Yeshiva World News

February 2014 - A New Tourist Record in Israel

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 244,000 visitors entered Israel in February 2014, 5% more than February 2013, 5% more than February 2012 - an all-time record for the month of February. Of these visitor entries, 221,500 were tourists (staying more than one night), 21% more than February 2013, and 11% and 12% more than February 2012 and 2011 - another all-time record for ...    Full Story »

Senate Democrats Aim Ire At Rich, Obscure Brothers (1 opinions)

Democratic Senate candidates, facing withering criticism on the national health care law, are gambling they can turn voters against two billionaire brothers funding the attacks — even if few Americans would recognize the pair on the street. In an accelerating counteroffensive stretching from the Senate chamber to Alaska, Democrats are denouncing Charles and David Koch, the key ...    Full Story »

Rav Ze'ev Karov: We Must Have Rachmanus on Chareidi Rabbonim (1 opinions)

Following numerous verbal attacks against rabbonim affiliated with the dati leumi community, Hesder Yeshivot spokesman Rabbi Ze’ev Karov responds. Recent attacks were made by Yated Neeman against Rabbi Chaim Druckman ...    Full Story »

Navy Admiral Relays Concerns About NSA Changes

The Navy admiral nominated to be the next head of the troubled National Security Agency is expressing concerns about the U.S. government turning over the bulk collection of telephone data to an independent third party, saying it could result in higher costs and delays identifying potential threats. Vice Adm. Mike Rogers, who also has been nominated to take over U.S. Cyber Command, ...    Full Story »

Is the Governance Bill Intended to Keep the Right-Wing Out? (2 opinions)

The debate over the Governance Bill has begun in Knesset, albeit in an empty plenum as the 52 members of the opposition have made good on their threat to boycott the session. The major opponents to the bill, which increases the minimum threshold to enter Knesset from two to four seats, are the Arab parties. There are three Arab parties with a total of 11 seats in Knesset, the Hadash ...    Full Story »

Flight cancelations take a toll on airline revenue

Airlines are still tallying up the damage from this winter's storms, but solid demand for travel means they are likely to weather the rocky start to 2014 in good shape. Reports from some of the airlines point to higher average prices, and executives say spring bookings look strong. This has been the worst winter for flight cancelations since the government started keeping track ...    Full Story »

VIDEO: Most Hesder Inductees Serving in Combat Units (1 opinions)

[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] As the Hesder Yeshiva network is under considerable criticism as a result of the Shaked Committee, hundreds of talmidim are entering the IDF in the coming days, with 80% serving in combat units. On Sunday, 7 Adar II many talmidim arrived at the Bakum induction base in Tel Hashomer as they prepared to enter into the Golani Brigade. They were escorted to the induction base by their rabbonim. Other talmidim are entering on Monday into the Givati Brigade, and on Tuesday other groups head to the Kfir Brigade, Paratroop Brigade and the Artillery Corps. Assistant Hesder Director Eitan Ozeri released the following statement: As every year, this year we ...    Full Story »

Op-Ed: Kudos To The Jewish Press For Their Apology (12 opinions)

Kudos to the Jewish Press on doing something remarkable. Rashi (Vayikrah 4:22) tells us, “Asher Nasi yecheta – when a prince sins – This is from the root of Ashrei – fortunate. Fortunate is the generation when its leaders admit to error.” Admitting to an error and taking decisive action when the error is pointed out is something that the Torah values highly. If you read the ...    Full Story »

How Can Jet Disappear? In The Ocean, It's Not Hard (1 opinions)

In an age when people assume that any bit of information is just a click away, the thought that a jetliner could simply disappear over the ocean for more than two days is staggering. But Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is hardly the first reminder of how big the seas are, and of how agonizing it can be to try to find something lost in them. It took two years to find the main wreckage ...    Full Story »

HaGaon HaRav Gross Heading to be Mispallel at the Kever of Lapid's Great-Grandfather (2 opinions)

HaGaon HaRav Mordechai Gross Shlita, Gavaad Chanichei Yeshivos is set to leave Eretz Yisrael on Monday evening, 8 Adar II 5774 at 19:00. The rav will be flying to be mispallel at the kever of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Shmelka Klein ZT”L, who is buried in the eastern Ukraine.     Full Story »

European Jewish Association Calls on British Government to Defend Shechita Laws

The European Jewish Association lobbied UK government ministers, including the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Right Hon. Owen Paterson MP, for action after last week’s controversial calls from the president elect of the British Veterinary Association John Blackwell, called the well-established practice of Jewish ritual slaughter in the UK into ...    Full Story »

The Chareidim Want You Dead (8 opinions)

[By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz - Editor In Chief Yated USA] Tens of thousands of gutteh yidden flooded the streets of Lower Manhattan on Sunday to daven on behalf of Eretz Yisroel’s lomdei Torah. They were peaceful and respectful. There were no speeches, no signs, nothing any haters could mockingly point to. But that didn’t stop them. The same gang who are always ready to pounce ...    Full Story »

VIDEOS: Opposition Unity is the Envy of the Coalition

[VIDEOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] This week is a most difficult one for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who during recent weeks and months opted to remain in the background regarding many key issues. It is no secret that his coalition is held together by weak glue, and it may unravel at a moment’s notice over the chareidi draft issue, ongoing talks between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority) or a number of other issues. While the coalition will this week vote on three major bills, Mr. Netanyahu is well aware he lacks ...    Full Story »

Jewish Press Apologizes For 'Incendiary And Insulting Headline' (7 opinions)

The Jewish Press apologizes to its readers for the unfortunate op-ed article, along with its incendiary and insulting headline, regarding the Atzeres Tefilla in New York on Sunday against the drafting of ...    Full Story »

NJ Lawyers: Ex-Christie Aide's Subpoena Valid

Lawyers for a New Jersey legislative panel investigating a political payback scandal say a former aide to Gov. Chris Christie has shown no valid legal purpose for refusing to comply with a subpoena. Monday's response was to a court filing on behalf of former Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly, who is seeking to quash the subpoena. The legislators want Kelly to turn over emails, ...    Full Story »

Steinitz: Why Can't Agudas Yisrael & Shas Combine? (4 opinions)

Despite the absence of the opposition, the Knesset debate regarding the Governance Bill was held on Monday, Adar II on schedule. The 52-member opposition held a session in the Negev Room, boycotting the plenum session. During the coalition session Minister of Intelligence & Strategic Affairs (Likud) Dr. Yuval Steinitz expressed support for the bill, which he feels is an important ...    Full Story »

Video of Interest: YWN Interviews MK Eichler at Atzeres Hatefillah

Clarifying Maran Rav Ovadia's Endorsement For Moshe Abutbul In Beit Shemesh

In a flagrant disregard for Kavod Ha'Torah, Eli Cohen's campaign - apparently very nervous about the unanimous support of Gedolei Yisrael, both Israeli and American, for Moshe Abutbol - is circulating material that gives the impression that Rav Ovadyah Yosef zt"l was in favor of him being elected as mayor of Beit Shemesh. One of Rav Ovadya Yosef's last letters that he wrote was in ...    Full Story »

Beit Shemesh Mayoral Candidate Cohen Remains Optimistic (1 opinions)

Speaking with Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) host Razi Barkai on Monday, 8 Adar II, Beit Shemesh mayoral contender Eli Cohen expressed optimism. Cohen explains that “due to the awakening” in the city; he is confident the residents of the city will “awaken to a new mayor on Wednesday morning”. Cohen spoke of the 1,000-1,400 fraudulent votes as per the Supreme Court and he feels ...    Full Story »

LANDSLIDE WIN! Not One Vote Cast Against Kim Jong Un In North Korea Election (4 opinions)

With no one else on the ballot, state media reported Monday that supreme leader Kim Jong Un was not only elected to the highest legislative body in North Korea, he won with the unanimous approval of his district, which had 100 percent turnout. North Koreans went to the polls on Sunday to approve the new roster of deputies for the Supreme People's Assembly, the country's legislature. ...    Full Story »

American Gedoleim On Beit Shemesh Elections (8 opinions)

The English speaking community of Ramat Beit Shemesh had the rare honor of hosting Rav Aharon Feldman shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Israel Baltimore and one of the leading Gedolei-Torah in America. Rav Feldman traveled to Israel specifically for the purpose of carrying and conveying the message of the Gedolei Torah of America that it is absolutely incumbent upon every individual to vote ...    Full Story »

Minister Lapid on the Letter Calling for Refusal to Enlist (8 opinions)

Yesh Atid leader Finance Minister Yair Lapid on Monday morning 8 Adar II related to a letter from high-schoolers calling for disobedience, refusal IDF induction. Lapid said “we must call a spade a spade. This is not disobedience but [draft] dodging.” “These young people may not wear a shtreimal but they too are chareidi extremists. They are secular Neturei Karta who think that ...    Full Story »

Op-Ed: The Shocking Headline Published By The Jewish Press About The Manhattan Atzeres Tefillah (42 opinions)

It was a headline befitting Der Sturmer Magazine, not the Jewish Press. “50,000 Chareidim March So Only Other Jews Die in War.” True, it was an op-ed by an individual, but nonetheless it was run in what is ostensibly a Torah ...    Full Story »

OU Praises Bipartisan Group Recommending Renegotiation of Iraqi Jewish Archive Return to Iraq (1 opinions)

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (Orthodox Union), the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, commends the group of 18 Members of Congress for introducing House Resolution 505, strongly recommending the United States renegotiate the return of the Iraqi Jewish Archive to Iraq. The bipartisan group of co-sponsors includes Representatives ...    Full Story »

Shekel - Dollar at a 30 Month Low (2 opinions)

The shekel has weakened against the dollar and euro in morning inter-bank trading on Monday, 8 Adar II. The shekel-dollar exchange rate has risen 0.10%, compared with Friday's representative rate, to NIS 3.463/$, and the shekel-euro exchange rate has risen 0.09% to NIS 4.805/€. The shekel-dollar exchange rate is at a 30-month low. FXCM Israel says this morning, "The dollar ...    Full Story »

Ben-Dahan: All the Lomdei Torah in the Merit of the State of Israel (6 opinions)

Deputy Minister of Religious Services (Bayit Yehudi) Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan praises the State of Israel which has fostered the significant growth in the number of lomdei Torah. Addressing a Beersheva kenos, the deputy minister stated “There have never been so many lomdei Torah in the history of the Jewish People, so many bnei yeshivos, so many Torah seforim, and all of this is in the ...    Full Story »

Jewish Man was on Missing Flight

The search is continuing for a Malaysia Airlines plane that has been missing for more than 24 hours. Marine rescue teams worked through the night to search the sea south of Vietnam, while the aerial mission resumed on Sunday morning. Flight MH370 disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, with 239 people on board. With at least 12 nationalities on board, Flight 370's ...    Full Story »

BREAKING: Tickets Linked To Stolen Passports For Missing Malaysia Flight Were Purchased By Iranian Man (1 opinions)

Tickets linked to stolen passports for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 were purchased by an Iranian man, authorities say. At least two people on board the plane were traveling on passports stolen from an Austrian and an Italian. According to Thai police officials, an Iranian man by the name of Kazem Ali purchased the tickets for two friends who he said wanted to return home ...    Full Story »

Continuing The Purim Revolution In Brooklyn

We have all seen the annual Purim Hatzolah ads asking parents and Yeshivas to teach the real message of simchas Purim and be responsible. Five years ago on Purim night a mini-revolution happened that addressed this issue. A group of very special Baalei Battim sponsored bochurim from Yeshiva Torah Temimah to sit and learn for two hours on Purim night. Each bochur received a $250 check ...    Full Story »

Analysis On The Atzeres Tefillah In Manhattan (16 opinions)

[By Rabbi Yair Hoffman] This is a response to my good friend Reb Barry Jacobson’s remarks on the Asifa this past Sunday in Manhattan. It also addresses his inquiry printed in the Five Towns Jewish Times about Torah sources regarding Bnei Torah continuing to study rather than serving in the army. There is no question, of course, that the soldiers who are protecting the nation ...    Full Story »

Photo Essay: What If Terrorists Could Shoot This Rocket at Your Country? (3 opinions)

Iran tried to send powerful M-302 rockets to Gaza terrorists. Last week, IDF naval forces intercepted the weapons approximately 1,500 kilometers from Israel’s shores. Had Iran’s shipment arrived at its intended destination, Gaza terrorists would now be able to fire rockets almost anywhere in Israel. Imagine if Gaza terrorists were your neighbors and could shoot this rocket at ...    Full Story »