In the chaos of dawn on October 7, 2023, as Hamas terrorists stormed Israel’s southern border, one battle stood out as the most devastating: the fall of Nachal Oz. A newly released IDF investigation has revealed shocking details about the attack that saw the strategic military outpost overrun in just under two hours—an event now deemed “the biggest failure” of that day. The findings, made public Monday night, expose a tragic mix of intelligence failures, financial constraints, and tactical misjudgments, all of which left the base woefully unprepared for an attack of this magnitude. But amid the horror, the report also details extraordinary acts of heroism, as outgunned and outnumbered Israeli soldiers fought to defend their post.

The Trump administration has approved a major nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel, bypassing a normal congressional review to provide the country with more of the 2,000-pound bombs that it has used in the war against Hamas in Gaza. In a series of notifications sent to Congress late Friday, the State Department said it had signed off on the sale of more than 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs and 4,000 Predator warheads worth $2.04 billion. Secretary of State Marco Rubio “has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel of the above defense articles and defense services in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving the Congressional review requirements,” the department said.

Two buses went up in flame in separate explosions in Bat Yam, a coastal city south of Tel Aviv, on Thursday evening local time, jolting residents and prompting an urgent response from Israeli authorities. The blasts, which occurred minutes apart, took place in bus depots within the city, with Bichasdei Hashem no passengers were aboard either vehicle at the time. While no fatalities or injuries have been confirmed, the incidents have sparked fears of a possible terrorist act. The first explosion was reported at around 8:40 PM local time (1:40 PM EST) near a bus parking area adjacent to the Bat Yam municipal stadium. Eyewitnesses described a loud boom followed by flames leaping from the bus, which had reportedly returned from its route shortly before the blast.

During his visit to Los Angeles this week, Harav Shaul Alter, Rosh Yeshiva of Pnei Menachem in Eretz Yisroel, delivered a powerful and deeply resonant message on the Torah’s approach to raising children—especially those who have strayed from the path of Yiddishkeit. In response to a question about wayward children, Rav Shaul emphasized that love must be the foundation of any approach. “First of all, love them,” he declared unequivocally. “I say this since I’ve heard that there’s a disagreement about this. But it would appear to be clear that everyone should agree on this—that when a child falls by the wayside, we need to love him.” Rav Shaul expressed astonishment that anyone would dispute this fundamental principle.

News spread rapidly on Monday morning that The Getter Group, a prominent Israeli real estate company, had canceled its highly anticipated Boro Park real estate expo due to planned pro-Palestinian protests. However, these reports were unaware of the updated info, YWN has learned. While the original venue was indeed changed, the event will still take place today at a new, undisclosed location. The decision to move the expo was not made out of fear, but rather out of concern for the Jewish schools and families in the area who would have been impacted by the disturbance and potential security risks posed by the protest.

Jerusalem police conducted an operation early Monday morning to remove Palestinian flags in the heart of Mea Shearim. Officers from the Lev HaBira station and the Jerusalem district’s special forces took part in the operation, targeting Palestinian Authority flags displayed prominently in the neighborhood. During the removal of three flags, some local residents expressed their anger by throwing eggs at the officers. Police confirmed that no injuries or damage resulted from the incident.

The NYPD is searching for a suspect who assaulted an 11-year-old Jewish girl in Williamsburg on Sunday afternoon, an attack that was captured on security footage. The visibly Jewish young girl was approached from behind by an unidentified individual who grabbed her hair and dragged her to the ground before fleeing the scene. The victim sustained minor injuries but declined medical attention. Surveillance video shows the suspect – an African-American teenager wearing a gray puffer coat and light-colored hoodie – attacking the girl without provocation. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is leading the investigation, as authorities work to determine whether the assault was motivated by antisemitism.

A terrifying mid-air ordeal unfolded on a flight from Miami to Newark when a New Jersey man erupted in a violent tirade, hurling threats at fellow passengers—including a disabled child and a group of Jewish travelers—before attempting to force his way into the cockpit. Luis A. Vaquero, 27, of Passaic, was arrested upon landing at Newark Liberty International Airport after a string of aggressive and menacing outbursts that left passengers shaken. Authorities say he threatened flight attendants, intimidated Jewish passengers, and even banged on the cockpit door while demanding the captain face him.

The relatives of Eli Sharabi, who was released from captivity on Shabbos, spoke to Ynet on Sunday about the complexity of the conditions of his release. Unlike previous reports that said that Eli was told that his wife and daughters were murdered on October 7 as soon he returned to Israel, he was only informed of the searingly painful news on Motzei Shabbos by his brother. “He let out a scream and kept repeating the phrase ‘My heart isn’t whole.’ He received the news in shock,” family members said. “He had no idea that this was what had befallen them.” Apart from grieving his loved loves, Eli also faces a long physical rehabilitation. A family member told Ynet: “His sister told us he returned weak, hungry, and frail. He keeps saying he is weak and tired.

In unprecedented asifos of rabbanim, roshei yeshiva, and kehilla leaders across the Midwest, dozens of gedolei Torah gathered this week to tackle a major tzara that has been plaguing Klal Yisroel—the long-discussed shidduch crisis. The rabbanim convened in four major cities—Chicago, Toronto, Cleveland, and Detroit—to discuss the groundbreaking plan spearheaded by Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlit”a, aimed at giving thousands of bnos Yisroel the chance of finding their zivug. At each asifa, the assembled talmidei chachomim were addressed by Rabbanim chashuvim, including Harav Henoch Shachar, Harav Binyomin Cohen, and Harav Uri Deutsch, and Harav Dov Kahan, who laid out the stark situation facing bnos yisroel today.