Israel’s recent war with Iran caused an unprecedented financial toll in the Jewish state, with an estimated $1.3 billion of damages to property. Some 30,000 homes were destroyed or damaged by Iranian missiles during the recent war, and over 15,000 Israelis are homeless. Tax Authority Director Shai Aharonovich warned at a press conference last week of “challenges of a magnitude we’ve never faced in the history of Israel.” Amir Dahan, the Tax Authority’s head of compensation, said that “there has never before been this level of damage” sustained during a war. “We’re dealing with complex, large-scale damage,” Dahan said. “Normally, we see damage to a single wing or room, and demolition is rare.

The White House confirmed on Monday that US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has continued both direct and indirect communications with Iranian officials, as efforts persist to address regional tensions and advance negotiations. Speaking to reporters, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided the update after President Donald Trump indicated last week that a meeting between US and Iranian representatives would take place in the coming days. Leavitt did not elaborate on the timing or format of any such meeting but reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to maintaining dialogue. On the status of negotiations to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza, Leavitt declined to offer further details.

Diplomatic tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan are growing after Iranian officials accused Baku of allowing Israeli fighter jets to use its airspace to carry out strikes deep inside Iranian territory during Operation Rising Lion. Tehran has formally demanded an investigation into alleged Azerbaijani complicity in the air raids. Iranian sources claim Israeli jets transited Azerbaijani airspace, particularly over the Caspian Sea, to conduct precision-guided bombings, attacks which Iranian officials believe were supported by close military and economic coordination between Baku and Jerusalem.

Former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak is expected to meet with Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog tomorrow evening to discuss possible ways of bringing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s long-running criminal trial to a close, Channel 12 reported Monday. Barak, who has publicly supported ending the proceedings — now in their sixth year — under certain conditions, is reportedly prepared to advise Herzog against granting Netanyahu a presidential pardon outright. According to the report, Barak will argue that if such a pardon were considered, it should be conditioned on Netanyahu stepping down from public office. Barak is also expected to tell Herzog that any plea bargain allowing Netanyahu to remain in office while terminating the trial would be unacceptable.

Elon Musk delivered a new, blistering rebuke Monday of President Donald Trump’s signature spending bill, as the Senate raced through a marathon amendment session in hopes of getting the measure to Trump’s desk by the July 4 deadline. Musk, once a close White House ally and a power player at the Department of Government Efficiency, took a flamethrower to Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” slamming it as a historic betrayal of taxpayers. “It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS, that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!” Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns.

Fallsburg Police, together with Shomrim, are investigating a string of antisemitic incidents after eggs were thrown at visibly Jewish individuals on Sunday in South Fallsburg and Woodbourne. Among those targeted was the Nikolsburg Rebbe, who was struck by eggs in front of his shul, along with other Jewish people along Route 42. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity by calling 911. The investigation remains ongoing. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

I write to you with great admiration and respect, aware of the many ways in which you have supported and sustained our kehilla with generosity, leadership, and vision. Your dedication to Klal Yisroel — in Torah, chesed, and communal growth — has built institutions, supported families, and shaped the future of generations. Recently, a remarkable initiative was launched in Lakewood: two new wedding halls, Ateres Blima and Ateres Esther, were established to directly address the crushing financial burden so many families face when marrying off children. These halls offer an elegant, all-inclusive simcha package — hall, catering, music, photography, flowers, and more — for just $13,000.

As a trauma therapist and social worker, I’ve dedicated my career to understanding the complexities of human behavior, communication, and the devastating impact of trauma, especially in cases of child abuse. I also frequently write about cognitive biases and how they shape our perceptions. Today, I want to delve into a particularly insidious phenomenon known as the “Liar’s Dividend” and explore how it inadvertently, and dangerously, contributes to a culture where perpetrators of child abuse can evade accountability. The Liar’s Dividend is a concept that describes the benefit a liar receives from the general skepticism that exists about the truth.

By Shira Miller June 30, 2025 A white supremacist group in Arka

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday ending U.S. sanctions on Syria, following through on his promise to do so. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move was designed to “promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace.” Sanctions will remain in place on ousted former President Bashar Assad, his top aides and family. The executive order is meant to “end the country’s isolation from the international financial system, setting the stage for global commerce and galvanizing investments from its neighbors in the region, as well as from the United States,” Treasury’s acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brad Smith, told reporters on a call Monday morning to preview the administration’s action.