Statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu following their White House meeting on Monday revealed that Netanyahu’s rapid trip to Washington was driven by the initiation of talks with Iran — not by concerns over trade tariffs, as had been speculated.
Trump had summoned Netanyahu for a private discussion about the developing diplomatic channel with Iran. His intent was to give Israel a heads-up and minimize the risk of interference or preemptive military action by Israel that could derail the talks.

Nearly 550 days after Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum has released a harrowing medical report that tears back the curtain on the nightmarish conditions faced by those still held captive in Gaza. Based on eyewitness testimonies, released hostage accounts, and Hamas propaganda footage, the report details a descent into darkness that survivors and families say is worsening by the day. Fifty-nine hostages remain in Gaza, including the body of a soldier held since 2014. Of those, only 24 are believed to be alive—surviving in a state of physical and psychological torment that pushes the limits of human endurance.

A German court announced on Monday the death of Irmgard Furchner, a 99-year-old who had served as a secretary at a Nazi concentration camp and was found guilty in 2022 for her role in Holocaust crimes.
Furchner stood out as one of the final individuals likely to be held legally accountable in Germany for involvement in the atrocities of the Nazi regime during World War II.
She was handed a two-year suspended prison term after being convicted of assisting in the killing of more than 10,000 people at the Stutthof concentration camp, which was located in Nazi-occupied Poland. Although she challenged the verdict, her appeal was denied in 2024.

As Pesach approaches, thousands of families cannot afford holiday provisions. The Gedolei Hador, aware of the situation and Kupat Ha’ir’s Kimcha D’Pischa project, have issued an unprecedented letter: Maran Rabbi Dov Landau, Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, Rabbi B. D. Povarsky, Rabbi M.Y. Shelzinger, and Rabbi M.H. Hirsch say: Whoever donates for six people’s holiday meals will merit to see a simcha in their homes before Rosh Hashana תשפ”ו. The cost for Seder night, Shabbos, Yom Tov, and Chol HaMoed meals is $990 for six people. With a donation of $33/month for 30 months, you can bring joy to these families.

President Donald Trump’s sharp tariff hikes last week have sent the stock market into a tailspin, raised alarm bells among Wall Street executives, and heightened many economists’ worries that the U.S. could tip into recession. The tariffs, set to take effect Wednesday, include a 10% blanket duty on nearly all countries and additional import taxes on 60 nations. The increases are so large and are taking effect so rapidly that they are likely to be disruptive to the economy, economists say, even if they are partially rolled back through negotiations in the coming weeks or months. Economists at Goldman Sachs have raised their assessment of the odds the U.S. will experience a recession — where the economy shrinks and unemployment rises — to 45%, from 35% last week.

An Israeli political source admitted on Tuesday morning that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did not receive advance notice of the step announced by President Trump during the joint press conference on Monday—the initiation of direct talks with Iran on its nuclear program. The source noted that while the possibility that Trump would renew contacts with Iran was taken into account, it was evident at the joint press conference between the US President and the Prime Minister that Netanyahu was not aware of the move in advance and was surprised by the announcement. The source added that the fact that Trump promised that Israel would receive reports on any developments that arise from the negotiations is very positive.

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

In Shemos, Perek Yud Bais the Torah tells us that we have a mitzvah to bring a Korban Pesach on Erev Pesach. Was the bracha of shehecheyanu recited when they brought the Korban Pesach since it is a mitzvah that occurs infrequently?

The Nesiv Chaim in siman taf lamed bais says that they did not say the bracha of shehecheyanu while shechting the Korban Pesach. They relied on the shehecheyanu that would be said on the night of Pesach during Kiddush. This is similar to the fact that we don’t make a bracha of shehechyanu while building the sukka, but rather we say the bracha of shehecheyanu during Kiddush when we also have the building of the sukka in mind.

Congestion pricing in Manhattan will continue through the fall under a deal made between the Trump administration and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, as revealed in newly filed court records. The fate of the initiative will then ultimately be determined by a federal judge.
This development follows a ride last week by US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Mayor Eric Adams on New York City’s subway, during which Duffy harshly criticized the MTA for what he called excessive expenditures.
The agreement outlined in the court documents establishes that the tolling equipment — including cameras and sensors — will remain operational through October, as detailed in a letter submitted to the judge overseeing the legal battle.