A 96-year-old World War II veteran who had not merited to receive his bris at its proper time, finally had the procedure performed at the Chabad-led Jewish Russian Community Center (JRCC) of Willowdale in Toronto last Thursday evening. Armin Konn was born in a Ukrainian village in 1926 and raised under the existing oppressive communist regime. As a teenager, he fought against the Nazis alongside other partisans in 1942-43 before joining the Red Army’s Air Force. In 1944, his plane was shot down over Lithuania. He was captured and placed in a Nazi prison camp, where he spent the remainder of the war. At his Thursday bris, he likely became the oldest person since Avraham Avinu to receive his bris milah. And like his forefather, he too was named Avraham.

Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper has been suspended after uttering what sounded like a racial slur while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. NBC Sports California said in a statement Saturday that Kuiper will remain off the air until a review of what happened during Friday night’s broadcast is completed. In a pregame segment on NBC Sports California before the A’s played the Kansas City Royals on Friday night, Kuiper talked about a trip to the museum with colleague Dallas Braden but seemingly mispronounced the word “negro,” making it sound instead like a slur. For those asking why Glen Kuiper just made an on-air apology, here's why.

A fire early Sunday morning tore through multiple bungalows at Tolaas Yaakov Bungalow Colony in Swan Lake the Catskills – across the street from Apple’s Bungalow Colony Fire crews responding to the scene on Old White Lake Turnpike were overwhelmed by the flames and requested mutual aid from neighboring townships. The blaze was eventually tamped down, but not before several bungalows were completely destroyed. Sources tell YWN that at least 10 bungalows were destroyed. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A large number of American yeshivah bochurim gathered at the Kosel on Friday to daven for the refuah sheleimah of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky. HaRav Kamentsky, 98, suffered a stroke on Monday and was evacuated to a hospital in Philadephia. His cognitive skills remain intact but his motor skills were affected. On Friday, the Rosh Yeshivah was transferred to a rehabilitation center. The public is asked to continue davening for the refuah sheleimah of HaRav Shmuel ben Itta Ettel b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

King Charles III was crowned Saturday at Westminster Abbey, in a coronation ceremony steeped in ancient ritual and brimming with bling at a time when the monarchy is striving to remain relevant in a fractured modern Britain. In displays of royal power straight out of the Middle Ages, Charles was presented with an orb, a sword and scepter and had the solid gold, bejeweled St. Edward’s Crown placed atop his head as he sat upon the 700-year-old oak Coronation Chair.

A stunningly beautiful Pesach seder was held last week in Brooklyn, replete with joyous singing and dancing. No, this article wasn’t written a month late. On Thursday night, Pesach Sheini, The Tantzers organized a full-fledged Pesach seder for people who, due to medical situations, were unable to have a Pesach seder last month. The seder was indistinguishable from a regular one. The men dressed in kittelach and children recited mah nishtana; the 4 cups of wine were imbibed by all; the merry sounds of Hallel and Nirtzah could be heard late into the night.

On the morning of his bar mitzvah, a student of the Pnei Menachem Cheder was walking in the streets of Yerushalayim with his friends. Happy and excited after davening his first shacharis, he headed to the Cheder on Rechov Rashi. Unfortunately, some mischievous boys were lying in ambush for them, armed with bottles of spoiled milk specially prepared for just such an occasion. As the Bar Mitzvah bachur and his friends passed by, they were liberally doused with the smelly milk by the rowdy bunch of boys who ran away laughing and taunting the poor bachur. Needless to say, the Bar Mitzvah bachur’s feelings were terribly hurt, and his joy was dashed, but worst of all, his brand-new hat was completely ruined!

A fascinating video published on Palestinian social media shows Yamam counterterrorism officers entering the Shechem kasbah disguised as Arab women on Thursday morning. Israeli security forces entered Shechem to carry out the operation in which the terrorists who killed three members of the Dee family, H’yd, were eliminated. Israel Police also published headcam footage of the operation, in which Yamam officers can be seen throwing grenades at the building where the terrorists were hiding. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Leftists protested throughout the country on Thursday as part of the National Equality Day against Chareidim and National Disruption Day against the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Unlike previous protests that focused mainly on judicial reform and Chareidim, the “protests” on Thursday were against an eclectic variety of issues, including discrimination against women and Arabs, the high rate of murder and violence in Arab society, and the soaring cost of living. Protests began early in the morning and are scheduled to take place through the evening.

Former President Donald Trump is considering skipping the 2024 GOP primary debates – not because he has a huge lead and doesn’t need them, but because he’s terrified that his opponents will shred him, according to former top confidant Chris Christie. “I’m sorry to see that Donald Trump feels like if he gets on the stage, he’s at risk of losing his lead,” Christie said on conservative Hugh Hewitt’s radio program. “If, in fact, his ideas are so great, if his leadership is so outstanding, then his lead will only increase if he gets on the stage, not decrease. But obviously, he’s afraid,” Christie said. “He’s afraid to get on the stage against people who are serious.