Starting this Shabbos, a new guideline will go into effect at the main Belzer beis medrash in Yerushalayim, restricting the number of pekelach (candy bags) thrown during a chassan’s aliyah l’Torah. The regulation aims to minimize noise and disorder during krias haTorah in the massive bais medrash, which often hosts multiple aufrufs each week.

“All the talk about me in Iran doesn’t excite me; it’s already ‘passé,'” is how Kamal Penhasi, the IDF spokesperson in Farsi, describes his attitude to the reactions he’s been receiving since the outbreak of the war, and especially in recent days. It should be noted that the IDF Farsi account, which was launched several years ago, is separate from the Mossad Farsi account that was recently launched and is also experiencing great popularity. On Thursday, the Mossad wrote, “We expected it, but not to this extent! Hundreds of active IRGC soldiers and officers, fed up with this regime, are reaching out to us. We promise to contact you, please be patient.” “I dream of the day I’ll walk the streets of Tehran, and it will happen,” Penhasi said in an interview with the IDF website.

Rav Emanuel HaLevi Toporowitz z”l has passed away at the age of 79. He was known throughout the Torah world as a staunch supporter of limud haTorah and a generous baal tzedakah.
A founder and pillar of Yeshivas Nachlas HaLevi’im in Haifa, he carried the financial burden of the institution on his shoulders for decades out of deep love for Torah. He lived modestly, dedicating the vast majority of his wealth to acts of kindness and charity.

The decision by the United States to pause some weapons shipments to Ukraine has come at a tough time for Kyiv: Russia’s bigger army is making a concerted push on parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and is intensifying long-range drone and missile attacks that increasingly hammer civilians in Ukrainian cities. Washington has been Ukraine’s biggest military backer since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022. But the Trump administration has been disengaging from the war, and no end to the fighting is in sight, despite recent direct peace talks. Here’s a look at Ukraine’s options following the U.S. pause of some arms deliveries: Specific weapons needed from U.S.

CNN says President Trump’s “legacy is going to be sealed” in the OBBB: “This could not be a bigger deal for President Trump & for this administration.” “They have figured out…how to work the system in their favor.”

The Department of Defense is deploying 200 U.S. Marines to Florida to support ICE operations.

In response to a recent spike in violent confrontations between radical Jewish settlers and Israeli forces, law enforcement has formed a dedicated new task force to crack down on extremist activity in the West Bank. The initiative was finalized during a high-level emergency meeting held Monday.
The newly formed task force will fall under the jurisdiction of Samaria Region Police Commander Avi Cohen. He will lead efforts in conjunction with the IDF and the Shin Bet to address a growing wave of attacks believed to be orchestrated by members of the so-called Hilltop Youth.

In a deeply troubling sequence of events, three young children were discovered in critical condition after being left inside vehicles in separate incidents that occurred within a short two-hour window.
In the first case, a five-year-old boy and an eighteen-month-old girl were found inside a car in Elyakhin, a town located south of Chadeira. The children, who had reportedly been locked inside the vehicle for approximately two hours, were disoriented and exhibiting signs of severe heatstroke when located.

Israel Police announced on Thursday afternoon that Staff Sgt. Yaniv Elyakam, z’l, a Central District police officer, was killed on duty this morning in a traffic accident during police activity. He was run over and killed while stationed in Netanya. The niftar, a 42-year-old resident of Netanya, is survived by his wife, four children, his mother, and five brothers and sisters. Yehi Zichro Baruch. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli who endured captivity at the hands of Hamas, met with President Donald Trump at the White House today.
Also in attendance were a group of senior U.S. officials, including Steve Witkoff, serving as the Special Envoy to the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Alexander was joined by his immediate family for the occasion—his parents, Adi and Yael, his sister Mika, and his brother Roy all accompanied him for the visit.

In a new diplomatic maneuver aimed at advancing a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, President Donald Trump is reportedly set to issue a personal commitment to Hamas, pledging to stay engaged in the process until the war in Gaza is fully resolved, according to a report from Israel’s Channel 12.

An urgent meeting was held this Tuesday at the Chief Rabbinate of Israel to formulate a solution to the issue of the Jewish kevarim discovered at a construction site in Yehud, Kikar H’Shabbat reported. Various Chareidi groups have been waging a battle against the chillul of the kevarim for over a month, with thousands participating from all circles in protest rallies and daily protests in the field. Various Rabbinical and rabbinical courts have issued rulings and letters of protest against the excavations.

My name is Talya, and I’m reaching out to you because I have no other choice.  My baby girl, Sheina Yafa, is only 8 months old and has been fighting for her life since the day she was born. She came into this world with a brain bleed that turned out to be neuroblastoma cancer. As a mother, I’m doing everything I can, but I need your help to save my baby and protect my family. Sheina is so strong, but she can’t fight this battle alone.  Your kindness and support can be the miracle we’ve been praying for. Every dollar counts, and every share means the world to us. Please help my baby live!   Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Donate now

Nissan is recalling more than 480,000 of its vehicles across the U.S. and Canada due to potential manufacturing defects that could cause engine failure. The recall covers certain Nissan Rogues between 2021-2024 model years and 2019-2020 Altimas — as well as a number of 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50s and 2022 Infiniti QX55s sold under the automaker’s luxury brand, according to Nissan and documents published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week. The vehicles impacted carry specific “VC-Turbo” engines that may have manufacturing defects in their bearings, the NHTSA’s recall report notes. This may cause engine damage and possibly lead to engine failure while driving, the regulator warns — increasing crash risks.

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My name is Talya, and I’m reaching out to you because I have no other choice. 

My baby girl, Sheina Yafa, is only 8 months old and has been fighting for her life since the day she was born.

She came into this world with a brain bleed that turned out to be neuroblastoma cancer.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu traveled to Kibbutz Nir Oz on Thursday, marking his first visit to the community nearly two years after it suffered one of the deadliest attacks in Israel’s history. The kibbutz lost a quarter of its population to murder or abduction during the Hamas-led massacre on October 7.
Netanyahu had faced sharp criticism for not visiting the devastated southern communities since the outbreak of the war. His arrival at Nir Oz comes amid ongoing scrutiny over the government’s response to the attack and its handling of recovery efforts.

Family getting up: Shacharis: 7:45 am Mincha: 1:40 pm Maariv: 9:30 pm Mrs.

The IDF announced that it eliminated the terrorist cell responsible for launching rockets from northern Gaza toward Sderot and Ibim on Wednesday. The strike was carried out shortly after the launch by IAF aircraft, based on intelligence provided by the IDF and Shin Bet (ISA). IDF forces continue extensive operations across Gaza, targeting terrorist infrastructure, weapons caches, and underground tunnel systems. In northern Gaza, troops located and destroyed tunnel shafts and multiple military structures used by terror groups. The Nahal Brigade joined operations in the north, striking dozens of terror targets. During their mission, soldiers identified and eliminated an approaching terrorist.

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