Friday, July 3, 2026

Lakewood Zmanim עש"ק פרשת פינחס תשפ"ו

Friday, July 3, 2026 / י"ח תמוז תשפ"ו
ערב שבת פרשת פינחס
- Candle lighting 8:11 pm
- Shkia/sunset 8:29 pm

-Weather: Friday night 78° scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Chance of rain 40%.

Shabbos day:101° Mostly sunny skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible

מפטירין דברי ירמיהו לפרשת מטות שלשה דפרענותא

הָלֹךְ וְקָרָאתָ בְאָזְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַ‍ִם לֵאמֹר: כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ, לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה
           הפטרה פרשת פינחס

  As the Medina shel chesed celebrates 250 birthday of independence  on July 4th, some shuls recite the tefilah of הנותן תשועה למלכים

The following prayer has been said by Jewish communities for millennia for the protection and blessing of leaders and Kings who's countries they lived in. 

הנותן תשועה למלכים" וממשלה לנסיכים. מלכותו מלכות כל עולמים. הפוצה את דוד עבדו מחרב רעה הנותן בים דרך ובמים עזים נתיבה 
הוא יברך וישמור וינצור ויעזור וירומם ויגדל וינשא למעלה את הפרעזידענט ואת הווייס־פרעזידענט
of the united states of america
מלך מלכי המלכים ברחמיו יחיים וישמרם, ומכל צרה ויגון ונזק יצילם. וידבר עמים תחת רגליהם. ויפיל שונאיהם לפניהם. ובכל אשר יפנו יצליחו: מלך מלכי המלכים, ברחמיו יתן בלבם ובלב כל יועציהם ושריהם רחמנות לעשות טובות עם כל העמים ועם כל ישראל. בימיהם ובימינו תוושע יהודה וישראל ישכון לבטח. ובא לציון גואל. וכן יהי רצון. ונאמר אמן:

Friday July 3 News Updates Lakewood

Friday, July 3, 2026 / י״ח תמוז תשפ״ו ערב שבת פרשת פינחס
Candle lighting 8:11 pm
Shkiah/Sunset 8:29 pm

Weather: Today 103° sunshine followed by isolated thunderstorms this afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Chance of rain 30%.
Friday night 78° scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Chance of rain 40%.
Shabbos day:101° Mostly sunny skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible
Motzei Shabbos 73° Potential for severe thunderstorms.  Chance of rain 50%
Sunday hi 86

- America celebrates 250th birthday on the fourth of July independence day. Millions of spectators expected to descend on Washington D.C. to celebrate "Salute to America 250” events and fireworks  taking place in the nation's capital.



- Power outages in Westgate and other areas of Lakewood 

- Chavivim Ocean county has run out of distributing Portable Air conditioners

- Catskill NWS issues severe thunderstorm warning for southwestern  Sullivan County until 6:45 pm

-Prepare  for power ouutages on Shabbos:
Power grid operator PJM, the organization responsible for the electricity in New Jersey and 13 other states, says it is under a "federal alert" to cut electricity consumption across its territory as it deals with generator outages, massive overloading on its transmission lines ⁠and a surge in air conditioning use from prolonged sweltering heat.

- PSA: During extreme heat, some residential central AC systems can't keep indoor temperatures below the upper 70s. Many homeowners are adding window AC units to help keep their homes cooler.

 - A pilot paid tribute to America's 250th anniversary with a patriotic flight over Ohio ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

- Footage shows a Cessna tracing "USA 250th" inside the outline of the contiguous United States, creating a striking aerial salute to the nation's milestone birthday.

- Trump: It is my Great Honor to have just signed Pardons for six people who were persecuted by the Biden Administration, and were in, or being sent to, prison, for “fixing their car.” While I know this sounds ridiculous, it is nevertheless a fact, and part of the Weaponization and Stupidity that our Country had to endure during four long years of Sleepy Joe Biden. I AM SETTING THEM ALL FREE, RIGHT NOW! President DONALD J. TRUMP

-  Inaugural issue of Hamavdil periodical has been distributed to Lakewood area residents  a seasonal magazine bringing awareness to the nisyonos and distractions of technology 

- Media Personality Benny Johnson: 
Communist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who just came to this country, chose to become an American, is deciding he is the foremost authority to tell Americans what it means to be American. He has the AUDACITY, on America's 250th birthday, to call our great nation "an arena of supremacy" — a nation that "persecutes," ruled by "oligarchs."He sneers that his fellow Americans are "small, weak, unoriginal."He says “ICE is invading our streets” while he endorses and welcomes an invasion of third-world savages. Millions dream of the gift he was given. A man who spends his time burning the most American city to the ground does not deserve to be America, let alone dictate to others what it means to be an America.

- NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani used America’s 250th anniversary to sharply criticize the country, accusing the U.S. of allowing children to go hungry while billionaires and “oligarchs” gain more power. He said America’s wealth was built by working people with “calloused, dirt-streaked hands" while accusing the country of allowing the wealth built by workers to be concentrated in “the soft hands of a precious few.”

- Update: Mir Yeshiva yerushalayim has denied reports that the 21-year-old American bochur indicted on espionage charges was one of its students, stating he was never enrolled, never studied there, and has no connection to the yeshiva. The yeshiva also criticized media outlets for linking it to the case, calling the reports false and misleading. The suspect is accused of carrying out assignments for Iranian operatives, including photographing locations, conducting dead-drop missions, and allegedly attempting to recruit other yeshiva bochurim in exchange for cryptocurrency payments.

- Giyus: The first-ever cadets in the IDF’s Hasmonean Brigade for ultra-Orthodox soldiers completed the first part of their officers’ course this week.

- Knesset Member Yuli Edelstein, a senior lawmaker who has served in several leadership roles during his decades in office, announces he is leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. “I do not intend to run in the Likud primaries, I am setting off on a new political path,” Edelstein says, in an interview with Channel 12’s “Meet the Press,” that will air in full tomorrow evening.


- U.S. security agencies are preparing for possible terror threats ahead of America’s 250th Independence Day celebrations tomorrow.

- Giyus: 43 yeshiva students spensding shabbos in jail for Draft dodging 

- B"H condition of Brisk Rosh Yeshiva Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik has improved and he was released back home according to reports.

- Lakewood township 4th of July fireworks and drone show scheduled for Sunday night 8:45pm at the  lake 

- Many  Admorim will be spending shabbos in the Catskills 

- The US has issued warnings to Warsaw that Russia is preparing to launch an armed attack on its territory as a provocation intended to test NATO's determination and cohesion. According to the warnings, critical infrastructure in Poland could be targeted by missile or drone attacks, or Russian soldiers could cross the border into the territory of a NATO member state

-With millions expected to travel to the Jersey Shore over the holiday weekend, motorists should plan for extra travel time if heading to the coast. nj 12

- Kashrus PSA The CRC Kashrus Division is reminding the public to remain vigilant about kashrus while shopping during the summer. Consumers should verify the country of origin of fruits due to terumos and maasros concerns with produce from Eretz Yisroel, avoid cut-up fruit from non-Jewish stores, ensure fish is identified by its kosher סימני טהרה rather than its name alone, and maintain the same kashrus standards when traveling as they do throughout the year.

- The rotunda of New Jersey State House bedecked in red, white and blue in honor of the country's 250th anniversary celebration.
The Trenton building, just off the Delaware River, is the third-oldest state house in use in the country.  Onejersey

- A message to Americans... 250 years from now.
A 900-pound time capsule packed with items from all 50 states has officially been sealed ahead of America's 250th birthday. The capsule, created by the nonpartisan America250 commission, will be buried in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026, and isn't scheduled to be opened until the year 2276. After years of planning, engineers say the moment the lid was finally sealed was both surreal and emotional, as part of many celebrations for a special independence day.

- Howell, NJ: A 24-year-old woman has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after allegedly leaving four children, including a 6-month-old infant, in a running car for more than 20 minutes while shopping at Walmart on Sunday. The car was left running Police found the children sweating in the vehicle on an approximately 80-degree afternoon. EMS evaluated them at the scene, and they were not injured. The investigation is ongoing.

- Governor Sherrill signed landmark voting rights legislation on Thursday, making New Jersey the first state in the nation to enact new state-level voting rights protections following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Louisiana v. Callais.

- A 21-year-old American bochur  living in Yerushalayim and attending a mainstream yeshiva ( Update: The reported yeshiva denies the bochur  was registered there) and  has been indicted on charges of carrying out espionage missions for Iranian intelligence in exchange for cryptocurrency payments totaling approximately $1,379 (about NIS 4,225). He was responded to an ad on the Telegram App and through that made contact with Iranian agents who asked him to take pictures of buildings around Yerushalayim.

- Tucker Carlson says he is committed to helping launch a new political party in the United States, declaring that the Republican and Democratic parties have become indistinguishable on the issues he believes matter most and promising to work toward breaking what he called a one-party political system.
He argued that “because of this war…America’s relationship with Israel, while it may be based on good intentions, is hurting the United States very badly” and urged Washington to end all assistance to Israel, saying, “I don’t think the United States owes Israel anything. I don’t think the United States should give Israel anything. I think we should stop all aid to Israel, all special deals for Israel.”










At the Woodbourne shul in the Catskills the Nilolsburger rebbe prepares the food for Oisfasten after the fast last night.



Iran Israel Updates Friday July 3

-  PM Netanyahu just spoke with President Trump and congratulated him on the 250th anniversary of US Independence Day. During their call, the PM stated that the US is a guarantor of global freedom and that Israel highly values the close ties between the two nations. PM Netanyahu and President Trump agreed to meet soon in the US.

- Netanyahu informed the military echelon - the terror tunnel in the Ali Taher ridge will not be destroyed without Trump's approval  i24 news 
 
- The military says the Israeli Air Force struck some 10 Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon yesterday, in response to an attack on troops earlier, and separately hit a cell of operatives identified near Israel’s buffer zone.

- A Hamas terrorist who abducted IDF officer Cpt. Daniel Perez during the October 7, 2023, onslaught and later held hostages Yotam Haim, Samar Talalka, and Alon Shamriz in captivity was killed in a strike in the northern Gaza Strip this week, the military and Shin Bet announced.

- A IDF reservist soldier was severely wounded in a clash with a Hezbollah gunman in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil yesterday afternoon, the military announces. He was taken to a hospital, and his family was notified, the IDF adds.

- The body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lay in state in a vast hall in Tehran on Friday as clerics, officials, foreign dignitaries and other mourners paid their respects to Iran’s late Supreme Leader, who was killed in the opening Israeli-American airstrikes of the war against Iran on February 28. Iran is staging a week of mass funeral processions for Khamenei, who held power for 37 years, in a show of public devotion to the Islamic Republic’s theocratic state and revolutionary zeal.

-  US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he thinks Iran has “agreed to just about everything we need” in negotiations over a final accord between the two countries.

- Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels threaten Saudi Arabia’s airports and vital assets should Riyadh violate its airspace or attempt to attack it, as the rebels accuse the kingdom of an earlier airspace intrusion.


Thursday, July 2, 2026

Hashkafa Q & A

Hashkafa with Rav Gershon Ribner Shlita
Analyzing Roshai Yeshivos varying style of dress and its impact Reversing an incompatible marriage Unfaithful relationship with G-d mirrors unfaithfulness in marriage Source of connection all sense with Rashbi Traversing from the bitterness of Torah to its sweetness

Thursday fast of 17 Tamuz News Updates Lakewood

 ושבעה עשר בתמוז הפך לנו ליום ישועה ונחמה

Fast is over at 9:20pm (50 minute zman) According to R' Moshe Feinstein One who finds fasting difficult may eat at -9:10 PM

Weather 102° Sunny. Hot and humid. Tomorrow 104° Mainly sunny. Hot and humid. L

- NWS Update today July 1: High temperatures through Shabbos will be 95-105°F for most areas (hottest days expected to be today and Friday), then some cooling Sunday through Tuesday. Overnight low temperatures only dropping into the mid 70s to low 80s will offer little to no relief.Daytime heat index values are forecast to be between 100-110°F through Saturday, including area beaches and mountainous areas. Heat index values locally up to 115°F possible.
A isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible during the afternoon and evening hours of Friday through Sunday. Any storms may offer some local, temporary relief from the heat.

- Stores will have regular schedules for shabbos shopping 

-Yartzeit shiva Assar B’Tamuz: 28th Yahrtzeit of Rav Yaakov Weinberg zt”l R'Y Ner Yisroel Baltimore

- 25th yartzeit of Rav Yaakov Yitzchak Spiegel Admor of Ostrov-Kalushin, Brownsville. Rav of the Roumanishe Shul - Khal Shaarei Shomayim on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

- First yartzeit of Rav Eliezer Kupperman ZTL long time administrator at Lakewood yeshiva BMG 



- Trump in an interview with CNBC: "How a Jewish person can vote for a Democrat is beyond me. I've been the best president in the history of Israel, and they acknowledge it."

- Howell Township has postponed its Independence Day celebration, originally set for Thursday, July 2, until a date to be determined

- Today Seder Limud אגרא דתעניתא for bochurim under the leadership and guidance of the Skulen Rebbe shlita at B"M Bais Moshe Minyan Avreichim/BMG corner 10th st and Clifton Ave from 3:00pm.
-8:10 pm Mincha, busses will go to the Gratter bilding for Maariv and oisfasten followed by distributors of prizes for those who learned several hours
-9pm Divrei chizuk by Rav Nachum Binder shlita. 
Maariv 9:26 with the Participation of the Skulener rebbe shlita

- Tonight: Asifas Chizuk and Hisoirerus with the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Yaakov Yankelewitz shlita who will also be relocating his yeshiva from Monsey to Lakewood. Tiferes Bais Yaakov hall 613 Oak st. Drasha at 8:40 pm followed by Maariv 9:10pm with refreshments.

- Due to a publication that was mistakenly circulated in America implying a personal havtachah from the Mashgiach, Rav Dan Segal shlita clarified that he does not give personal guarantees for yeshuos. Any yeshuos come solely in the zechus of the great mitzvah of supporting the hachzakas hamikvaos. Accordingly, anyone who donated based on the understanding that there was a personal havtachah from the Mashgiach is invited to contact Merkaz HaTaharah and receive a full refund.

- PSA Kashrus alert: B'gan Foods and Bodek have announced a kashrus concern involving certain lots of frozen strawberries sourced from Peru. As a precaution, the affected products have been removed from store shelves while rabbinic authorities investigate the issue. The companies emphasized that only strawberries from Peru are affected. Strawberries sourced from all other countries remain unaffected and may be used as usual.

-As New Jersey's heat wave drives up electricity demand, energy officials are urging residents to raise their thermostat by 1–2 degrees, especially between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., when power usage peaks. Experts say the small adjustment can help reduce strain on the electric grid, lower energy bills, and decrease the risk of power outages. Utility companies also recommend using ceiling fans, closing blinds, and running major appliances during cooler hours.

- U.S. Senator Andy Kim visited Reform Temple Beth Am Shalom in Lakewood and met with the Jewish Federation of Ocean County to discuss the impact of antisemitism on local Jewish communities. Kim said the meetings reinforced the need to increase funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help protect houses of worship. During his visit to Lakewood, Kim also met with Agudath Israel of New Jersey to learn about its Zahav program for people with Alzheimer's and dementia and the Yahalom program, which supports children with special needs and their families. He praised the organization's work in providing essential support and building community.

- President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated video depicting himself as 'Dr. Trump' treating celebrities for Trump Derangement Syndrome. The video features AI-generated testimonials from the celebrities describing their symptoms and improvement after following Trump's advice to turn off fake news, pray, and drink Diet Coke.

-The New Jersey State Police are urging residents to celebrate the Independence Day weekend responsibly as they launch a statewide enforcement campaign targeting impaired and reckless drivers. From 6:00 p.m. Thursday through 6:00 a.m. Monday, more than 140 additional troopers will be deployed across New Jersey, focusing on speeding, aggressive driving, distracted driving, seatbelt violations, and DWI enforcement.

- MTA work zone speed cameras are now live at bridges and tunnels across NYC. Drivers caught going more than 10 mph over the limit will receive a warning for a first offense, followed by fines of $50, $75, and $100 for repeat violations within 18 months.

- Giyus: The Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yeshiva, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, issued a letter today instructing bochurim not to report to military enlistment offices on their own without first consulting the committee established to assist with draft-related matters. In the letter, he warned, "Do not thrust yourselves into the lions' den of the enlistment danger," urging students to seek guidance before taking any action regarding the army draft.

- Jackson Police have launched a summer traffic enforcement crackdown after the township experienced a record increase in motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and traffic fatalities. The initiative will target speeding, seat belt violations, and other traffic offenses as officials cite population growth as one factor contributing to the rise in accidents. app

- Companies that collect, sell, or trade personal information on New Jersey residents will soon be required to pay an annual state registration fee under a new law. Depending on the size of the business, the fee can reach up to $1.5 million per year and is expected to generate at least $50 million annually for the state.

- The couple who scaled the Empire State Building on Wednesday afternoon during an apparent marriage proposal have been identified as New Jersey couple from East Orange, they were arrested following the incident and charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, violation of local law, possession of burglar’s tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. A Manhattan judge granted the alleged Empire State Building climbers supervised release

Iran Israel Updates Thurs July 2 Shiva Asar B'Tamuz

- NYT: The US suspected during the April negotiations that Israel was trying to eliminate the two heads of the negotiating team, Ghalbsf and Araghchi. As a result, the US asked various countries to warn Iran of this possibility. In April, Ghalibaf was scheduled to fly to Islamabad to meet with Vance. Still, Iranian security officials feared that Israel would seize the opportunity to eliminate Ghalibaf or Araghchi, thereby torpedoing the talks

 - Wall Street Journal: The United States and Oman have offered Iran the release of a portion of the frozen funds in exchange for Iran not imposing fees on oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

- The IDF says sirens that sounded a short while ago in the Lebanon border communities of Yiron and Avivim were false alarms.

- Defense Minister Israel Katz says he was updated in an assessment today that the military has demolished 83% of the Hamas tunnels in the IDF-held portion of the Gaza Strip. The assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top officers was held to mark 1,000 days since the October 7 onslaught.

- An Iranian military commander warned the United States and Israel on Thursday against any attack as the country prepares for the state funeral of supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes on February 28, in the opening attack of the war. “We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the US and the Zionist regime, to avoid any miscalculation and to think about the harsh retaliation our armed forces would make to any threat and aggression against our country,” Ali Abdollahi, commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a statement carried by state media.

- A terrorist attacked a Jewish civilian and attempted to run him over near Carmei Tzur in Gush Etzion on Thursday afternoon no one was injured in the incident.BH

- The IDF eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist who emerged from one of the tunnels of the underground infrastructure in the Ali Taher ridge.

- Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: Positive progress has been made in the talks in Doha between Iran and the US. The talks will continue after the funeral ceremonies of Ali Khamenei (the ceremonies will begin on July 4th - the upcoming Saturday, and will continue until July 9th).

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Oif Simchas Wednesday 16 Tamuz

Shkiah today 8:29pm
Fast begins at 3:45 AM dawn degrees
or at 4:20 AM dawn fixed minutes per myzmanim

Chasunas:
Hirschman - Klang Ateres Reva
Fisgus - Wenick  Fountain Ballroom
Semah - Ohounah Kesser Moshe Yehuda
Jacobovitch - Finkel Lake Terrace 
Steinfeld - Neuman Neemas Hachaim 
Scheiner - Pruzansky Ateres Esther 
Cohen - Naim Ateres Blima
Serebrowsky Ateres Chaim Elazar 

- Dinner Yeshiva Nachlas Hatorah R"Y Rav Yitzchok Moshe Grossman at Estreia

Wednesday July 1 News Updates Lakewood

Weather: 97° Sunshine A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible.
Tomorrow fast of שבעה עשר בתמוז Hi of 103° Hot and humid.

- NWS: Issues extreme heat warning starting today 12:00 pm through shabbos day 8:00 pm 

Fast of 17 Tamuz starts tomorrow morning at 3:45 AM dawn degrees or at 4:20 AM dawn fixed minutes

Tips on how to prepare for a fast according to Rabbi Yechezkel Aschayek author of the sefer חיים בריאים כהלכה One should start preparation from the morning 2 days before by drinking 50 % more water of your daily intake. Drink 20 minutes before eating and after meals, don't drink until the food is digested in order not to dilute the acids that digest the food. 




- Update: Some schools have notified parents if their bud routes have no AC and offering an option to pick up their child with early dismissal tomorrow.

- PSA Please note: Many school buses do not have air conditioning. With the current heat wave, it's something to keep in mind if your children have a long bus ride. Make sure they're well hydrated before leaving and consider sending them with extra water on hot days.

- BDE: Petirah of R’ Moshe Nechemya Lipshitz Z”L of Lakewood, following an illness at the age of 75.Levaya today in Lakewood at the chapel off 7th street, with kevurah at the adjacent bais olam 

- Giyus: The Basic Law on Torah Study passed first reading in Knesset plenum. The law is intended to allow the continuation of funding for the yeshivos and the exemption from draft conscription. to the IDF

- Death toll in Venezuela earthquake climbs to : - 2,295  

- Nearly 20 campers from  a junior air force academy were taken to local hospitals near  Goshen, Ny after a Coach USA charter bus traveling from an upstate New York camp to New Jersey lost air conditioning during the trip. Officials said the campers suffered from heat exhaustion and dehydration, and emergency responders evaluated and treated those affected

- Giyus: Vizhnitz chasidim from Bnei Brak set up an outdoor bais medrash outside the Attorney General's office to protest the arrests of yeshiva students. 

-  NJGOP blasts Gov. Sherrill, Democrats plus Bob Singer and Sean Kean over $60.7 billion budget
“Families across New Jersey are struggling with skyrocketing property taxes, utility bills, tolls, insurance costs, and the highest cost of living in the region,” Hanlon said. “Instead of exercising fiscal discipline, the Governor and Trenton Democrats responded by passing the largest budget in New Jersey history.” 

Two Republicans who represent parts of Ocean and Monmouth Counties including Lakewood, State Sen. Robert Singer and Assemblyman Sean Kean, voted with the Democrats to approve the budget.

- NJ Assemblyman Alex Sauickie Nothing in this budget will make NJ more affordable this year.
Not property taxes.
Not utility bills.
Not tolls.
Not insurance. Trenton keeps spending. You keep paying.

- NJ Legislature OKs bill to fine some employers (with over 50 employees) for workers on Medicaid. This will cost businesses in Lakewood and across New Jersey including yeshivos and school who have rebbein on NJ family care  
Assemblyman Avi Schnall defended the employer Medicaid assessment, saying:
“This is called tax fairness. This is called getting the record straight.” Schnall (D-Ocean) said under the current system, taxpayers are left to foot the full bill for Medicaid, which is expected to cost some $26 billion over the next year, with more than $7 million from New Jersey coffers.  
Schnall argued that under the current system, taxpayers bear the full cost of Medicaid, while the new law requires certain large employers with workers enrolled in Medicaid to contribute toward the program's cost. Nj monitor 

- New Jersey's ongoing drought, combined with an expected heatwave, is increasing the risk of wildfires and putting additional strain on water supplies and farms. Monmouth and Ocean counties remain in severe drought, while parts of southern New Jersey's coastal region are experiencing extreme drought conditions.

- Kamala Harris has reportedly reached out to Zohran Mamdani & pro-Palestinian activists as she lays groundwork for a possible 2028 run.

- BDE: Thousands participate in the Levaya Mekubal Rabbi Amos Guetta zt"l in Netanya after he was murdered last night by an individual who is in police custody. According to initial reports, the suspect was known to police and was believed to have been connected to the rabbi’s circle. He allegedly arrived seeking to daven with Rabbi Guetta, an argument broke out, and he then stabbed the rabbi four times before fleeing. MDA teams fought to save the rabbi’s life, performing prolonged resuscitation efforts before evacuating him in critical condition to Laniado, where doctors were forced to pronounce him dead.

- President Trump says Micron will invest $250 million in Trump Accounts, calling it the largest corporate investment of its kind.

- Today A couple who scale tall buildings have climbed to the top of the Empire State Building in New York City, holding a banner from the skyscraper's antenna reading, at 1,454 feet above the ground.

- NJ Transit fares increased by 3% on July 1, marking the second consecutive year of automatic annual fare hikes. The increase follows a 15% hike in 2024 and brings the total fare increase since then to 21%. Under current policy, NJ Transit fares are scheduled to rise by 3% each July 1.

- President Trump took the inaugural presidential flight on a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar and upgraded for use as Air Force One, departing from Joint Base Andrews to Medora, North Dakota. The flight was to attend the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and a Freedom 250 event.

- Teachers in the Montclair Public Schools district walked out of a mandatory staff training session that included the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The training was required under a federal settlement following a complaint alleging discrimination against Jewish students. Critics, including CAIR-NJ, argued the IHRA definition could suppress legitimate criticism of Israel, while supporters say it helps identify and address antisemitism in schools.

- NJ Assembly GOP NJ Assembly GOP Last night at Gov Sherrill’s "Affordability Agenda" press conference:Nobody smiled. She signed the budget privately at 11:22 PM. 38 minutes before the deadline. After promising no new taxes. After promising to end pork giveaways. $800M in new taxes. $360M in pork. Schools underfunded $400M.

- Daily anti ICE protests continue in downtown Lakewood following a recent ICE operation that resulted in the arrest of 10 people. Supporters of those arrested have been holding daily demonstrations, with some comparing the arrests to kidnappings. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that 10 individuals it described as being in the country illegally were arrested during the June 24 enforcement action. APP

- The FBI has reportedly determined the original ransom notes tied to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance were fake, according to a new Reuters report citing two FBI sources.
The report says investigators concluded the initial notes sent to media outlets were not authentic

- More than 70,000 had visited the kever of the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, as of Wednesday morning to mark the 283rd yartzeit, Israeli officials said.

- Starting today A new Medicare pilot program launching July 1 will allow some eligible beneficiaries to receive certain Ozempic GLP-1 weight-loss medications, including Wegovy and Zepbound, for a $50 monthly copay through the end of 2027. The program is limited to qualifying participants

letter calling for strengthening tefillos during the 3 weeks of bein hamstring in light of the gezeiras giyus

Vishnitz chasidim Giyus protest in front of AG office  building 

Iran Israel Updates Wednesday July 1

 - Trump: “Iran is moving along well. They've had very good meetings, and we'll see. We hit them very hard for three nights, as you know. But we're getting along very well, so I call it denuclearization. And it's all taking place. It's all going well."

- Reuters: Indirect and technical negotiations between the US and Iran, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, have begun in Doha. Yesterday, Witkoff and Kushner met with the Prime Minister of Qatar, but they are NOT currently participating in the talks.

 - Saudi report from negotiations: Initial agreement reached between the US and Iran to release $3 billion to Iran from frozen funds

- Araghchi is upset that Israel Defense Minister Kats threatened Mojtaba’s life: “The terms of the Islamabad MoU are crystal clear and public for all to see. POTUS has committed the U.S. to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them. Any threat against our People and Leadership will receive Immediate Powerful Response.”

- Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary in a direct threat on Trump and Bibi: “The file of revenge for the pure blood of Khamenei and the innocent martyrs of Iran remains open. The instigators and perpetrators of these crimes will be punished in due time - and the day will not be far off.”

- Trump’s Board of Peace in response to the UN trying to get UNRAW funds:”UNRWA has no place in the new Gaza. We are turning the page on the complex of perpetual aid dependency & conflict. The people of Gaza deserve better.”

- Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, at the Herzliya Conference: “Without the Jewish people, the United States would never have come into existence. Our founding fathers in America understood this”

- US-Saudi relations have significantly deteriorated in recent months amid anger in Riyadh over Washington’s decision to launch a war against Iran that has caused massive blowback for the rest of the region, Wall Street Journal reports. Saudi Arabia refused to allow the US to use its bases in order to conduct Project Freedom, which was aimed at breaking Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz by escorting stuck ships out of the channel.