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Phyllis Shallman – Success Comes From Your Habits

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Phyllis Shallman – Success Comes From Your Habits
The Track To Stay On To Reach The Top

Habits are incredibly powerful forces in our lives. They influence how we allocate our time and energy and play a pivotal role in shaping our identity. Our daily habits, whether positive or negative, can mold the trajectory of our lives and significantly impact our journey toward success. By understanding the profound impact of our habits, we can consciously cultivate behaviors that align with our goals and aspirations, paving the way for a more fulfilling and successful future.

Success is not a one-time event but the culmination of consistently practicing good habits over time. It’s about the daily choices we make, the routines we establish, and the dedication we show toward our goals. This fundamental principle, though straightforward, is frequently disregarded amidst our relentless quest for achievement.

The Power of Habits

Our brains are intricately wired to form and reinforce habits. Ingrained in our daily routines, these habits become automatic behaviors that we carry out without much conscious effort. By operating on autopilot, habits streamline our actions, saving us valuable time and energy in the process.

However, it’s important to note that not all habits work in our favor. Some habits, like procrastination or engaging in negative self-talk, can hinder our path to success and impede us from realizing our full potential. By understanding the impact of our habits, we can proactively shape our behaviors to steer toward positive outcomes and personal growth.

Creating Successful Habits

The good news is that we have the power to control and change our habits. We can strategically cultivate successful habits by delving into the mechanisms behind habits and comprehending the triggers that shape them. When consistently practiced, these positive habits can propel us toward achieving our goals and realizing success in various aspects of our lives.

Here are some steps to help you create successful habits:

  1. Begin by identifying your current habits – Take a moment to reflect on your daily routines and behaviors. Consider which habits contribute positively to your journey to success and which are holding you back from reaching your goals.
  2. Establish clear, well-defined goals – By having a specific objective in mind, you can gain clarity and a sense of purpose in cultivating new habits that align with your aspirations.
  3. Start with small, manageable steps – Attempting to alter numerous habits simultaneously can be daunting. Begin by focusing on one habit at a time, consistently integrating it into your daily routine to facilitate lasting change.
  4. Prioritize consistency – Consistency is crucial in the process of habit formation. Strive to practice your new habit daily, even if it’s just for a brief period each day, as regularity reinforces habit formation.
  5. Foster accountability – Explore various methods to hold yourself accountable. Whether it involves maintaining a journal, utilizing a tracking app, or partnering with someone for mutual accountability, establishing mechanisms to monitor your progress can enhance your commitment to developing and sustaining positive habits.
The Importance of Persistence

Creating successful habits is a journey that requires dedication and perseverance. It’s a gradual process that unfolds over time, not an instant transformation. By staying committed and maintaining consistency, these habits will gradually integrate into your daily routine, shaping a lifestyle that aligns with your goals and aspirations.

It’s important to realize that success isn’t solely about reaching one significant milestone; it’s about the series of small victories achieved through our daily habits. Each small success contributes to the larger tapestry of our accomplishments, emphasizing the power of consistency and persistence in our journey toward success.

WealthWave leaders exemplify the essence of empowerment and financial literacy through TheMoneyBooks. Their profound knowledge not only leads to personal success but also enables them to make a significant impact on the lives of others. By embracing and nurturing successful habits, these financial leaders and educators can develop a mindset geared toward unparalleled success.

These habits serve as more than just strategies; they form the cornerstone of a success-driven lifestyle that prioritizes continuous improvement, unwavering determination, and a clear vision for the future. Embracing these principles sets the stage for a transformative journey toward prosperity and lasting influence in the financial landscape.

Embrace Daily Improvement

The journey to excellence starts with a firm commitment to self-improvement each day. Picture setting aside thirty minutes daily to immerse yourself in finance literature, broadening your understanding, or investing two hours refining your skills with purposeful practice. It’s not just about acquiring expertise; it’s about nurturing a profound curiosity that propels you to venture into unexplored realms.

As the renowned Jim Rohn once expressed, “Formal education will earn you a living; self-education will earn you a fortune.” This philosophy lies at the core of WealthWave’s objective to simplify financial principles for all. By empowering people with knowledge, WealthWave aims to pave the way for a financially literate society.

Persevere Toward Your Dreams

The journey towards realizing your dreams is like navigating a winding road filled with obstacles and hurdles. However, maintaining emotional balance and composure is the key to overcoming these challenges. Just as renowned sports icons such as Michael Jordan showcased relentless determination and resilience in the face of adversity, leaders within WealthWave can embody this same unwavering resolve.

By effectively managing expectations, setting clear, achievable goals, and cultivating a mindset of perseverance and resilience, you equip yourself with the tools necessary to conquer any challenge that may arise. It’s crucial to remember that persistence, adaptability, and a positive attitude are the keys to achieving inevitable success in the face of adversity.

Crystalize Your Vision

Understanding your destination is crucial. By engaging in dream-setting, you’re not just daydreaming about the future; you’re meticulously crafting a detailed blueprint of your life’s ambitions. This process requires adaptability and continuous refinement of your goals, ensuring that even in the face of adversity, your eyes remain unwaveringly fixed on the distant horizon. As Helen Keller once profoundly stated, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision,” underscoring the paramount importance of fostering a clear, purposeful vision for your future endeavors.

Maintain a Positive Outlook

Gratitude lays a strong foundation for a positive mindset by acting as a powerful catalyst for optimism, enthusiasm, and hope. This attitude of gratitude not only helps in overcoming challenges but also plays a crucial role in fostering creativity and innovation in problem-solving scenarios. As the renowned Oprah Winfrey beautifully articulates, “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” Embracing a grateful perspective allows us to navigate life’s ups and downs with resilience and appreciation, leading to a richer and more fulfilling existence.

Focus on Solutions

Success is not solely about recognizing problems; it’s a journey of unwavering determination to seek solutions. This resilient mindset can turn challenges into opportunities, paving the way towards achieving your aspirations. It encapsulates the very core of leadership within the financial education movement, setting a path for others to follow in fostering financial literacy and empowerment.

Embrace the Process

Understanding that mistakes are not failures but valuable opportunities for learning and growth is a fundamental hallmark of success. By embracing a process-oriented mindset, you can effectively navigate the intricate realms of financial education and leadership, ensuring that each deliberate step you take contributes significantly towards achieving mastery and excellence in your endeavors.

Cultivate Patience

In a world driven by the demand for immediate gratification, the value of patience emerges as a key virtue, positioning itself as your most valuable asset. Achieving success, particularly within the sphere of financial education and empowerment, is akin to running a marathon rather than a sprint. As Napoleon Hill famously stated, “Patience, persistence, and perspiration form an unbeatable trio for achieving success,” underscoring the critical role of unwavering dedication in pursuing your aspirations. Remember, in the journey towards your goals, patience is not just a virtue but a strategic advantage that propels you forward amidst challenges and uncertainties.

To the dedicated leaders, educators, and advocates of WealthWave: the journey toward financial empowerment and personal success is a profound and rewarding endeavor. It comes with its challenges, but through perseverance and dedication to these principles, you are shaping your own path to success and illuminating a trail for others to tread upon. Let’s wholeheartedly commit to these guiding principles, embodying the ethos of continuous growth, unwavering resilience, and impactful contributions. Together, we possess the power to revolutionize financial literacy, leaving behind a legacy of empowerment and triumph. Let’s not merely envision a brighter tomorrow; let’s actively construct it, through each habit, every decision, and one day at a time.

Dr. Mindy Boxer – Using Acupuncture to Manage Autoimmune Diseases

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Dr. Mindy Boxer – Using Acupuncture to Manage Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases can prove to be intricate and seemingly unsolvable puzzles for many people. And statistics prove this to be true as millions worldwide are impacted by autoimmune diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to lupus, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, irritable bowel disease, and even Parkinson’s disease. Conventional medicine can diagnose 100 different autoimmune conditions, however the treatments offered don’t completely resolve the issues associated with the disease and in extreme cases, no treatment is available at all. And yet, in the midst of all these medical challenges that autoimmune diseases present, acupuncture emerges as a promising ally, offering relief to those grappling with these often-complex health conditions.

According to a study published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture has shown significant efficacy in alleviating symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases, with an impressive success rate of more than 80%. This ancient practice, rooted in the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, operates on the belief that disruptions in the body’s vital energy, or qi, contribute to illness. By stimulating specific points along meridians, acupuncture aims to rebalance qi and promote healing from within.

Acupuncture and Autoimmune Diseases

While the exact mechanisms underlying acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating autoimmune diseases continue to be made known, emerging research offers insights into its multifaceted benefits. Studies suggest that acupuncture may modulate immune responses, dampening inflammation and regulating immune function. Additionally, acupuncture’s ability to stimulate the release of endorphins and other neurotransmitters can mitigate pain and enhance overall well-being.

Acupuncture continues to be celebrated for its holistic approach to managing various health conditions, addressing not only the physical symptoms of autoimmune diseases but also their emotional and psychological manifestations. By fostering a sense of relaxation and equilibrium, acupuncture nurtures the body’s innate capacity to heal, fostering a profound sense of empowerment and resilience.

In a landscape marked by the complexities of autoimmune diseases, acupuncture can be a light at the end of the tunnel for many patients struggling to find relief — a gentle yet effective ally in the quest for healing and wholeness. With its roots deeply intertwined with millennia of wisdom and tradition, acupuncture offers a pathway toward holistic wellness, harnessing the body’s innate intelligence to navigate the labyrinth of autoimmune challenges.

As we think about the boundless potential of acupuncture in the realm of treating autoimmune diseases, it’s important to hold equal parts of curiosity and expectation. I will conduct a thorough health history prior to your first treatment so they can understand exactly what you have been dealing with. Together, we will develop a treatment plan and explore the possibilities that acupuncture can bring to the table. You may learn about different herbal remedies as well. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your concerns. It’s possible I  will uncover underlying conditions that also can be treated, leading to a clearer picture of your health.

Sometimes we need to look in the past in order to move forward. How might the ancient wisdom of acupuncture illuminate new pathways toward healing and restoration in the modern era? If you suffer from an autoimmune disease, consider acupuncture as a holistic approach to achieving wellness. If you’ve tried everything else, make an appointment today to learn more about the possibilities acupuncture brings to treating disease and achieving whole-body balance.    info@drmindyboxer.com

Call and make an appointment today!

Dr. Mindy Boxer is a holistic practitioner who has grown into her specialties in an organic way. Understanding a range of disciplines allows her to integrate the wisdom of Ancient healing in combination with the most recent innovations in Scientific research. This dynamic blend has enabled Dr. Boxer to help patients in the prevention and treatment of disease for over 25 years.
At age 15, Dr. Boxer began her lifelong practice of Yoga & Meditation, read many Nutrition books, began Juicing her Vegetables, and explored and all Raw Diet.  Recognizing the importance of Nutrition in overall health, she earned her Ph.D. in 1986 in Nutrition and Human Behavior, providing her with a solid foundation to counsel and educate patients on how to attain health and vitality.
Her informative Lectures and appetizing Cooking Classes were the perfect forum to educate the community about the effects of food on Mood and Behavior, as well as in innovative ways to balance Body Chemistry in order to achieve overall well being.
Sensing a need to expand her training and understanding of the human body as a whole system, Dr. Boxer continued her studies in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine,  and in 1993 earned a Masters Degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine. She is licensed by the Medical Board of the State of California in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine and is also licensed by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.
These diverse disciplines give Dr. Boxer a unique view of the human body and how to keep it functioning in an optimal manner. Her practice of Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs and Functional Nutrition have a profound effect on Hormonal balance, Rejuvenation, and Immune system enhancement.
Dr. Boxer has a particularly keen understanding of Women’s Health issues including Gynecological irregularity, PMS, Fertility, IUI & UVF support, Healthy Pregnancy & Delivery, and Menopausal issues. Her interest in the human body as a dynamic system has given her the understanding to deal with such problems as improper Digestion and elimination, Cancer Support, Allergies, back pain, tight neck and shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome, respiratory distress, chronic fatigue, Insomnia, Stress, Anxiety and Depression.
She has also studied the art and science of Homeopathy, earning her Diplomate in Homeopathy from the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy in 1995. This allows her to treat the whole person — physically, mentally, emotionally.

Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz – In My Own Skin

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Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz – In My Own Skin

Operation Inspiration

There’s an expression, “Beauty is only skin deep.” While it is important to realize that appearances, both physical and intellectual, are not necessarily meaningful or accurate, it is possible to think that skin itself is unimportant, which could not be further from the truth.

On a superficial level – skin deep, you might say – skin is just a covering for the body. But in truth, it’s so much more. It protects the body from infection and contamination by outside forces. It provides a place for hair to grow and sweat to escape. The skin’s layers serve as a waterproof barrier to the outside world, and provide nerve receptors and the sense of touch which provides our brains with so much important data, like pain, heat, contact and texture.

When the epidermis, the outer layer of skin, made up of dead skin cells, is cut, germs can get inside and cause disease. But the epidermis is pretty tough, and can stand up to all sorts of punishment, from washing dishes to swinging a baseball bat, to hitting a computer keyboard thousands of times a day. Not only that, but the skin is reactive.

R’ Avigdor Miller z”l would point out that not only is the skin durable, but it can even get stronger. Hands used for swinging a hammer or axe, for example, may become calloused. The thickening of the skin is how Hashem made the body adapt to its purpose and use. Those hardened and thickened areas of skin protect the body during repeated stress. Imagine a tool that got stronger and better each time you used it. That would be incredible, but Hashem designed us in just that way!

You might get callouses from walking, and that’s also to protect you. The skin works to ensure you remain safe and whole. People who walk barefoot develop thicker skin on the soles of their feet and this protects them from cuts and scrapes from any debris that might be on the road. It’s pretty incredible when you think about it, but we hardly ever do.

If while cooking, oil splatters on your shirt, you’ve got to send it to the cleaners because otherwise it will stain. But if it splatters on your hand, you’ll feel the heat, which is a warning to be careful, but you can easily wash your hands and get rid of it. Even if your hands get stained from various items, they aren’t ruined permanently. Scrubbing will help, and eventually new skin will grow and the stains will be gone.

The sensitivity of your skin far surpasses many other testing means, and you can measure a myriad of things from texture and contour, to weight and balance, to heat and cold. When it comes down to it, skin is pretty miraculous and not to be underestimated.

Then there’s another expression. It’s, “being comfortable in your own skin.” That means not being ashamed of who you are. Just as a person with freckles shouldn’t apologize for them, or feel bad, we have to realize that who we are, meaning our abilities, thought processes, and experiences, are – very much like our skin – custom-made for us.

Hashem instills in each of us innate understanding, and then complements it with life lessons and experiences that help us grow. Sometimes we need our skin to be a little thicker. When dealing with our spouses, for example, it’s easy to get hurt if they say something they shouldn’t. But since we understand that Hashem put us in this situation, it’s time to get a bit thicker-skinned and not be hurt by those words. If they are a criticism, we ought to consider whether they are accurate, and seek to change for the better.

A person who fundraises for an organization is another type who might need a thicker skin, to handle the rejection that inevitably comes their way. At the same time, they retain the sensitivity for those they are helping, thereby using that same “skin” to complete their mission.

Each of us has a “skin” that suits us perfectly. It provides coverage and protection for all the tasks we are meant to do, and gives us the tactile ability to handle them. It also adapts, as we become sensitive to issues through our thoughts and life experiences, and of course, through our study of Torah and trying to understand Hashem’s will.

If we look at the skills and abilities we have, as well as the sensibilities we’ve developed, we can get a better appreciation of how our own personal skin is perfectly suited to everything we need to do in life. Not only that, but we can use it to identify our mission. If we are able to communicate well with those who are sad, our job is likely to listen and try to cheer them up. If we feel strongly about certain mitzvos, we just may be that way because they need a champion who can help the world observe them better.

Just know that who you are and how you think is greatly influenced by Hashem’s plan, so focus on the wisdom He places in each of us and find the right ways to be comfortable in your own skin.

 

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Zera Shimshon – Parshat Emor

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Zera Shimshon – Parshat Emor

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l – The Duality of Jewish Time EMOR • 5771 5777 5784

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Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt”l – The Duality of Jewish Time EMOR • 5771 5777 5784

Alongside the holiness of place and person is the holiness of time, something parshat Emor charts in its deceptively simple list of festivals and holy days (Lev. 23:1-44).

Time plays an enormous part in Judaism. The first thing God declared holy was a day: Shabbat, at the conclusion of Creation. The first mitzvah given to the Jewish people as a whole, prior to the Exodus, was the command to sanctify time, by determining and applying the Jewish calendar (Ex. 12:1-2). The Prophets were the first people in history to see God in history, seeing time itself as the arena of the Divine-human encounter. Virtually every other religion and civilisation before and since has identified God, reality, and truth with timelessness.

Isaiah Berlin used to quote Alexander Herzen who said about the Slavs that they had no history, only geography. The Jews, he said, had the reverse: a great deal of history but all too little geography. Much time, but little space.

So time in Judaism is an essential medium of the spiritual life. But there is one feature of the Jewish approach to time that has received less attention than it should: the duality that runs through its entire temporal structure.

Take, for instance, the calendar as a whole. Christianity uses a solar calendar, Islam a lunar one. Judaism uses both. We count time both by the monthly cycle of the moon and the seasonal cycle of the sun.

Then consider the day. Days normally have one identifiable beginning, whether this is at nightfall or daybreak or – as in the West – somewhere between. For calendar purposes, the Jewish day begins at nightfall (“And it was evening and it was morning, one day”). But if we look at the structure of the prayers – the morning prayer instituted by Abraham, afternoon by Isaac, evening by Jacob – there is a sense in which the worship of the day starts in the morning, not the night before.

Years, too, usually have one fixed beginning – the “new year”. In Judaism, according to the Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah 1:1), there are no less than four “new years”. The first of Ellul is the new year for the tithing of animals. The fifteenth of Shvat (or, according to Bet Shammai, the first of Shvat) is the new year for trees. These are specific and subsidiary dates, but the other two are more fundamental.

According to the Torah, the first month of the year is Nissan. This was the day the earth became dry after the Flood (Gen. 8:13)[1]. It was the day the Israelites received their first command as a people (Ex. 12:2). One year later it was the day the Tabernacle was dedicated and the service of the Priests inaugurated (Ex. 40:2). But the festival we call the New Year, Rosh Hashanah, falls six months later.

Holy time itself comes in two forms, as Emor makes clear. There is Shabbat and there are the festivals, and the two are announced separately. Shabbat was sanctified by God at the beginning of time for all time. The festivals are sanctified by the Jewish people to whom was given the authority and responsibility for fixing the calendar.

Hence the difference in the blessings we say. On Shabbat we praise God who “sanctifies Shabbat”. On the festivals we praise God who sanctifies “Israel and the holy times” – meaning, it is God who sanctifies Israel but Israel who sanctifies the holy times, determining on which days the festivals fall.

Even within the festivals there is a dual cycle. One is formed by the three pilgrimage festivals: Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot. These are days that represent the key historic moments at the dawn of Jewish time – the Exodus, the giving of the Torah, and the forty years of desert wandering. They are festivals of history.

The other is formed by the number seven and the concept of holiness: the seventh day, Shabbat; the seventh month, Tishri, with its three festivals of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Succot; the seventh year, Shemittah; and the Jubilee marking the completion of seven seven-year cycles.

These times (with the exception of Succot that belongs to both cycles) have less to do with history than with what, for want of a better word, we might call metaphysics and jurisprudence, ultimate truths about the universe, the human condition, and the laws, both natural and moral, under which we live.

Each is about creation (Shabbat, a reminder of it, Rosh Hashanah the anniversary of it), Divine sovereignty, justice, and judgment, together with the human condition of life, death, mortality. So on Yom Kippur we face justice and judgment. On Succot/Shemini Atzeret we pray for rain, celebrate nature (bringing together the lulav, etrog, hadassim, and aravot as the arba minim – the four species – is the only mitzvah we do with unprocessed natural objects), and we read the book of Kohelet, Tanach’s most profound meditation on mortality.

In the seventh and Jubilee years we acknowledge God’s ultimate ownership of the land of Israel and the Children of Israel. Hence we let slaves go free, release debts, let the land rest, and restore most property to its original owners. All of these have to do not with God’s interventions into history but with His role as Creator and owner of the universe.

One way of seeing the difference between the first cycle and the second is to compare the prayers on Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot with those of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Amidah of Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot begins with the phrase “You chose us from all the peoples.” The emphasis is on Jewish particularity.

By contrast, the Amidah for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur begins by speaking of “all You have made, all You have created”. The emphasis is on universality: about the judgment that affects all of creation, everything that lives.

Even Succot has a marked universalist thrust with its seventy sacrificial bulls representing the “seventy nations”. According to Zechariah 14, it is the festival that will one day be celebrated by all the nations.

Why the duality? Because God is both the God of nature and of culture. He is the God of everyone in general, and of the people of the covenant in particular. He is the Author of both scientific law (cause) and religious-ethical law (command).

We encounter God in both cyclical time, which represents the movement of the planets, and linear-historical time, which represents the events and evolution of the nation of which we are a part. This very duality gives rise to two kinds of religious leader: the Prophet and the Priest, and the different consciousness of time each represents.

Since the ancient Greeks, people have searched for a single principle that would explain everything, or the single point Archimedes sought at which to move the world, or the unique perspective (what philosophers call “the view from nowhere”) from which to see truth in all its objectivity.

Judaism tells us there is no such point. Reality is more complicated than that. There is not even a single concept of time. At the very least we need two perspectives to be able to see reality in three dimensions, and that applies to time as well as space. Jewish time has two rhythms at once.

Judaism is to the spirit what Niels Bohr’s complementarity theory is to quantum physics. In physics light is both a wave and a particle. In Judaism time is both historical and natural. Unexpected, counter-intuitive, certainly. But glorious in its refusal to simplify the rich complexity of time: the ticking clock, the growing plant, the ageing body, and the ever-deepening mind.

[1] Although this, too, is the subject of an argument. In Gemara Rosh Hashanah 11b (quoted by Rashi Bereishit Chapter 8:13) Rabbi Yehoshua says this occurred in Nissan and Rabbi Eliezer counters that it happened in Tishrei

UAE Lining Up With Israel, US on Demanding Palestinian Reform

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UAE Lining Up With Israel, US on Demanding Palestinian Reform
By Pesach Benson • 16 May, 2024

Jerusalem, 16 May, 2024 (TPS) — The United Arab Emirates is emerging as a hardline critic of the Palestinian Authority at the annual Arab League summit in Bahrain, refusing to back a significant budget until Ramallah makes sweeping changes such as halting payments to terrorists and ending incitement.

“In this way, the Emirates is aligning itself with the American position that strives for a new Palestinian Authority,” a high-level Arab diplomat told The Press Service of Israel.

Behind the scenes, tensions have escalated as the Emirates blocked a proposed resolution to allocate $100 million monthly to the PA, citing concerns about corruption and ineffective leadership. The Emiratis also demanded measures for PA financial transparency and preventing corruption in the PA, which infuriated the Palestinian delegation.

“The Emiratis practically emptied the initiative to budget the Palestinian Authority of any content,” the diplomatic source explained to TPS-IL. “The refusal of the Emiratis to budget a corrupt authority should not surprise anyone.”

The UAE’s stance challenging President Mahmoud Abbas’s leadership has garnered support from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, who would recognize PA authority in a post-war Gaza. However, the PA continues to boycott the US, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, following the US veto of a UN Security resolution that would have given the Palestinians full UN membership.

“The Emirates have openly decided to align themselves with the Biden administration, which repeats and claims that only a new and reformed Palestinian Authority can be a partner in the eyes of the Americans the day after the war in the Gaza Strip,” the source told TPS-IL.

“The Emiratis have decided to teach the Palestinian Authority a lesson, and they are demanding from it a long series of reforms that will transform it from a Palestinian Authority into a completely different entity. Only when the Palestinian Authority is not Palestinian will it be kosher in the eyes of the Emirates,” he added mockingly.

The UAE is backing Abbas rival Muhammed Dahlan. In conversations with several Arab sources, Dahlan’s name repeatedly comes up as someone who would win their support in managing post-war Gaza.

Dahlan, once a high-level figure within Fatah, was the PA’s “strong man” in Gaza when Hamas violently seized control of the Strip in 2007. But as Dahlan regained influence within Fatah, he had a falling out with Abbas and was expelled from the party in 2011. He was later tried in absentia in Ramallah on charges of corruption, charges which Dahlan denies.

TPS-IL has learned that during a recent conference of Arab diplomats on Zoom in April, participants voiced opposition to Abbas’s rule. Palestinians have not held national elections since 2005 and Abbas is now in the 19th year of what was supposed to be a four-year term. Since then, Abbas has canceled several attempted elections amid Fatah-Hamas disagreements, most recently in 2021.

The US has been pressuring Abbas to reform the PA as a precursor to it taking responsibility for the administration and reconstruction of Gaza.

Reforms include cutting down the PA’s bloated and inefficient bureaucracy, replacing diplomats representing the PA abroad, and initiating an internal self-investigation mechanism within the Palestinian Preventive Security.

Ramallah is hoping to satisfy US demands with, among other things, a Palestinian technocratic government that includes “softcore” Hamas members and indirect “pay-for-slay” funding.

However, nobody in Ramallah believes Abbas will see the reforms through. A March survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found 81% of the Palestinians polled in Judea, Samaria and Gaza dissatisfied with Abbas’s leadership and 84% saying they want him to resign.

Palestinians have not held national elections since 2005 and Abbas is now in the 19th year of what was supposed to be a four-year term. Since then, Abbas has canceled several attempted elections amid Fatah-Hamas disagreements, most recently in 2021.

At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Around 30 of the remaining 132 hostages are believed dead.

Mezuzah hung at Cannes Film Festival

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Mezuzah hung at Cannes Film Festival

The mezuzah was affixed to the entrance of the Israeli pavilion at the festival by Israeli Ministry of Culture and Sports CEO Kfir Cohen who recited a prayer for the release of the hostages in Gaza.

The Israeli pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival was inaugurated with a mezuzah affixing ceremony, attended by the Israeli Ministry of Culture and Sports CEO Kfir Cohen.

Before hanging the Mezuzah, Cohen recited a prayer for the well-being and safe return of the hostages in Hamas captivity. He invited those present to sing the prayer “Acheinu kol beit Yisrael” (our brothers of the house of Israel) which calls on G-d to save all Jews who are in captivity and trouble. “Even during happy moments we remember and pray. The people of Israel are alive and well, the Israeli pavilion stands with an Israeli flag flying proudly,” he stated.

On Thursday, a reception will be held at the Israel pavilion signifying its official opening. Invited to the reception are members of the film industry from around the world including producers, directors, and writers. During this main event, many interactions lead to international collaborations in the world of film.

This is the eighth year that the Ministry of Culture and Sports has set up an Israeli pavilion at the Cannes International Film Festival. This year, the pavilion is dedicated to the residents of the Gaza Envelope and it will present Israeli films by creators from Sapir College in Sderot to show the unbelievable reality experienced by the residents of the Gaza Envelope before the events of October 7th. One of the films that will be shown is that of the director Michal Lavi, whose brother-in-law Omri Miran is in captivity in Gaza.

Source: Arutz 7

Walmart’s Strong First Quarter Driven by Consumers Seeking Bargains With Inflation Still an Issue

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Walmart’s Strong First Quarter Driven by Consumers Seeking Bargains With Inflation Still an Issue

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart Inc. reported another quarter of strong quarterly results Thursday as its low prices pull in shoppers scouring for discounts with inflation stubbornly high.

The nation’s largest retailer, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, also offered an upbeat outlook. Share rose more than 5% in premarket trading.

Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, is among the first major U.S. retailers to report quarterly results that could shed more insight into how consumers are feeling, particularly after the government reported an unexpected flattening of spending between March and April.

Americans have remained largely resilient in the face of inflation, bolstered by a strong labor market and steady wages. But there are signs that shoppers are pulling back under the growing weight of higher prices and the higher costs of carrying debt. While the inflation rate has ebbed prices remain elevated for some basic items like packaged goods and rents remain high, sapping the spending power of millions of people.

Home Depot, the nation’s largest home improvement retailer, said this week that sales declined for the third consecutive quarter to start 2024 as homeowners and prospective buyers wrestled with higher mortgage rates and inflation.

Starbucks last month lowered its sales expectations for the year as visits to its coffee shops slow worldwide. The decline in spending at U.S. stores was even worse than it had anticipated.

Walmart has launched new initiatives as it faces increasing pressure to rev up sales with Amazon becoming a growing threat.

This month, Walmart launched its biggest store-label food brand in 20 years in terms of the breadth of items, hoping to reach younger customers who are not loyal to grocery brands and want foods that are more affordably priced.

The brand, called Bettergoods, is just hitting Walmart stores and the company’s online shopping site. Walmart said it expects to have 300 products in the line by the fall ranging from frozen foods and dairy, to coffee and chocolate.

Walmart is also drawing households with income exceeding $100,000 a year and has focused on its home and fashion goods so it can keep them.

Walmart also announced in February it was buying smart TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion to boost its advertising business. The deal gives Walmart access to Vizio’s SmartCast operating system, which will allow Walmart to offer its suppliers the ability to display ads on streaming devices.

But Walmart is scaling back in areas where it has not done well and said last month that it would close its health centers and virtual care service.

Walmart reported profits of $5.10 billion, or 63 cents per share for the quarter ended April 30. That compares with $1.67 billion, or 21 cents per share, in the same period last year. Adjusted earnings per share was 60 cents, far surpassing estimates for 53 cents per share, according to FactSet analysts.

Revenue rose 6% to $161.51 billion in the quarter, up from $152.3 billion in the year-ago quarter. Analysts expected $159.6 billion, according to FactSet.

Comparable store sales — those from established stores and online operating over the past 12 months — rose 3.8% at Walmart’s U.S. stores, a bit slower than the 4%, in the fourth quarter. The metric rose 4.9% in the fiscal third quarter. Global e-commerce sales were up 21% in the latest quarter, compared with 23% during the fourth quarter and 15% in the previous quarter.

The average ticket— how much shoppers spent per trip — was unchanged in the latest quarter from a year ago, even as the number of transactions rose 3.8%.

Walmart said it expects sales for the current year to be at the high end or slightly above the company’s guidance.

Source: VosIzNeias

IDF Soldiers Found Tons of Humanitarian Aid in Hamas Hideouts

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IDF Soldiers Found Tons of Humanitarian Aid in Hamas Hideouts

Soldiers from the IDF’s Nachal Brigade found huge amounts of humanitarian aid food in Hamas hideouts in the Zeitoun area of Gaza this week.

Ynet reporter Yoav Zitun reported that alongside their weapons caches, Hamas hid tons of packaged food forcibly stolen from humanitarian aid shipments from southern Gaza. in their re-established stronghold of Zeitoun.

The report explained that Hamas distributed food from international aid first to its terrorists, and then distributed it to the hundreds of thousands of Gazans who remain in the area, as part of its civilian takeover of the northern Gaza Strip.

Yair Lapid had caused an uproar on Wednesday when he issued a harsh condemnation of protesters who blocked aid trucks en route to the Gaza Strip.

“The violent rioting and blockade of humanitarian supplies is directly damaging security interests, undermining international relations, and serves only Hamas. With this irresponsible government, we can never win.”

Tzav 9, the protest organization leading the attempts to block the convoys, responded to Lapid’s saying: “Lapid fights against reservists when they fight Hamas because everything about supporting terror funding makes no sense whatsoever. It isn’t yet too late to repent! Choose correctly!”

Source: {Matzav.com}

US Congress launches investigation into outside funding to anti-Israel campus demonstrations

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US Congress launches investigation into outside funding to anti-Israel campus demonstrations

The inquiry follows suspicions that recent anti-Israel protests on college campuses, involving illegal occupations, were backed by significant external funding and support.

By Dion J. Pierre, The Algemeiner

The US House of Representatives has launched an investigation into 20 nonprofit organizations that are currently funding anti-Zionist student groups mounting pro-Hamas demonstrations on college campuses, an effort aimed at uncovering long suspected links to terrorist organizations and other hostile foreign entities.

As part of the inquiry, US Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and James Comer (R-KY) wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday, asking her to share any “suspicious activity reports” generated by the activities of Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, American Muslims for Palestine, Tides Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and other groups.

Foxx and Comer chair the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, respectively.

“The committees are investigating the sources of funding and financing for groups who are organizing, leading, and participating in pro-Hamas, antisemitic, anti-Israel, and anti-American protests with illegal encampments on American college campuses,” Foxx and Comer wrote in their letter to Yellen.

“This investigation relates to both malign influence on college campuses and to the national security implications of such influence on faculty and student organizations.”

The inquiry comes amid widespread suspicion that an eruption of anti-Zionist protests on college campuses, in which students illegally occupied sections of section and refused to leave unless their schools agreed to condemn and boycott Israel, was fueled by immense financial and logistical support from outside groups.

Foxx and Comer said in their letter that the investigation’s findings will inform recommendations for new federal laws requiring increased transparency and reporting of foreign contributions to American colleges and universities.

On Tuesday, Foxx told the Washington Free Beacon, which first reported the investigation, that the protests were a symptom of a larger threat to national security.

“It’s no coincidence that the day after the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack, antisemitic mobs began springing up at college campuses across the country,” Foxx said.

“These protests have been coordinated and well organized, indicating that outside groups or influences may be at play. American education is under attack. It’s critical that Congress investigates how these groups — who are tearing apart our institutions — are being funded and advised before it’s too late.”

Foreign links to the anti-Zionist student movement have been the subject of numerous comprehensive studies.

Last week, the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) published a report showing a connection between the anti-Zionist group Shut It Down for Palestine (SID4P) — a group formed immediately after Hamas’ massacre on Oct. 7 — and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

NCRI explained that SID4P, which organized numerous traffic-obstructing demonstrations after Oct. 7, is an umbrella group for several other organizations which compose the “Singham Network,” a consortium of far-left groups funded by Neville Roy Singham and Jodie Evans.

The report describes Singham and Evans as a “power couple within the global far-left movement” whose affiliation with the CCP has been copiously documented.

“The Singham Network exploits regulatory loopholes in the US nonprofit system to facilitate the flow of an enormous sum of US dollars to organizations and movements that actively stoke social unrest at the grassroots level,” the report said.

“Alternative media outlets associated with the Singham Network have played a central role in online mobilization and cross-platform social amplification for SID4P.”

In 2022, the National Association of Scholars (NAS) revealed that one of the founders of Students for Justice in Palestine, Hatem Bazian, is also a co-founder of American Muslims for Palestine, an advocacy group which, NAS said, “retains ties to terrorist groups operating in the Palestinian Territories.”

NAS added that the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic Cultural Boycott of Israel — which has been influential is steering the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel in academia — is “structurally linked” to Palestinian terrorist organizations through the Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine — a member of the Palestinian BDS National Committee which comprises Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Popular Front-General Command, Palestinian Liberation Front, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

“On the one hand, BDS is designed to secure political legitimacy vis-á-vis Israel, with boycotts and divestment offering Palestinian activists and terrorists new domains to assert their cause,” NAS senior fellow Ian Oxnevad wrote. “On the other hand, BDS, along with the formation of multiple NGOs and nonprofit organizations, offers the Palestinians new avenues by which to access funding in a post-9/11 international financial system designed to curtail funding for terrorism.”

Source: World Israel News

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