Rabbi Mendy Piekarski and Rabbi Dovid Weiss join Katy Tur on MSNBC to share their experience evacuating from the California wildfires and to discuss how they are still going to have services to help their community come together. CLICK HERE TO DONATE  CLICK HERE TO DONATE As wildfires ravage Los Angeles, thousands of Jewish families have been forced to evacuate, leaving behind homes, memories, and a sense of safety. In this chaos, Chabad is on the front lines, providing hope and lifesaving support. From the moment the fires began spreading, our rabbis and volunteers took action—extinguishing flames, checking homes, and delivering relief where it’s needed most. We’ve opened the Chabad House as a refuge, ensuring no one is left without shelter, food, or support.

Luai Ahmed, 30, grew up in Yemen, where he was taught from a young age, or “brainwashed” as he describes it to hate Jews and Israel. When he was 20, he fled from Yemen to Sweden after Al-Queda threatened his family due to the work of his mother, Amal Basha, a peace and women’s rights activist. In Sweden, he met an Israeli for the first time in his life, later describing how due to the brainwashing he received as a child against Jews and Israelis, he felt “his hair standing on end” when he realized he was looking at “the creature” called an Israeli and Jew. He later met other Jews and Israelis in Sweden and began realizing that he had been fed a pack of lies. A writer and a successful social media influencer, Ahmad decided to dedicate his career to fighting antisemitism.

The IDF carried out intelligence-based strikes on Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon in response to threats against Israeli civilians and troops. The operation, coordinated through the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, targeted a rocket launcher, a military site, and weapon-smuggling routes along the Syria-Lebanon border. According to Israeli Army Radio, tonight’s strikes in southern Lebanon targeted Hezbollah weapons depots and multiple border crossings between Syria and Lebanon. Reports suggest the action was taken after Israel urged the Lebanese Army to address the situation, but no action was taken. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A devastating five-alarm fire broke out early Friday at a Bronx apartment building, leaving at least seven people injured. Firefighters rushed to the scene at 2910 Wallace Avenue, a six-story residential building in the East Bronx, shortly after 1:40 a.m. Dramatic footage captured flames pouring from the roof as the blaze consumed the structure. The FDNY gave the following statement to the media: “We arrived here a little after 1:45 this morning. We found fire in the ceiling above the top floor, between the ceiling and the underside of the roof that’s called the cockloft. It’s an open area for the entire length and width of the building. This building is about 200 feet wide, about 100 feet deep, and we had fire throughout that cockloft.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, known for his flair for political theatrics, found himself in a cringe-worthy viral moment Thursday when he appeared to fake a phone call with President Joe Biden to escape an angry Los Angeles resident amid ongoing wildfires. In a video captured by Sky News, Newsom was confronted by Rachel Darvish, a resident displaced by the fires, who demanded answers about the state’s response. “Governor, you got a second? Governor! I live here, governor! That was my daughter’s school, governor!” she shouted as she approached him. Newsom, clearly in a bind, pointed to his phone and declared, “I’m literally talking to the president right now.” He added that the “call” was specifically to address what could be done for her and her daughter.

A dramatic confrontation erupted Thursday night in the heart of Bnei Brak as Major General David Zini, a high-ranking IDF, found himself ensnared in a volatile encounter with members of Peleg Yerushalmi incensed over the IDF’s conscription of yeshiva bochurim. Major General Zini, who has served with distinction in various capacities within the IDF, including as head of the Training Command and General Staff Corps , was visiting Bnei Brak to meet with local figures and bond over Thursday night cholent. His presence did not go unnoticed. A member of Peleg Yerushalmi recognized the general and quickly mobilized fellow protesters. Within minutes, over a hundred demonstrators converged on the location, their voices rising in angry chants against the IDF and its efforts to draft Charedi men.

Former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump were seen sharing smiles and laughter Thursday at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, but their lighthearted demeanor masked a more serious conversation, a professional lip reader revealed to the NY Post. Jeremy Freeman, a forensic lip reader based in London, told The Post that Trump, 78, and Obama, 63, appeared to discuss “a matter of importance” as they sat side by side in the pews. “I can’t talk, we have to find a quiet place sometime,” Trump reportedly told Obama, adding, “This is a matter of importance and we need to do this outside so that we can deal with it, certainly, today.” Obama nodded in agreement.

On the opening day of New York State’s legislative session, newly elected Assemblyman Aron Wieder of the 97th District was officially sworn into office, marking the beginning of his term as a representative for Rockland County. Following the swearing-in, Wieder embraced the opportunity to connect with fellow lawmakers on the Assembly floor, fostering relationships across party lines. During his first walk around the chamber, Wieder struck up a conversation with Republican Assemblyman Scott Bendett, who introduced himself with a touch of humor as a “Jewbilly,” describing himself as a Jewish hillbilly living in the countryside. The friendly exchange quickly evolved into a deeper discussion about Jewish traditions.

At least five 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 15,000 acres burned in the uncontrolled Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles. The fire has destroyed at least 300 structures, with over 13,300 others at risk. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire — which broke out miles away from the Palisades Fire, in Altadena — has grown to more than 10,000 acres with 0% containment. Another blaze, the Hurst Fire, has also erupted and spread northeast of San Fernando, burning at least 700 acres. In Sepulveda Basin, the Woodley Fire has burned 30 acres, and the Lidia Fire has burned 50 acres in Acton.

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.