For the first time in the IDF’s history, all soldiers will be allowed to grow beards without the need for special exemptions as the IDF prepares to approve several changes to its dress code for soldiers on Wednesday. The move was led by the Torat Lechima organization, Likud MK Keti Shitrit, and Gilad ‘Mezukan,” one of the prominent activists in the struggle for granting a blanket exemption for soldiers to grow beards. The new arrangement allows soldiers to grow a beard regardless of religious identity as long as it is neat and in accordance with proper military appearance [no stubble]. “The IDF is a Jewish army,” stated the Torat Lechima organization.

Security officials confirmed in internal discussions that the IDF has destroyed only about a quarter of Hamas’s terror tunnels in the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 News reported on Wednesday morning. According to the report, defense officials also estimate that there is a significant number of smuggling tunnels that cross from Egypt into the Gaza Strip. The presence of these tunnels lies behind Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor. About a month and a half ago, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said that Israel has no intention of withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor due to the threat of smuggling between Egypt and Gaza. “The Philadelphi  Corridor will remain a buffer zone just like in Lebanon and Syria,” Katz emphasized.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he wants communities to stop fluoridating water, and he is setting the gears of government in motion to help make that happen. Kennedy this week said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. And he said he’s assembling a task force of health experts to study the issue and make new recommendations. At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it would review new scientific information on potential health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The EPA sets the maximum level allowed in public water systems. Here’s a look at how reversing fluoride policy has become an action item under President Donald Trump’s administration.

In response to the surge in antisemitic incidents on college campuses following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, Congresswomen Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) have reintroduced the University Accountability Act. The legislation aims to impose strict penalties on higher education institutions that fail to protect the civil rights of their students in the face of antisemitic discrimination or violence. Under current federal law, colleges and universities found in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin—typically face corrective actions designed to bring them back into compliance.

This Pesach, You Can Be the Reason a Family Feels Joy Again https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFsIn the quiet corners of the Beis Yisroel neighborhood in yerushleim  Behind the closed doors of worn-down apartments… There are families — ehrliche Yidden — who simply don’t have what they need for Yom Tov. No matzos. No food. No joy. Just worry, silence, and the pain of parents who can’t provide for their children the basic yom tov needs  https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=2472&l_id=LHanYM484vUXNUKpJFs But you can change that.

The Trump administration has halted the release of over $1 billion in federal funds earmarked for Cornell University, along with $790 million intended for Northwestern University. This decision comes as a direct result of civil rights probes currently underway at both institutions.
“The money was frozen in connection with several ongoing, credible, and concerning Title VI investigations,” a Trump admin official told Fox News.
According to two administration sources who spoke to the New York Times, the funding freeze primarily targets grants and contracts from several major federal departments, including Agriculture, Defense, Education, and Health and Human Services.

Family getting up: Shacharis: 8:00 pm Mincha: 7:10 pm Maariv: 9:00 pm

President Donald Trump on Tuesday helped shovel dirt onto the replacement for a historic White House tree that had to be removed because of safety concerns around its deteriorating condition. “We have a beautiful tree now at the White House,” Trump said. The White House did not allow news media coverage of the tree planting, but afterward shared a brief video clip on social media. Dale Haney, the longtime grounds superintendent, also participated. “Dale’s been here 53 years. He’s fantastic,” Trump said.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday evening issued an interim order freezing Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s dismissal after 11 hours of deliberations over an issue it has no authority over. Israeli law clearly authorizes the government to dismiss the Shin Bet chief. Meanwhile, the court granted the government an extension until April 20 for the government and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to reach an “acceptable and creative solution” – and if one is not found, the Supreme Court will issue a ruling. The court also ordered the government not to announce a replacement for Bar or interview candidates for the position until a compromise is reached or a ruling is issued.