The urgency couldn’t be greater  The groundwork is laid.  The city is ready.  The time is now.  And what’s unfolding here will change the future of Meron—and Klal Yisroel.  Right now, as Lag Baomer fires light up the sky and music fills the air, something is taking place beneath the surface.  In the city of Reb Shimon, the only mikvah taharah is being completely rebuilt—from the ground up. Yes, Meron—the most visited Jewish site in the world, drawing over a million people each year—has only one mikvah. And for years, it stood in disrepair, barely usable. Thousands of local residents had nowhere to turn. Tens of thousands more—from Chassidish to Litvish, Sefardic to secular—come wishing to fulfill one of the holiest mitzvos… and need to leave to another city.

Hagaon HaRav David Yosef, Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi, visited Ayalon Prison today in cooperation with the Rabbinical Department of the Israel Prison Service. During the visit, Rav Yosef delivered a Shiur to the inmates and met with get-refusers – some of whom expressed for the first time a willingness to discuss their cases, which may lead to a breakthrough in the issue of many Agunos.

RFK Jr. appears startled as demonstrators suddenly shout behind him, before being removed by security.

Hagaon HaRav Yaakov Moshe Schecter of Breslov putting Tzitzis on a grandson of Askan Avrohom Yaakov (Abe) Friedman from NY, who is in Eretz Yisroel to celebrate his “Chalakah” at Kever Rashbi on Lag BaOmer.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former New York City M

In the wake of a groundbreaking summit between President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a high-ranking official in Damascus has indicated that Syria may be open to joining the Abraham Accords. The development marks a notable shift in tone from the Assad-era stance and signals the possibility of a significant realignment in the region.
Speaking with Kan News, Ali al-Rifa’ai, who heads the spokesperson division at Syria’s Ministry of Information, shared that the newly formed government in Syria is seriously considering peace initiatives, even extending to relations with Israel.
Al-Rifa’ai stated clearly, “Syria does not want war. We want peace with everyone, we want the region to be stable, and we do not want war with anyone.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has agreed to restore climate change-related webpages to its websites after it was sued over the deletions in February. The lawsuit, brought on behalf of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group, argued that the deletions violated rules around citizens’ access to government information. The USDA’s reversal comes ahead of a scheduled May 21 hearing on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction against the agency’s actions in federal court in New York.

For the first time in history, the small college town of Geneseo, N.Y.—tucked into the Finger Lakes region and best known for its natural beauty and tight-knit campus community—is getting permanent Jewish infrastructure. Rabbi Laivy and Goldy Mochkin, along with their four young children, have arrived in Geneseo to establish a Chabad presence that will serve both the local community and the 250+ Jewish students at SUNY Geneseo, one of the state’s highest-ranked public colleges. The Mochkins’ arrival marks a turning point for Jewish life in the area. Until now, there has been no synagogue, no community center, no consistent Jewish presence.

President Donald Trump once again referred to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as “a Palestinian,” repeating the label in response to questions about a $400 million aircraft offered by Qatar.
On Tuesday, Trump justified his decision to accept the Qatar-funded Boeing 747 as a temporary replacement for Air Force One, describing it as a financially responsible move that benefits the country. He also criticized those opposing the idea, calling them “fools.”
In contrast, Schumer announced he will block all Department of Justice appointments from proceeding in the Senate until he receives further clarification on the matter. According to him, the arrangement “is not just naked corruption, it is also a grave national security threat.”