Communications Miniter Shomo Karhi (Likud), who landed in Saudi Arabia on Monday evening, Chol Hamoed Sukkos, to attend an international conference, davened Shacharis on Tuesday morning in the kingdom with a minyan with a Sefer Torah and arba minim. Karhi, who is Shomer Torah V’Mitzvos, brought along his set of arba minim. The minyan was comprised of members of the Israeli delegation and three Jews who were in Riyadh for Sukkos. The Sefer Torah was provided by a “local Jew,” Karhi’s spokesperson said.

The Monsey Fire Department deployed numerous resources on Monday – but not for a fire. Instead, the response was for an intentional spill of foul-smelling sludge at the site of the planned Chabad Simchas Bais HaShoeiva at Monsey’s Park & Ride. The culprits? The notorious malcontents from the extremist “Neturei Karta” sect, who annually protest Chabad’s simchas bais hashoeiva at the site. As first reported by Monsey Scoop, Neturei Karta attempted to sabotage the event this year by spilling odorous chemicals at the Park & Ride, making the area unusable. Thankfully, despite Neturei Karta’s sickening move, the event will go on, thanks to the Monsey Fire Department and Town of Ramapo Highway Department.

Israel’s conservative Channel 14 built a large and elaborate sukkah in the studio’s parking lot in order to broadcast its programs there during Sukkos. However, when the show’s most popular program, The Patriots, began, leftists protested outside the sukkah and made so much noise that the show had to be moved inside. The deafening noise began just as panel member Yedidya Meir recited the Ushpizin tefillah. In response to the protest, show host Yinon Magal said: “Today, there’s one channel in the media that doesn’t think as they do and they’re trying to silence us. That’s Bolshevism. They won’t silence us.

Over 50,000 people flocked to the Kosel on Monday morning, the second day of Chol Hamoed in Eretz Yisrael, for Birchas Kohanim. Due to the great demand, another Birchas Kohanim ceremony will be held on Wednesday morning. Like every year, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation erected Sukkos at the Kosel plaza for the benefit of the public and one of them has a set of arba minim in it for public use. Hundreds of police officers, Border Guard officers, and volunteers have been deployed throughout Jerusalem, with an emphasis on the Old City area, to ensure visitors’ safety throughout Sukkos.   (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

An Eritrean national was stabbed to death and at least eight others were injured in violent clashes in the city of Netanya on Motzei Shabbos. The murder occurred only days after an Eritrean was murdered in Tel Aviv in a similar brawl and less than a month after 170 were injured in hours-long violent clashes among Eritreans in Tel Aviv after a protest spun out of control. Following the incident, National Security Minister Ben-Gvir stated that “suspects in murder cases will be subject to administrative arrest. As far as I’m concerned, they need to be deported, but if the Supreme Court doesn’t allow it, let the rioters sit in jail.” Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said: “We won’t leave a stone unturned and we won’t close our eyes until we bring those responsible to justice.

President Joe Biden’s campaign has unveiled its initial advertisement taking direct aim at former President Donald Trump in the run-up to the 2024 presidential showdown. Dubbed “Delivers,” this 30-second advertisement, slated for national cable broadcasting and local TV channels in Michigan, critiques Trump on several fronts. These include his tax strategies, the shutting down of manufacturing plants, and purportedly unfulfilled job restoration pledges. Highlighting the inconsistency between Trump’s promises and actions, the advertisement comments, “He says he stands with autoworkers but as president, Donald Trump passed tax breaks for his rich friends while automakers closed their plants, and Michigan faced a decline in manufacturing jobs.

The Supreme Court on Thursday held a second hearing on petitions against the Incapacitation Law, passed as an amendment to a Basic Law in March. Israel’s Basic Laws have never been struck down by the court and the majority of legal scholars believe the Supreme Court does not have the authority to do so. The Supreme Court held a first hearing on the law in August and then issued a temporary injunction against the implementation of the law. Justice Minister Yariv Levin on Thursday slammed the fact that such a hearing is even taking. “The hearing that is taking place today in court is in actuality a hearing on the revocation of the election results.

Chassidish music superstar Motty Steinmetz released a new song on Motzei Yom Kippur based on the words in Yayikrah: “למען ידעו דורותיכם כי בסוכות הושבתי את בני ישראל”. The song was composed by Reb Yitzchak Unger and arranged and produced by Eli Klein and Yitzy Berry. “In honor of Sukkos, Motty and his friends from the Neshama choir, under the direction of Itzik Filmer, worked to bring the Yom Tov atmosphere from Yerushalayim straight to your Sukkah,” the video description states. “The clip is full of simcha and provides a glimpse of the wonderous sukkah of the artist Reb Motti Greenwald.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Groups of teenagers swarmed into stores in several areas of Philadelphia, stuffing plastic bags with merchandise and fleeing, and police arrested 15 to 20 people, authorities said. The flash mob-style ransacking Tuesday night at stores, including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple in Center City, followed an earlier peaceful protest over a judge’s decision to dismiss murder and other charges against a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver, Eddie Irizarry, through a rolled-up window. However, the ransacking was not connected to the protest, Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said at a news conference. “What we had tonight was a bunch of criminal opportunists take advantage of a situation and make an attempt to destroy our city,” he said.

A serious bus accident occurred on Route 38 near Beit Shemesh late Wednesday afternoon when a bus overturned. Paramedics are administering medical aid at the scene to about 15 victims, which include a number of children. At least two victims were seriously injured. Police forces have closed off the scene of the accident and traffic inspectors have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident. This is a developing story. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)