Yeshiva World News

Halachic Analysis: Mishloach Manos - All You Need To Know To Do The Mitzvah Properly

[By Rabbi Yair Hoffman] THE MITZVAH Mordechai and his Beis Din enacted that on the day of Purim each person must send a gift of at least two portions of food to a friend. This is seen from the verse in Megilas Esther, “Umishloach manos ish l’reyehu.” THE REASONS What is the reason behind the mitzvah of shalach manos? Two reasons are brought down. The Terumas HaDeshen ...    Full Story »

Video of Interest: Video Compilation of Atzeres Hatefillah

Sunday, March 9th, 2014: Wall Street from Studio 7 Productions on Vimeo.

Judge Orders NSA To Stop Destroying Phone Surveillance Records It Collected

A federal judge stopped the destruction of millions of telephone records collected by the National Security Agency more than five years ago. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, who is overseeing an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against the agency, issued a nationwide order Monday to safeguard evidence until March 19, when he will hold a hearing on extending the deadline further. The ...    Full Story »

Maryland Official: Holocaust Bill Jeopardizes Rail Funding (1 opinions)

As a French rail company seeks to work on Maryland transit projects, some lawmakers want to force the company to pay reparations to Holocaust victims who were taken on its trains to Nazi concentration camps — but a state official says the effort could jeopardize federal funds for a key state rail line. James Knighton, director of governmental affairs for the Maryland Transit ...    Full Story »

Comptroller: Housing Becoming More Expensive For NYers

Housing is becoming unaffordable for millions of New Yorkers amid declining incomes and increasing costs for rent and home ownership, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Monday. DiNapoli analyzed Census data showing that the median statewide monthly housing costs increased 18.6 percent for renters and 9.9 percent for homeowners from 2000 to 2012. During the same period, ...    Full Story »

Felder Urges de Blasio To Restore Funding To Priority 5, 6, & 7 Childcare Voucher Programs (1 opinions)

In the wake of recently published reports that the de Blasio administration does not intend to restore millions of dollars for certain after-school programs, Senator Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn), Chair of the New York State Children and Families Committee, is calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to reinstate funding to the Priority 5, 6 and 7 voucher programs, noting that cuts initiated under ...    Full Story »

Halachically Speaking: Purim Costumes (1 opinions)

[Halachically Speaking appears on YWN weekly, Tuesdays and Thursdays]  Written by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits of KOF-K Kosher Supervision Purim is a very exciting time, and some people spend a lot of time planning their costumes. What is the source of this custom? What are some of the reasons for this practice? Is it permitted todaven in a costume? Can a man wear women’s ...    Full Story »

Election Update from Aryeh Deri [13:30 IL] (6 opinions)

The following update is provided by Shas leader Aryeh Deri via a phone interview with Kol Berama Radio a few moments ago. I am here since 05:30 when we davened shachris. I have been through many elections and this is unique as the lines were visible at 06:30 with activists for candidate Eli Cohen a half hour before the polls opened. “This tells me all the organizations that have ...    Full Story »

Litzman to PM Netanyahu: Recognize Israel as the Jewish State (2 opinions)

MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Rabbi Yaakov Litzman took part in the opposition meeting in the Negev Room of Knesset on Monday, 8 Adar II 5774. He used the opportunity to send a message to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as follows: “You are calling on PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to recognize Israel as the democratic Jewish state. I turn to you, Mr. Prime Minister. The time has come ...    Full Story »

Litzman Visits Beit Shemesh Polling Stations with Police [13:15 IL]

Amid mounting complaints from chareidi residents of Beit Shemesh, MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Yaakov Litzman visited polling stations together with police today, Tuesday, 9 Adar II, Election Day in the city. There have been a growing number of complaints heard from eligible voters from the chareidi areas of the city as the election is underway. Police are blamed for intentionally delaying ...    Full Story »

Religious Persecution in the IDF (13 opinions)

As efforts to draft chareidim into the IDF continue, commanders in the Golani Brigade were instructed to shave. They were told that failure to comply would be viewed as insubordination for failing to comply with a direct order. It was explained to them that this would lead to a judicial proceeding against them that would most likely result in a demotion. They soldiers complied and ...    Full Story »

Beit Shemesh Election Update: [12:10 IL] (4 opinions)

Central election officials are reporting voter turnout in Beit Shemesh at 11:00 this morning was 21% as compared to only 14% in the first mayoral election in the city. Polls close at 22:00. Official results are expected at 02:00. (YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)  

Arab League Nixes Recognition of Israel (1 opinions)

The Arab League convened in Cairo on Sunday, 7 Adar II 5774 at which time it voted to reject Israeli demands of recognition as the Jewish state. Actually, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby turned the tables around and blamed Israel for unreasonable demands such as this which are hindrances to reaching agreement in ongoing talks between Israel and the PA. Elaraby added that ...    Full Story »

IBA Employees Literally Daven for the Jobs (2 opinions)

The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) is facing closure. Communications Minister Gilad Erdan last week announced he intends to accept the Landvis Committee recommendations to dismantle the current IBA and build a new ...    Full Story »

Police Halt Voting in a Number of Stations Due to Long Lines [10:12 IL]

Police have halted voting in polling stations in the Cheftziba and Kiryat Belz areas of Beit Shemesh. Voters are reporting the long delays are less due to voter volume as they are the result of prolonged and exaggerated police inspections of each and every chareidi voter. A report on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) states the brother of a member of the city council, not a chareidi, ...    Full Story »

Israel Police Spokesman: Bring Cameras to the Voting Station! (2 opinions)

Israel Police spokesman for chareidi affairs Shabtai Gerverchik told Kol Chai Radio a short time ago that voters experiencing difficulty at polling stations in chareidi areas are urged to bring cameras and videos with them. Gerverchik told Kol Chai Radio that today many people have cameras and videos in their phone and he is urging any and all voters to photograph goings on outside ...    Full Story »

Interior Ministry Checking into Mounting Complaints in Beit Shemesh Election [09:50 IL] (1 opinions)

Interior Ministry officials are promising to immediately check into a growing number of complaints filed by chareidi voters in Beit Shemesh. Complaints include police refusal to permit registered voters to enter polling stations without their voting card when Interior Ministry law only compels one to bring a teudat zehut (identity card). Voters explain on the air they had their identity ...    Full Story »

Police Halt Voting at Chareidi Polling Station in Beit Shemesh [09:40 IL] (1 opinions)

Police have halted voting at polling station Number 34 in the Nachlah U’Menuchah neighborhood of Beit Shemesh due to alleged election fraud. Walla reports this based on a report from the “Zionist candidate’s campaign officials”. It is being reported that border police were involved closing the voting station on Uziel Street due to the fact all of the voting ballots of ...    Full Story »

Update on Beit Shemesh Election [09:30 IL]

Election Day in Beit Shemesh is off to a difficult start. Kol Berama Radio reported earlier that it is receiving a growing number of phone calls from chareidim who went to vote early, all speaking of an incredible police presence. The fact that many policemen are in the area is not bothersome, but voters are reporting they had to pass two and three police inspections before being ...    Full Story »

Daas Torah on Beit Shemesh Elections

Today, Tuesday 9 Adar II is Election Day in Beit Shemesh. According to rabbonim and gedolei yisrael shlita, this is much more than a mayoral election, and even more than an election process to determine the future character of Beit Shemesh, but a showing of strength and an opportunity for the chareidi community to be MeKadesh Shem Shomayim during difficult days for the chareidi tzibur ...    Full Story »

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 (5 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 (3 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 (3 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 (16 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 (2 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 (5 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 (1 opinions)

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 »