Op-ed by Mrs. Tsyrl Turen • It was unbelievable to all of us the release of the first two hostages on Friday, unbelievable to us, but not to a group of special women from the Chicago area • Full Article

It started with a terrorist attack on Shmini Atzeres—which, in Israel, is also Simchas Torah. Israel was caught off guard. Over 1,300 Jews were killed and over 150 taken hostage. When it regained its balance, Netanyahu announced that Israel would invade Gaza, get the hostages back and wipe out Hamas completely, once and for all • Op-ed by Prof. Shimon Silman, Beis Moshiach Magazine • Full Article

Op-ed by Rabbi Yitzchok Arad • One of the principles of emuna and bitachon is the clear knowledge that Hashem loves us and His love and His mercy toward us is infinite. With that said, when a Jew delves into this principle and tries to internalize it, he might ask himself, “If Hashem loves me with endless love and mercy, why am I experiencing difficulties and unpleasant events? How can I trust Him when the world as we see it doesn’t demonstrate His love and mercy?” • Full Article

Our goal is to inspire, uplift and send a message of hope. • Due to the terrible atrocities perpetrated against our brethren in Israel, I will please G-d be joining a solidarity mission of Chabad Rabbis from across the U.S. to Israel next week • Full Article

This past week, we began reading the Torah from the start in all synagogues: “Beraishit Bara Elohim et Hashamayim ve et Haaretz.” “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” • Full Article

Op-ed by Yosef Shidler: I’ll admit, I have been glued to my cell phone for the past week. I needed to know what’s going on, who’s firing at whom, who’s responsible for these attacks or those – the Rockets, the Chesed, the Soldiers, the Calls for Tzedakah, the WhatsApp groups, and the political conversations. Ben Shapiro said this, that professor said that. Guess what this politician said? News websites, Instagram, WhatsApp • Full Article

In the early 1900s there were many devastating pogroms, R”l, in Ukraine. The Rebbe’s melamed said that he found a source in the Torah for what was going on. “What’s gained by knowing that it’s hinted to in the Torah? A pogrom is a pogrom!” the Rebbe asked his teacher • By Rabbi Mordechai Lipskier • Full Article

Op-ed by Yosef Shidler: Israel is now faced with the challenge of defending itself in ways it has not encountered in over 50 years. The Jewish people as a whole are facing the worst massacre at a single point since the Holocaust. With the world watching, it would seem that perhaps we are at a critical stage or moment of biblical proportions. While no one knows for sure what everything here means or not, we know we are certainly very close to the arrival of Moshiach • Full Article

I was once at a Farbrengen and heard the following story which made a lasting impact on my young heart and soul. It seemed that a certain Rabbi (I heard later that it could have been Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau) was in Yechidus by the Rebbe and was bemoaning the current state of affairs in Klal Yisrael. He then asked the Rebbe “what will be the future?” • Full Article

Op-Ed by Levi Y. Liberow: I always wondered what it felt like to be in 770 (or in any shul during Yom Tov) at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War, I always wondered what went through the minds of the thousands of Chassidim there when the horrifying news came. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever get the answer. But one difference was that unlike fifty years ago, “It happened Yom Kippur as they were praying,” our lasting memories will be from “It happened Simchas Torah as they were dancing,” and this, my dear friends and brothers, is a matter of crucial importance • Full Article