David Feiglin, the 16-year-old son of Manhigut Yehudit was seriously injured in a vehicular accident near Alfei Menashe in Shomron on Monday. Feiglin was heading home from a shift as a volunteer fireman.
Israel Radio in a 6:30pm report described his condition as “very serious” after the vehicle he was in slammed into a pole.
The family is calling on the tzibur to daven for David Yosef ben Faigi Perl.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Perhaps the agreement that was reached in the Emanuel Beis Yaakov case will do more than keep the mothers from serving a jail term, maybe, just maybe, it will take down the barriers of separation that have scared the girls of Emanuel. During the interim period from the agreement until of the end of the school year, regular classes have been suspended to clear the way for seminars, dealing in no small part in getting along, the mitzvos pertaining to achdus.
Today’s (Monday) prominent guest speaker traveling to Emanuel from Migdal Ha’emek was HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, known especially for his kiruv and achdus efforts.
While in reality the seminars are just to be ‘yotzei’, to fulfill the dictate of the court and keep the moms out of jail, many are hopeful that the three days during which the Emanuel girls are seated at one-another’s side will contribute towards healing the wounds.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
7:10PM IL: Channel 2 correspondent Uri Revach reports that HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef has suffered a cardiac incident and is admitted to Shaare Zedek Hospital since Sunday. The rav is admitted to the cardiology unit and is conscious and alert, speaking with those around him, and undergoing diagnostic tests.
It appears the pressure of the Emanuel Beis Yaakov case has taken a toll on many of the players, including HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef, who on Sunday canceled all his shiurim.
Kikar Shabbat reports the rav gives 40 shiurim weekly around the country, attended by hundreds. Those who were inquiring regarding the cancellation were told by family members that the rav was resting in bed, not feeling well.
UPDATE 9:46PM IL: Shaare Zedek Medical Center reports Rabbi Yaakov Yosef is in good condition.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Hazy, hot and humid conditions continue in New York and New Jersey.
Many parts of the region awoke to temperatures in the low 80s. The heat and humidity could combine to make it feel like 105 degrees Monday.
A heat advisory is in effect for all of New York City until 7 p.m. on Monday.
An excessive heat warning is in effect until 8 p.m. in some counties in New Jersey.
The National Weather Service says a cold front could produce scattered thunderstorms later Monday. Cooler air will arrive Tuesday and it should remain comfortable until hot weather returns by July Fourth.
(Source: MyFoxNY)
A gag order on the investigation was partially lifted on Monday morning (June 28th) permitting the report of the arrests of suspects in the murder of taxi driver Yafim Weinstein, 54, from the Upper Nazareth area. The victim was found dead in his cab in November 2009 by a passerby near the entrance of Kibbutz Kfar HaChoresh. Seven suspects in the case have been taken into custody and indictments are being handed down today. A gag order was placed on the case on December 1st, as was reported by YWN-ISRAEL.
Police report the suspects are linked to the Global Jihad organization.
Authorities add that the suspects are followers of Osama bin-Laden and decided to take part in the global war against Jewish and Christian infidels. Two of the ring members were detected in Somalia where they planned to take part in the fighting against US forces. They have since been extradited to Israel and they led authorities to the other five suspects.
The suspects are also linked to an attempted murder of a pizza deliveryman who was tied up and stabbed in 2008. He survived that attack. They are also linked to numerous attacks against Christian sites in Nazareth.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
The Slonimer Rebbe Shlita spoke out on the Emanuel affair at a special tisch held in Yerushalayim on Sunday (June 27th), and the Rebbe spoke in Hebrew, not his usual Yiddish, to accommodate the many participants who do not understand the latter.
The Rebbe spoke of the miracles, explaining on erev shabbos the court rejected the agreement and the fathers were days from release, which meant the mothers would have been taken to prison chas v’sholom. Baruch Hashem on Sunday, the same court accepted the agreement. The Rebbe also mentioned that even though the fathers had an acceptable shabbos atmosphere, it was their second shabbos in prison and “prison is prison”.
The Rebbe spoke of the fear associated with the court’s sentence and the women and their families counting down the days until imprisonment.
The Rebbe highlighted the mitzvah of loving one’s neighbor, boasting in Mosdos Slonim, all are welcome providing they meet one qualification, a willingness to accept the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov, simply adhering to the charter of the school. The Rebbe explained that the fact that Ashkenazim and Sephardim sit side-by-side in all the schools is proof that this is the case, and accusations of racism are simply unfounded, pointing the finger at those who simply don’t understand and seek to judge but lack the ability to properly do so.
The Rebbe on Sunday also visited Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita, accompanied by Deputy Minister Meir Porush, Jerusalem Councilman Yitzchak Pindrus and other prominent officials. He wished to personally thank the Posek HaDor for his support during eh difficult ordeal.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Tragically, the to’eva community has managed to gain enough respectability to hold its annual parades in many cities and countries worldwide.
One such event was held in the Big Apple, NYC on Sunday, June 27th. That itself is not newsworthy other than the fact that only one country continues to march under its national flag, an official contingent, and that is the State of Israel, bringing the chilul Hashem to an even higher level.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
The Supreme Court reversed a ruling upholding Chicago’s ban today and extended the reach of the 2nd Amendment as a nationwide protection against laws that infringe the “right to keep and bear arms.”
The 5-4 decision appears to void the 1982 ordinance, one of the nation’s strictest, which barred city residents from having handguns for their own use, even at home.
Gun-rights advocates have been closely following the Chicago case. They said a victory for the 2nd Amendment would clear the way for constitutional challenges to restrictions on firearms to be heard in federal courts nationwide.
The ruling against Chicago’s ban had been widely anticipated.
(Source: Chicago Tribune)
West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, the self-educated son of a coal miner who became the longest-serving member of Congress, died early Monday at age 92, the senator’s office said.
Byrd, a nine-term Democrat, was known as a master of the chamber’s often-arcane rules and as the self-proclaimed “champion of the Constitution,” a jealous guardian of congressional power.
His speeches were laced with references to poetry and the Greek and Roman classics, often punctuated by the brandishing of his pocket copy of the national charter.
He was also known as the “King of Pork,” using top positions on the Senate Appropriations Committee to steer federal spending to his home state — one of the nation’s poorest.
Byrd relished the title.
“Pork, to the critic, is service to the people who enjoy some of the good things in life, and I’ve been happy to bring to West Virginia the projects to which they refer. I have no apology for it,” he said.
He was an outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq, calling his 2002 vote against a “blind and improvident” authorization of military action the proudest moment of his career.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin — a Democrat — has the power to appoint a replacement for Byrd. The replacement will serve the rest of Byrd’s term, which was due to run until 2012, under West Virginia law.
In November 2009, two days before his 92nd birthday, he passed Arizona Democrat Carl Hayden’s record to become the longest-serving member of Congress.
His health problems mounted in his later years, putting him in the hospital four times between February 2008 and September 2009.
Under pressure from fellow Democrats, he announced he would step down as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee after the 2008 elections.
(Source: CNN)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is reportedly quite angry with ministers who are planning to join the nationwide 12-day Freedom March for Gilad Shalit, seeking to pressure the administration to close a deal that will result in Gilad’s release from Hamas captivity.
Shas Party Ministers Eli Yishai and Yaakov Margi announced their plans on Sunday while Likud Minister Michael Eitan on Monday told Israel Radio he too plans to join the marchers on the nationwide march, which will culminate with the arrival of participants at the Prime Minister’s Residence on July 8th, where they plan to remain inside a tent until Gilad is brought home.
Gilad marked his fourth anniversary in captivity on erev shabbos June 25th, and he is now in his fifth year as a Hamas hostage, presumably in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
The CIA lost track of Osama bin Laden before the 9/11 attacks ever took place, and still has no good idea of where he is, the nation’s spy chief admitted yesterday.
In a rare assessment on the war on terror, CIA Director Leon Panetta conceded that the United States hasn’t had good intelligence on bin Laden’s location since 2000.
“It’s been very difficult to get any intelligence on his exact location,” he said.
“He is, as is obvious, in very deep hiding . . . He’s in an area of the tribal areas of Pakistan.”
It’s been a decade since officials had “the last precise information about where [bin Laden] might be located,” Panetta said.
(Source: NY Post)
Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman has been accused of being racist, not by just anyone but Dr. Leonid Eidelman, who heads the Israel Medical Association.
Eidelman bases his remarks on statements made in Knesset by the deputy minister regarding the government-owned hospital in Nahariya, which is headed by an Arab, the only state-owned hospital headed by a non-Jew. The accusations stem from Litzman preventing funding for the hospital from being transferred, and Eidelman explains that during his remarks regarding the hospital’s administrator, Litzman accused him of not permitting Jewish employees to daven, adding the director is a non-Jew.
Eidelman questions what the relevance is of mentioning in Knesset that Dr. Massad Barhoom, the administrator is not Jewish, and he fears that Litzman’s actions, holding the funds, is racially motivated.
Litzman denies the validity of the accusations leveled against him by Dr. Eidelman.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Today is day 2 of the Gilad Shalit march. Mr. Noam Shalit expressed surprise at the large number of supporters taking part. Over 2,000 were on hand for the start of day 2.
**A Monday meeting between DM Ehud Barak and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been canceled, reportedly due to scheduling difficulties.
**A state memorial will be held tonight marking the anniversary of the 2006 Second Lebanon War. The defense minister, IDF chief of staff and other state officials will take part, along with bereaved families.
**IDF soldiers taking part in counter-terrorism operations throughout Yehuda and Shomron apprehended 10 suspects on Sunday night.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
The international media is quoting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Toronto that his country has made the decision to close its airspace to Israeli aircraft, a move compelled by Israel’s May 31st Mavi Marama commando operation which left nine Turkish national dead.
Yediot Achronot reported on Sunday that a flight carrying IDF personnel to Auschwitz was prevented from entering Turkish airspace. The flight was compelled to use an alternative aerial route. Israel remained silent in keeping with its policy of not reacting in the hope of calming relations between the former staunch ally.
Civil Air Administration officials report on Monday the agency has not received any such notification from Turkey. This statement was echoed by Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, who confirms that for the time being, flights are continuing on their regular flight path, which includes Turkey.
12:17 IL: Turkish diplomatic officials in Israel report that Turkey has closed its skies to Israeli military flights, not civilian aircraft.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Sunday night was another one of imminent danger for the residents of Beit Yonatan and Beit Hadvash in the predominately Arab Shiloach area of the eastern capital. Hundreds of attackers, including Arabs and leftist Israelis, began pelting security guards with rocks and then began using firebombs and other objects. The security personnel were compelled to fire warning shots and eventually, police did arrive as a number of homes were on fire as a result of the attack.
Residents are angered at police, accusing them of intentionally delaying their response amid ongoing leftist protests regarding the growing legal Jewish presence in the area. A dozen or so people were injured, including police and area Jewish residents. A number of attackers were treated for light pepper-spray inhalation. Police were also compelled to use stun grenades against the increasing violence against the Jewish presence in the area.
Earlier in the day, a Rechavia residents traveling in the area escaped with his life after he came under attack. Accompanying him was three of his children, all small children, and Baruch Hashem they were unharmed physically, but the vehicle was damaged.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
The independent Public Commission to Examine the Maritime Incident of May 31, 2010, chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice Jacob Turkel will convene tomorrow (Monday, June 28th) at 11:00am, at the Yitzhak Rabin Guest House (Reut Hall), at 1 Nachman Avigad St., in Jerusalem.
The first public session – chaired by Justice Turkel, and with members Prof. Shabtai Rosenne and Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Amos Chorev and foreign observers Lord David Trimble and Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Ken Watkin – will deal with the agenda and legal procedures.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
On Monday night, parts of the New York state government could be shutting down if lawmakers in Albany can’t turn in a budget. It’s becoming a storm of eleventh-hour deals and last-minute threats.
There’s still no budget deal, as the New York Legislature gaveled in a special session on Sunday night – and then quickly gaveled out without voting on budget proposals.
Governor Paterson ordered Sunday’s extraordinary session, and the assembly and state senate complied for just a matter of minutes.
The governor is calling it shameful.
While the governor can summon the group to Albany, he cannot make them vote or even discuss the budget on his own terms.
Paterson angrily warned lawmakers of a possible Medicaid funding shortfall, and said a contingency plan must be approved to kick in if New York doesn’t receive $1 billion in Medicaid funding from the federal government.
“If they do not find a contingency way to address Medicaid, if we don’t get it from the federal government, I will veto every single appropriation, all 518 of them, and the 6,800 programs that they fund for $193 million, more commonly known as member items,” Paterson said.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and senate conference leader John Sampson vowed to work with Paterson on a three-way budget agreement, but suggested a two-way deal – without Paterson’s involvement – would prevent any government shutdown or Paterson’s emergency extender.
“We will continue to negotiate, but in the interim, we put a two-way into the mix to let the governor know that we are willing to be serious on his issues, but also others,” Sampson said.
On Monday, the legislature is expected to pass its amended budget appropriations bill. That bill would include the restoration of $600 million in education funding, $177 million of which goes to New York City, and restoration of funding for homeless shelters.
Sources tell CBS 2 that the way to pay for all that includes temporarily restoring the sales tax on clothing, and giving local governments the option of restoring their portion of the sales tax as well.
Also included in the deal are the deferment of business tax credits and the limiting of charitable deductions for the wealthy.
New York City leaders are watching Albany closely, as the Big Apple’s own budget deadline is looming.
“We really are the engine that funds the rest of the state, and we need to get our fair share,” New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.
(Source: WCBSTV)
The cause for former Vice President Dick Cheney’s hospitalization is related to his recurring heart trouble, a family friend of Cheney’s told CNN Sunday.
Cheney was suffering from atrial fibrillation, or irregular heart rhythm, the friend said.
Cheney was admitted to George Washington University Hospital on Friday as a result of “progressive retention of fluid related to his coronary artery disease,” Cheney’s office said.
At the hospital, Cheney was placed on intravenous medication and his condition has “markedly improved,” his office said in a statement Saturday.
On Sunday, Cheney’s daughter, Liz Cheney, said that the former vice president was “feeling better” and would hopefully be released Monday.
Cheney has a long history of heart problems. He suffered his first heart attack in 1978, when he was 37.
He had his second heart attack in 1984 and a third in 1988 and underwent a quadruple bypass surgery to unblock his arteries. Shortly after Cheney was elected vice president in November 2000, he had a fourth heart attack and received a stent to open an artery.
In February, Cheney suffered his fifth heart attack.
(Source: CNN)
In his judicial ruling accepting the agreement presented to the High Court of Justice to end the Emanuel conflict, Justice Edmond Levy refers to HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita using the title “Maran”, exhibiting his respect for the Gadol HaDor.
Today, Levy is being praised by many for accepting the deal, only a number of days after being vilified for sentencing Emanuel parents to prison for two weeks.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Following a meeting on Sunday with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gabi Ashkenazi, the chairman of America’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen told members of the pres that he continues to learn new things while in Israel. While senior members of the General Staff took part in some of the meetings, the two commanders did meet privately for a period of time.
Ashkenazi reminded reporters the two have met tens of times, adding this meeting was productive, thanking the American commander of forces for his cooperation, stressing the two maintain an excellent relationship. Earlier in the day, Mullen met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
At the end of the meetings, Ashkenazi commented that the two of them completed a professional conversation on a number of topics, mutual challenges and issues on the agenda. Admiral Mullen emphasized that he always extends his knowledge when visiting Israel. “I always try to see the threats and the challenges from an Israeli perspective,” he said, and added that while the interests at hand are specifically Israeli, they are also important for the United States in the area.
Earlier during the day, Minister of Defense Ehud Barak met with Admiral Mullen in his office in Tel Aviv. “We are very happy to receive Admiral Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Military, at our defense system staff and the General Staff, for a short work visit,” said Minister Barak.
“Admiral Mullen is responsible for a very large area in the Middle East as part of his responsibility towards worldwide security. We value his contribution to the security and stability of the area and to the close work relationship between the IDF and the Pentagon and the US Military very much, and really are happy to see him here as someone who contributes a lot to the security of the entire area and the State of Israel,” he added.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
