Wednesday February 18 Rosh Chodesh Adar News Updates

Weather:  45° Overcast with rain showers at times. Chance of rain 50%.

Updated forecast for Sunday evening Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.

- Newark Airport remains closed until 11 p.m. Wednesday after a ground stop was issued due to an aircraft emergency. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said a JetBlue flight heading to Palm Beach, Florida, reported smoke in the cockpit & Returned safely

- Forecasts from Weather Channel and AccuWeather are closely monitoring a potential weekend snowstorm that could bring significant snow, rain, wind and coastal flooding to Mid-Atlantic states.

- U.S. national security officials have told Trump the military is ready for potential strikes on Iran as soon as this weekend, though no final decision has been made. The Pentagon is also repositioning some personnel out of the Middle East as a precaution - CBS

- Rav Asher Arieli shlita spoke at the Mir Yerushalayim event and addressed the voices and attacks coming from outside against the עולם התורה. He described these challenges as a nisayon from Hashem. However, he emphasized that the true response is the sight of bnei yeshiva who are moser nefesh for Torah learning. Many of those learning in Mir are well past draft age and could easily go out into the world, yet they choose to remain and dedicate themselves to Torah. That mesirus nefesh for the nitzchiyus for what endures for eternity is the greatest answer of all.

- Israeli emergency services and the Home Front Command have been ordered to prepare for potential war amid tensions with Iran with a high-level defensive alert having been declared across Israel, according to N12.

- Tucker Carlson claims he was detained at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport after interviewing US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, with passports seized and his producer questioned. However, the US Embassy denies this, stating it was routine passport control 

 Israeli Airports Authority statement: Contrary to the reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated. Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers. The conversation took place in a separate room within the VIP lounge solely to protect their privacy and to avoid conducting such a discussion in public. No unusual incident occurred, and the Israel Airports Authority firmly rejects any other claims.

- Trump in a long post: “Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime…”

- Live stream of the Mir Yerushalayim Adirei haTorah style event featuring drashos from Rav Asher Arieli Rav Efraim Waxman and music by Boruch Levine, Zanvill Weinberger Bentz Stein at the Arena stadium in Yerushalayim beginning 12:30 pm US time 

Phone hook up : 732-929-7410 pin 5483787326

Livestream: HERE 

-At the Kosel this morning, Women of the Wall held their Rosh Chodesh provocation gathering, as they arrived with tefillin and a sefer Torah drawing strong opposition from the crowd. The supreme court is hearing a case to give the reform movement a spot at the Kosel

- Snow storm stats: According to Lakewood Township officials, more than 11,000 tons of snow about 22 million pounds were cleared from roadways and hauled to Blueclaws stadium for disposal. Crews worked for weeks to clear both major thoroughfares and residential streets including using roughly 2,000 tons of salt and 2,000 gallons of calcium chloride to enhance ice melting during extreme cold.

- Trump moves closer to a major war with Iran. It could come sooner, and be much bigger, than most recognize Axios

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group is currently off the coast of Morocco.

A large formation of U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers has departed Florida and is heading to the Middle East

- Sources say a possible U.S.- Iran confrontation could begin within days and evolve into a multi-week campaign, despite ongoing nuclear talks. Axios reported a high likelihood of a strike in the coming weeks with a White House official putting the chances of a strike at 90 percent.

- A scheduled Lakewood planning board meeting for last night has been cancelled

- The Bobover Rebbe Rav bentzion Halbershtam was in Lakewood at a fundraising event for the local Bobover Kollel

- The next time Rosh Chodesh Adar comes out on Tuesday and Wednesday in a plain non leap year will be 14 years from now (Kol Mevaser)

- President Trump posted a video reporting on shocking news of states that used the Dominion voting systems allegedly switching 435,000 votes from Trump to Biden and also 2.7 million votes for Trump were deleted, including 1 million in swing state Pennsylvania alone. Examinations showed Dominion machines were linked to the internet with ties to China.

- An IDF soldier was killed in an incident of “friendly fire” in the southern Gaza Strip overnight, The soldier was named as Ofri Yafe, 21 from HaYogev

- 23 N.J. towns with the highest property taxes where average homeowners pay $20K+ 2 towns in Monmouth and Ocean county on the list 

5. Deal, Monmouth County

Average property taxes: $25,563

Average property value: $6,225,131

Increase from 2024: 9.95%

4. Mantoloking, Ocean County

Average property taxes: $25,985

Average property value: $2,851,976

- Tucker Carlson will NOT leave Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Tucker Carlson is expected to arrive in Israel on Thursday for a brief visit. Carlson will land in Israel on a private plane but will NOT leave the Airport area despite having received official invitations from Christian communities in Israel. The official reason for his visit to the country is an interview with the U.S. Ambassador to Israel.

- Construction on the New Jersey-New York Gateway Tunnel Project will resume next week after the Trump administration released the remaining $127 million in frozen federal funding today.

- Gentell, the world’s largest vertically integrated wound care company, announced its acquisition of Innovative Supply Group (ISG), based in Lakewood, N.J. ISG is a leading North American Medicare Part B supplier of medical tube devices to the nursing home industry.

-The Little Egg Harbor,NJ  Police Department and nearby agencies are reporting multiple cases of sick and dead birds in the area and have issued a public warning. Officials advise residents not to touch any affected birds, as the highly contagious H5N1 virus has been identified and precautions are being taken to prevent possible transmission.