To Whom It May Concern, I’m writing this out of deep frustration and disappointment—and, frankly, with a heavy heart. I’ve lived in this neighborhood for several years now. During this time, I’ve struggled with long-term unemployment. I’ve reached out to people in the community—neighbors, acquaintances, “connections.” Time and again, I’m met with well-meaning but ultimately hollow phrases: “I’ll keep an eye out.” “I’ll let you know if I hear of anything.” Occasionally, someone sends me a job lead completely irrelevant to my background or skills. And then… silence. They forget. They move on. And I’m still here—still trying to provide for my family, still without steady work.

Arachnophobes beware: Customs officials on Monday released photos from a seizure of roughly 1,500 young tarantulas found inside plastic containers that had been hidden in chocolate spongecake boxes shipped to an airport in western Germany. Customs officials found the shipment at Cologne Bonn airport in a package that had arrived from Vietnam, tipped off by a “noticeable smell” that didn’t resemble the expected aroma of the 7 kilograms (about 15 pounds) of the confectionery treats, Cologne customs office spokesman Jens Ahland said.

A military investigation released Sunday concluded that serious operational failures—including poor coordination, miscommunication, and delayed deployment—contributed to the IDF’s inability to prevent a deadly Hamas assault on the southern city of Ofakim during the October 7 attacks. The probe, led by Brig. Gen. Oren Simcha, found that 15 Hamas terrorists infiltrated Ofakim around 6:40 a.m., killing 33 people—25 civilians and 8 security personnel—within the first 40 minutes. IDF troops arrived too late to affect the outcome of the battle, the report said. One of the closest military units, from the Chaim Laskov Officers Training School (Bahad 1), was mistakenly dispatched to the wrong location.

Senate Republicans will test the popularity of Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts this week by aiming to pass President Donald Trump’s request to claw back $9.4 billion in public media and foreign aid spending. Senate Democrats are trying to kill the measure but need a few Republicans uncomfortable with the president’s effort to join them. Trump’s Republican administration is employing a rarely used tool that allows the president to transmit a request to cancel previously approved funding authority. The request triggers a 45-day clock under which the funds are frozen. If Congress fails to act within that period, then the spending stands. That clock expires Friday. The House has already approved Trump’s request on a mostly party line 214-212 vote.

Two major countries are in the pipeline to possibly join the Abraham Accords: Saudi Arabia and Syria. In Syria, Bakr Simantov has won the title of ‘The Last Jew in Damascus.” Like many titles, it is a bit of an exaggeration, as there are four male Jews and two female Jews remaining in Damascus. Simantov serves as the head of the congregation of the smallest Jewish community in the world, despite its geographical proximity to Israel. In an interview with Shlomo Cooperman in the Hebrew Mishpacha magazine, Simantov said that in his 60 years in the Syrian capital, he has learned to live his life as a Jew alongside the development of the Jewish state across the border. It was not always easy, but now he feels that history has opened an opportunity that never existed before.

According to sources who attended the restricted cabinet meeting on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed determination to reach a hostage deal and even showed willingness to compromise on one of the sensitive issues: the withdrawal from the area between Rafah and Khan Younis, the Morag Corridor, from which he had previously refused to withdraw, Ynet reported. “Negotiations are taking place in Doha,” said one of the participants. “They’re working around the clock. Even if a deal is not closed in the coming days, the direction is clear. It’s a matter of days, not weeks.” According to those sources, the parties are discussing updated maps, and the understanding is that if the deal goes through, the concept of a humanitarian city in Rafah will not be relevant.

A German doctor went on trial in Berlin Monday, accused of murdering 15 of his patients who were under palliative care. The prosecutor’s office brought charges against the 40-year-old doctor “for 15 counts of murder with malice aforethought and other base motives” before a Berlin state court. The prosecutor’s office is seeking not only a conviction and a finding of particularly serious guilt, but also a lifetime ban on practicing medicine and subsequent preventive detention. Murder charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. If a court establishes that a suspect bears particularly severe guilt, that means he wouldn’t be eligible for release after 15 years as is usually the case in Germany.

On Sunday July 6th, Yeshiva Gedola of South Bend hosted its 8th Annual Masechta B’shaah event. As in past years, alumni and community members joined the yeshiva, with close to 200 lomdim gathering to cumulatively complete Maseches Gitin in the hour preceding the talmidims’ siyum. A beautiful feature of this communal siyum is that it creates achdus between the various lomdim, as it incorporates the unique Derech HaLimud of each participant. For one person to learn the entire Maseches Gitin in one hour is an impossibility, so during the Masechta B’shaah, every lomeid is an integral part of the simcha. Masechta B’shaah also serves as the yeshiva’s yearly fundraiser, as it provides an opportunity to sponsor a lomeid, thereby sharing in the zechus of limud hatorah.

The rabbanim of Degel HaTorah have directed the party’s representatives to immediately resign from the government and coalition, due to the government’s failure to advance legislation protecting bnei yeshiva from the military draft. Shortly after Degel HaTorah withdrew, Agudas Yisroel followed suit. The psak was issued late Sunday night by HaRav Dov Landau shlit”a, and joined Monday morning by HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlita. Following the daas Torah of these two senior roshei yeshiva, Degel HaTorah’s MKs announced their decision Monday to exit the coalition without delay.