The live Yom Ha’atzmaut ceremony at Har Herzl and small ceremonies across the country, scheduled for Wednesday evening, were canceled due to the fires still raging across Israel. Instead, a recorded dress rehearsal was broadcast on Israeli TV channels. One of the torch-lighters was freed hostage Emily Damari, who was abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Speaking briefly from stage before lighting the touch, Emily said that she is lighting the torch in honor of the 59 hostages still in captivity; the 64 residents of Kfar Aza who were murdered during the massacre; including two of her close friends, the Israeli security forces who risk their lives; those who fell in battle; the orphan and widows, and bereaved families who lost their loved ones.

Anyone in the parsha—whether for themselves or for their children—knows the crushing anxiety that comes with researching a potential match. How can we possibly determine the right fit from a piece of paper? Is he/she like this or like that? Will their personality align with our hopes? With every profile, our minds spin endless possibilities—and anxiety, ever the pessimist, convinces us to assume the worst. Maybe they have this issue… Maybe they won’t understand that part of me… The doubts pile up, and before we know it, we’ve talked ourselves out of even considering the shidduch. But it doesn’t have to be this way. I adopted a new approach—one that has been nothing short of life-changing.

A long-delayed project promising nonstop rail service between San Francisco and Los Angeles in under three hours may be able to secure the private funding it desperately needs if California agrees to pay the investors back, its chief executive told The Associated Press. Ian Choudri, who was appointed CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority in August, is tasked with reinvigorating the nation’s largest infrastructure project amid skyrocketing costs and new fears that the Trump administration could pull $4 billion in federal funding. “We started this one, and we are not succeeding,” Choudri said, describing what drew him to the job after work on high-speed systems in Europe.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) dismissed concerns about his plummeting 17% approval rating during a tense press conference Tuesday, as CNN’s chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju pressed him on whether he’s become a liability for the Democratic Party. Raju confronted Schumer with a fresh CNN poll revealing a mere 17% favorable rating for Schumer against a staggering 44% unfavorable view among U.S. adults. “Are you concerned that you may be a liability for your party?” Raju asked, citing Schumer’s lower approval compared to other congressional leaders. Schumer brushed off the numbers, saying, “Polls come and go. Our party is united.

Senator Ted Cruz told Newsmax that the results of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown have been so impactful, they’ve thrown the Democratic Party into complete disarray. “They are lunatics,” Cruz said during an appearance on Carl Higbie FRONTLINE. “The Democrats have decided let’s go down to El Salvador and say if you elect Democrats, we will bring in more illegal aliens who are MS-13 gang members.”
Cruz was referencing a recent trip by several Democratic lawmakers to El Salvador, where they advocated for the return of a deported individual the Trump administration has linked to MS-13, a notoriously violent gang.

During a Cabinet gathering on Wednesday, President Donald Trump applauded Elon Musk for his dedication and efforts in his government role, offering him the opportunity to continue as long as he wishes. “You really have sacrificed a lot,” Trump told Musk, during remarks broadcast live on Newsmax. “You’ve been treated very unfairly … the vast majority of people in this country really respect and appreciate you, and this whole room can say that very strongly. You’ve really been a tremendous help.”
With a smile, Musk lightened the mood by putting on two red MAGA hats that were placed in front of the Cabinet members, quipping to Trump that many say he wears “a lot of hats.” He then joked, “That’s true. Even my hat has a hat,” before taking both hats off.

Remember, it’s free to submit names through Yad L’Achim.HAPPENING RIGHT NOW! HURRY!As a token of our deep appreciation towards our Yad L’Achim supporters, (that means you), we have arranged for a free special tefillah in Kerestir on Thursday, (plus free kvittel)the Yahrtzeit of the tzaddik Reb Shayele of Kerestir zt”l(100th yahrtzeit!) to daven for all our supporters. Submit your names for tefillah (for free) by CLICKING HERE , visit www.YadLAchim.org or calling 1-718-690-2944. Thank you once again for your past and future kindness in helping us rescue trapped Jewish women and children.  👉 Submit Names Now SHARE THIS VIA WHATSAPP Know someone who can benefit from this free tefillah?

The FBI has reassigned a number of its personnel who were seen kneeling during a protest in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. These moves are part of President Donald Trump’s broader initiative to eliminate what he views as ideological bias and political activism within the country’s intelligence agencies.
An ex-FBI official shared with CNN that these reassignments are troubling, particularly because they appear to bypass the agency’s established disciplinary protocols, which normally involve lengthy investigations. “This notion that the bureau would go after these people, it’s just disgusting,” the former official explained.

The Trump administration and officials from Ukraine have officially signed off on a plan to create a shared investment fund aimed at supporting Ukraine’s recovery, with an emphasis on developing its energy and mineral sectors, including oil, gas, and rare earth resources.
Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced the new initiative on X, explaining that the fund would be evenly co-managed by both nations. She also noted that any upcoming military assistance from the U.S. could potentially be counted as part of America’s investment.