Hamas marked its 33rd birthday on Monday and the IDF arranged a special present for the terror organization. The gift “wrapped up” some facts about Hamas, including the fact that Iran supplies Hamas with about $80 million every year, which Hamas uses to wage terror in Israel by firing rockets, launching explosive balloons, attempting infiltrations and building terror tunnels. Meanwhile, as Hamas uses all funds sent its way for nefarious purposes, it ignores the suffering of its 2.2 million citizens living in dire poverty and lacking adequate civilian and medical services. 33 years of Hamas… is 33 years too many.

Hundreds of thousands of Covid-19 Coronavirus vaccines have already landed in Israel, millions more are expected to arrive by the end of the month. On the streets of Charedi communities, debates rage as to whether or not to get vaccinated. According to reports in both Kikar HaShabbat and BChadrei Charedim, the arguments within the Charedi community supporting the idea to not receive the vaccination is growing stronger. According to reports in the Israeli media, many people have begun approaching their rabbis in order to hear what Da’as Torah has to say with regard to the vaccination.

Mourning engulfed the Torah world on the news of the petira of HaRav Avraham Wolfson, z’tl, one of the greatest Torah supporters and ba’alei tzedaka of this generation, overnight Monday at the age of 70. Rav Avraham suffered a heart attack eight months ago and his medical condition has been precarious ever since. More recently he contracted the coronavirus and a month ago, he was hospitalized and sedated and ventilated. The niftar, the son of Reb Zev Wolfson, z’l, the founder of the Wolfson Foundation, resided in Flatbush, where he opened his home to host countless Roshei Yeshivah and other guests who came to the States to fundraise or for other purposes.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell officially recognizes Joe Biden’s election victory after the Electoral College voted yesterday. Speaking on the Senate floor, McConnell said, “As of this morning, our country officially has a president-elect and a vice president elect.” Today I want to congratulate president-elect Joe Biden.” McConnell is the most prominent Republican to concede that President Trump lost the November election and congratulate Biden on his victory. Most Republicans on Capitol Hill have refused to acknowledge that Biden had won given Trump’s extended legal battle contesting the elections results.

On Monday evening, Jews worldwide will light the fifth Chanukah flame, the night that HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky is noheig to distribute damei Chanukah to children. The weekly pamphlet ‘דברי שי”ח,’ which publishes HaRav Chaim’s Torah, explains why HaRav Chaim distributes damei Chanukah, Kikar H’Shabbos reported. The pamphlet states that the source is that it’s brought in the pessukim to give tzedaka to poor people on Chanukah. But since poor people are embarrassed to request tzedaka, they would send their children. In order not to embarrass the children, people were noheig to distribute money to all the children and this is how HaRav Chaim’s father, the Steipler, z’tl, was noheig.

The Electoral College gave Joe Biden a solid majority of its votes Monday, confirming his victory in last month’s election in state-by-state voting that took on added importance this year because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede he lost. California’s 55 electoral votes put Biden over the top, clearing the 270-vote mark that affirmed he will be the nation’s next president. Heightened security was in place in some states as electors met on the day established by federal law. Electors cast paper ballots in gatherings that took place in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with masks, social distancing and other virus precautions the order of the day. The results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan.

Attorney General William Barr, one of President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies, is resigning amid lingering tension with the president over the president’s baseless claims of election fraud and the investigation into president-elect Joe Biden’s son. Barr went to the White House on Monday, where Trump said he submitted his letter of resignation. “As per letter, Bill will be leaving just before Christmas to spend the holidays with his family,” Trump tweeted. Trump has publicly expressed his anger about Barr’s statement to The Associated Press earlier this month that the Justice Department had found no widespread election fraud that would change the outcome of the election.

A Ukrainian nationalist videoed himself toppling over a huge communal menorah in Kyiv on Thursday while shouting anti-Semitic statements and posted the video online. “To Ukrainians the power. The Jews to the grave,” shouted the Ukrainian, who was later identifed as Andrey Rachov. “I want to show everyone how to treat foreigners who are occupying and taking over the country,” he said on the video, which quickly spread on social media. “Ukrainians – the power, Jews – to the graves”, says Ukrainian nationalist Andriy Rachkov and overthrow Chanukah lamp in the downtown Kiev. pic.twitter.com/O0FcxGxTUB — Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky) December 11, 2020 The incident is being investigated by the police.

Hagaon HaRav Shmuel Kaminetzky, the Philadelphia Rosh Yeshiva, has released a letter stating that he was never asked anything about a COVID vaccine. HaRav Kaminetzky released the letter in response to a false Kol Koreh widely disseminated in his and the names of other Gedolim. The Rosh Yeshiva writes that everyone should consult with their own doctor and follow their instructions. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday said that a “full shutdown” is possible in the coming weeks, a decision he said the state would ultimately decide, as infections continues to rise. “We’re seeing the kind of level of infection with the coronavirus we haven’t seen since May and we have got to stop that momentum — or else, our hospital system will be threatened,” de Blasio said on CNN. “This kind of momentum that the disease has right now? We’ve got to stop it. We’ve got to stop it before it causes too much damage, too much pain,” he continued. “And we have to stop it to give time for the vaccine to really be properly distributed.” And if this momentum doesn’t stop?