By Rabbi Yair Hoffman What is Pidyon HaBen? Pidyon HaBen (פדיון הבן) means “redemption of the son.” It is a mitzvah from the Torah where parents redeem their firstborn son by giving money to a Kohen.

On Thursday, Israeli Minister of Construction and Housing Yitzchok Goldknopf, MK from Yahadut HaTorah, held a meeting with family members of several hostages—specifically relatives from the Ohel, Hayman, and Chen families—as well as former hostage Sasha Troufanov.
During the conversation, Minister Goldknopf reiterated his backing for any efforts to secure the hostages’ freedom. “As I have proven to this day, not only in words but also in actions, I will support any deal brought to the government table that will lead to the release of our abducted sons and daughters.”

China’s exports to the United States tumbled in April while its trade with other economies surged, suggesting that President Donald Trump’s tariffs offensive is hastening a shakeup in global supply chains. Total exports from China rose 8.1% last month from a year earlier, much faster than the 2% pace most economists had been expecting. That was much slower than the 12.4% year-on-year increase in March. Imports fell 0.2% in April from the year before. Shipments to the U.S. sank 21% in dollar terms as Trump’s tariffs on most Chinese exports rose to as high as 145%. With Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods at 125%, business between the two biggest economies has grown increasingly uncertain. China’s imports from the U.S.

Friends of Yishai Elyakim Auerbach hy”d, murdered in Gaza on Thursday, sing “V’yihyu Rachamecha” at his levaya – taking place just weeks after he got married r”l.

Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter, who was appointed by Republican president George H.W. Bush but became an extreme liberal once on the court, has died at 85. He retired in 2009, giving President Obama his first Supreme Court vacancy, which he filled with Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Travelers seen pensively waiting out the sirens at Ben Gurion Airport during the Houthi missile minutes ago.

In a rare appearance before the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff introduced a bold American-led strategy to restart humanitarian operations in Gaza through a new organization called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Outlined in a 14-page proposal reviewed by Ynet, the effort is designed to overcome obstacles that have historically weakened international donor confidence and obstructed the delivery of assistance. Witkoff stressed the initiative’s key values of “transparency, independence and security,” underlining its commitment to keeping aid out of the hands of Hamas.

The IDF has successfully intercepted a ballistic missile this morning fired by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen targeting Israel, the military announced. No injuries or damage were reported. Sirens blared across central Israel, preceded by a three-minute early warning push notification sent to residents’ phones, alerting them of the incoming long-range missile. Since the IDF’s renewed offensive against Hamas in Gaza on March 18, the Houthis have launched 28 ballistic missiles and numerous drones at Israel.

Russia marks the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II with a massive military parade, attended by President Vladimir Putin and a slew of foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

President Trump says he would support raising taxes on wealthy people to “help the lower and middle income workers.”

Emergency crews are currently battling a fire in an open area in Southern Israel near the Bnei Dekalim area.

The IDF and Shin Bet release a joint statement stating that a terrorist cell responsible for a Molotov cocktail and stone-throwing attack that injured anIsraeli civilian was apprehended after multiple counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria.

President Donald Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on Thursday as the White House continues to purge the federal government of those perceived to oppose the president and his agenda. Hayden was notified in an email late Thursday from the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press. Confirmed by the Senate to the job in 2016, Hayden was the first woman and the first African American to be librarian of Congress. “Carla,” the email began. “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately.

In recent days, several Israeli cabinet members have begun speculating that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu might opt to dissolve the current coalition and call for early elections if he becomes convinced that the chareidi factions truly plan to bring down the government over the contentious draft issue, Times of Israel report.
“Netanyahu knows there is no solution to the chareidi enlistment matter,” a senior minister told Zeman Yisrael. “He is bidding for time and will eventually say that ‘on this important matter, I didn’t cave.’ This way, he’ll at least win the election with the support of reservists and civilians who can’t live with the inequality in military conscription.”

JERUSALEM — Israel will not take part in the distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza,

A political firestorm is engulfing Israel’s security and political elite as two former Mossad operatives are now under investigation for allegedly working with Qatari intelligence, dramatically escalating the so-called “Qatargate” scandal that has already ensnared close advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The suspects—both once senior figures in Israel’s vaunted intelligence community—are believed to have maintained ties with Qatari officials and engaged in business dealings that may have compromised national security, Channel 12 reported Thursday. One of the former agents, known by the codename “Shin,” reportedly cooperated with Qatari intelligence while still serving in the Mossad and now operates in Qatar’s business sector.

Back in November, Yeshiva World News published a controversial mailbag article titled “Why I’m Voting For Kamala Harris Over Donald Trump, And Why You Should Too.” Many of you will remember it—not necessarily for its content, but for the uproar it caused. The writer made a compelling, if unpopular, case: that Kamala Harris represents a steadier and more principled approach to foreign policy, while Donald Trump’s decisions are more impulsive, more ego-driven, and more transactional than ideological. He warned that Trump’s alliance with Israel wasn’t based on shared values, mutual respect, or any enduring strategy—but rather on whether leaders “like him” or not. And he concluded, quite boldly, that this type of relationship was risky and unsustainable.

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