After almost a month in office, President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke tonight The conversation lasted for approximately one hour. A statement from the Prime Minister’s office provided to YWN follows: “The conversation was very warm and friendly and continued for approximately one hour. The two leaders noted their longstanding personal connection and said that they would work together to continue strengthening the steadfast alliance between Israel and the US. US President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed the future advancement of the peace accords, the Iranian threat and regional challenges, and agreed to continue their dialogue.

Israel and Syria are involved in intensive negotiations on a prisoner swap deal, hoping to exchange an Israeli young woman who mistakenly entered Syrian territory for two residents of the Israeli Golan Heights serving time in Israeli jails. Senior Israeli officials, including National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat and the government coordinator for prisoners and missing persons Yaron Blum, traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to continue negotiations. Syria will free an Israeli woman “who entered Syrian territory by mistake…and was arrested by the relevant Syrian authorities,” Syrian state media reported on Wednesday. According to Israeli media reports, the Israeli is 25-year-old from Modiin Illit with a Chareidi background.

NY Governor Cuomo says summer camps can plan on reopening this summer. Cuomo made the announcement at Wednesday’s press conference. “As of now, overnight summer camps can plan on reopening. That doesn’t happen until June and we hope the current trajectory stay until June 1. We’re keeping an eye on these variants of interest, but they can plan on reopening.” Beginning March 26th, indoor family entertainment centers can reopen, Cuomo says. Outdoor amusement parks can reopen on April 9. DEVEOPING STORY

In the wake of a sudden notice from the Australian government last week about an impending lockdown in Melbourne beginning on Friday at midnight, three frum families decided to move up their children’s wedding until erev Shabbos, with one wedding taking place on the beach. One set of mechutanim sent the following letter to the members of their community. “Last Friday, after the lockdown was announced, our children made the choice to get married that afternoon, rather than wait until weddings would be allowed again.” “We chose to invite the whole ‏קהילה to the wedding, so that everyone could experience this unusual wedding, and be given the opportunity to be ‏משמח חתן וכלה.” “We are forever grateful for the way in which the ‏קהילה responded to this.

Jerusalem children spent the day Wednesday in excited anticipation for a rare snowstorm in the capital city, although some of the excitement was lost due to a “snow day” from school just being another day at home during the pandemic The abrupt change from almost summer-like weather, which Jerusalem has enjoyed for weeks, began on Tuesday night, when temperatures began to drop and heavy rain began falling throughout the country. Israel’s coast had heavy overnight rainstorms and snow began falling in northern Israel in the early hours of Wednesday morning, blanketing areas of Ramat HaGolan and the Upper Galil. The Golan Heights had more snow by Wednesday afternoon than it’s had in years and at least nine highways in northern Israel were blocked to traffic.

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yehudah Yaroslavsky, the Av Beis Din of the Chabad Beis Din in Israel, announced on Tuesday that only those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from the coronavirus will be allowed into Chabad shuls. In a letter published on Tuesday, the Rav wrote that anyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated and doesn’t have documentation that they recovered from the coronavirus must continue davening only in outside minyanim and it’s forbidden for them to enter regular shuls. “Everyone is obligated to be vaccinated and no one should chalilah take this lightly,” the Rav wrote. In response to the many questions he received on the matter, HaRav Yaroslavsky responded sharply: “The necessity to be vaccinated is not optional but obligatory according to the Torah.

Following the release of letters from the Rabbonim of Lakewood and Rabbonim of Los Angeles, the Rabbonim of Chicago have also released a letter ahead of Purim. The Rabbonim are requesting that no one travel to Chicago to collect as they do every Purim, and even Yeshiva Bochrim who are in Chicago, should refrain from doing so this year. The letter follows: L’chavod Roshei Yeshiva shlit”a and Roshei Mosdos shlit”a, Purim is around the corner and we all turn our eyes to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for Him to protect us from all difficulty and distress and to send bracha and hatzlacha to all our endeavors. We all understand the need to strengthen the sustainability of our Torah and chesed institutions, especially in trying times like these.

Chief Rabbi HaRav Dovid Lau, who also serves as the Nasi of the Beis Din HaGadol, suspended a dayan on Tuesday due to the fact that he refused to be vaccinated. “HaRav Lau believes that it is obligatory for all dayanim to be vaccinated, and as long as it is legally viable, dayanim who are not vaccinated cannot serve in their positions and endanger those who use the Beis Din,” a statement from Rav Lau’s office said. The dayan served on the Beis Din responsible for the giyur of IDF soldiers. Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Tuesday morning that by the end of the day, four million Israelis will be vaccinated with at least the first dose of the vaccine. As of Tuesday morning, 2,612,000 Israelis had received both doses of the vaccine. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The following statement by Former Presidet Trump was released moments ago: The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political “leaders” like Sen. Mitch McConnell at its helm. McConnell’s dedication to business as usual, status quo policies, together with his lack of political insight, wisdom, skill, and personality, has rapidly driven him from Majority Leader to Minority Leader, and it will only get worse. The Democrats and Chuck Schumer play McConnell like a fiddle—they’ve never had it so good—and they want to keep it that way! We know our America First agenda is a winner, not McConnell’s Beltway First agenda or Biden’s America Last. In 2020, I received the most votes of any sitting President in history, almost 75,000,000.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki addressed questions at today’s press conference, regarding the fact that President Joe Biden has yet to call Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, which has raised some eyebrows in Israel and America. “His first call with a leader in the region will be with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Psaki says. “It will be place soon, I don’t have an exact date for you, but it will be soon. Stay tuned,” she says. “Israel is of course an ally. Israel is a country where we have an important strategic security relationship. Our team is fully engaged, not at the head of state level quite yet, but very soon. But our team is fully engaged, having constant conversations at many levels with the Israelis.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)