Ahead of Israel’s early parliamentary election next week, Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Kremlin has an interest in who wins power. Putin spoke Thursday at the opening of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the southern Russian city of Sochi. Putin says “over 1½ million immigrants from the Soviet Union live in Israel. We always considered them our people, compatriots. And, of course, we are not indifferent to what kind of people will come into the Israeli parliament.” The Israeli leader said coordination with Russia’s military was important because of Russia’s presence in Syria. Netanyahu says “over the past month we have seen a sharp increase in Iran’s attempts to use the territory of Syria to attack us.” (AP)

Facebook says it has sanctioned the page of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because of a violation of the company’s hate speech policy. Facebook said on Thursday that the social network had suspended for 24 hours the page’s bot, or automated chat function. The page had called on voters to prevent the establishment of a government composed of “Arabs who want to destroy us all – women, children and men.” The post sparked uproar by opposition politicians. Netanyahu denied he wrote the post in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet radio. He said it was a staffer’s mistake and the post was removed. Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival ahead of elections next week and has been shoring up nationalist voters with feisty language and hard-line promises. (AP)

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Hagaon HaRav Shlomo Gissinger ZATZAL, the Rov at Khal Zichron Yaakov, one of Lakewood largest Shuls and kehillas. He was 75. Rav Gissinger suffered from an illness the past few months. He was rushed by Hatzolah to a Manhattan hospital overnight and was admitted with a serious infection. On Thursday afternoon, his condition turned critical and was Niftar at around 6:00PM. Rav Gissinger was involved in dozens of Lakewood organizations, Mosdos and Chesed projects, and was one of Lakewood’s original Rabbonim and Poskim. The Levaya will take place on Friday morning at 10:30AM at his shul located at 175 Sunset Road in Lakewood. Boruch Dayan Ha’Emmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com) The New York City Council is made up of 51 members.  They introduce and vote on legislation that controls all aspects of city life.  Currently, the New York City Council members are  considering legislation that would ban foie gras from being sold in New York.  The reason is that they believe that the way these birds are fed constitutes terrible cruelty to animals. The bill has half of the Council signed on as co-sponsors, and Mayor de Blasio himself said that he supports the intent of the proposal.  The bill may be set to be voted on in the fall, The question is, what does halacha say about all of this?  Is there cruelty to animals involved here?  Are there other kashrus issues in Foie gras as well?

HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen Shlita, head of the Shas Moetzas Chachmei HaTorah, spoke on Wednesday night at an election rally event in the city of Holon. “If the land turns secular, and this is what they wish to do, no Shabbos, nothing. It is a disgrace to HKBH” cried Chacham Cohen as he spoke the words, fearing if the left-wing is elected to power, it will destroy Yiddishkheit in Eretz Yisrael. The rav broke down in tears and added, “How can we agree to this, that HKBH will run from the land?” The rav concluded, “I am davening for everyone, even for Lapid and all those crazies, even on the High Court of Justice, that HKBH wakes them up, their hearts, to return and do teshuvah. I B”H daven for everyone, as the Chazon Ish called to them, ” תינוקות שנשבו'”.

U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu has recommended moving forward with charges against Andrew McCabe, Fox News reports, as the Justice Department rejects a last-ditch appeal from the former top FBI official. McCabe — the former deputy and acting director of the FBI — appealed the decision of the U.S. attorney for Washington all the way up […]

The attached video was taken on Thursday morning on 57 Street between 15th and 16th Avenues, in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn. As the viewer will see, it is “alternate side parking” today on that street, and the cars simply double park to allow the street sweepers to come by. But some cars do […]

The suspect wanted in a vicious attack against a Jewish man in Crown Heights has been arrested. An NYPD source confirmed to YWN that the man was taken into custody this morning. As YWN had reported, 63-year-old Rabbi Abraham Gopin was walking in Lincoln Terrace Park in Crown Heights when he was brutally attacked. The […]

A new election poll, which was released on Thursday, September 12, 2019, shows the right-wing/chareidi bloc is growing and now stands at 60 mandates, one below the required 61 for a simple majority in the 120-seat Knesset. According to the poll, commissioned by the Knesset Channel and carried out by Panels Politics headed by Menachem […]

Despite the miles traveled, the tens of millions of dollars raised and the ceaseless churn of policy papers, the Democratic primary has been remarkably static for months with Joe Biden leading in polls and Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders vying to be the progressive alternative. That stability is under threat on Thursday. All of the […]