In the Jewish tradition many of our prayers focus our attention on the events and realities taking place in the land of Israel. In light of that we are all following with concern the ongoing lack of substantial rainfall in Israel this year though we are well past the middle of the rainy season.

The International Rabbinic Fellowship joins the Jewish world in mourning the passing of Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman zt"l, the leading rabbinic authority of the Lithuanian Hareidi community in Israel, at the age of 104.

The International Rabbinic Fellowship condemns in the strongest of terms the racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia reflected in the message of the far right groups of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who protested in Charlottesville.

The International Rabbinic Fellowship expresses its strong condemnation of the terrorist attack on the Temple Mount complex this morning that took the lives of two Israeli Police officers.

The International Rabbinic Fellowship expresses its deep disappointment in the recent Israeli cabinet decisions to suspend implementation of the Kotel Compromise approved last year by the government as well as the decision to support legislation that would outlaw any conversions done in Israel outside of the Conversion Authority of the Chief Rabbinate.

The International Rabbinic Fellowship notes with concern that in January of this year, 48 Jewish Community centers in 27 states and one Canadian province received 60 telephone bomb threats leading to evacuations and deep anxiety.