Monday 28 Iyar – IDF aims to capture 75% of Gaza Strip in 2 months in new offensive against Hamas – British Airways extends suspension of Israel flights to end of July – Videos and more…

It’s a Simcha, Not a Gezeirah – Let’s Fix the Wedding Pressure

With the wedding season upon us, I feel it’s time we speak about something that’s on the minds of many ehrliche Yidden: the cost of making a chasunah. It’s not just high—it’s sky-high. The wedding hall, the sheva brachos, the clothing, the gifts… it adds up to a number that simply doesn’t make sense for regular families.

Let’s be honest. Most people are struggling. Many are forced to rely on tzedakah just to marry off a child. Klal Yisroel is generous, no doubt, but it shouldn’t be this way. Making a chasunah shouldn’t come with crushing pressure or financial collapse. It’s supposed to be a simcha, not a gezeirah.

In Eretz Yisroel, many kehillos already have takanos—guidelines to keep wedding costs down. Simple and dignified. No extras. The chosson gets what the kallah gets, and vice versa. Everything b’shleimus and b’simcha. Why can’t we do the same in chutz la’aretz?

We need rabbanim and askonim to step in and create a system. A real takanah. Not just suggestions, but clear guidelines that everyone follows, so no one feels embarrassed or pressured to keep up with standards that are simply not sustainable.

Let’s bring the simcha back into the simcha. Let’s make chasunah’s beautiful again—not because of money, but because of meaning.

With hope and tefillah,
A Concerned Father

To the Right Honourable Prime Minister,

Following up on last week’s letter:
The Chofetz Chaim writes in Tzipisa L’Yeshuah that as far as all the simanim are concerned, the time of the Geulah has come. However, it is being held up—just as the Yidden had to wait four generations before entering Eretz Canaan because the Canaanim hadn’t yet done enough aveiros to deserve expulsion. So too today, the Geulah is delayed because the nations have not yet committed enough aveiros to deserve the punishments they will receive at that time.

We can be comforted by this Chofetz Chaim—that every display of hatred they show us only brings the moment of Geulah closer. It can’t be more than a few seconds to midnight now. Up until here is tzvishen undz.

I was asked last week why I limit my criticism of the government to the readership of the Blast, which could be described as “preaching to the converted.” So, this is the letter I wrote to the Prime Minister:

To the Right Honourable Sir,

You certainly know that Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on 7th October 2023 and cruelly murdered men, women, and children. They have made it clear that, given half a chance, they would do the same again. They build bunkers under hospitals and schools to shield themselves.

For Israel to defend itself—which it is entitled to do under international law—it has no choice but to attack Hamas, even though there will undoubtedly be civilian casualties.

You went to great lengths to remove the stigma of antisemitism from the Labour Party. One form of antisemitism is treating Israel differently from other nations. So I ask the Right Honourable Sir: what would you do if France attacked Britain with the intent of murdering its citizens en masse and built military infrastructure under hospitals and schools to shield themselves? Would you surrender—or would you fight, civilian casualties notwithstanding?

Be careful with your answer. Mr. Putin is listening.

Mr M. F.

Before Criticising Israel, Britain Should Look to Its Own Wartime History

Concerning Britain’s hypocritical condemnation of Israel’s bombing of “innocent civilians and babies” in Gaza, it’s worth remembering that during World War II, Britain carried out hundreds of bombing raids on German cities such as Berlin, Dresden, and Hamburg—often with the deliberate intent of breaking civilian morale.

These raids resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, including women and children. At the time, it was justified as a necessary part of defeating a ruthless enemy.

Israel, by contrast, faces a terrorist group that hides behind civilians and operates out of hospitals and schools. Yet it is Israel—not Hamas—that is vilified by the international community.

Perhaps those quick to condemn should take a closer look at their own history before casting judgment.

Jacob B. london

A horrific tragedy has shaken the Lakewood community after a devastating crash early Friday morning claimed the lives of three young bochurim.

The incident occurred around 4:39 am on Hope Chapel Road between Clearstream and New Central Avenue, when a Toyota Sienna carrying five bochurim struck a deer, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered off the road and slammed into a tree, immediately igniting in flames.

A passerby came upon the scene and called emergency services. Hatzolah rushed to the location and provided critical care, transporting the injured to local hospitals.

Tragically, two of the passengers—Dovid Yitzchok Handler z”l and Chaim Zelig Berl z”l—were pronounced niftar at the scene.

Refoel Faham z”l, who had initially survived the crash, was critically injured and transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center. He underwent emergency surgery and received intensive care for over 18 hours. Despite heroic efforts by the medical team, Refoel was niftar shortly before Shabbos, becoming the third korban in this heart-wrenching tragedy.

One of the remaining bochurim remains in critical condition, while the other is reportedly stable. The community is asked to continue davening for a refuah sheleima for Meir Moshe Aharon ben Devorah Naomi.

המקום ינחם את המשפחות בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים.

British Airways joins the growing list of companies extending their cancellation of flights to and from Israel following the Houthi missile strike near Ben Gurion Airport at the beginning of the month.

Hebrew media reports that British Airways has extended its suspension until the end of July.

The airline’s website indeed does not allow users to book flights until August.

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Developers who leave housing sites unfinished for years could see their land handed over to local councils under new rules aimed at getting new homes built faster.

Under government plans, housebuilders will have to commit to delivery time frames before they get planning permission, and will also have to submit annual reports to councils showing their progress.

The new rules form part of the government’s plan to address the housing crisis, with 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029.

The Conservative Party said it supported measures to speed up housebuilding, but accused the government of “adding so many burdens on builders” that its housing targets “already seem like a distant memory”.

As well as losing their land, the government said housebuilders who repeatedly fail to hit their targets could also be denied future permissions.

They may also face penalties worth thousands.

A dual US and German citizen was arrested on Sunday for allegedly attempting to burn down the US embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, according to the justice department.

Officials said they arrested Joseph Neumayer, 28, at John F Kennedy Airport in New York. He was deported by Israeli authorities after he was found with explosive devices in a backpack near the embassy.

Mr Neumeyer appeared in court on Sunday and is being held in jail, the justice department said.

“This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans, and President Trump’s life,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

The arrest comes just days after a gunman killed two Israeli embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC.

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The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday that it aims to occupy 75 percent of the Gaza Strip’s territory within two months as part of its new offensive against the Hamas terror group.

Israel on March 18 resumed its attacks against Hamas with a surprise wave of airstrikes, ending a two-month ceasefire. The IDF has since deployed five divisions to the Strip — amounting to tens of thousands of troops — and is poised to launch a wide-scale ground offensive aimed at defeating Hamas’s military wing and its civil rule in Gaza, should the terror group not agree to release the hostages it is holding.

When the major ground offensive is launched, the Palestinian population will be pushed into three small zones in Gaza: a new “safer zone” in the Mawasi area on the southern Strip’s coast, where Israel previously declared a “humanitarian zone”; a strip of land in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat, where the IDF has not operated with ground forces; and the center of Gaza City, to which many Palestinians returned during the ceasefire earlier this year.

According to the IDF’s current estimates, some 700,000 Palestinians are residing in the Mawasi area, 300,000-350,000 are in central Gaza, and around one million are in Gaza City.

This means that Gaza’s 2 million population will be pushed into an area amounting to just 25% of the Strip when the IDF launches its expanded ground operation.

US President Donald Trump says American negotiators made “real progress” during “very good” nuclear talks with Iran earlier this weekend.

“I think we could have good news on the Iran front.”

“Likewise with Hamas on Gaza,” he adds, appearing to say that there could also be a positive development in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“We want to see if we can stop that, and Israel. We’ve been talking to them and we want to see if we can stop that whole situation,” Trump tells reporters before boarding Air Force One.

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