For the first time, Israel has transferred long-range surface-to-surface missiles to militias in Iraq, defying US President Donald Trump ahead of direct US-Tehran talks, the UK-based The Times reported on Wednesday. The move significantly bolsters Tehran’s influence in the region as the missiles are capable of reaching Europe. The report contradicts a Reuters report earlier this week that the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are considering disarming due to pressure from the Trump administration. A source told The Times that these reports are false. “The efforts seen in the last 48 hours to create a picture that the militias are disarming is a ruse,” he said.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai stirred up a storm online after he said on Nadav Perry’s podcast that anyone who is religious is opposed to democracy. Perry: “You’re saying something harsh that I don’t accept. Are you saying that anyone who believes in a supreme being cannot accept democracy in the same breath?” Huldai replied without hesitation: “No. Because if you believe in Him, it means He is supreme. It can’t be that the Supreme Court will decide against what is written and what you believe in. Therefore, religion, by its very nature, is anti-democratic.” “Those who are religious go to the Rav for everything. It’s already determined and written and the Rav tells you if something is according to Halacha or not. If Halacha is the law – then we are Iran,” Huldai added.

The last person convicted in Germany for crimes committed during the Holocaust, Irmgard Furchner, died at the age of 99, a German court announced on Monday. In 2022, Furchner, who served as a secretary at the Nazi concentration camp Stutthof during World War II, received a two-year suspended sentence for complicity in the murders of more than 10,000 people. Her trial marked the first prosecution of a woman in Germany for Nazi-era crimes in decades. The Stutthof concentration camp, located near Gdansk in occupied Poland, was established by Nazi Germany in 1939. Around 65,000 people lost their lives at Stutthof, many of them non-Jewish Poles, as well as Jews deported from Warsaw, Bialystok, and forced-labor camps in the occupied Baltic states.

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(Translated by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow – Email asebrow@gmail.com for sources) Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l was renowned for his concise, often one-word answers to halachic questions. Over the years, various individuals compiled and published collections of the questions they asked him—and the succinct responses they received in return. Below is a translation of several questions related to Birchas Ilanos (the blessing recited upon seeing blossoming fruit trees in the spring). Please note: while these insights are fascinating and can spark meaningful discussion, all those who published these collections emphasized that the responses should not be relied upon halacha l’maaseh (for practical halachic rulings).

On Wednesday, Israel’s Minister of Defense, Yisroel Katz, traveled to the Morag Corridor in the Gaza Strip, accompanied by Major General Yaniv Asor, the Commander of the Southern Command, Brigadier General Moran Omer, the Commander of the 36th Division, and various other military leaders.
While at the site, the military commanders provided Katz with an update on the ongoing IDF operations in the area and the progress made in securing the region.

A growing number of Americans now view Israel in a negative light, according to a new Pew Research Center survey released Tuesday, with 53% expressing an unfavorable opinion of the Jewish state — rising from 42% in March 2022. The survey also found that confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains low, with just 32% of Americans trusting him to handle world affairs appropriately, while 52% say they have little or no confidence in his leadership. Partisan divides were evident in the results: 69% of Democrats hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53% in the 2022 survey. Among Republicans, the number of those viewing Israel negatively increased to 37%, compared to 27% three years ago. The shift has been especially pronounced among younger adults.

U.S. stock markets surged today after President Trump declared a 90-day suspension on most of his “reciprocal” tariffs, with the exception of China, which he hit with a steep 125% levy, citing their “lack of respect.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared by 2,962.86 points, or 7.9%, marking its biggest single-day points gain ever, closing at 40,608.45. This came after Trump shared on Truth Social that he would pause the significant tariffs, responding to requests from over 75 countries who sought to engage in negotiations.
“I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social, sending Wall Street into a rally.

OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is a medical diagnosis that gets thrown around a lot in colloquial speech, especially around Pesach time. We take Hilchos Pesach seriously, and rightfully so! OCD is not the same as being careful in Halacha, and it’s crucial to distinguish between the two. Because the term is so misused and misunderstood, it can be helpful and important to distinguish between what is and isn’t OCD. Many people will say things like “I’m so OCD” when referring to being hyper-organized or particular about the way they do things. (You line up your clothes in your closet in order of color? You’re so OCD!) This is not OCD and can be both invalidating to people who are truly struggling and just generally misinform the public about what to be aware of.