A new poll by the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI) reveals that President-elect Donald Trump garnered modest gains among Jewish voters in the 2024 presidential election compared to his performance in 2020. The survey, conducted between October 30 and November 8, showed Vice President Kamala Harris receiving 71% of the Jewish vote to Trump’s 26%. “Jewish voters continue to support Democratic candidates by a substantial margin, while Republicans have made modest gains in recent cycles,” JEI stated. The Democratic Party’s performance among Jewish voters in 2024 marked its weakest showing since 2012, with declines ranging from 4 to 11 percentage points over the last decade, depending on the survey.

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump and former senior White House adviser, is reportedly set to have a significant, albeit unofficial, role in shaping U.S. Middle East policy during Trump’s second term. Despite not holding a formal position within the administration, Kushner’s established relationships in the region could make him a central figure in diplomatic efforts, according to a CNN report on Friday. Kushner’s deep ties to Gulf leaders and Israeli officials, cultivated during Trump’s first term, have positioned him as a trusted intermediary. A Middle Eastern diplomat told CNN, “No one on the incoming team has what Jared has, and that is trust. Jared earned it, he didn’t have it at the beginning. He earned it.

Hamas political leaders have left Qatar and have moved to Turkey, Kan News reported on Sunday night, following reports earlier this month that Qatar has ordered Hamas leaders to leave the country. The report quoted an Israeli official who said that Hamas officials flew to Turkey “in recent days.” According to the report, the move is expected to affect negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who viciously turned against the Jewish state following October 7, told the media last week that Turkey has cut all ties with Israel. Prior to October 7, Erdogan had launched efforts to repair ties with Israel and under pressure from Jerusalem, took steps to expel members of Hamas’s military wing from the country.

The IDF announced that two soldiers were killed in combat this morning in the northern Gaza Strip. The fallen soldiers were identified as: Captain Yogev Pazy, 22, from Giv’ot Bar, who served as a platoon commander. Staff Sergeant Noam Eitan, 21, from Hadera. Both soldiers were members of the Kfir Brigade’s Nachshon Battalion. The IDF reported that another soldier from the same battalion sustained serious injuries during the incident and is currently receiving medical treatment. The IDF expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting them during this difficult time. Further details about the circumstances of the incident that caused the deaths were not immediately disclosed. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An Israeli airstrike in central Beirut targeted a building in the Ras al-Naba’a neighborhood, killing Hezbollah’s media relations chief, Mohammed Afif. The information was confirmed by two Lebanese security sources to Reuters. The strike, which occurred outside Hezbollah’s traditional stronghold in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, marks a significant shift in Israel’s targeting strategy. The densely populated Ras al-Naba’a neighborhood is not typically associated with Hezbollah activity, making the attack particularly striking. According to the sources, the IDF carried out the operation without issuing any prior evacuation warnings, a move that deviates from its usual protocol in such strikes.

The IDF sent 1,000 of 7,000 draft orders to Bnei Yeshivos on Sunday following Attorney-General Gali Baharav Miara’s order last week. The Chareidi Yated Ne-eman newspaper published a front-page article reiterating the instructions of the Gedolim to bnei yeshivos to ignore the draft orders. The article stated that bnei yeshivos “should act according to the instructions in HaGaon HaRav Landau’s letter and as was clarified in a chizzuk talk at Yeshivas Mir: ‘The matter is clear.

It is with deep regret that YWN informs you of the petirah of Harav Refoel Yehoshua Halevi Kalish zt”l, a mammoth talmid chochom, beloved rav of the Harborview Bais Medrash in Lawrence, NY, and longtime R”M at Yeshiva Derech Ayson in Far Rockaway. He was around 80 years old. A musmach of Bais Medrash Govoha, Rav Yehoshua zt”l, inspired countless others simply by his example. An extraordinary masmid – known for finishing Shas yearly and a gemara being with him at every waking moment – he exuded the air of a true ben torah, thereby influencing those around him to increase their limud hatorah and maximize every moment they had. He also delivered many shiurim every week, including daf yomi at Shaarei Tefillah of Lawrence. Levaya details will be published when they become available.

Israeli authorities have launched a criminal investigation after two flares were fired at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea on Saturday. The flares landed in the yard, causing no damage or injuries. Police confirmed that Netanyahu and his family were not at home during the incident. The act has drawn widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum. Opposition leader Yair Lapid and National Unity chairman Benny Gantz called for swift action, urging law enforcement to hold the perpetrators accountable. President Isaac Herzog labeled the attack “a highly dangerous incident, which I strongly condemn,” adding that he had spoken with the Shin Bet chief to stress the urgency of the investigation.

President-elect Donald Trump plans to implement “maximum pressure” sanctions on the Islamic Republic to financially bankrupt it and paralyze its funding of its terror proxies, the Financial Times reported. According to the report, Trump’s transition team is already preparing a plan to target Iran, and the sanctions may be issued on his first day in office. Trump particularly wants to target Iran’s oil exports, aiming to decrease their current oil exports of 1.5 million barrels a day to 400,000 a day. “He’s determined to reinstitute a maximum pressure strategy to bankrupt Iran as soon as possible,” a national security expert familiar with the Trump transition team said.

The IDF on Motzei Shabbos announced that an IDF soldier fell in battle in southern Lebanon on Friday. He was named as Sgt. Ori Nisanovich, H’yd, 21, from Jerusalem. He fought in the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion. Nisanovich attended the Avinoam-Evyatar Yeshiva. His death increases the death toll of IDF soldiers since the start of the war to 795. (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)