It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter, as I feel profound concern for the spiritual direction of our collective kehilla. Week after week, I see the so-called “kosher” magazines pushing the boundaries further and further, yet no one seems to bat an eye. Our sensitivity to kedusha and Yiddishe values is being eroded in ways never seen before. These publications, which were once modest and uplifting, have become filled with content that blatantly undermines the values of tzniyus. The advertisements are disgusting, glorifying material excess and promoting a lifestyle of indulgence that stands in stark contrast to our Torah values. Sukkos editions, for instance, now stretch to 300 pages, with most of that space dedicated to outrageous and extravagant ads. Where are our values?

President Joe Biden asked Congress for $100 billion on Monday to respond to natural disasters and other emergencies, likely the president’s final domestic spending request as he prepares to leave the White House with some crucial priorities unfinished.
Biden is seeking $40 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund, the nation’s primary short-term recovery vehicle; $24 billion to assist farmers who lost crops and livestock in recent hurricanes and top-off antipoverty food aid programs; and $12 billion for housing assistance.
The request, submitted in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), builds on Biden’s previous funding requests, which the GOP-controlled House has declined to consider.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a pointed critique of the Biden administration’s policies during a speech in the Knesset on Monday, highlighting disagreements over major decisions in Israel’s ongoing war against Iran and its proxies. Netanyahu alleged that the United States had opposed Israel’s military actions at critical junctures in the conflict. “The US had reservations and suggested that we not enter Gaza,” he said.

BOSTON (AP) — The brother of a man suspected in f

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he wanted a strong and durable relationship with China Monday as he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Brazil. It was the first time a British leader has met with Xi in recent years as ties between the two countries deteriorated over security and human rights concerns and China’s support for Russia in the war in Ukraine. Starmer, who became prime minister in July after his Labour Party won a landslide election victory, is seeking to repair relations with Beijing. The last time a U.K. leader met with Xi was in 2018. “We want our relations to be consistent, durable, respectful, as we have agreed (and) avoid surprises where possible,” Starmer told Xi during a meeting on the fringes of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Activists from the right-wing Noam party erected a huge banner on a bridge over the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv on Monday morning featuring photos of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, with the statement: “His (chalilah) blood is on your hands.” The party explained that the sign is part of a protest against Baharav-Miara’s lack of action against the incitement and anarchy on the streets against Netanyahu, which caused the situation to escalate to the point where Israelis felt free to shoot flares at Netanyhau’s home in Caesarea on Motzei Shabbos, causing a fire. Three people suspected of shooting the flares, including a senior IDF reserve officer, were arrested following the incident and are still being held by the police.

In the aftermath of the November 5 presidential election, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pointed a finger at the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, suggesting its influence might have played a role in the Democratic Party’s underperformance. The New York congresswoman, known for her frequent criticism of Israel, made her remarks in a post on the social media platform X. “If people want to talk about members of Congress being overly influenced by a special interest group pushing a wildly unpopular agenda that pushes voters away from Democrats, then they should be discussing AIPAC,” Ocasio-Cortez, commonly referred to as AOC, wrote on Sunday.

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City on Monday is

The Democratic National Committee workers’ union on Monday condemned layoffs by the organization, saying permanent employees were terminated last week with one day’s notice and no severance pay.
While staff jobs at campaign offices routinely end after elections, the DNC laid off permanent employees, including people who had been told their positions would continue after the election, the staff union said in a statement.