“In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the State of California, in the City of Los Angeles, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith.”
So begins an Aug. 13 order from Mark Scarsi, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

At the request of the mayor of Yerushalayim Moshe Lion, five senior Rabbanim published a video with Arabic subtitles calling on Jews not to visit Har Habayis.
The video featured HaRav Yitzchak Yosef, HaRav Simcha Rabinovich, HaRav Avigdor Neventzal, HaRav Shmuel Betzalel, and HaRav Dovid Cohen.
Reportedly security officials asked for the video to be created.
Most Poskim, including the Rabbanut, hold it is forbidden for Jews to visit Har Habayis, out of fear they will be Over the Issur entering areas of greater Kedusha while Tameh. However there are some Rabbanim who hold entry to some outer areas of Har Habayis is allowed, including former Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren zt’l, who put together a map of where to go and which areas on Har Habayis to avoid.

In an event that brought tears to the eyes of all who attended, a solemn levayah was held on Erev Tisha B’Av for over 200 pairs of tefillin and numerous seforim that were tragically destroyed in a devastating fire at Camp Chaveirim, located within Camp Maaminim in the Catskills.
The kevurah took place today, on Tisha B’Av itself.
The fire, which erupted suddenly and swiftly engulfed the beis medrash, reduced the sacred items to ashes. The charred remains of the tefillin and seforim bore silent witness to the extent of the devastation, their once-sacred contents now unrecognizable.

Tens of thousands visited the Kosel Plaza over Tisha B’Av.
WATCH:

Earlier today, Yad Vashem’s Tisha B’av Zoom seminar was hacked by someone claiming to be from ISIS.
The zoom, which was attended by over 1,000 participants, featured speakers including Holocaust Survivor Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council, along with Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel.
During the zoom, a message appeared on the screen which said “Hacked by ISIS Organization of Iraq. Shut your computers down or close the meeting before we attack your computers!”
The message also included images of swastikas.
Yad Vashem said their IT team reacted swiftly, and stated a secondary platform to allow the seminar to continue.
(JNS)

An American-Israeli lone soldier who had recently returned to Israel to join the fight after the October 7 massacre unexpectedly passed away on Monday night due to a severe allergic reaction.
Sergeant Major Jordan Cooper, who moved to Israel in 2018 and served in the Nachal infantry brigade, had gone back to the United States after completing his service. However, following the Hamas attack, he returned to Israel to serve in the reserves, where he spent 200 days engaged in the Gaza war.
Tragically, Jordan died on Monday at the age of 26 due to an allergic reaction.

This evening, the of Tisha B’Av, MK Simcha Rothman, the Chairman of the Constitution Committee, and Eyal Nave, a co-founder of the Achim Laneshek organization (Brothers in Arms) submitted a mediation agreement to the court.
In the agreement Rothman withdrew his lawsuit against Nave which he filed after Nave claimed that Rothman had attacked him twice, while speaking publicly at a Reichman University panel.
In the mediation agreement Nave admitted Rothman did not attack him, although he did say he felt intimidated.

London based Mohel Rabbi Jonathan Abraham was arrested last month in Ireland for performing circumcisions on Muslims without a license.  Rabbi Abraham is an experienced Mohel who practices in England and all around Europe.
Rabbi Abraham has had to fight for his right to eat kosher food and daven with tefillin while in Irish prison.  Following a court hearing, the Irish prison authorities have agreed to “change their practices regarding the provision of kosher food to inmates.”

Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon, Chief Rabbi of Gush Etzion, Rosh Yeshiva of Machon Lev and Founder and Chairman of La’Ofek, has penned a new Kinnah for Tisha B’av this year, lamenting the events of the Simchas Torah massacre.
Rav Rimon stated: “This year, Tisha B’Av is especially difficult. There is the destruction that we always cry over, and there is our destruction that joins the larger destruction. But on the other hand, we have achieved special things. We come to this war, not out of weakness or lowliness. Am Yisrael has risen up. It is hard for us but we need to remember that within the hardship, we are living in incredible times and to know that we will win this war, with Hashem’s help.

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, has instructed his chassidim not to report to IDF Draft Offices at all.
During Seudah Shlishis at his vacation residence in England, where the Rebbe has been staying in recent weeks, he instructed not to report at all to draft offices. He conveyed this message to his close associates and family members who were with him, including the Rebbe of Vizhnitz-Beit Shemesh.