German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who entered his position earlier this month, slammed Israel this week, making the harshest statements against the Jewish state about the war in Gaza ever made by a senior official of the country where the Holocaust originated. Merz said that he “no longer understands what the Israeli army is doing now in the Gaza Strip, and what its goal is. The harassment of the civilian population, as has been increasing in recent days can no longer be justified as a fight against Hamas terrorism,” he claimed “When red lines are crossed, when international humanitarian law is violated, then even a German chancellor must respond,” he said.

Elon Musk is not happy with President Donald Trump’s signature spending bill, distancing himself from the legislation that narrowly passed the House last week and is now headed to the Senate. The measure, which Trump has hailed as a “big, beautiful bill,” would extend the 2017 tax cuts while enacting deep cuts to Medicaid in an effort to partially offset the costs. However, a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that the legislation will increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion over the next decade, largely due to the extended tax breaks. “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not decreases it,” Musk told correspondent David Pogue in an interview for CBS Sunday Morning.

In a dramatic race against time, Chaverim of Rockland successfully stopped an elderly man from falling victim to a $7,000 scam on Tuesday afternoon—just seconds before he stepped into a Monsey bank to withdraw the funds and convert them into gift cards for the scammers. The heart-pounding rescue began when community activist Yossi Gestetner noticed something alarming. “I got a strange call from my father—he sounded startled and hung up quickly,” Gestetner told YWN. “When I called back, he answered briefly, clearly panicked, and said, ‘I’m going to the bank,’ before hanging up again. That’s when I knew something was wrong. I immediately contacted Chaverim of Rockland.” Recognizing the red flags of an active scam in progress, Chaverim of Rockland wasted no time.

Two Secret Service agents assigned to protect the home of former President Barack Obama have been suspended after a heated altercation between them erupted into a full-blown physical fight — just steps from the Obamas’ residence in the early hours of the morning. The explosive encounter, which occurred around 2:30 a.m. last Wednesday, has sent shockwaves through the protective agency known for its intense discipline and discretion. The incident first gained public attention after RealClearPolitics reporter Susan Crabtree posted footage of the fight, which quickly went viral on social media. The video, which appears to have been recorded by a passerby or security camera, shows two female officers engaged in a shouting match that escalates into a physical confrontation.

A major coalition crisis is looming over the government as the Chareidi parties have threatened to bolt the coalition in less than two weeks if the stalemate on advancing a Chareidi draft law continues after Shavuos. The office of UTJ chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf denied a Channel 12 report earlier in the day that stated that the Gerrer Rebbe had already decided that Goldknopf would resign from the coalition “even on the day after Shavuos” over the stalemate of the draft law.

The Knesset’s Committee on Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs on Wednesday held its ninth follow-up discussion on the involvement of the Israeli government in the rescue of children from the Lev Tahor cult in Guatemala. The Welfare Ministry has appointed an employee to the position of field director who will be responsible for Lev Tahor child victims when they arrive in Israel. During the meeting, the committee requested to receive an official document detailing the preparations of welfare authorities for the absorption of Lev Tahor cult survivors in Israel. Orit Cohen Amir, a representative of the families of Lev Tahor victims, said: “You can see that things are moving in the Guatemalan government and judicial system.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman Introduction In the United States, the spiraling and out-of control assimilation rate in the past few decades has yielded a number of children with Jewish mothers and gentile fathers.

The Trump administration is poised to unveil a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza and a possible long-term resolution to the conflict, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff revealed at a White House press conference Wednesday. But the announcement came alongside news of a parallel—and potentially explosive—development in U.S.-Iran diplomacy. “We are on the precipice of sending out a new term sheet,” said Witkoff, referencing ongoing talks involving Israel, Hamas intermediaries, and regional powers. The proposal is expected to lay the groundwork for both a temporary cessation of hostilities and a broader framework for peace.

On Tuesday, Sam Sutton officially took the oath of office in Albany, becoming the newest member of the New York State Senate. He now represents the 22nd Senate District, which includes parts of Brooklyn such as Boro Park, Midwood, Flatbush, and Marine Park. Sutton’s swearing-in comes just one week after he won a special election to replace former Senator Simcha Felder, who left the seat after being elected to the New York City Council. Sutton, a well-known figure in the Sephardic community and co-founder of the Sephardic Community Federation, secured a resounding victory in the May 20th election, earning approximately 67% of the vote. He defeated Republican candidate Nachman Caller and made history as one of the first Sephardic Jews to serve in the New York State Senate.

As anticipation builds for this year’s Adirei HaTorah Ma’amad, taking place Sunday, June 8th, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Klal Yisrael prepares to witness a powerful display of kavod haTorah and achdus. At the heart of the Ma’amad will be a monumental Siyum HaShas—not only completed multiple times by the dedicated yungeleit in Yeshiva, but now, for the first time, opened to the broader public. This year’s communal siyum is being held l’iluy nishmas two cherished talmidim of the Yeshiva who were nifter in the past few months.