Israeli troops wrapping up their tour of duty in the Rafah area of southern Gaza eliminated dozens of terrorists over the past few months and dismantled a long tunnel in which they found Hamas hideouts and weapons.

The Israeli population in Judea and Samaria (as of January 2026) includes 540,327 Jewish residents living in 150 communities in the biblical heartland, the Yesha Council reported.

In 2025, the region recorded an increase of 10,623 residents. Thus, the growth rate in Judea and Samaria is approximately 2.01%, almost twice as high as the average population growth in Israel as a whole, which is 1.1%. At the beginning of 2026, the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria account for around 5.25% of the total population of Israel.

Of the 925 fallen soldiers since October 7, 2023, 124 were residents of Judea and Samaria. This figure shows that the population of the region accounts for approximately 13.4% of all fallen soldiers.

This week’s Torah portion opens with what looks like a minor detail: pure, beaten olive oil—just enough to keep a lamp burning.

But the Bible isn’t talking about “religious vibes.” It’s teaching a pattern for real spiritual life:

Light isn’t made by flashes of inspiration.

It’s sustained by quiet, daily faithfulness.

The Ner Tamid (Eternal Light) doesn’t run on hype. It runs on oil—and oil is only produced through pressing. The very pressures of life, the routines, the unseen responsibilities… those are often where the purest light is born.

And then there’s Aaron: not a celebrity leader, but a guardian of the flame—carrying the people on his heart, keeping the center lit, even when nobody is watching.

If you’ve ever felt like your faith is “too ordinary” to matter—this portion says the opposite.

👉 Read the full reflection

Israel OKs 1,300 new homes in Jewish town in Samaria

Israel's Defense Ministry approved the construction of more than 1,300 housing units in the Samaria community of Kedumim.

The 1,338 homes in the planned Nahalat Esther neighborhood will more than double the size of Kedumim, which currently has some 4,850 residents.

This is part of the effort to boost the Jewish population in the biblical heartland.

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The remains of a Roman amphitheater at Beit Guvrin National Park in central Israel.

Photo by Yossi Aloni/FLASH90

Thousands of runners took part this morning in the annual Tel Aviv Marathon.

Emunah Chirak, widow of Sgt. Yosef Yehuda Chirak, who was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip, visits his grave after giving birth to their son, Mevaser Tov, at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, February 5, 2026.

Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90

IDF: In the last few minutes, sirens were sounded all throughout Israel, with an advance instruction alert directly to cellular devices to stay within proximity to protected spaces.

This is a proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the State of Israel. The IDF emphasizes that the public is requested to stay in proximity to protected spaces.

Explosions reported in Tehran.

Israel has launched another preemptive assault on the ayatollah regime.