Tuesday February 17 Rosh chodesh Adar News Updates

חדש עלינו את החודש הזה לטובה ולברכה לששון ולשמחה לישועה ולנחמה לפרנסה ולכלכלה לחיים ולשלום למחילת חטא ולסליחת עון

Weather: 43° Mostly cloudy skies

Snow storm likely Sunday into Monday now likely Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches.

- Israeli officials believe President Trump is prepping to strike Iran and expect the nuclear talks to collapse imminently. - Channel 12

 -More than 50 U.S. fighter jets, including F 35s, F 22s, and F 16s, were deployed to the Middle East within 24 hours

- There is growing speculation that former Donald J. Trump could have the opportunity to nominate a fourth Supreme Court justice if another vacancy opens. Attention has focused on Samuel Alito, one of the court’s most conservative members and its second-oldest justice, who has served on the bench for 20 years, amid talk of a possible retirement. (USA Today)

- Bnos Penina girls elementary school in Lakewood has notified parents that it will close its current location after Wednesday, February 18, and families should not send students starting Thursday, February 19.The administration said the school struggled financially because parents did not fully meet commitments to maintain tuition and provide additional support, writing, Had tuition obligations been maintained as agreed, we would not be in this position today. The landlord has notified the school they can no longer stay in the building. The letter to parents ends off it is our hope that the loyal parents will step forward in a meaningful and immediate way to make continuation possible 

-NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said NYC faces a 9.5% property tax hike unless Governor Kathy Hochul approves higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

- The Mir Yerushalayim Malchei Rabonon Adirei HTorah style event for Talmidei hayeshiva will take place tomorrow night at the Arena stadium featuring singers baruch Levine, Zanvill Weinberger, Bentzy Stein and Malchus Choir 

- Local Yeshiva bochurim get into the purim spirit with decorating the yeshivos and elementary boys do their purim shtick in the classroom 

- TAG: Practical Hadracha on m AI CHATBOTS

See below

- The New Jersey Department of Health has announced a new pilot program that will provide 1,250 Camden County families enrolled in the WIC program to receive a one-time $200 grant to help pay their utility bills.Eligible families will be randomly selected to help ensure fairness and to support an unbiased evaluation of the pilot’s impact.

Recipients can choose whether to apply their $200 grant to their gas, electric, or water utility account. No application or additional steps are required.(Onejerseyshorr)

- Khamenei Threatens U.S. Warships as Iran Nuclear Talks Stall in Geneva

Iran's Supreme Leader to Trump: 'They keep saying we sent an aircraft carrier towards Iran. Well, an aircraft carrier is certainly a dangerous tool, but more dangerous than the aircraft carrier is the weapon that can send this warship to the bottom of the sea'

- The Iranians claim: agreements have been reached with the US on several general issues, and it was agreed that the negotiations will continue

- Chavivim of Ocean county adds 8 new members to their team as they expand to service the area 

- Police in Bnei Brak used "Disproportionate Force” after unrest erupted when IDF soldiers entered the city without prior coordination, Dan District Commander Elad Klein  said.adding that the incident must be viewed in the context of the current draft law debate  calling the reaction in extremist strongholds a “predictable” response to the ongoing conscription struggle.

- Smash House burger will open in Toms River right after Pesach and plans on giving discounts to youngeleit with an affordable menu their single smach burger for just $7

- New Jersey commuters heading to Manhattan will face service reductions and schedule changes from Feb. 15 to March 15 as Amtrak shifts one track from the aging Portal Bridge to its new replacement over the Hackensack River. The work is expected to cause the biggest disruptions during rush hour for riders on NJ Transit and PATH.(NYT)

- Trump: Tax Refunds this year, because of “THE GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL,” are substantially greater than ever before. In some cases, estimates are that over 20% will be returned to the Taxpayer. So, when you get your Tax Refund, think about what a wonderful President you have — NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY FOR OUR GREAT SENIORS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME, INTEREST DEDUCTIONS ON CAR LOANS, AND MUCH MORE. Don’t spend all of this money in one place! President DJT

- Reverend Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights activist,died today at age 84 had ties to Yassir Arafat, the PLO leader active during attacks on Jewish civilians. During his 1984 presidential campaign, Jackson acknowledged using the antisemitic slur “Hymietown” to describe New York City

- RFK Jr. Warns of Sharp U.S. Fertility Decline in American youth claiming Teenagers today have lower hormone levels, girls are developing earlier, and some men are facing new fertility challenges."

- The new management group that  has acquired Palisades Center mall in New Jersey says it plans to remain a long-term owner, with no intention of selling or breaking up the mall.

- The YU Seforim Sale is on now through March 1 at the Heights Lounge in the Mendel Gottesman Library, 2520 Amsterdam Ave #5, New York, NY 10033. Hours are Sunday 10am–10pm, Monday–Thursday 6:30pm–10:30pm, and Motzei Shabbos 8pm–11pm. 

- The Jackson Township Council will host a Community Infrastructure Roundtable tonight Tuesday to discuss ongoing and future infrastructure projects and gather input from residents. The meeting will be held at Town Hall, 95 West Veterans Highway, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

TAG:  PRACTICAL HADRACHA ON AI CHATBOTS 

-FDrom the Roshei Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Gavoha and South Fallsburg, shlita

delivered by HaGaon HaRav Dovid Bresslauer, shlita, at the Hineini Nischazek AI Asifa

1. The use of chatbots (through computer, phone, or text) for personal use has no place in the life of a Torah’dik yid.

2. A chatbot is a dangerous tool even when it is used for parnassah because it can quickly become a very slippery slope.

Therefore, those who use it l’tzorech parnassah should understand the importance of having a discussion with a responsible baal eitza, who is familiar with the Torah hashkafa on digital technology, their personal matzav and with the nature and dangers of AI chatbots, in order to:

a. ascertain if their tzorech is an actual tzorech and

b. to adopt gedarim to ensure that a business tool should not, chas v’shalom, metastasize into something bigger.

*This hadracha is referring to AI Chatbots that have the ability:

to converse in a human-like way and converse on any topic.

These include ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Canva AI or Microsoft Co-pilot.

(The AI-generated responses of google searches does not fall under this category at this time.)

It does not refer to AI programs that:

can only generate creative or specific content, such as Adobe AI, Leonardo, Gmail AI/Help Me Write, and Runway Chat. can only converse on limited topics, such as Walmart’s AI customer service. Please be aware that this is a rapidly evolving field and a limited AI may turn into a full-fledged chatbot at any time.