Balaam, Moses, and the Meaning of God’s Name

A Torah essay on Parashat Balak says Balaam’s prophecy rose from Elohim to Hashem, revealing the secret of Israel’s election. It links that shift to the Exodus and to Israel’s role as a kingdom of priests meant to illuminate the world.

Behadrei Haredim

Far-Left Candidates Backed by Zohran Mamdani Win New York House Primaries

Darlisa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez won Democratic primaries for New York congressional seats, in a boost for Zohran Mamdani. Chevalier’s victory drew attention because of her repeated anti-Israel statements and past support for pro-Palestinian protests. Both candidates are now favored to win in November.

N12·+7 outlets · 63% center

French Talmud edition marks historic turnaround at Jerusalem ceremony

A new French-language Talmud edition, based on Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s commentary, has been completed and unveiled in Jerusalem. Backed by the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation, it was presented as a historic reversal of the French role in the burning of the Talmud in Paris.

Behadrei Haredim·+3 outlets · 100% right-leaning

20-Year-Old Says Attack by Illegal West Bank Resident Left Her Traumatized

A 20-year-old woman from Azor said a 36-year-old illegal resident from near Hebron attacked her while she walked to national service. Police say security footage helped identify and arrest him, and prosecutors filed an indictment on Wednesday. She says she is still traumatized and no longer feels safe walking alone.

Walla

Senate Rejects Bid to Limit Trump’s Iran Powers After Republican Reversal

The U.S. Senate rejected a measure to limit Donald Trump’s powers over Iran after Republicans reversed their support. The shift came after White House meetings with Bill Cassidy and Rand Paul, and Trump called the result a message to Iran.

Kikar HaShabbat

Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to at least 164

Venezuela says the earthquake death toll has reached at least 164, with about 1,000 injured. President Delcy Rodriguez said early estimates suggest the final number could rise into the thousands.

Ynet·+4 outlets · 75% center

B144 and Kikar HaShabbat Launch Joint Ad Package for Haredi Businesses

B144 and Kikar HaShabbat have announced an exclusive annual ad partnership for Haredi businesses. The package includes site placement, campaign management, and a free landing page for the first 20 participants, starting at 929 shekels a month.

Kikar HaShabbat

Basketball league praises referees, rejects claims of ulterior motives

The Israeli Basketball Premier League sent the referees association a thank-you letter after the season ended. The letter praised the referees’ work, noted their challenges, and firmly rejected claims that they acted from ulterior motives.

N12

Basketball League Sends Referees Thank-You Letter Amid Hidden Message Speculation

Mako

Chief Rabbi David Lau Offers a Brief Talk on Parashat Balak

Chief Rabbi David Lau appears in a weekly Kikar HaShabbat feature with a short Torah thought on Parashat Balak. The segment is presented as a Shabbat discussion aid and is dedicated to the recovery of Rabbi Figa Tzipora bat Hadassa.

Kikar HaShabbat

Kai Trump Sparks Debate After Posting White House Vlogs

Kai Trump, 17, posted White House vlogs that showed private areas of the presidential residence and drew millions of views. The videos triggered praise from supporters and criticism from those who questioned her prominence and access.

Kikar HaShabbat

Bedouin protesters in Beersheba denounce demolitions in the Negev

About 1,000 Bedouin protesters rallied in Beersheba against demolitions in the Negev after homes were destroyed in Tel Arad and al-Sar. Community leaders accused the state of mass demolition and failed regulation, while the Bedouin development authority said it is advancing formalization plans and urged acceptance of its proposal.

Ynet

E-Z's old prediction about Odes Azoulay proves true

A 2017 cover video resurfaced showing E-Z predicting that Odes Azoulay would become a star. Azoulay later broke through with “Or,” and she and E-Z recently released the successful duet “Winter 23.”

Now 14

A Call for Basic Decency in Dating: Why Ghosting Matters

The article criticizes ghosting in dating, especially in religious circles, as a form of disrespect that erases another person's dignity. It urges people to end short relationships with a polite message or phone call and to see dating as an opportunity for personal growth and human decency.

Srugim

Maccabi Tel Aviv Still Has No Deal With Dor Peretz

Maccabi Tel Aviv has not yet reached an agreement with Dor Peretz on a new contract. After another round of talks between Avi Naimni and Jack Angelidis failed to bridge the gaps, Peretz’s status remains unclear before the team’s Sunday training camp.

N12·+1 outlet · 100% center

Ultra-Orthodox Parties Warn They Will Block Attorney General Split Without Draft and Torah Bills

Senior Haredi party officials said they will not support splitting the attorney general’s post unless the coalition advances two key bills, a Basic Law on Torah study and an arrests bill. The demand follows a tense meeting with Netanyahu, in which Aryeh Deri and Moshe Gafni threatened to seek Knesset dissolution if the legislation is delayed.

Kikar HaShabbat

Teen Rider Arrested After Nighttime Highway 40 Chase in Israel

A 17-year-old from Be'er Tuvia was arrested after fleeing police on Route 40 on an unlicensed motorcycle. The chase ended when the bike slid into a ditch, and police later released helmet-camera footage of the arrest.

Kikar HaShabbat

El Al Suspends Tel Aviv-Moscow Flights Amid Escalating Russia-Ukraine Fighting

El Al is suspending its Tel Aviv-Moscow flights for the next few days because of the worsening Russia-Ukraine situation and recent aviation incidents. The airline will reassess the route next week and decide whether to restart service, while affected passengers will be offered alternatives.

Globes·+9 outlets · 75% center

Denmark Reopens Legal Review of a Nationwide Ban on Mosque Call to Prayer

Denmark’s government is reviewing whether to impose a nationwide ban on the Muslim call to prayer from loudspeakers. Immigration Minister Morten Bødskov said the move would build on existing local restrictions, while critics and supporters have long debated such limits.

Now 14·+1 outlet · 50% center

Ukraine's Most Powerful Weapon Against Russia Is Its Battle-Hardened Soldiers

Ukrainian front-line soldiers say their real strength against Russia is human endurance, not drones or missiles. The article highlights Ihor Vizirenko of the 21st Mechanized Brigade, who keeps fighting despite injuries, loss, and family separation. It says Ukraine’s battlefield gains depend on years of sacrifice by troops who refuse to quit.

Now 14

Aila Hasson Slams Netanyahu Trial as “Horrific Due Process Abuse”

Aila Hasson, speaking Thursday on Gali Yisrael, denounced Netanyahu’s trial as unfair and harmful to Israel. She and Yotam Zimri accused law enforcement of crossing red lines and undermining democracy, while Hasson criticized the emotional conduct of prosecutors and journalists.

Srugim

IDF Data Show Highest Enlistment in Religious and Kibbutz-Moshav Schools, and a Sharp Rise in Women Combat Roles

New IDF data show that secular schools in central Israel, kibbutzim and moshavim have the highest enlistment rates, while ultra-Orthodox enlistment remains very low. The sharpest increase is among women, especially religious women, whose combat and overall enlistment rates have risen markedly.

Globes

Former Shin Bet Officer Questions Whether an LGBTQ Unit Ever Existed

Former Shin Bet officer Tamir Mandovsky said he saw no LGBTQ events or unit during his 2012 to 2022 service. His remarks followed reports that Shin Bet chief David Zini canceled an LGBTQ event, ordered invitations withdrawn, and moved dedicated LGBTQ funds into the general budget.

Arutz Sheva·+1 outlet · 50% center

Jerusalem caregiver arrested over suspected abuse and neglect of toddlers

Jerusalem police arrested a 49-year-old caregiver from Har Homa on suspicion of abusing and neglecting two toddlers under her care. Her detention was extended today by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court as the investigation continues.

Srugim·+5 outlets · 50% center

Russian Exile Journalist Who Exposed Putin’s Private Life Dies in Riga After Suspected Mushroom Poisoning

Gregory Nakhushev, a Russian exiled journalist who exposed details of Vladimir Putin’s private life, died at 69 in Riga. Reports say he may have died after eating poisonous mushrooms, but Latvian authorities have not confirmed the cause. An autopsy is expected to determine what happened.

Behadrei Haredim·+1 outlet · 50% center

Iraq Warns It May Quit OPEC Unless Production Quotas Rise

Iraq has threatened to leave OPEC if the cartel does not significantly raise its oil production quota. The warning, driven by a severe financial crisis linked to the war with Iran, has already pushed oil prices lower.

Now 14

MK Moshe Saada calls for zero tolerance toward Haredi road blockades

MK Moshe Saada condemned Haredi protests and road blockades on Radio Galey Yisrael on Thursday. He said the state must enforce the law equally, criticized past non-enforcement at Kaplan protests, and pledged broad judicial reform and uniform enforcement.

Srugim

Jarko Lazetic reportedly set for Al Taawoun job in Saudi Arabia

Jarko Lazetic is reportedly close to taking over Al Taawoun in Saudi Arabia, five months after leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv. The deal is said to include a salary above $2 million a year, full control over squad building and a special transfer clause for a Serbian signing.

Mako·+1 outlet · 100% center

Deadly Venezuela Earthquake Leaves Jewish Community Shaken, Israel Reviews Aid Options

A devastating earthquake struck northern Venezuela overnight, killing at least 32 people and injuring about 700, with Caracas heavily damaged. Jewish residents and Chabad emissaries in the capital described intense shaking, damage to homes, and evacuations to open areas. Israel’s Foreign Ministry is assessing possible rescue and aid assistance.

Behadrei Haredim·+2 outlets · 67% right-leaning

The New American Dream Is to Stop Working, and It Comes With Risks

A Wall Street Journal investigation describes a growing American obsession with earning money without traditional work, fueled by Amazon, Etsy, eBay and AI tools. It highlights success stories, failures and rule-bending schemes, while warning that passive income often requires major upfront effort and carries real risks.

Now 14

France Seizes Russian Tanker Linked to Moscow’s Shadow Fleet

Emmanuel Macron said the French navy seized a Russian tanker near Sicily on Tuesday. He said the ship was part of Russia’s shadow fleet and that the move followed a similar British operation days earlier.

Ynet

Conflicting Claims Over Israeli Withdrawal in Southern Lebanon

The U.S. said Israel withdrew from part of the southern Lebanon buffer zone, but Lebanese and Israeli military sources denied it. No side reported a confirmed change on the ground.

Kikar HaShabbat·+9 outlets · 60% center

Netanyahu Rejects Health and Cognitive Claims During Libel Trial Testimony

Benjamin Netanyahu testified Thursday in Tel Aviv in his defamation case against Ben Caspit, Uriel Meshgav, and Gonen Ben-Yitzhak. He denied claims about his health and cognition, calling them lies, while a judge cut off efforts to read the complaint in court. The exchange focused on alleged claims that he had pancreatic cancer or possible metastases, which the opposing lawyer said never appeared in Meshgav’s writings.

Arutz Sheva·+6 outlets · 71% right-leaning

Aztec burial mask reveals the biological catastrophe behind an empire's collapse

A rare Aztec burial mask at the British Museum is presented as evidence that smallpox, not only Spanish conquest, destroyed the Aztec Empire. The article says the disease killed millions and erased about 90% of the population after 1519.

Now 14

Man Seriously Hurt in Two-Vehicle Crash Near Yarkon Interchange

A 55-year-old man was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash on Route 40 near the Yarkon Interchange. Magen David Adom evacuated him to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva.

Ynet·+1 outlet · 50% center

Meta Accelerates Shift From Human Moderators to AI, Saving Billions, Report Says

Meta is rapidly moving content moderation from human reviewers to AI models, with 50% of review requests already shifted since the start of the year. The Financial Times reports the company aims to exceed 90% AI moderation for some content by year-end, a change that could save billions, despite internal concerns about errors and weak safeguards.

Calcalist

Record Number of Israeli Companies Earn LGBT Equality Seal as Workplace Gaps Persist

LGBTWORK awarded a record 24 Israeli companies and organizations its 2026 equality seal, spanning far more sectors than just tech. The report also warned that many LGBTQ workers still hide their identity, fear career damage, and face harassment or discrimination at work.

Walla

Eliahu Yusian Ordered to Pay NIS 5,000 in Libel Suit Loss

The Haifa Magistrate’s Court ordered Eliahu Yusian to pay Dr. Tamar Eilam NIS 5,000 in a defamation case on Thursday. Eilam later said she would move on, thanked her lawyer, and noted that Yusian did not appeal the ruling.

Srugim

Musk Falls Below $1 Trillion Again as SpaceX Shares Slide

Elon Musk has dropped back below $1 trillion in net worth after a steep fall in SpaceX and Tesla shares. Bloomberg put his fortune at $957 billion on Tuesday, though he remains the world’s richest person and could regain trillionaire status if SpaceX rises about 6%.

Calcalist

Maccabi Tel Aviv Clinch 58th Israeli Title After Pressure-Filled Run

Maccabi Tel Aviv won its 58th Israeli championship after beating Hapoel Tel Aviv in a tense final series. The title was sealed by Roman Sorkin’s clutch three-pointer, and several players and officials described the season as unusually difficult and emotional.

Mako·+1 outlet · 100% center