Israeli security officials assess that in light of the Air Force’s amazing achievements in the past week, during which IAF fighter jets destroyed 85% of Syria’s air defense systems, opening the skies for IAF pilots to fly over Damascus for the first time in over 50 years, the time is ripe to attack Iran’s nuclear sites. “Our UAVs can now fly as far as eastern Syria and our fighter pilots circle Damascus freely. This is unprecedented,” a military official said, as quoted by Ynet. The official added that the withdrawal of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials and indications of Russian troop pullbacks, including S-300 batteries, add to the IDF’s renewed confidence.

A Jewish resident of Monsey was tragically killed and another man was seriously injured in a small plane crash on Thursday night. The plane, a two-seater propeller aircraft was approaching Westchester Airport when it crashed onto Interstate 684 near Exit 2 in Harrison, New York. Troopers responded to reports of the crash at approximately 7 p.m. There were two individuals aboard the plane at the time of the incident. The victim was identified as Yankel (Yaakov) Friedman Z”L, from Monsey. He was 32 years old. The second individual on the plane, a resident of Linden NJ, was taken to Westchester County Hospital. Despite multiple messages on WhatsApp claiming he is in critical condition, he is stable and talking to authorities as well as his family members.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman In a disturbing reflection of our times, we find ourselves confronting a society where the lines between right and wrong have become dangerously blurred.  The entire country, gentile and Jew alike should now rais kriyah, sit shiva and say kaddish for the death of morality. Recent events have shown how quickly communities can rally around violence while condemning those who uphold their civic duty – a moral inversion that should alarm anyone concerned with the fabric of civil society. Consider the troubling spectacle of public support for Luigi Mangione, the alleged murderer of an insurance company business leader. When communities celebrate violence rather than condemning it, we witness the erosion of our most basic moral principles.

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman In helping address the shidduch crisis, the Orthodox Union’s Center for Communal Research has produced a landmark study that represents one of the most comprehensive and nuanced examinations of Orthodox Jewish dating and singlehood ever conducted. A tremendous yasher koach to Rabbi Moshe Hauer for caring enough to do this.  This groundbreaking research, presented in “The Challenges of Singlehood among American Orthodox Jews – Part II,” combines rigorous quantitative analysis with rich qualitative insights to illuminate the complex dynamics of the Orthodox dating landscape. Research Excellence and Methodology The OU demonstrated remarkable methodological sophistication in their approach.

For those of us who strive to live halachically, even seemingly minor mitzvos carry immense significance. One such mitzvah is the prohibition of shatnez—the mixing of wool and linen in a garment. It’s a mitzvah we are careful to observe, especially in today’s world of diverse fabrics. But one question lingers in my mind: why does shatnez checking cost so much? Recently, I purchased a jacket from a reputable brand, known for being shatnez-free. Still, I took it to a local shatnez checker, as is the proper practice. I expected a nominal fee of $5 or $10 for the check. Instead, I was told it would cost $20—more than I’ve paid for dry cleaning! The entire process took less than two minutes, leaving me questioning the fairness of the fee.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman Chanukah is fast approaching and we need to reflect on the two Nissim of Chanukah: The nais that the oil kept burning The nais of the remarkable military victory. QUESTION: But, why did Chazal emphasize the first nais over the second one? ANSWER:  So that we will not make a mistake and ignore the role of Hashem and wrongly attribute things to superior military moves and the like.

The Geminids — among the few major meteor showers to come from asteroids — peak on Friday. It’s one of the year’s last chances to see fireballs in the sky. The shower often produces meteors with a distinctly more yellow glow, likely due to the unusual origin material, said Sally Brummel, planetarium manager at the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum. Under ideal viewing conditions, the Geminids typically put on one of the best and brightest shows of the year because of the high volume of meteors visible each hour. However, an almost full moon this year means up to 15 meteors per hour are expected at peak time, according to the American Meteor Society. The moonlight “will wash out a lot of them,” Brummel said. Viewing lasts until Dec. 21.

Two Swedish brothers in their 20s, converts to Islam, were arrested by Stockholm’s SÄPO security agency in March on charges of planning attacks on shuls and other Jewish sites on behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS). The suspects, identified as residents of Tyresö, a suburb southeast of Stockholm, allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS’s Somali branch. Local media reported that they acquired a weapon at a “basement mosque” near their home. The older brother, 25, was allegedly tasked with recruiting terrorists to carry out mass killings of “infidels.” In February, he reportedly attempted to travel to Somalia to join ISIS but was stopped in Turkey and sent back after raising suspicions with his one-way ticket.

Classified documents revealed by Sky News Arabia on Wednesday indicate that Israel maintained a direct communication channel with ex-Syrian President Bashar Assad and his army through an Israeli agent nicknamed “Musa” or “Moses.” The report is based on documents discovered after the fall of the Assad regime and published on social media. The documents’ authenticity has not been verified but the documents bear the Assad military emblem and appear to have been written by top military officers. According to the documents, “Musa” transmitted messages from political figures in Israel directly to former Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas and from him to Assad’s former national security advisor Ali Mamlouk.

A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks, sparking speculation and concern over who sent them and why. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft. The FBI is among several agencies investigating, and it has asked residents to share videos, photos and other information they may have about the drones. What has been seen in New Jersey? Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones in New Jersey starting in November.