A special Rosh Chodesh prayer service organized by the Women of the Wall drew less than 20 people at the Kosel Monday morning, despite hopes by the Reform movement in Israel that hundreds would take part in the service.
Opponents of the group say the poor turnout at Monday’s event was likely the result of disappointment over last month’s event, when the group hoped to bring out 1,000 supporters, but instead drew only dozens.
Turnout at the Women of the Wall event was so low that mechitzas put up every month to separate the Orthodox tefillos in the Women’s section at the Kosel from the non-traditional services were not needed, freeing up more space at the Women’s section.

Independence Day eve statistics show 2% increase since last year; population expected to reach 15.2 million by 2048

Israel's health expenditure is way below its OECD peers'. This leaves Startup Nation lacking beds, doctors, nurses, MRIs and CT scanners -- and looking to tech as a possible savior

Jerusalem – The Israeli military lifted protective restrictions on residents in southern Israel on Monday, while Gaza’s ruling Hamas militant group reported a cease-fire deal had been reached to end the deadliest fighting between the two sides since a 2014 war. The escalation had killed 23 on the Gaza side, both militants and civilians, while [...]

The Trump administration is reportedly expected to announce additional sanctions on Iran within the coming week.
The sanctions, which are slated to be announced Wednesday, will significantly impact a new sector of the Iranian economy, Axios reported Sunday, citing two senior administration officials.
The administration is attempting to limit the country’s possibility for growth by restricting economic diversification, officials told Axios.
Read more at The Hill.
{Matzav.com}

Kohavi says military hit 'ostensibly civilian' buildings that were in fact 'terrorist dens,' will continue to attack if necessary

President Trump sounded off on the most recent violence between Israeli and the Palestinians, putting the onus on Palestinians to “END the violence and work towards peace” in a Sunday night tweet.
“Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We support Israel 100% in its defense of its citizens,” Trump tweeted Sunday. “To the Gazan people — these terrorist acts against Israel will bring you nothing but more misery. END the violence and work towards peace – it can happen!”
Read more at The Hill.
{Matzav.com}

In apparent bid to prevent panic, military says Israelis can expect to see fighter jets and other aircraft overhead

Unidentified man suspected of being passenger in car, aiding driver who fled scene after hitting 11-year-old boy


On April 22, 2019, the Muslim American Society Islamic Center in Philadelphia (MAS Philly) uploaded a video of an “Ummah Day” celebration to its Facebook page in which young children wearing Palestinian scarves sang: “Glorious steeds call us and lead us [to] the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The blood of martyrs protects us … Take us, oh ships … until we reach our shores and crush the treacherous ones … Flow, oh rivers of martyrs!”

PM says Israel hit terror groups 'with great force,' is readying for next round of fighting; Hamas: Conflict 'will not end until we regain our rights'

Netanyahu faces criticism not only from his political rivals but also from his likely coalition partners and, in a rare instance, from within his own party

The latest flareup and truce were born of Jerusalem's past capitulation to extortion by the rulers of the Strip

Delegation will sit with Israeli importers of fashion and electronics to discuss fees for listing products on new Israeli site, Calcalist says

Agriculture Ministry teams to disperse 'friendly' pesticides to stem spread of voracious crop pest

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and its president, Michael Mirilashvili, foot the bulk of the project’s $2.2 million bill

In the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting at the Chabad of Poway in Southern California, the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, pledged $15 million for the State Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the state budget.
The program provides unprecedented funding for security grants for nonpublic schools, places of worship and other nonprofit institutions. The program will provide up to $200,000 per recipient and will for the first time allow for security personnel funding for nonprofits at risk of bias crimes or attacks due to their ideology, beliefs or mission.
Last year, just $500,000 was allocated for the program.

Forty-one people were killed Sunday after a Russian passenger jet making an emergency landing in Moscow touched down and burst into flames.
The Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet, carrying 78 people, careened across the runway at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport with thick, black smoke pouring out from behind, footage from the scene showed. The aircraft, operated by Aeroflot, skidded to a stop perpendicular to the runway. Passengers scrambled out of the burning hulk on emergency slides, some travelers carrying children.
The Russian Investigative Committee said 41 people died, including one crew member. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the plane to make an emergency landing and catch fire. Officials launched a criminal investigation.

A ceasefire between Israel and the Gaza terror groups went into effect at 4:30 a.m. Monday, ending two days of intense fighting that saw more than 600 rockets fired at Israel and four Israeli civilians killed, according to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror groups.
The Israeli government refused to confirm the reported truce, apparently so as to avoid publicly acknowledging its negotiations with terrorist groups. However, the military announced that, as of 7 a.m., it was lifting all security restrictions that had been in place in the south during the fighting, and that schools would be allowed to open, indicating that a ceasefire had indeed been reached.

Pages