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Israeli and Palestinian negotiators at Taba in the Sinai
desert pushed ahead in an attempt to work out some agreement
before the Israeli elections on February 6 (13 Shevat).
There was no American presence at the talks, though both
sides said they kept in touch with the new U.S.
administration and the Palestinians issued a memorandum
detailing their objections to the American approach in the
past seven years. Both talks characterized the first day of
talks, Monday, as serious. A heavy pall of mourning befell all beis Yisroel upon
learning of the petirah of HaRav Mordechai Gifter
zt"l, crown of American Jewry: its pilot and leader.
HaRav Gifter, rosh yeshiva of the Telz yeshiva in Cleveland
and one of the heads of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, was one
of the most venerable roshei yeshiva in the United States.
He was niftar on Thursday night, 24 Teves, at the age
of 85. Rishon Letzion Issues Order Granting Kashrus
Certification to Marketers of Sefichin Produce The Rishon Letzion Sephardic Chief Rabbi has issued
directives to grant kashrus certification to marketers of
sefichin produce even to those who have violated the
Jerusalem Chief Rabbinate kashrus guidelines. In a letter to a rabbinical contingent from the Nationwide
Center for Shmittah Observant Farmers, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky
wrote: "Assistance to the shmittah observant farmers
to the best of one's abilities is a great obligation. Those
who lend them a hand are actually participating in the
mitzvah of letting the land lie fallow.
Attempts to Prevent Desecration of Haifa Graves An attempt to desecrate burial caves in Haifa was recently
prevented by representatives of the City Council's Religious
Bloc protesting "rescue" operations by the Antiquities
Authority. As of last week, work had been halted.
Nonetheless, it is still feared that clandestine excavations
might continue. MK Rabbi Gafni visited the site on 21 Teves
in order to study the situation and prevent any desecration
of graves. The Date Line: Don't Move to New Zealand It was recently reported by Yated that some South
African Jews are planning to emigrate to New Zealand.
In that context, I would like to remind readers that the
days of the week and Shabbos in New Zealand which are
accepted by Jews since Creation, are in accordance with the
date line decided upon by the Chazon Ish zy"o, namely
one day later than that of the local non-Jewish population
of New Zealand. American Aguda's Yarchei Kallah in Eretz Yisroel "We came to Eretz Yisroel during these difficult
times for one purpose: to give chizuk and to receive
chizuk. Now is the time to show that only the Torah
has the power to give chizuk."
A New Era in Washington -- and in the Middle East
As the most powerful job in the world passed from William
Jefferson Clinton to George W. Bush last Shabbos, it almost
certainly marked the end of an era in the relations between
the United States and the State of Israel. The Benefactor The following is the last installment of a true story of
moral courage, of the uncompromise of values that has become
the hallmark of the Bais Yaakov model of the Jewish
Daughter. Names have been changed. Murder in a White Coat
The last day for Kiddush Levonoh -- Shevat
One can say Kiddush Levonoh in the entire world until
Thursday morning, 15 Shevat (Feb. 8), at 9:59 A.M., Israeli
time. In all of Europe the final time is also the entire
Wednesday night, but in America the final time is according
to the difference in time zones in comparison to Eretz
Yisroel.
The astronomical full moon is three quarters of an hour
earlier than the nigud emtzo'i and is at 9:13 A.M.
It seems that bedi'eved one can make a
berochoh until another five hours and thirty eight
minutes from the nigud emtzo'i (six hours and twenty
four minutes from the astronomical full moon) until reaching
the time of fifteen full days after the molad so not
to forfeit the berochoh altogether.
(Birur Halocho Orach Chaim, IV, chap. 426, pg.
300).
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