The enforcement department of Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority recently detained a non-Jewish citizen of Colombia who was dressed like a Chareidi Jew in Petach Tikvah. The man entered Israel in 2019 on a three-month tourist visa and has been illegally residing in Israel ever since. He submitted an asylum application in 2020 which was rejected but he continued to stay in Israel illegally. He later also submitted a request for humanitarian status, which was also denied. An investigation revealed that the man dresses in Chareidi garb, attends shul and has even been called to the Torah. The Authority is taking steps to deport him from Israel as soon as possible. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The author Ruti Kepler, the daughter of the Rosh Yeshivah of Mosdos Pnei Menachem, HaGaon HaRav Shaul Atlar, was stabbed by a mentally unbalanced individual on Thursday. The incident occurred on Rechov Rashi in the Chareidi neighborhood of Mekor Baruch of Jerusalem. The man [who was unaware of the woman’s identity] approached her with a knife. She tried to fight back but he managed to stab her on her chin. Hatzlalah volunteers who were called to the scene administered emergency medical aid and evacuated her to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in light condition. The perpetrator was arrested by the police.   (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The Islamic Republic suffered devastating blows since the October 7 massacre –  the decimation of their closest proxy, Hezbollah, followed by the fall of their ally Bashar Assad in Syria, the loss of Syrian territory as a route to rearm Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the subsequent refusal of their proxies in Iraq to continue aiding Iran and carry out attacks on Israel. Iranian leaders downplayed the importance of the fall of the Assad regime but Iran’s former top general in Syria broke with the party line and spoke candidly about Iran’s losses in a speech last week, the New York Times reported. An audio recording of the speech, delivered by Brig. Gen. Behrouz Esbati at a mosque in Tehran, was leaked to Iranian media and opposition outlets this week.

The Shin Bet announced on Thursday that an Israeli-Arab who was planning to carry out a major suicide bombing in Israel was arrested by the Shin Bet and Border Police. The suspect, Mahmoud Hussein Mohammad Boshqar, 37, is a resident of the Israeli-Arab town of Kabul in northern Israel and the son of an Arab from the Palestinian Authority. During his interrogation, Boshqar admitted that he had begun preparing for the attack by reading material on how to manufacture explosives, purchasing equipment, and manufacturing explosives and a pipe bomb. His next step was to prepare an explosive suicide belt to use in a major terror attack. He also tried (unsuccessfully) to enlist two others to assist him in carrying out the attack.

Polish President Andrzej Duda is urging his government to ensure Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu won’t be arrested so he can enter the country for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. Polish media outlets reported last month that Netanyahu will not attend the ceremony due to fears of arrest in the wake of the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2024. Following the ICC’s announcement, Deputy Polish Foreign Minister Władysław Bartoszewski, who is overseeing the January 27 ceremony, stressed Poland’s obligation to adhere to ICC decisions. “We are obligated to respect the decisions of the ICC,” Bartoszewski said.

As left-wing media outlets claim that numerous Israelis have left the country in recent years, first due to the so-called threat of a “judicial revolution” and then the very real threat of Israel’s bloodthirsty enemies post-October 7, hundreds of doctors have made aliyah over the past year. The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, in collaboration with the Nefesh B’Nefesh organization, the Jewish Agency, and the Ministry of the Negev, Galil, and National Resilience, held a conference on Tuesday for doctors who made aliyah in the past year from various countries.

Yuval Vagdani, the IDF soldier who was targeted by the antisemitic terror-supporting Hind Rajab Foundation in Brazil, returned to Israel on Wednesday. In his first interview in Israel with Kan, Vagdani said: “I’m okay, a bit down, kind of feels like a stab to my heart. I had planned this trip for four years. I was supposed to fly in January 2024 and that didn’t work out.” Vagdani, a survivor of the Nova massacre and a reservist, landed in Brazil on December 24. “After a period of reserve duty and after being in Nova, I wanted my dream trip. I was in the best place of my life with my friends. I thanked Hashem for every moment there.” Everything changed on January 4.

The IDF’s push to recruit Charedi men into special military tracks has failed miserably thus far, with only 338 out of 10,000 eligible Charedi men joining the military since July, the army announced Tuesday. This marks a compliance rate of less than 3%—a steep drop from the 10% seen in the summer’s initial batch of 3,000 summons. The IDF’s target for 2024 was to enlist an additional 3,000 Charedi men, bringing the annual total to 4,800 draftees. Even if achieved, this would leave 60,000 to 80,000 eligible men unconscripted, but would represent progress – at least in the IDF’s view.

At least two people are dead and many more injured as several fires broke out across Southern California amid historically dry and windy conditions. Tens of thousands were evacuated as more than 5,000 acres burned in the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles. The Eaton Fire — which broke out miles away from the Palisades Fire, in Altadena, California — had grown to 2,227 acres with 0% containment. The Hurst Fire, meanwhile, erupted and spread northeast of San Fernando, California, burning at least 500 acres. California officials urged residents to follow evacuation orders to keep themselves and first responders out of danger as the fires continue to grow.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of the Viznitzer Rebbetzin of Monsey, Rebbetzin Miriam Hager A”H, at the age of 72. She was Niftar on Wednesday morning at Mount Sinai Hospital. Rebbetzin Hager A”H, a pillar of the Monsey community, was the daughter of Harav Eluzer Meisels of Uhel ZT”L. She was part of a distinguished family, with three brothers serving as Admorim and Rabbonim, and two sisters as respected Rebbetzins. Despite battling multiple sclerosis for more than 25 years, Rebbetzin Hager exemplified unwavering devotion and strength. She attended shul and family simchas with remarkable Mesiras Nefesh, inspiring countless individuals with her resilience and faith. The Rebbetzin leaves behind a legacy of dedication to her family and community.