Jooish News

The New Jersey state Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee approved legislation today that would require licensed child care centers to notify parents or guardians when a child does not show up as expected.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D-Lakewood), is aimed at preventing the devastating tragedies that occur when parents accidentally leave their young children in vehicles, leading to severe injury or death from heatstroke. The bill would make the notification policy a condition for obtaining or renewing a child care center license from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.

Under the proposal, centers would be required to establish procedures to contact a parent or guardian if a child has an unexcused absence and determine the reason for the absence.

If a center fails to establish the policy, the department would be required to deny, revoke, or refuse to renew the center’s license or approval, according to the bill.

President Donald Trump issued a pair of lengthy social media messages late Sunday sharply criticizing the Supreme Court and a federal district judge, accusing members of the judiciary of political bias and condemning a recent ruling that struck down tariffs he imposed under emergency economic authority.

Trump’s comments followed a Supreme Court decision issued last month that invalidated key tariffs he enacted using national emergency powers. The justices ruled by a 6–3 margin that the tariffs went beyond the authority granted to the president under a 1977 emergency economic law, determining that the Constitution assigns Congress—not the president—the authority to impose import duties.

In his first post on Truth Social, Trump expressed frustration with the court and took aim at justices who, in his view, fail to support the presidents who appointed them.

“The Democrats on the Court always ‘stick together,’ no matter how strong a case is put before them — There is rarely even a minor ‘waver,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “But Republicans do not do this.

“They openly disrespect the Presidents who nominate them to the highest position in the Land, a Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and go out of their way, with bad and wrongful rulings and intentions, to prove how ‘honest,’ ‘independent,’ and ‘legitimate’ they are.”

Trump emphasized that the ruling on tariffs was particularly significant to him, arguing that the decision could ultimately benefit foreign competitors that he says have exploited American markets for years.

“The decision that mattered most to me was TARIFFS!” Trump wrote. “The Court knew where I stood, how badly I wanted this Victory for our Country, and instead decided to, potentially, give away Trillions of Dollars to Countries and Companies who have been taking advantage of the United States for decades.”

Despite the ruling limiting the specific emergency powers he had relied upon, the decision noted that the president still has the ability to impose tariffs through other statutory avenues. Following the decision, administration officials began examining additional trade actions and potential investigations aimed at reinstating tariff protections and responding to foreign trade practices.

Trump also voiced appreciation for the three justices who dissented in the case—Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh—praising what he described as their “Wisdom and Courage,” while accusing the court’s liberal members of voting in lockstep for political reasons.

“Our Supreme Court has made these Countries very happy,” Trump wrote, adding that he will “fight hard” to ensure American interests are protected.

In a separate Truth Social post, Trump shifted his focus to the federal court system and criticized a judge who recently blocked a Justice Department investigation related to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

The case involved subpoenas connected to a probe into Powell’s congressional testimony about the Federal Reserve’s costly renovation of its Washington headquarters. On Friday, a federal judge ruled that prosecutors had failed to present sufficient evidence to justify the subpoenas, writing that investigators produced “essentially zero evidence” of wrongdoing.

Trump responded by condemning the ruling and directly attacking the judge who issued it, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, accusing him of partisan hostility.

“I strongly criticized Jerome ‘Too Late’ for his horrible performance throughout his tenure, which is either gross incompetence, total dishonesty, or both,” Trump wrote, “and, in return for this well justified criticism, get viciously and wrongfully blamed by, as usual, a Wacky, Nasty, Crooked, and totally Out of Control Judge, named James Boasberg, a man who suffers from the highest level of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), and has been ‘after’ my people, and me, for years.”

Trump argued that the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters had ballooned into an expensive and unnecessary project that deserved further scrutiny by investigators.

He concluded by accusing the judge of allowing politics to shape his decisions from the bench.

“What Boasberg has done on the ‘Too Late’ Powell case, and many others, has little to do with the Law, and everything to do with Politics,” Trump wrote.

{Matzav.com}

Agudath Israel of America is pleased to announce the opening of its Holocaust collection on the Agudah Archive website (https://agudaharchive.org/holocaust/351).

The thousands of documents in this collection paint a picture of the Holocaust’s impact on the history of European Orthodox Jewry and World Jewry’s valiant rescue efforts during and immediately following the horrors of the Holocaust. This aspect of Holocaust history has been neglected in most public archives and collections.

Until now, these documents have only been available in physical form, in the Orthodox Jewish Archives at Agudah headquarters. With assistance from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Finance, these documents are being digitized, organized and uploaded, in many themed collections.

The first three collections are now up on the website. The first, Holocaust interviews, contains over 70 audio interviews with Holocaust survivors. The second and third collections feature two periodicals, Jewish Opinion and Orthodox Tribune (originally Orthodox Youth or Agudah Youth), which were published by Zeirei Agudath Israel of America in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. These publications, over 50 issues with hundreds of pages of news and articles, give a window into the progression of the war and its aftermath. For example, the Adar 1942 issue includes a front page with the headline “On Nazi Atrocities,” news about rescue and about Agudah’s efforts to help with religious education for children that were sent to the land of Israel, and an op-ed by Jacob (Moreinu Yaakov) Rosenheim, ”The Right Answer to Hitler’s Challenge.”

These collections are the first of many that will be available to readers and scholars in the Holocaust section of the Agudah archives.

Agudath Israel’s executive vice president Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel welcomed the on-line publication of the three collections as “an important milestone in the area of Holocaust education.”

“Our Gedolei Yisroel have encouraged us to know for ourselves what transpired during the Holocaust, and to teach it to our children, so that we will never forget this dark era, and so that we will forever be inspired by the spiritual heroism displayed by so many holy Jews . With the on-line publication of these three archival collections – and b’ezras Hashem many more collections to come — Agudath Israel is making a treasure trove of primary source materials accessible to the broad Jewish public. This is a truly historic achievement.”

Rabbi Zwiebel expressed Agudath Israel’s gratitude to the many people who were involved in this project, including Rabbi Moshe Kolodny, Agudah’s Archivist Emeritus, responsible for the founding and growth of the Orthodox Jewish Archives; Rabbi Yossi Aszkenazy, who has been funding and digitizing thousands of hours of historic Agudah recordings; the Levy and Cohen families, sponsors of the online archive; the Claims Conference and the German government, who are funding the Holocaust digitization project; Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director of Agudath Israel and Administrator of the Holocaust digitization project; and Ms. Judith Dinowitz, Project Lead.

The IDF issued a statement Monday saying that it had eliminated a cell of armed Hamas operatives in Gaza Sunday, just as it was preparing to carry out an attack on Israeli forces. The military identified two of the operatives who they said had participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel: Rami Ibrahim Harb and Mutaeb Ziyad Darah, members of Hamas’ elite Nukhba Force.

Two others were identified as Abd Muhammad Amasi, a member of the Popular Resistance Committees, and Tawfiq Khaldi, a Hamas operative, along with three other Hamas terrorists.

“Yesterday, IDF forces identified an armed terrorist cell from the Hamas terror organization that was planning to carry out a terror plot against our forces,” the military posted in a statement on X. “The IDF attacked and eliminated the armed terrorists in order to remove the threat.”

The IDF released footage of its elimination of a Hamas terror cell.

The IDF then identified the terrorists.

“It can now be confirmed that among the terrorists who were attacked and eliminated were Rami Ibrahim Harab and Muaz Ziad Dra — two Nukhba terrorists who infiltrated the country’s territory during the murderous massacre on October 7 and who planned to carry out terror plots targeting IDF forces operating in the Strip in the immediate time frame. [Also identified were] Abd Muhammad Amzi, a terrorist in the “Popular Resistance Committees” terror organization, an organization operating to advance terror plots under Hamas sponsorship; and Tufiq Khaldi, a terrorist of the Hamas terror organization. Together with the terrorists, three additional Hamas terrorists were eliminated.”

The IDF insisted that its forces were deployed to the area according to the ceasefire agreement but would continue to act against threats to its forces.

“IDF forces under Southern Command are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the military said.

This Sunday, the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Tantzers Fischl Family Center took place, as families, friends, supporters, and local officials joined together to celebrate the opening of a beautiful new facility dedicated to families facing serious medical challenges.

The event marked a meaningful moment for the organization and the many people who helped bring this vision to life.

The new center was thoughtfully designed as a place where families can step away from the pressures of hospital visits and daily struggles. With welcoming lounges, play areas for children, activity rooms, and spaces for programs and gatherings, the center offers families a chance to relax, connect, and spend meaningful time together in a warm and supportive environment.

“Our previous space was a small basement that simply couldn’t keep up with the need,” one volunteer shared. “This new center is several times the size and opens the door for so many more programs and opportunities for families of all ages.”

More than just a building, the Tantzers Family Center will serve as a true home away from home. It is a place where families can unplug from the challenges they face, find comfort among others who understand their journey, and experience moments of joy, strength, and community when they need it most.

BORO PARK, N.Y. — Reb Chaim Tzvi Elbaum, z”l, a respected 89-year-old Torah scholar and longtime Boro Park resident, died early Monday, months after being critically injured in a traffic accident.

Elbaum was struck last December by a work van at the intersection of 16th Avenue and 46th Street, a site residents say is prone to aggressive driving and jaywalking. Police said the 35-year-old driver remained at the scene and was not arrested. Elbaum was taken to Maimonides Hospital following the collision.

A native of Yerushalayim, Elbaum devoted decades to Torah study, spending long hours in the Stoliner shul, where he was widely admired for his knowledge and dedication.

FLUSHING, Queens (VINnews) — Firefighters are battling a massive blaze at a home in Flushing Monday that has left seven people injured, two critically.

The fire broke out shortly before 12:30 p.m. on College Point Boulevard between Avery and Pople avenues. Part of the building collapsed, forcing crews to continue their efforts from outside while working to prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring homes.

Two residents were rushed to Jacobi Hospital in critical condition, while five others were evaluated at the scene for injuries, officials said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

BREAKING: Queens Home COLLAPSES in Massive Fire – 7 Hurt, 2 Critical condition.

FDNY battles 4th-alarm blaze at 44-49 College Point Blvd, Flushing.

EMS treating 5 minor injuries while 2 are fighting for life

Video by @yyeeaahhhboiii2 | Licensing @FreedomNTV… pic.twitter.com/pkXBN1zjjS

— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) March 16, 2026

The FDNY is operating at a 4-alarm fire at 44-49 College Point Boulevard. pic.twitter.com/U62eL4cGQp

— FDNY (@FDNY) March 16, 2026

LONDON (AP) — The BBC filed a motion Monday asking a U.S. court to dismiss President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against it.

The British national broadcaster said that the Florida court where the case is expected to be heard does not have jurisdiction over it. It also argued that Trump could not show that it intended to misrepresent him.

Trump filed a lawsuit in December over the way a BBC documentary edited a speech he gave on Jan. 6, 2021. The claim seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and a further $5 billion for unfair trade practices.

Last month a judge at the federal court for the Southern District of Florida provisionally set a trial date for February 2027.

The BBC argued that the case should be thrown out because the documentary was never aired in Florida or the U.S.

“We have therefore challenged jurisdiction of the Florida court and filed a motion to dismiss the president’s claim,” the corporation said in a statement.

In a 34-page document, the BBC also argued that Trump failed to “plausibly allege facts showing that defendants knowingly intended to create a false impression.”

Trump’s case “falls well short of the high bar of actual malice,” it added.

The documentary — titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” — was aired days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The program spliced together three quotes from two sections of a speech Trump made on Jan. 6, 2021, into what appeared to be one quote, in which Trump appeared to explicitly encourage his supporters to storm the Capitol building.

Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.

The broadcaster’s chairman has apologized to Trump over the edit of the speech, admitting that it gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action.” But the BBC rejects claims it defamed him. The furor triggered the resignations of the BBC’s top executive and its head of news last year.

Caleb Snyder — the YouTuber and social media commentator who traveled to Lakewood last week to show viewers a side of the town that another YouTuber, Tyler Oliveira, chose not to highlight — has released his video documenting his interactions with locals, both Jewish and non-Jewish, throughout the area.

Unsurprisingly, Snyder’s experience paints a markedly different picture from the narrative presented by Oliveira. While Oliveira’s video selectively edited out encounters and context that would have offered a fuller view of the community, Snyder’s footage captures a more accurate portrayal of Lakewood — a place far removed from the caricature of a racist or “anti-goy” enclave that Oliveira attempted to present.

Watch Caleb’s video and subscribe to his channel to show him support.

The IDF announced Monday that it had destroyed the private jet used by former Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking Iranian officials in an overnight strike on Mehrabad Airport in Tehran.

The IDF said that the strike disrupted the regime’s ability to coordinate with allies, to build up its military and to recover from the damage caused by previous strikes.

The IDF explained in a statement, “The aircraft was used by Ali Khamenei, the [former] supreme leader of the Iranian terror regime, additional senior officials, and Iranian military personnel to advance military procurement and to manage coordination with axis countries through both domestic and international flights.”

“As a result, another strategic asset of the regime has been degraded,” the statement added.

The IDF also posted Monday that it had struck an Iranian regime intelligence command center in Tehran, located near Iran’s national electricity company.

“The Ministry of Intelligence is the regime’s primary intelligence body, responsible for monitoring Iranian civilians and enabling the violent suppression of civil protests over many years,” the IDF said in a statement posted to social media.

Separately, the IDF has initiated limited, targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah military installations as part of “broader defensive efforts to establish and strengthen a forward defensive posture, which includes the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area, to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel.”

Six people were injured after a Hezbollah rocket struck a home in Nahariya on Monday, authorities said.

Magen David Adom treated six victims — two adults and four minors — who suffered smoke inhalation. All are listed in good condition.

The rocket impact also sparked a large fire at the home, which firefighters later brought under control.

The IDF confirmed the damage was caused by a rocket fired from Lebanon, not a failed interceptor as initially believed.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Nahariya Mayor provides an update from the scene. At the same time, reports in Israel say the IDF is investigating whether the impact was caused by a failed Iron Dome interceptor.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF said Monday it struck and destroyed a compound in central Tehran linked to Iran’s military space program and efforts to develop anti-satellite weapons.

According to the military, the Israeli Air Force carried out the strike using precise intelligence, targeting a facility involved in developing capabilities to attack satellites — a threat to Israeli and other international space assets.

The compound was also connected to military space projects including development of the Chamran-1 satellite, built by Iran’s Defense Ministry electronics industries and launched in September 2024 by the IRGC.

The strike follows another Israeli attack last week on a separate space-related research facility belonging to the Iranian Space Organization in Tehran.

Israel says Iran has invested heavily in space warfare capabilities as part of its broader military expansion.

The IDF said it will continue operating to protect Israeli capabilities “on the ground, in the air, at sea and in space.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Navi Amos talks about the days that Hashem says that there will be a spiritual hunger in world. How fortunate are we to be living in this time. In the past few centuries while there have been some prominent Talmidei Chachamim and Tzaddikim, the average yid did not have access to Torah learning. The Mesorah was passed from father to son based on what was available to them.

The last three decades has seen an explosion of Torah. The “Torah is now available to all”. From Daf Yomi, Mishna Yomi, Halacha Yomi, Dirshu Kollel, shiurim from greats like R’ Sruli, R’ Eli, Reb Biderman and more.

It is clear that we are that generation that the Navi speaks about thirsting and yearning כי אם לשמוע לדברי ה׳

Yitzy and Mayer deliver a powerful duet with heartwarming, melody, and stunning harmonies. Hopefully this song will inspire you to find your connection to Torah and see how sweet it is!!

Credits: Composed and written by: Yitzy Waldner
Music by: Avrumi Berko

https://thelakewoodscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/master-1.wav

BEIT SHEMESH (JNS) – “I was considered missing. My children—everyone—called me. The police must have called a thousand times. I came home, saw the state of my balcony and passed out,” Miriam Salem, 71, from Beit Shemesh, told JNS on Thursday.

Salem lives in Ramat Lehi, a neighborhood devastated by an Iranian ballistic missile on March 1. Nine people were killed, including three teenage siblings from the same family. Walking through the streets of Ramat Lehi, it is nearly impossible to miss the yellow and red signs posted by the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command indicating which buildings are safe to enter and which are not.

An IDF Home Front Command sign forbidding entry to a house in Beit Shemesh directly impacted by an Iranian ballistic missile on March 1, March 12, 2026. Credit: Amelie Botbol

Salem was not in her apartment when the missile struck, but insisted on returning home. Many residents were evacuated to hotels while renovations are underway.

Near the homes that were hit, garbage bins are filled with furniture ruined in the attack. The facades of buildings are now lined with plastic-sealed windows, replacing those shattered by the blast.

As part of an operation launched with support from the Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund, dozens of volunteers from pre-military preparatory programs and from across the country have come to Beit Shemesh to assist residents whose homes were damaged.

A garbage bin filled with ruined furniture following the March 1 Iranian missile attack on Beit Shemesh, March 12, 2026. Credit: Amelie Botbol

“It is important to us that every family feels they are not alone and that every damaged home receives prompt and proper care. This is our commitment, both as a fund and as a society,” Neri Shotan, CEO of the Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund, told JNS.

The organization plays a critical role in supporting these activities, including the transportation of volunteers, the provision of work and protective equipment, and other essential resources.

Volunteers help empty homes, clear shattered glass from floors, seal windows and spend time with residents whose lives have been put on hold.

A Beit Shemesh house heavily damaged by the March 1 Iranian missile attack, March 12, 2026. Ccredit: Amelie Botbol

Shir Goren, director of community engagement and volunteer infrastructure at the Kibbutz Movement, accompanies volunteers at sites across Beit Shemesh. The day JNS toured the city, Goren was directing 20 volunteers from the Meitarim Lachish Mechina. Together, they walked to Rachel Sayag’s home, where volunteers had already sealed the windows and cleared away shattered glass.

“It is very important that they come to help because it’s very hard to cope,” said Sayag. “You find yourself in trauma—the living room is full of glass. The volunteers seemed trained, as if they were used to this. I’ve been staying in a hotel until my windows are fixed. As soon as that happens, I will return. I miss my space,” she said.

Throughout the day, Goren operates from Kibbutz Tamuz, a small urban kibbutz in Beit Shemesh where about 50 people live and where the local association helps coordinate the volunteer operations.

“We opened WhatsApp groups at the beginning of the war against Hamas in Gaza. More than 15,000 volunteers joined. It started with the rehabilitation of southern kibbutzim. Then it became need-based,” she said.

After years of war, Goren said that while people are exhausted, every time there is a new operation or another strike, they gather their strength and, in moments of crisis, embrace one another. “Even if it’s hard, people take solace in the fact that they are doing something for someone else, and that is very unique,” she added.

While many of the volunteers are of pre-military age—including some from the southern communities of Mefalsim and Yad Mordechai who say they want to give back for the support they received earlier in the war—others are older, in their 60s and 70s, and come in search of purpose.

“They want to feel that they have an impact. They are looking for ways to contribute as citizens of a country in crisis. It’s amazing to embrace others while you are already out of strength. The warmth that Israeli society puts out there is unique,” Goren said.

Looking at volunteers fresh out of high school and soon to be drafted into the Israel Defense Forces who come to help as part of their pre-army preparation, Goren said it shows the country has a future.

“Good things will continue after us. This is education and the true values of Zionism, and I am happy that the next generation is here to take things into their hands and do what is needed,” she said.

Hili Elfassi, 18, from Netanya and a member of the Meitarim Lachish Mechina, told JNS that it is essential for her and her peers to take part in meaningful volunteer opportunities.

“We are here to fulfill every need, whether it’s babysitting for families with a member on reserve duty or helping empty houses after a blast,” she said.

Elfassi said it is always emotional to enter another damaged home and support a new family.

“Last week we were in Beersheva, where there had been a strike. We entered and the entire house was destroyed. The hit had happened the day before. It’s crazy how urgent and immediate the need is for us to come,” she added.

At Kibbutz Tamuz, many homes were also affected by the blast, including the house of Carmela, 34, whose husband has been serving in the IDF reserves. That day, she had taken shelter at her parents’ home nearby.

“One of my two kids was with my parents—my youngest son—and something told me to go be with him because he would likely be scared. I ran there. My dad hadn’t yet managed to close the door of the safe room when he was pushed away by the blast,” she said.

“My parents’ house started trembling. The entire house was instantly covered in dust and smoke,” she added.

When Carmela returned to her home, she realized she could no longer live there with two young children walking around on a floor covered in glass.

“We went to my sister, who doesn’t live in Beit Shemesh. The volunteers came and did amazing work—from older people to high schoolers. They even put away my children’s games and their Purim costumes,” she said.

“If I could go one by one and thank them and hug them, I would,” she added.

A manhole fire on East 2nd Street knocked out power to dozens of homes.

According to the outage map from Con Edison, 38 residences lost electricity after the underground fire affected power lines in the area.

The outage is along East 2nd Street between Ditmas Avenue and Avenue F, where the street has now been closed so Con Edison crews can open the manhole and carry out repairs.

Utility trucks were seen on the block as crews began addressing the damages. It is not yet clear how long the repairs will take before electricity is fully restored to the affected homes.

Here is Part 3 of the Let’s Talk Kashrus Q&A series with Rav Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan of Agudas Yisroel of Illinois, to answer some of the recent questions that came in to us at Let’s Talk Kashrus. This week’s Q&A focuses on some hilchos Shabbos issues.

WATCH:

View it its entirety at: https://www.kashrusawareness.com/post/l-t-k-q-a-shabbos-shailos 

Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

🎤 https://open.spotify.com/show/6Rj5rIndHc886Fblqh8U49 

🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-kashrus/id1631553497 

https://24six.app/app/podcast/collection/985

https://mytat.me/o112

https://www.kosher.com/shows/lets-talk-kashrus-73

CLICK HERE to watch more episodes of Let’s Talk Kashrus

______

We invite your questions, comments, or feedback. If there’s a specific kashrus topic you’d like to bring to public attention, feel free to contact us by email: [email protected]

Message or call: 678-8-Kosher

You can also visit our website  www.kashrusawareness.com for a growing list of resources, timely conversations, and to watch episodes of the Let’s Talk Kashrus audio-visual series.

Join a Let’s Talk Kashrus WhatsApp Group for educational content and kashrus updates

Click here to Join a LTK WhatsApp Group

Transcription

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let’s Talk Kashrus, presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project in conjunction with the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am honored to be joined by Rav Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan of Agudath Yisrael of Illinois. Thank you Rav Fuerstfor joining us. We’re continuing our series here of shailos that people have submitted to Let’s Talk Kashrus. 

So today we’d like to discuss various Shabbos and _Yom Tov_related shailos, Shabbos and Yom Tov scenarios. And the first question is, is raw meat or fish considered muktzah? 

R’ Shmuel Fuerst: The Mechaber says in Shin-Ches that raw meat is chazai l’umtza, you can eat it, it’s right to it, you could chew it. You’d have to chew it. L’maisa, the AruchHaShulchan and Rav Moshe, today people don’t eat raw meat, so memeila all raw meats or chicken or fish is considered muktzah. 

And therefore you cannot metaltel it, it has the din of muktzahmachmas gufo, you’re not allowed to move it even l’tzorechgufo u’mekomo. 

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Right, so the practical questions were, could it be moved within a fridge or freezer, especially very often you’re trying to get to other foods in the fridge or freezer, number one? And number two, let’s say it falls out of the fridge or freezer, could I put it back in? 

R’ Shmuel Fuerst: Yes, right. Therefore, since it’s a problem of muktzah, so a person before Shabbos, a woman before Shabbos she organizes the refrigerator and freezer to make sure in the front of the fridge are stuff that’s ro’uy l’achila, so she shouldn’t have a problem, and the stuff that’s _muktzah_should be in the back. And the same thing in a refrigerator also, the stuff that’s muktzah should be kept in the back so you shouldn’t run into a problem moving, because to move on Shabbos it’s muktzah. 

On Yom Tov it would be muttar because to get to the ochel, so on Yom Tov there’s a special halacha it’s okay, you’re allowed to move muktzah to get to the ochel. But on Shabbos it’s a serious problem of muktzah. Therefore you should have all the raw meat and chicken in the back and the stuff like ice cream or cake what you have in the freezer and refrigerator keep in the front so you shouldn’t run into the problem. If let’s say by mistake you open the freezer, the freezer is full and chicken and chicken falls out, raw chicken falls out, raw meat, today raw chicken, raw meat is very expensive today, falls on the floor, and if you let it stay, and especially in the summertime, you let it stay on the floor it’s going to melt and it’s going to get ruined and so on. 

So there’s a Mishnah Berurah that brings down a machlokosTaz, Magen Avraham, and the Mishnah Berurah is machmir. However, in the sefer Shalmei Yehuda he brings down from Rav Elyashiv that in a makom hefsed meruba you could somich on the shitah of the Taz and you could pick it up and put it back into the freezer. And if you want to be _machmir_like the Magen Avraham, the only thing you do is kil-achar-yad, because muktzah is only muttar to move, it’s muktzahmachmas gufo, you’re only allowed to move it kil-achar-yad. But Rav Elyashiv is meikel in a makom hefsed gadol it’s expensive, then you’re allowed to put it back into the freezer. 

Well what’s the qualifications for hefsed gadol by a yachid? Each person is different. Some people, very wealthy people, if a piece of meat today costs twenty-five dollars means nothing to them, some people it’s a supper. 

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Okay. Do we consider double-walled thermoses as a kli rishon or a kli sheni? 

R’ Shmuel Fuerst: It’s a kli sheni. 

A thermos bi’klal is always considered a kli sheni and there’s no issur of hatmanah. 

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Okay. A couple is on a Friday night walking tour in Rome, this is a real question, a couple’s on a Friday night walking tour in Rome and the guide says that she’s Jewish but she carries a phone and a water bottle where there’s no eruv. So here’s the two questions: number one, could they continue the tour or must they stop because it’s like they’re causing this person who’s a Yid to be mechalelShabbos? But do they even have to believe her that she’s halachically Jewish when she says so? 

R’ Shmuel Fuerst: It doesn’t hurt to ask her.

She says she’s Jewish already, there’s no reason why she should say it if she’s saying it already. You should ask her how you know you’re Jewish and sometimes they’ll say yes, my father is Jewish, so then we know she’s not Jewish. So you can ask her one or two questions and you can probably find out right away she’s Jewish or not Jewish. If she’s not Jewish certainly then there’s no problem. 

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Right, and if she says her mother’s Jewish then she has ne’emanus to say so. 

R’ Shmuel Fuerst: Yeah, for this much you have to tell her, listen, you cut the thing short, find some way it shouldn’t be a chillul Hashem and cut the tour short and that’s it because you’re causing her to carry on Shabbos. 

R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Right. Okay, one final shaila in this category for Shabbos, Yom Tov. 

Nowadays challahs are much softer than they were in the times of Shulchan Aruch. Are we still required to make an indent before making the bracha? 

R’ Shmuel Fuerst: It says in Shulchan Aruch that when you wash, when you make a… Hamotzi, Lechem Mishneh, you should cut a little bit into the top of the challah and then afterwards you cut. The reason why that’s done because olden times the challos were very, very hard, so it shouldn’t be too big of a hefsek, so you cut it. 

Today, all challos today are so soft, so this shayla was asked to Rav Moshe and Rav Moshe said you don’t have to, today you don’t have to make the indentation. Even though you see people still normally do, nothing wrong with doing it, nothing wrong with doing it. You’re not making no, because some people say it’s shalem, it’s still shalem, still shalem, still shalem, so if one wants to do it, let them do it, let them continue doing it. It’s still halacha, still halacha and shalem, right? Yeah, but you don’t have to do it, it’s not m’akeiv. 

But that was the reason why, why was because it was hard to cut, so you would start cutting before to make it easier, to make it easier. 

{Matzav.com}

Iran directed missile barrages at Israel, pounding the country from midnight until Monday afternoon, setting off alerts in the north, central and southern regions, with two attacks triggering sirens in Jerusalem. While the IDF intercepted most of the missiles, some missiles slipped through the defenses and impacted residential areas, along with debris from interceptions that caused damage to buildings. One person was lightly injured by what has been reported to be a cluster bomb.

A home in Rishon Lezion was damaged by the impact.

In East Jerusalem, a large chunk of a missile landed on the roof of a home. Other fragments impacted near the National Library not far from the Knesset and near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City.

Aftermath ofan impact on a home in Rishon Lezion. (From a post on X)

A 30-year-old woman, Lir Itzik, said she entered a shelter just before a warhead struck Rishon Lezion where she lives. The safe room of the home was difficult to open after an impact that damaged the home.

“The siren ended, there were booms,” she said. “Suddenly, there was a whistle and a really strong explosion. The whole shelter went white, I couldn’t see where to go, and I didn’t know if it was at all possible to open the door. I didn’t know if the home was on fire, I didn’t know anything.”

Itzik called her father as well as the Fire and Rescue Services. With her father pushing on one side of the door and her pushing on the other, they managed to push it ajar so she could slip through. Her father said that the walls had collapsed against the door.

Home Front Command reviews damage to a home in Rishon Lezion following the impact. (From a post on X)

“I inhaled a lot of dust, and I also fell over as I was coming out of the shelter because of debris,” Itzik said.

Upon visiting the site of the impact Monday, President Isaac Herzog said, “Our enemies in Iran are trying, in a cowardly way, to harm citizens in the heart of a peaceful residential neighborhood. We will overcome these challenges and defeat our enemies.” He urged people to follow Home Front Command’s instructions because “they save lives.”

Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 142 people had been treated for injuries in the past 24 hours. Most were in good condition, while others were treated for anxiety. Three were reportedly in moderate condition.

A workplace dispute between two coworkers escalated into a violent physical altercation resulting in both men being charged, TLS has learned.

On March 12, at approximately 3:00 p.m., officers from the Lakewood Police Department responded to a local business on Oak Street for a report of an assault. When officers arrived, they determined that a physical fight had taken place between two employees following an ongoing dispute between the pair.

According to police, the confrontation escalated into a physical altercation during which both individuals allegedly assaulted one another.

During the incident, one of the men sustained an injury to his leg and was transported by Lakewood EMS to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus for treatment.

As a result of the investigation, Ralph Charlot, 22, of Freehold, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose after allegedly striking the other individual with a crowbar.

The second individual involved, Seth Lecompte, 24, of Jackson, was also charged with aggravated assault in connection with the altercation.

Both men were processed at Lakewood Police Headquarters and later released on summonses pending a future court appearance.

Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer said incidents like this serve as a reminder of how quickly disputes can escalate.

“Disputes that escalate into violence create unnecessary risk for everyone involved,” Meyer said. “Our officers responded quickly, conducted a thorough investigation, and took appropriate enforcement action to ensure accountability.”

Police said the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

The Pesach Guide by Rabbi Avrohom Blumenkrantz is now available as an app, giving you easy access to the guide and product information for Pesach.

Download the app:

Apple Store

Google Play

A significant project has been launched to rebuild and restore the historic home of Reb Shayale of Kerestir, who has become one of the most revered and beloved figures in the world of Chassidus.

The initiative seeks to faithfully reconstruct the house in the Hungarian village of Bodrogkeresztúr (Kerestir) where Reb Shayale, Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner, lived and conducted his extraordinary life of chessed more than a century ago. The home served not only as the residence of the tzaddik but as a center of hospitality that became legendary throughout the Jewish world.

For decades, the house of Reb Shayale was known as a place where any Jew could find food, warmth, and kindness. Travelers, poor Jews, and visitors from across Europe would arrive at the home, often unannounced, and Reb Shayale ensured that no one ever left hungry. It is said that Reb Shayale would personally ensure that guests were fed and cared for, often standing in the kitchen himself to help prepare meals for the many visitors who arrived each day. His home became a symbol of hachnasas orchim (hospitality) on a scale rarely seen. Even when resources were limited, Reb Shayale insisted that food be provided to anyone who knocked on the door.

Today, more than a century later, the legacy of Reb Shayale remains extraordinarily powerful. Each year, tens of thousands of Jews travel to Kerestir to visit his kever, particularly on his yahrtzeit, where they daven and draw inspiration.

Many visitors continue the tradition associated with Reb Shayale of distributing food and drinks to fellow travelers, continuing the chessed that defined his life. The new restoration project aims to preserve this legacy by rebuilding the historic house as it once stood, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of the tzaddik’s home and the environment in which so much kindness was extended.

For so many Jews around the world, Reb Shayale represents a model of what true kindness and generosity can look like. Many organizations and Jewish soup kitchens are made and named in his memory as his legacy is carried by those who prioritize chessed in their lives.

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer but will continue working during her treatment, President Donald Trump said in a social media post on Monday.

Trump said Wiles’ prognosis is “excellent” and described her as “one of the strongest people I know.” He said Wiles plans to begin treatment immediately but made no suggestion she was pulling back on her work as one of his closest advisers.

“During the treatment period, she will be spending virtually full time at the White House, which makes me, as President, very happy!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “She will soon be better than ever!”

It comes as the Republican president confronts mounting challenges on global and national fronts, from the war in Iran and soaring oil prices to this fall’s midterm elections and American’s concerns over affordability.

Wiles, 68, is a longtime Trump ally who rose from his campaign co-chair to his closest adviser and counsel. The first woman to become White House chief of staff, Wiles spent decades as a lobbyist and political operative in Florida and led Trump’s 2016 effort in the state.

She mostly shuns the spotlight but drew attention in December with an unusually candid Vanity Fair interview in which she made critical remarks about Trump administration leaders including Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Trump underscored his trust in Wiles in the aftermath, calling the interview a “hit piece” and describing Wiles as “fantastic.”

In his Monday post, Trump reiterated that Wiles is “tough and deeply committed to serving the American People.”

“Melania and I are with her in every way, and we look forward to working with Susie on the many big and wonderful things that are happening for the benefit of our Country,” Trump said.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Before raising the concern that follows, it is important to make something very clear. The overwhelming majority of the Torah community conducts the shidduch process in a thoughtful, balanced, and healthy manner. Young men and women are introduced through shadchanim, they meet several times, they have the opportunity to speak and learn about one another, and when they become engaged they continue to communicate and prepare for marriage in appropriate and dignified ways. For most of our community, the system works remarkably well and has produced generations of strong Jewish homes.

The concern I am raising here does not refer to that mainstream shidduch system.

Rather, it refers to a much smaller number of insular communities that follow what is commonly referred to as the “bashow” model, where the process functions in a dramatically different way.

In those circles, a boy and girl may meet for an hour — sometimes even less. They sit together briefly, often with little privacy and under significant pressure. Shortly afterward, families and intermediaries push for an answer. Within a very short period of time, they become engaged. Then, astonishingly, the couple do not see one another again until the wedding day itself.

This is not the traditional shidduch system that most of Klal Yisroel recognizes. It is a highly compressed version of it, one that leaves two people making the most consequential decision of their lives with almost no meaningful opportunity to know each other.

Marriage is not a casual undertaking. It is the creation of a bayis ne’eman b’Yisroel, the foundation upon which an entire life will be built, emotionally, spiritually, and practically. It is difficult to understand how such a life-altering commitment can responsibly be made after a single short meeting. In many cases, it is a churban. I speak from experience.

Even more troubling is the expectation that once the engagement takes place, the couple must essentially remain strangers until the wedding. In many of these situations, they are discouraged or even prevented from seeing or meaningfully speaking with each other during the engagement period.

One must ask: What purpose does this serve?

The engagement period should be a time when a couple deepens their understanding of one another, discusses expectations, learns how the other thinks, and begins forming the communication that will sustain a lifetime together. Preventing that process does not strengthen a marriage. It risks weakening it before it even begins.

There is also reason to question whether such a structure truly reflects the spirit of halachah. The Gemara teaches that a person should not marry someone without seeing and knowing them in order to avoid later resentment. The Rambam emphasizes that marriage must be entered willingly and with clarity. The purpose of the shidduch process is not merely to arrange a match but to allow two individuals to determine that they can build a life together.

That requires some measure of real familiarity.

None of this is a criticism of the values these communities seek to protect. Modesty, dignity, and the involvement of family are all important elements of our mesorah. But good intentions alone cannot justify a system that places enormous life decisions on the shoulders of young people who barely know one another.

Too often, couples who went through such a process later admit privately that they entered marriage without truly understanding the person they were marrying. Some grow into compatibility over time, but others face enormous challenges that might have been avoided with a healthier and more thoughtful approach during the courtship period.

We must acknowledge when certain practices drift too far from both common sense and the values the system was meant to uphold.

The mainstream shidduch process, when conducted with care and wisdom, provides young people with guidance, structure, and the opportunity to build marriages grounded in understanding and respect.

But the “bashow” model — where a couple meets briefly, becomes engaged almost immediately, and then remains essentially separated until the wedding — deserves serious reflection.

Our community prides itself on building strong families and stable homes. If that is truly our goal, then we must ensure that the systems we create actually help young people build those homes, not force them into life-altering decisions with almost no opportunity to know the person they are about to marry. This leads to broken marriages, broken people, broken children – and broken pieces for others to pick up.

Respectfully,

Burech Yida F.

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email [email protected]

DON’T MISS OUT! Join the Matzav Status by . Join the Matzav WhatsApp Groups by .

The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.

Cuba is experiencing a surge of anti-government protests unlike anything seen on the island in recent years. As blackouts plunge cities into darkness and food shortages worsen, frustrated residents are taking to the streets using the cover of night to express their anger at the country’s worsening conditions.

The latest unrest erupted in the town of Morón, where protesters stormed and vandalized a local Communist Party headquarters, breaking windows, dragging furniture outside, and setting parts of the building on fire. Authorities later confirmed that several people were arrested following the incident.

The protest was sparked by a prolonged blackout that left large sections of the town without electricity during sweltering nighttime temperatures. Residents, already frustrated by months of shortages and deteriorating living conditions, poured into the streets banging pots and pans, which is a traditional form of protest known as a cacerolazo.

Across Cuba, blackouts have become a nightly routine. In many areas, electricity disappears for hours at a time, forcing families to cook without refrigeration, study without light, and sleep in suffocating heat.

The crisis is the latest stage of a prolonged energy collapse that has plagued the island since 2024, when failing power plants, fuel shortages, and aging infrastructure began triggering widespread outages across the country.

Fuel imports have dwindled sharply in recent months, leaving Cuba struggling to keep its electricity grid functioning. The shortage has rippled across the economy, disrupting transportation, tourism, healthcare services, and basic food distribution.

Unlike earlier demonstrations in Cuba, many of the newest protests are happening after dark, when blackouts provide a level of anonymity from government surveillance. Residents in several cities have begun banging pots from balconies or gathering in small crowds to chant against the government.

The protests are not centrally organized and have no clear leadership, but the growing number of demonstrations suggests widespread frustration across the island.

Human rights monitors say protests have increased sharply in recent weeks. According to one source, dozens of demonstrations have occurred in just the first half of March alone as the country’s economic conditions continue to deteriorate.

Cuba’s government has acknowledged the growing public anger but warned that violence will not be tolerated. Officials say protesters who vandalized the Communist Party office will face legal consequences.

Es comprensible el malestar que provocan en nuestro pueblo los prolongados apagones, como consecuencia del bloqueo energético de EE.UU, cruelmente recrudecido en los últimos meses.

Y son legítimas las quejas y reclamos, siempre que se actúe con civismo y respeto al orden…

— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) March 14, 2026

At the same time, security forces have stepped up monitoring of activists and dissidents. In one widely shared incident, prominent Cuban journalist and activist Yoani Sánchez reported that an officer was stationed outside her home, preventing her from leaving.

Authorities have also blamed the crisis on external pressure, particularly U.S. economic sanctions, which they say have made it difficult to obtain fuel shipments needed to keep the country’s aging power plants running.

The protests are a symptom of the deepening crisis taking place. Cuba’s economy has struggled for years, but the combination of power outages, food shortages, and declining tourism revenue is pushing the country to its last straw.

Garbage collection has slowed, hospitals are struggling with supply shortages, and public transportation has been disrupted.

Despite all of this unrest, analysts say a full political change in Cuba is not at all certain. The country’s government maintains tight control over security forces, the media, and public gatherings.

But to those living in Cuba, they aren’t just protesting a lack of comfort. As one resident told reporters during the blackout protests, the demonstrations were not only about electricity, they were about the intense struggle of daily life.

Israel’s government is preparing for the possibility of a major escalation on its northern border, with officials considering a dramatic expansion of reserve forces as the military readies for intensified operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

According to a report broadcast Sunday evening by Kan 11 News, the government may soon be asked to authorize an increase in the ceiling for reserve mobilization, raising the maximum number of soldiers who can be called up to 450,000.

The proposal, submitted by the IDF together with the defense establishment, is intended to provide the military with greater operational flexibility as it prepares for the possibility of a ground incursion into Lebanon and the prospect of maintaining forces inside hostile territory for an extended period. If approved, the plan would raise the mobilization cap by approximately 190,000 troops beyond the level set in January.

The push to expand the reserve quota comes as the IDF has intensified its offensive activity in recent days, including the destruction of the key bridge spanning the Litani River.

Israeli officials in Yerushalayim are seeking to significantly widen the security buffer zone in southern Lebanon in order to move anti-tank missile threats and infiltration risks farther away from Israeli communities along the northern border. The matter is also currently under discussion with the US administration.

At the same time, Israel’s political leadership is sending a strong message to the Lebanese government. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has directed the IDF to compile a list of infrastructure sites and civilian locations that Hezbollah uses for its operations, signaling that Beirut will be held accountable for terror activity launched from Lebanese territory.

{Matzav.com}

The National Weather Service has issued Tornado Watch 68, which remains in effect until 7:00 p.m. Monday, placing Ocean County and much of the surrounding region under the potential for severe weather.

Forecasters say conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rainfall during the afternoon and early evening hours.

In New Jersey, the watch includes 16 counties, including **Ocean County, Monmouth County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Morris County, Somerset County, Hunterdon County, Sussex County, Warren County, Atlantic County, Burlington County, Camden County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, Gloucester County, and Salem County.

Reem Al Hashimy, the minister for international cooperation for the United Arab Emirates, called Iran’s attacks on her country “unhinged” in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Sunday.

Of all the countries attacked by Iran — including Israel — the UAE has sustained the greatest number of missile and drone barrages. Its superior air defenses have intercepted nearly all of them.

“It’s been pretty unprecedented, what’s happened, and almost unhinged, I would say, to have Iran lash out at the very people who’ve been calling for de-escalation, who’ve been calling for this war to never actually even start, which has really taken us by surprise,” Al Hashimy said.

“We’ve borne the brunt of most of the missiles and drone attacks, and it’s really quite surprising for us that Iran has taken such an irrational path to fight the Gulf states and act in this quite unlawful, quite unacceptable manner,” she added.

Middle East analysts have interpreted Iran’s attacks on its neighbors, including its allies, as a tactic designed to drive a wedge between the Gulf countries and the United States, in the hope that they would pressure the U.S. to end the war. If that were the case, it has had the unintended opposite effect: The Arab states have banded together against Iran and aligned with the U.S.

Al Hashimy dismissed the notion that the UAE is angry at the U.S. for starting the war, explaining that Iranian actions are the issue at hand.

“Independent of how this began, the retaliatory measures that Iran has taken to attack the Gulf states are really where the issue we have is,” she said.

“I have to highlight here that Iran isn’t simply attacking military bases that have not launched a single missile from them, because we’ve made it clear that our territory would not be used to launch an attack against Iran,” she explained. “They are actually targeting civilian infrastructure as well, whether it’s an airport or it’s oil tankers.”

Smoke is seen in this video from an Iranian strike on an oil facility in Fujairah Port in the UAE. (From a post on X)

She also reaffirmed the strong relationship between the UAE and the U.S.

“Our relationship with the US is a long-standing strategic partnership,” she declared. “It’s a partnership that doesn’t falter in moments of crisis, but has been built on decades of trust and mutual respect.”

“We’ve been long-standing partners of the U.S., long-standing partners of Australia as well,” she added. “And this doesn’t deter us, because we’re also a resilient bunch, and we don’t take to being bullied around, either.”

SURFSIDE, FL (VINnews-Exclusive) – With the Surfside mayoral election taking place this Tuesday, March 17, voters will once again decide who will lead the town in the next 2 years.

Candidate Shlomo Danzinger, who previously served as Surfside’s mayor for two years before losing the position to Charles Burkett, is now back on the ballot seeking to return to the role.

Danzinger says he is serious about the responsibility of managing the town and addressing the issues that matter most to residents.

In an exclusive interview conducted with VIN News on Sunday, Danzinger answered a series of questions about his priorities, leadership approach, and plans for Surfside’s future. Below are the questions and his responses.

———————————————————

Mr. Danzinger thank you for taking your time to speak with us, lets jump right into it, what are your top three priorities if elected mayor of Surfside?

First, we need to restore stability and professionalism at Town Hall. Over the past two years, Surfside has gone through seven town managers, five police chiefs, and nearly all of our department directors. Many experienced employees with institutional knowledge have left. That level of turnover is unhealthy for any organization and has hurt Surfside’s reputation, making it harder to attract qualified talent. Our town needs steady leadership to rebuild a professional and functional government.

Second, we must stabilize our finances. The town’s operational budget has grown from about $30 million during my previous term to more than $60 million today, despite the absence of major capital projects. At the same time, the State of Florida is considering eliminating property taxes on homesteaded homes, which could significantly impact municipal revenues. That makes responsible financial planning and careful scrutiny of spending more important than ever.

Finally, the issue I hear most from residents is traffic. Congestion on Collins Avenue now regularly spills into our residential streets, sometimes leaving residents effectively trapped in town during peak hours. Trips that should take minutes can take 45 minutes just to cross the bridge to Bay Harbor Islands. Improving this will require regional cooperation, and I’m grateful that neighboring mayors who have endorsed me are ready to work together on both short term and long term solutions.

You previously served as mayor of Surfside for two years. If elected again, how would your leadership style or priorities differ this time compared with your earlier term?

When I first took office, I approached the role with a set of short, mid, and long term goals. What I quickly learned is that government often moves at a very deliberate pace. When you combine that with two year terms, it can be difficult to see large initiatives fully realized. Because of that, I believe leadership requires balancing long term vision with a strong focus on the immediate issues facing residents today. My priority will be addressing urgent concerns while ensuring every decision also supports Surfside’s long term future.

As for my leadership style, when I first ran for office I was not a politician. I ran because I wanted to get things done, and I focused heavily on achieving those objectives. In hindsight, some initiatives may have moved faster than the public process allowed residents to fully understand the reasoning behind them. That was an important lesson. If given the opportunity to serve again, I plan to create an advisory group of residents with expertise in different areas and representing the diverse communities that make up Surfside. My goal is to ensure more voices are heard and that residents feel like true stakeholders in the decision making process.

How would you improve emergency preparedness and disaster response in Surfside?

Surfside is a small town, roughly one square mile, and like many small municipalities we have limited resources. During my time in office, I focused on building strong working relationships with the State and with other cities across Miami Dade County. One example was establishing a sister city relationship with the City of Hialeah, the second largest municipality in the county. These partnerships were not simply symbolic. We put formal agreements and memorandums of understanding in place that allowed Surfside to access the infrastructure, expertise, and resources of larger cities when needed.

Unfortunately, those relationships deteriorated under the current administration, and the agreements we established were eliminated. That cooperation benefited Surfside during my tenure, and rebuilding those partnerships will be a priority so our town can once again benefit from the shared resources and regional collaboration that small municipalities depend on.

What steps would you take to ensure public safety and prevent tragedies similar to past building collapses?

During my time in office, Surfside helped lead the conversation on condominium safety. We passed new regulations and building requirements that were later adopted by Miami Dade County and eventually by the State of Florida. At the local level, we also created an open door policy and expedited process for any building reporting structural concerns so that issues could be addressed quickly.

I also regularly organized Condo Safety Forums for residents, bringing in state senators and other legislators to explain new laws and answer questions directly from the community. We invited experts and companies involved in emerging safety technologies, including seismic monitoring and secure virtual voting systems, to help condo associations better address safety issues and improve resident participation in important building decisions.

If elected again, I will make sure residents and condo associations have the tools and access to education they need, while the Town leads with a renewed commitment to prioritizing safety across our community.

Surfside has seen development and rising property values. How would you balance growth while preserving the community’s character?

Growth cannot be stopped, but it can and should be guided to ensure new development is harmonious with our town and consistent with Surfside’s comprehensive plan, which outlines responsible and thoughtful growth. Contrary to what some residents believe, zoning was not increased during my term. What we did was allow greater flexibility in architectural design within the existing square footage limits.

This approach encouraged more thoughtful and creative design while also incentivizing smaller scale construction that better reflects Surfside’s small town character and charm.

The current building permit process in Surfside is time-consuming and often delays renovations. Can you commit to making streamlining this process a priority from day one, possibly implementing a fast-track system similar to Miami’s quick permit approvals for simple renovations?

The current administration ran on a platform of stopping growth and development. As a result, processes we put in place to improve efficiency have been rolled back. For example, the digital permitting system we implemented to streamline approvals is no longer being used, and key positions such as our in house planner and plans reviewer were never replaced after they resigned. Today, most of that work is outsourced, which has significantly increased wait times.

We need to refocus on improving and expediting the permitting process so residents and businesses are not burdened by unnecessary delays. We should also explore eliminating permits for smaller, non structural improvements. Homeowners should not have to wait weeks and pay costly fees simply to paint their home or install new kitchen cabinets. Sensible reforms can protect safety while making local government more responsive and practical for residents.

Do you plan to retain the current police Chief if elected, considering the police department has seen frequent leadership turnover over the past two years?

The role of the Mayor and Commission is primarily legislative. With the exception of the Town Manager and Town Attorney, who serve at the will of the Commission, all town employees report to and are managed by the Town Manager. That said, the Commission sets the expectations for the level of service residents should receive, and we hold the Town Manager accountable if those standards are not met.

With respect to our police department, stability is essential, but so is strong leadership. The Chief must set the tone, uphold our values, and ensure officers provide the high level of service our residents expect. Community policing must remain a central priority, with the Chief building strong relationships with both community leaders and residents.

I have not yet had the opportunity to work with the current Chief, but I would evaluate his performance based on the feedback of both the community and the officers who serve under his leadership.

How would you strengthen the relationship between the Surfside Police Department and the community?

A strong relationship between the police department and the community begins with trust, visibility, and communication. Our officers should not only be responding to calls, they should be actively engaged in the community through neighborhood meetings, local events, and regular interaction with residents and business owners.

Community policing must remain a central priority. That means encouraging officers to build relationships with residents, community leaders, and the many diverse groups that make up Surfside. When officers are visible and approachable, it strengthens trust and helps them better understand the needs of the community they serve.

From a leadership standpoint, the Mayor and Commission set the expectation that public safety is not only about enforcement, but also about partnership. By supporting programs that increase dialogue and engagement, we can continue building a police department that residents feel connected to and confident in.

What measures would you implement to ensure first responders have the resources and support they need?

During my time in office, we focused on ensuring our police officers had the tools they needed to do their jobs safely and effectively. We invested in new off road vehicles so officers could respond to emergencies on the beach and navigate the flooding that Surfside experiences. We also upgraded critical equipment, including firearms, radios, and our previously outdated dispatch system. In addition, we expanded training opportunities and added new training modules to ensure our officers remained well prepared, professional, and ready to respond to the challenges they may face.

At the same time, public safety in Surfside also involves strong cooperation with trusted community partners. Organizations such as Hatzalah and private security teams that help protect our synagogues and schools play an important role in our safety network. Building and maintaining strong relationships with these groups helps ensure coordination and provides additional resources that strengthen the overall safety of our community.

What initiatives would you pursue to support local businesses and strengthen Surfside’s economy?

Supporting local businesses means making it easy for them to operate and for patrons to visit. Addressing Surfside’s parking challenges is critical so residents and visitors can access shops and restaurants. When I was in office, we made a point of using local businesses for town events, and I would continue that practice. We should also streamline permitting and licensing, and continue promoting community events that bring people to our business district. These steps will strengthen our local economy while preserving the small town character that makes Surfside special.

Many small businesses, particularly kosher restaurants and venues along Harding Avenue, face very high rents and rely heavily on the winter season, leading to frequent openings and closures. Are there any incentives or programs the town could introduce to help stabilize these businesses and support long-term success?

A strong commercial district benefits the entire town, and we should find ways to invest in it thoughtfully. One approach is using revenue from the food, beverage, and resort taxes to improve infrastructure, parking, and public spaces that support local businesses and make the area more inviting for residents and visitors alike.

At the same time, these are private businesses, and it’s important that residents are not asked to subsidize their rents or operating costs. The goal should be creating an environment where businesses can thrive on their own while the town provides the tools, amenities, and infrastructure to help them succeed.

How will you ensure residents feel heard and involved in key decisions affecting the town?

I have always maintained an open door at town hall, and I would often stay up late into the night responding to hundreds of emails and concerns from residents. Every meeting of the Commission is fully open to the public, with opportunities for residents to speak on every agenda item. I encourage everyone to take part in the process. These opportunities exist so that residents can actively help shape the future of our community.

What steps would you take to address coastal resilience and long-term climate concerns facing Surfside?

During my time in office, we implemented practical solutions to improve Surfside’s resiliency and address flooding. On the beach side, we raised our dunes, and on the bay side we increased seawall height requirements to better protect the town. We also instituted the “under-story” – permeable surfaces for new construction, upgraded drainage pumps, and incorporated stormwater management into planning and building requirements. Resiliency was built into every aspect of construction and planning.

There is still much more to explore, and I have been having insightful conversations on new ideas to strengthen Surfside’s resilience. I look forward to continuing that work.

If elected, how will you ensure transparency and accountability in Surfside’s town government?

Transparency and accountability start with open communication and clear expectations. I will ensure all meetings where decisions are made remain fully open to the public, with opportunities for residents to speak on every agenda item. I will maintain an open door policy, respond promptly to questions and concerns, and provide regular updates on town initiatives and finances.

At the same time, I will hold the Town Manager and staff accountable to the standards and expectations set by the Commission, ensuring that policies are followed and resources are managed responsibly. Residents should always know how their government operates and have confidence that decisions are made in the best interest of Surfside.

Surfside is a small town with a large Jewish population. Do you have concerns about rising antisemitism, and what steps would you take as mayor to strengthen security and preparedness to protect the community?

Surfside is fortunate to have a large, thriving, and growing Jewish community, one that attracts dignitaries from around the world, including foreign ambassadors, State Governors, and most recently the Prime Minister of Israel. With this prominence comes responsibility, and we are rightfully concerned about the rise in antisemitism across the country emanating from both sides of the political isle. The safety and security of our community must remain a top priority.

When I was Mayor, I built strong relationships with local, state, and federal agencies to coordinate intelligence, surveillance, and manpower when needed, working alongside our outstanding police department. On the legislative side, I drafted the original anti‑Semitism bill that was later signed into law by Governor DeSantis in Israel, and collaborated on state legislation focused on intelligence sharing to better protect faith‑based communities.

In a post‑October 7 world, I worked tirelessly to bring in additional resources to safeguard Surfside, and I will continue to ensure our community is proactive, prepared, and protected. The security of our residents, schools, and synagogues is non‑negotiable, and I will do everything in my power to maintain it.

What would you like to say to Surfside voters as they prepare to cast their ballots this week?

This election cycle has been short but intense. I’ve had the privilege of knocking on doors and hearing directly from many residents, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to speak with me, challenge me with thoughtful questions, and participate in shaping the future of our town. Surfside is a truly unique and special community, and in a small town like ours, every voice matters.

This election is an opportunity for us to move forward together, protecting our families, preserving our small-town character, and building a Surfside we can all be proud of. I hope to earn your confidence and your vote.

We want to thank you, Shlomo, for speaking with us directly. It was invaluable to hear your plans for Surfside firsthand, and we wish you the very best of luck in the upcoming election on Tuesday.

A graffiti message reading “Kill a Jew, go to heaven” was found over the weekend on a bike trail in New York City’s Riverside Park.

The sprayed sentence was discovered on a large stone along the trail between 97th Street and 105th Street, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a major hub of the Jewish community.

The Combat Antisemitism Movement, a global coalition of pro-Jewish groups, tweeted that it was “a direct public call for violence against Jews.”

The nonprofit added, “Last month alone, 28 antisemitic incidents were reported in New York.”

U.S.-based organization StopAntisemitism also responded to the incident, lamenting “this level of open hatred” in a city that was once a “safe haven for Jewish life.”

The NYPD and the New York City Parks Department have opened an inquiry into the incident. No suspects were arrested. JNS

British police on Sunday said they’re “aware” of “Death to the IDF” chants in London at an annual anti-Israel rally that was originally established by the Iranian regime, but that indictments depend on prosecutors.

The Crown Prosecution Service declined to say whether it would act on the chants.

Pascal Robinson-Foster, a musician whose stage name is Bobby Vylan and is part of the Bob Vylan duo, led the chants at a rally in central London for al-Quds Day. Police arrested 12 people there for disruptive behavior or displaying symbols of a proscribed terrorist entity.

The event was launched by Iran and popularized internationally to express support for the Palestinians and oppose Zionism and Israel’s existence. Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. The event is held at the end of Ramadan.

Organizers in London sought a permit to march through the city but police allowed them to hold a static rally instead.

The spokesperson said: “When this language had been used previously we sought advice from the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] who determined that there would be insufficient evidence to take a case forward.”

No criminal charges were brought against Robinson-Foster after he led “Death to the IDF” chants at the Glastonbury music festival in June 2025. The chants prompted several criminal complaints.

James Marlow, a political analyst and former head of the U.K. National Jewish Assembly, criticized prosecutors for failing to address the “Death the IDF” chant, which many British Jews interpret as a call to murder Israelis and Jews.

“It’s ONLY a call to violence and hate crime, but who cares as it’s just against the Jews,” Marlow wrote on X, telling the Crown Prosecution Service: “Do your job.”

Queried by JNS, a spokesperson for the CPS wrote in an email: “We carefully consider each case referred to us for charging decision or early advice to see whether it can be taken to court.”

Where the evidence is insufficient, the CPS works “with police to identify what more can be done,” the spokesperson said. “Hateful chanting or waving of offensive flags may constitute an offence and where behavior goes beyond lawful protest we will not hesitate to prosecute.” JNS

The captain of the Iranian women’s soccer team, 34-year-old Zahra Ghanbari, withdrew her bid for asylum in Australia Sunday, becoming the last person on the team to do so, in the face of what activists describe as overwhelming pressure from the Iranian regime.

The women’s soccer team had requested asylum after refusing to sing the national anthem of the Islamic Republic and feared facing retaliation, up to and including execution, upon returning home.

“Several of the players decided to go back because the threats against their families became unbearable and the intimidation was relentless,” Iranian exile and activist Shiva Amini posted on social media.

Tina Kordrostami, an Australian councilor for the City of Ryde, told Fox News that the women were being intimidated by the Islamic regime.

“They are heavily intimidated and being communicated to directly by the regime,” she said, adding that the soccer players are facing threats from the Iranian authorities.

“I know families have even been detained,” she said. “I know family members are missing. One thing I really would like for people in the West to understand is that Iranians within the country have in many ways given up on the West, and they are only relying on one another to survive this regime.”

“So, when we do offer them a way out, it’s not often that easy for them to understand that it is in fact a way out,” she added. “They are more so used to relying on one another and this is survival for them.”

Kordrostami expressed concern about the potential consequences these women face upon returning.

“We are very worried about them,” she said. “We know for a fact that they will not be safe. I’ve mentioned this before. When you do break a contract as an athlete in Iran, you can face the death penalty. So, I know these women are young. I know that they are making an incredibly difficult decision, and I have the utmost respect for them.”

“Coercion is being used here, intimidation tactics,” she concluded. “And we even had an individual amongst the girls within Sydney and Brisbane who was influencing them constantly in their ear, letting them know that whatever Australia is offering them, it will not work.”

NEW YORK (JNS) – The U.S. and Israeli war against the Iranian terror regime, which has orchestrated and abetted numerous attacks on civilians in America, the Jewish state and elsewhere, is getting in the way of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s efforts to fight hatred of Jews and Muslims in the empire state.

Marcia Kramer, of CBS 2, asked the Democratic governor if the war in Iran is “exacerbating what’s going on” and making it harder for her to deal with Islamophobia and antisemitism.

“Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Both problems. One is, apparently the attacker in Michigan. I just communicated with my friend, Gretchen Whitmer, the governor there,” Hochul said. “Was supposedly inspired because he had brothers that were killed in the war. They’re members of Hezbollah, which is a terrorist organization that we are concerned about even in North America here. I will say that.”

“I get intelligence briefings all the time and we’re deeply concerned about individuals who are here trying to do harm to all of us,” she said. “So, it is making it difficult, because that has heated up the passions around this, and also on the affordability challenges. Gasoline prices are through the roof, and even if you don’t own a car, you’re paying for the higher cost of goods being transported to your grocery store.”

“There’s a ripple effect of everything and none of it is good,” she added.

Hochul also told CBS 2 that Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who posted an image of Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayor, sitting on a prayer rug alongside an image of the 9/11 attacks, and people like he “should not be in public life.”

“In fact, they are the lowest of the low,” she said. “I reject any kind of notion that it’s okay in public discourse or even in your own house to, not just harbor that hate, but to share it with others and to be part of a problem that we’re trying to deal with.”

“The rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism is off the charts,” she said.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (VINnews) — Two passengers were killed and another person critically injured Sunday night in a six-vehicle crash on the Southern State Parkway in the Town of Hempstead, New York State Police said.

The collision occurred around 10:13 p.m. west of Exit 17 South when Diana Kutateladze, 36, of Oceanside, was driving a Cadillac Escalade westbound, sideswiped a BMW, then lost control, crossed the median, and entered eastbound lanes, striking multiple vehicles and crashing head-on into a Toyota Highlander.

Two Highlander passengers, Donald Maxwell, 82, and Liscent B. Maxwell, 88, were pronounced dead at the scene. Several others were hospitalized, including one critically injured.

Police said speed and impairment contributed to the crash. Kutateladze was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, assault, DWI, and reckless driving. Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact NYSP.

President Donald Trump publicly voiced support for conservative commentator Mark Levin on Sunday as Levin’s heated dispute with podcaster Megyn Kelly intensified online.

In a post on Truth Social late Sunday, Trump praised Levin and defended him against critics, describing the radio host as a “truly Great American Patriot” who was “somewhat under siege by other people with far less Intellect, Capability, and Love for our Country.”

Trump continued by emphasizing Levin’s intellect and character, writing that Levin is “far smarter than those who criticize him but, above all, he is a man of Great Wisdom and Common Sense who truly loves our Country.”

The public show of support came as Levin and Kelly exchanged sharp personal attacks over the weekend. Their argument unfolded against the backdrop of a wider dispute among several prominent conservative media personalities — including Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, and Candace Owens — with disagreements touching in part on U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran.

Trump suggested that Levin’s critics were driven by resentment, accusing them of attacking the talk show host out of envy. He wrote that those targeting Levin were “jealous and angry Human Beings, whose ‘sway’ is much less than the Public understands.”

“Those that speak ill of Mark will quickly fall by the wayside, as do the people whose ideas, policies, and footings are not sound,” he wrote.

Trump then linked his support for Levin to broader foreign policy concerns, particularly the threat posed by Iran.

“THEY ARE NOT MAGA, I AM, and MAGA includes not allowing Iran, a Sick, Demented, and Violent Terrorist Regime, to have a Nuclear Weapon to blow up the United States of America, the Middle East, and, ultimately, the rest of the World,” Trump railed.

Levin responded warmly to the president’s comments, saying he was deeply moved by the message.

“Your courage, strength, and moral clarity are truly unparalleled. And your leadership has made our country and the world much safer,” the pundit wrote on X. “Both you and what you are doing deserve our support. And I will not be intimidated and bow to threats.”

The clash between Levin and Kelly intensified after Kelly shared a post from Drop Site News co-founder Ryan Grim. The post claimed that the suspect in last week’s synagogue bombing in Michigan had lost relatives in a recent Israeli airstrike.

Levin, who has been a vocal defender of Israel and a harsh critic of commentators such as Carlson and Owens, reacted angrily to Kelly’s post, labeling her “evil” and “diabolical.”

Kelly has taken a critical stance toward the military campaign conducted by the United States and Israel against Iran and has resisted calls from some quarters to condemn Carlson and Owens, who hold similar views.

The online feud escalated further Sunday morning when Levin posted a string of personal attacks directed at Kelly.

“Poor Megyn Kelly. An emotionally unhinged, lewd, and petulant wreck,” Levin wrote Sunday morning. “She’s completely revealed and destroyed herself.

“She’s everything people say she is, but much worse. Never an intelligent, thoughtful, or substantive comment. Utterly toxic.”

Kelly quickly fired back with her own response on social media, mocking Levin and accusing him of repeatedly targeting her in crude posts.

“He tweets about me obsessively in the crudest, nastiest terms possible. Literally more than some stalkers I’ve had arrested. He doesn’t like it when women like me fight back.”

Levin currently hosts a program on Fox News. Kelly previously served as a primetime anchor at the network before later moving to NBC and eventually launching her own independent media platform.

{Matzav.com}

By BoroPark24 Staff

Community Board 12 held its annual Erev Pesach coordination meeting to review preparations and ensure that city services and community organizations are ready for the upcoming Yom Tov, with CB12 once again serving as an important bridge between the community and city agencies, helping coordinate services and address concerns to ensure that busy holiday periods run as smoothly as possible.

One of the primary topics discussed was garbage collection during the busy pre-Pesach period. The Department of Sanitation urged residents to place garbage out on their regular collection days, including both regular trash and recycling. Residents are encouraged to include any additional waste they may have as they clean for Pesach, rather than waiting until Erev Yom Tov to discard it.

Sanitation officials also announced that on April 1, beginning at 12:00 a.m. until sundown, crews will be collecting garbage throughout the area. Residents should place both regular trash and recycling out for pickup during that time. For questions regarding sanitation services, residents can contact the Department of Sanitation helpline at 718-449-2671.

Preparations for Sereifas Chametz were also discussed. Officials noted that the locations for public burning will be announced. The FDNY reminded residents that if any of the fires get out of control, firefighters will be required to fully extinguish the fire and will not be able to allow it to be restarted.

Public safety during Yom Tov was another topic addressed at the meeting. The NYPD announced that there will be increased patrols throughout the neighborhood during Yom Tov to help ensure safety and order.

The meeting was attended by representatives from several city agencies and community organizations, including the FDNY, Department of Sanitation, NYPD Brooklyn South Chief, NYPD Executive Officer, NYPD Community Affairs, Hatzolah, Shomrim, Chaverim, Misaskim, the Department of Transportation, Yanky Eisdorfer from the Borough President’s Office, and representatives from the office of State Senator Simcha Felder.

Following the meeting, the group went to be menachem avel Reb Berish Freilich, who is sitting shiva following the passing of his mother.

photos: Dovid Jaroslawicz

A recent poll published Monday and commissioned by the British Union of Jewish Students found that one in five college students in the United Kingdom expressed reluctance to room with a Jewish student.

This echoes a very ancient pattern of non-Jews wishing to isolate Jews, beginning with the brothers visiting Joseph in Egypt. Joseph ordered his servants to set tables for a meal, and the verse goes on to say: “And they set for him [Joseph] separately and for them [the brothers] separately, and for the Egyptians who ate with him separately, because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, because it is an abomination to the Egyptians” (Genesis 43:32).

This video shows an anti-Israel student protest disrupting a guest lecture at Cambridge University.

The remaining findings of the poll are equally disturbing:

• 23% of students had observed Jews being targeted or harassed.
• 39% who observed pro-Hamas protests had seen Jews being targeted or harassed.
• 49% had heard chants or slogans “glorifying Hamas, Hezbollah or other proscribed groups on campus.”
• 47% had heard justification offered for Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
• 77% had encountered anti-Israel protests.
• 65% said the protests had disrupted their ability to learn.

Two statistics from the poll offer a glimmer of encouragement:

• 82% agreed with the statement that calls to “globalize the intifada” are antisemitic.
• 69% disapproved of protests that disrupted learning.

The poll also found that substituting the word “Zionist” for Jew increased the negative responses. For example, 16% of students agreed with the statement that it isn’t antisemitic to say that Jews control the media. But 24% agreed with that statement when the word “Zionists” was substituted for Jews.

In one instance, a student apartment posted on social media that they had “only one rule — no Zios in the flat.” The word “Zio” is considered an antisemitic slur.

UJS concluded that “Most institutions demonstrably care, deeply, about these issues, but have lacked the speed and conviction of action required to stem the normalization of antisemitism. When everyone is somewhat responsible, no one takes the lead.” The group called on universities to create enforceable rules for investigating and punishing hate crimes. It called for a stronger degree of collaboration between universities, law enforcement and government, as well as a “national counter-extremism strategy with a dedicated focus on campus radicalization.”

JERUSALEM — A journalist covering Israel’s war with Iran says he received harassment and death threats from gamblers who tried to pressure him to change a report about a missile strike, highlighting concerns about the influence of online betting markets on news coverage.

Emanuel Fabian, military correspondent for The Times of Israel, said bettors contacted him repeatedly after he reported that an Iranian ballistic missile struck an open area near Beit Shemesh during an attack earlier this month.

Fabian reported at the time that the missile’s warhead hit a forested area just outside the city, causing a large explosion but no injuries. The report, based on information from rescue services and footage from the scene, appeared in the outlet’s live coverage of the attack.

But according to Fabian’s account published Monday in The Times of Israel, several people began emailing and messaging him demanding he change the report to say the projectile had been intercepted and that only fragments fell to the ground.

Fabian said the requests were tied to wagers placed on the prediction market Polymarket, where users had bet on whether Iran would successfully strike Israel on a specific date.

Under the rules of the bet, an intercepted missile would not count as a successful strike. Fabian said more than $14 million had been wagered on the outcome for that day.

According to his account, some bettors attempted to pressure him with repeated emails, messages on social media and WhatsApp, and even a fabricated screenshot falsely claiming he had admitted the missile was intercepted.

The situation escalated over the weekend when one individual sent a series of threatening messages warning Fabian to change his report or face serious consequences.

In one message cited by Fabian, the sender claimed that gamblers who stood to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars would “invest” similar sums to harm him if he did not alter the story.

Fabian said the individual also referenced details about his neighborhood and family in what he described as an attempt at intimidation.

The journalist said he refused to change his reporting and later filed a complaint with police. Authorities are now investigating the threats, he said.

Fabian warned the episode underscores the potential risks posed by prediction markets intersecting with real-world news events, especially when large sums of money are involved.

“The attempt by these gamblers to pressure me to change my reporting so that they would win their bet did not and will not succeed,” Fabian wrote, adding that he worries other journalists could face similar pressure in the future.

The incident highlights growing scrutiny of prediction markets like Polymarket, which allow users to wager on the outcomes of political events, conflicts and other real-world developments. Critics have raised concerns that such platforms could incentivize manipulation or attempts to influence information that determines the outcome of bets.

Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism published a special report on Monday morning, revealing the emergence of a new terror organization targeting Jewish sites in Europe.

The group, called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya (Ashab Al-Yamim), has claimed responsibility for a series of recent attacks, including the arson attack on a shul in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the explosion outside a shul in Liège, Belgium, and the explosion outside a Jewish school in Amsterdam.

The report noted that the name used by the organization had previously been used by an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq that was designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. The attacks also occurred just over a week after reports that the leader of that militia had been killed, raising suspicions that they may have been carried out as retaliation for his death.

Intelligence analysis based on open sources shows that documentation of the attacks was circulated on Telegram channels associated with pro-Iranian Shiite militant networks, including channels linked to Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The organization relies on local terror cells or “lone attackers.” Four young suspects were arrested for the attack in the Netherlands, reinforcing suspicions that international terror networks are recruiting youths to carry out their nefarious plans.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

The Diaspora Ministry’s director-general, Avi Cohen-Skali, stated, “The emergence of the Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya organization illustrates the evolving threat facing Jewish communities around the world. This is a relatively new operational pattern—combining online propaganda, local operational cells, and regional terrorist networks—designed to instill fear in Jewish communities and project power beyond the Middle East. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs will continue working with governments and Jewish communities worldwide to monitor, expose, and thwart such threats.”

FDD’s Long War Journal reported: “On March 11, a group called the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR), a previously unknown organization, claimed responsibility for detonating a bomb against a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, on March 9. On March 11, the group claimed another attack in Greece but offered no details on the specific location or target. The claimed attacks could signal that Iran or Iran-aligned actors are executing acts of terrorism in Europe amid the escalating regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic.”

“At approximately 4 am on March 9, an explosion occurred in front of the Synagogue of Liège, damaging windows across the street but resulting in no injuries, the BBC reported. An official said that an investigation of the attack is being led by Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office, which is responsible for investigating terrorism and organized crime cases.

‘Later that day, a statement seemingly published by IMCR called on the “warriors of Islam” to defend their religion. On March 11, a video emerged on social media that showed masked men apparently detonating an explosive device in front of the Synagogue of Liège. Both the statement and the video feature a logo with a hand clutching a rifle and the group’s name. The name of the organization and its logo resemble those of Iraqi armed groups and Hezbollah, both of which are closely aligned with and supported by Iran.

“FDD’s Long War Journal could not verify the original source of the statement and video. Telegram channels linked to the Axis of Resistance — a Tehran-directed network of terrorist groups spanning Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen, and, historically, Syria — widely disseminated the publications.

“Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said that it was analyzing the video to determine where it originated and if it is genuine, the Flemish Radio and Television broadcasting organization (VRT) reported.

“A second video linked to IMCR also emerged on social media on March 11. The footage, bearing the same logo as the video from the synagogue attack, seemingly showed two individuals running away from an apparent blast. The footage is captioned with the message that a “Zionist” was targeted in Greece on March 11.

“Unlike the bombing in Liège, there was no open-source evidence of suspected acts of terrorism that occurred in Greece on the date the video claimed. Long War Journal also could not verify the source of the video. However, as with the previous claim, the footage was widely disseminated on Telegram by channels supporting the Axis of Resistance.

“Currently, it’s unclear if IMCR is a genuine organization linked to Iran, a front group associated with the Islamic Republic’s network of bad actors, or a hoax. However, there are cases of Iran attempting to carry out acts of terrorism on European soil. In 2018, European authorities foiled a plot orchestrated by Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi to bomb a rally of the Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran near Paris. Assadi was later convicted in Belgium and sentenced to 20 years in prison for supplying explosives and directing the operatives tasked with carrying out the attack.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

(AP) – A proposed megadeal in the self-storage business would create a $57 billion company overseeing square footage, if it were combined in a single location, of a small city such as Cupertino, California, or Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Public Storage said Monday that it will buy National Storage Affiliates in an all-stock deal worth about $10.5 billion, creating a company with 327 million square feet of storage at nearly 4,600 locations in the U.S.

Public Storage said it wants to expand its presence in areas like the Sun Belt and other regions that are likely to grow in population.

The deal, if approved, would combine the largest and the fourth-largest U.S. self-storage companies by market capitalization. Extra Space Storage and CubeSmart are the next two largest companies.

Public Storage, which has been based in Glendale, California, said this year that it is relocating to Frisco, Texas, near Dallas. National Storage is based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.

Investors that hold National Storage common stock and operating partnership units will receive 0.14 of a share of Public Storage common stock or partnership units for each National Storage share or unit that they own. This represents $41.68 per share.

Shares of National Storage jumped nearly 30% at the opening bell, while Public Storage’s stock fell less than a percent.

Before the transaction closes, Public Storage and limited partners in National Storage’s operating partnership will form a joint venture that includes 313 properties on National Storage’s operating platform comprising 19.6 million rentable square feet across 28 states and Puerto Rico with an estimated value of approximately $3.3 billion.

Operating partnership unitholders are expected to own about 80% of the joint venture at its start, with Public Storage holding the remaining stake. Public Storage will exclusively manage the joint venture portfolio and will earn customary property management, asset management and tenant reinsurance income.

The deal, which was approved by the boards of both companies, is expected to close in the third quarter. It still needs approval from National Storage equity holders as well as regulators.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States’ war with Iran is entering its third week, but Congress has yet to publicly test the Trump administration’s case for the conflict.

Republicans in Congress have so far side-stepped public debate over the war, even as Senate Democrats reach for every tool at their disposal to demand hearings with Trump administration officials. Increasingly frustrated, Democrats are threatening this week to force a series of votes on the war, hoping that the effort to gum up the Senate’s voting schedule will prod Republicans to action.

“We’ve had no oversight whatsoever over what the executive is doing as we’re spending a billion dollars a day, and we have failed to have any real substantive debate or discussion,” said Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

The role of Congress in the deliberations is an unsettled question with enormous stakes, given that lawmakers have the power to shape the trajectory of the conflict as it grows in cost and casualties. So far, 13 military members have been killed and billions of dollars have been spent, but President Donald Trump has not sought congressional approval for attacking Iran.

As the 17th day of the conflict dawned Monday, Republican lawmakers remained mostly resistant to the idea of quickly forcing public testimony before Congress.

How GOP leaders are handling calls for hearings
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters last week that he didn’t expect public hearings specifically on the Iran war, but noted it would inevitably come up in the regular rhythm of testimony on military policy and spending.

“They have briefed us,” Thune, R-S.D., said, pointing to classified briefings from the Trump administration. Those sessions have been held behind closed doors and most lawmakers refuse to disclose more than the broad topics of discussion.

Thune also noted there have been regular news conferences from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They are “answering the hard questions that are being asked,” Thune said.

The GOP chairs of committees dealing with national security have also said they don’t have plans in the near term to hold hearings specifically on the war, though some acknowledged the value of lawmaker questioning.

Sen. Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued that the regular run of hearings on Capitol Hill would provide lawmakers with plentiful opportunities to ask questions.

“We’re going to conduct generous oversight, thorough oversight,” said Wicker, R-Miss.

Some Republicans are looking ahead to an expected supplemental budget request from the Trump administration to cover the costs of the war. That request, however, is likely weeks away and faces a difficult path through Congress.

Democrats have pointed out that the Pentagon has already received additional funding from Republicans’ marquee tax cut law that was passed last year and provided funding for GOP priorities, including at the Pentagon.

Wariness growing from some Republicans
Still, agitation from a few Republicans at the lack of high-level responses from the Trump administration is starting to show, especially as they brace for a hefty war bill from the administration.

“I don’t want to just be given the invoice from the Department of Defense, saying this is what it’s going to cost,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. “I want them to be engaged with us.”

She added that it was important for lawmakers to get information both in classified briefings and public hearings “so that the public can better understand this, too.”

Another GOP senator on the powerful Appropriations Committee, Louisiana’s John Kennedy, exited a classified briefing last week fuming that it had been a “total waste of time” because the officials were not able to provide the answers that top-level Cabinet officials could.

Republicans have almost uniformly backed Trump’s decision to launch an attack on Iran, though many are wary of a lengthy conflict. Trump has cycled through different objectives for the war, ranging from crippling Iran’s military capabilities to a demand for “unconditional surrender.”

“I think we have to let the objective play out as far as we can, and if then the effort gets murky on how to get to the objective, that might be a good time to have some hearings, but it’s too early,” said Sen. Cynthis Lummis, a Wyoming Republican.

But as the midterm elections approach, Republicans are also aware that public support for the war remains tepid.

“I wish we could disclose a lot of this publicly because it would make it a whole lot easier to explain to the American people,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., adding that classified briefings were necessary to protect U.S. service members now that the war is under way.

How Democrats may force a debate
Democrats, meanwhile, are threatening to do just about everything in their power to bring attention to the war, even if it means repeatedly forcing votes that fail.

A group of six Democrats has said that unless hearings are scheduled with Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Cabinet officials, they will call up daily votes on a series of war powers resolutions that if passed would require Trump to gain congressional approval before carrying out any more attacks on Iran. Similar resolutions have already been rejected by both chambers in the Republican-controlled Congress.

The votes, however, would eat up valuable time on the Senate floor and set the ground for a debate on the conflict just as Senate Republicans plan to spend much of the week trying to pass Trump’s priority legislation to impose strict new proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting.

The group of Democratic senators also hinted at using other tactics to slow the Senate’s work on other business.

Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, told reporters that unless there is a commitment for public hearings, “We’re not going to let the Senate go on with business as usual. We’re not going to let the Senate be silenced.”

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has maintained regular contact with US President Donald Trump since the war began, the New York Times reported.

According to several White House officials, Bin Salman is encouraging Trump to continue “hitting the Iranians hard.”

Bin Salman’s urging is an echo of the advice of the late Saudi King Abdullah and many other leaders of Gulf states, who repeatedly urged Washington to deal with Iran and “cut off the head of the snake.”

The Washington Post reported earlier this month that Bin Salman was instrumental in persuading Trump to launch an attack on Iran.

According to the report, Bin Salman called Trump several times last month to urge him to authorize a military operation against Iran, warning that if he didn’t strike soon, Iran would emerge stronger and even more dangerous.

The Crown Prince’s brother, Khalid bin Salman, delivered a similar message to Trump in private meetings during a visit to Washington in January.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Dear Boro Park Community,

Each year around Purim, thousands of collectors fan out across our neighborhoods raising funds for yeshivos, mosdos, and charitable causes. For many organizations, these few days provide critical support that helps sustain their work throughout the year.

In recent years, several digital charitable platforms have emerged to make giving easier. These services offer donors conveniences such as referrals, tax receipts, and simplified digital payments. In principle, these tools should be a tremendous benefit to the charitable ecosystem.

But increasingly, the competition between platforms to attract donors has created unintended consequences, many of which are being felt most heavily by the very organizations these systems are supposed to help.

One major shift has been the transfer of processing costs. In the past, donors absorbed these fees as part of the convenience of using the platform. Today, in many cases, the fees are deducted from the organization receiving the funds. For mosdos operating on tight budgets, this represents a significant and often unexpected loss.

Another challenge is delayed funding. Some platforms distribute books of charitable “checks” before the funds are fully available or before they are properly linked to an account. When organizations attempt to redeem these checks, they sometimes discover that the donor has not yet funded the account - or worse, that the check cannot be connected to any account at all. In previous years, this has resulted in waiting periods of weeks or even months before funds were released. In some cases, the funds never arrived.

This creates an obvious question: why should a donor have the flexibility to delay honoring a charitable commitment for months after it has already been distributed to an organization?

Unfortunately, these systems have also created opportunities for abuse. Individuals can obtain books of checks and distribute far more than they have actually funded. Because Purim collections often involve hundreds of children going door-to-door, it is nearly impossible for organizations to trace the source of problematic checks once they arrive in the office.

Another growing issue is the distribution of extremely small-value checks, sometimes as little as one dollar. While every contribution is appreciated, the administrative burden of redeeming hundreds or thousands of such checks can be overwhelming. Staff must scan and process each one individually. Some organizations have even had to hire additional help just to handle the paperwork, only to find that the value of the redeemed checks does not even cover the cost of processing them.

A simple solution could help: establish a minimum value - perhaps five or even ten dollars - for any digital charitable check. Donors who wish to give smaller amounts can easily do so in cash, avoiding unnecessary administrative strain.

This year, a new complication emerged with the distribution of checkbooklets tied to accounts that donors were expected to activate by scanning them. In many cases, these booklets were distributed but never linked to any account at all. Collectors innocently brought the checks back to organizations, received credit for their collections, and only later did administrators discover that there was no account behind the checks to redeem them from.

None of this is written to criticize the idea of charitable platforms. On the contrary, these tools have the potential to make generosity easier and more impactful than ever before.

But as these systems evolve, it is crucial that the needs of the receiving organizations remain at the forefront. Charitable platforms exist to help donors support important causes - but they must also ensure that those causes are not left carrying the administrative burden, financial risk, and frustration created by poorly designed systems.

As a community, we should encourage innovation in charitable giving. But innovation must come with responsibility. With a few thoughtful safeguards:

• proper funding verification,
• reasonable redemption timelines,
• and minimum check amounts

These platforms could truly strengthen the charitable ecosystem rather than strain it.

Our mosdos work tirelessly for the community. The systems built to help them should make their work easier, not harder.

With great respect,

An Administrator

TOKYO (AP) — Two boats carrying 21 people capsized Monday off Henoko, a controversial relocation site for a U.S. military base off Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, throwing all into the water and leaving two of them dead, officials said.

The Japan Coast Guard said 18 of them were students from a Kyoto high school on two boats, 10 on Heiwa Maru and eight on the smaller Fukutsu, to observe the Henoko area as part of their peace education program.

Coast guard rescuers pulled all 21 people out of the water, but a 17-year-old female student and the captain of Fukutsu were later pronounced dead, officials said. Two people were injured but their conditions are not life threatening.

Coast guard officials said the cause of the accident is under investigation.

The boats were about a kilometer (half a mile) east of Henoko when they capsized. A wave advisory was in place during the accident, but the water was not very rough and there was no sign the boats collided, officials said.

Persistent protests and lawsuits between Okinawa and Tokyo have held up the relocation plan of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a crowded neighborhood on the island for nearly 30 years.

Henoko is a popular destination for activists opposing the relocation, but the students were not protesting, officials said.

Okinawa is home to about half of the 50,000 American troops stationed in Japan under the bilateral security pact. Many Okinawans complain about risks of accident, noise, pollution and crime associated with U.S. bases.

Jackson Township officials announced that the Township’s Bureau of Rental Housing & Inspection is now staffed and will begin conducting rental inspections starting today, Monday, March 16, 2026. Over the past six weeks, the bureau employees have worked on registration details and setting up this new bureau from scratch.

The Bureau was established to ensure that all rental properties within the Township comply with local ordinances and safety standards, while also ensuring that rented properties are properly registered with the Township.

Rental inspections are intended to confirm that homes being rented meet required health, safety, and property maintenance standards and that landlords are operating within municipal regulations.

Mayor Jennifer Kuhn emphasized that the initiative is about restoring accountability and protecting residents.

“When I took office, we inherited a system that lacked the structure and oversight needed to properly regulate rental housing,” said Mayor Kuhn. “Establishing the Bureau of Rental Housing & Inspection is an important step toward ensuring that rental properties in Jackson Township are safe, properly maintained, and legally registered. Our residents deserve transparency, fairness, and enforcement of the rules that protect neighborhoods and families.”

Township officials say the Bureau will work with property owners to ensure compliance while maintaining consistent and fair enforcement of the Township’s rental regulations. The addition of this new bureau will add a yearly inspection to every rental home in Jackson and this new bureau will work with Code Enforcement to ensure that our municipal ordinances are followed.

The Bureau’s responsibilities include:

• Inspecting rental properties for safety and code compliance
• Ensuring rental properties are properly registered with the Township
• Protecting the quality of life in residential neighborhoods
• Promoting safe housing conditions for tenants

The Township encourages landlords and property owners to ensure their rental properties are properly registered and prepared for inspection.

Jackson Township officials noted that the implementation of the Bureau represents an important step in improving oversight of rental housing while ensuring fair and consistent enforcement moving forward.

For more information about rental registration and inspections, property owners can email Chief Inspector Mr. Jose Rivera at [email protected] or Inspector Ms. Hope Drew at [email protected].

The so-called ‘MAGA War’ was red hot long before the Iran War began, but now it’s ramped up even more, with Tucker Carlson visiting President Trump in the Oval Office a couple of times to try and talk him out of it. That battle of ideas is going nowhere fast, which is why presidential hopeful Ted Cruz sensationally branded Tucker ‘the most dangerous demagogue’… Tucker joined Piers Morgan to further discuss his thoughts on the war, his meetings with Trump and his feelings about Cruz and more.

WATCH:

BRUSSELS (AP) — European countries on Monday demanded to know more about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for the war on Iran and when the conflict might end as they weighed whether to agree to his call to send warships to help shore up security in the Persian Gulf.

Trump has asked allies — including France, China, Japan, South Korea and Britain — to help secure the strait for global shipping. He said the U.S. was talking to “about seven” countries for military support to help reopen the trade route. But he wouldn’t say which ones and gave no indication of when such a coalition might be formed.

Separately, in an interview with the Financial Times, he warned that “if there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”

As European Union foreign ministers gathered to discuss Trump’s demand, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said it’s important for the United States and Israel to define “when they consider the military aims of their deployment to have been reached.”

“We need more clarity here,” Wadephul told reporters.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, said underlined “this war has nothing to do with NATO — it is not NATO’s war. NATO is an alliance to defend the alliance area.”

Kornelius said that Berlin “took note” of Trump’s comments, but he added: “The United States did not consult us before this war, and so we believe this is not a matter for NATO or the German government.”

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also said that U.S. allies in Europe want to understand Trump’s “strategic goals. What will be the plan?”

Their reactions were typical of the cautious response that many in Europe have shown to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, although few allies in Europe have openly opposed it. Trump has described his demand for help in the strait as “a very small endeavor.”

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski invited the Trump administration to go through the proper channels.

“If there is a request via NATO, we will of course out of respect and sympathy for our American allies consider it very carefully,” he said. Sikorski made a reference to Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which allies can invoke if they believe their territory or security is under threat.

‘Not be drawn into the wider war’
As she headed in to chair the meeting of ministers in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that “it is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and that’s why we are also discussing what we can do in this regard from the European side.”

Kallas said the EU could expand its Operation Aspides naval mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea up into the Persian Gulf. If no agreement is found among the 27 EU countries, those who stand ready to go it alone could form a “coalition of the willing” and provide military support on an ad hoc basis.

The war in Iran, sparked on Feb. 28 airstrikes by Israel and the U.S., has driven up energy prices worldwide, with brent crude up more than 40%. But the conflict has also disrupted the wider global supply chain beyond oil, affecting everything from pharmaceuticals from India, semiconductors from Asia and oil-derived products like fertilizers that come from the Middle East.

Cargo ships are stuck in the Gulf or making a much longer detour around the southern tip of Africa. Planes carrying air cargo out of the Middle East are grounded. And the longer the war drags on, the more likely that there will be shortages and price increases on a wide range of goods.

France has said it is working with countries — President Emmanuel Macron mentioned partners in Europe, India and Asia — on a possible international mission to escort ships through the strait but has stressed it must be when “the circumstances permit,” when fighting has subsided.

French senior officials, speaking anonymously on ongoing talks, said the Netherlands, Italy, and Greece had shown interest and that Spain might be involved in some way.

In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain “will not be drawn into the wider war, ” but that it is discussing with the U.S. and allies in Europe and the Gulf the possibility of using mine-hunting drones that the U.K. already has in the region. But he signaled that Britain is unlikely to dispatch a warship.

EU’s refugee concerns
Operation Aspides was formed to thwart attacks to shipping in the Red Sea by Somali pirates and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have yet to join the current fray. Saudi Aramco manages a pipeline network that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz to deliver oil to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

“If we want to have security in this region, then it would be easiest to actually already use the operation that we have in the region and maybe change a bit,” Kallas said. “There is also talk of coalition of the willing in this regard, but we also need to see what could be the fastest to provide this opening for the Strait of Hormuz, but of course, as you can see, it’s not easy.”

The EU is anxious that a potential refugee crisis in Iran will develop if the war continues.

“Although for now, the conflict has not translated into immediate migratory flows toward the EU, what the future holds remains unclear and necessitates the full mobilization of every migration diplomacy tool we have at our disposal,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a statement Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump may delay his China trip due to the Iran war, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday it’s not to pressure Beijing on the Strait of Hormuz.

Bessent said any delay to Trump’s month-end trip to Beijing would not be because of disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a bending waterway that’s crucial for global shipping.

)“If the meeting for some reason was rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics,” the secretary said on CNBC. “The president wants to remain in D.C. to coordinate the war, and traveling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”

Trump has suggested he may delay the trip as he seeks to ramp up the pressure on Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and calm oil prices that have soared during the Iran war.

Uncertainty shows wide effect of Iran war
In an interview Sunday with the Financial Times, Trump said China’s reliance on oil from the Middle East means it ought to help with a new coalition he is trying to put together to get oil tanker traffic moving through the strait after Iran’s threats have throttled global flows of oil.

The Republican president said “we’d like to know” before the trip whether Beijing will help.

“We may delay,” he said in the interview.

The uncertainty highlights just how much the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have reshaped global politics in the past two weeks. Calling off the face-to-face visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping could have its own major economic consequences: Relations between Washington and Beijing have been fraught as both sides have threatened the other with steep tariffs over the past year.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was possible Trump’s China trip could be delayed.

“At this point, the president looks forward to visiting China. The dates may be moved,” Leavitt told reporters at the White House on Monday. “As commander in chief, it’s his number one priority right now to ensure the continued success of this Operation Epic Fury,” the name of the U.S. effort against Iran.

Bessent says US will reaffirm ‘stability’ of China relationship
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Beijing said only that China and the U.S. have maintained communication on Trump’s visit. “Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-U.S. relations,” Lin Jian said at a daily briefing.

Bessent made his comments in Paris, where he was meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for a new round of trade talks that were meant to pave the way for Trump’s Beijing trip. The U.S. and China have declared a truce that has prevented both sides from levying dueling tariffs, but the stakes remain high.

“We had a very good two days here,” Bessent said, adding a statement “reaffirming the stability” between the two countries would be issued “in the next few days.”

Bessent explicitly urged investors not to react negatively should Trump put off his trip.

In the early days of the Iran conflict, Trump had said U.S. Navy vessels would escort oil tankers through the strait, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and downplayed the threat posed by Iran. But as oil prices soared, he and his administration have been forced to consider new options — including the idea, broached this weekend, for other countries to join the push with their own warships. So far, none has yet formally heeded the call.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington from a weekend in Florida that the U.S. had spoken to “about seven” nations about offering military support. He wouldn’t say which ones, though, and demurred when he was asked directly about China — though he subsequently suggested that he’d made such an offer to Beijing.

“China’s an interesting case study,” he said, noting its reliance on Gulf oil. “So I said, ‘Would you like to come in’ and we’ll find out. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t.”

The administration downplays oil price spikes
War in Iran has sent the price of oil skyrocketing, which has raised the price Americans pay at the pump, just as the midterm election season begins to heat up.

Bessent downplayed the war’s impact on oil prices and accused the media of “trying to make it into some crisis that it’s not.” Echoing Trump, the secretary insisted prices would come down after the conflict ends.

“I don’t know how many weeks it will be, but on the other side of this, the world will be safer, and we will be better supplied,” Bessent said on CNBC.

He said the Treasury Department has not traded oil futures to try to cap prices. Asked whether it would going forward, the secretary said: “I’m not sure under what authority or what auspices” that would happen.

Trump’s Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Bloomberg Television over the weekend that the administration has talked about that strategy.

Beijing faces its own economic pressures
China recently lowered its 2026 target for growth slightly to 4.5% to 5%, its slowest projected growth since 1991 — meaning prolonged disruptions in the strait could have long-term impacts for Beijing as well.

Lin, at the briefing in Beijing, did not respond directly to questions about Trump’s call for outside help in the strait. He noted the impact on goods and energy trade and repeated his government’s call for an end to the fighting.

“China once again calls on all parties to stop military actions immediately, avoid further escalation of tensions, and prevent instability in the region from having a greater impact on global economic development,” he said.

A shiur addressing common Pesach-related kashrus questions was delivered Sunday morning at Khal Zichron Yichezkel in Toms River by Rabbi Nochum Rabinowitz, senior halachic coordinator at the Orthodox Union (OU).

During the shiur, Rabbi Rabinowitz discussed a number of questions that frequently arise as Pesach approaches, particularly regarding what should be used for the daled kosos at the Seder. Among the topics raised were whether wine or grape juice is preferable, the difference between grape juice with or without sulfites, and whether light grape juice is acceptable compared to regular grape juice.

Rabbi Rabinowitz also addressed the recent discussion surrounding the kashrus status of Kirkland tequila, which has generated questions in some communities.

While many people assume that tequila is simply distilled from agave and therefore automatically acceptable for Pesach, Rabbi Rabinowitz explained that the matter is more complex and that such assumptions are not necessarily correct.

Israel’s military campaign against Iran, conducted alongside the United States, is advancing according to plan and even more quickly than originally anticipated, senior defense officials said Sunday, Times of Israel reports. At the same time, the military is preparing to expand attacks on Iran’s defense manufacturing sector while continuing operations aimed at limiting missile launches toward Israel.

Although progress has been faster than projected, Israeli officials say the operation is expected to continue for at least several more weeks. The military still has thousands of targets to strike across Iran, including sites in Tehran and other areas of the country.

“We have thousands of targets ahead,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told CNN on Sunday. “We are ready, in coordination with our US allies, with plans through at least the Jewish holiday of Passover, about three weeks from now. And we have deeper plans for even three weeks beyond that.”

The war began with a series of targeted Israeli strikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, along with more than forty senior Iranian officials. Since then, the IDF has carried out sustained attacks against ballistic missile launch systems and air defense networks. Military officials say the focus of the campaign has now shifted toward dismantling Iran’s defense manufacturing infrastructure.

According to Israeli officials, the current war differs dramatically from the brief twelve-day conflict that took place in June 2025 and is far broader in scope.

During that earlier confrontation, Israel concentrated primarily on neutralizing what it viewed as an imminent danger: Iran’s progress toward acquiring nuclear weapons and its accelerated production of ballistic missiles. The current campaign, however, is intended to go much further by removing not only the immediate threat posed by Iran but also the broader long-term strategic danger to Israel.

As a result, the military is now working to systematically damage Iran’s entire military production network, targeting facilities connected to ballistic missiles, nuclear development, and other weapons systems.

Iran’s defense industry is extensive and includes multiple branches of the military along with private companies that develop components used in weapons systems. These organizations manufacture a wide range of capabilities, including missile technology, air defense systems, naval weapons, cyber warfare tools, and even reconnaissance satellites.

Israel has targeted elements of Iran’s weapons industry before. In October 2024, Israeli fighter jets struck facilities producing planetary mixers used in the manufacturing of solid fuel for long-range ballistic missiles. Similar attacks were carried out during the June 2025 conflict, when Israel targeted locations tied to missile and air defense production.

Officials say the current campaign is far more comprehensive. The IDF now intends to strike every facility connected to Iran’s weapons production process, covering the entire chain of development and manufacturing.

Since the start of the war, Israel has already attacked more than 1,700 sites tied to Iran’s military industry, and hundreds of additional targets remain on the list.

The targets include major defense companies linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which produce ballistic missiles and other advanced weaponry, as well as smaller firms that supply key components for those systems.

According to Israeli officials, these strikes have inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s missile manufacturing sector. As a result, they say Iran currently lacks the capability to produce new ballistic missiles.

Israel has also continued striking facilities connected to Iran’s nuclear program, targeting research centers and companies involved in developing components used in atomic weapons.

In addition to military industry targets, Israeli strikes have focused on what officials describe as the regime’s “centers of power.” These include command headquarters and facilities used by internal security forces and the Basij paramilitary organization responsible for suppressing protests.

Military officials estimate that between 4,000 and 5,000 Iranian soldiers have been killed during Israeli strikes, with tens of thousands more wounded. Many of those casualties, they say, come from the regime’s internal security apparatus and the Basij militia.

Officials also report signs of weakening morale among Iranian troops, including cases of soldiers refusing orders or abandoning their posts.

These developments appear to be most evident among personnel responsible for operating Iran’s ballistic missile systems. Israeli officials say attacks on command centers and replacement headquarters have sharply reduced the number of missiles fired at Israel in recent days.

At the same time, the Israeli Air Force continues actively searching for and destroying missile launch platforms. In recent days alone, dozens of launchers have reportedly been destroyed, including several that were prepared to fire toward Israel.

Overall, the military says it has eliminated or disabled roughly seventy percent of Iran’s estimated fleet of about 500 ballistic missile launchers. However, officials acknowledge that Iran has previously demonstrated the ability to build new launch systems relatively quickly, as it did following the 2025 war.

Israeli airstrikes have also focused heavily on Iran’s air defense network. Within the first day of the conflict, the IDF reported gaining aerial superiority in certain parts of the country, allowing Israeli aircraft to carry out large-scale strikes in Tehran and other regions with reduced risk.

Military officials say the Israeli Air Force now enjoys air dominance over most of Iran’s airspace after destroying more than one hundred air defense systems and roughly 120 detection installations.

At the same time, Israeli operations continue targeting the Quds Force, the IRGC’s overseas operations arm, both inside Iran and in Lebanon.

Israeli leaders say the joint campaign with the United States is intended to weaken the Iranian regime’s military capabilities, push threats farther away from Israel, and help create conditions that could eventually allow the Iranian population to challenge and potentially overthrow the ruling government.

{Matzav.com}

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The network Iran International reported that during Sunday night, several checkpoints of Iranian security forces were attacked across Tehran, some of them located beneath major bridges in the city.

According to the report, the strikes targeted security checkpoints on key routes in the capital, including the area around Enghelab Square in central Tehran, Azadi Square in western Tehran, as well as major intersections along primary highways. It was also reported that some of the targeted checkpoints were positioned beneath bridges and at central inspection points operated by security forces.

Iran researcher Orit Perlov from the Institute for National Security Studies wrote on social media that during the night checkpoints in Tehran were hit in the Amirabad and Yousefabad areas. According to her, the attacks were carried out using drones. She added that the regime’s air-defense systems attempted to intercept the aircraft but failed to shoot them down.

In another post, Perlov noted that footage circulating online showed explosions and fires in western Tehran, near the highway leading to Karaj, one of the largest cities close to the capital. According to the reports, a powerful explosion was heard in the area and was also felt in nearby neighborhoods in the western part of the city.

At the same time, a Persian-language social media account identified with the Mossad published a message directed at citizens in Iran: “The final battle for you will begin soon — we are with you, in the skies, on the ground, and in our hearts.”

Perlov also addressed the communications situation inside Iran, arguing that if the United States and Israel expect the Iranian public to play a role in overthrowing the regime, they must enable access to the internet. According to her, due to communication blockages, the main remaining channel of contact between citizens is the comments section of the Fars News Agency.

Meanwhile, a senior military official said yesterday that the Israel Defense Forces assesses that at the current stage of the campaign the effort is focused on systematically striking the power centers of the Iranian regime, including staffed headquarters, central and operational command centers, command-and-control hubs, Basij sites, and other repression forces of the regime.

“From these repression forces, the Basij police went out on a campaign of killing and suppressing protesters during the significant wave of demonstrations in early January,” the official said.

In other regional developments, dozens of Iranian citizens crossed the border on Sunday into the Kurdish region in northern Iraq in order to buy cheaper food, gain access to the internet, contact family members, and also look for work. The Iranians who crossed to the Iraqi side of the border told reporters from Associated Press that food prices have surged over the past two weeks.

Journalists from the Associated Press who attempted to interview some of the Iranians crossing to the Iraqi side of the border encountered suspicion. The interviewees asked to remain anonymous, saying they feared harm from Iran’s intelligence services, which they claim monitor anyone who speaks with the media.

Many Iranians are crossing the border to purchase Iraqi SIM cards so they can call their family members. In the market on the Iraqi side of the border, Iranians are buying rice and cooking oil, whose prices in Iran have surged since the beginning of the war.

Another woman, who arrived at the border from western Iran, said she was on her way to the Kurdish region of Iraq to seek assistance from distant relatives living there.

According to her: “The war has made the situation worse. Everything is more expensive, and I have no way to feed my grandchildren. I feel helpless, but the children are hungry and I must do my best for them.”

President Donald Trump dismissed reports suggesting a breakdown in relations between Washington and Yerushalayim during a phone interview with Israel’s Channel 14 on Sunday, strongly denying an Axios report that claimed disagreements had surfaced over the ongoing war against Iran.

Responding to the report, Trump flatly rejected the suggestion that tensions exist between the two governments.

“Wrong. Fake news. Third-grade fake news. The relationship has never been better,” Trump said, adding that the campaign against Iran is progressing at a wonderful pace.”

Trump also offered strong praise for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, crediting him with playing a decisive role in Israel’s survival.

“You wouldn’t even have Israel right now if Bibi weren’t the prime minister. I’m all for Bibi.”

When asked whether the United States might take a direct military role in the fighting against Iran and its network of regional proxies, Trump declined to provide a clear answer.

Trump also urged Arab nations in the region to take part in efforts against Iran, particularly in ensuring that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains open.

“In keeping the Strait [of Hormuz] open – yes. They get all the oil, We don’t get anything from the Strait, so they should participate. The countries that get the oil, should keep the Strait open, not the US. We will help them a lot.”

{Matzav.com}

As one fifth of the world’s oil supply remains trapped behind the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel. Saudi Arabia diverting only a fraction of its oil via the Red Sea port of Yanbu, leaving 15 million barrels per day (bpd) stuck in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates is also struggling to divert some of its crude oil exports through the Fujairah oil terminal.

This is the biggest oil shock the world has attempted to absorb since World War II, and President Donald Trump is running out of options to keep prices down.

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has ordered the waterway to remain closed but has offered coordination with Iran’s navy for ships to pass through. The United States, meanwhile, has been unable to force passage through the strait.

Trump has offered to insure vessels for war-related damages and called on other countries to militarily escort ships using their navies.

About 12 million bpd of oil remain trapped behind the Strait of Hormuz. The International Energy Agency agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves. The U.S. offered to contribute 172 barrels and lifted sanctions on Russian oil.

However, all the options to lower prices, including cutting taxes, will likely have little impact on crude oil prices.

In light of the current pre-Passover/Spring Cleaning season, the Lakewood Department of Public Works (DPW) has once again extended the hours of operation for its main bulk trash drop-off site, which is located at 1 America Avenue (near the intersection of Cedar Bridge and New Hampshire Avenues).

Starting Monday, March 16th, through Monday, March 30th, residents can drop off their bulk trash on Mondays-Fridays from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm. On Tuesday, March 31st, the drop-off will remain open overnight, through Wednesday, April 1st at 3:00 pm.

Virtually all forms of bulk trash – including wood, metal, electronics, etc.- are accepted at the site. (Non-accepted items include construction material, paint and other hazardous material.)

Lakewood Township will release details regarding other seasonal projects, including additional trash drop-off sites; additional trash pickup runs; and pre-Passover burning site locations; in the weeks ahead.

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Against the backdrop of the war in the Gulf and Iran’s attacks on the United Arab Emirates, the luxury real estate market in Dubai may be facing an unusual wave of transactions in the near future. A group of Jewish businessmen from London is currently conducting advanced negotiations to purchase several luxury properties in the Downtown Dubai area, in deals estimated at hundreds of millions of dirhams, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

According to those sources, the properties are currently owned by British investors who bought apartments in the city in recent years as part of the major boom in the local luxury market. However, following the recent security escalation in the region, particularly missile and drone attacks attributed to Iran that also reached the territory of the United Arab Emirates, some Western property owners are experiencing real concern and prefer to sell their assets quickly.

Industry sources say that for Western investors who are not accustomed to this type of security reality, the very presence of sirens and reports of attacks in the region has created a genuine sense of panic. As a result, some British apartment owners are considering a rapid sale of their properties, sometimes at prices relatively below market value, in order to return to the United Kingdom and reduce their regional exposure.

The London-based group is negotiating the purchase of several luxury residential units in the iconic towers of Downtown Dubai, including towers located near the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall.

According to sources familiar with the transactions, the deals currently under review could reach hundreds of millions of dirhams if the negotiations result in signed agreements.

Among the properties being considered in the transactions is an especially exceptional asset, the highest private penthouse in the world, located in the Burj Khalifa tower. According to estimates in the local real estate market, the price of this property could reach about 200 million dirhams.

Sources involved in the negotiations say the group is examining the property as part of a broader strategy to acquire “top-of-the-market” assets in Dubai.

The negotiations are being accompanied by several financial and legal parties operating between United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. According to industry sources, the financing and banking structure of the deals is being handled by Emirates NBD, one of the largest banks in the Gulf. The bank is reviewing various financing options, including partial financing for some of the properties as part of a broader acquisition package.

The group of buyers is being assisted by businessmen Israel Piga and Boaz Shaked, who have been active in recent years between London and Dubai, and have been involved in several international real estate transactions. According to sources familiar with the talks, the two help structure the deals, identify acquisition opportunities, and connect the London-based investors with property owners interested in selling.

According to sources close to the group, the current volatility in the market is actually seen by the investors as an opportunity. They say Dubai is considered one of the most stable economic centers in the Middle East, and the assessment is that the current security concerns are only temporary.

One source involved in the deal said:
“Many Western investors react with panic because they are not used to the security reality in the region. But from our perspective, this is a very strong market with solid economic fundamentals. We believe stability will return quickly, which makes this a rare window of opportunity to acquire high-quality assets.”

Dubai’s real estate market has experienced sharp price increases in recent years, particularly in luxury areas such as Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Marina. Even during periods of volatility, the city continues to attract large volumes of international capital, as investors from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East seek “top-of-the-market” properties.

If the current negotiations mature into signed deals, this could become one of the most significant waves of property purchases by European investors in Downtown Dubai in recent times.

President Donald Trump is seeking to organize a multinational coalition to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with plans to potentially unveil the effort later this week, according to four sources who spoke with Axios on Sunday.

At the same time, U.S. officials say the administration is examining the possibility of taking control of Iran’s major oil terminal on Kharg Island if tankers continue to be unable to leave the Persian Gulf. Any attempt to seize the facility would likely require deploying American forces on the ground.

The discussions come as global energy prices climb following Iran’s blockade of the strategically vital waterway. The closure has interrupted the flow of a substantial share of the world’s crude oil shipments.

Tehran has prevented Gulf states from exporting their oil through the strait while permitting vessels carrying Iranian crude to pass, allowing the regime to continue selling oil to China and other buyers.

One individual familiar with the situation told Axios that if the blockade persists and Gulf oil exports remain constrained, Trump would not be in a position to end the conflict even if he wanted to.

While speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he expects NATO countries and other major energy-importing nations — including China — to take part in securing the waterway.

“We are talking to other countries about policing the straits. It will be nice to have other countries policing with us. We will help. We are getting a good response,” Trump said.

Trump indicated that negotiations are underway with seven different countries regarding participation. He acknowledged that some governments have already declined but said the operation would still be limited in scale because Iran has “very little firepower” left.

At the same time, U.S. forces have continued striking Iranian targets across the country, concentrating in particular on locations near the Persian Gulf and around Kharg Island.

Kharg Island sits roughly 15 miles off Iran’s coastline and serves as the hub for about 90 percent of the country’s crude oil exports.

Trump said on Friday that he had directed attacks against military facilities on the island but had intentionally avoided hitting its oil infrastructure. In comments to NBC on Saturday, he remarked that the U.S. “may hit it a few more times just for fun.”

A senior White House official cautioned that no determination has been made about further action involving the island.

“No one should read into anything more than what the president announced,” the official said. “The president has made no decisions on Kharg Island.”

Still, the official noted that circumstances could shift if diplomatic and military efforts to reopen the strait fail.

“The president is not going to wait around and let the Iranians dictate the pace of the conflict,” the official said.

Another U.S. official said Trump has expressed interest in the possibility of seizing Kharg Island itself, characterizing the move as an “economic knockout of the regime” that could severely undermine Tehran’s financial lifeline.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Transportation Ministry on Monday approved an order allowing Israeli airlines to lift the limits on the number of passengers flying to North America.

The order, which already went into effect, allows El Al, Arkia, Israir, and Air Haifa to operate flights at full capacity rather than with only 100 passengers per flight.

The directive is in place until further notice and in accordance with the Home Front Command’s guidelines.

The 100-passenger limit is still in effect for flights to other destinations.

El Al launched special flights on Monday to bring home US citizens stranded in Israel since the war began.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The IDF says that it has begun limited and targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at weakening Hezbollah positions and strengthening defenses for communities in northern Israel, according to a Ynet report.

The IDF reported that troops from the 91st Division have entered several areas in southern Lebanon as part of efforts to expand a forward defensive zone along the border.

According to the IDF, forces have advanced roughly 7 to 9 kilometers (4 to 5.5 miles) into what it describes as a “security area.” The most significant phase of the operation began two days ago, when troops moved deeper into southern Lebanon accompanied by heavy fire support and artillery to prepare the area before the ground advance.

During the operation, troops encountered Hezbollah terrorists, killing two and damaging terror infrastructure, the military said.

The IDF said the activity targets key Hezbollah strongholds as part of efforts to dismantle terror infrastructure and remove threats to residents of northern Israel.
Before troops entered the area, artillery units and the air force struck numerous terror targets to reduce threats in the operational environment.

At the same time, forces continue defensive missions along the border to protect communities in the Galilee, the military said. “The IDF will continue to operate with determination against the Hezbollah terror organization, which chose to join the hostilities and operate under the sponsorship of the Iranian terror regime,” the military said. “The IDF will not allow harm to Israeli civilians.”

A senior officer in Northern Command recently estimated that the fighting in Lebanon could continue until the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, with the goal of using the ongoing war with Iran to deliver a major blow to Hezbollah.

A historic engagement celebration took place Sunday night in Bnei Brak, marking a moment of significance in the Lelover kehillah. The event celebrated the engagement of the granddaughter of the Lelover Rebbe to the youngest son of the renowned mashpia Rav Elimelech Biderman.

The celebration was held at the Lelover beis medrash in the Ramat Lelov neighborhood of Bnei Brak. The kallah is the daughter of Rav Michoel Eliezer Biderman, son of the Lelover Rebbe and son-in-law of the Dzikov–Vizhnitzer Rebbe.

The chosson, Shlomo Biderman, is a talmid at the Tchernobyl Yeshiva in Elad.

Observers within the community described the event as particularly historic, noting that Rav Meilech Biderman had not entered the Lelover beis medrash in Bnei Brak for 38 years. The building had served as the beis medrash of his uncle, the Lelover Rebbe, Rav Shimon of Lelov zt”l.

On Sunday evening, that long-standing gap was symbolically closed when Rav Biderman arrived at the beis medrash for the engagement celebration, now connected through marriage to the family of the late Rebbe Rav Shimon of Lelov.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — The US administration is expected to announce, possibly as early as this coming week, that several countries have agreed to form a new international coalition to secure merchant ships along the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime corridor off the coast of Iran.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials said that despite the principle agreement, the participating countries are still discussing a critical question among themselves: whether the naval escort operations should begin while the fighting in the region is still ongoing, or only after a ceasefire is reached.

The White House declined to comment on the expected announcement, which sources say could still change or be postponed depending on developments on the battlefield. Publicly, many countries have so far avoided committing to such a maritime escort mission while active combat continues, due to the significant security risks involved in placing naval vessels in a combat zone.

The urgent need to secure global maritime trade routes stems from the severe economic consequences of the war. According to Bloomberg, the war with Iran threatens to deal a serious blow to the largest economies in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, if the conflict does not end soon.

The fighting, now in its third week, shows no signs of slowing, as Iran continues to attack neighboring countries across the region in response to the bombardment by the United States and Israel.

According to forecasts published by Farouk Soussa, a senior economist at Goldman Sachs, Qatar and Kuwait could suffer a sharp economic contraction of 14% in their GDP this year if the conflict continues at least until April and leads to a two-month shutdown of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Such a downturn would be the worst economic decline for these countries since the early 1990s, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, triggering the Gulf War and causing major upheaval in global oil markets.

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are expected to handle the crisis somewhat better thanks to their ability to redirect oil exports away from the threatened shipping route. Even so, they are still expected to see GDP declines of about 3% and 5% respectively, the most severe economic impact they have faced since the COVID‑19 pandemic in 2020.

Soussa noted: “For many Gulf economies, the war could have a more severe short-term impact than COVID.”

The situation illustrates how the war has created a nightmare scenario for Gulf states, which now face a double blow to both their oil sector and other parts of their economies.

“When the dust settles they will rebuild and recover,” Soussa concluded, “but it remains to be seen what scars the conflict will leave on investor confidence.”

Social media platforms in Iran have become a real‑time civilian intelligence arena in recent days, Channel 12 News reported.

Monitoring by Channel 12 of social media activity in Iran shows that users are publishing locations and alerts about the movements of Basij forces and calling for them to be attacked.

“Israel has decided to strike the Basij’s nightly gatherings. Well done. That’s the right direction,” one user wrote.

At the same time, videos are spreading that show how regime forces try to conceal themselves within civilian areas—in tunnels, schools, and even taxis.

One user wrote on Sunday morning that regime security forces continue to use civilian areas for movement and deployment in Tehran. According to the post, forces from the police stations in Pasdaran and Majidiyeh are using parking garages at shopping centers in the Heravi neighborhood of northeast Tehran. “Almas Heravi Center Mall and Rojeh Center have become places where the forces are stationed,” he wrote.

A second user posted a list on Friday night of locations where she said checkpoints had been deployed in Tehran. A third posted a list of checkpoints on Motzei Shabbos that he said were set up across Tehran during the evening hours.

Another user suggested that if the strikes continue, they could influence developments on the streets. “After the drone operation ends—whose goal is to push the regime’s security forces away from the streets—civilians will be able to come out, and large protest marches against the regime will begin,” he wrote.

Footage circulating online shows Basij forces in Tehran using a yellow taxi to set up a checkpoint, apparently in an attempt to blend into civilian traffic and avoid being targeted in drone strikes.

Another video shows regime forces leaving the grounds of a girls’ elementary school in Tehran in cars and on motorcycles.

The use of public institutions and educational facilities by regime forces is a known phenomenon, intended to allow them to blend into the civilian environment and make it harder to identify and target them.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone conversation on Sunday with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, pressing him to bring an end to Iran’s assaults on neighboring countries.

After the call, Macron released a statement on social media explaining that he urged the Iranian leader “to put an immediate end to the unacceptable attacks Iran is carrying out against countries in the region, whether directly or through proxies, including in Lebanon and Iraq. I reminded him that France is acting within a strictly defensive framework aimed at protecting its interests, its regional partners, and freedom of navigation, and that it is unacceptable for our country to be targeted.”

Macron warned that the continued escalation threatens to destabilize the Middle East on a broad scale and will carry serious consequences both now and in the future.

“The unchecked escalation we are witnessing is plunging the entire region into chaos, with major consequences today and for the years to come. The people of Iran, like those across the region, are paying the price,” warned Macron.

The French president also argued for the creation of a new political and security structure designed to provide stability and safety across the region.

“Such a framework must guarantee that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, while also addressing the threats posed by its ballistic missile programme and its destabilising activities regionally and internationally.”

Macron further emphasized the need to reopen the vital shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz without delay.

“Freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be restored as soon as possible,” he stressed.

During the conversation, Macron also pressed Iran to free two French citizens who have been imprisoned in the country on accusations of spying for Israel’s Mossad.

“I also urged the Iranian President to allow Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris to return safely to France as soon as possible. Their ordeal has gone on for far too long, and they belong with their loved ones,” said Macron.

Earlier this month, after the latest round of fighting began, Macron revealed that France would strengthen its military footprint in the region, including sending the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

Although Macron said he understands the actions taken by the United States and Israel, he argued that the operations were conducted “outside the framework of international law.” He added that France, together with Germany and the United Kingdom, is urging an immediate end to the strikes and a renewed push toward diplomatic talks, saying that “a lasting peace in the region will only be achieved through renewed diplomatic talks.”

The following day, Macron said he spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged him to safeguard Lebanon’s territorial integrity and avoid launching a ground invasion. He also underscored the importance of returning to the ceasefire arrangement.

Earlier Sunday, Macron posted a message in Hebrew on social media criticizing Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and calling for the attacks to stop.

Dutch right-wing political leader Geert Wilders, a vocal supporter of Israel, responded with a brief reply in Hebrew consisting of a single word: “Coward.”

{Matzav.com}

A Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine has reversed course and is now defending a tattoo that closely resembles a notorious Nazi symbol.

Graham Platner, a Bernie Sanders-backed oyster farmer and former Marine seeking to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, had previously apologized after it was revealed that a large tattoo on his chest resembled the “Totenkopf,” or “death’s head,” symbol used by Adolf Hitler’s SS.

The Totenkopf — a skull-and-crossbones emblem historically associated with Nazi SS units — is widely recognized as a hate symbol, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

When the controversy first erupted last year, Platner insisted he had not realized the symbol’s connection to Nazism and said he planned to have the tattoo removed.

But in a new interview this week with the news site Zeteo, Platner struck a very different tone, dismissing the criticism and claiming the tattoo is nothing more than a generic skull design.

“It’s a skull-and-crossbones,” Platner said, calling the image “an eminently reasonable thing.”

The dismissive defense contradicts his past statements and actions, which undermine his claim that he was unaware of the symbol’s meaning.

Platner has previously said he got the tattoo during a night of drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia in 2007 while on leave from the military. But multiple details that have emerged over the past year cast doubt on his assertion that he did not know the symbol’s Nazi associations.

An acquaintance told Jewish Insider that Platner himself referred to the tattoo as a “Totenkopf” during a 2012 conversation at a Washington, D.C., bar.

“He said, ‘Oh, this is my Totenkopf,’” the source recalled, adding that Platner used the term in what was described as a “cutesy” manner.

Further raising questions, Reddit posts attributed to Platner from 2019 show him participating in discussions about the Totenkopf symbol and its use among military personnel.

Those posts strongly suggest he was familiar with the symbol’s historical meaning years before the controversy surfaced.

The issue has been particularly damaging given Platner’s own background. According to his former political director, Genevieve McDonald, Platner is a military history enthusiast who would have known the significance of such imagery.

“He’s a military history buff,” McDonald wrote in a Facebook post before resigning from the campaign last October. “He knows damn well what it means.”

McDonald stepped down after additional past comments from Platner surfaced online, including offensive remarks posted on Reddit about race and assault on women.

Platner later apologized for those statements, saying they were written during a difficult period when he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after leaving the military.

In response to the tattoo controversy, Platner has since altered the design so it now resembles an animal figure and has said he intends to remove it entirely.

The controversy resurfaced recently amid a public dispute between Platner and Sen. Ted Cruz. After Platner criticized U.S. policy in the Iran conflict while referencing fallen service members, Cruz fired back on social media.

“Were your friends Germans wearing Nazi tattoos like you?” Cruz wrote.

Despite the mounting controversies, Platner’s campaign had initially shown signs of momentum. In the first two months of his Senate bid, he reportedly raised about $5 million, recruited more than 11,000 volunteers, and drew large crowds at town-hall style events across Maine.

Platner is competing in a Democratic primary scheduled for June 9 and could face Collins in what analysts expect to be one of the most closely watched Senate races of the cycle.

He has received praise from, of course, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who described him as a strong candidate.

“I personally think he is an excellent candidate,” Sanders said earlier this year. “I’m going to support him and look forward to him becoming the next senator from the state of Maine.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1730-Semichah-Part-30-My-Choice.mp3

​​For more info, email [email protected].

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tefila4Life-Shiur-1063-Alive-Keil-Bekadsho.mp3

Actor Javier Bardem sparked controversy at the Academy Awards after appearing on stage wearing two pins and declaring, “No to war and Free Palestine.”

Following the moment, actress Hannah Einbinder said she felt “absolute pride” watching Bardem speak out during the ceremony.

“He is so outspoken and always has been and I really appreciate his voice in a room like that when literally no one else said anything,” Einbinder said afterward.

The remarks quickly drew reaction online, with critics pointing out that Bardem’s statement did not reference the Hamas attacks on October 7 that triggered the current war between Israel and Hamas, or the atrocities carried out during that assault.

Others questioned the selective nature of the message, noting that the speech also made no mention of the tens of thousands of Iranians reportedly killed by the regime during recent crackdowns, Israeli civilians killed by Iranian ballistic missile attacks in recent weeks, Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine, famine across parts of Africa, or the ongoing genocide in Sudan.

Hollywood, CA – March 15, 2026: Priyanka Chopra and Javier Bardem present the Oscar for Best International Feature Film during the 98th Annual Academy Awards held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The moment reflects the growing debate over political activism by celebrities on major entertainment stages such as the Oscars, where brief slogans often draw both applause and criticism online.

📰 Headline News
• President Trump is expected to announce a coalition of multiple countries that will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to protect global shipping routes from Iranian threats.
• Dubai International Airport suspended all flights after another Iranian drone struck the airport, briefly disrupting operations at one of the world’s busiest travel hubs.
• Major wildfires in Nebraska have already burned more than 500,000 acres in just a matter of days as firefighters struggle to contain the blazes.

---

🕍 Jewish News
• Two Jewish sites in the Netherlands were targeted by explosive devices over a two-day period, raising serious concerns about rising antisemitic attacks in Europe.
• Two brothers in France are under investigation for allegedly planning a deadly antisemitic attack, according to French authorities.

---

Israeli News
• Four people were injured in Bnei Brak after an Iranian ballistic missile struck the area during a morning barrage toward Israel.
• Israel Railways announced it will begin 24-hour service to Ben Gurion Airport to accommodate the unusual travel circumstances during the war.
• Israeli airline Israir has suspended regular flights until April 12 due to the ongoing conflict and regional instability.
• Reports indicate growing defections within Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and security forces, according to regional intelligence assessments.

---

🌍 International News
• China has resumed large-scale military operations around Taiwan after a 10-day pause, increasing tensions in the region.
• South Korean and U.S. forces conducted joint military training exercises, reinforcing their defense partnership amid regional security concerns.
• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will not participate in offensive military operations against Iran.

---

🏛 Political News
• President Trump dismissed reports of a rift with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the claims “fake news.”
• The White House reported that President Trump’s personal phone number has been circulating publicly, raising security concerns.

---

National News
• The federal government shutdown is beginning to impact travel, with TSA security lines stretching up to three hours at several major airports due to staffing shortages.
• The U.S. Energy Secretary said gas prices are expected to drop again once the current war subsides.

---

🗽 New York
• New York City Mayor Mamdani is scheduled to meet Jewish leaders tomorrow after a week of controversy surrounding anti-Israel remarks connected to his wife.

---

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was reportedly flown in secret to Moscow aboard a Russian military aircraft after suffering serious injuries during the opening strikes of the war that killed his father two weeks ago.

According to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida, a senior source close to Khamenei said the evacuation was approved because Iran could not provide the level of medical care required while Israeli and U.S. strikes were ongoing. The report claims Russian President Vladimir Putin personally offered to host and treat Khamenei during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Mojtaba Khamenei; the son of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; is seen in Tehran; Iran; on December 14; 2016. (Photo by Reza B / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

Khamenei was allegedly transferred to Moscow on Thursday evening and underwent what sources described as a successful surgical operation, performed by Russian physicians alongside Iranian doctors who accompanied him.

The same report also claimed that the first public statement attributed to Khamenei may not have been written by him. An Iranian source close to reformist circles suggested the message was likely drafted by Ali Larijani, secretary-general of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, noting that Khamenei has not appeared publicly and that no audio recording of the statement has been released.

French authorities have placed two young men under formal investigation over an alleged “deadly and antisemitic” attack plot, the country’s national counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said Sunday.

The suspects — brothers aged 22 and 20 — were arrested last Tuesday after police stopped their vehicle near a prison in northern France and discovered a semi-automatic firearm, a bottle of acid and an ISIS flag inside the car, according to the prosecutor’s office, known as PNAT.

Officials said the older suspect is an engineering student while the younger brother is unemployed.

Both men are now being investigated on charges of criminal terrorist conspiracy and possession of a weapon linked to a terrorist undertaking, authorities said. They have been placed in pre-trial detention as the investigation continues.

French prosecutors did not release the suspects’ full identities and provided few details about the nature of the alleged plot, including what specific target may have been under consideration.

However, investigators said jihadist propaganda was discovered on the suspects’ digital devices. Authorities also said one of the brothers recorded a video pledging allegiance to ISIS, evidence that the pair were inspired by extremist ideology.

The case comes amid growing fears across Europe and the United States about potential attacks targeting Jewish communities, particularly as tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran ripple globally.

In the United States, a gunman crashed a truck into a synagogue in the Detroit area last week. In Europe, an explosion caused minor damage at a Jewish school in Amsterdam, while another blast sparked a fire at a synagogue in Belgium days earlier.

French authorities have already taken additional precautions in response to the rising threat. The Interior Ministry reinforced security around shuls earlier this month, deploying additional police patrols and protective measures.

France’s National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) has previously noted that antisemitic acts in the country tend to rise following Israeli military operations in the Middle East.

After the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, antisemitic incidents in France surged to a record high, according to the commission’s data. While the number of reported incidents fell by 16 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, officials say the threat remains serious.

Authorities have not said when the two suspects are expected to appear in court as the investigation moves forward.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Iran’s foreign minister on Sunday insisted that the regime’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains buried beneath the rubble of nuclear facilities bombed during the ongoing war, while also rejecting any ceasefire or negotiations with the United States or Israel.

In an with CBS’s Face the Nation, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the estimated 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent purity — material that can be relatively quickly refined to weapons-grade levels — remains trapped beneath the ruins of sites struck during the joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear facilities last June.

“Our nuclear facilities were attacked, and everything is under the rubble,” Araghchi said. “Of course, you know there is the possibility to retrieve them, but under the supervision of the [International Atomic Energy Agency]. If one day we come to the conclusion to do that, it would be under the supervision of the agency. But for the time being, we have no program. We have no plan to recover them from under the rubble.”

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Western intelligence assessments have long warned that such material could be converted to weapons-grade uranium in a relatively short timeframe if Iran chose to do so.

The uranium is widely believed to have been stored deep underground at the Isfahan nuclear complex, a key component of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The site was among those targeted during the wave of strikes carried out by Israel and the United States in June, part of a broader military campaign aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear program and deterring further escalation in the region.

The fate of the buried uranium has become a central concern for policymakers in Washington. President Donald Trump said last week that the United States could consider sending ground forces into Iran at some point in the future to secure the material, a move that would mark a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict.

Diplomatically, the issue had been at the center of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran before those negotiations collapsed amid the military campaign. U.S. officials had demanded that Iran relinquish its stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of any agreement designed to prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Araghchi suggested that Tehran could theoretically place the material on the negotiating table in the future, but insisted that no such discussions are currently underway.

“Everything depends on the future,” he said. “If any time in the future we decide to enter into negotiation with the U.S. or other interlocutors, we may decide what to put on the table. For the time being, nothing is on the table.”

The Iranian diplomat also flatly rejected claims from Washington that Tehran has been seeking a ceasefire or new negotiations following weeks of intense military pressure.

“No, we never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation,” Araghchi said. “We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes.”

He also pushed back on the notion that the current conflict threatens the survival of Iran’s ruling system.

“This is not a war of survival,” he said. “Iran is stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people from this act of aggression.”

Beyond the nuclear issue, Araghchi acknowledged that multiple countries have quietly approached Tehran seeking assurances that their commercial vessels will be allowed to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically vital maritime chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes.

Iran has threatened to restrict traffic through the strait as part of its response to the U.S.-Israeli strikes, raising fears of severe disruptions to global energy markets.

“We are open to countries who want to talk to us about the safe passage of their vessels,” Araghchi said, adding that several governments had already reached out to Tehran for discussions.

While he declined to identify the countries involved, a report by the Financial Times said France and Italy had contacted Iran to explore arrangements that would allow their shipping to pass through the strait safely.

According to Araghchi, Iran’s military has already allowed certain vessels from unspecified countries to pass through the waterway, though others have avoided the route altogether due to security concerns.

“This is up to our military to decide,” he said, adding that some countries are choosing not to send ships through the strait “because of the insecurity which is there, because of the aggression by the U.S.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

B”H

As Jewish families around the world prepare their homes for Pesach  cleaning, organizing, and getting ready for the Chag one family in Eretz Yisrael is facing a heartbreaking reality: they have no home to prepare.

Several months ago, the Shachar family’s life was shattered when an electric scooter battery suddenly exploded inside their home, igniting a massive blaze that consumed everything within minutes. The fire left the family with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Their home, their belongings, their memories all reduced to ashes.

But the physical destruction was only the beginning.

The Shachars’ young son suffered severe, life‑altering burns across his body. Since the tragedy, he has been undergoing long, painful rehabilitation, with doctors warning that the road to recovery will take years. His father, Reb Avraham Shachar, a respected sofer who supported his family with dignity, was forced to stop working entirely in order to care for his injured child and his other children, who are struggling with deep emotional trauma.

Click here to help>>

Today, as Erev Pesach approaches, the contrast is painful. While families across Klal Yisrael are preparing their homes for Yom Tov, the Shachar family is living in a small temporary apartment, fighting simply to get through each day. Instead of cleaning for Pesach, they are battling insurance companies, overwhelming expenses, and the crushing weight of rebuilding a life from nothing.

Community leaders who visited the family described the situation as “heartbreaking beyond words” and emphasized that the family cannot manage without the support of Klal Yisrael.

The financial burden is enormous: medical treatments, trauma therapy for the children, basic living expenses, and the massive cost of rebuilding a completely destroyed home. With Reb Avraham unable to work, the family’s situation has become urgent.

Click here to help>>

A special fund The Rescue Fund for the Shachar Family has been established to help them rebuild their home, continue the child’s treatments, and restore stability to a family that has endured unimaginable suffering.

As one neighbor put it: “No Jewish family should face Pesach like this. Not when we can help.”

Klal Yisrael is being asked to come together during these days of preparation and chesed to help the Shachar family rise from the ashes and rebuild their lives.

Click here to help>>

NEW YORK CITY (VINnews) – Virag Gulyas, raised in Hungary and once steeped in the stereotypical European antisemitism of her upbringing, has emerged as a prominent leader in the Zionist movement and global efforts to combat antisemitism, she told podcaster Alan Skorski in a recent interview.

Gulyas described how her early life in Hungary exposed her to common antisemitic tropes prevalent in parts of European culture. But personal relationships changed her perspective entirely.

After forming friendships with Jews and Israelis, and making multiple visits to Israel, Gulyas said she underwent a profound transformation. She ultimately dedicated herself to advocating for Zionism and fighting antisemitism, becoming an active voice in both causes.

In the podcast conversation, Gulyas recounted the key moments that shifted her worldview, crediting direct interactions and travel to the Jewish state for breaking through the indoctrination she experienced as a child.

Skorski’s interview highlights Gulyas’ story as one of personal redemption and cross-cultural understanding, offering listeners insight into how individual connections can challenge deeply ingrained prejudices.

A claim circulated by a Kan 11 reporter accusing residents of Bnei Brak of reckless behavior during the war was contradicted after police determined that the suspect involved in the incident was not from the city, exposing the allegation as unfounded.

Even as Israel remains at war, with sirens sounding across the country and missile attacks continuing, critics say some media figures continue directing hostility toward the chareidi public, sometimes attaching accusations to current events without evidence.

The latest episode occurred Sunday when a Kan 11 reporter used a criminal incident in Bnei Brak to accuse the city’s residents, despite lacking any factual basis. Police later clarified that the allegation was incorrect.

In a post on the social media platform X that remained online, reporter Hadas Greenberg shared a video showing a young man handling a cluster bomb fragment and wrote: “Meanwhile somewhere in Bnei Brak they are playing with a cluster bomb remnant. In the end they will really die and still not enlist.”

Police later reported that the individual involved was actually a resident of the Arab city of Tira. According to the police statement, officers detained the suspect after he allegedly collected a cluster bomb into his vehicle in Bnei Brak during the missile barrage and fled the scene.

Investigators were able to identify the suspect by tracing the vehicle’s license plate number and subsequently located and detained him.

Police bomb disposal units arrived at the scene, safely handled the cluster bomb that had been found, and conducted extensive searches of the surrounding area to ensure that no further danger remained to the public.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. security officials warned of unprecedented threats to Jewish communities following a series of recent attacks on shuls in the US and Europe, JTA reported.

“We are in the midst of the most elevated and complex threat environment the Jewish community and this country has seen in modern history,” said Kerry Sleeper, chief of threat management and information sharing for the Secure Community Network, a Jewish security organization.

Sleeper, a former FBI assistant director, added that the “various motivations of the attackers appear to be affiliated with the war between the US, Israel and Iran.”

Mitchell Silber, executive director of the Community Security Initiative, said in an interview that Jewish institutions may now need additional layers of protection.

“This might be a bit of a tipping point where we’ve gone to a new level, where really what’s required to secure a Jewish institution in the US starts to look like almost a Europeanization of security,” Silber said, adding that that would include posting multiple armed guards outside entrances of Jewish institutions.

“Unfortunately that seems to be where we are right now—the Jewish community has to up its game in terms of the external security of its locations,” he said.

Mike Jacobson, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who served in the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau, said, “It’s not entirely shocking to those of us who’ve watched this space for a long time. I would think things would continue to ratchet up again, at least in the short term.”

“There’s also this mix that makes it really hard to sort out in the initial stages, where you’ve got people, not only who may be directly tied to Iran, but people who are so-called ‘inspired’ by this,” Jacobson said. “Those are often really hard for law enforcement to get advance notice on.”

Not always does the threat come from direct orders from Iran, he said. “It’s often difficult to tell: Is this something that is directly tied to the organization, or is this something that is more by someone inspired [by the IRGC]?”

He added, “They are trying to inflict pain in as many directions as they can.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico City set a world record for the largest soccer class ever on Sunday as 9,500 participants filled the capital’s Zocalo square as the country prepares to host the opening match of the World Cup in June.

The city’s main square became a massive, open-air training ground with crowds practicing soccer drills under the guidance of instructors. Participants kicked balls and followed coordinated exercises to promote sport and community engagement.

Guinness World Records’ Alfredo Arista Rueda confirmed the record during the event.

“You are officially amazing. Officially Amazing! Congratulations!,” he said, as the crowd cheered and tossed confetti into the air.

Organizers said the turnout surpassed the previous Guinness record set in Seattle in June 2025, when a soccer class brought together 1,038 participants.

People practice soccer skills in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the “largest soccer class” at the Zocalo in Mexico City, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Fans in attendance said the record-breaking class builds momentum for the World Cup.

“The Azteca Stadium has hosted Pelé and Maradona; the World Cup here is magical,” said soccer coach Mario Alberto Álvarez Acosta.

Mexico also hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, with the Brazilian and the Argentine greats winning the trophy.

Sandra López Figueroa, a housewife, also enjoyed herself.

“I had fun; I did things I didn’t even know I could do,” she said.

People practice soccer skills in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the “largest soccer class” at the Zocalo in Mexico City, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

As the Iran war enters its third week, Israeli officials are examining a significant change to the passenger arrangement on special flights departing from Ben Gurion Airport that were originally designated to evacuate American citizens from Israel. If the proposal is approved, hundreds of additional Israelis may be permitted to join those flights leaving the country.

The proposal was discussed during a situation assessment currently taking place between Israel’s Home Front Command and the Ministry of Transportation. The talks are focusing on modifying seating allocations on the special flights so that more passengers can be accommodated.

Officials say the adjustment could allow many more Israelis to leave the country on flights that were initially organized primarily for American citizens. At the same time, additional easing measures related to aviation travel are also being examined.

Two weeks into the war, the Transportation Ministry has already reached agreements on certain aviation-related relaxations that are expected to take effect beginning tomorrow. Under the new arrangements, the number of passengers permitted on departing flights will increase. The change became possible after the Home Front Command authorized allowing larger numbers of people to be present at Ben Gurion Airport.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev convened a situation assessment Sunday evening to discuss expanding passenger quotas on outbound flights in the coming days, following an evaluation of the initial pilot program.

The plan under consideration would expand the pilot and introduce additional flights to the United States using wide-body aircraft capable of carrying approximately 300 passengers. Officials are also reviewing the possibility of increasing the number of passengers allowed on narrow-body aircraft traveling to European destinations—from roughly 100 passengers per flight today to between 150 and 170 passengers.

The move would represent another step in gradually restoring outbound flight activity at Ben Gurion Airport, which has been severely disrupted since the start of Operation Shaagas HaAri and the wave of cancellations by foreign airlines.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to meet Monday with a select group of Charedi Jewish leaders who previously endorsed him, in a session critics say is largely a “photo op.” Mainstream Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Community Relations Council, said they were not invited and expressed frustration over the brief, 15- to 20-minute sit-down, citing concerns about Mamdani and his wife’s handling of anti-Israel rhetoric.

Rabbi Moshe Indig, a leader of a Satmar sect in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, told the New York Post on Sunday that he will attend the meeting. Rabbi David Niederman, president of the United Jewish Organization of Williamsburg, is also expected. Both represent the Orthodox community, while broader advocacy groups have declined participation.

The meeting comes after widespread criticism of Mamdani hosting anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil at Gracie Mansion last week and scrutiny of posts liked by his wife, Rama Duwaji, on social media celebrating the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.

Amid reports of shortages in interceptor stockpiles for ballistic missile defense systems, an airlift of munitions has landed in Israel, enabling continued strikes on Iran, Kan News reported on Sunday morning.

The shipment was delivered after Israel dropped over 11,000 munitions on Iranian targets since the beginning of the war.

While the Iron Dome system is designed to counter short-range threats, the interceptors now in short supply are part of Israel’s primary and most effective defense against long-range attacks, especially ballistic missiles. Currently, Israel is also using fighter jets to carry out interceptions, but these are considered only a supplementary solution to the dedicated missile defense systems.

The update comes after a report by the SEMAFOR news outlet, known for its anti-Israel stance, claiming that Israel notified the US of a “critical shortage of ballistic‑missile interceptors.”

The report cited official U.S. sources.

One U.S. official said Washington had been aware of the issue “for months,” adding, “It’s something we expected and anticipated.” The official stressed that the United States itself is not facing a similar shortage: “We have all that we need to protect our bases, our personnel in the region, and our interests.”

According to the report, Israel is “coming up with solutions” to manage the shortfall.

Israeli sources emphasized that the joint nature of the campaign against Iran greatly improves the ability to address stockpile challenges, noting that Israel’s cooperation with the US allows for replenishment during the war, even if it lasts longer than initially expected.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Heavy mourning has descended upon the Bobover court as thousands of chassidim accompanied the venerable Reb Moshe Meir Einhorn z”l to his final resting place on Erev Shabbos.

A survivor of the dor de’ah and the devoted gabbai of Bobov’s Shaarei Tzion kehillah for fifty years, he passed away peacefully at the age of 100.

Reb Moshe Meir was born on Erev Sukkos 5686 in the town of Kashanov. His father was among the prominent Bobover chassidim in the area. As a child he merited to bask in the presence of the Bobover Rebbe, the Kedushas Tzion, during the period when the Rebbe resided in the town of Tchebin.

When he reached bar mitzvah age, on Erev Sukkos 5699, he traveled to don tefillin with his rebbe, the Kedushas Tzion. In doing so, he became the last living Jew known to have had the privilege of putting on tefillin with the Kedushas Tzion himself.

During the terrible years of the Holocaust, he endured six brutal years in concentration camps. Even under those horrific conditions he maintained his dignity and served Hashem with great mesirus nefesh.

After the war, he arrived in Switzerland, where he served as a shochet under the guidance of the renowned gaon, the Chelkas Yaakov of Zurich. A few years later he immigrated to the United States, where he bound himself with deep devotion to his rebbe, the Bobover Rebbe, the Divrei Shlomo. Even during those early years he already served as gabbai in the Bobover shtiebel in Boro Park, at a time when the Rebbe was still living in Crown Heights.

In 5730 he was officially appointed by the Divrei Shlomo of Bobov to serve as the gabbai of the Bobover Shaarei Tzion kehillah. He carried out that role with extraordinary dedication and unwavering loyalty for fifty consecutive years.

His strong connection to the Bobover court continued under the leadership of the Rebbe, Rav Naftali Tzvi of Bobov, and later with the current Bobover Rebbe, who showed him special warmth and affection.

Reb Moshe Meir maintained his energetic and disciplined chassidic routine almost until the very end of his life. Among other practices, he continued attending the Rebbe’s regular Shacharis minyan until only a few years ago, even after he had already passed the age of ninety.

Every Shabbos, during the tish of Rava D’Ravin, it was he who began the niggun of “Baruch Kel Elyon.” Each Erev Shabbos he would enter the Rebbe’s chamber to deliver the community’s rent payments.

Those who knew him described him as a chassid from an earlier generation, a Jew who embodied sincere avodas Hashem, integrity in business, and a warm countenance toward every person.

Only a few months ago, his wife passed away after nearly eighty years of marriage that began shortly after the war.

The levayah departed on Friday afternoon from the plaza of the Bobover Beis Medrash in Boro Park. The Bobover Dayan delivered a hesped on behalf of the chassidim, followed by members of the family.

At the head of the procession was the Bobover Rebbe, as well as other prominent rabbonim.

Reb Moshe Meir was laid to rest in the Bobover cemetery, in the section near the ohel of the Rebbes of the Bobover dynasty.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Sunday visited the missile impact site in the northern Arab-Israeli city of Zarzir, where 58 residents were injured in a missile strike last week.

In a statement to the international press, Saar said, “While we direct our fire at military targets, military infrastructure, and assets belonging to the evil regime in Iran, the Iranian regime deliberately targets civilians. All of the casualties and injuries we have suffered over the past two weeks from Iranian fire have been civilians. This is a war crime. This war exposes the true nature of the Iranian regime. This is not only how it acts toward Israel; it is how it behaves toward more than ten other countries in this region, including Arab states, where it attacks civilian infrastructure. The Iranian regime is committing war crimes, and the world must recognize this.”

Regarding Lebanon, Saar added, “If the Lebanese government and the Lebanese army want to change the situation, they must take action to stop the attacks carried out by Hezbollah from Lebanese territory into Israel. So far, they have done nothing significant to stop it. Ministers affiliated with Hezbollah still sit in the Lebanese government.”

“We support peace and normalization, including with Lebanon. We have no deep, fundamental disputes with the Lebanese state. The problem is Hezbollah. Hezbollah acts on orders from Tehran, not Beirut, contrary to the will of Lebanon and its citizens. Since the ceasefire in November 2024, Lebanon has not done what it was obligated to do to disarm Hezbollah. We are now seeing the consequences. We expect serious steps from Lebanon to stop the fire toward Israel. That is what must happen now.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

To join via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/645572066

 929-205-6099  ID: 64557206