Police arrived in Chomesh Tuesday morning and destroyed buildings, uprooted infrastructure and even ruined the electricity of the yeshiva, which has been active there for over a decade. Police also demolished structures erected by families who had come to strengthen Jewish presence at the site. However they did not demolish the yeshiva itself • Full Story
Scientists in France have identified yet another potentially worrying new variant of COVID-19 as omicron continues to bring a spike in cases globally • Full Story
The public is asked to say Tehilim for Shliach and Mashpia Rabbi Zusiya Ben Chaya Pozner who is in critical condition and in desperate need for a Refua Shelima • Tehillim
President Joe Biden is coming under intense criticism over the FDA’s approval this week of Covid-19 vaccine booster shots for children ages 12 to 15 without first convening a panel of experts to give their opinion, as is standard practice • Full Story
A large, joyful event took place in Dnipro, Ukraine’s magnificent Menorah Center – the first chag hasemicha held by Lemaan Yilmedu, an organization facilitating the semicha learning for Anash around the globe. The event was joined by a delegation of Rabbonim from Eretz Yisroel; Chief Rabbi of Holon Eliyahu Yochanan Gurary, Chief Rabbi of Kiryat-Ata Chaim Shlomo Diskin, Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva from Ramat Aviv Chaim Yosef Ginzburg, and Rabbi Yisroel Yehuda Leib Mel • Full Story, Photos
At the end of December, a select group of Jewish future leaders participated in YAHAD’s four-day unique Leadership School seminar aimed at ensuring a thriving and vibrant future for Jewry across the former Soviet Union. “Our young leaders,” says YAHAD’s director, Rabbi Mendi Wilansky, “learn how to confront the unique reality of post-Soviet Jewry and make Judaism accessible and welcoming to its future generations” • Full Story, Photos
A helicopter crashed Monday off of Chaifa’s coast in Israel’s north, with the three crew members onboard rescued and taken to hospital • Full Story
Ontario is moving schools online for at least two weeks, temporarily closing indoor dining and gyms and pausing non-urgent medical procedures as it faces record-high case counts that, according to public health officials, threaten to overwhelm the province’s health-care system • Full Story
Israel’s Health Ministry announced Monday that it will permit the entry of some tourists into the country starting next week. The Health Ministry said it would ease restrictions both on air travel into and out of the country, including exempting vaccinated and confirmed recovered travelers from low and medium-risk countries from quarantine, once they have received negative PCR test results, or have waited 24 hours without symptoms • Full Story
Crews were out treating roads across the Tri-State area overnight in preparation for the first significant snowfall of the season. In New York City, about 700 sanitation trucks were out spreading salt ahead of the snow’s arrival • Full Story
Berel Grossbaum (Minnesota) to Chana Shmotkin (Detroit)
L’Chaim tonight in F.R.E.E.
Baby boy to: Shmuel and Esther Neft (nee Tyshenko) – Toronto.
Baby boy to: Menachem and Esty Sheinberger – Crown Heights
Baby girl to: Meir and Chanie Levinger (nee Richler) – Yerushalayim, Israel