Tuesday accuweather.com57°Low of 33°Fog in the morning; clouds and sunWSW 6-12 mphHWEDNESDAYHRTHURSDAYTODAY IN NEW YORKELIZABETH, N.J. (AP) – New Jersey became the lat-est state on Monday to force businesses to pay a $15 mini-mum wage after Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a measure phasing in the higher rate over five years.Murphy signed the bill alongside Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver and Democratic leg-islative leaders at a raucous event in Elizabeth where union advocates cheered, “Ready for 15,” and applaud-ed loudly once the bill was signed.“It is a great day to make some history for New Jer-sey’s working families,”WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House says Presi-dent Donald Trump will call for optimism and unity in Tuesday’s State of the Union address, using the moment to attempt a reset after two years of bitter partisanship and deeply personal attacks.However, skepticism will emanate from both sides of the aisle when Mr. Trump enters the House chamber. Democrats, emboldened after the midterm elections and the recent shutdown fight, see little evidence of a presi-dent willing to compromise. And even the president’s staunchest allies know that bipartisan rhetoric read offNJ Becomes 4th State to Impose $15 Wage on BusinessesPresident Trump to Call for Unity in State of UnionREUTERS/Mike Blake/FileConstruction on the border wall with Mexico.BREAKINGISRAELNEW YORKHarav Zevulun Hamburger, Zt”l Page 6Austria Takes Responsibility for Its Role in HolocaustPage 7Senator Sanders Asks Why Drug, Once Free, Now Costs $375KPage 2A Tunnel, a Hole In The Floor: Belgium Ponders Bank HeistPage 3Lawmaker Honors Shop Owner for Aiding Competitor After FirePage 4Justice Dept. Opens Probe Into Jail Power FailurePage 5Amazon Critic Nominated for Panel That Can Veto NYC ProjectPage 5Story on page 2Continued on page 2Continued on page 4Government Prepares to Start Building Portion of Texas Border Wall47°40°DAILY VOL. XVI - NO. 3561 // February 5, 2019ט”עשת ,טבש ’ל // המורת תשרפ ,ה”בHAMODIA DAILY 50¢ 230 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019 TUESDAYBreaking30 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019 TUESDAYHamodia, [USPS 021660] [ISSN #1553-9490] is published Daily 4 times a week on Mon, Tues, Thurs, And Fri except for weeks of Passover and Sukkos, for the subscription price of $200.00 per year by Hamodia, 207 Foster Ave Brooklyn NY 11230. Application to mail at periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address change to Hamodia, 207 Foster Ave Brooklyn NY 11230Continued from page 1a teleprompter is usually undermined by scorching tweets and unpredict-able policy maneuvers.Still, the fact that Mr. Trump’s advisers feel a need to try a differ-ent approach is a tacit acknowledge-ment that the president’s standing is weakened as he begins his third year in office. The shutdown left some Republicans frustrated over his insis-tence on a border wall, something they warned him the new Democratic House majority would not bend on. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said the president would use his address “to call for an end to the politics of resistance, retribution.”“He’s calling for cooperation,” she said, adding that Trump will point to examples of where this has hap-pened on his watch. Officials said the president is also expected to highlight infrastructure, trade and prescrip-tion drug pricing as areas in which the parties could work together.With the new Feb. 15 funding deadline looming, Trump is expect-ed to use his address to outline his demands, which still include fund-ing for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He’s teased the possibility of declaring a national emergency to secure wall funding if Congress doesn’t act, though it appeared unlikely he would take that step Tuesday night. Advisers have also been reviewing options to secure some funding without making such a declaration.“You’ll hear the State of the Union, and then you’ll see what happens right after the State of the Union,” President Trump told reporters.President Trump to Call for Unity in State of UnionGovernment Prepares to Start Building Portion of Texas Border WallHOUSTON (AP) – The U.S. gov-ernment is preparing to begin con-struction of more border walls and fencing in South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, likely on federally owned land set aside as wildlife refuge property.Heavy construction equipment was expected to arrive starting Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. A photo posted by the nonprofit National Butterfly Center shows an excavator parked next to its property.Congress last March approved more than $600 million for 33 miles of new barriers in the Rio Grande Valley. While President Donald Trump and top Democrats remain in a standoff over Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion in border wall fund-ing, U.S. Customs and Border Pro-tection has pushed ahead with building what’s already funded.That construction was often described as fencing, and the gov-ernment funding bill that included construction was supported by some Democrats in the House and Senate. CBP refers to what it plans to build as a “border wall system.”According to designs it released in September, CBP intends to build 25 miles of concrete walls to the height of the existing flood-control levee in Hidalgo County next to the Rio Grande, the river that forms the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. On top of the concrete walls, CBP will install 18-foot steel posts and clear a 150-foot enforcement zone in front.Maps released by CBP show con-struction would cut through the butterfly center, a nearby state park, and a century-old Catholic chapel next to the river.Many landowners oppose a bor-der wall and have vowed to fight the U.S. government if it tries to seize their property through eminent domain. Court fights over condemn-ing land could take weeks if not months.CBP said in its statement that it intends to start construction on fed-erally owned land. Environmental advocates expect the government to use land that’s part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge.AP Photo/Eric Gay, Pool, FileA bend in the Rio Grand in Mission, Texas. EU Nations Endorse Venezuela Opposition Leader Over MaduroCARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – More than a dozen European Union coun-tries endorsed Venezuelan oppo-sition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president Mon-day, increasing the pressure on embattled President Nicolas Madu-ro to resign and clear the way for a new presidential election.Maduro stood defiant, rejecting a U.S offer of humanitarian aid that has shifted attention to Venezu-ela’s western border with Colombia, where opponents were gearing up to try to bring emergency food and medicine into the country.“We are not beggars,” Maduro said in a speech to troops broadcast on Venezuelan state TV.Spain, Germany, France and Britain delivered diplomatic blows to Maduro’s rule by publicly sup-porting Guaido after a Sunday dead-line for Maduro to call a presiden-tial election passed without action. Sweden, Denmark, Austria, the AP Photo/Fernando LlanoOpposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself the interim president of Venezuela, speaks during a press conference on the steps of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday. Senator Sanders Asks Why Drug, Once Free, Now Costs $375KWASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders sent a let-ter to Catalyst Pharmaceuticals on Monday asking it to justify its deci-sion to charge $375,000 annually for a medication that for years has been available to patients for free.The drug, Firdapse, is used to treat Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS), a rare neuro-muscular disorder, according to the letter, made available to Reuters by the senator’s office. The disorder affects about one in 100,000 people in the United States.The government is intensifying its scrutiny of the pharmaceutical industry and rising prescription drug prices, a top voter concern and a priority of President Donald Trump’s administration.Both the Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, controlled by Republicans, have begun holding hearings this year on the rising costs of medicines. Sanders is an independent who usu-ally votes with Democrats.Netherlands, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Repub-lic, Luxembourg, Poland and Por-tugal also lined up behind Guaido, who last month declared himself interim president with the support of the United States and many Latin American nations.3TUESDAY 30 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019BreakingTUESDAY 30 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019BRUSSELS (AP) – It was anything but a false alarm.When police reacted to a warning call at a bank in Antwerp’s famed dia-mond center, they found the vault door still secured. It was only after they forced their way inside that they real-ized the sheer audacity of the robbery that had taken place — some 30 empty deposit boxes, a hole in the floor, a tun-nel to the sewage system.Though police have so far been unable to quantify what the robber or robbers made off with, clients were lining up by the dozen on Monday to find out if their boxes had been emp-tied.“We are investigating the size of the robbery and we cannot provide further information,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.What’s clear is that the heist was as daring as it was dangerous. First, a tunnel had to be dug from a home several hundred meters away into the sewage system. Then, a move had to be made through the claustrophobic sew-ers, measuring less than a meter-wide toward the bank that could at any time get filled with water or noxious vapors.And then? They had to dig a second tunnel to get up into the vault of the BNP Paribas branch.After that, it was a case of getting as much as possible. It was a weekend so the perpetrator or perpetrators had perhaps a bit more time.According to the prosecutor, the bank’s security firm called about a burglary in the vault at 1:34 p.m.When police arrived, they saw the vault was “still locked but the alarm was on.” Once opened, they found the “hole in the floor.”With the help of the firefighting department they checked the sewage system in the neighborhood until they found the second tunnel.“At the moment no suspects could be apprehended,” the prosecutor said in a statement.Customers at the bank could not immediately check whether their deposit boxes were involved.The heist had the hallmarks of the Nice robbery in France in 1976 when 339 safe deposit boxes were cleaned out at the Societe Generale bank by the “sewer gang” on the summer weekend.A Tunnel, a Hole in the Floor: Belgium Ponders Bank HeistAntwerp news and updatesPolice investigating the tunnel break-in at BNP Paribas Fortis at Belgiëlei 95 in Antwerp, Belgium, Sunday. NEW YORK (AP) – After nearly three months of testimony about a vast drug-smuggling conspiracy steeped in violence, a jury began deliberations Monday at the U.S. trial of the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.The day ended without jurors reaching a verdict for Guzman, who faces life in prison if convicted. They were to resume deliberations Tuesday morning.The jury has heard months of testimony about Guzman’s rise to power as the head of the Sinaloa cartel. Prosecutors say he is respon-sible for smuggling at least 200 tons of drugs into the United States and for a wave of killings in turf wars with other cartels.Guzman, 61, is notorious for escaping from prison twice in Mexico. In closing arguments, pros-ecutor Andrea Goldbarg said he was plotting yet another breakout when was he was sent in 2017 to the U.S., where he has been in solitary con-finement ever since.The defense claims Guzman’s role has been exaggerated by coop-erating witnesses who are seeking leniency in their own cases. Acting Attorney General Mat-thew Whitaker, while on a visit to New York City, stopped by the courtroom, with the jury not pres-ent, to thank the government’s trial team.WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi-dent Donald Trump says he’s nominating a Washington vet-eran with lobbying ties to U.S. energy companies to lead the Interior Department.David Bernhardt, currently Interior’s acting head, would replace Ryan Zinke if the Sen-ate approves his nomination. Zinke resigned in December amid eth-ics investigations.Mr. Trump tweeted Monday that Bernhardt “has done a fantastic job from the day he arrived.”The Colorado native first served in the department under President George W. Bush. He had been a deputy under Zinke.Bernhardt also worked as a lobbyist and lawyer for several oil and gas com-panies and other interests that some-times have regulatory matters before the department.Republicans say Bernhardt’s revolving-door experience makes him an informed regulator in matters before the agency.Fate of Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo Now Rests With U.S. JuryTrump to Name Acting Interior Secretary to Lead DepartmentRICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A political death watch took shape at Virgin-ia’s Capitol as Gov. Ralph Northam consulted with top administration officials Monday about whether to resign amid a furor over a racist photo in his 1984 yearbook.Practically all of the state’s Dem-ocratic establishment — and Repub-lican leaders, too — turned against the 59-year-old Democrat after the picture surfaced late last week of someone in blackface next to anoth-er person in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe. The photo was on Northam’s medical school yearbook page.The sense of crisis deepened Monday as the politician next in line to be governor, Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, denied an allegation of misconduct first reported by a conservative website. Northam stayed out of sight as he met with his Cabinet and senior staff to hear their assessment of whether it was feasible for him to stay in office, according to a top administra-tion official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The meetings included frank con-versations about the difficulties of governing under such circumstanc-es, the person said.WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Republican-led U.S. Senate backed largely symbolic legislation on Monday that broke with President Donald Trump by opposing plans for any abrupt withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan.The Senate voted 70-26 in favor of a non-binding amendment, drafted by Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, saying it was the sense of the Senate that Islamist terrorist groups in both countries continued to pose a “seri-ous threat” to the United States.The amendment acknowledged progress against Islamic State and al-Qaida in Syria and Afghani-stan but warned that “a precipi-tous withdrawal” without effec-tive efforts to secure gains could destabilize the region and create a vacuum that could be filled by Iran or Russia.The amendment is part of a broader Middle East security bill expected to pass the Senate shortly. To become law, however, the bill would need to pass the Democrat-ic-controlled House of Representa-tives, where it is unlikely to move without significant changes.Reuters/Joshua Roberts, FilePresident Donald Trump (L) and Acting Interior Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt.Virginia Governor Weighs His FutureSenate Breaks From Trump With Syria Troop Vote430 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019 TUESDAYNew YorkMurphy said. “And that’s just what we’re going to do. We’ve talked long enough about putting New Jersey on a responsible path to $15 an hour mini-mum wage. Today we start our way on this path.”New Jersey joins California, Massachusetts, New York and the District of Columbia in phas-ing in the higher rate. The $15 wage is a prominent policy goal of left-leaning groups, as well as the fulfillment of a key campaign promise by Murphy.Republicans and many businesses decried the higher wage, saying it will increase costs and hurt commerce.“I don’t think we have left our over-taxed and over-regulated business owners with any other alternative than to replace people with technol-ogy or close all together,” said Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Somerset). “To someone who lives paycheck to paycheck, what’s worse: having a job that doesn’t pay enough? Or no job at all?”The bill raises the current $8.85 minimum wage to $10 an hour in July, and then increases the rate by $1 in subsequent years until it reaches $15 in 2024 — but not for all workers.Continued from page 1NJ Becomes 4th State to Impose $15 Wage on BusinessesCuomo Overestimated Tax Collection by $2.3B, Blames TrumpALBANY (AP/Hamodia) – New York’s income tax receipts are down more than $2 billion so far, creating a significant and serious state defi-cit in the first budget crafted entire-ly by Democrats in a decade.Gov. Andrew Cuomo is blaming it on President Donald Trump, while economists say it is due to years of tax hikes causing businesses to flee the state.Gov. Cuomo claimed at a news conference that the year-old federal law capping a deduction for state and local taxes — known as SALT — at $10,000 was to blame for the pro-jected $2.3 billion deficit.“We’ve set up reserves, but this is worse than we had anticipated,” Gov. Cuomo said after referring to the fiscal situation as being “as seri-ous as a heart attack.”Republicans, now in the minor-ity in the state Senate as well as the Assembly, noted that New York’s high taxes were already prompt-ing people to move to other states before the federal tax reforms kicked in.“My fear is that the governor and the New York City Democrats who control the Senate and Assembly are going to use this as an excuse to increase taxes on hardworking, middle-class New Yorkers,” Senate GOP leader John Flanagan, of Long Island, said in a statement. “We cannot allow this to happen.”Gov. Cuomo, joined by Demo-cratic Comptroller Thomas DiNap-oli and Robert Mujica, the gover-nor’s budget director, said he’ll be making adjustments in the $175 billion state budget proposal he unveiled last week. The governor didn’t provide specifics, although he mentioned the state’s top funding priorities — education, health care, infrastructure and a middle class tax reduction — as areas that could be affected by budget cuts.The governor has until mid-Feb-ruary to make budget amendments.Contradicting the governor, DiNapoli acknowledged that other factors have a role in creating the budget deficit, including stock HAMODIA STAFFBORO PARK – Assemblyman Sim-cha Eichenstein presented an offi-cial citation on Sunday to a Boro Park fish storeowner who welcomed a competitor after the latter’s busi-ness was destroyed in a fire.Eichenstein said that Shea Langsam, the owner of Fish to Dish, was “setting a new bar” in how busi-nesses should compete with each other.“This act of welcoming a competi-tor into your workplace goes beyond what is expected of a business per-son,” the citation proclaimed. “This exemplifies what we should all strive to be like as New Yorkers. It is with great pride, as a Member of the Assembly from the 48th District, that I call attention to your kindness and thank you on behalf of the entire community.”Langsam reached out to Yossi Heiman after his store, Yossi’s Fish Market, went up in flames last month. The two stores are about 11 blocks away from each other. Yossi’s Fish Market has been working out of Fish to Dish for the past three weeks.Heiman thanked both Langsam and Eichenstein, who arrived at the scene of the fire and helped arrange accommodations for four families left homeless.“As soon as I heard after Shabbos that Mr. Heiman had a fire, I imme-diately called him and offered to help,” Langsam said. “When he said that he needs a facility to process and deliver orders for his customers, I said, ‘Why not join me in my store?’ As fellow community members we all try to help each other as much as we can.”Eichenstein said that the gra-cious action epitomized what the community is all about.“While we are a community that is known for its chessed,” he said, “the act of offering a direct competi-tor into your own storefront truly goes above and beyond.”Lawmaker Honors Shop Owner for Aiding Competitor After FireBenjamin KanterL-R: Shea Langsam, owner of Fish to Dish; Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein; and Yossi Heimen, owner of Yossi’s Fish Market.market volatility in December that will affect Wall Street end-of-year bonuses and thus state tax revenues this year.“We know that fourth quarter of calendar year 2018, we took a signif-icant hit after three quarters of very positive returns,” the comptroller said.5TUESDAY 30 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019New YorkOfficer Shoots Driver Who Pinned Her With Stolen CarBRONX – A police officer on Mon-day shot and critically wounded a driver who suddenly reversed and rammed a stolen car to pin the of-ficer against another vehicle, The Associated Press reported. The of-ficer was being treated for injuries to her hip, leg and pelvis. Three people in the vehicle were arrested.Dad Moving Car Accidentally Hits, Serious Hurts ToddlerCHATHAM, N.J. – A father moving his vehicle out of his driveway Monday morning accidentally struck and seriously injured his toddler daugh-ter, The Associated Press reported. the father said he did not notice his 18-month-old daughter. No charg-es have been filed so far.Troopers Handled Nearly 1,100 Crashes During StormALBANY – State police say they dealt with nearly 1,100 crashes and issued more than 600 travel ban tickets during the snowstorm last week in New York. They respond-ed to 1,500 disabled or abandoned vehicles. Of the crashes, 81 resulted in injuries, including three deaths.NY State Seizes Record Number of Fake IDs in 2018ALBANY – State officials seized a re-cord number of fake IDs that were used to illegally purchase alcohol last year. There were 892 fake doc-uments taken as part of Operation Prevent, up from 814 the previous year. More than a third were confis-cated in western New York.Flooding Forces Evacuation Of Assisted Living CenterTOMS RIVER, N.J. – Scores of elder-ly residents were evacuated from a senior center due to three feet of flooding from a burst pipe, the Asbury Park Press reported. The 87 seniors were taken from Mag-nolia Gardens to a nearby home.Man Arrested for Faking Fall for Insurance MoneyWOODBRIDGE, N.J. – A man was ar-rested for faking a slip and fall at a business to get insurance money, The Associated press reported. The 57-year-old was subcontract-ed to work at a company when surveillance video captured him grabbing ice and throwing it on the floor before lying down. He waited until he was discovered, and then filed an insurance claim.Regional BriefsJustice Dept. Opens Probe Into Jail Power FailureBROOKLYN (AP) – A weeklong power failure at a federal detention center in Sunset Park spawned a humanitarian crisis that left inmates shivering in the dark and without access to visitors on some of the coldest days of the year, advocates said in a lawsuit filed Monday.The Federal Defenders of New York, a public defender organiza-tion, sued the Bureau of Prisons, alleging it violated the constitutional rights of inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center by denying legal visits during the outage.Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, and a group of Democratic state law-makers from the city also chimed in, saying they were also consider-ing suing over conditions at the jail, where more than 1,600 inmates are held.“We need answers, and we’re going to do our [best] to get to the bottom of what happened,” said Sen. Jamaal Bailey, who toured the facili-ty Sunday and said there was no heat on the fourth floor.The Justice Department said that power was restored around 6:30 p.m. Sunday and that it was opening an investigation. The failure resulted from a Jan. 27 fire in an electrical room, the department said.Just as things were starting to get back to normal, a bomb threat Mon-day morning led to the evacuation of visitors and contractors, authorities said. No devices were found.Inmates reported little or no heat, little or no hot water, mini-mal electricity, and near-total lack of access to some medical services, telephones, computers, laundry or commissary, the Federal Defenders lawsuit said.Defense lawyers were not able to visit inmates during the ordeal. Law-yer visits had also been significantly curtailed during the recent 35-day partial government shutdown, inmate advocates say.Correctional officers wore scarves and layers of clothing, while inmates had short-sleeve shirts and light cotton pants on, the lawsuit said. Inmates also reported smelling nox-ious fumes and seeing corrections officers wearing masks even though none were supplied to inmates, the lawsuit said.The lawsuit called for the appoint-ment of a special master to inspect the lockup and for unspecified dam-ages.The Bureau of Prisons disputed allegations that inmates didn’t have access to hot water. The agency said that the facility’s boiler was not affected by the power failure and remained functional, and that inmates had hot water for showers and in the sinks in their cells.Rep. Jerry Nadler, who toured the jail over the weekend, said problems arose because the boiler is old and antiquated and couldn’t keep the entire facility warm on the coldest of days. The temperature in the city hit a low of 2 degrees on Jan. 31.Protesters gathered outside after news reports that inmates had been without heat or power for a week. On Sunday, guards drove demonstrators attempting to enter the facility back with pushes and shoves. Witnesses said they also used pepper spray.Amazon Critic Nominated for Panel That Can Veto NYC ProjectALBANY (AP) – A leading critic of New York subsidies for Amazon’s plan to build a second headquarters in Queens was nominated Monday to serve on a state board with the power to reject the project, driving a wedge between opponents of the state’s financial backing and supporters like Gov. Andrew Cuomo.Sen. Michael Gianaris of Queens has called the plan to award Amazon billions of dollars in tax credits and direct grants “offensive” to residents and taxpayers struggling with aging subways, overcrowded schools and a lack of affordable housing. Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cous-ins (D-Yonkers) tapped him as her nominee to the Public Authorities Control Board, a little-known but powerful state panel that must approve the state’s involvement in the Amazon project. Each of the panel’s five members has the power to block the funding.Cuomo could reject the nomination, but at the risk of further angering opponents of the deal.Gianaris sounded a defiant note in an interview with The New York Times, but said he won’t make a final deci-sion until Amazon and city and state officials work out the details of the project.“My position on the Amazon deal is clear and unam-biguous and is not changing,” Gianaris said. “I’m not look-ing to negotiate a better deal. I am against the deal that has been proposed and don’t believe that it can form the foun-dation of a negotiation.”On Monday a spokeswoman for the governor issued a statement denouncing Stewart-Cousins’ choice as “a clear sign” that the Senate Democrats oppose the deal. Dani Lever, Cuomo’s director of communications, said such opposition is “shortsighted” since the state esti-mates the Amazon campus could create more than 25,000 new jobs.“Every Democratic senator will now be called on to defend their opposition to the greatest economic growth potential this State has seen in over 50 years,” Lever said.Stewart-Cousins defended her selection, noting in her own statement that the Public Authorities Control Board has oversight over many projects involving state funding, not just the Amazon headquarters.“Now is a crucial time for our state and he will bring an important perspective and accountability to this board as it reviews numerous projects,” she said.Sen. Michael Gianaris630 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019 TUESDAYIsraelHAMODIA STAFFYERUSHALAYIM - Klal Yisrael mourns the loss of Harav Zevulun Hamburger, zt”l, who was niftar on Monday morning, 29 Shevat, in Yerushalayim’s Hadassah Ein Karem hospital. He was 76 at his petirah.Harav Hamburger, who lived in Moshav Gamzu until recently, was a renowned mechaber sefarim, writing 14 volumes of his Shaarei Zevul, on all facets of the Torah.He was born in Elul 5702/1942 in Yerushalayim to his father Harav Avraham Moshe Hamburger, zt”l, a noted talmid chacham and masmid of Yerushalayim of old. His mother, Rebbetzin Toiba Miriam, was the daughter of Harav Zevulun Charlap, zt”l, after whom he was named.His father, Rav Avraham Moshe, was known for his outstanding has-madah — he would learn for 18 hours a day, and was also fluent in all of the Torah.In his youth, Rav Zevulun learned in Talmud Torah and Yeshivas Eitz Chaim, and later in Yeshivas Tchebin, where he forged a lifelong connection with the Tchebiner Rav. The Rav even bestowed a haskamah to his sefer on Maseches Kiddushin.He later learned in Yeshivas Mir, under the tutelage of the Rosh Yeshi-vah Harav Chaim Shmuelitz, zt”l, and later his son-in-law Harav Nachum Partzovitz, zt”l. Rav Zevulun saw Rav Nachum as his Rebbi muvhak, and would say that his derech halimud was learned and nurtured under Rav Nachum.Rav Zevulun delved into the limud of chachmas hakabbalah, learn-ing under the leading mekubalim of Yerushalayim. Many mekubalim of this generation learned from Rav Zevulun.Rav Zevulun saw it as his mis-sion to teach and spread Torah and his shiurim were well-attended, in Moshav Gamzu and wherever he delivered them.In recent years, Rav Zevulun founded the Zvul Tifartecha Insti-tute, with the goal of republishing all his sefarim, after decades have passed since their initial publication.The humble residence of Rav Zevulun in the neighborhood of Batei Horodna in Yerushalayim was a known address, with many coming to his doorstep, as he was renowned as a poel yeshuos. Many came to consult with him on the most complicated matters.About a decade ago, Rav Zevu-lun suffered a stroke, from which he remained partially paralyzed, yet he continued with his great avodah and received audiences for brachos and yeshuos.At the beginning of Shevat, Rav Zevulun was hospitalized in a dif-ficult situation, with many davening for his refuah. On Monday morning, his soul was returned to its Maker.His levayah was held on Monday afternoon, from his home in Batei Horodna to Har Hamenuchos, where he was buried in the Chelkas HaRab-banim.Yehi zichro baruch.Harav Zevulun Hamburger, Zt”lARYEH SAVIR(TPS News) – New Israeli legislation that withholds tax transfers from Israel to the Palestinian Authority to offset salaries paid by Ramallah to terrorists or their families will take effect in the coming days.The law aims to penalize the PA for its practice, dubbed “pay to slay,” of providing salaries to Arabs who commit acts of terrorism against Jews. The stipends are paid out in varying amounts in accordance with the crime and sentence; the more violent and lethal the attack, the higher the monthly stipend.“The PA turned itself into a fac-tory that employs murderers [of] Jews mostly, but also Muslims, Christians, Druze, Circassians and others, including tourists,” said MK Avi Dichter, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, when it passed into law in July 2018.Israel transfers NIS 8.5 billion (more than $2.4 billion) in tax pay-ments to the PA annually. The PA’s budget in 2018 stood at NIS 18.5 billion ($5.2 billion). The PA has dedicated a significant portion of its budget, some seven percent, to incentivize the murder of Jews through stipends paid to terrorists and their families.In its 2018 budget, the PA increased its funding of the pay-ments and allocated $360 million for the Prisoners and Martyrs fund, which disperses payment to impris-oned terrorists, released terrorists and the families of dead terrorists.Israel’s new legislation deter-mines that at the end of each year, the defense minister will draft a report on the funds the PA pays ter-rorists. The financial penalty will be determined by the report.MK Elazar Stern, another co-sponsor of the law, stated Mon-day that he “has no doubt that the law will reduce terrorism and the harming of the lives of Israelis, who would have otherwise joined the circle of painful bereavement.”“The main question I have come across since the passing of the law is how no one has thought of it before, and how have we come to terms with this hallucinatory real-ity for so many years?” he added, expressing hope that Prime Minis-ter Binyamin Netanyahu “will not delay the implementation of the law.”The law mandates the deduction with no options for flexibility and leaves no room for the government to make a new decision each year on whether or not to make the deduc-tion, based on diplomatic and other considerations.The PA leadership has vowed to proceed with its policy of pay-ing terrorists and supporting their families, down “to their last penny,” as one official stated after the Israe-li bill was voted into law.The sum that stands to be deducted stands at hundreds of mil-lions of shekels, a significant part of the PA’s budget.However, Professor Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Secu-rity (JISS), told TPS that the move would have limited sway on the PA’s policies.A significant cut to the PA’s bud-get would hinder its conduct, but as funds are fungible, the PA will allo-cate funding from another budget to pay out the terrorists’ stipends, and another segment of the popula-tion or another project will bear the brunt.He quipped that the PA officials who steal “will not suffer in any case.”He noted that in general, exter-nal financial sanctions have limited power in changing a regime’s policy, pointing to Iran’s conduct as an example of a country that is facing strict international sanctions but is refusing to relent in its support of global terrorism or its illicit nuclear program.Expert: Penalizing PA for ‘Pay to Slay’ Policy Will Have Limited EffectNasser Ishtayeh/Flash90Israeli soldiers near an attempted car-ramming attack in December. 7TUESDAY 30 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019IsraelHAMODIA STAFFYERUSHALAYIM – Austrian Presi-dent Alexander Van der Bellen said on Monday that his country takes responsibility for the part it played in the Holocaust.“Austria bears shared responsi-bility for the Holocaust. Many Aus-trian citizens took part, and we bow our heads in memory of the victims in humility and respect,” Van der Bellen said during a welcoming cer-emony at the Israeli President’s Res-idence in Yerushalayim.“We admitted our shared respon-sibility too late and that caused prob-lems in our relations at the begin-ning,” he told President Reuven Rivlin during the second day of a visit to Israel.“Our aim is to ensure that Jews everywhere feel safe. It is our responsibility as Austrians to the victims of the Holocaust to ensure that we live in peace and agreement with Israel,” he added, according to a text released by the president’s office.President Rivlin thanked his Aus-trian counterpart for being a “true friend of the State of Israel and of the Jewish people.”Absent from the visit was Austri-an Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, at Israeli insistence, according to Haaretz. Kneissl was nominated for her post by the Freedom Party, a far-right party with Nazi roots. The government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has accommodated itself to Israel’s policy of maintaining rela-tions with Austria while refusing to meet with officials from the Free-dom Party.The two leaders later visited Yad Vashem, where Van der Bellen laid a wreath at a ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance.He is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanya-hu later Monday.The Austrian president visited the Kosel on Sunday.Austria Takes Responsibility for Its Role in HolocaustNoam Revkin Fenton/Flash90Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen at Yad Vashem, Sunday. DOV BENOVADIAYERUSHALAYIM – The govern-ment intends to build an elevator at Me’aras Hamachpelah, whether or not the Waqf cooperates, Knes-set Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee head MK Moti Yogev was told in a meeting. Kobi Eliraz, an adviser on settlement affairs to the Defense Minister’s Office, said that after months of trying to work out a deal with the Waqf on the mat-ter, the ministry was giving up and would move forward with the proj-ect on its own.The Committee is no longer meeting due to the breakup of the government, but Yogev had asked for updates on the matter. In an Octo-ber letter to Prime Minister Binya-min Netanyahu and Defense Minis-ter Avigdor Liberman, Social Rights Minister Gila Gamliel expressed the need for an elevator to be installed at Me’aras Hamachpelah to allow access by the disabled. About a million people visit the site each year, and the only access to the Me’arah is by climbing dozens of steps—– meaning that entry is effectively impossible for disabled visitors who do not have someone to assist them. Gamliel’s ministry is authorized to install systems to allow for the access of disabled peo-ple to sites around the country.In her letter, Gamliel wrote that “it has been 50 years since Yehudah and Shomron were liberated, and the time has come to enable access to Me’aras Hamachpelah for all, including the disabled. As the social rights minister, I see it as a great obligation to enable all those who wish to have access to the site to be able to enter. As soon as the project is approved, we will move forward with it.”Yogev said that the elevator was one of several issues surround-ing Jewish settlement in Chevron that the Committee had been in the midst of dealing with. “We need to consider issues such as the takeover of the water system in Kiryat Arba by water company Mekorot, the end of the mandate of the international peacekeeping force in Chevron, and access to Me’aras Hamachpelah for the disabled. We promised that the elevator would be ready by next Rosh Hashanah,” Yogev said.“We are definitely moving ahead with the elevator,” said Yogev, add-ing that “the refusal of the Waqf to cooperate is not a reason to post-pone the project.”YONI WEISSYERUSHALAYIM – The IDF announced Monday that it signed a demolition order for the homes of two Palestinian terrorists who alleg-edly conducted two shooting attacks in December.Brothers Salih and Asem Bargh-outi are believed to have carried out the terrorist attack outside Ofra in which seven Israelis were injured, among them a woman who was seri-ously wounded. Her baby, Amiad Yisrael Ish-Ran, died a few days later, Hy”d.Salih Barghouti was shot dead on Dec. 12 in Kobar as he attacked Israeli security forces in an attempt to evade arrest. On Dec. 13, Asem Barghouti opened fire at a bus stop outside the Givat Assaf outpost, kill-ing two soldiers stationed there — Yuval Mor-Yosef and Yosef Cohen, Hy”d — and seriously injuring two others.After the head of the Central Command signed the official demo-lition order, the home will likely be razed in the coming days.Gov’t to Build Handicap-Access Elevator at Me’aras HamachpelahIDF to Demolish Homes of Palestinian TerroristsDROR HALAVYYERUSHALAYIM – Cohen is the most popular surname in Israel, the Central Bureau of Statistics said in a study, just in time for Family Day, celebrated this year on February 5 in Israel. There are 2.06 million families in Israel, a significant growth over the 1.73 million that the country had 10 years ago. The average Israeli fam-ily has 3.73 members, the same as 10 years ago. About half the families in Israel have at least one member age 17 or under.Of those children, 92 percent live in families with two parents — a very high percentage compared to other OECD countries, the CBS said. In 87 percent of single-parent families with children 17 or under, the mother was the breadwinner. Beit Shemesh had the largest number of families with the most children in cities of 100,000 people or more; 72 per-cent of families had children there, compared to an average of 48 per-cent nationwide. Be’er Sheva, with 8 percent, had the highest number of single-parent families, compared to 6 percent nationwide. The highest number of households without any children — 41 percent — was in Tel Aviv.Cohen was the most common sur-name among all families, followed by Levy, Mizrachi, Peretz, Bitton, Dahan, Avraham, Agabaria and Friedman. One out of every 50 Israelis Jews was a Cohen, while one out of 85 was a Levy. Among Muslims, the most com-mon surname was Agabaria (spelled differently in Hebrew than it is among Jewish families); among Christians it was Houry; and for Druze, Halaby.‘Cohen’ Most Popular Israeli SurnameMe’aras Hamachpelah.830 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019 TUESDAYBusinessClosing NumbersNEW YORK (AP) – Stocks recovered from an early wobble Monday, lifting the benchmark S&P 500 to its fourth straight gain.Technology companies led the broad move higher, outweighing losses in health care, materials and utilities stocks.The market had gotten off to a weak start after the gov-ernment reported that fac-tory orders fell in November, but by midday major indexes had turned higher.Investors remained focused on the latest batch of corporate earnings, includ-ing solid results from Clorox and Sysco. Google parent Alphabet posted results that topped Wall Street’s esti-mates after the close of regu-lar trading.The S&P 500 index rose 18.34 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,724.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 175.48 points, or 0.7 percent, to 25,239.37. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite gained 83.67 points, or 1.2 percent, to 7,347.54.The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies picked up 15.48 points, or 1 percent, to 1,517.54.Stocks got off to a sluggish start as traders weighed a government report showing U.S. factory orders declined 0.6 percent in Novem-ber. The drop, attributed mainly to lower demand for machinery and electrical equipment, surprised econ-omists, who had forecast a slight increase.Clorox Company climbed 5.7 percent to $158.38 after reporting earnings that came in ahead of analysts’ forecasts. Sysco’s latest quarterly snapshot also topped analysts’ estimates, driving shares in the food distributor up 4.8 percent to $66.64.Just under half of S&P 500 companies have reported results for the last three months of 2018. Of those, about 71 percent have turned in results that exceeded financial analysts’ forecasts, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.In addition to positive earnings, the market has been riding a wave of posi-tive momentum kicked off last week when the Federal Reserve signaled that it sees no need to raise interest rates anytime soon. Another batch of strong monthly U.S. jobs data also helped put investors in a buying mood.Even so, uncertainty remains over the U.S.-China trade dispute, and its poten-tial impact on corporate profits. Papa John’s jumped 9 percent to $41.97 on news of a $200 investment from Starboard Value. Starboard CEO Steve Ritchie is also being named chairman of the troubled pizza chain.Last week, the Louisville, Kentucky-based company’s stock plunged on reports that Trian Fund Manage-ment was no longer inter-ested in a deal. The company also had a weak fourth quar-ter.Gannett, the publisher of USA Today and other news-papers, slid 2.2 percent to $10.97 after the company rejected a $1.36 billion buy-out from MNG Enterprises, a hedge-fund backed media group with a history of tak-ing over newspapers and slashing jobs.Health care sector stocks lagged the broader market. Allergan slid 3.8 percent to $138.53, while Celgene lost 2.3 percent to $87.57.U.S. crude fell 1.3 percent to settle at $54.56 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, slipped 0.4 percent to close at $62.51 per barrel in London. The lower prices follow a round of supply cuts by OPEC in January and more U.S. sanctions against Venezuela.USD currency exchangeTechnology Companies Lead Stocks Higher After an Early SlideLost or FoundThe JewishInternational Lost and FoundNetworkPost and Search Free!YidFind.org | 718.Yid.FindDOW+175.4825,239.37NASDAQ+83.677,347.54S&P 500+18.342,724.8710-Yr T-Note+.032.72%30-Yr T-Bonds+.033.06%Crude Oil-.7054.56Gold-2.601,314.30Silver-.0115.87US Dollar - Australia Dollar 1.3844 +.0052 +.38 1.2601 -.0713 +.0177US Dollar - Britain Pound .7667 +.0023 +.30 .7079 -.1083 +.0292US Dollar - Canada Dollar 1.3125 +.0037 +.28 1.2390 -.0452 +.0288US Dollar - Euro Euro .8748 +.0023 +.26 .8031 -.1019 -.0023US Dollar - Hong Kong Dollar 7.8465 -.0006 -.01 7.8214 -.0005 -.0003US Dollar - Israel Shekel 3.6095 -.0281 -.78 3.4477 -.0130 +.0094US Dollar - Japan Yen 109.90 +.39 +.35 110.28 +.000031 -.000024US Dollar - Mexico Peso 19.1057 -.0153 -.08 18.5462 -.001578 +.001419US Dollar - Singapore Dollar 1.3533 +.0028 +.21 1.3197 -.0188 +.0051US Dollar - So. Africa Rand 13.4230 +.0950 +.71 12.0831 -.0083 +.0050US Dollar - So. Korea Won 1120.07 +.51 +.05 1089.32 -.000025 -.000005US Dollar - Switzerlnd Franc .9983 +.0032 +.32 .9313 -.0721 -.0155US Dollar - Taiwan Dollar 30.78 -.00 -.00 29.34 -.0016 -.0002US Dollar - Thailand Baht 31.31 +.01 +.03 31.45 +.00014 +.00103 1 YR 1 YR YTD CLOSE $ CHG % CHG AGO $ CHG $CHG 1 YR 1 YR YTD CLOSE $ CHG % CHG AGO $ CHG $CHG9 TUES DAY 30 Shevat 5779 // February 5, 2019Business‘Bond King’ Bill Gross to Retire From JanusDENVER (AP) – William H. Gross, the leg-endary and colorful bond investor who once controlled the world’s largest mutual fund, is retiring to focus on his personal assets and private charitable foundation. Gross was nicknamed the “Bond King” af-ter co-founding the investment firm Pimco in 1971 and delivering returns that were the envy of the fixed-income market. But his star dimmed in recent years as his returns fell short of competitors.Struggling Papa John’s Names Activist Investor as ChairmanLOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Papa John’s has turned to activist investment firm Star-board Value to help it engineer a turn-around. Starboard CEO Je Smith will become chairman of the pizza chain’s board. Meanwhile, Starboard Value will in-vest $200 million in Papa John’s through the purchase of new convertible preferred shares.General Motors Starting White-Collar Layo s This WeekDETROIT (AP) – General Motors is starting to lay o about 4,300 white-collar workers worldwide this week.In November, the company said it want-ed to cut 8,000 salaried and contract work-ers so it can raise profit margins and invest more in autonomous and electric vehicles.The company says 2,200 white-collar employees took buyouts, while another 1,500 contract workers were let go.Many of the layo s will happen at GM’s technical center near Detroit. Most work on components for internal combustion en-gines and discontinued car models.GM also plans to close one Canadian and four U.S. car factories, shedding another 5,000 jobs. But 2,700 U.S. workers will be o ered jobs at other factories.GM says the layo s are part of a restruc-turing that will add up to $2.5 billion to its bottom line this year.U.S. Sales of the Tesla Model 3 Plunge 74 Percent in January(Los Angeles Times/TNS) – U.S. sales of the Tesla Model 3 plunged 74 percent in Janu-ary compared with December, according to a consumer website, lending credence to rumors that sales of the vehicle have fallen o a cli .The California-based carmaker sold 6,500 Model 3s in the U.S. in January, compared with 25,250 the month before and 1,875 in January 2018, according to InsideEVs.Tesla reports sales results quarterly, not monthly, and the next o cial report is due in April. InsideEVs is directed at electric-vehicle enthusiasts and its prior estimates have tended to overestimate sales figures.Tesla’s future as a going concern de-pends on healthy Model 3 sales growth. The company sold about 145,000 of them last year, and said it plans to substantially increase that figure this year.Nissan Decision Seen as Sign Of Brexit Business JittersLONDON (AP) – With Brexit just seven weeks away, Britain’s ruling Conservative Party was locked in tense negotiations with itself Monday to rework the U.K.’s divorce deal with the European Union — as the EU stood firm in ruling out any renegotiation.Meanwhile, pro-EU and pro-Brexit U.K. politicians traded allegations about wheth-er Nissan’s decision not to build a new SUV in northern England was the latest Brexit-induced damage to Britain’s economy.Britain is due to leave the bloc on March 29, and many businesses fear economic chaos if there isn’t an agreement on the rules and conditions that will replace the 45 years of frictionless trade that came with being an EU member. The uncertainty has already led many firms to shift some operations abroad, stockpile goods or de-fer investment decisions.Nissan announced over the weekend that it has decided not to build the X-Trail model at its existing U.K. plant in Sunder-land, England, canceling plans announced two years ago after May’s government promised to ensure the carmaker’s ability to compete after Brexit.FAA: Chicago’s O’Hare Airport Busiest in U.S. in 2018CHICAGO (AP) – O’Hare International Air-port in Chicago was the busiest airport in the U.S. in 2018, surpassing Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for the first time in four years.The Federal Aviation Administration released data on Monday showing that O’Hare had more than 903,000 arrivals and departures during 2018. Atlanta’s air-port was second, with more than 895,000 arrivals and departures.Los Angeles International Airport, Dal-las-Fort Worth International Airport and Denver International Airport round out the top five.O’Hare last held the top spot in 2014.BIZ Briefs718.972.6000 DoAllTravel.comFLY TO ISRAEL FOR ONLY $599Companion Fare (2 seats) | Stopover | Roundtrip | Departure dates Feb 5 -April 14The quality you desire, the care you deserve.718.373.1700 • www.HaymSalomonHome.comNext >