד:מד), שהוא סימן של המראה כזו, שנשארה בנפש החוטא הזה, הכפוי טוב לבוראו.)
ולפי זה, הקשר שבין הפרשת עקב עם ההפטרה שלה, שמתחיל עם אותו פסוק הנדרש בשבת לב:, גם מתברר.
כאן, במשנתינו, נראה פשוט שהפירוש "רצוף" הוא "מסודר," ולא "רותח".
אמנם, אולי גם יש בחינה שבה יש לפרשו "רתיחות" - פירוש תוקף הקרובה - במה שעיקר החיסרון הוא הפירוד של החוטי ערב. ולכאורה זהו חידוש הת"ק, דאינינו מביטים על הפרדת החוטים, אלא - עם כל מה שיש מרחק שביניהם, וחסרון סדר - על כל פנים נחשבים בלתי נפרדים - שזה הפירוש האחר של רצוף - שכל מי ש"רצוף," שום דבר לא יפריד ביניהם. ולכן, היות שכל חוט הוא במקומו הראוי - לאותו מצב - זה סגי להת"ק שיהיו בגדר "רצוף!"
ועל זה חולק רבי שמעון, לומר דבעינן מסודר יחד לעין הרואה, ר"ל הפי' האחר של רצוף.
לפי זה, שניהם מודים דבעינן "רצוף," אלא שחולקין על הגדרה של חפצא זו של חוטים שבתוך מהלך יצירת הבגד.
ויש להאריך בה"נמשל," על דרך מוסר, בענין עוצם השגחת הש"י עלינו, ודי למבין.
###
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A timely letter:
BS"D
August 4, '26/ 21 Av 5786
A Truly Jewish Message for America at 250
Editor,
On occasion of the 250th anniversary of the complete signing of the Declaration of Independence (considered to have occurred on August 2), here is a message we as Jews ought to be sharing broadly, as an expression of communal gratitude towards what remains of the Constitutional Republic founded by those brave men:
Americans need to direct national attention to this prescient warning of the preeminent sage Rav Shamshon Rephoel Hirsch O.B.M.:
"... Woe to the time when sexes do not keep themselves holy! Countries and states in vain seek for the cause of their decline and do not see that they cease to be states as soon as their homes are ruined."
(-- Rav Shamshon Refoel Hirsch (Germany, 1808-1888 CE), "Horeb" (translated by Isidor Grunfeld, 1962, Soncino Press, Eleventh impression 2016), Section 4, "Chukim," Chapter 65, p.307, paragraph 1)
Just a few days ago, Jews around the world learned the folio in the Babylonian Talmud, tractate Chullin (92) that enumerates the three mitzvos traditionally adhered to by the Nations of the World, including refusing to stoop to recognition of Marriage De-Definition ("not writing marriage contracts between men").
Over twenty years ago, Rav Shmuel Faivelson ZT"L (talmid muvhak of Rav Ahron Kotler ZT"L) observed that from that Gemara we learn that the entire right to existence of the Nations of the World is predicated on their historical refusal to accept such "marriages" - and that, consequently, any attempt to deviate from that mitzvah literally poses an existential threat to society.
His observation is amplified by the Midrash Rabbah on Achrei-Mos, 23:9, on VaYikra 18:3, declaring that the Generation of the Great Flood was not annihilated until they started writing marriage contracts for men marrying men -- and women marrying women. Thus, recognition of homogeneous "Marriage" triggered the annihilation of Civilization.
The Mahara"l, in his commentary on Chullin there, explains that while all of the forbidden acts listed at the end of Parshas Achrei-Mos (VaYikra 18) are categorized as "abominations" - in the very last several p'sukim - the act of sodomy is the only arayos transgression branded as an "abomination" in its' individual enumeration (VaYikra 22:18). This is to teach us that Sodomy is an abomination even amongst other abominations! And it's this Ultimate Abomination that is being celebrated as the substance of matrimony by To'aiva- Marriage proponents. This is an unfathomable rebellion against G-d.
Now, to discern the practical impact recognition of said fraudulent Marriage has already had on the West - one need not look far. The wholesale abuse of children exploited by homogeneous spousal imposters - under the cynical branding of "adoption" - stands out as an example of unforgivable state-mandated child-abuse - of Biblical proportions. The fact that one such person was appointed to the Cabinet - by a Republican president - renders the issue all the more incumbent on us as Jews to speak out against, especially as his name, photo, and exploits infiltrate our currency, our media, our institutions, and even our homes.
Additionally, with all of the grandstanding against the predatory crimes being enabled by the transgender advocates, precious little attention is given to identify its' cause: caving in on Marriage Redefinition - by the leadership of both political parties, and by our own communal leadership. By removing yet another obstacle to the pursuit of transgender-agenda, we ourselves advanced it, in a manner even more inexcusable than it was predictable.
While Biden (ostensibly) "signed" federal Mabul-Marriage enforcement in December'22 - Trump himself (not his auto-pen) celebrated it, days later, and, even worse, pledged that he's "fighting hard" for the gay community - after they ostensibly
The same types of failures that led to passage of To'aiva Matrimony in NY State in June 2011 - courtesy of Arm-Twister-in-Chief Andrew Cuomo - were operative in yet another communal disaster: our failure to stop Physician-Facilitated Prescription Poisoning (euphemized "Medical (sic) Aid In Dying" (sic)) this year. Included were the failure to prioritize these burning issues over procurement of government largesse, and to do so in a timely fashion, when we had the ability to defeat political candidates over these issues.
As the six month training period for Assisted "Suicide" ends this week, the lethal legislation is scheduled to go into effect on August 5th, R"L. Consequently, all qualified clientele - along with untold numbers of others - can now "benefit" from the best killing services NY State has to offer.
So, ensure your doctors and health care facilities shun collaboration in this Aktzion T4 rerun. The "health"care professional whose career involves prescription poisoning probably won't be serving you well as the shliach to save the lives of your loved ones.
Regarding both of these legislative and societal calamities, we need recognize our own communal culpability - as well as resolve to do whatever necessary to counter these anti-Torah policies, including shunning any cooperation with those policies.
In closing, we cannot omit this most timely imperative:
"...
The greater the difficulty, the more biting the ridicule and sarcasm, and the more numerous the opponent -- then the holier is the principle, and the more sacred is our duty to defend it.
In my opinion, the halachic dictum bishas gezeras ha-malchus afillu mitzvah kallah ke'gon le-shinuyei Arkesa de-mesana, ye'hareg ve'al Ya'avor ... applies not only to political and religious persecution originated by some pagan ruler, but also to situations in which a small number of G-d-fearing and Torah-loyal people is confronted with a hostile attitude on the part of the majority dominated by a false philosophy."*
* from Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, O.B.M., reprinted in Baruch Litvin, The Sanctity of the Synagogue, p. 111, quoted by Rabbi Mayer Twersky, in "Judaism and Deviant Behavior," appearing in Dialogue, Fall 2013, #4, page 239-240.
To learn more, please email torahjewsfordecency@
Thank you,
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter,
Executive Director,
Help Rescue Our Children
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Broadcasting weekly over: Davidzon Radio
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Israel, not Iran, is boxed in as Trump keeps chasing flimsy agreements
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-not-iran-is-boxed-in-as-trump-keeps-chasing-flimsy-agreements/
Tehran isn’t scared of endless US threats, and won’t make concessions. Gaza and Lebanon deals are somewhat more promising, but leave plenty of room for terror groups to survive
With Iran openly targeting US soldiers and asserting its right to control the Strait of Hormuz, many believed over the weekend that US President Donald Trump had — at long last — reached the end of his rope.
“US, Israel preparing to bombard energy-related targets in Iran,” CBS News declared on Saturday.
Israeli outlets reported that Jerusalem was on its “highest alert,” expecting Iran to respond to the looming massive strike by hitting the Jewish state for the first time in months.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
What we’ve learned about Covid-19 since the pandemic
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/04/health/covid-19-what-we-know-now
Covid-19 has killed more than a million people in the United States, but in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday, US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that lockdowns were “the thing that did the most damage to our country.”
This assertion kicked off more than 20 minutes of contentious back-and-forth, in which Kennedy made a number of false and misleading statements about a range of topics including measles, autism and Lyme disease.
“It’s just fraught with misinformation. Lies,” said Dr. Jake Scott, an infectious disease physician at Stanford who has made it his personal mission to fight back against false claims about vaccines. “You could write a book about that whole interview.”
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