Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman, one of the architects of the government’s judicial reform plan, spoke on Sunday at a Book Week event in Tel Aviv, hours after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that he is advancing the reform as early as this week. He arrived at the event surrounded by security guards while leftist protesters engaged in their customary chant of “bushah, bushah.” Later, the protesters became violent and clashed with the police, who dispersed them by force. Rothman stated after the event: “I was happy to come to the opening of Book Week and meet a large audience of readers who want to develop independent thinking and a wealth of ideas. It’s funny that those who shout ‘democracy’ feel threatened and try to prevent people from reading books.

A video of a secular woman harassing a Chareidi man on a bus in Hod HaSharon went viral on Monday. Srulik Hirsch, who happens to be an IDF reserve officer and works as a lawyer in the Tel Aviv Prosecutor’s Office, was riding on the bus in Hod HaSharon, where he lives, when a secular woman began harassing him: “Why didn’t you serve in the army? All the Chareidim are parasites.” Hirsch answered back, saying: “Why do you assume that I didn’t serve in the army?” Woman: Because that’s what you look like. Hirsch: What makes me look that way? Because I’m wearing a kippah and a white shirt? Woman: Yes. You need to go to the army, you and your brothers. Hirsch: Well it’s simply unacceptable that you go around judging people. I served in the army.

An absolutely shocking video taken by a Rockland Hatzolah paramedic was submitted to YWN, showcasing a terrifying disregard for safety. As you watch the video below, notice not one, not two, but THREE children dangerously hanging on to one scooter in the middle of a Monsey road. Even worse? Not ONE of them was wearing a helmet. But it gets worse. When confronted by the Hatzolah member – who identified himself – they laughed him off and proceeded to continue driving in middle of the road. The number of accidents with people riding scooters has skyrocketed. Hatzolah members in all neighborhoods have been responding to incidents involving scooters every day. Many of those incidents resulted in serious and critical head injuries.

Assistant US Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf arrived in Israel over the weekend and will meet with senior officials in Israel in the coming days amid reports of an imminent US-Iranian “understanding” on the latter’s nuclear program.

The Rachmastrivka Rebbe visited the Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shternbuch last week to consult with him on various issues. At the start of the visit, HaRav Shternbuch said to the Rebbe: “The whole world is familiar with your deeds.” The Rebbe responded with his typical humility, “May HaKadosh Baruch Hu help us to do good.” The Rebbe asked HaRav Shternbuch about his relationship with the past Belzer Rebbe, HaRav Aharon of Belz, z’tl, and requested to hear about the Rebbe’s minhagim.

I boarded a plane at 6 am from Los Angeles to NY this morning. It was too early to daven before we left. I didn’t want to daven at 2:30 when we landed because I was going straight to the Ohel. I made sure I had an exit row bulkhead. I knew with this plane configuration, I would have plenty of room to daven. About an hour after takeoff, I stood up, took out my Tallis and tefilin, and started davening. The plane was pretty quiet, most people sleeping, and it was really a pleasant davening. As I was taking off my Rashi tefilin, a stewardess approached. I could see she was uncomfortable and said, “You know you will have to sit down soon.” I told her I was just about done and thought nothing more of it. As I looked up, a gentleman was standing, talking to his son and pointing toward me.

President Joe Biden’s closing remarks during his speech at the National Safer Communities Summit in Connecticut on Friday caused a wave of confusion among the audience and sparked renewed questions about his mental capacities. Speaking to gun safety advocates and survivors of gun violence at the University of Hartford, Biden concluded his address with the peculiar phrase, “Alright? God save the Queen, man.” Shortly after, “God Save The Queen” started trending on Twitter, with many expressing their bewilderment and pointing out the latest instance of Biden’s obviously declining cognitive health. Had Biden made a reference to Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s monarch who passed away last September? Yes, he absolutely had.

Many of us aren’t very familiar with guns, how they work, and the differences between various types of firearms. Thankfully, Joe Biden is here to educate us all. During a speech, the president was discussing gun control, and unleashed the following beauty, succinctly telling us all we ever have to know about guns: “Put a pistol on a brace, it turns into a gun — makes it more — you can have a higher-caliber weapon, higher-caliber bullet coming out of that gun!” Biden exclaimed. And there you have it. All you’ll ever need to know about the thing – the shooty machine thingy Joe was babbling about. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former prime minister Ehud Barak was a guest on a Channel 12 news show over the weekend, and he engaged in his usual hate talk about Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, saying, among other things, that the prime minister “is weak.” However, this time, Barak, who served the shortest term as prime minister in Israeli history apart from Naftali Bennett, was challenged by a member of the panel, political commentator Danielle Roth-Avneri, who countered that “‘this weak man’ has been prime minister for many years, which you have tried to continue to be.” Barak responded by saying: “I ask to silence this panel member, this show has an editor.” But Roth-Avneri refused to be silenced and slammed Barak for his call for a civil rebellion: “It’s unbelievable that you call on live TV for a civil rebe

The once grandiose Pines Hotel, formerly a prominent establishment in the Catskill Mountains’ renowned “Borsht Belt,” was consumed by a massive blaze and destroyed, early Sunday morning. The abandoned hotel, located on Laural Avenue in South Fallsburg, has been closed since 1998 due to financial struggles and structural damage. In recent years, the Pines Hotel, once a symbol of luxury and leisure, fell victim to financial hardships and structural deterioration, leading to its closure over two decades ago. Despite several attempts to revive the property, including proposals for residential development, ownership disputes and various challenges prevented any progress. There were previously arson fires at the property, with homeless and drug users living at the property.