Friday, March 29, 2024

Introducing the Perfect Location for Your Yeshiva in Galloway, Nj

0

Attention Yeshiva, Mesivta, and Beis Medresh administrators and leaders! Look no further for an ideal setting to start or relocate your institution. We are thrilled to announce that 110 S. New York Road in Galloway, NJ, offers a serene and peaceful environment that is perfect for your educational needs.

Situated just 45 minutes south of Lakewood, NJ, this fully approved building is ready to be transformed into a thriving Yeshiva, Mesivta, or Beis Medresh, and can be open and running by the upcoming Elul. With over 4 acres of land and an impressive 17,000 square feet of open floor plan, the possibilities for designing your dream institution are endless.

CONTACT ADAM LIEBERMAN AT +1 (908) 783-2345 or CLICK HERE

“This property presents a unique opportunity for Yeshiva leaders to create a tailor-made educational experience for their students,” said Adam Lieberman, the designated contact person for this property. “With its peaceful setting and ample space, 110 S. New York Road in Galloway, NJ, is the perfect location to nurture spiritual growth and academic excellence.”

Not only does the building offer a spacious interior, but it also boasts brand new dormitories and apartments currently under construction, ensuring convenient and comfortable housing options for both students and staff. Additionally, its strategic location, a mere 5-minute walk from the Yeshiva, guarantees unparalleled convenience for all.

CONTACT ADAM LIEBERMAN AT +1 (908) 783-2345 or CLICK HERE

Key Features of 110 S. New York Road:

  1. 17,000 square feet of open floor plan, allowing for customization to meet your exact specifications.

  2. Over 4 acres of land, providing a serene and peaceful environment for students.

  3. Convenient location, just 45 minutes south of Lakewood, NJ, and a 5-minute walk from the Yeshiva.

  4. Brand new dormitories and apartments under construction, ensuring comfortable housing for students and staff.

Time is of the essence, as this exceptional property won’t be on the market for long. To learn more about this opportunity and schedule a visit, interested parties are encouraged to contact Adam Lieberman at [contact information]. Don’t miss out on the chance to create an extraordinary Yeshiva experience for your students.

CONTACT ADAM LIEBERMAN AT +1 (908) 783-2345 or CLICK HERE

Is This The End Of The Road For Netanyahu And The Charedi Parties?

39

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Even though the war in Israel has done little to threaten Netanyahu’s government (which was even strengthened by the entry of some opposition leaders), the fiasco regarding the new draft law could spell the end of the current government, despite the inopportune timing for elections, according to a Times of Israel report.

A nocturnal meeting on Tuesday night between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives of United Torah Judaism and Shas, the coalition’s two charedi parties, over the terms of the new law ended without any operative agreement. The charedim attacked Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, who refuses to defend the initial proposal of the government in court.

The Supreme Court ruled that the current system is discriminatory and has given the government until April 1 to present a bill and until June 30 to pass it.

As the deadline drew nearer, the government was set to meet on Netanyahu’s draft of the bill on Tuesday, but the meeting was pushed off amid an outcry over the proposal, which calls for raising the age of exemption to 35 or even 40. This would mean that many more charedim would not be able to work and earn a living due to not having completed army service. The law did not set quotas for charedi enlistment but did include a plan to establish charedi battalions in the IDF and add more positions in the emergency services.

After members of his government, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, expressed strong objections to the original plan, Netanyahu postponed the cabinet discussion on the issue and entered into marathon talks within his coalition on the controversial law.

Currently Netanyahu has promised the charedi MKs that he would submit a private bill to maintain the exemptions after the Pesach holiday but the MKs realize that this would not pass in the Supreme Court. The only other suggestion to be floated in the discussions was to ask the court for an extension to allow for the formulation of a law acceptable to all members of the coalition, including Benny Gantz and Yoav Gallant.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which has petitioned the High Court of Justice to compel the enlistment of the ultra-Orthodox, accused the government of engaging in “the same shticks and tricks” by floating and then reversing a change to the age of exemption.

“Sharing the burden [of military service] equally is an existential necessity for the State of Israel and Israeli society, and there is no way to achieve it other than the enactment of a uniform and equal enlistment law that will apply to all,” the watchdog group said in a statement on Monday.

Channel 12 and Ynet reported on Tuesday that the attorney general had requested that recruitment target figures be included in the legislation, while chareidi parties have rejected that proposal.

UTJ reportedly threatened to leave the Netanyahu-led coalition should the proposal include annual recruitment targets for yeshiva students and financial penalties for charedi educational institutions that don’t meet those quotas.

According to Channel 12, UTJ’s ultimatum was the reason for the last-minute postponement of a cabinet meeting on the draft exemption law earlier in the day.

This week, dozens of commanders in the IDF reserves sent a letter to Netanyahu, Gallant and other senior officials warning that the current proposal for the draft bill will deepen inequality and harm national security.

The IDF’s plan to increase the time conscripts and reservists serve in the military, combined with the charedi enlistment law, which would allow most chareidi men to be exempt from military service, would create an “extremely unequal” situation, the commanders charged in their letter.

The commanders also warned that beyond the feeling of inequality, there were concerns that under the new proposal, “the reserve system will not be able to meet its requirements, to the point of difficulty in manning operations.”

“We demand from you, the people responsible by law and by virtue of your authority for our routine and emergency operation, to stand firm and prevent any discriminatory and offensive recruitment plan of this kind,” the commanders added.

Senior Finance Ministry officials also expressed opposition to the lack of personal financial sanctions in the government’s proposed draft, arguing that they would be ineffective in persuading yeshiva students to join the IDF.

According to Kan, ministry officials objected to financial penalties being placed on yeshivas that fail to meet whatever enlistment quota is ultimately approved instead of on individuals, and said that only personal sanctions would have the desired effect.

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, the government has called up a total of 287,000 reservists, announced earlier-than-planned draft dates for some 1,300 members of pre-army programs, and pushed to significantly increase both conscripts’ and reservists’ periods of service.

That latter plan, presented by the defense establishment last month, generated fierce backlash among lawmakers from across the political spectrum and encouraged multiple legislative pushes to end the de facto exemptions for the charedim.

According to the IDF’s Personnel Directorate, some 66,000 young men from the Haredi community received an exemption from military service over the past year, said to be an all-time record.

Family Of Girl Who Died After Mistakenly Receiving Dairy Ice Cream Sues Restaurant, Tzfat Hospital For Negligence

17

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The family of Osher Deri, a 23-year-old girl who died in 2021 as a result of a severe allergic reaction after mistakenly receiving a dairy dessert in a kosher meat restaurant, is suing the restaurant for millions of shekels in damages, according to a Kan 11 report.

The family is also suing the Sieff hospital in Tzfat as well as the Health Ministry. The suit mentions that Deri worked in the restaurant in Rosh Pina and the management were aware of her serious allergy to milk products. The incident occurred after one of the chefs sent someone to buy ice cream and he mistakenly purchased a dairy ice cream.

The suit claims that Deri was treated negligently by an intern with only two months of experience. Deri’s father said that “We want justice. No money can bring her back but those responsible for me not bringing my daughter to her chuppah must take responsibility for this tragedy.”

The Sieff hospital responded, stating that “Osher z’l mistakenly ate milk products in a restaurant and reached the ER late by private car and without having used an EpiPen. The matter has been investigated, and security cameras prove the fast response of our team. The team performed extensive resuscitations which unfortunately didn’t succeed. Our heart is with Osher’s family.”

A 2023 Health Ministry investigation exposed serious problems with the hospital’s treatment, as well as with the HMO’s response to Osher’s condition. The HMO had never given any special directives for her treatment (and therefore she didn’t carry a personal allergy shot) and when she arrived at the hospital she was given adrenaline to her vein instead of in a muscle as required. There was no allergy expert at the hospital and senior doctors had left the shift, leaving a junior doctor who had graduated in Romania shortly before and had little experience.

 

HUGE BLOW: ‘Rockstar’ Spokesman Eylon Levy Permanently Fired

37

ISRAEL (VINnews) — According to Israeli media reports, Eylon Levy, the extremely dynamic and popular Israeli govt spokesman, has now been officially terminated from his position, following his suspension last week. This firing is a big blow to Israel, which is already embroiled in a public-relations nightmare, due to immense anti-Israel and pro-Hamas media bias around the globe.

Channel 12 reported that the government decided to dismiss Levy from his position on Tuesday night, due to a series of diplomatic incidents in which he was involved – including a response to a tweet by the British Foreign Minister.

However the reasons for his departure are still highly vague, and his actions to not appear to warrant such a drastic move, especially considering his immense talent, combined with a dearth of positive PR for Israel. Some skeptics believe that the reasons for his firing are due to internal politics and a rift with Sara Netanyahu.

Levy is employed on a monthly contract, and the govt does not intend to extend his contract next month. N12’s source explained the decision, saying that Levy “strayed from the messages conspicuously and took liberties that caused diplomatic incidents.”

The government office clarified that “the latest incident in which he clashed with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Channel 12 reports.

Earlier this month, Cameron posted a message urging the Israeli government to increase aid shipments into the Gaza Strip.

Replying to the former Prime Minister, Levy, in a now-deleted tweet said: “I hope you are also aware there are NO limits on the entry of food, water, medicine, or shelter equipment into Gaza, and in fact the crossings have EXCESS capacity,”

“Test us. Send another 100 trucks a day to Kerem Shalom and we’ll get them in.”

According to Channel 12, the Foreign Office wrote to the Israeli government asking if the post they deemed critical of Cameron was the country’s official position, at which point Levy was suspended.

The government office listed several other incidents, including Levy’s audition on an entertainment TV show, without confirming this with his superiors beforehand.

N12’s report observed correctly that despite his firing, Levy is a young, energetic, articulate, and excellent spokesperson. He is to a large extent the new face of Israel, despite his mistakes. .

1 Worker Killed, 1 Injured In Hezbollah Attack On Kiryat Shmona Industrial Zone

2

One man was killed and another injured in a Hezbollah rocket strike on the Upper Galilee on Wednesday morning. The dead man was identified as 25-year-old Zaher Bashara, a resident of the Druze village of Ein Kania. He is the 18th Israeli to die on the northern border since the start of the war.

Bashara was trapped in the burning rubble of a building in Kiryat Shmona after a rocket fell in the local industrial zone. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack.

A Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic said they first extracted a 30-year old-man who was lightly hurt from the destruction and he alerted them to Bashara, who was trapped. “He was pulled out unconscious and suffering from systemic injuries and we had to pronounce him dead,” the paramedic said.

The barrage of some 30 rockets came after the IDF said a strike on South Lebanon overnight prevented a terror attack. Israel’s military carried out a targeted killing of a senior member of a Palestinian Sunni militia and six other members of the group in the village of Hebbariyeh in Southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah condemned the attack and vowed to retaliate.

“Fighter jets struck a landing area and several military structures inside a military compound used by Hezbollah’s aerial unit in the area of Zboud, deep inside Lebanese territory,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement, adding that “In the compound, a significant terrorist operative belonging to the ‘al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya’ organization who advanced attacks against Israeli territory was eliminated along with additional terrorists who were with him,” the IDF said in a statement.

Devastating fire in Boro Park leaves family homeless

0

HEARTBREAKING: Frum family in Boro Park is HOMELESS after a massive fire destroyed their entire home this past Friday. They are homeless without anything. No clothing, no home, all their possessions are gone! 

Rav Schneebalg Shlita, is calling on Klal Yisrael to give generously to this emergency campaign to help the family. CLICK HERE to donate. 

HYPOCRISY: White House ‘disappointed’ Israel cancels delegation to D.C. after throwing Israel under bus

15
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (JNS) — John Kirby, the White House national security communications advisor, told reporters on Monday that the Biden administration is “disappointed” that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called off a high-level delegation to Washington to discuss a potential Israeli ground operation in Rafah.

Israel decided to cancel the ministerial visit after Washington abstained on, rather than vetoing, a ceasefire resolution at the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

“We’re very disappointed that they won’t be coming to Washington, D.C., to allow us to have a fulsome conversation with them about viable alternatives to going in on the ground in Rafah,” Kirby told reporters.

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi had been scheduled to arrive in Washington on Tuesday for meetings with U.S. counterparts to discuss Israel’s plans for a military operation in southern Gaza. Kirby said the officials would discuss proposals for “viable options and alternatives to a major ground offensive.”

Following Monday’s vote, Jerusalem announced that “in light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that the delegation will not depart.”

Kirby denied a shift in U.S. policy in abstaining from the nonbinding ceasefire resolution. There is no reason for there to be an escalation of tensions between America and Israel, he said.

“Nothing has changed about our policy—nothing,” Kirby said. “We still want to see a ceasefire, and we still want to get hostages out—all of them. And we would still want to see more humanitarian assistance get in to the people of Gaza. The reason we abstained is because this resolution text did not condemn Hamas.”

Kirby also denied that there has been a change in the way the Biden administration talks about the potential Israeli military operation in Rafah, from asking to see a “credible plan” to rejecting the operation outright.

“We said weeks ago that we believe a major ground operation in Rafah would be a disaster, absent any proper accounting for the safety and security of the refugees that are still there,” Kirby said. “We still believe the same thing.”

“I don’t see any change in the rhetoric,” he said. “We don’t support a ground operation into Rafah.”

DRAFT SAGA: Bibi’s Coalition in Peril After Charedi Parties Threaten to Quit Government

13
Likud party chairman MK Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands with MK Yitzchak Goldknopf a plenum session in the assembly hall of the parliament (Knesset) on November 21, 2022. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

ISRAEL (VINnews) — In the latest twist in the Charedi draft saga, the United Torah Judaism party (UTJ) is threatening to quit Netanyahu’s government if a Draft Law is passed that includes sanctions and quotas.

According to sources involved in the negotiations, Charedi political leaders on Tuesday evening raised the threat of abandoning the coalition, and demanded the removal of economic sanctions against yeshivas and draft quotas for Charedim. In addition, a Knesset meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday was postponed indefinitely amid opposition from Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, Finance Ministry officials, coalition members, and Agudas Yisrael representatives.

The deadline to submit an outline for the new law is Wednesday, which was set by the High Court.

The heads of the Chareidi parties met with Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the newly drafted recruitment law, which dropped a controversial clause raising the exemption age for lomdei Torah to 35. However, it still regulates the status of Torah learners, establishes recruitment targets for Chareidim who aren’t learning full-time, and outlines financial sanctions on yeshivos that fail to meet recruitment targets.

Some sources claim that Netanyahu is expected to ask the High Court for an extension of several more days, in order to reach a government agreement.

Take The Next Step! Enter Into The World Of Halacha By Getting Smicha Online!

0

Looking for a structured program that will give you the tools and resources you need to get Smicha? Hilchos Shabbos? Dayanus? Chuppah v’Kiddushin? Join Machon Smicha, the premier halachah institute serving the English-speaking Torah community.

Machon Smicha is a unique, online, halacha-learning program that makes learning, getting tested and receiving smicha possible. We offer rigorous and structured learning programs in halachah across a broad spectrum of topics, which enables learners to grow and succeed in their Torah learning, from the novice to the scholar.


Be empowered to learn Shulchan Aruch like never before, from the Mishnah and Gemara all the way to contemporary Poskim and Minhagim.

Our programs include: 


  • Smicha: Achieve your dream of finally receiving smicha in a program that will empower you to succeed,

  • Shabbos: Learn and master Hilchos Shabbos, from the original sources down to their practical application

  • Chuppah v’Kiddushin: Become proficient in the halachos of weddings and marriage, and become equipped to be a mesader kiddushin.

  • Dayanus: Dive deep into the halachos of beis din, halachic litigation, business, and interpersonal responsibility.


Machon Smicha offers each student a complete curriculum, consisting of:

  • Online portal with access to all the program content.

  • Flexible schedule.

  • Shiurim.

  • English Study Guide, containing introductions, overviews, translations, and in-depth summaries of every halachah.

  • Access to forums and teachers for questions, discussions, etc.

  • Rabbi and teachers available to answer questions and aid in the learning.

  • Quizzes, review material, and mock tests.

  • Tests with prominent rabbis.

  • Signed certificate for those who successfully complete the program.

Machon Smicha’s next semester begins on April 2nd, 2024.

To learn more, or to apply, visit onlinemachon.com.

Who Is Nicole Shanahan, the Philanthropist Picked by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As His Running Mate?

17
Nicole Shanahan waves from the podium during a campaign event for Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. Shanahan has been picked as Kennedy Jr.'s running mate. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has picked Nicole Shanahan, a California lawyer and philanthropist who’s never held elected office, to be his running mate in his independent bid for president, he announced on Tuesday.

An unconventional choice, Shanahan, who is 38, brings youth and considerable wealth to Kennedy’s long-shot campaign but is little known outside Silicon Valley.

Shanahan leads the Bia-Echo Foundation, an organization she founded to direct money toward issues including women’s reproductive science, criminal justice reform and environmental causes. She also is a Stanford University fellow and was the founder and chief executive of ClearAccessIP, a patent management firm that was sold in 2020.

Shanahan was married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin from 2018 to 2023, and they have a young daughter. She was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Kennedy made his announcement.

On Tuesday, Shanahan talked about her hardscrabble upbringing in Oakland, the daughter of a mother who immigrated from China and an Irish and German-American father “plagued by substance abuse” who “struggled to keep a job.” Touching on her family’s reliance on government assistance, Shanahan said that, although she had become “very wealthy later on in life,” she felt she could relate to Americans being “just one misfortune away from disaster.”

“The purpose of wealth is to help those in need. That’s what it’s for,” Shanahan said. “And I want to bring that back to politics, too. That is the purpose of privilege.”

Before the announcement, Kennedy’s campaign manager and daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, praised Shanahan’s work on behalf of “honest governance, racial equity, regenerative agriculture and children’s and maternal health.” She said the work “reflects many of our country’s most urgent needs.”

Kennedy, who said in an interview Monday with “The State of California” on KCBS radio that his VP search placed a priority on ”somebody who could represent young people,” said Tuesday that Shanahan — who he said, like him, has “left the Democratic Party” — also shares his concerns about government overreach and his distrust in major political parties’ abilities to make lasting change.

“She’ll tell you that she now understands at the defense agencies work for the military industrial complex, that health agencies work for big pharma and the USDA works for big ag and the processed food cartels,” Kennedy said at his Oakland rally. “The EPA is in cahoots with the polluters, that the scientists can be mercenaries, that government officials sometimes act as sensors, and that the Fed works for Wall Street and allows millionaire bankers to prey upon on Main Street and the American worker.”

Kennedy also said that, in part, Shanahan’s heritage played at least some role in his selection of her.

“I wanted someone who would honor the traditions our nation, as a nation of immigrants, but who also understands that to be a nation, we need to secure borders,” he said.

Kennedy had previously signaled interest in picking a celebrity or a household name such as NFL quarterback Aaron Rogers, “Dirty Jobs” star Mike Rowe or former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who was a wrestler and actor.

According to campaign finance records, Shanahan has long donated to Democratic candidates, including giving the maximum amount allowed to Kennedy when he was still pursuing that party’s nomination before switching to an independent bid in October.

It was unclear if Shanahan would use her own money on the campaign, but she has already opened her wallet to back Kennedy.

She was a driving force and the primary donor behind a Super Bowl ad produced by a pro-Kennedy super PAC, American Values 2024, for which she contributed $4 million. In response to criticism following the ad’s release, the super PAC said its “idea, funding, and execution came primarily” from Shanahan.

The super PAC can accept unlimited funds but is legally barred from coordinating with Kennedy’s team.

But as a candidate for vice president, Shanahan can give unlimited sums to the campaign directly. That’s potentially a huge boost for Kennedy’s expensive push to get on the ballot in all 50 states, an endeavor he has said will cost $15 million and require collecting more than 1 million signatures.

Trump Is Selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles for $59.99 as He Faces Mounting Legal Bills

16
FILE - President Donald Trump holds a Bible as he visits outside St. John's Church across Lafayette Park from the White House, June 1, 2020, in Washington. Trump is now selling Bibles as he runs to return to the White House. The presumptive Republican nominee released a video on his Truth Social platform Tuesday urging his supporters to purchase the “God Bless The USA Bible." (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is now selling Bibles as he runs to return to the White House.

Trump, who became the presumptive Republican nominee earlier this month, released a video on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday urging his supporters to buy the “God Bless the USA Bible,” which is inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood’s patriotic ballad. Trump takes the stage to the song at each of his rallies and has appeared with Greenwood at events.

“Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless the USA Bible,” Trump wrote, directing his supporters to a website selling the book for $59.99.

The effort comes as Trump has faced a serious money crunch amid mounting legal bills while he fights four criminal indictments along with a series of civil charges. Trump was given a reprieve Monday when a New York appeals court agreed to hold off on collecting the more than $454 million he owes following a civil fraud judgment if he puts up $175 million within 10 days. Trump has already posted a $92 million bond in connection with defamation cases brought by the writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexual assault.

“All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many. It’s my favorite book,” Trump said in the video posted on Truth Social. “I’m proud to endorse and encourage you to get this Bible. We must make America pray again.”

Billing itself as “the the only Bible endorsed by President Trump!” the new venture’s website calls it “Easy-to-read” with “large print” and a “slim design” that “invites you to explore God’s Word anywhere, any time.”

Besides a King James Version translation, it includes copies of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as a handwritten chorus of the famous Greenwood song.

The Bible is just the latest commercial venture that Trump has pursued while campaigning.

Last month, he debuted a new line of Trump-branded sneakers, including $399 gold “Never Surrender High-Tops,” at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia. The venture behind the shoes, 45Footwear, also sells other Trump-branded footwear, cologne and perfume.

Trump has also dabbled in NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, and last year reported earning between $100,000 and $1 million from a series of digital trading cards that portrayed him in cartoon-like images, including as an astronaut, a cowboy and a superhero.

He has also released books featuring photos of his time in office and letters written to him through the years.

The Bible’s website states the product “is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign.”

“GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not owned, managed or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC or any of their respective principals or affiliates,” it says.

Instead, it says, “GodBlessTheUSABible.com uses Donald J. Trump’s name, likeness and image under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC, which license may be terminated or revoked according to its terms.”

CIC Ventures LLC, a company that Trump reported owning in his 2023 financial disclosure, has a similar arrangement with 45Footwear, which also says it uses Trump’s “name, likeness and image under paid license from CIC Ventures LLC, which license may be terminated or revoked according to its terms.”

A Trump spokesperson and God Bless the USA Bible did not immediately respond to questions about how much Trump was paid for the licensing deal or stands to make from each book sale.

Trump remains deeply popular with white evangelical Christians, who are among his most ardent supporters, even though the thrice-married former reality TV star has a long history of behavior that often seemed at odds with teachings espoused by Christ in the Gospels.

When he was running in 2016, Trump raised eyebrows when he cited “Two Corinthians” at Liberty University, instead of the standard “Second Corinthians.”

When asked to share his favorite Bible verse in an interview with Bloomberg Politics in 2015, he demurred.

“I wouldn’t want to get into it. Because to me, that’s very personal,” he said. “The Bible means a lot to me, but I don’t want to get into specifics.”

When he was president, law enforcement officers aggressively removed racial justice protesters from a park near the White House, allowing Trump to walk to nearby St. John’s Church, where he stood alone and raised a Bible. The scene was condemned at the time by the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Before he ran for office, Trump famously hawked everything from frozen steaks to vodka to a venture named Trump University, which was later sued for fraud.

Ukrainian Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled

3
FILE - A sea drone cruises on the water during a presentation by Ukraine's Security Service in Kyiv region, Ukraine, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has sunk or disabled a third of all Russian warships in the Black Sea in just over two years of war, the navy spokesman said Tuesday, a heavy blow to Moscow’s military capability.

Ukraine’s Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk told The Associated Press that the latest strike on Saturday night hit the Russian amphibious landing ship Kostiantyn Olshansky that was resting in dock in Sevastopol in Russia-occupied Crimea. The ship was part of the Ukrainian navy before Russia captured it while annexing the Black Sea peninsula in 2014.

Pletenchuk has previously announced that two other landing ships of the same type, Azov and Yamal, also were damaged in Saturday’s strike along with the Ivan Khurs intelligence ship.

He told the AP that the weekend attack, which was launched with Ukraine-built Neptune missiles, also hit Sevastopol port facilities and an oil depot.

Russian authorities reported a massive Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol over the weekend but didn’t acknowledge any damage to the fleet.

Pletenchuk said that with the latest attack, a third of all warships that Russian had in the Black Sea before the war have been destroyed or disabled. Moscow officials have kept mum on most of Ukrainian claims, but previous navy losses have been confirmed by Russian military bloggers and media.

At the same time, Pletenchuk acknowledged that just two of about a dozen of Russian missile carrying warships have been sunk and pledged that Ukraine will continue the strikes.

“Our ultimate goal is complete absence of military ships of the so-called Russian Federation in the Azov and Black Sea regions,” Pletenchuk told the AP.

Successful Ukrainian drone and missile strikes have provided a major morale boost for Kyiv at a time when its undermanned and under-gunned forces are facing Russian attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.

Challenging Russia’s naval superiority also has helped create more favorable conditions for Ukrainian grain exports and other shipments from the country’s Black Sea ports.

After UNSC vote, Colombian prez threatens to cut ties with Israel

9

(JNS) – Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday threatened to cut diplomatic ties with Jerusalem if it does not comply with the previous day’s United Nations Security Council Resolution calling for a halt to fighting in Gaza until the end of Ramadan.

“If Israel does not comply with the United Nations ceasefire resolution we break diplomatic relations with Israel,” the former left-wing guerrilla and Bogotá mayor tweeted in Spanish.

In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz tweeted in Spanish that “the support of the president of Colombia @petrogustavo for the Hamas murderers who massacred and committed atrocious sexual crimes against babies, women and adults is a shame for the Colombian people. Israel will continue to protect its citizens and will not give in to any pressure or threats.”

The Security Council resolution “demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting ceasefire and also demands the immediate and conditional release of all hostages.”

It also demands compliance with international law in the treatment of detainees and emphasizes the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and demands that barriers preventing that be lifted.

Washington abstained in the 14-0 vote. As one of the council’s permanent members, the United States could have vetoed the resolution, which the 10 elected, non-permanent members of the council drafted and circulated.

Ramadan lasts for about another two weeks.

At the end of February, Petro compared Israel to the Nazis and said that the South American country would no longer purchase weapons from the Jewish state.

“Asking for food, more than 100 Palestinians were killed by [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu. This is called genocide and is reminiscent of the Holocaust even if the world powers do not like to recognize it,” Petro wrote in Spanish on social media. “The world must block Netanyahu.”

Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva ordered Israeli Ambassador Gali Dagan out of the country in October. The previous day, Israel halted defense exports to the country following Petro’s comparison of the Israeli military to Nazis in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7.

Undivided Attention

0

Visa, Mastercard Settle Long-Running Antitrust Suit Over Swipe Fees With Merchants

0
FILE - This April 22, 2005, file photo, shows logos for MasterCard and Visa credit cards at the entrance of a New York coffee shop. Visa and MasterCard announced, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, a settlement with U.S. merchants related to swipe fees, a development that could potentially save consumers tens of billions of dollars. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Visa and MasterCard announced a settlement with U.S. merchants related to swipe fees, a development that could potentially save consumers tens of billions of dollars.

Swipe fees are paid to Visa, Mastercard and other credit card companies in exchange for enabling transactions. Merchants ultimately pass on those fees to consumers who use credit or debit cards.

According to the settlement announced Tuesday, Visa and Mastercard will cap the credit interchange fees into 2030, and the companies must negotiate the fees with merchant buying groups.

The settlement stems from a 2005 lawsuit which alleged that merchants paid excessive fees to accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards, and that Visa and Mastercard and their member banks acted in violation of antitrust laws.

In 2018 Visa and Mastercard agreed to pay $6.2 billion as part of the long-running suit filed by a group of 19 merchants. But the lawsuit then had two pieces that need to be resolved: a dispute over the rules Visa and Mastercard impose to accept their cards, and the merchants who chose not to participate in the settlement.

Visa said Tuesday that more than 90% of the merchants in Tuesday’s settlement are small businesses.

Mastercard did not acknowledge any improper conduct, which was part of the settlement, and the changes will take effects after approval of the settlement, most likely in late 2024 or early 2025.

The settlement is subject to final approval by the Eastern District Court of New York.

Dr. Zvi Weinreb ז”ל

0
Family getting up: Shacharis: 8:00 pmMincha: 7:00 pmMaariv: 7:15 pm

US and Israeli Defense Chiefs Meet to Discuss Plans for Gaza as Tensions Between the Allies Spike

8
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, at far left, speaks while meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, across table at far right, at the Pentagon, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. defense leaders met with Israel’s minister of defense on Tuesday as the United States warns against a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, but rising tensions between the two allies put any progress in question.

In remarks at the start of the Pentagon meeting, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said they would discuss alternative ways to target Hamas in Rafah, and he described civilian casualties in Gaza as “far too high” and aid deliveries as “far too low.” But he also repeated the belief that Israel has the right to defend itself and the U.S. would always be there to help.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, meanwhile, emphasized the ongoing threats to Israel, and said the meeting would address ways to destroy Hamas and get the Israeli hostages released, as well as plans to return displaced residents to their homes.

Austin made no mention of threats to limit or condition future military aid to Israel on humanitarian gains, a growing sentiment among members of Congress and others. And Gallant only said that the meeting would include discussions about the important cooperation between the two countries to “ensure Israel’s military edge and capabilities.”

The meeting, which also included Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, comes as tensions have spiked between the U.S. and Israel, stemming from the widespread global frustration over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and political discord surrounding efforts to achieve a cease-fire.

Kremlin: ‘Zelenskyy a Peculiar Kind of Jew’

20

(JNS) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a “peculiar kind of Jew,” the Kremlin said on Tuesday, attempting to explain its assertion that he could be linked to Friday’s Islamist attack in Moscow.

“Well, there is a peculiar kind of Jew over there,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to AFP.

“A Jew who in many ways shows sympathy and inclination to the nationalist spirit that has permeated the leadership of the Kyiv regime,” he added.

It’s not the first antisemitic comment regarding Zelenskyy to come out of Russia, which has painted Ukraine as a “Nazi” regime.

In Sept. 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Russian television that “Western masters…put a person at the head of modern Ukraine, an ethnic Jew, with Jewish roots, with Jewish origins” in order to cover up “the anti-human essence that is the foundation…of the modern Ukrainian state” and “the glorification of Nazism.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his office at the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 13, 2024. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.
Israeli officials decry UNSC ceasefire resolution, US abstention
March 26, 2024
In April 2023, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Ukrainian leaders of having “introduced Nazi practice and theory without any concealment. Openly, they organized in the center of Kyiv and other cities exuberant torch-bearing marches with SS division banners upheld.”

There was no evidence supporting such claims, reported German broadcaster Deutsche Welle at the time.

Supply Chain Manager Says Americans Should Expect Shortages

9
A helicopter flies over a container ship as it rests against wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, as seen from Pasadena, Md. The ship rammed into the major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing it to collapse in a matter of seconds and creating a terrifying scene as several vehicles plunged into the chilly river below. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

(AP) – The head of a supply chain management company says Americans should expect shortages of goods as the Baltimore bridge collapse affects ocean container shipping and East Coast trucking logistics.

“It’s not just the port of Baltimore that’s going to be impacted,” said Ryan Petersen, CEO of Flexport.

Petersen says attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea connecting Asia with Europe and the United States have forced traffic away from the Suez Canal and around the tip of Africa. At the same time, there’s been increased congestion in the Panama Canal. Petersen says U.S. importers are increasingly shifting to West Coast ports which in turn may have their own back-ups.

“You get this vicious feedback loop,” he said.

Petersen was working with his team Tuesday to reroute about 800 shipping containers currently making their way to Baltimore’s port.

“It’s a scramble because each of those containers has now a new journey to clear customs, you’ve got to get a different truck to pick it up at a different port, it creates a whole lot of downstream work,” he said.

A cargo ship lost power and rammed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, destroying the span in a matter of seconds and plunging it into the river.

Bird Flu, Weather and Inflation Conspire to Keep Egg Prices Near Historic Highs

7
FILE - Eggs are cleaned and disinfected at the Sunrise Farms processing plant in Petaluma, Calif., on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, which had seen an outbreak of avian flu. Egg prices are at near-historic highs in many parts of the world as the spring holidays approach, reflecting a market scrambled by disease, high demand and growing costs for farmers. (AP Photo/Terry Chea)

(AP) – Egg prices are at near-historic highs in many parts of the world as the spring holidays approach, reflecting a market scrambled by disease, high demand and growing costs for farmers.

It’s the second year in a row consumers have faced sticker shock ahead of Easter and Passover, both occasions in which eggs play prominent roles.

While global prices are lower than they were at this time last year, they remain elevated, said Nan-Dirk Mulder, a senior global specialist with Dutch financial firm RaboBank’s RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness division. Mulder doesn’t expect them to return to 2021 levels.

In the United States, the average price of a dozen eggs was $2.99 in February, down from $4.21 last year, according to government data. Still, that’s significantly more than the $1.59 cents per dozen consumers were paying in February 2021.

In Europe, egg prices are 10% to 15% lower than last year but still about double what they were in 2021, Mulder said.

One major culprit is avian flu. Outbreaks of the deadly respiratory disease were reported in Europe, Africa and Asia in 2020 and spread to North America in 2021. In 2022 alone, more than 131 million poultry worldwide died or were culled on affected farms, according to the World Health Organization.

Outbreaks are continuing. In December, the U.S. confirmed cases in 45 commercial flocks and 33 backyard flocks, affecting 11.4 million birds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In South Africa, egg prices soared after 40% of laying hens were killed late last year due to the respiratory disease, Mulder said. A tray of six eggs cost 25.48 South African rand ($1.34) last month, up 21% from February 2023.

Even when avian flu dissipates, it can take a long time for the egg market to settle. It takes a farm three to six months to replenish a flock, so during that time, egg supplies are lower and prices rise, said Emily Metz, president of the American Egg Board, a marketing organization.

If farms restock with too many chickens, it can drive prices down. That’s what happened in the U.S. last summer when egg prices plunged to $2 per dozen.

“It’s supply and demand searching out. You have to have a profitable price,” David Anderson, a professor and extension economist for livestock and food marketing at Texas A&M University, said.

And profits can be hard for farmers to come by during periods of inflation. Chicken feed represents up to 70% of a farmer’s costs, and feed prices doubled between 2020 and 2022, Mulder said. Weather, COVID-related disruptions and the war in Ukraine – which drove up the price of wheat and other crops — were all contributors.

In Nigeria, the cost of a crate of eggs has doubled since the beginning of the year due to weakened currency, the removal of fuel subsidies and high costs for farmers.

Teslimat Abimbola, who runs a poultry farm in the southern city of Ibadan, said 25 kilograms of feed that cost 2,500 Nigerian naira ($1.78) in 2020 now costs 13,000 naira ($9.23). Abimbola has lost some customers as a result of price increases.

“Many farms have been forced to shut down due to the high costs of rearing chickens,” Abimbola said.

The government of Lagos State, Nigeria’s biggest economic center, has implemented a subsidy program to help consumers deal with the increased costs of eggs.

Elsewhere, government regulations play a part in lifting egg prices. Multiple states, including California and Massachusetts, have passed cage bans for egg-laying hens since 2018; this year, bans are set to take effect in Washington, Oregon and Michigan.

Converting to cage-free facilities is a big investment for farmers, and consumers may not always realize that’s a factor in the higher prices they see at the grocery store, Metz said. She anticipates such conversion costs will eventually fall as more farms make the changeover.

Price peaks are inevitably followed by price drops, and egg prices will eventually settle into more normal patterns. In the short term, the holiday demand that picks up every Easter will ease heading into summer, Anderson said. Meanwhile, improving biosecurity measures should help blunt the impact of avian flu, he said.

Lyncoya Ilion, who teaches cooking classes and runs a catering business called Catered by Coya in Brown Deer, Wisconsin, says she’s noticed egg prices inching back up over the last two to three months but hopes she won’t have to pass her costs onto clients.

“I haven’t had to increase prices yet because I’m anticipating that the egg prices will decrease again soon,” Ilion said.

That’s a good bet. In the U.S., egg prices are expected to decrease around 2.8% this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That won’t put them back to pre-COVID levels, but it should give some relief.

“People really love eggs, and they notice when that price fluctuates,” Metz said. “Our farmers wish it wasn’t such a sharp up and down as well. It makes everything challenging.”