Early Friday morning, the Home Front Command announced an immediate shift in national defense posture. The new directive moves all Israeli regions from full operational status to essential services only. These restrictions prohibit educational activities, public gatherings, and non-essential work operations.

"The people of Israel face an emergency situation, and we pray while strengthening our IDF soldiers and national leadership in their war to eliminate the existential threat against Israel," Rabbi David Stav, who chairs the Tzahar rabbinical organization, said. "This crisis demands complete adherence to Home Front Command directives. Should gathering restrictions remain in effect – this necessarily includes synagogue prayers. While communal prayer represents an ideal, preserving life takes precedence over Shabbat observance."

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, serving as Tzfat's chief rabbi, advocates for neighborhood-based prayer services similar to coronavirus-era arrangements. "Community prayer groups can function near protected areas when necessary. Should synagogue worship become feasible, congregants must carry firearms, given uncertainty about Israeli Arab intentions. The synagogue sexton should also maintain telephone access."

Both rabbinical authorities emphasize monitoring emergency broadcasts through silent radio frequencies while prohibiting regular media consumption. "Keep radios tuned to silent emergency channels for critical updates. Television, standard radio programming, and internet browsing for news remain forbidden," both rabbis instructed.

Rabbi Eliyahu further stressed advance preparation of safe rooms for extended Shabbat occupation. "Maintain minimal lighting to prevent Shabbat violations through switching lights on or off," he advised.

Restricted Western Wall operations

Following Israel's emergency declaration and directives from security agencies and Israel Police, Western Wall prayers will operate under severe limitations to ensure worshipper and visitor safety. Current guidelines restrict services until further notice to protected prayer chambers within the Western Wall tunnel complex, with strict capacity controls and official oversight.

"We emphasize the critical importance of following Home Front Command and security force instructions. Compliance with these guidelines saves lives. All site prayers will focus on the welfare and success of IDF personnel, security operatives, and Israeli Air Force pilots defending Israel and its people with unwavering resolve," Western Wall Heritage Foundation representatives stated.

IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Efi Dafrin briefed media following the overnight strategic operation, confirming Iran launched more than 100 drones toward Israel while defense systems engage incoming threats.

Addressing Israeli Air Force operations in Iran, Dafrin reported "Through precision targeting overnight, forces struck over 100 Iranian sites. Operations targeted nuclear program infrastructure while eliminating senior leadership and command personnel." The military spokesman continued "Our intelligence has tracked Iranian developments for years."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued remarks from the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet session, stating "We have delivered a highly successful initial strike, and with divine assistance – we will achieve substantial strategic gains." Addressing Israeli civilians, Netanyahu warned "Extended periods in protected facilities may prove necessary."

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In a powerful demonstration of Jewish continuity, a 17th-generation descendant of the legendary Rabbi Judah Loew, known as the Maharal, was circumcised in Prague's historic Altneuschul (old-new synagogue), while photos of Israeli hostages held in Gaza adorned its medieval walls.

The infant is the grandson of Prague's Chabad emissary, Rabbi Manis Barash. Following the ceremony, during the celebration, it was revealed that the baby would be named Shneur Zalman, after the founder of Chabad Hasidism, known as the Alter Rebbe, who was himself a seventh-generation descendant of the Maharal.

The Maharal is traditionally believed to be a descendant of King David. The Alter Rebbe's seminal work, the Tanya, explicitly acknowledges its intellectual debt to the Maharal's writings. The ceremony marked a profound historical circle: the last circumcision performed in the Maharal's synagogue was 27 years ago – when the current baby's father was circumcised in the same location.

I stood moved among the congregation near the reading platform where the grandfather and the baby's father stood, with the grandfather seated in Elijah's Chair. Above the synagogue seats, photographs of the hostages held in Gaza lined the walls of the Altneuschul. The atmosphere was deeply affecting – we were participating in an event of profound historical significance beyond just a private family celebration.

Standing there, I physically felt the meaning of "Am Israel Chai." Four centuries have passed since the Maharal stood in this exact spot, and here, his descendants and his people continue to maintain the same traditions, ceremonies, and commandments in the very same place. The past 400 years have seen countless historical events, both positive and negative – pogroms, the Holocaust, the October 7 tragedy – yet our people continue to live and observe the same customs. What other nation would persist like this for 400 years?

Two legends are associated with this place. The first is that stones from the ruins of the Temple in Jerusalem were brought here and incorporated into the synagogue's foundation. The second is that the remains of the "Golem" created by the Maharal to protect Prague's Jews rest in the synagogue's attic.

Some say the name "Altneu" means "on condition" in Yiddish. The synagogue was built on the condition that when the Messiah came, they would remove the Temple stones and bring them up to the Land of Israel. But the truth is less prosaic. "Alt-neu" simply means "old-new" in Hebrew. Initially, it was called "The New Synagogue," but as more synagogues were built in the Jewish quarter, one was named "The New." They added the word "old" to the older one to distinguish between the two synagogues, hence its name "Old-New."

The building is rectangular with a high, pointed Gothic-style roof. The ceiling soars high above, composed of six pentagonal vaults supported by two columns. The walls feature 12 windows representing the tribes of Israel. The ark is made of marble, topped by a pointed arch with stone ornaments. In the center of the synagogue stands an elevated platform surrounded by iron railings. Biblical verses and acronyms adorn the walls. The wall separating the main hall from the women's section has narrow windows to allow the cantor's voice to reach the women's area.

This is the only synagogue in the world where "A Psalm for the Sabbath" is recited twice. One Sabbath evening, the Maharal forgot to deactivate the Golem, which went out into the street and began to rampage. The Maharal was informed of this during the "Psalm for the Sabbath" prayer. He immediately left for the street, returned the Golem, and deactivated it. Afterward, the rabbi returned to the synagogue and recited the "Psalm for the Sabbath" from the beginning. Since then, this synagogue uniquely maintains the tradition of reciting the Sabbath psalm twice during Friday evening services.

Just a minute's walk away stands the Spanish Synagogue, considered Prague's most beautiful. Its interior is breathtaking. The Spanish Synagogue has no connection to Sephardic traditions or Spanish exiles  – it earned its name because the Alhambra Palace inspired its interior design in Spain. The walls are covered with Moorish-style mosaics featuring pure gold ornaments weighing two kilograms.

Glass cabinets line the walls, displaying religious artifacts, Holocaust exhibits, Jewish soldiers who served in the Czech army, and prominent Jewish families. Franz Kafka and Sigmund Freud once prayed here during Jewish holidays. Today, the synagogue serves as a museum of Bohemian Jewish history and the Holocaust rather than an active house of worship.

Another stunning synagogue is the Jubilee Synagogue, inaugurated in 1906 following the clearing of the Jewish quarter. It was named "Jubilee" in honor of Emperor Franz Josef's silver jubilee. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, it was renamed "Jerusalem Synagogue" due to its location on Jerusalem Street.

Built-in Art Nouveau style with Moorish design elements, its facade features a large blue arch inscribed with the verse "This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter," with a large window centered by a Star of David. The facade's ornaments and carvings are painted gold.

The prayer hall is divided into two rows of seats, above which seven arches support the women's gallery. The arches and gallery railings are painted in vibrant colors and adorned with biblical verses. Large windows with colorful stained glass illuminate the space. The ark is decorated with a relief of the tablets of the covenant and grape vines. This is one of the most magnificent synagogues I've ever seen. Despite its distance from the city center, it's a must-visit site.

The former Jewish quarter is now called "Josefov," named after Emperor Joseph II, who granted emancipation to the Jews. Many Jews acquired education and property, allowing them to advance in life and move to new neighborhoods. The crowded Jewish quarter was left with the poor and elderly living in harsh, unhygienic conditions. At the beginning of the last century, authorities decided to demolish the quarter's buildings to install a sewage system. Only the Meisel, Klausen, and Pinkas synagogues were preserved.

Mordecai Meisel was the wealthiest Jew in 16th-century Europe. He helped the emperor finance wars against the Ottomans. Among Jews, he was known as a philanthropist who donated to the needy and established synagogues, study houses, and a hospital. In 1592, he built a private synagogue adjacent to his home, which bears his name. The original building burned down and was rebuilt. What we see today is the structure after a thorough renovation in 1905. Since the Holocaust, it no longer serves as a synagogue, but functions as a Jewish museum. Its walls display Torah ark curtains and covers for Torah scrolls. Opposite the entrance, a tall partition features a large screen showing a virtual tour of the Jewish quarter before its demolition.

The Pinkas Synagogue was built in the 15th century by Rabbi Aaron Meshulam Horowitz and named after his brother Pinchas. Only the ark and platform remain from the original synagogue, with the benches removed. The walls bear 77,297 names of Bohemian Jews murdered in the Holocaust.

The women's gallery on the second floor houses an exhibition of children's drawings from the nearby Theresienstadt concentration camp. The community tried to maintain normal life even in the camp, operating kindergartens and schools. The walls display children's drawings expressing feelings of fear and anxiety – justified, as all the children who created these drawings were murdered within months. Some of the drawings are heartbreaking.

From the Pinkas Synagogue, there is an exit to the Jewish cemetery, on the other side of which stands the Klausen Synagogue, the largest in the Jewish quarter, occupying the area of three houses. Mordecai Meisel built a complex of two synagogues adjacent to the cemetery for the burial society, alongside a yeshiva of the Maharal. The entire complex burned down in 1689, and the Klausen was built on its site in Baroque style.

Between these two synagogues lies the ancient Jewish cemetery, where great Jewish scholars are buried. A path winds through the cemetery, where we see simple tombstones alongside grand and large monuments. Several tombstones have explanatory plaques. It's worth pausing for prayer at the Maharal's grave.

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Thousands of synagogues in Israel and across the globe on Tuesday night will keep their lights on to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, a pogrom that targeted Jews in a series of horrific attacks throughout Germany and Austria on the night of November 9, 1938.

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During the pogrom, synagogues were heavily damaged and thousands of Jewish-owned businesses were destroyed. At least 400 Jews were murdered.

To commemorate Kristallnacht, International March of the Living, a Holocaust education program, launched an initiative known as Let There Be Light.

The movement encourages people and places of worship to leave their lights on during the night of November 9 to show solidarity with victims of hate.

"Over the last year we have witnessed a frightening rise of global antisemitic rhetoric and events," International March of the Living President Phyllis Greenberg Heideman explained on the movement's website.

"As the torchbearer of memory, the March of the Living's mission is to remind the world what happens when antisemitism is left unchecked," she said.

"The 'Let There Be Light' initiative unites the world, if even for a single moment, against antisemitism, hatred, and racism in all its forms. Our educational mission is today more necessary than ever," said Greenberg Heideman.

Last year, former president Reuven Rivlin held an event marking the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht at the presidential residence, with Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen in attendance.

The president's synagogue was illuminated to commemorate the occasion.

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The World Organization of Orthodox Synagogues has warned of a dangerous combination of increased activity inside synagogues due to the growing number of people inoculated against the coronavirus and lax adherence to pandemic guidelines among those who have yet to receive the vaccine.

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The organization called on the government to open synagogues to worshippers that have either been vaccinated, recovered from COVID-19, or tested negative for the virus 72 hours before entering the temple to pray.

According to existing lockdown guidelines, up to five people are allowed to gather in a closed space, and up to 10 are allowed to convene in open areas. In effect, these restrictions prevent worshippers from praying in a minyan – a quorum of 10.

As a result, the organization noted, many people have begun to either ignore or bend the rules on the number of worshippers allowed to gather in one place.

"Unfortunately, we are seeing worshippers, including those who do not have a green passport, beginning to pray in closed spaces. We fear the phenomenon will grow and threaten the health of many," the organization said in a statement.

"Worshippers must adhere to the guidelines and immediately get vaccinated as all the experts have advised. This is both a halachic and moral obligation," the organization said.

According to the framework, the number of worshippers allowed inside the synagogue would be determined by experts to maintain the necessary distance between people. In addition, mask-wearing and hygiene would be enforced. Each synagogue would appoint a coronavirus chief with enforcing the guidelines and limiting entry to green passport holders. Those without a green passport would be allowed to pray outside and in adherence with social-distancing and other pandemic guidelines.

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One of those groups, the Secure Community Network, has issued new research and scenarios on who might carry arms in a congregation – from trained law-enforcement personnel to congregational members – and how to keep attendees safe.

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Titled "Firearms and the Faithful: Approaches to Armed Security in Jewish Community," the 24-page white paper was crafted by SCN – the security arm of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. It was written in consultations with security experts, including federal and local law-enforcement officials.

The guidelines come just weeks after a terror attack at the home of a rabbi in Monsey, NY, and has been in the works for several months following last year's deadly attacks at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and Chabad of Poway in Southern California.

"With attacks against synagogues and Jewish communities at their highest levels in years, this report comes at an important time," said Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America. "We are rethinking our approach to security."

According to the FBI, hate crimes targeting Jews are on the rise nationwide. In 2018, of the 1,550 recorded religiously motivated bias offenses, 57% were "motivated by anti-Jewish bias."

"We've seen a rise in attacks against houses of worship and concerns about how to best protect worshippers," said the national director and CEO of SCN Michael Masters in a release. "This white paper provides a consistent, best practice approach to issues related to armed security to ensure people can worship safety."

The paper advises that "an armed guard or armed congregant is not a security strategy or plan on its own. Armed security can be part of a plan, but it is only that – a component. A true security plan includes many other layers and components …"

It also lays out eight points to know before deciding whether or not to have guns in the synagogue, including concerns about legality, training, costs and more.

While noting that it is up to each congregation to make security decisions for themselves, the paper concludes that "if a congregation determines that armed security will be part of their plan, then this paper should help them reach the conclusion that employing a uniformed police officer is the option most likely to achieve their goals."

Another group, Herut North America, is offering a new guide to help congregations better organize their security efforts. The "Synagogue Security Tool Kit," HNA said in a press release Thursday, is being offered free of charge to all members of the Jewish community interested in improving security as well as synagogue leaders.

"We have developed this e-book guide as a hands-on tool to aid synagogues with both evaluating their security needs as well as organizing their own security teams," says HNA national director Moshe Phillips.

"This information-packed booklet is specifically designed to give Jews the information they need to feel empowered around security-related needs and issues. We have included checklists, assessment worksheets, planning guides, practical advice, and more."

According to HNA, the team responsible for the booklet includes IDF veterans, individuals trained in counter-terrorism, longtime community security volunteers, and legal professionals.

The booklet, the HNA statement continued, will help Jewish institutions develop a security plan that can be implemented in a synagogue, kollel, yeshiva, camp, or day school.

"Our goal is to have this booklet utilized by synagogues in all 50 states so that further anti-Jewish violence and bloodshed can be prevented," said Joshua Goldstein, chairman of Herut North America.

"Action is required now," Goldstein added. "Please help us reach our goal in making the streets safer for Jews across America."

Parts of this article were reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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No US aid will go to the Palestinian Authority. Since the United States cut aid to the PA in March 2018 and under the Taylor Force Act, the PA's program of rewarding terrorists and their families is not being supported.

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Up to $30 million is allocated to boost reconciliation programs for Israelis and Palestinians.

There is also no US funding for the UN Human Rights Council, which the United States withdrew from in June 2018.

The legislation does not include the $175 million requested by the Trump administration for economic assistance to the Palestinians as part of its Mideast peace plan, the economic part which was introduced at the Bahrain summit in June. The rejection was solely due to budgetary considerations, reported Haaretz, citing a source close to the budget negotiations.

The bill consists of $90 million for the US Department of Homeland Security's Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) that seeks to protect nonprofit institutions, including synagogues. This is a 50% increase over last year's $60 million funding.

The NSGP provides grants of up to $100,000 each to nonprofits at risk of terrorist attacks so they may improve building security by acquiring and installing items ranging from fences, lighting, and video surveillance to metal detectors and blast-resistant doors, locks, and windows. Funding may also be used to train staff and pay for contracted security personnel.

The NSGP has become more critical for the Jewish community in the aftermath of the Oct. 27, 2018 mass shooting at the Tree of Life-Or L'Simcha Synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 Jewish worshippers were killed, and six months later, the April 27 shooting at Chabad of Poway in Southern California, where one woman was killed and three others injured.

"The many attacks on our Jewish communal institutions highlight the tremendous need for additional measures to keep our community safe," said Orthodox Union president Mark Bane in a statement. "We have a responsibility to protect people whether at prayer, at school, and in other potentially vulnerable places."

The bill expresses support for collaboration between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, especially in the energy sector. The East-Med pipeline will connect Israel and the European Union. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been involved in the talks between the three allies, meeting with the leaders of the three countries back in March.

Finally, around $60.39 million is allocated for the US Holocaust Memorial Museum through 2022.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org

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In the Northern California, the Torah scrolls from Congregation Beth Ami in Santa Rosa were evacuated from the synagogue on Saturday as winds whipped flames from the Kincaid Fire in nearby rural Geyserville and brought the fire danger closer to the city. As of Monday morning, the Kincaid Fire had burned some 66,000 acres and led to the evacuations of an estimated 200,000 people.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as fires raged fueled by dry conditions and strong winds. In some cases, like the Tick Fire in Santa Clarita in Southern California, which had consumed more than 4,600 acres and is 70% contained, firefighters are making significant progress. Elsewhere, however, new fires like the Getty Fire, which broke out around 2 a.m. near the famed Getty Center on Monday morning in Los Angeles, are being reported.

"We had Shabbat services yesterday when we got news about communities north of us being evacuated," said Rabbi Mordechai Miller of Beth Ami in Santa Rosa.

"We completed services and had our Kiddush because we weren't under a mandatory evacuation. Afterwards, we took the Sifrei Torahs [Torah scrolls] from the building," he said. Sunday's Hebrew school was canceled.

While many from Miller's congregation who were evacuated went to stay with friends and family in nearby communities, Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto, where Miller's daughter Sarah works, opened their homes should anyone need a place to go.

"We have not done this before, but we were very involved, post-fire, in helping that community during the [previous] fire," said Lia Rensin, president of the board of directors at Kol Emeth.

"We've had a huge outpouring of support from Kol Emeth congregants. I am beyond grateful to our members and so moved by their generosity. I am sure that if we have extra space, we will contact other synagogues in the areas affected to see how we can help as well."

Miller praised the Kol Emeth congregation, noting that they have a history of being socially active and helping when they are needed.

The Kincade Fire comes two years after the Tubbs Fire burned through Sonoma and Napa counties, killing more than 20 people, and destroying thousands of homes and structures, and just a year after the Camp Fire destroyed the town of Paradise. Both of those fires had broken out and burned so quickly that people had little if any time to act.

According to Miller, "the Tubbs Fire in 2017 fire had a profound effect on the community. A lot of rebuilding has taken place, but that isn't even fully finished. In 2017, the fire was on … Sukkot. There was a lot of wind, so I went outside at 2 a.m. to check on my sukka. It had blown off the deck, and then I saw a lot of traffic coming down the road which borders my backyard and that didn't make sense.

"People didn't know about the fire," he continued. "They didn't know what was happening because it was 2 o'clock in the morning. This time we were aware of the fire because it started in Geyserville a few days ago, so there was always some concern that with the high wind it might spread. I think people were much better prepared."

'This has become all too common'

In Los Angeles on Monday, firefighters, were working to stop a brushfire that broke out before dawn. Jewish schools including Milken Community School and the American Jewish University were closed for the day. Many residents who live near the Getty Center were evacuated overnight as the fire quickly grew in the dark.

Late last week, it was the town of Santa Clarita, northwest of Los Angeles, that was dealing with a fast-moving wildfire. The Tick Fire has since been contained, and according to rabbis there, life is back to normal.

"We canceled Hebrew school on Thursday evening, and our preschool was closed on Friday. Our synagogue was outside the evacuation zone; however, some of our congregants were evacuated," said Rabbi Jay Siegel of Congregation Beth Shalom in Santa Clarita.

"Many of those evacuated stayed with other congregants until it was safe for their return. We had services Friday night and Saturday morning."

Members of Temple Beth Ami in Santa Clarita were also evacuated last week, said Rabbi Mark Blazer, adding that "No one has lost homes, fortunately, and we had services Friday night.

"Unfortunately, this has become too common," he continued. "We almost expect it every October."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org

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