Echoes of Holiness

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Once again, I was granted the zechus to spend Shavuos in Eretz Yisroel, a land where holiness is not remembered but felt, where the air itself hums with ancient echoes.
When coming to Yerushalayim, you are coming to a place beyond space, to a rhythm beyond time.
Yerushalayim on any Yom Tov is a jewel alight with kedusha, but on Shavuos, it shimmers with something deeper. As the night unfolds, thousands flow like rivers through her narrow streets, drawn to the botei medrash by an inner fire, eyes wide, hearts yearning, feet quick with purpose.

At Wednesday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to directly address whether President Donald Trump continues to support a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
When questioned about remarks made by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee—who indicated in a Bloomberg interview that the administration may no longer be committed to the idea of a Palestinian Arab state within Israel’s historical borders and that such a state could potentially be established elsewhere—Leavitt chose not to confirm or deny any change in policy.

An Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed Thursday in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad, the airline said. Visuals on local television channels showed smoke billowing from the crash site in what appeared to be a populated area near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city with a population of more than 5 million. The airline said the Gatwick Airport-bound flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew. Of those, Air India said there were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director general of the directorate of civil aviation, told The Associated Press that Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog’s board of governors on Thursday formally found that Iran isn’t complying with its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years, a move that could lead to further tensions and set in motion an effort to restore United Nations sanctions on Tehran later this year. Iran reacted immediately, saying it will establish a new enrichment facility “in a secure location” and that “other measures are also being planned.” “The Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to respond to this political resolution,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said in a joint statement.

IDF forces carried out a special targeted operation in Syria overnight Wednesday, apprehending several Hamas terrorists involved in plotting multiple terrorist acts against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers from within Syria. During the mission, troops also discovered and seized weapons found in the vicinity. The captured terrorists were transferred to Israel, where they were interrogated by intelligence officers from Unit 504. The operation was carried out based on intelligence collected in recent weeks. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

The new draft conscription law, formulated between MK Yuli Edelstein and representatives of the Chareidi parties, includes a series of strict measures against bnei yeshivos who exercise their freedom of religion and do not enlist in the IDF. For the first time, three categories of restrictions were agreed upon, which will apply to bnei yeshivos, with some of them to be imposed even if recruitment targets are met. Rights and obligations: The Chareidim agreed to permanent restrictions that will apply to potential recruits studying Torah, regardless of meeting recruitment targets.

Israel is mulling taking military action against Iran in the coming days, most likely without US support, NBC News reported on Thursday morning, citing five people with knowledge of the situation. According to the report, Israel has “become more serious” about a unilateral strike on Iran due to the negotiations between the US and Iran that would allow for the Islamic Republic to continue with uranium enrichment. US President Donald Trump reportedly told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu earlier this week that he will not provide Israel with a green light to attack Iran at this time. On the other hand, Trump has also expressed frustration with Tehran, which has taken a hard line in negotiations in recent days.

In a dramatic overnight development, the leadership of Degel HaTorah and Shas announced their opposition to the proposed dissolution of the Knesset. The decision followed extensive negotiations with MK Yoel “Yuli” Edelstein, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and amid significant pressure from Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.

Family getting up: Shacharis: 8:00 pm Mincha: 9:00 pm Maariv: 9:30 pm R’ Anshil KremerSon R’ Y

U.S. troops have begun directly detaining immigrants accused of trespassing on a recently designated national defense zone along the southern U.S. border, in an escalation of the military’s enforcement role, authorities said Wednesday U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Chad Campbell described in detail the first detentions by troops last week of three immigrants accused of trespassing in a national defense area near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Those migrants were quickly turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and are now among more than 1,400 migrants to have been charged with illegally entering militarized areas along that border, under a new border enforcement strategy from President Donald Trump’s administration.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will travel to Israel to address the Knesset later this month, the congressman said on Wednesday.
“It will be one of the highest honors of my life to address the Israeli Knesset at this fateful moment,” Johnson stated. “Our ties run deeper than military partnerships and trade agreements. We’re bound by the same beliefs, the same psalms and the same sacred pursuit of liberty.”
Johnson is scheduled to appear before the lawmakers on June 22.

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