Mo Brooks faces a monstrous climb in Alabama runoff against Trump-backed Katie Britt

 https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/20/politics/mo-brooks-katie-britt-trump-alabama-senate/index.html

While Trump's endorsement of Britt came as a shock to some Brooks allies who spent months working to convince the former President that she would be a MAGA adversary in the Senate, others saw it as a long time coming.

Transgender Swimming Ban Praised by Former Olympic Athletes

 https://www.newsweek.com/transgender-swimming-ban-praised-former-olympic-athletes-1717300

Former Olympic decathlete Caitlyn Jenner, a transgender woman, also praised the new policy.

"It worked! I took a lot of heat - but what's fair is fair! If you go through male puberty you should not be able to take medals away from females. Period," Jenner tweeted.

A year out of power, Haredim hail government’s downfall, credit divine intervention

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-year-out-of-power-haredim-hail-governments-downfall-credit-divine-intervention/

Ultra-Orthodox leaders and newspapers rejoiced at the impending dissolution of the Knesset and government — the latter being one of the few in recent memory that didn’t include Haredi parties — and many attributed its downfall to divine intervention.

“His name is praised in the world!” said Rabbi Shalom Cohen, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, which represents Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews. “A government that harmed and tried to destroy Judaism and the sanctity of Israel and harmed the weak has been driven from the world. The holy one, blessed be he, has had mercy on the people of Israel.”

Cohen, 91, made his pronouncement from his hospital room on Monday night shortly after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced his plans to call for the dissolution of the Knesset, which will send the country back to elections for the fifth time in less than four years.

No, Texas can’t legally secede from the U.S., despite popular myth

 https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/29/texas-secession/

In June 2022, the Texas State Republican Convention adopted a resolution urging the Legislature in 2023 to put a referendum before the people of Texas “to determine whether or not the State of Texas should reassert its status as an independent nation.”

Texas Seceding From U.S. 'Would Mean War,' Law Expert Says

https://www.newsweek.com/texas-seceding-us-would-mean-war-law-expert-says-1717392

At its convention over the weekend, the Republican Party of Texas voted on several measures for possible inclusion into the party's official platform, including one seeking a 2023 referendum on whether the Lone Star State should break away from the United States. The results of that vote are not yet known.

Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump to visit Israel this week

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-709850

Former senior advisers to former US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump – the former president's son-in-law and daughter – will land in Israel on Monday morning, Israeli media reported Sunday evening.

The reason for their visit is not publicly known.

Kushner and Trump were seen boarding an El Al flight from Miami. According to reports, Tourism Minister Yoel Razbozov was on the same flight to Tel Aviv.

Israel leader to dissolve Knesset as coalition fails and new elections planned

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/20/israel-knesset-coalition-dissolve-bennett/

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced on Monday that they plan to dissolve the Knesset next week, triggering the path for a fifth round of general Israeli elections in less than four years.

Texas Republicans just proved (again) that this is Donald Trump's party

 https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/20/politics/texas-republican-convention-platform-trump/index.html

As for Crenshaw, he has refused to go along with unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and has been a staunch supporter of providing aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia (which first spurred Fox's Tucker Carlson to call Crenshaw "eye patch McCain"). The GOP base is also upset with his willingness to criticize some of the stars of the Trumpified Republican Party.

What this weekend's festivities in Texas make clear is that there is an active and ongoing effort to purge the Republican Party of anyone and everyone who a) criticizes Donald Trump or his congressional allies in any way or b) seeks to break from rigid party orthodoxy on issues like guns.

Idolatry defined

 Rambam (Avoda Zara 2:1) The primary warning concerning worship of stars is, not to reverence any among all creatures, no angel, no planet, no star, none of the four elements nor any of their offspring, though the worshiper be conscious that the Lord is God and, he be worshiping a given being as at the inception of the worship of Enosh and the people of his generation, behold him, he worships idolatry.

Rambam (Avoda Zara 2:4) The precept concerning idolatry balances all other commandments, for it is said: "And when ye shall err, and not observe all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses" (Num. 15.22), which was traditionally instructed that the Verse speaks of idolatry. Herefrom you deduct that whosoever admits idolatry denies the whole Torah, all of the prophets, and all in that which the prophets were instructed since Adam even till the end of time, as it is said: But whosoever denies idolatry admits the whole Torah, all of the prophets, and all in that which the prophets were instructed since Adam even till the end of time. Thus it is the outstanding commandment of them all.

In the US, some fading Reform and Conservative synagogues go Orthodox to stay afloat

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-the-us-some-fading-reform-and-conservative-synagogues-go-orthodox-to-stay-afloat/

The story isn’t unique to Howard Beach. As Reform and Conservative synagogue memberships decline nationwide, some synagogue boards are reaching out to Orthodox congregations, primarily those affiliated with the Chabad movement.

I watched Fox News every day for 44 months – here's what I learned

 https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/oct/25/fox-news-watching-what-i-learned

Since July 2018, I’ve been one among a lucky few live-tweeting the show along with the president. And after consuming thousands of hours of Rupert Murdoch’s finest drivel, I’ve learned a few things about how America’s No 1 news network is dragging the United States into ruin.

Why mental health is an halachic issue

 https://www.thejc.com/judaism/all/why-mental-health-is-an-halachic-issue-3wZrZWQSiJjyGR21r3UgrG

 I suffer from both anxiety and depression, and sometimes have suicidal thoughts as well. I find that writing in a journal quiets those thoughts, and helps me deal with my depression and anxiety, but on Shabbat I have a problem, as it is prohibited to write. Is there anything I can do?

Texas GOP Declares Biden Illegitimate, Demands End to Abortion

 https://www.newsweek.com/texas-gop-declares-biden-illegitimate-demands-end-abortion-1717167

Texas Republicans acted on multiple resolutions and platform changes at their state convention this weekend—including declaring that President Joe Biden was "not legitimately elected" and demanding an end to abortion.

Texas GOP Convention Sparks Intraparty Feud on Treatment of Gay Republicans

https://www.newsweek.com/texas-gop-convention-sparks-intraparty-feud-treatment-gay-republicans-1717159 

The Texas GOP denied the Log Cabin Republicans, which is an organization that represents LGBTQ Republicans, earlier this month from having a booth at their state convention, sparking a debate online about the treatment of gay conservatives.