White House senior adviser Jared Kushner will lead a US delegation on a tour of the Middle East to finalize details of his proposed $50 billion economic development plan for the Palestinians, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon, an administration official said on Sunday.
Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, State Department official Brian Hook and Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz are expected to make make stops in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, the official said.
They leave late this month and return to Washington in early August.
The official said the purpose of the trip is to “continue on the momentum that was created at the workshop in Bahrain and finalize the economic portion of the plan.”

Yerushalayim is in the process of organizing an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz with world leaders such as US President Donald Trump and French leader Emmanuel Macron, The Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday.
Israeli officials say that the event would be held on January 26 and include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Britain’s Prime Minister and possibly Canadian leader Justin Trudeau.
The western leaders would then take part in an event at Yad Vashem called the World Holocaust Forum the next day.
Read more at i24NEWS.
{Matzav.com}

Iran’s ambassador to Britain warned against escalating tensions on Sunday as a UK official declined to rule out sanctions in response to Tehran’s seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker.
Britain has called Iran’s capture of the Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday a “hostile act.”
Britain needs to contain “those domestic political forces who want to escalate existing tension between Iran and the UK well beyond the issue of ships,” Iran’s envoy to Britain Hamid Baeidinejad said on Twitter.
“This is quite dangerous and unwise at a sensitive time in the region,” he said, adding that Iran “is firm and ready for different scenarios.”

Just 10 days before all political parties must announce their slates for the upcoming Sept. 17 national election, New Right Party leader Naftali Bennett met with his former deputy Ayelet Shaked in a last-ditch effort to bring her back to the party they formed together after breaking away from the Jewish Home Party they previously led.
The pair had announced the creation of a pan-right-wing party prior to the April elections, which was intended to be a political home for religious as well as secular right-wing voters. However, the party failed to meet the minimum vote threshold, leaving the pair out of the government and leading to accusations they had wasted votes which would have enabled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a coalition.

Rav Yitzchak Eizik Halevi Herzog ztl, Chief Rabbi of Ireland and later Palestine (1888-1959). His father, Rav Yoel Leib Herzog (1865-1933) was Chief Rabbi of Paris. From his birth until his 16th birthday, Reb Yitzchak studied at the feet of his father. He was given smicha by Rav Yaakov Willowski (the Ridbaz, author of a peyrush on the Yerushalmi). In 1916, he was named Chief Rabbi of Belfast, Ireland. Later he served in the same post in Dublin, and later he became Chief Rabbi of all of Ireland. Following the passing of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook in 1935, Rav Herzog was invited to become Eretz Yisrael’s second Ashkenazi chief rabbi. He served in that capacity from 1933 until his petira in 1959. He is the author of the Heichal Yitzchok.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing on Thursday of Rebbetzin Rivkah Schweitzer a”h.
Rebbetzin Schweitzer was most well known for serving as a high school mechaneches par excellence for over five decades at Bais Yaakov of Boro Park. She was an exalted individual, a compassionate educator, and a role model to bnos Yisroel of all ages.
Rebbetzin Schweitzer was a daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Yosef Kaufman. Rav Yosef was renowned for his askanus, particularly in Chinuch Atzmai.
Rebbetzin Schweitzer is survived by her husband Rav Yaakov Dovid Schweitzer, R”M at Yeshivah Torah Vodaas.
{Matzav.com}

British Airways and the German carrier Lufthansa said Saturday they were suspending flights to Cairo for seven days as a precautionary measure following a security review.
A Lufthansa spokesman said normal service should return on Sunday whereas the British carrier said it would not operate its aircraft unless it felt it was safe to do so.
“We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment,” the airline said in a statement.
In its travel advice for British nationals heading to Egypt, the Foreign Office in London warns: “There’s a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation.

The Federal Court of Canada was asked this week to reschedule the country’s national elections, scheduled for Oct. 21, the same day as the Yom Tov of Shemini Atzeres.
“Observant Jews are still going to be able to cast their ballots, as there are four days of advanced polls, although not so easily, since one of them falls on a Friday, a second on a Saturday, the third on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, and the fourth on the first day of Sukkot itself. Special ballots generally used by armed forces abroad and prison inmates are also available to religious Jews,” reported The Jerusalem Post.



The Siyum Presents: “‘Why I Sang More Than 11 Minutes’ — Reb Abish Brodt Reflects on Singing at Past Siyumim.