Apple reclaimed its position as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company on Friday, overtaking Nvidia as investors reevaluated the artificial intelligence sector and shifted attention beyond the chipmaker that had dominated Wall Street for nearly a year.

Apple’s market capitalization climbed to approximately $4.88 trillion as its stock traded little changed, while Nvidia’s value slipped to about $4.86 trillion after its shares fell 3.5%. The move marks Apple’s return to the top for the first time since April of last year.

The change reflects a broader shift in investor sentiment as markets look beyond the most obvious AI winners. Nvidia has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI boom, but investors are increasingly recognizing opportunities elsewhere in the technology sector.

“Apple was seen as a laggard in the AI race because it wasn’t spending to develop models, but now sentiment has changed,” said Toni Meadows, head of investment at BRI Wealth Management.

“Apple is less ⁠exposed to capex intensity and better positioned to monetize AI via services, ecosystem lock-in, and hardware upgrades,” Meadows added. “The re-rating reflects confidence in earnings durability rather than speculative AI upside.”

The milestone also represents a significant turnaround for Apple, which had long been viewed as trailing competitors in artificial intelligence. The renewed confidence could influence how CEO Tim Cook’s tenure is ultimately judged as he prepares to hand leadership of the company to longtime hardware executive John Ternus in September.

Apple has recently stepped up its AI efforts, including the release last month of a long-awaited overhaul of Siri. The company hopes the upgraded voice assistant will narrow the gap with major technology rivals and emerging AI companies competing in the rapidly evolving field.

Some Wall Street analysts believe Apple’s greatest AI advantage may already be in customers’ pockets. They point to the vast amount of personal information stored securely on iPhones, saying it could significantly improve Siri’s usefulness and capabilities if Apple finds a way to leverage that data while maintaining its privacy commitments.

Nvidia reached a historic milestone in October when it became the first company ever to surpass a $5 trillion market valuation, underscoring the enormous investor enthusiasm surrounding AI hardware. Although Apple has now moved ahead, many analysts believe Nvidia remains exceptionally well positioned thanks to its dominant role in supplying graphics processors that power much of today’s generative AI industry.

Several market observers cautioned that the rankings could easily change again if investor sentiment swings back toward AI chipmakers. At the same time, Apple faces its own challenges after raising prices to offset higher costs, a move that could weigh on consumer demand.

“I don’t see any meaningful distinction. Nvidia likely to be a significant participant in whatever happens going forward,” said Benjamin Hall, vice president, alpha research at Segal Marco Advisors.

Investor enthusiasm for AI has also expanded well beyond Nvidia. Memory-chip manufacturers have emerged as some of the strongest performers this year, with Micron surpassing a $1 trillion market capitalization in May as investors increasingly recognized the importance of memory technology in AI infrastructure. South Korea’s SK Hynix also joined the Nasdaq earlier this month, giving investors another major AI-focused semiconductor company to consider.

“The new entrants to the market could spread out the focus away from the pure Magnificent Seven names into a wider number of names,” Hall said.

Even with optimism surrounding AI remaining strong, the semiconductor sector has experienced increased volatility. In July, concerns about whether the AI rally could be sustained pushed the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index nearly 19% below its record high. Despite that pullback, however, the index has still outperformed Nvidia’s stock so far this year.

{Matzav.com}

In a landmark ruling, a federal appeals court on Friday declared New Jersey’s ban on so-called assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines unconstitutional, marking the first time a federal appellate court has invalidated a state’s assault weapons prohibition under the Second Amendment.

The decision was issued by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. The court ruled that New Jersey’s restrictions on semiautomatic rifles, including AR-15-style firearms, as well as its prohibition on magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition, violate the constitutional right to keep and bear arms for self-defense.

The ruling comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is already considering similar legal challenges. Last month, the nation’s highest court agreed to review lower court decisions that upheld comparable assault weapons bans enacted in Cook County, Illinois, and the state of Connecticut. The Supreme Court currently has a 6-3 conservative majority.

The New Jersey case was brought by several gun rights organizations, which argued that the state’s firearms restrictions could no longer withstand constitutional scrutiny following the Supreme Court’s landmark 2022 Second Amendment decision.

In that case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, the Supreme Court ruled that modern firearm regulations must be “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition of ⁠firearm regulation.”

A federal district judge had previously issued a split decision in 2024, concluding that New Jersey’s prohibition on AR-15 rifles was unconstitutional while allowing the state’s ban on magazines holding more than 10 rounds to remain in effect.

The full appeals court went even further. By a 10-5 vote, it ruled that New Jersey’s ban on all semiautomatic rifles—not just AR-15-style firearms—violates the Second Amendment. The court also struck down the state’s restriction on large-capacity magazines, concluding that both provisions are unconstitutional.

You can now view Status updates, similar to WhatsApp Status, right inside Jooish News.

Tap the new Status tab in the bottom menu to discover and view any Status. It sits in the middle of the bar, between Groups and Discover.

Or jump straight there: open Status.

Found a Status you like? Join it, and it'll show up in your list for quick access.

You'll also see Status updates from groups you've joined. Look for the green ring around their avatar and tap it to open their updates.

New Status groups are added daily, so check back often. Want a specific Status added? Reach out and we'll make it happen.

Don't see the Status tab? Make sure you're on the latest version of Jooish. Here's how to update.

Dozens of Shabbos-observant travelers found themselves stranded in London just hours before the start of Shabbos after an Israir flight to Israel was canceled when the aircraft was damaged in an unusual ground accident at the airport.

Israir Flight 116, which had been scheduled to depart for Israel on Thursday evening, was forced to cancel after an airport service vehicle struck the aircraft while it was being towed before takeoff. The collision caused damage that rendered the plane unfit for flight.

According to reports, this was the third such incident to occur at the London airport. As far as is known, airport management has not conducted a formal investigation into the previous similar accidents. The latest mishap occurred during the aircraft’s towing procedure, when the service vehicle responsible for preparing the plane for departure collided directly with it.

After the damaged aircraft was evacuated, passengers were escorted back to the terminal, where they waited to retrieve their luggage. Israir arranged hotel accommodations and transportation for those affected. The airline also informed passengers who chose to make their own lodging arrangements that they would be reimbursed for hotel expenses, transportation, and meals, in accordance with the company’s policies and the information provided to them.

Since the incident, Israir has been working with all relevant authorities in an effort to operate a rescue flight as early as possible and return the stranded passengers to Israel. Those who are unable to travel because they observe Shabbos will instead be flown back on Sunday.

Israir apologized to its passengers for the disruption, emphasizing that the incident was beyond the airline’s control. The company added that it will continue assisting travelers until they return to Israel and stressed that the safety and security of its passengers remain its highest priority.

As Israel approaches the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, debate continues over the security establishment’s performance during the attack, with senior former officials still publicly disagreeing over what went wrong and what must change.

Adding his voice to the discussion, former Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eitan Ben Eliyahu argued that the military branch specifically designed for rapid emergency response failed to be available during the crucial opening hours of the assault. He said the Air Force’s foremost lesson from the attack should be to maintain forces on constant standby that can be deployed within 30 minutes, even when facing a surprise offensive.

According to Israeli journalist Gideon Alon, Ben Eliyahu made the remarks Friday while addressing the Commercial and Industrial Club during a lecture at the Hilton Hotel in Tel Aviv.

During his speech, Ben Eliyahu said, “the Air Force was built in a way that it could respond quickly, but on the morning of October 7th, it didn’t happen.”

He also stressed the importance of improving military preparedness for unexpected threats, saying, “one of the lessons that must be learned from the failure of October 7th is that a surprises can always happen and therefore, at least part of the Air Force must be ready within half an hour.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a groundbreaking new cholesterol-lowering pill that could transform treatment for millions of patients by providing the first oral alternative to injectable PCSK9 medications. The drug, developed by Merck and marketed under the brand name Lipfendra, is designed for people whose dangerously high cholesterol levels remain elevated despite taking statins.

The approval, announced Thursday, is aimed at patients suffering from artery-clogging LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol that continues to pose a serious cardiovascular risk even after treatment with standard cholesterol-lowering medications. Until now, drugs targeting the PCSK9 protein have only been available as injections, limiting their use because of high costs, insurance hurdles, and relatively limited prescribing.

Lipfendra is the first pill to work by blocking the liver protein known as PCSK9. That protein interferes with the body’s natural ability to remove cholesterol from the bloodstream. Injectable medications that target PCSK9 have been on the market for more than a decade through companies such as Amgen, but their widespread use has been hampered by financial and access barriers.

While statins remain the foundation of cholesterol treatment by reducing the liver’s production of cholesterol, many patients are unable to lower their LDL levels enough with statins alone. As a result, additional therapy is often necessary to help patients reach recommended cholesterol targets and reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke.

Merck, headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, secured FDA approval after two clinical trials involving high-risk patients who took Lipfendra in addition to their existing cholesterol medications, including statins. In one study involving approximately 3,000 participants, patients who received Lipfendra experienced a reduction in LDL cholesterol of more than 55% after six months. A second trial found that patients taking the medication achieved an average LDL reduction of 59% compared with those who received a placebo.

Researchers reported that the cholesterol-lowering effects remained largely consistent over the course of a year. The most commonly reported side effects, including dizziness and diarrhea, occurred at rates similar to those seen in patients taking the placebo. One important requirement is that the medication must be taken on an empty stomach.

The FDA evaluated Lipfendra through its accelerated review program for promising treatments considered to serve the public interest. The expedited pathway was established under then-FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, who resigned from the agency in May following months of pressure from pharmaceutical companies, patient advocates, and other outside organizations.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with elevated LDL cholesterol recognized as one of the primary contributors to heart attacks and strokes. While an LDL level below 100 is generally considered acceptable for healthy individuals, physicians typically recommend reducing LDL to 70 or lower for patients with heart disease or high cholesterol, with even lower targets advised for those considered to be at the highest cardiovascular risk.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli singer Eyal Golan announced that he has accepted upon himself not to travel on Shabbos after participating in a shiur held in his home, urging others to take on their own kabbalos as a zechus for the recovery of Rav Dov Kook, who is currently hospitalized following a serious respiratory complication.

Rav Dov Kook is being treated at Poriya Medical Center in Tiverya after suffering an acute respiratory illness. Golan encouraged the public to strengthen themselves in some way for the Rav’s recovery, asking each person to accept a positive kabbalah in his merit.

According to Golan, the shiur was arranged by his daughter, Aline. Expressing his appreciation to her, he said: “This week, my righteous daughter Aline hosted a Torah class here in my home. At the end of the class, I went outside and took upon myself that I would not travel on this Shabbat.”

Calling on others to join him, Golan added: “For the recovery of Rabbi Kook, I ask each and every one of you: take something upon yourselves, this Shabbat, for the recovery of Rabbi Kook. I took upon myself not to travel.”

He concluded by once again thanking his daughter for inspiring the commitment, saying: “Thank you to my righteous daughter Aline, who gave me this merit. Thank you.”

{Matzav.com}

New York is now spending more on Medicaid than it does on K-12 education, according to a new fiscal analysis that highlights the state’s rapidly escalating healthcare costs and raises fresh concerns about the long-term sustainability of its budget, the NY Post reports.

A report released by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found that New York spent $39.4 billion on its Medicaid program during the 2025-26 fiscal year, accounting for 26.5% of the entire state budget. That exceeded the $37 billion allocated for public schools, despite New York already ranking first in the nation in both Medicaid spending per resident and education spending per student.

The findings come as the Trump administration is investigating Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Medicaid program over possible waste, fraud, and abuse.

“When Medicaid outranks math, the state’s fiscal diagnosis isn’t complicated,” Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, told The Post. “Every tough decision New York makes to clean up Medicaid ensures that education is not crowded out.”

Federal officials have recently intensified their scrutiny of New York’s Medicaid system, with investigators focusing on several adult day care centers in New York City amid concerns over possible fraudulent billing and other abuses.

Medicaid is the federal-state health insurance program for low-income individuals, with funding shared among federal, state, and local governments. New York already spends more on the program per capita than any other state, while also leading the nation in per-pupil education spending.

According to DiNapoli’s report, state Medicaid expenditures have more than doubled over the past decade.

“In recent years, all [state] agency Medicaid spending has overtaken spending on School Aid,” DiNapoli’s report said in its review of New York’s record $269 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-27.

Together, Medicaid and education now consume more than half of the state’s overall budget.

Budget projections cited in the report indicate that state Medicaid spending will continue climbing sharply, reaching $53.3 billion within three years. That would represent approximately 29% of total state spending, while school aid is projected to rise to $43.7 billion, or 23.8% of the budget, leaving nearly a $10 billion gap between the two programs.

Bill Hammond, a senior fellow at the Empire Center for Public Policy who specializes in New York healthcare issues, argued that the current trajectory is unsustainable.

“Spending on Medicaid is too high. It’s a free for all. There’s no accountability. They don’t care about the results,” Hammond said.

He noted that virtually every segment of New York’s healthcare industry—including hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, pharmaceutical companies, and home healthcare providers—receives Medicaid funding.

“It’s not about serving the public interest. It’s about serving special interests,” he said.

Hammond acknowledged that Medicaid provides essential care for vulnerable populations, including low-income residents and individuals with disabilities. However, he argued that New York routinely spends beyond what is necessary, resulting in significant waste.

He pointed to the rapid expansion of adult day care centers serving elderly residents, where costs have surged and prosecutors have brought criminal cases alleging operators paid illegal kickbacks to recruit enrollees.

Hammond also said New York’s generous eligibility standards contribute to rising costs, noting that a majority of Medicaid recipients in the state have incomes above the federal poverty level.

DiNapoli’s report projects that Medicaid expenditures will increase by another $5 billion as hospitals absorb more uninsured patients arriving at emergency rooms after federal healthcare changes caused many residents to lose insurance coverage.

The comptroller also projects Medicaid enrollment will increase from 6.6 million to 7.2 million people as non-citizens transition from the state’s Essential Plan into Medicaid coverage.

According to Hochul’s Division of the Budget, the rising costs are being driven by mandatory wage increases for healthcare workers, higher prices for medical care and prescription drugs, increased reimbursement rates for hospitals and nursing homes, and continued growth among elderly and other high-cost patient populations.

The report also found a dramatic increase in the number of financially troubled hospitals across the state. Today, 75 of New York’s 261 hospitals—nearly 29%—are classified as financially distressed, representing a 200% increase over the past decade. As a result, federal and state financial assistance to struggling hospitals has risen by approximately 700%.

To address those financial pressures, the newly enacted state budget includes $500 million in one-time emergency funding for distressed hospitals.

DiNapoli concluded that Medicaid spending is now growing faster than the state’s statutory spending cap while healthcare-related tax revenues are declining. As a result, he warned that New York policymakers will eventually have to confront “the sustainability of the current trajectory of Medicaid spending.”

{Matzav.com}

Military prosecutors have filed an indictment against terrorist Shadi Juma for his role in the November 2007 murder of Ido Zoldan, bringing formal charges nearly 18 years after the deadly attack. The indictment was submitted Thursday evening following Juma’s recent capture by Israeli security forces.

The charges became possible after Juma was arrested roughly six weeks ago in Qalqilya during a joint operation conducted by the IDF, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), and the Gideonim Unit.

Israeli authorities said Juma was taken into custody immediately after completing a lengthy prison term in Palestinian Authority custody, where he had been incarcerated continuously since the time of the attack.

According to the indictment, the murder was not spontaneous but the result of extensive planning and a deliberate roadside ambush. “On November 19, 2007, Juma joined two additional accomplices, and together they formulated a detailed operational plan to carry out a targeted shooting attack against Jewish residents traveling on the main roads. The defendant and his accomplices traveled together to obtain weapons and prepare the vehicle that would be used both to carry out the attack and to facilitate their escape, while coordinating among themselves the manner in which the shooting would be executed and the specific weapons to be used,” the indictment states.

The indictment goes on to describe how the terror cell searched for Israeli targets before carrying out the fatal attack. “After completing the logistical preparations, the three members of the cell went into the field to locate vehicles driven by Israeli civilians. They agreed in advance that they would positively confirm the victim’s Jewish identity before opening fire, and they began lying in wait for passing vehicles. After identifying the car driven by the late Ido Zoldan, they closed in on it with their own vehicle. At that point, one of Juma’s accomplices opened fire at close range directly at Zoldan with the intent to kill him. As a result of the shooting, Ido Zoldan was killed. Immediately after carrying out the attack, Juma and his accomplices fled the scene.”

Military prosecutors have charged Juma with “causing death with intent while acting in concert,” the offense under military law that is equivalent to a murder charge.

{Matzav.com}

A controversial proposal to use Nile crocodiles as a security measure around Israeli prisons holding terrorist inmates has sparked a growing dispute after Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman approved a legal designation intended to advance the plan despite objections from her ministry’s legal adviser and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Silman declared the Nile crocodile a “cultivated wild animal,” a classification designed to allow the Israel Prison Service to deploy crocodiles around correctional facilities. The decision was made over the objections of both the ministry’s legal counsel and the professional recommendations submitted by wildlife experts.

The initiative began several months ago after the Ministry of National Security reportedly pressed the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to permit the transfer of crocodiles from the Hamat Gader park for use around prisons housing security prisoners. The pilot program was reportedly slated to begin at Ketziot Prison.

Last month, the ministry’s legal adviser, attorney Neta Drori, sent Silman a sharply worded letter arguing that there was no factual or professional basis for moving forward with the proposal. She wrote that there is no recognized precedent for using crocodiles as a security measure at modern correctional facilities.

“With regard to the use that was made in the United States, it was noted that this was an experiment for a short period that was discontinued. Apparently, this involved an area where crocodiles were naturally present, and therefore there is no basis for comparison,” the letter stated.

Drori also argued that the proposal requires extensive review from an animal welfare standpoint. She wrote, “Although Israel Prison Service officials stated that they are aware of and prepared to ensure the animals’ physical welfare, among other things based on their experience handling dogs, it appears that the organization has no expertise in raising dangerous wild animals such as crocodiles.”

The legal adviser concluded that the proposal could not legally proceed, writing, “In light of this, our position is that the legal conditions required for such a declaration have not been met, and there is therefore a legal impediment to advancing the declaration as requested.”

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority reached a similar conclusion. In an opinion submitted to the ministry’s legal adviser, the authority’s chief prosecutor, attorney Shay Peretz, wrote that “no sufficient professional basis was found to approve the keeping of crocodiles at security facilities in Israel, regardless of the legal mechanism through which such keeping would be authorized.”

The authority’s professional assessment was unequivocal, stating: “The very introduction of a large, dangerous, long-lived and non-native wild animal into a complex operational security system creates a range of significant risks that do not allow, from a professional standpoint, a recommendation to advance the program.”

Dr. Noam Lider, head of the Ecology Department in the authority’s Science Division, also raised concerns about the welfare of the animals. He wrote, “The use of crocodiles as a means of security or deterrence goes beyond the purposes for which wild animals are commonly kept and creates an inherent concern that security and operational needs will outweigh the welfare, veterinary care and maintenance required throughout the many decades of the animal’s life.”

The opinion further warned that even the escape of a single crocodile could create an ongoing environmental and public safety hazard. “A crocodile that reaches a drainage system, reservoir, stream, fish pond or other body of water could survive for a long time, be difficult to locate and capture, prey on native wildlife and endanger the public,” the report stated.

Officials noted that Nile crocodiles had previously been designated as cultivated wild animals to allow commercial farming for their skins. That effort ultimately resulted in numerous problems, including crocodile escapes and fears that the reptiles would establish themselves in the wild and endanger the public. Former Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan later ended the practice based on the recommendation of the advisory committee of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Despite the legal and professional objections, Silman chose to move forward with the plan. She said a senior professional at the Nature and Parks Authority had indicated there was no opposition to the Prison Service initiative and that a previously approved legal framework already existed.

Silman argued there is a fundamental distinction between the unsuccessful commercial crocodile operations of the past and having Israel’s prison service—an agency responsible for preventing dangerous terrorists from escaping—oversee the reptiles while complying with the authority’s requirements.

As part of the move, the minister effectively created a new legal classification of “cultivated wild animal for security purposes,” reviving a dormant provision of Israel’s Wildlife Protection Law.

Environmental and animal welfare organizations have sharply criticized the proposal. Let the Animals Live, the IDF Veganism Promotion Headquarters, Animals, and the Keren Or Rescue Farm said in a joint statement: “We strongly oppose the use of animals as a means of guarding and deterrence. Crocodiles are sentient animals with complex needs for space, water, temperature and natural behavior. It is highly doubtful that placing them in prisons can comply with Israel’s Animal Welfare Law.”

The groups also pointed to the mass killing of crocodiles at a Jordan Valley breeding facility, saying, “We have already seen where this leads: At the Petzael farm, hundreds of crocodiles were slaughtered for no reason after being imported for leather production. We must not create the next failure.”

They added, “Today there are countless real security measures available—cameras, sensors, electronic fences and guard towers—so there is no justification for using crocodiles. It is also highly doubtful that the crocodiles intended for this purpose have aggressive temperaments, and in any event, during the winter they slow their metabolism dramatically, become very sluggish and stop eating.”

The organizations concluded with a warning: “Security should be achieved through real security measures, not through animals. We are considering filing a petition with the High Court of Justice over the matter.”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF and Shin Bet announced Friday that Israeli forces eliminated Anas Mahmoud Ahmed Hamdan, a Hamas company commander who played a key role in the captivity of Israeli hostages and oversaw Hamas propaganda efforts in Khan Yunis. Hamdan was killed in a precision airstrike carried out Thursday in the Khan Yunis area.

According to Israeli security officials, Hamdan was deeply involved in managing Israeli hostages held in Gaza. He took part in their transfer between locations and was involved in arrangements surrounding their release as part of hostage exchange agreements. He also directed the Khan Yunis Brigade’s propaganda operations for Hamas.

The IDF said Hamdan had long served as a trusted aide to some of Hamas’ most senior military leaders, including Mohammed Deif and Rafaa Salameh, maintaining that role for years and throughout the current war.

Israeli officials stated that during the conflict, Hamdan was directly responsible for guarding Israeli hostages and overseeing the filming of captives during Hamas’ staged release ceremonies. Before the October 7 war, he had also been involved in the captivity of Israeli civilian Avera Mengistu.

In recent months, the military said, Hamdan helped train Hamas operatives while working to plan and facilitate terrorist attacks targeting IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians. The IDF described him as an ongoing threat to troops operating in Gaza, adding that he was eliminated in a carefully targeted aerial operation.

The IDF said Hamdan’s death represents a significant operational achievement, removing a terrorist who played a critical role in protecting and assisting senior Hamas commanders responsible for carrying out the October 7 massacre.

{Matzav.com}

The Jewish community in Iran has announced that the kever of Mordechai and Esther in the city of Hamadan has been closed to visitors until further notice, officially citing ongoing renovation work. However, sources familiar with the situation say the closure is actually the result of security threats from extremist groups.

In an unusual public notice, the Iranian Jewish community urged members of the community not to travel to the historic site.

The announcement stated, “To the members of our community: Due to ongoing repairs and improvements at the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan, visits to this holy site will not be possible until further notice.”

Until recently, members of Iran’s Jewish community were required to coordinate visits to the site through the Jewish Association of Tehran. The latest notice makes clear that even those arrangements have been suspended.

“Under the current circumstances, even such coordination is not possible until further notice,” the statement said. “Therefore, all members of our community are requested to refrain from visiting or traveling to Hamadan to the Tomb of Mordechai and Esther until further notice.”

Despite the official explanation, sources familiar with the matter told local media that the closure is not related to renovation work but to threats reportedly made by extremist elements. They pointed to the complete suspension of visitor approvals as evidence that security concerns—not construction—are behind the decision.

The tomb has been the target of anti-Israel demonstrations in the past. Two weeks after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, demonstrators gathered at the site, burned Israeli flags, and staged a protest that was reportedly led by extremist activists seeking to inflame anti-Israel sentiment.

The site was also attacked in April 2024, when Iranian extremists were filmed throwing Molotov cocktails toward the compound while a Palestinian flag was flown over the area.

Despite those incidents, local residents of Hamadan have generally continued to safeguard the historic Jewish site. According to reports, the threats and attacks have been carried out by a small group of extremists rather than by the broader local population.

The Knesset has given final approval to legislation requiring several major government agencies to send recorded voice notifications to Israelis whose mobile phones cannot receive text messages, marking a significant victory for the Chareidi community. The bill, sponsored by Deputy Communications Minister Yisrael Eichler, passed its second and third readings with the support of 16 lawmakers and no votes in opposition or abstentions, becoming law just before the Knesset adjourned ahead of new elections.

Under the new law, the Israel Tax Authority, the Population and Immigration Authority, and the National Insurance Institute will be required to send recorded voice messages to mobile phone users whose devices do not support SMS whenever those agencies issue standard digital notifications. The system must either confirm that the recipient received the message or make several reasonable attempts to deliver it. Recipients will also be be able to replay the recorded message for at least 30 days.

The legislation is designed to address a longstanding problem faced by thousands of Chareidi families who use kosher phones that cannot receive text messages. Until now, many of those users have struggled to receive important notices from government agencies because official communications were often sent only by SMS. Much of the Chareidi community uses these limited-function phones in accordance with the guidance of leading Torah authorities to avoid unrestricted technology.

The explanatory notes accompanying the legislation state that Israel’s Digital Communication with Public Bodies Law requires designated government agencies to provide commonly used public services through digital means. However, the law also recognizes that those services must remain accessible to individuals who either lack digital skills or do not have the technology needed to receive such communications.

Implementation of the new requirements will take place gradually over a period of up to three years. Within the first two years, at least 60 percent of the most frequently used government services must be made accessible through the voice notification system. The law also requires the government to collect data on services made digitally available in Arabic, Amharic, and Russian.

Deputy Communications Minister Eichler welcomed the bill’s passage, saying, “With Hashem’s help, just before the Knesset’s dissolution, we have delivered important news for the public that follows the guidance of the leading Torah sages and refrains from using non-kosher technology. They deserve every right afforded to every other segment of Israeli society.”

He added, “I am pleased that just before the Knesset dissolved, we succeeded in passing this critically important legislation for users of kosher phones who follow the directives of the leading Torah sages. In the next Knesset, we will fight to expand the law so that all government authorities will send necessary voice notifications to everyone who uses phones that cannot receive text messages.”

The legislation is not Eichler’s first effort to improve government accessibility for kosher phone users. He previously promoted a measure that eliminated excess charges on telephone lines used for remote learning, a move that saved thousands of families substantial amounts of money.

Trump Media & Technology Group announced Thursday that it plans to introduce a premium data service offering hedge funds and institutional investors near-instant access to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social posts, seeking to capitalize on the growing demand for faster access to market-moving information.

The new service, called Truth API, is scheduled to launch next month and will be available to hedge funds, high-frequency trading firms, and other institutional clients.

While the company said several customers have already enrolled, it declined to specify exactly how much faster the premium feed will be compared to the publicly available version.

Since President Trump returned to the White House, his Truth Social account has become a major source of breaking news capable of moving financial markets. His posts on tariffs, international trade, foreign policy, and the war with Iran have frequently triggered sharp swings in stocks, bonds, and energy prices.

Many professional trading firms already subscribe to premium data services from platforms such as X and Reddit, where even fractions of a second can provide a competitive edge in reacting to breaking news.

According to Trump Media, the new Truth API is intended to eliminate the delay between the moment a post is published and the moment it reaches institutional subscribers.

Interim CEO Kevin McGurn said the company expects the new service to become an important source of recurring revenue as Trump Media continues expanding beyond social media into cryptocurrency, streaming services, and nuclear fusion technology.

As part of that diversification strategy, Trump Media is pursuing a merger with California-based nuclear fusion startup TAE Technologies.

Last December, the company announced a $6 billion all-stock merger agreement with TAE, marking a significant move into the fusion energy sector. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2026, or earlier, pending regulatory approval and shareholder consent.

Trump Media has not revealed pricing for the Truth API, and company officials have not disclosed how much they expect institutional subscribers will ultimately pay for the service.

McGurn said he believes financial firms will see enough value in receiving Truth Social posts more quickly than they could obtain them through web scraping or other public methods to justify paying for the premium service.

Axios has reported that the platform could eventually introduce multiple subscription tiers, allowing customers to pay higher fees for access to a broader selection of monitored Truth Social accounts.

Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT) fell about 3% on Thursday, closing at $9.28. The stock has declined roughly 77% since President Trump returned to office in 2025.

{Matzav.com}

A 4-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital Thursday evening after choking on a coin at his home in Bnei Brak.

United Hatzalah emergency medical teams were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of a child who was choking. First responders provided emergency treatment after determining that the boy had swallowed a coin that became lodged in his airway.

Yisrael Horowitz, a United Hatzalah EMT and ambulance driver, together with HOD Unit volunteers Shaya Fischer and Meny Streicher, described the emergency response.

“We performed a series of maneuvers and attempts to dislodge the coin that had become stuck in his airway,” they said. “He was then transported quickly to Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petach Tikva suffering from mild respiratory distress. His condition is stable.”

United Hatzalah urged parents to keep small objects, toys, and other items that could pose choking hazards out of the reach of young children. The organization emphasized that taking basic safety precautions can help prevent unnecessary accidents and tragedies.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) issued a stark warning Thursday that the Democratic Party is steadily distancing itself from Israel and failing to stand with the American Jewish community, arguing that the shift is becoming increasingly evident and is likely to intensify.

Appearing on Newsmax TV’s The Record, Fetterman said he has long cautioned fellow Democrats that the party was moving in that direction. Referring to Wednesday’s House vote on aid to Israel, he said, “are going to back, back, back, back away from Israel and not defend the Jewish community in our nation. And that’s where we are. We have that manifestation with that vote yesterday” and warned that the trend “won’t stop. In fact, if anything, it’s going to accelerate.”

Host Greta Van Susteren noted what she described as a steady rise in antisemitism across the country, pointing to incidents on college campuses, in public demonstrations, and what she called a dramatic shift among House Democrats.

“Senator, it’s been drip, drip, drip, drip of antisemitism in this country. We’ve seen it grow on college campuses, on streets. And now we have this, what I would describe as almost a seismic shift inside the House of Representatives, where 104 Democrats want to cut the funding from Israel. Your thought about this.”

Fetterman responded by citing the anti-Israel protests that swept college campuses, where demonstrators occupied buildings and Jewish students reported feeling intimidated. He said he supported the Trump administration’s efforts to hold universities accountable for their handling of those incidents, including Harvard University, his alma mater.

“Yeah, well, without a doubt, look at the kinds of chaos that happened on the college campuses all across our nation. And you had students taking over buildings and terrorizing Jewish students. As a Democrat, I absolutely supported when the Trump administration held a lot of these universities fully accountable, including my own alma mater, too, at Harvard, too. So, to be clear, that’s not something I’m surprised to witness, but it’s something I’ve been warning within the Democratic Party, we, in the Democratic Party are going to back, back, back, back away from Israel and not defend the Jewish community in our nation. And that’s where we are. We have that manifestation with that vote yesterday.”

Van Susteren later asked whether the political shift could still be reversed, noting the growing number of House Democrats opposing aid to Israel.

“How do we reverse this trend? Because, as I started this interview, I pointed out how everything is drip, drip, drip, and now we’re taking this huge leap within the Democratic members of the House of Representatives, 104 of them. How do we stop — how do we arrest this trend?”

Fetterman replied that he does not believe the movement is slowing down and expects it to become even more pronounced.

“It won’t stop. In fact, if anything, it’s going to accelerate. Look at the people that have won. They’ve — anti-Israel, anti-American, anti-Western Civilization overall.”

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is moving to reinstate stricter financial requirements for immigrants seeking permanent legal residency by reversing a Biden-era policy that largely disregarded an applicant’s use of government assistance programs when evaluating eligibility for a green card.

According to CBS News, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to rescind the Biden administration’s regulations and restore the longstanding “public charge” standard used to determine whether an immigrant is likely to become financially dependent on taxpayer-funded benefits.

The public charge test is designed to assess whether an applicant is capable of supporting himself financially or is likely to rely on government assistance after receiving lawful permanent resident status.

Under federal law, immigration officials may determine that an applicant is inadmissible if he or she is expected to become a “public charge” supported by public funds. In 2022, the Biden administration narrowed the policy, allowing many applicants who received certain forms of public assistance to remain eligible for green cards.

The revised policy being prepared by DHS would return to the broader standards that were implemented during President Trump’s first administration in 2016. Under those guidelines, immigration officers may consider factors including an applicant’s age, health, family circumstances, assets, financial resources, education, job skills, and use of means-tested government assistance programs.

As part of the change, the administration also plans to once again include benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid, and housing assistance among the programs considered when determining whether an applicant is likely to become a public charge.

DHS estimates that the revised policy could affect as many as 588,000 individuals applying for green cards from within the United States. According to reports, the rule could take effect as early as October.

Although the Trump administration is restoring the policy, the public charge standard itself predates both the Trump and Biden administrations. The modern version of the rule was first adopted in 1999 during President Bill Clinton’s administration.

The public charge proposal is one of several immigration policy changes currently under consideration. The administration is also weighing additional financial requirements for immigrants applying for green cards from outside the United States.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the State Department is evaluating a proposal that would require certain overseas green card applicants to post a $100,000 bond before being permitted to immigrate.

If adopted on a broad scale, the bond requirement could make permanent residency unattainable for many applicants who lack substantial financial resources.

The Journal reported that “applicants would likely pay the bond and receive the money back only after becoming U.S. citizens, a process that takes at least five years. That way, the bond would serve as collateral if a green-card holder moved to the country and proved unable to support themselves.”

“President Trump has made clear that those who wish to immigrate to the United States must be financially self-sufficient,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said, and added that the administration is exploring the bond idea “as a way to demonstrate they have access to the funds needed to support themselves.”

{Matzav.com}

Andy Burnham officially became leader of Britain’s governing Labour Party on Friday, paving the way for him to become the country’s next prime minister when he takes office next week following Keir Starmer’s resignation.

Labour confirmed the outcome of its leadership race, which was held to choose a successor to Starmer. Burnham ran unopposed, making Friday’s announcement largely ceremonial after he had already secured overwhelming backing from Labour lawmakers.

His victory had effectively been guaranteed after receiving the nominations of 379 out of Labour’s 403 members of Parliament in the House of Commons by Thursday evening.

“We’re going to give them hope back,” Burnham said in his first speech as leader. “This is a proud moment you have given me and my family today, and an emotional one, but it is one for which I am ready.”

Starmer’s departure followed weeks of mounting calls for him to step down after Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections earlier this year. His resignation was ultimately triggered by a leadership challenge from within his own party. He will remain prime minister through Monday, when he is scheduled to formally submit his resignation to King Charles III, who will then invite Burnham to form a new government.

Burnham, who previously served as mayor of Greater Manchester, has spent recent weeks preparing to assume the country’s highest office, though he has offered only a limited preview of his policy agenda. After winning a parliamentary by-election last month, he pledged to pursue a style of politics “based on unity and hope” while promoting economic growth that benefits every region of Britain.

Despite his lengthy public career, Burnham remains relatively unfamiliar to many voters outside Greater Manchester. He has largely stayed out of the national spotlight, holding few media appearances and avoiding major press conferences since emerging as Labour’s leader-in-waiting.

When he moves into 10 Downing Street, Burnham will become Britain’s seventh national leader since 2016. Widely regarded as one of Labour’s strongest communicators, he is known for a more approachable and informal style than Starmer. Nevertheless, he inherits many of the same challenges, including sluggish economic growth, persistent cost-of-living pressures fueled by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and increasing strain on Britain’s public services.

During his first address as Labour leader, Burnham began outlining the priorities of his incoming government. According to his office, he intends to demonstrate that he has the “courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected.”

Among his stated goals are rebuilding the British economy, expanding public oversight of key industries, and creating a new generation of modern manufacturing jobs. He argued that Britain made “a series of wrong turns in the 1980s” when “political power was centralized and economic power privatized.”

The comments were a reference to the reforms introduced under Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whose policies of privatization, industrial restructuring, and centralized government reshaped Britain’s economy during that decade.

Burnham also identified social care as one of his top priorities. In a video posted to social media on Thursday evening, he said his government would seek to improve inconsistent access to care for elderly people and those living with illness or disabilities, an issue that has challenged successive Labour and Conservative governments as Britain’s population continues to age.

Burnham has also been openly critical of President Donald Trump in the past, arguing that the president’s leadership has contributed to global instability.

“The path we’re on, if we are not careful, is a path towards the politics of the United States of America,” Burnham warned during a campaign appearance in June. While he didn’t attribute it directly to Mr. Trump, he said Americans were grappling with “a polarized, poisonous politics where people in communities don’t work together anymore.”

In an interview last year with The London Economic, Burnham discussed President Trump’s reelection alongside the rise of right-wing populist movements across Europe, saying, “I think we now have to have a real debate about what that means and the instability that [former prime minister] Liz Truss brought to Britain, I think Trump is bringing to the U.S. and the world.”

{Matzav.com}

China forcefully denied interfering in U.S. elections Thursday night after President Donald Trump announced the release of newly declassified intelligence documents that he said detail years of Chinese efforts to influence American elections and undermine confidence in the nation’s electoral system.

During his nationally televised address, Trump said one of the central categories of declassified material focuses on what he described as extensive efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in U.S. elections over the past decade. According to the president, the intelligence files allege that China amassed a vast database of American voter information and concluded that Beijing strongly opposed his reelection ahead of the 2020 election because of concerns over his approach to the presidency.

Following the speech, the Chinese Embassy in Washington responded in a statement provided to CBS News, rejecting the allegations. The statement came after Trump’s address also discussed alleged election-related activities involving other foreign countries and broader concerns about election security.

“China has all along adhered to the principle of non-interference in others’ internal affairs,” the statement reportedly read. “The U.S. election is an internal matter of the U.S. Its outcome is determined by the votes of the American people. China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S.”

China has previously faced accusations from several democratic nations of attempting to influence their political systems. In Canada, the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) task force announced in 2025 that it had uncovered “coordinated and malicious activity” tied to accounts linked to the Chinese government during the federal election that brought longtime China business associate Mark Carney to the office of prime minister. Australia has also experienced similar concerns, including a 2017 scandal involving a senior senator who accepted money from a billionaire connected to the Chinese regime before publicly adopting positions viewed as favorable to Beijing.

In his remarks Thursday, Trump alleged that “the People’s Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history — resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files.”

Although the president’s address covered a range of election security concerns, including vulnerabilities in voting systems and alleged intelligence failures, he singled out China as the most significant foreign threat outlined in the newly released records.

Trump said the intelligence documents indicate that China’s access to election-related data extended into approximately 18 states, giving Beijing access to “sensitive data that would be needed to register to vote, and engage in other nefarious activities.”

“This data loss presents an unprecedented election security nightmare,” he observed. “The intelligence even shows that China assigned a data exploitation unit specifically to this new project.”

The president also referenced another intelligence document released by the White House that he said concluded China’s leadership actively sought to prevent his return to office.

“They did not want and they just didn’t want it, they fought like hell not to have it, Donald Trump to win,” he said, stating that CIA documents recorded that China would “leverage all domestic and foreign elements that were opposed to the U.S. president in an effort to reduce the U.S. president’s votes and make him resign or lose the election.”

Trump further alleged that some of the declassified records show “intelligence agencies worked to actively suppress and downplay information about the extent of China’s sinister election meddling.” He said he would direct senior intelligence and law enforcement officials to “investigate how and why such crucial info was hidden, to fire those involved in the cover-up and to press charges.”

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri made it clear on Thursday that his party will not join forces with Gadi Eisenkot or his newly formed Yashar party after the upcoming elections, reaffirming that Shas remains firmly committed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the national camp.

“We support Netanyahu, period. Eisenkot is leading a camp of hatred against everything Judaism stands for. We are with Netanyahu all the way, backing him to lead the camp and serve as Prime Minister. The faith-based bloc is our bloc,” Deri said in an interview with Yishai Cohen on the Kikar HaShabbat news website.

While acknowledging that there is disappointment within the Chareidi camp over the conduct of Likud and other parties in the right-wing coalition, Deri stressed that Shas sees no viable alternative. “Netanyahu is the most experienced figure. The faith-based bloc is our home. We have our grievances with them, but there is simply no alternative.”

Deri also said that if Netanyahu wins another term, he would urge him to pursue the formation of a broad-based national coalition rather than limiting the government to right-wing parties alone. “I strongly support the Prime Minister’s intention to make every effort to form a broad government. We have always striven for a coalition like that because it fosters greater consensus and reduces division. While a ‘fully right-wing’ government gave us a majority, it also deepened polarization and hostility. If we can expand the government with our bloc as its foundation, that would be the ideal outcome.”

{Matzav.com}

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared that any Israeli citizens found in the country would be expelled immediately as authorities investigate reports that Israelis may have participated in an international technology retreat in the Muslim-majority nation.

“If we find any Israeli, we will deport them immediately because we do not recognize Israel,” Ibrahim said during an interview with the English-language news outlet Free Malaysia Today, according to JNS.

Responding to allegations that Israeli citizens with dual nationality had entered Malaysia, Ibrahim said anyone holding an Israeli passport “will be deported if the allegations are proven true.” He added that “all relevant agencies are already conducting investigations.”

The controversy centers on reports that Israeli nationals may have attended Network School, a residential technology community located in Forest City near the Singapore border. The project was launched in 2024 by American technology investor Balaji Srinivasan and markets itself as a destination for self-described “techno-optimists,” offering accommodations, meals, workspaces, fitness facilities, and other shared amenities for a monthly fee of $1,500.

Malaysia’s Immigration Department said Thursday that investigators have not yet uncovered evidence confirming that Israeli citizens took part in the program.

“So far, we have not found any evidence to verify the allegations regarding the presence of Israelis in the Network School program,” Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban told the New Straits Times. “Preliminary checks found that all those inspected possessed valid immigration documents based on current records.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately issue a response Thursday after being asked to comment on the Malaysian investigation.

Malaysia does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel and has long taken a hardline stance toward the Jewish state. In December 2023, Malaysian authorities arrested one of their own citizens after he posted a social media video calling for peace with Israel.

That same month, the Malaysian government barred Israeli-flagged cargo vessels from entering the country’s ports, citing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which it said disregarded “basic humanitarian principles”.

In another high-profile incident, Malaysian officials announced in 2022 that they had arrested individuals they identified as suspected Mossad operatives accused of attempting to abduct a Palestinian man in Kuala Lumpur whom authorities said was working on behalf of Hamas.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump sharply criticized ABC and NBC during his nationally televised address Thursday night, accusing the networks of deliberately refusing to broadcast his speech because it focused on election security and newly declassified intelligence that he said exposes serious flaws in the nation’s election system.

Speaking from the White House, Trump said the networks chose not to carry his address after learning it would center on recently declassified intelligence concerning election vulnerabilities and alleged foreign interference.

“In a rare move, NBC and ABC Fake News have both said that they would not cover this speech,” Trump said during the address, which was broadcast live on Newsmax and the free Newsmax2 streaming platform. “They knew what it was about because of the fact that they don’t like the topic, because they know how corrupt our system is, and they don’t want to reveal it.”

The president expanded his criticism beyond the two broadcast networks, accusing other major media outlets of working to keep information about election-related issues from the American public.

“They and others in the media are part of a plot,” Trump said. “They want to continue this fraud for whatever reason. They want to keep it going. They want to protect the radical left.”

Trump also argued that television networks should face serious penalties for what he described as their failure to honestly report on election integrity issues.

“Fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses,” Trump said. “They use our public multibillion-dollar-in-value airways for absolutely no money. They pay nothing. All we want is honesty in our elections and honesty in reporting.”

Neither ABC nor NBC aired the president’s speech live. CNN likewise declined to broadcast the address, instead making a live feed available through its website and streaming platform.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., also condemned the decision by the television networks not to carry the speech on their primary channels.

“Some of the facts that will be revealed in President Trump’s speech tonight are truly shocking,” Schmitt, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, wrote on X. “If the networks were truly serving the public interest they would air it and as a country we would collectively resolve to take action.”

Trump’s address coincided with his announcement that his administration was releasing newly declassified intelligence records that he said document foreign attempts to influence American elections, expose weaknesses in election infrastructure, and reveal alleged misconduct by intelligence officials.

The president maintained that the newly released material demonstrates the urgent need to strengthen election safeguards and renewed his call for Congress to approve the SAVE America Act.

{Matzav.com}

Israel officially entered election season early Friday morning after the Knesset voted to dissolve itself, bringing the 25th Knesset to an end following hours of political drama, frantic efforts to locate missing lawmakers, and intense last-minute pressure by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to secure the votes needed for passage.

The final vote marked the conclusion of a turbulent overnight session in which coalition leaders scrambled to assemble the required majority. Several coalition members were absent from the plenum and unreachable by phone, prompting an urgent search to bring them back for the decisive vote. Netanyahu and senior coalition officials became personally involved in the effort to ensure the bill’s approval.

In the final moments before the vote, the coalition secured the crucial 61st vote needed to pass the dissolution measure. MKs Galit Distel Atbaryan and Avi Maoz were summoned to the Knesset late at night and arrived in time to cast their votes in favor of dissolving the legislature.

Behind the scenes, the coalition also had to overcome a dispute with Shas. After direct appeals from Prime Minister Netanyahu, the party ultimately agreed to support dissolving the Knesset, providing the votes necessary to complete the process.

Earlier in the evening, Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri had walked out of the plenum along with his party’s lawmakers after learning that opposition parties would not support legislation to increase public funding for political parties. Explaining his decision, Deri said, “I will teach the opposition a lesson. They are always saying the Chareidim only want money. We don’t need this money.”

He continued, “Shas is the most organized party and has no debts. They want this law more than we do, but they want us to pass it, take all the criticism, and then they will receive the money. That is not going to happen.”

Despite the internal disagreements and dramatic final hours, the coalition ultimately succeeded in completing the legislative process to dissolve the Knesset. Israel’s political system has now officially entered the next election campaign, which will conclude with the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset.

In this episode, Rabbi Reinman discusses the events that led up to the Roman conquest of Judea and the establishment of the Herodian dynasty.

WATCH:

Chapter Forty-Six: The Roman Conquest

Concerned for the stability of her country after her passing, Salome left specific instructions. The Pharisees were to remain in control of the religious and legal life of the country. Hyrcanus, her elder son, who was already serving as high priest, would ascend to the throne as her rightful heir. Aristobulus, her fiery and ambitious younger son, would be given military responsibilities.

Salome had hoped to prevent  a civil war, but even as she lay on her deathbed in 67 b.c.e., fighting had already broken out. With support from the army, and from the Sadducees who had been sidelined by Salome, Aristobulus seized twenty fortresses and declared his claims to the throne.  Within months, Aristobulus defeated Hyrcanus.

The brothers met in the Holy Temple to settle their dispute and swore an oath to abide by the agreement. Aristobulus replaced Hyrcanus on the throne. He also insisted that Hyrcanus resign as high priest, because by Hasmonean tradition, the king was also high priest. In exchange, he allowed Hyrcanus to live in Jerusalem and keep his wealth. They also exchanged houses. Aristobulus moved into the royal palace, and Hyrcanus moved into the palatial home vacated by Aristobulus.

During the decade of Salome’s reign, one of her closest advisors had been Antipater, the governor of Idumea, the country Yochanan Hyrcanus had conquered and annexed during the previous century. According to Josephus, Yochanan Hyrcanus had forcibly converted all the Idumeans to Judaism and appointed a wealthy Idumean named Antipas as governor. Antipater inherited the position from his father. His wife was related to the royal Nabatean family east of the Jordan River.

The Talmud views the descendants of Antipater as slaves ineligible to sit on the throne of Israel. It would appear, therefore, that Hyrcanus actually enslaved the Idumeans and that the reported conversion was the result of the enslavement.

It was not uncommon in ancient times for conquerors to enslave entire populations. The conquered people became the property of the king, who either sold them or kept them for his own use. The king’s slaves did not necessarily work in his fields. They worked as craftsmen, ran businesses, occupied government positions or even became royal advisors. Antipas, although a slave, was allowed to keep his wealth and was appointed governor of Idumea. Antipater, his son, inherited his wealth and his office…

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

WATCH:

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1824-Seiver-Part-24-Tefila.mp3

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

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Tefila4Life-Shiur-1110-Source-Vayevarech-Dovid.mp3

President Donald Trump used a nationally televised primetime address Thursday night to announce the immediate declassification of intelligence files that he said reveal extensive vulnerabilities in America’s election system, while directing multiple federal agencies to investigate what he described as years of concealed security failures and foreign interference.

Trump began his speech by contrasting the current state of the country with what he described as an “economic and social disaster” inherited by his administration. He pointed to what he called a booming economy, declaring that “more Americans are working today than ever before” and noting that “inflation saw the largest monthly decline in more than six years.”

The president also highlighted key provisions of his signature tax package, emphasizing the elimination of taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits. He further cited declining prescription drug prices and the creation of tax-free investment accounts for children as major accomplishments.

Shifting to national security, Trump said illegal border crossings had effectively fallen to zero over the past 14 months. He also referenced developments involving Venezuela and Iran, declaring, “We are winning big in Iran. You will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly”.

Trump then argued that none of the administration’s accomplishments would matter without public confidence in the electoral process, warning, “If there can be no trust, there can be no greatness. And that’s very simple: no trust, no greatness.”

Announcing what he described as a major transparency initiative, Trump said, “Tonight I’m announcing the immediate declassification and release of critical intelligence revealing shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure,” explaining that the material—compiled by the White House Government Transparency Task Force together with intelligence advisers—had been posted on the White House website.

According to the president, the newly released records contain five major findings concerning election security.

Trump asserted that intelligence reports indicate the Chinese government obtained approximately 220 million American voter records beginning during the 2020 election cycle, including names, addresses, and party affiliations. He characterized the alleged breach as an “unprecedented election security nightmare.”

The president also accused elements within the intelligence community of concealing information about Chinese election-related activities from both the White House and Congress. Referring to CIA documents from 2018 and 2019, Trump claimed Beijing sought to influence the political landscape by exploiting American business relationships and financing unfavorable media coverage, saying, “The Chinese government wanted US president to lose the next election, and the reason they wanted me to lose is because they knew I was wise to them.”

Trump went on to cite FBI records that he said detail Chinese efforts to produce fraudulent ballots. He alleged intelligence analysts “deliberately massaged the presidential daily briefing to withhold information regarding Chinese activities” and pointed to one FBI official who allegedly wrote that she was operating “a shadow government” to keep the intelligence from being disclosed.

The president further claimed intelligence assessments compiled between January 2020 and June 2026 found that centralized election databases and voting machines remain “extremely exposed to attack” by foreign governments. He specifically referenced reported electronic vote manipulation methods allegedly developed in Venezuela.

Trump also discussed FBI files relating to a 2020 Michigan State Police raid involving a voter registration operation in Muskegon. He alleged evidence of fraudulent voter registration applications purchased with gift cards was “slow walked” and later suppressed by the Biden Justice Department.

Turning to voter registration rolls, Trump cited a Department of Homeland Security review that he said identified roughly 278,000 noncitizens registered to vote in federal elections. He further asserted that the actual total is likely much higher because, according to the administration, some states have declined to provide complete voter registration data.

The president also criticized major television networks that chose not to air the speech live. “In a rare move, NBC and ABC fake news have both said that they would not cover this speech,” Trump said, adding that “fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses” for utilizing public airwaves while concealing election vulnerabilities.

As part of the administration’s response, Trump announced that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the CIA have been instructed to investigate the alleged intelligence cover-ups, dismiss any officials found responsible, and pursue criminal charges where warranted.

He also said the Department of Homeland Security would notify states about noncitizens identified on voter rolls and provide technical briefings on election system security updates before the upcoming midterm elections.

Concluding his address, Trump criticized California’s lengthy vote-counting process, calling the state’s month-long tabulation period “worse than any third world country.” He also argued that “mail-in ballots are inherently corrupt” and urged Americans to press Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require photo identification and proof of citizenship for voter registration while limiting mail-in voting to cases involving illness, disability, military service, or travel.

“These reforms are urgently needed to stop the vulnerabilities that I’ve mentioned,” Trump concluded. “Together we will restore faith and confidence in our country, and we will be bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.”

WATCH:

The Baltimore Jewish community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of a one-year-old child who died Thursday after being accidentally left inside a hot vehicle. The toddler was a member of a respected and well-known family in the community.

In the wake of the tragedy, local rabbanim organized a special gathering for women in the community to offer words of chizuk and support. Rabbinic leaders were joined by representatives of Chai Lifeline, who are providing emotional assistance to the grieving family and helping them cope with the devastating loss.

The incident is the latest in a series of fatal hot-car tragedies that claim the lives of young children across the United States each year, particularly during the summer months. Community leaders are urging parents, drivers, and those involved in carpools to adopt preventive safety measures, including placing a personal item in the back seat as a reminder, confirming that every child has exited the vehicle upon arrival, and using child safety seat alarm systems designed to prevent such heartbreaking incidents.

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic standoff unfolded in the Knesset Thursday evening after Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri ordered his party’s lawmakers to walk out of the plenum, declaring that the party would not support a controversial campaign finance bill unless opposition factions also backed the legislation.

The bill, which would increase public funding for political parties ahead of the upcoming elections, requires the support of at least 61 Knesset members to pass. After learning that opposition parties did not intend to vote in favor of the measure, Deri instructed all Shas MKs to leave the chamber, effectively jeopardizing the bill’s chances of securing the necessary majority.

Explaining his decision, Deri accused the opposition of attempting to benefit from the legislation while allowing the coalition—and particularly the Chareidi parties—to absorb the political criticism.

“I will teach the opposition a lesson. They are always saying the Chareidim only want money. We don’t need this money. Shas is the most organized party and has no debts,” Deri said during conversations in the Knesset. “They want this law more than we do, but they want us to pass it, take all the criticism, and then they will receive the money.”

Officials in Shas said they view the opposition’s position as an attempt to reap the financial benefits of the legislation without publicly supporting it. As a result, the party has made clear that it will not provide the votes needed to pass the bill unless opposition lawmakers are also willing to vote in favor.

With the Knesset’s 25th term rapidly drawing to a close ahead of new elections, it remains uncertain whether supporters of the measure will be able to assemble the 61-vote majority required to approve the legislation before the current session ends.

{Matzav.com}

A heated dispute over Chareidi education is unfolding in Netanya after local authorities reportedly sought to move girls’ Chareidi preschools into the state-run Chareidi school system. In response, leading rabbinic figures in the city, joined by Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, have issued a strongly worded letter urging parents not to enroll their daughters in the new framework.

The letter was signed by Rav Moshe Dov Broida, the rabbinic leader of the central Chareidi community in Netanya, and Rav Aharon Aryeh Waldenberg, rabbi of the city’s Minyan Avreichim synagogue. The two rabbanim warned parents against what they described as the dangers of the state-run Chareidi preschool system.

In their letter, the rabbanim wrote, “There must be no surrender and no temptation whatsoever to send our daughters to this framework under any circumstances.”

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch added his signature to the letter and personally wrote an additional handwritten message stating, “The public, G-d forbid, should not be enticed by their words, and they should stand firm—very firm—in continuing pure Torah education.”

The letter has sparked considerable discussion throughout Netanya’s Chareidi community and beyond. It comes in addition to a separate, detailed letter sent by Rav Moshe Dov Broida to parents of preschool children, in which he warned that unless the situation changes, the upcoming school year will not open under the proposed arrangement.

The controversy marks the latest chapter in the ongoing debate over the expansion of the state-run Chareidi education system, a move that has faced strong opposition from many leading Torah authorities, who have repeatedly called on parents to preserve the traditional model of Torah-based education.

{Matzav.com}

Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen personally apologized Thursday to a Chareidi man who was allegedly attacked because of his appearance while waiting at a city bus stop. In addition to sending a letter expressing regret over the incident, the mayor also delivered a cake to the victim as a gesture of support.

The apology followed a report by Kol Berama Radio detailing the assault. In his letter, Shama-Hacohen wrote that he was “deeply shocked to hear about the display of violence and threats that were made at you in the streets of our city. Such an incident is in complete contradiction to Ramat Gan’s fundamental values. There is and will not be any place for expressions of hatred or discrimination in the city.”

The mayor added that “the fact that you are a resident of the neighboring city of Bnei Brak who visited our city, makes the incident even more painful and upsetting.”

According to the victim, the attack took place Wednesday afternoon on Herzl Street in Ramat Gan as he waited for a bus back home. He told Kol Berama that while speaking with his brother-in-law by phone, he stepped to the side of the bus stop so as not to disturb the other passengers waiting there.

It was then, he said, that a man riding a bicycle while holding a beer bottle approached him and began shouting, “Haredi, what are you doing on this street? Go to Bnei Brak.”

The victim said he tried to walk away and avoid any confrontation, but the attacker got off his bicycle and allegedly began striking him repeatedly with the beer bottle. He said he was hit in the face and stomach before the assailant allegedly attempted to smash the bottle while threatening him, saying, “If I see you here in another 10 minutes, I will come back and murder you.”

Before the attacker fled, the victim said he was able to record him on his cellphone.

Reflecting on the ordeal, the victim said the physical assault was not the most painful part of the encounter. Rather, he said, the anti-Chareidi abuse directed at him because of his appearance left the deepest emotional scars.

“The hardest moment was hearing the shout, ‘Haredi, don’t step on this street, go to Bnei Brak. If you stay here, I’ll murder you,'” he said.

The victim also expressed disappointment that, despite the attack taking place on a busy street near a bus stop filled with people, no one stepped forward to intervene or attempt to stop the assault.

He further criticized the way police handled his complaint, saying investigators refused to immediately accept the photograph he had taken of the suspect on his phone. Instead, he said, they insisted he upload it through a designated online portal—a process he explained was especially difficult because he uses a kosher cellphone.

The victim said he hopes Israel Police will conduct a thorough investigation and use security camera footage from the area, along with any other available evidence, to identify and arrest the suspect.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has ordered the National Guard mission in Washington, D.C., to remain in place through the conclusion of his presidency, extending the deployment for more than two additional years as the administration argues the operation continues to play a key role in reducing crime in the nation’s capital.

The Pentagon confirmed Thursday that the mission has officially been extended until Jan. 20, 2029, stating in an email that the deployment will remain active until that date, “or until terminated by the President.” The operation had previously been scheduled to conclude at the end of this year following an earlier extension.

The deployment has remained a source of political debate ever since Trump signed an executive order in August 2025 declaring a crime emergency in Washington and authorizing the activation of approximately 2,500 National Guard troops alongside additional federal law enforcement personnel. Administration officials maintain the initiative has contributed to a sharp decline in crime, while city leaders contend crime rates were already trending downward before the federal operation began.

Since arriving in the capital, National Guard personnel have taken part in a variety of public safety and community support efforts, including responding to medical calls, assisting law enforcement during arrests, clearing snow, and participating in neighborhood beautification projects.

“Taxpayers are paying more than a million dollars a day to have them walk around,” Phil Mendelson, chairman of the District of Columbia Council, said in April, adding that “the presence of armed soldiers on American streets is not a good look.”

While similar National Guard deployments have been halted or limited through court action in states such as California and Illinois, smaller federal missions continue in several cities, including New Orleans. In Washington, however, Guard members remain highly visible, patrolling Metro stations, tourist destinations, public parks, neighborhoods, and other areas throughout the city.

The mission has also carried significant risks. In November, a National Guard soldier was killed and another injured when authorities say a gunman traveled from Washington state to the nation’s capital and opened fire outside a Metro station just three blocks from the White House. The victims were identified as Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, both of whom had been deployed from West Virginia.

Because Washington, D.C., is a federally created district rather than a state, Trump has direct authority over both the city’s National Guard and significant aspects of its law enforcement structure. That unique arrangement has allowed the administration to continue the mission without encountering many of the legal obstacles that have challenged similar deployments elsewhere.

Although Guard troops themselves do not have arrest powers, administration officials insist their presence has strengthened broader law enforcement efforts by allowing police agencies to focus more resources on fighting crime.

According to the White House, a joint federal task force has made roughly 12,000 arrests since the operation began. Officials also said those arrests included 62 identified gang members and led to the seizure of thousands of illegally possessed firearms.

Despite those figures, disagreement continues over how much of Washington’s improving public safety can be credited to the Guard deployment. Critics argue crime had already been declining before the federal intervention, though those statistics later became the subject of an investigation following allegations that local police data may have been manipulated.

{Matzav.com}

Regional tensions intensified dramatically Thursday after an Iraqi militia publicly announced a $10 million reward for the assassination of President Donald Trump, while an Iranian state-linked media outlet circulated what it claimed was information about locations where the president could be found, raising serious security concerns.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued an official statement offering a $10 million bounty to anyone who kills President Trump or assists in locating him. The statement was quickly echoed by Iranian state-aligned media, which published inflammatory material appearing to encourage attacks on the president. The coordinated messaging has heightened concerns over threats from Iran-backed groups operating across the region.

According to the militia’s statement, the reward was “collected from donations of its loyal and proud sons and supporters, designated for whoever kills the criminal Trump, or whoever assists in locating him or directing toward him, whether an individual, group, or organization.” The declaration was dated July 16, 2026.

The group portrayed the bounty as retaliation for previous U.S. military actions in Iraq, specifically referencing the killings of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

In the statement, the militia asserted that “the most eloquent evidence of the moral downfall of the American administration is the arrogance of the criminal Trump in targeting the leaders of victory, the martyrs Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.”

It further vowed that “the free people of the world will pursue the killer of children and scholars,” adding that the president would find no refuge from those seeking revenge.

At nearly the same time, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency shared a provocative post on X featuring a blood-red silhouette of President Trump accompanied by the headline, “Where to Kill Trump?!”

The post claimed to provide “information on the locations where the terrorist President of America is present” and told followers that “access to Trump is possible in these locations,” language that has drawn significant attention because it appeared to identify places where the president could potentially be targeted.

The combination of a multi-million-dollar assassination bounty issued by an Iran-backed militia and the dissemination of purported location information by an Iranian state-affiliated news agency represents a sharp escalation in anti-American rhetoric amid continuing U.S. military operations in the Middle East.

U.S. security officials are expected to treat the coordinated threats with the highest level of seriousness. With an Iran-backed militia publicly offering a financial reward for an attack and state-linked media appearing to encourage such an act, federal agencies responsible for protecting the president are likely to maintain heightened security measures in response to the explicit threats.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri delivered one of his most forceful public interviews in years on Thursday, launching a blistering attack on Israel’s Supreme Court, the IDF chief of staff, and the political left while pledging unwavering support for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. In an interview with Kikar, Deri also revealed what he described as a dramatic warning he once received from a leading Israeli academic about the future of the Torah world and announced that he intends to urge the Chareidi parties to boycott upcoming High Court hearings on the recently passed arrest-freeze law.

Breaking weeks of public silence, Deri sat down for an extensive interview with Kikar HaShabbat, addressing the draft crisis, the imprisonment of yeshiva students, Israel’s security situation, and the upcoming election campaign.

Deri began by condemning recent media reports regarding alleged Israeli efforts to topple Iran’s regime, calling the leaks themselves a serious threat to national security.

“I think those publications are extremely serious,” he said. “I never confirm or deny such matters, but where is the responsibility? I understand the thinking of whoever leaked the information to the foreign press, regardless of how much of it is true, but Israel is still at war. How can someone publish something like that just to justify an operation? I call on the Mossad director, who has the authority, to immediately launch an investigation. Whoever leaked it should be prosecuted. It is an extremely serious blow to Israel’s security in the middle of a war.”

Deri then turned to the controversy surrounding the draft law and the arrests of yeshiva students, arguing that the Chareidi community is facing unprecedented pressure.

He revealed what he described as a previously undisclosed conversation that took place during the judicial reform protests before the war. According to Deri, numerous public figures visited him at his former home in Jerusalem’s Har Nof neighborhood in an effort to persuade him to distance himself from the government’s judicial reform agenda.

One visitor, he said, was Prof. Uriel Reichman, founder of Reichman University.

“I’m going to reveal something I’ve never spoken about before,” Deri said. “During the judicial reform period, many people came to me because they thought I was the responsible adult, the moderate one. They asked, ‘What do you have to do with Smotrich, Ben Gvir and Yariv Levin?’”

According to Deri, Reichman warned him that continued Chareidi support for the political right would fundamentally alter the relationship between Israel’s establishment and the Chareidi community.

“He told me plainly: ‘We gave you Yavneh and its sages. We gave the Chareidi community its own space. Now you’ve crossed the line by joining the messianists, Smotrich, Ben Gvir and Yariv Levin. If you continue down this path, there will no longer be “Yavneh and its sages.” We will dismantle everything you have received over the past several decades.’”

Deri said he challenged the statement, asking Reichman what he meant by “we,” to which he claims Reichman replied: “You heard me. Take it to your rabbis and let them decide what they want.”

Addressing the prolonged effort to pass legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students, Deri blamed wartime circumstances, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, MK Yuli Edelstein, and the attorney general for delaying the process.

“You’re in the middle of a war, with 250 hostages, casualties announced every day, and at the same time trying to manage the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee,” he said. “Gallant disrupted the process for a year until he was removed. Edelstein held 80 meetings, and in the end it became clear that he misled us all.”

Deri reserved some of his harshest criticism for IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, accusing him of improperly intervening in politics by opposing the arrest-freeze legislation.

“What the chief of staff did was extremely serious,” Deri said. “He is my friend. I respect him, and I have defended him many times when others criticized him. But unfortunately, for a long time now, I believe he has lost his way.”

Deri insisted that senior military officials knew the arrests of yeshiva students would not result in additional enlistments.

“We would never have advanced this legislation without thoroughly consulting the highest-ranking military officials and confirming that these arrests were not producing soldiers.”

He continued: “Without any doubt, during an election period, what the chief of staff did—whether intentionally or not—helped the left-wing bloc. I have no doubt about that. For the past several years, everything they have done—the sanctions and everything else—has had one objective: stopping judicial reform.”

Deri argued that the chief of staff crossed a dangerous line by entering the political arena.

“He is the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces. He has no business involving himself in politics. What he did set a very dangerous precedent. It caused enormous damage to the army. It did not help the army.”

Turning to the expected Supreme Court challenge to the arrest-freeze law, Deri announced that he will urge both Shas and Degel HaTorah not to participate in the legal proceedings.

“I am going to recommend to my colleagues in Degel HaTorah and within Shas that we should not send legal representatives to the Supreme Court. We have no confidence in the Supreme Court. We already know what the outcome will be.”

He continued, “We must not be part of this game. We must not lend legitimacy to this charade by pretending justice will be done. We should tell them plainly: ‘We do not recognize your authority. We already know what the result will be.’”

Deri argued that because the court had already issued interim orders before the law officially took effect, its decision had effectively been made in advance.

Responding to criticism from senior Agudas Yisrael figures who claimed he always knew the legislation would eventually be struck down, Deri dismissed the accusations.

“I have tremendous respect for Agudas Yisrael,” he said. “Members of Agudas Yisrael themselves approached me yesterday and said those comments did not represent them. If they believed the law was meaningless, why did they vote for it? Why did the chairman of Agudas Yisrael congratulate Defense Minister Yisrael Katz after it passed?”

Deri also rejected claims that Netanyahu intentionally avoided the Knesset vote on the arrest-freeze law.

“That simply isn’t true,” he said. “He flew in by helicopter specifically to participate in the vote. He left only because he was called away for a diplomatic consultation and was already on his way back when the vote concluded. It was purely coincidental.”

The Shas chairman reiterated his party’s unequivocal support for Netanyahu.

“We support Prime Minister Netanyahu, period,” Deri declared. “There is no one else we can support today.”

He argued that any government led by MK Gadi Eisenkot would pose a greater threat to religious life than many realize.

“Everything connected to Judaism—marriage and divorce, kashrus, the Chief Rabbinate, rabbinical courts, Shabbos, public transportation on Shabbos—that is the camp he represents.”

At the same time, Deri said Shas continues to favor a broad unity government, saying wider coalitions create more consensus and reduce political division.

Deri sharply criticized Eisenkot’s proposed draft framework, saying it would be even more harmful to the Torah world than previous proposals advanced by Avigdor Lieberman or Naftali Bennett.

“Everyone says Eisenkot is more moderate, but his proposal is actually worse,” Deri said. “He wants quotas. He wants someone to decide which yeshiva student goes to the army and which one stays in the beis medrash. Who has the authority to decide who is a true ben Torah? Are we going to walk into Porat Yosef or another yeshiva and tell half the students to continue learning and send the other half into the army? Who could possibly make such a decision?”

Addressing recent polls showing declining support for Shas, Deri said he remains unconcerned.

“The late Professor Camil Fuchs consistently underestimated us in every election,” he said. “There is disappointment, and it is understandable. But when people go into the voting booth, they will understand exactly what is at stake.”

Deri also accused left-wing organizations of financing campaigns designed to discourage Chareidim from voting.

“This has been going on for a long time,” he said. “Kaplan protesters, left-wing money, international foundations, Israeli foundations, high-tech money—liberal left-wing funding that wants to secularize the country and dismantle the right-wing bloc—has unfortunately succeeded in recruiting collaborators from within our own community.”

According to Deri, those efforts included secretly recording rabbonim and attempting to create divisions among Torah leaders.

“Their goal is simple,” he said. “To convince the Chareidi public to stay home on election day.”

Asked at the end of the interview about recent criticism from Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni, Deri declined to escalate the dispute.

“Ask him those questions,” Deri replied with a smile. “Tell him I love him, I respect him, and we’ll continue working together. He grew up in southern Israel, and sometimes he’s a little Moroccan—he gets a little hot-tempered.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is expected to announce during a nationally televised address Thursday night that at least 278,000 noncitizens are registered to vote in federal elections across the United States, according to information expected to be released by the Department of Homeland Security.

A source familiar with the matter told The Post that the figure comes from a forthcoming DHS report and represents the largest publicly disclosed number of noncitizen voter registrations ever reported in the country.

Although the total has raised significant concerns, the source said investigators have not yet determined how many of those registered individuals may have actually cast ballots illegally or what specific actions the administration intends to take in response.

The source added that the true number could ultimately be higher because the current total only reflects data collected from the states examined so far. The source declined to specify how many states have had their voter registration records reviewed.

Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections, with violations carrying penalties of up to one year in prison and financial fines. However, responsibility for confirming a person’s eligibility to vote rests primarily with individual states.

The anticipated voter registration findings are expected to be only one portion of Trump’s primetime remarks, which administration officials caution remain subject to revision before the president speaks at 9 p.m. Eastern.

“As usual, anonymous sources are speculating about what President Trump will say during his speech on Thursday evening,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CBS. “The truth is, nobody knows yet what President Trump will ultimately say, which is why everyone should tune in.”

Trump is also expected to use the speech to build support for the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship before casting ballots in federal elections while also implementing additional election security measures. The proposal has remained stalled in Congress despite repeated Republican efforts to advance it.

Republicans have attempted multiple times to move the legislation through the Senate, describing it as one of Trump’s highest legislative priorities this year, but Democratic filibusters have prevented the bill from moving forward.

According to the source, Trump may urge Americans to contact members of Congress and press them to approve the legislation.

The expected address follows action by the Department of Justice last week, when it sent warning letters to election officials nationwide stating they “could be criminally prosecuted for aiding noncitizen voting” if ballots cast by noncitizens are counted in an election.

Although White House officials have revealed few details about the speech, Leavitt told reporters Thursday that its central focus would be election integrity and suggested the information Trump plans to disclose “will shock you.”

“We should have the safest and most secure elections in the history of the world,” she said. “And what the president will be speaking about tonight will show you that perhaps that is not the case.”

Leavitt also maintained that safeguarding elections should not be viewed as a partisan issue, saying “the American people will be relieved to hear what they are hearing from the president of the United States” during the address.

“I think all Republicans and Democrats should recognize this should be a nonpartisan issue,” Leavitt said. “If we don’t have safe and secure elections in our country, we cannot have a country. It is a vital part of our democracy, of our constitutional republic.”

She also noted that the federal statute making it a crime for noncitizens to vote—the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996—was signed into law by Democratic President Bill Clinton.

The speech also comes after CBS reported Wednesday evening that Trump is expected to discuss allegations that Beijing “compromised US voter data,” along with purported “evidence the CIA knew about the action and didn’t share that information” with the president at the time.

The White House, however, appeared to push back on that report, offering CBS what was described as a tacit denial regarding those claims.

Nearly 5,000 Sanzer Chassidim, joined by thousands of other participants, gathered Thursday outside the gates of Israel’s Military Prison 10 for a massive rally condemning the imprisonment of bnei Torah who have refused to comply with military draft orders.

The demonstration was organized in response to the incarceration of yeshiva students who remain behind bars after declining to enlist, insisting instead on continuing their Torah learning.

Crowds packed the area outside the prison, reciting Tehillim and pouring out heartfelt prayers while protesting what participants described as the ongoing persecution of the Torah world.

The gathering was led by the Sanzer Rebbe and attended by the rabbonim and dayanim of the Sanzer Chassidus, along with several admorim who came to express solidarity with the imprisoned yeshiva students and offer encouragement to their families.

The Stropkover Rebbe was honored with leading the recitation of Tehillim.

Also in attendance was the Ziditchover Rebbe, whose grandson has been imprisoned in the military jail for several days after refusing military service.

The emotional high point of the rally came when the Sanzer Rebbe rose to address the crowd. Speaking through tears, the Rebbe became visibly overcome with emotion, delivering a powerful address that moved the thousands assembled outside the prison walls.

“The situation that currently exists in our Holy Land is beyond comprehension,” the Rebbe cried in a trembling voice. “For many years there has been nothing like this, where bnei Torah—those who protect the entire generation through their Torah learning—are persecuted in such a cruel and criminal manner. How have we reached a point where precious young men are sent behind bars simply because they wish to devote themselves to Torah study?!”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli security forces carried out two successful overnight operations against vehicle theft, arresting suspects in separate incidents in the Chevron Hills and near the Chareidi city of Modi’in Illit. The operations led to the recovery of stolen vehicles and the capture of suspects allegedly caught in the act.

In the first operation, officers from the Judea and Samaria District’s Yehuda Arrow Unit, together with special YASAM police forces, raided several homes Thursday morning in the Palestinian town of Yatta after receiving intelligence indicating that stolen Israeli vehicles were being hidden there.

During the raid, one suspect attempted to conceal evidence after realizing police had arrived at his home. According to authorities, he threw the keys to a stolen vehicle out of his bedroom window in an apparent attempt to prevent officers from locating and seizing the car.

The effort failed, however, as officers quickly recovered the discarded keys from the yard, arrested the suspect, and confiscated the stolen vehicle.

As the searches continued, police discovered two additional stolen vehicles—a Mazda and a Geely electric car—that had been stolen in recent years from central Israel and transferred into Palestinian Authority-controlled territory.

The Geely electric vehicle immediately drew investigators’ attention because it was connected to an improvised charging station. Officers also found that it was missing its rear license plate and displayed a counterfeit front plate that did not match the vehicle’s registration.

Two Yatta residents, both in their 30s, were arrested on suspicion of possessing the stolen vehicles and were transferred to the Hebron police station for further questioning.

Law enforcement officials say Yatta has long been considered a major destination for vehicles stolen inside Israel, where many are dismantled for parts or resold using forged registration plates, making enforcement efforts in the area particularly complex and dangerous.

The Yatta operation followed another successful police action only hours earlier in the Binyamin region near Modi’in Illit.

According to police, intelligence received by the Modi’in Illit police station indicated that a group of suspects intended to steal back a vehicle that had been confiscated by authorities earlier that evening.

The vehicle had been seized after allegedly being used to transport illegal Palestinian residents into Israel, an offense that routinely results in vehicle confiscation as part of efforts to deter the practice.

Unaware that police and IDF forces had already established an ambush based on the intelligence, the suspects arrived at the location intending to break in and recover the impounded vehicle.

Instead, the combined security force caught the suspects in the act and arrested them before they were able to carry out the theft.

The two suspects, residents of Ramla and Lod in their 20s, were taken into custody and transported for questioning before being jailed.

Police said the suspects will be brought before a court to seek an extension of their detention as the investigation continues and prosecutors prepare possible indictments.

Authorities said the operations underscore the close cooperation between Israel Police, intelligence units, YASAM officers, and IDF forces in combating vehicle theft and related criminal activity throughout Judea and Samaria.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every summer we hear speeches about kedushah. Every summer there are campaigns about guarding our eyes, guarding our mouths, guarding our children’s ruchniyus. Every summer we’re reminded that camp isn’t just recreation. It’s an extension of the home and the yeshivah. Beautiful. Inspiring. But then I walk into some camp canteens and I wonder if anyone has stopped for five minutes to think about the most basic thing that goes into a Yid’s body: the food.

Our community has become obsessed with hashgachos. We’ll spend an hour discussing whether one hechsher is better than another. We’ll call rabbanim about a new product. We’ll refuse invitations because the standards aren’t exactly what we hold by. People won’t touch a cookie until they’ve examined every symbol on the package.

And then camp opens.

Suddenly, the standards that would never be tolerated anywhere else are somehow perfectly acceptable.

I’ve seen camp canteens from the inside. I know how they operate. I’m not talking from rumors. I’m talking from experience. In too many places, the entire operation is being run by teenagers. Good boys? Absolutely. Ehrliche boys? I’m sure. But they’re still teenagers. They’re rushing, they’re joking, they’re distracted, they’re trying to keep hundreds of campers happy, and somehow we’ve decided that this is an appropriate environment to run a food operation with zero adult oversight.

Why? Can someone please explain this to me?

If a pizza store in Brooklyn operated this way, would anybody eat there? If a caterer had sixteen-year-olds running the kitchen while the mashgiach was nowhere to be found for hours at a time, would anyone in our community touch the food? They’d be shut down before supper. There would be outrage. There would be endless conversations. WhatsApp would explode.

But because it’s “camp,” everyone shrugs.

Since when is “it’ll work out” a standard in hilchos kashrus?

Mistakes happen. Things get mixed up. Someone grabs the wrong utensil. Someone heats something where they shouldn’t. Someone puts something back in the wrong place. Someone opens the wrong package. Someone forgets. Someone doesn’t know. Someone was never taught. That’s why every serious kitchen has supervision.

Where are the people who normally scream about kashrus? Where are the organizations? Where are the rabbanim? Where are the parents asking the questions they ask everywhere else?

Parents spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to send children to camp because they want them to grow in Torah and yiras Shamayim. They assume, rightfully, that the camp is taking kashrus as seriously as they do at home. They don’t imagine that one of the most sensitive areas in camp is operating on autopilot.

Kashrus in a canteen can’t simply be left to whoever happens to be behind the counter. It deserves a real system. It deserves accountability. It deserves someone whose entire job is to make sure nothing goes wrong.

We don’t compromise on safety. We have lifeguards watching the lake every second. We have nurses for every scrape and fever. We have security because we don’t say, “Eh, it’ll probably be okay.” Why is kashrus any different? Why are we willing to gamble with something that the Torah treats with such seriousness?

I’d much rather people be offended by this letter than have another summer go by where everyone pretends there isn’t a problem.

If I’m wrong, prove me wrong. Show me the mashgichim. Show me the systems. Show me the oversight. Show parents that someone is actually taking responsibility. But if I’m right, and I believe I am, then stop looking the other way.

We keep telling our children that Torah isn’t seasonal. That mitzvos don’t go on vacation. That standards don’t change because it’s July and August.

Maybe it’s time the people who run canteens start believing that too.

Sincerely,

A Former Canteen Employee

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.

A chareidi girl was detained Thursday at the IDF’s Tel Hashomer Recruitment Bureau after military authorities determined that her religious exemption paperwork had not been properly processed, triggering outrage in the Charedi community and prompting the Eidah HaCharedis to threaten widespread protests if she is not released.

The incident comes at a particularly sensitive time, as the woman is reportedly preparing for her upcoming wedding.

According to her family, she arrived at the recruitment office believing she was simply resolving a bureaucratic matter. They said she had been under the impression that the seminary she attended had properly submitted all of the required documentation confirming her status as a member of the Charedi community and her eligibility for a religious exemption from military service.

Upon arriving, however, she was informed that her religious declaration had never been entered into the military’s system. According to the report, she was then taken into custody.

News of the detention quickly spread throughout the Charedi community, sparking anger, particularly among members of the Eidah HaCharedis. Elements within the community described the arrest as crossing a “red line” and said it represented a serious assault on one of the community’s most deeply held principles.

Messages circulated in recent hours warning of large-scale demonstrations if the woman is not immediately released.

“The arrest will not pass quietly,” one statement declared. “If the young woman is not released immediately, we will turn the country upside down and will not allow this to pass without a response.”

{Matzav.com}

A new analysis has found that New York’s share of the nation’s millionaires has fallen sharply over the past decade, costing the state an estimated $10.7 billion in tax revenue in a single year and fueling concerns that additional tax increases on high earners could accelerate the trend.

The report, released Monday by the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC), comes as debate intensifies over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposals to raise taxes on wealthy residents. Critics argue that such policies could encourage even more affluent individuals and businesses to leave New York.

According to the CBC’s Competitive NYS: Value Proposition Tracker dashboard, New York’s share of America’s millionaires declined from 12.7% in 2010 to 8.7% in 2022—the steepest drop recorded by any state during that period.

“New York’s declining share of high-income taxpayers has meaningful consequences,” the analysis states.

“Had New York maintained its share of the nation’s millionaires over the past decade, personal income tax collections would have been substantially higher – roughly $10.7 billion more in tax year 2022.”

Business leaders and tax policy experts have increasingly warned that efforts to impose additional taxes on wealthy residents—an idea that has gained traction among some lawmakers in Albany—could intensify the migration of high-income taxpayers out of the state.

Although Gov. Kathy Hochul has rejected proposals for a broad increase in income taxes on the wealthy while seeking reelection this year, she has endorsed a pied-à-terre tax targeting expensive second homes in New York City.

Mamdani publicly praised that proposal in a social media video filmed outside hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin’s $238 million Manhattan penthouse. The move sparked a public dispute with Griffin, who threatened to abandon a planned $6 billion Park Avenue development.

That confrontation heightened concerns among business leaders that New York could face a broader exodus of wealthy residents at a time when both the city and state rely heavily on tax revenue generated by a relatively small number of high-income earners.

“In New York, the top 1% of earners pay about 45% of all state income taxes in any given year, so New York’s revenue is very reliant on high earners to stay in New York, and that has been a challenge in recent years,” said Jared Walczak, an economist and senior fellow at the Tax Foundation think tank.

“Gracie Mansion can’t do it on its own; it takes Albany,” he told The Post. “Pied-à-terre will have some impact, but there’s this feeling that New York isn’t done raising taxes, and with other places being more competitive, it won’t be surprising if high-earner taxpayers choose to relocate.”

Abir Mandal, a senior state policy analyst at the Tax Foundation, said New York currently ranks last in the nation for tax competitiveness.

He argued that high tax burdens encourage businesses to relocate to states with more favorable tax climates, pointing to Elon Musk’s decision to move his companies from California to Texas as an example.

“Without reforming the tax structure New York won’t be competitive for attracting population and business,” he said.

“Wall Street is the golden goose. But for how long?”

The report also points to state policies enacted over the past decade that critics say have added to New York’s economic challenges. Among them are income tax increases approved under Gov. Andrew Cuomo during the coronavirus pandemic and Medicaid spending under Hochul that is projected to climb to $58 billion by the end of the decade.

Ken Girardin, a research fellow at the Manhattan Institute, argued that New York’s 2019 expansion of rent regulations, combined with the state’s clean energy mandates, has constrained housing construction while increasing energy costs.

“Albany is directly responsible for the stagnation,” he said.

The CBC report paints a picture of economic and demographic challenges that predate Mamdani’s election, highlighting long-term trends affecting the state.

Among its findings, the study concluded that New York has experienced a net loss of residents to every other state, with Florida and Texas attracting many of those who have left. It also found that New York City’s population gains in 2023 and 2024 were driven largely by international immigration following pandemic-era population losses. The report noted that much of the state’s economic growth is concentrated in a corridor stretching from New York City and Long Island to Albany, while many upstate and rural communities continue losing workers. It further found that New York collects more state and local taxes per resident than any other state, averaging $12,495 per person—78% above the national average.

Although New York ranked second nationally in millionaire concentration in 2010, the report notes that its position has steadily weakened.

By 2022, the state had added roughly 34,000 millionaires compared with 2010, but growth elsewhere far exceeded New York’s gains.

“New York’s number of millionaires doubled, but it tripled in California and Texas and quadrupled in Florida, leaving New York State with the fourth-most millionaires behind those states,” the study states.

The analysis also found that New York City has generally performed better than regions such as the North Country and Southern Tier, where population losses have remained persistent.

“It’s difficult to not be alarmed by this data,” said Justin Wilcox, Executive Director, Upstate United. “With this CBC tool, Upstate New Yorkers can see for themselves the devastating impacts of Albany’s policies — businesses failing to grow, population decline, and the loss of revenue. NYS needs to course correct now before it’s too late and we become permanently entrenched in a cycle of fewer people”

Responding to the report during an unrelated event Monday, Mamdani dismissed concerns that higher taxes would trigger a significant flight of wealthy residents.

He argued that New York has continued to add millionaires even after previous tax increases enacted by the state.

“I’ve been very clear about the fact that we live in the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, and it’s unacceptable that one in four New Yorkers are living in poverty, and I believe that the wealthiest can do a little bit more to ensure that everyone can afford to live here,” he said.

Steve Fulop, CEO of the Partnership for New York City, warned that if high-income taxpayers continue relocating elsewhere, the burden will ultimately fall on lower-income residents who depend on government-funded services.

“If we don’t course-correct and get laser-focused on keeping the city and state attractive to the people and businesses that drive our economy, the affordability crisis will only deepen because the people leaving are the ones paying the largest share of a budget that funds the social programs meant to help our most vulnerable,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Smoke drifting south from massive Canadian wildfires blanketed New York City this week, transforming the skyline into an eerie orange landscape and prompting officials to urge residents to remain indoors as hazardous air quality gripped the region.

A dramatic time-lapse recorded Wednesday captured the rapid change, showing bright blue skies gradually fading into a yellow haze as thick smoke spread across the metropolitan area from the fires burning in Canada.

By sunset, live footage from EarthCam revealed the city’s skyline glowing with an unsettling pale orange tint as the smoke continued to thicken overhead.

The smoky conditions persisted into Thursday, leading the National Weather Service to issue an Air Quality Alert covering New York City.

Air quality readings remained in the unhealthy range, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) fluctuating between 151 and 200 as authorities encouraged residents to avoid spending time outdoors whenever possible.

“[The] combination of dangerous heat and unhealthy air is a serious threat to New Yorkers’ health,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on X.

“If you can, stay somewhere cool with air conditioning, limit your time outdoors, drink plenty of water, and check on your neighbors — especially older New Yorkers and anyone with a health condition.”

To help protect residents from the smoky conditions, city officials are distributing free KN95 masks at neighborhood libraries and police precincts.

Health officials warned that while the polluted air poses risks for everyone, it is particularly dangerous for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma and other breathing disorders.

The air quality concerns are being intensified by an ongoing heat advisory affecting the city.

As a result, New York City has extended the operating hours of its cooling centers through Thursday, while residents enrolled in the Notify NYC system will continue receiving alerts about changing weather and air quality conditions.

New York City Council members approved a controversial pay increase for themselves on Thursday, overwhelmingly backing legislation that boosts their salaries by 18% despite widespread concerns over affordability across the city. The measure also raises the mayor’s salary, although Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pledged not to accept the additional pay.

The legislation passed by a veto-proof margin of 42-6, increasing City Council members’ annual salaries to $175,500. It also raises the mayor’s salary to $305,800 per year, with both increases retroactive to January, when the current terms began and several newly elected officials took office.

Every vote against the proposal came from Republicans and conservative Democrats. Among them was Councilman Phil Wong (D-Queens), who argued that approving a raise for elected officials sends the wrong message while many New Yorkers continue to struggle financially and the city budget remains enormous.

“In my district, there are so, so many constituents that are living paycheck to paycheck and having problems making ends meet,” he said.

“So, I cannot vote onto a bill to increase salaries for myself.”

The vote came on the heels of the City Council’s approval of a record $126 billion municipal budget and follows an unsuccessful attempt late last year to quietly enact a smaller 16% salary increase before the close of 2025.

After that effort collapsed, Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-Queens), who had led the previous push, renewed the campaign with the backing of a three-member Quadrennial Commission established to evaluate elected officials’ compensation.

In June, the commission issued a 127-page report recommending an 18.2% increase, arguing that inflation and rising living expenses had significantly eroded the purchasing power of public officials’ salaries.

The commission also proposed instituting automatic annual raises of at least 2% going forward.

Council members, however, removed that provision before final passage, deciding instead that the compensation commission would reconvene every three years to review salaries.

Under the approved legislation, the annual salaries will increase as follows:

• Mayor: from $258,750 to $305,800
• City Council members: from $148,500 to $175,500
• Council Speaker: from $164,500 to $194,400

Council Speaker Julie Menin, who is independently wealthy, was the only member to abstain from the vote. She announced that although she did not vote against the measure, she would decline to accept the higher salary.

Before the vote, Menin said the Council had sought inflation-related raises for middle-income municipal workers, including emergency responders, but faulted the Mamdani administration for failing to move those efforts forward.

“Let me just be clear: we pushed for the wages for the EMS workers. We pushed for the FDNY. We pushed really hard for that,” she said. “The administration did not want to do either.”

Mamdani, who won the mayor’s office on a campaign centered on affordability, said during an unrelated event Thursday that he has no intention of taking the raise and would rather see the money benefit struggling residents.

“I will not accept a pay raise,” he said.

“I haven’t knocked on anyone’s door in New York City and they said their concern is that the mayor makes too little. So, that’s not my concern either.”

Council Minority Leader David Carr (R-Staten Island) criticized the process itself, arguing that elected officials should not be responsible for determining their own compensation.

“I just don’t think elected officials should vote on their own pay,” he said.

“Make raises pegged to the city’s managerial employee increases, which are based on the collective bargaining process, or make them automatic cost-of-living increases like Congress does, but don’t make it political.”

The previous time City Council members approved salary increases for themselves and other city officials was in 2016, during the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio.

That year, lawmakers approved a 23% pay increase, raising their salaries to $138,315 annually while also redesignating Council positions as full-time jobs and imposing new restrictions on outside earnings.

{Matzav.com}

A complaint filed against Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Israel Rav Dovid Yosef over sharp comments he directed at Israel’s High Court of Justice during the controversy surrounding a Shabbos court hearing has been upheld by the Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, retired Judge Asher Kula. Despite the ruling, no disciplinary action was taken against the Rav.

In his decision issued on Thursday, Kula wrote that the question of whether a court hearing should take place on Shabbos is not part of the Chief Rabbi’s official responsibilities. As a result, he determined that Rav Yosef’s statements on the matter are not covered by the legal protections granted to him when carrying out his official duties.

Kula found that several of Rav Yosef’s remarks—including describing the justices as “these insolent judges,” accusing them of “trampling the Holy Torah,” and referring to the High Court of Justice as “an enemy of Judaism”—crossed the line from legitimate public criticism.

The commissioner further wrote that language of this nature does not reflect the dignified public conduct expected of someone serving in a judicial role and warned that such statements have the potential to weaken public confidence in the judicial system.

At the same time, Kula rejected a separate complaint that challenged Rav Yosef’s criticism of a High Court ruling requiring the Chief Rabbinate to permit women to take the Rabbinate certification examinations.

He concluded that this issue falls directly within the Chief Rabbi’s area of responsibility and authority, making his comments part of his official role and leaving no grounds for intervention.

Although the commissioner upheld one of the complaints, he decided not to impose any sanctions on Rav Dovid Yosef.

{Matzav.com}

A longtime teleprompter operator for President Donald Trump has been placed on unpaid administrative leave after federal investigators reportedly concluded that he used advance knowledge of the president’s prepared speeches to make profitable wagers on a prediction market. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the employee allegedly earned more than $100,000 through the trades and is now negotiating a settlement with federal regulators.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday that the Trump administration will soon classify additional violent far-left organizations as foreign terrorist groups, warning that politically motivated extremism has become an increasingly dangerous international threat.

Speaking at the State Department’s Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism, Rubio said the administration is broadening its counterterrorism efforts beyond Islamist terrorism to confront what he described as an expanding network of violent far-left organizations operating across international borders.

“Last November, the State Department designated four violent far-left extremist groups as foreign terrorist organizations, and there will be more designations soon,” Rubio told attendees.

Rubio pointed to the murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and multiple assassination attempts against President Donald Trump as examples of what he described as a “distinctive and unique evil.”

He argued that violent activity by far-left extremists has long been minimized or ignored by the media, academic institutions, and government officials despite a lengthy historical record.

“Far-left political terrorism is not a recent-day modern novelty. It is not a fiction manufactured by conservative politicians,” Rubio said. “For most of the modern era, it was in fact the dominant form of political violence.”

A State Department fact sheet released during the conference stated that far-left anti-government extremists were responsible for 63% of all documented anti-government attacks or plots in the United States during 2025.

The department also said violent far-left and anarchist organizations carried out the majority of politically motivated attacks throughout the Western world during the 1970s and 1980s and have stepped up attacks on critical infrastructure in both Europe and the United States in recent years.

The conference drew representatives from more than 60 nations across Europe, Asia, and the Western Hemisphere to strengthen intelligence sharing, enhance cooperation between law enforcement agencies, and coordinate financial efforts to dismantle international extremist organizations.

State Department officials also highlighted the Rewards for Justice program, which offers up to $10 million for information that helps disrupt the financing of designated extremist groups. The department said the United States is also partnering with allied nations to curb terrorist travel and improve cross-border investigations.

Rubio concluded by warning that today’s extremist organizations collaborate internationally through encrypted communications, fundraising operations, and training networks, making a unified global response essential.

“Through intelligence and information sharing, through coordinated law enforcement strategy, through financial targeting and disruption, we will dismantle these networks brick by brick,” Rubio said. “It is time for the people of the civilized world to defend ourselves.”

{Matzav.com}

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday that it is seeking to impose a $255,000 civil penalty against United Airlines, alleging the carrier failed to comply with federal drug and alcohol testing requirements.

According to the FAA, United permitted a flight attendant to carry out safety-sensitive responsibilities on 47 flights during 2024 and 2025 without first completing the required evaluation by a substance abuse professional, obtaining a verified negative return-to-duty drug test, or undergoing mandatory follow-up testing. The agency said the employee had been fired by United in 2021 after refusing to take a drug test but was later rehired.

United Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposed penalty.

The FAA has recently taken similar enforcement actions against other major airlines. In April, the agency proposed fines of $255,000 against American Airlines and $304,000 against Southwest Airlines over alleged violations of federal drug and alcohol regulations.

{Matzav.com}

The United States intensified its military campaign against Iran on Thursday night, carrying out a fifth consecutive evening of strikes as Washington continued efforts to weaken Tehran’s military capabilities.

US Central Command said the latest wave of attacks was part of an ongoing operation designed to further reduce Iran’s military strength and operational capacity.

Earlier Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the US naval blockade of vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports is now fully operational. She explained that the blockade was reinstated because of “Iran’s inability to honor their agreement with the United States of America.”

Leavitt said the operation is being carried out by a formidable American force that includes more than 10,000 sailors, marines, and airmen, supported by two aircraft carriers, over 20 warships, and dozens of military aircraft.

Describing the blockade’s initial results, Leavitt said that during its first 24 hours, CENTCOM redirected two compliant commercial vessels and “disabled” one compliant vessel.

{Matzav.com}

A towering life-sized statue honoring Charlie Kirk is scheduled to be unveiled in New York City’s Times Square on Sept. 10, exactly one year after the Turning Point USA co-founder was assassinated, in what the sculptor says is meant to be both a memorial and a statement in defense of free speech.

The monument was created by Sergio Furnari, a sculptor born in Sicily who has spent the past 35 years living in New York. He said the unveiling is planned for 2:23 p.m., the exact time Kirk was shot and killed while addressing a campus gathering at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, one year earlier.

“You know, I’m a New Yorker, so Times Square is like La Piazza,” Furnari told the New York Post. “Everything happens in the city, in the center of the town.”

Although he has not revealed the precise location where the statue will stand, Furnari said it will be displayed “really high on a truck so that everybody can see.”

Promoting the event on Instagram, Furnari wrote: “It’s going to be in the middle of Times Square, the center of the universe.”

He also encouraged those who admired Kirk to attend the ceremony, saying, “If you were a big fan of Charlie, this will be your opportunity to maybe find a little bit of peace or harmony.”

The sculpture portrays Kirk holding a microphone while wearing a sweatshirt bearing the word “FREEDOM,” a tribute to the campus speeches and debates that helped make him one of America’s best-known conservative activists.

Furnari explained that the current version was constructed with a metal framework and industrial resin, though he hopes to eventually recreate it in stainless steel so it is “bulletproof.”

The artist emphasized that his motivation was rooted in defending the principle of free expression rather than endorsing Kirk’s political views.

“It’s not like I was a fan or somebody that followed him. Actually, I didn’t agree with many of his things, but it’s about freedom of speech,” he told the Post.

Kirk, 31, was murdered on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking before a large audience at Utah Valley University. His death sparked nationwide attention, leading to tributes from conservative figures across the country and renewed discussions about political violence and security at public events.

After co-founding Turning Point USA in 2012, Kirk helped build it into one of the nation’s largest conservative youth organizations, establishing chapters on high school and college campuses while organizing major political conferences and voter engagement initiatives.

Meanwhile, the criminal prosecution of the man accused of carrying out the killing continues in Utah. Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Earlier this month, prosecutors wrapped up a weeklong preliminary hearing in which they introduced surveillance video, forensic evidence, and witness testimony they say connects Robinson to the shooting. Defense attorneys disputed the credibility of critical DNA and ballistic evidence.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Sept. 1 before Utah state District Judge Tony Graf, who will decide whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence for the case to move forward to trial.

If everything proceeds as planned, the Times Square unveiling will take place on the first anniversary of Kirk’s assassination and is expected to attract supporters from across the country. Furnari said he hopes the memorial will honor Kirk’s legacy while serving as a lasting symbol of the importance of free speech.

{Matzav.com}

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is dramatically increasing its investment in the United States, announcing plans to pour another $100 billion into expanding its American manufacturing operations as soaring demand for artificial intelligence chips drives record-breaking earnings.

The new commitment raises TSMC’s total planned U.S. investment to approximately $265 billion. The company also boosted its full-year revenue outlook after posting its strongest quarterly profit ever, fueled by the explosive growth of AI technologies.

As the world’s largest contract chip producer and one of the most valuable companies on the globe, TSMC is widely viewed as a bellwether for both the semiconductor industry and the rapidly expanding AI sector. Its performance comes as investors continue debating whether the AI market’s rapid rise can be sustained.

To keep pace with surging demand for AI processors, TSMC has continued expanding its manufacturing footprint in the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The company also increased its projected capital spending for the year, raising its investment budget to between $60 billion and $64 billion, up from its previous forecast of $52 billion to $56 billion.

TSMC manufactures advanced chips for some of the world’s biggest technology companies, including Nvidia and Apple. Before Thursday’s announcement, the company had already committed $165 billion toward constructing six semiconductor fabrication plants in Arizona.

According to Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei, the additional investment is intended to “support the strong multiyear demand from our leading U.S. customers,” he said during the company’s quarterly earnings conference Thursday.

“We believe this investment will help to further foster the development of the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem, strengthen the supply chain and support an increasing number of high-tech, high-paying jobs in the United States,” he said.

Wei also said demand tied to artificial intelligence remains exceptionally strong around the world, noting that AI-related growth continues to accelerate.

AI-related demand globally continues to be “extremely robust,” Wei added, as the “AI megatrend continues to drive the need for more and more computation.”

The company reported net income of 706.6 billion New Taiwan dollars—roughly $22 billion—for the April through June quarter, representing a 77% increase from the same period last year. The record-setting results exceeded Wall Street expectations and underscored the continuing strength of the AI-driven semiconductor market.

{Matzav.com}

House Speaker Mike Johnson is preparing a strategy that could set the stage for another major budget battle with Democrats, as Republicans look to combine government funding with election integrity measures in the months leading up to November’s midterm elections.

According to reports, Johnson said Thursday that the House’s next major legislative effort will be a continuing resolution to keep the federal government operating beyond the Sept. 30 fiscal year deadline. The temporary funding measure would likely extend spending into the post-election lame-duck session, Politico reported.

The approach reportedly follows private discussions in which Johnson encouraged President Donald Trump to support the plan. Republicans believe another fight over federal spending could put Democrats on the defensive over key GOP priorities, particularly election security, before voters head to the polls.

When asked whether the Republican-backed SAVE America Act would be included in the temporary spending bill, Johnson indicated that no final decision has been made.

“We haven’t decided all that yet,” Johnson said when asked whether the Republican-backed SAVE America Act would be attached to the stopgap bill.

Johnson made clear, however, that the legislation remains central to the Republican agenda.

“The SAVE America Act is the No. 1 priority for us, and we’re going to attach it to everything that makes sense,” Johnson said. “So we’ll have to see.”

Republicans have increasingly pushed to link major legislation with the SAVE America Act, which would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship before registering to vote in federal elections. Although the House approved the proposal earlier this year, it has yet to advance in the Senate.

Politico reported that GOP leaders are debating whether to package the election integrity provisions with the funding bill, believing such a move would force Democrats to publicly oppose measures that have become a hallmark of President Trump’s legislative agenda. Some Democrats, however, are expected to favor a straightforward funding extension without additional policy provisions.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, argued that lawmakers should simply keep the government funded until after the election, saying it would be “the adult thing” to do because Congress is unlikely to complete all of its appropriations work before the fiscal year expires.

At the same time, House Republicans are also working to move a separate $95 billion reconciliation package before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess.

According to The Hill, the proposal would provide $73 billion for defense and intelligence programs, $12 billion for agricultural assistance, and another $10 billion to implement Trump-backed election integrity initiatives modeled after the SAVE America Act.

Not all Republicans are on board with the proposal. Fiscal conservatives have objected that the legislation does not adequately offset the new spending.

Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, predicted the framework would be “DOA,” while Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he remained undecided, cautioning that advancing the legislation too quickly would be a mistake.

House Republican leaders argue the scaled-down reconciliation package reflects negotiations with both the White House and Senate Republicans while addressing urgent military requirements in the aftermath of the conflict with Iran.

Vice President JD Vance has also urged House Republicans to rally behind the measure, arguing that it would bolster national security, provide assistance to American farmers, and advance election integrity efforts after Democrats declined to support the SAVE America Act in the Senate.

{Matzav.com}

This year’s Bein Hazemanim in the month of Av is expected to mark one of the busiest wedding seasons in the history of Yeshivas Ponevezh, with more than 50 bochurim from the yeshivah scheduled to marry over the course of the break.

The unusually large concentration of weddings stems from the longstanding directive established by the rosh yeshivah, Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, discouraging weddings during the month of Elul. Because Elul is devoted to preparation for the Yamim Nora’im and marks the beginning of one of the most intensive periods of the yeshivah year, weddings have traditionally been concentrated during Bein Hazemanim instead.

Among the most prominent celebrations will be several weddings involving members of the yeshivah‘s leadership. On the first day of Bein Hazemanim, the son of the mashgiach, Rav Avrohom Rothschild, will marry a great-granddaughter of Rav Avrohom Noach Garbuz zt”l. On the final day of Bein Hazemanim, the son of Rav Reuven Shmulevitz will wed.

Additional notable weddings include the grandson of Rav Boruch Elyashiv, head of the Tiferes Bochurim kollel network, and great-grandson of Rav Aryeh Shmulevitz zt”l, one of the senior roshei yeshivah of the Mir, who will marry a granddaughter of Rav Gershon Yosef Levi, son-in-law of Rav Aharon Feldman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Baltimore.

Also scheduled are the wedding of a granddaughter of Rav Moshe Shmulevitz to the son of Rav Melech, a maggid shiur at Yeshivas Daas Tevunos in Bnei Brak; the wedding of a great-great-grandson of the gaon av beis din of Kiryat Sefer, Rav Meir Kessler, and grandson of Rav Shmuel Meir Walach zt”l to a granddaughter of Rav Yaakov Marmarosh, rav of Bnei Brak’s Shikun Gimmel neighborhood; and the wedding of the daughter of Rav Aryeh Zelivansky, rosh yeshivah of Yeshivas Meor HaTalmud, to a grandson of Rav Shmuel Chaim Soloveitchik, head of the Vaad HaKashrus of the Eidah HaChareidis.

Meanwhile, the exceptionally busy wedding season has led to an innovative transportation solution among the bochurim. As has become customary in recent years, rather than each chosson arranging and paying for chartered buses to transport guests from around the country, many are purchasing monthly unlimited public transportation passes for bochurim who commit to attending a designated number of weddings throughout Bein Hazemanim. This system has significantly reduced transportation costs while making it easier for friends to participate in the unusually large number of simchos this summer.

{Matzav.com}

As Bein Hazemanim approaches, organizers of summer camps for yeshivah bochurim in Israel say that preparations are moving ahead despite ongoing concerns over the possibility of arrests under Israel’s military draft law. They say the decision to continue the programs was made following consultation with leading gedolei Yisrael.

Speaking on Kol Chai Radio’s Tzav Ma’atzar program, camp director Moishy Safra discussed this year’s preparations with host Gudi Silman. Asked whether buses filled with bochurim could face police inspections or arrests while traveling, Safra said the issue had been carefully weighed by gedolei Yisrael, who concluded that the camps should proceed.

“The decision was that, at this point, the concern is not so significant. Certainly when traveling as a large group, the level of concern is not great,” Sapra said.

According to Safra, interest in attending the camps is actually stronger this year than in previous summers.

“There is a greater desire among the bochurim to go out,” he said, explaining that the war and security situation had significantly limited recreational outings in recent years, leaving many eager to take advantage of Bein Hazemanim this summer.

He added that, in his view, gedolei Yisrael place particular importance on the camps this year because “the bochurim need it more,” and because they want “to give the bochurim the feeling that they deserve it,” amid the public debate and the difficult circumstances confronting bnei yeshivah.

Safra also addressed the financial challenges facing many yeshivos following reductions in government funding.

“Clearly it has an impact,” he said, noting that “everything now requires more thought” in order to maximize limited financial resources.

Despite rising costs, he said the camps will continue operating this year, although participants in many cases will face higher fees. At the same time, organizations and private donors have stepped forward to help offset expenses.

“There are various sponsorships… because supporting yeshivah bochurim will strengthen the yeshivah bochurim, without question,” he said.

Silman used the interview to encourage business owners, swimming pools, adventure parks, and other organizations to support the camps financially and assist bnei yeshivah.

“We want to uplift the yeshivah bochurim,” he said.

Safra added that organizers currently do not anticipate significant problems with outings or trips because of potential arrests. However, he noted that the camps’ programming has been adjusted this year. In addition to the traditional recreational activities, the schedule now includes expanded Torah programming, inspirational talks, and kumzitzen focused on strengthening bochurim spiritually and helping them navigate the challenges they currently face.

While acknowledging that this year’s atmosphere is different and the circumstances more complex, Safra said the goal remains to conduct the camps in much the same format as in previous years, providing bochurim with a meaningful and uplifting framework during Bein Hazemanim while fostering confidence, encouragement, and spiritual growth.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly two weeks after the murder of mekubal Rav Amos Guetta zt”l in Netanya, police say they have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation after a suspect who had remained completely silent began speaking following a carefully orchestrated investigative tactic.

According to a report by journalist Lee Ayash of i24NEWS, the suspect, who had consistently exercised his right to remain silent and refused to provide investigators with any version of events, changed his behavior after detectives from the Sharon District Major Crimes Unit carried out an undercover investigative maneuver.

Throughout his interrogations, the suspect reportedly refused to utter a word, acting as though he was unable to speak. Investigators said his only responses consisted of gestures and repeatedly pointing toward the sky.

Police then placed the suspect in a holding area outside the interrogation room without informing him that he was being secretly monitored and recorded.

According to investigators, while waiting, the suspect was offered food and drinks. Unlike his conduct during formal questioning, he responded to questions, carried on a conversation, and even requested a Coca-Cola instead of water. The entire exchange was documented and later presented to him by investigators.

After being confronted with the recorded footage, investigators said the suspect’s demeanor changed, and he began speaking during his official interrogation as well.

Despite that development, police said the suspect has still not provided an account of the murder itself. Instead, his conversations with investigators have focused primarily on religious matters.

Meanwhile, detectives continue to strengthen the evidentiary case. As previously reported, police have also recovered what they believe to be the murder weapon allegedly used in the killing.

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli government on Wednesday approved an additional 39 million shekels to increase the salaries of preschool teachers in Chareidi mukar she’eino rishmi educational networks, adopting a new funding formula that recognizes teachers’ actual years of experience.

Under the new policy, government funding for preschool teachers’ salaries will now be based on each teacher’s actual seniority rather than on a capped average of up to 16 years. For years, the Chareidi preschool networks have been required to pay teachers according to their true seniority, education, and professional rank, while government funding failed to cover those actual costs.

The government resolution allocates 39 million shekels from the Finance Ministry to implement the revised funding model during 2026.

Officials from the Chareidi preschool networks hailed the decision as a historic breakthrough and an important first step toward correcting what they describe as a longstanding funding inequity that had pushed many schools toward financial collapse, threatened the livelihoods of thousands of preschool teachers, and cast uncertainty over the opening of the upcoming school year.

At the same time, the Association of Directors of Mochshar Preschool Networks stressed that the newly approved funding represents only a partial solution. The organization said it will continue pressing the government until Chareidi preschool teachers receive full and equal funding comparable to that provided to teachers in Israel’s general education system.

The campaign was spearheaded by Agudath Israel’s Ganim Network under the leadership of Director-General Yisrael Golomb, together with senior representatives of the Chareidi parties and administrators from other educational institutions.

Golomb welcomed the government’s decision but emphasized that significant work remains.

“The work has not yet been completed, and a long struggle still lies ahead until full funding is provided based on the actual profile of the preschool teachers. Nevertheless, we welcome the recognition of teachers’ seniority and thank everyone who worked on this effort, especially MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni. This is an important first step toward achieving real change.”

Golomb also expressed appreciation to his partners in the campaign, including Yaakov Segal, director-general of the Etz Hadaas educational network, the various school administrators, and CPA Avigail Shikovitzky, thanking them for their determination, dedication, and close partnership throughout the effort.

[COMMUNICATED]

Three kedoshei elyon had one common concept when it came to learning Torah – they were the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar 1696-1743) when he came to Eretz Yisroel; the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto 1707-1746) when he lived in Padua, Italy;  and Hagaon, Harav Chaim Volozhiner, (1749-1821) the famous talmid of the Gaon of Vilna.

They each had a yeshiva with ‘around-the-clock’ Torah learning, 24-hours a day, so that there would be no minute when the sound of Torah learning would not be heard in this world. The 24-hour period would be divided into shifts, and as one ended the next would begin.

Torah-24

A “Torah-24” Center has been opened in Yerushalayim and the Nasi is Maran Sar Hatorah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l.

Under ONE ROOF, from 6:00 am – 6:00 am, 10 kollelim fill successive learning shifts. Each kollel focuses on a specific area of in-depth Torah study. The “Torah-24” Kollelim include: Boker (Gemora), Yerushalmi, Bavli, Zeraim-Taharot, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Erev (Gemora), Chatzos- Zohar/Kabbolah, Erev Shabbos (Chumash / Medrash b’iyun). 

Already there are 52 avreichim metzuyonim, and a large number of candidates are vying for the remaining slots in the kollelim. All the avreichim are required to take rigorous monthly tests.

Endorsements & Letters

Endorsements include Maranan Hagaonim shlit”a: Harav Gershon Edelstein, Harav Berel Povarsky, Harav Shimon Badani, Harav Dovid Cohen, Harav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Harav Chaim Feinstein, Harav Shimon Galai, Harav Shraga Shteinman.

Letters of support-encouragement have been received from Maranan Hagaonim, shlit”a: Hamekubal Harav David Bazri, Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Elimelech Biderman, Hamekubal Harav Yaakov Meir Schechter, Harav Moishe Sternbuch, Harav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss.

For more “Torah-24” information click on: www.torah-24.com or call 718-766-5022

Rav Yitzchak Yosef, nosi of Shas’ Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, sent a special letter to Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri congratulating him on the passage of the historic Basic Law: Torah Study, praising the legislation for elevating the honor and importance of Torah and its learners.

In the letter, Rav Yosef wrote that the law “has greatly increased kavod Shamayim and elevated the importance of Torah and those who study it.”

He continued by emphasizing the indispensable role of bnei Torah in protecting the Jewish people.

“Those who study Torah are the protectors of the Jewish people and ensure the transmission of Torah from generation to generation. May it be Hashem’s will that this will lead to a complete end to the persecution of Torah scholars and restore the situation to what it once was.”

Rav Yosef also praised the repeal of former minister Matan Kahana’s kashrus reform, offering special recognition to Religious Services Minister MK Michael Malkieli and ministry Director-General Yehuda Avidan for their efforts.

“I also extend my blessing to those engaged in safeguarding the walls of kashrus—MK Rabbi Michael Malkieli, together with the energetic and devoted Rabbi Yehuda Avidan and all those involved in this sacred work—who, with Hashem’s help, merited bringing this effort to completion and eliminating the danger that hovered over the kashrus standards in Eretz Yisrael.”

Last week, Rav Yosef took the unusual step of publicly intervening in the legislative process, sending a letter to Deri urging him to prioritize passage of the Torah Study Law.

Quoting the famous words of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, Rav Yosef wrote, “Ten li Yavneh v’Chachameha. There is no room for delay, and under no circumstances should the passage of the Torah Study Law be jeopardized. Regarding kashrus, we must save the Jewish people from eating neveilos and treifos and support the current version of the law. It is not sufficient merely to refrain from doing wrong.”

Following Rav Yosef’s appeal, Shas intensified its efforts to advance the legislation. Over the past day, both measures were approved in their final Knesset readings. The Basic Law: Torah Study formally recognizes Torah study as a foundational value of the State of Israel, while separate legislation repealed Kahana’s kashrus reform.

The new kashrus law, promoted by the Ministry of Religious Services, significantly restructures Israel’s kashrus supervision system and eliminates the longstanding direct employment relationship between supervisors and the establishments they oversee. Supporters say the legislation strengthens the integrity of the country’s kashrus system and reverses reforms that had drawn widespread criticism and prompted legal challenges before Israel’s Supreme Court.

In his concluding brocha to Deri, Rav Yosef wrote that the passage of the Torah Study Law had increased kavod Shamayim and affirmed the central role of Torah scholars in safeguarding the Jewish people. He expressed hope that even those distant from Torah and mitzvos would come to recognize the greatness of Torah learners and that the legislation would ultimately bring an end to the persecution they have endured.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu sharply defended the recently enacted law freezing the arrests of yeshivah students during private conversations with government ministers, reportedly condemning the arrest of Torah scholars and comparing the practice to religious persecution in Soviet Russia.

According to a report by Channel 14 correspondent Moti Kastel, Netanyahu expressed anger over criticism of the law, which was temporarily suspended by Israel’s High Court pending its review of petitions challenging the legislation.

During the conversations, Netanyahu reportedly urged ministers to push back forcefully against opponents of the law.

“We need to push back against this false propaganda. This law causes no harm whatsoever!” he said.

Netanyahu argued that freezing arrests would actually encourage military enlistment rather than discourage it.

“We want recruits. We don’t want arrests. The more arrests there are, the fewer recruits there will be. We’re hearing this from the heads of the hesder yeshivos. The moment this threat exists, everything stops. It only sows hatred and division. Anyone who is not learning should face the full force of the law.”

The prime minister also strongly criticized the ongoing arrests of bnei Torah, invoking the persecution of religious Jews under the Soviet regime.

“Taking Torah learners? They did this in Russia, and we cried out against it! This is not the solution. The Torah is our Jewish heritage for hundreds of generations! It is what has sustained the Jewish people.”

Netanyahu also addressed the recently approved Basic Law: Torah Study, dismissing criticism of the measure.

“What do they want? The law states that Torah study is a foundational value in Israel’s heritage. Wow! What’s the big deal? There’s nothing more to it.”

A dramatic coalition showdown erupted in the Knesset on Wednesday evening just before the final vote on the government’s landmark judicial reform bill, after MK Moshe Gafni threatened to block the legislation unless funding issues affecting Chareidi preschool teachers were resolved. Following hours of behind-the-scenes negotiations, Gafni prevailed, clearing the way for the bill to move forward.

The legislation, championed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Constitution Committee Chairman MK Simcha Rothman, reached its final stages after roughly 70 committee meetings. However, moments before the decisive vote, the process came to an abrupt halt as Chareidi parties threatened to withhold their support, triggering a direct confrontation between Gafni and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich.

As coalition leaders scrambled to prevent the bill’s collapse, Rothman deliberately prolonged his speech from the Knesset podium, buying time for intensive negotiations behind the scenes. Those talks ultimately ended with the coalition accepting Gafni’s demands.

At the heart of the dispute was growing frustration within United Torah Judaism, particularly from Gafni, over the government’s failure to approve promised seniority-based salary increases for Chareidi preschool teachers. UTJ accused Smotrich of intentionally delaying the funding and removing it from the government’s agenda in an effort to pressure the party politically, specifically to secure representation for his Religious Zionism Party in the municipal coalition in Beit Shemesh.

In response, UTJ informed coalition leaders that it would not support one of the government’s signature judicial reform measures, a move that would almost certainly have doomed the legislation.

Religious Zionism fired back with an unusually sharp public response. Associates of Smotrich argued that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara should “send flowers” to Gafni because, by threatening the bill, he was effectively preserving what they described as her judicial “dictatorship.”

Party officials also warned that if Gafni and his colleagues were responsible for defeating legislation intended to curb the attorney general’s authority, “they will not be able to show their faces in the Chareidi street,” adding bluntly, “they should not threaten us.”

Despite the heated rhetoric, Gafni’s political pressure ultimately succeeded. After marathon negotiations, Smotrich’s camp agreed that funding for the salary increases would remain on the government’s agenda, officially resolving the crisis.

The confrontation unfolded despite an earlier coalition agreement under which the Chareidi parties had pledged full support for the attorney general legislation as part of a broader package negotiated with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. In return, the coalition had advanced several key Chareidi-backed measures, including the Basic Law: Torah Study, the law freezing the arrests of draft evaders—which was later suspended by the High Court—and legislation repealing the kashrus reform.

Gafni’s last-minute threat briefly cast doubt over the entire agreement. Once the dispute over the preschool teachers’ funding was resolved, however, coalition unity was restored and the legislative package remained intact.

The legislation at the center of the dispute is designed to significantly reshape the relationship between Israel’s government and the attorney general. Its primary provision removes the binding status of the attorney general’s legal opinions, making them advisory rather than mandatory for ministers and the cabinet.

Under the proposal, the attorney general will continue serving as the government’s chief legal adviser, offering legal guidance and outlining available options while helping ensure compliance with the law. Final policy decisions, however, would remain with elected officials.

The bill further provides that while written legal opinions from the attorney general will reflect the government’s legal position, they will not themselves determine the law. The government will be permitted to conclude that an opinion does not accurately reflect existing law, provided it reports that determination to the Knesset Constitution Committee.

In addition, the legislation grants the government greater authority over its legal representation in the courts. If the attorney general declines to represent the government’s position, ministers will be authorized to retain private outside counsel to argue the government’s case. With the coalition crisis resolved, the legislation is now expected to proceed to a final vote.

{Matzav.com}

The move comes less than a day after emergency meetings were held by senior Sanz er activists to coordinate a series of nationwide demonstrations in response to the arrests. News of the Rebbe’s personal involvement surprised many Chassidim and is being viewed as a major escalation in the campaign.

According to organizers, the decision was made after an avreich and a yeshivah bochur from the Sanzer community were arrested in recent days under Israel’s military draft law. The Rebbe will interrupt his stay in Caesarea, where he had been resting, and is expected to arrive Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the entrance to Military Prison 10.

He will be accompanied by thousands of Sanzer Chassidim from across Israel, who are expected to travel to the prison on organized buses for what organizers describe as a massive prayer gathering and protest outside the prison walls.

Those coordinating the event say the Rebbe’s decision represents a significant breakthrough in the campaign against the draft law. He will become the second member of the Chassidishe Agudas Yisroel’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah to personally lead a demonstration outside the military prison together with his Chassidim. The first to do so was the Gerrer Rebbe.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said Wednesday that while he remains committed to the Democratic Party, he would walk away if it formally abandoned its support for Israel. Speaking at The Hill Nation Summit in Washington, D.C., Fetterman said backing Israel remains a defining principle for him.

“If our party ever becomes — and just makes it official — the anti-Israel party, that’s when I would leave because that’s been a moral clarity for me,” he said Wednesday during an interview at the Hill Nation Summit in Washington, D.C.

Fetterman said he has become increasingly troubled by what he sees as a growing shift among Democrats away from supporting Israel, driven in part by pressure from the party’s progressive wing.

“My long-term concern has been with the Democratic Party, as I am a member of that, is that our party is going to back away and turn its back on Israel,” he said.

As an example, Fetterman pointed to House Minority Whip Katherine Clark’s support for an amendment introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that sought to eliminate the $3.3 billion in annual U.S. security assistance provided to Israel.

Although the proposal failed in the House on Wednesday, Fetterman argued that Clark’s vote reflected a broader ideological movement taking shape within the Democratic Party.

“You look at the kinds of individuals that are winning our recent primaries,” he said. “It’s becoming more anti-, anti-Israel and hostile to people” who are pro-Israel.

He also criticized Democrats whom he believes are attempting to appeal to voters who are deeply opposed to Israel.

“are trying to ingratiate ourselves with that segment of the base of our voters are intensely, intensely anti-Israel.”

Fetterman acknowledged that Republicans have approached him about changing parties but declined to discuss the conversations in detail, saying they were private.

The Pennsylvania senator also expressed concern about the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, where progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed has been performing well in public polling.

He argued that if El-Sayed secures the nomination, Democrats would be forced to invest substantially more resources to remain competitive in the battleground state during the general election.

“Rogers just barely, barely lost in ’24,” Fetterman said, referring to former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican candidate who narrowly lost the 2024 Michigan Senate race to Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

“If El-Sayed wins, then that puts Michigan much more in play for us and would require us to spend more money. What’s defined El-Sayed is the more anti-Israel and hostile-to-Israel thing,” Fetterman said.

Fetterman also took aim at progressive candidates who continue to embrace the “defund the police” movement, questioning whether Democrats have learned from the political setbacks they suffered in the 2024 election.

“Now here’s more Democrats to ‘defund the police.’ Here we are back to part of the worst impulses that we just can’t resist,” Fetterman said.

“We forgot the crazy things that we said and that cost us the election in 2024. Now we want to revisit that,” he continued.

“If anything, they’re coming back in the strongest kind of terms. Look at the people who are winning.”

Among those candidates, Fetterman pointed to Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old democratic socialist backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District. He noted that Chevalier had previously deleted a social media account in which she advocated abolishing police, borders, and prisons, and asserted that Israel does not exist.

Fetterman also criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., for continuing to strongly support Graham Platner in Maine’s Senate race despite reports published by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal in early June detailing allegations about Platner’s past.

According to Fetterman, the collapse of Platner’s campaign has made it “more difficult” for Democrats to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins and regain control of the U.S. Senate.

{Matzav.com}

The New York Times asked a federal court on Wednesday to block Justice Department subpoenas issued to several of its reporters, setting the stage for a high-profile legal battle over press freedom and the government’s effort to uncover the sources behind leaked information concerning security concerns involving the new Air Force One.

In a statement accompanying the newspaper’s legal challenge, David McCraw, the Times’ senior vice president and deputy general counsel, argued that the administration’s actions were intended to retaliate against the newspaper.

“As we set out in our motion, these subpoenas are brought in bad faith to punish The Times for its coverage,” David McCraw, the newspaper’s senior vice president and deputy general counsel, said in a statement.

“They violate the constitutional rights of The Times and its journalists.

“We are going to court to defend our journalists’ rights to report freely on the administration and to provide the public with stories that matter,” McCraw’s statement said.

The motion was filed under seal in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, where the reporters were ordered to appear before a federal grand jury under subpoenas served last Friday.

Although the newspaper initially anticipated that five reporters would receive subpoenas, only three journalists were ultimately served.

The subpoenas, which were delivered directly to the reporters’ homes, represented a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign to identify the sources of classified leaks. Press freedom advocates quickly criticized the move as an attempt to intimidate journalists and news organizations.

The latest development follows an earlier incident this year in which FBI agents searched the home of a Washington Post reporter and seized her electronic devices as part of a separate leak investigation.

At the center of the dispute is reporting by The New York Times concerning security issues involving the newly commissioned Air Force One aircraft.

The aircraft, which was gifted by Qatar and later underwent approximately $400 million in upgrades and modifications by the Trump administration, recently entered active service.

However, when President Trump departed last week for the NATO summit in Turkey, he traveled aboard an older Air Force One rather than the newly upgraded aircraft.

Citing anonymous sources, the Times reported that the Secret Service had urged Trump to use the older aircraft because the newer jet lacked certain advanced defensive capabilities, including anti-missile systems.

Trump publicly rejected those reports on social media, dismissing claims that security concerns played any role in the decision.

The Justice Department has defended its decision to subpoena the reporters, insisting that its investigation is focused on the unauthorized disclosure of classified information rather than on journalists themselves.

“to be clear, reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.”

“We value and appreciate the important role that the press plays in this country,” the department said after the Times reported it had received the subpoenas.

“But DOJ also plays an important role to make sure that the people entrusted with our nation’s secrets do what they’re supposed to do with that information, which means not sharing classified information,” the DOJ said.

During his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended approving the subpoenas.

“The Department of Justice requires that I authorize it, which I did.

“And those reporters: we’re not targeting reporters, they’re material witnesses,” he said.

When Sen. Peter Welch questioned whether prosecutors intended to force reporters to identify confidential sources, Blanche responded by emphasizing that the investigation concerns classified information.

“No, the question we want to ask them is who provided them with classified national security information, which everybody in this body should want to protect.”

Over the years, the Justice Department has repeatedly revised its internal guidelines governing leak investigations involving members of the press.

Although administrations from both parties have at times obtained journalists’ phone records during national security investigations, compelling reporters to testify before a grand jury about confidential sources has remained an exceptionally uncommon step.

In April 2025, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi rescinded a Biden administration policy that barred the secret seizure of journalists’ phone records during leak investigations, restoring broader investigative powers that many media organizations had strongly opposed.

The revised policy once again authorized prosecutors to use subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants to identify government officials responsible for making “unauthorized disclosures” to reporters.

Bondi’s directive also stated that members of the news media are “presumptively entitled to advance notice of such investigative activities,” while requiring that subpoenas be “narrowly drawn.”

The memo further instructed that search warrants include “protocols designed to limit the scope of intrusion into potentially protected materials or news gathering activities,” the memo stated.

Earlier this year, FBI agents searched the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson, who covers the Trump administration’s restructuring of the federal government, during an investigation involving a Pentagon contractor accused of improperly removing classified documents.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Treasury Department announced Wednesday that the U.S. Mint will begin producing a commemorative $1 coin featuring President Donald Trump as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the new coin is intended to honor both America’s founding ideals and Trump’s leadership.

Bessent introduced the design in a post on X, describing it as a tribute to the nation’s enduring commitment to freedom and patriotism.

“As America commemorates 250 years of independence, the @USMint will begin striking this new $1 gold coin to honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism,” Bessent wrote Wednesday morning on X.

“Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all.”

The front of the coin will display Trump’s portrait along with the words “In God We Trust” and the dates “1776-2026.”

On the reverse, the presidential seal will appear with the number “250” prominently displayed on the shield, marking the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.

Despite being described as a gold coin, Treasury officials clarified that it contains no gold or any other precious metal. Instead, it is manufactured from base metals and finished with a gold-colored coating.

The coins will be struck at the U.S. Mint’s Philadelphia facility and are expected to go on sale this fall in collector bags and rolls.

According to Politico, the commemorative issue is authorized under bipartisan legislation signed by President Trump in 2020 directing the Treasury Department to produce special $1 coins honoring America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

Although the law prohibits images of individuals from appearing on the reverse side of the coin, it has generated debate over whether a sitting president may legally be depicted on the obverse.

Treasury officials have defended the design, saying attorneys for both the Mint and the Treasury Department concluded that the coin fully complies with applicable federal law.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Commission of Fine Arts, which now includes several members appointed by President Trump, approved the design earlier this year.

Not everyone agrees with the decision. Members of the bipartisan Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee have argued that placing a living president on U.S. coinage departs from a long-established national tradition.

Opponents—including Democratic lawmakers and some numismatic experts—have also maintained that the design breaks with historical precedent.

Federal law expressly prohibits living individuals from appearing on U.S. paper currency, while separate legislation governing the Presidential $1 Coin Program likewise bars coins in that series from honoring living presidents.

Supporters of the new coin argue that those restrictions do not apply because this commemorative issue was authorized under separate legislation specifically enacted for the nation’s 250th anniversary, giving the Treasury Department the legal authority to proceed.

The Trump commemorative coin is one of several initiatives planned as part of the United States’ semiquincentennial observance, which the administration has said will celebrate the country’s history, founding principles, and enduring patriotism.

The announcement also comes after earlier proposals from some Republican lawmakers to feature Trump on a new $250 bill. That proposal has not moved forward because federal law prohibits living individuals from appearing on paper currency.

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

There are many sad sounds we hear during the Nine Days, from the mournful melody of Eicha to the scraping of a chair being turned over on Tisha B’Av. There is also the sound of silence we encounter when music would otherwise be playing, when we would have been attending a simcha or gathering at a barbecue or another happy occasion that is put on hold until the Nine Days have ended.

The saddest sound, however, is one we have almost stopped hearing altogether. It is the sound of another Jew slipping away.

Every year, as Tisha B’Av approaches, we mourn the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh. We remember the flames that consumed Yerushalayim, the blood that flowed through its streets, and the millions of Jews who were killed, exiled, enslaved, and scattered.

We cry over a churban that occurred nearly two thousand years ago, and Chazal taught us that it has never really ended. Every generation in which the Bais Hamikdosh is not rebuilt is considered as if it was destroyed.

The churban is not only past history. It is also present tense.

Today, Jews once again live under physical threat. Our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisroel endure terrorism, rockets, and war. Around the world, antisemitism has emerged from the shadows with a brazenness few imagined possible just a few years ago. Jewish schools require guards. Shuls require security. Jews are attacked in the streets of Europe and America simply because they are Jews. Politicians openly mock and criticize us.

Physical danger has returned.

But there is another tragedy unfolding, quieter than war and less visible than terrorism, yet in many ways no less devastating. It is the disappearance of Jews.

Last week, much attention was given to a poll that purported to show that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani enjoys greater approval among American Jews than Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu. The numbers themselves are startling. Even more startling were the accompanying findings, which showed that substantial numbers of American Jews believe that the United States is too supportive of Israel, and many describe Israel’s actions in Gaza in the harshest possible terms.

The poll indicated that the antisemitic Mamdani has a 44% approval rating among U.S. Jews, while only 32% approve of Netanyahu. The Associated Press survey also found that 38% of Jews say the United States is being too supportive of Israel, and 30% say that Israel’s actions in Gaza are genocide.

People argue over what the poll means politically.

Perhaps we should ask what it means spiritually.

My late uncle, Rav Berel Wein, had a way of reducing complicated sociological questions to a simple truth. He would often remark that it should not surprise anyone that Jews who eat from McDonald’s eventually lose their Jewish feeling.

It is not really about hamburgers. It is about assimilation.

When Jewish life becomes little more than an ethnic memory, when Torah is replaced by culture and mitzvos by nostalgia, Jewish identity eventually becomes so diluted that it loses its very foundation.

This did not happen overnight.

For decades, millions of American Jews convinced themselves that identity could survive without Torah. They thought that Chanukah candles, a Pesach Seder, a bar mitzvah, a few Yiddish expressions, bagels, lox, brisket, and nostalgic memories would somehow be enough. They are not.

Children were taught to be good people, but not necessarily good Jews.

They learned every fashionable ideology of the day but little about Avrohom Avinu, Har Sinai, the churban, or the return to Eretz Yisroel. They could speak fluently about oppression and colonialism, but had never studied why the Jewish people have davened toward Yerushalayim for over three thousand years.

When October 7 arrived, it did not create this crisis. It exposed it.

Many young Jews had never been given the tools to understand why Israel exists, why Jews have returned to their ancient homeland, or why Jewish survival has always depended upon remaining faithful to who we are.

A vacuum never remains empty.

If parents, schools, and communities do not fill Jewish hearts with Torah, emunah, history, and pride, someone else will fill them with other ideas.

And they have.

This, too, is churban.

So, on Tisha B’Av, as we mourn the millions who died al kiddush Hashem throughout the generations, we also weep for the millions who have been lost to intermarriage, assimilation, and indifference – Jews whose names remain Jewish, while their children and grandchildren may never know what it means to say Shema Yisroel.

Their loss is not marked by a yahrtzeit.

No Kaddish is recited. No shivah is observed.

Yet, Klal Yisroel is diminished all the same.

In Eretz Yisroel today, we are witnessing firsthand how devastating the loss of Yiddishkeit can be for the Jewish people. What we see taking place is not merely a political disagreement or a debate over public policy. It is a kulturkampf, a struggle over the soul and character of the Jewish state, the likes of which many of us have never experienced.

Jews whose grandparents lived lives of Torah and mitzvos are at the forefront of efforts to reshape the spiritual identity of the country. The painful irony is impossible to ignore. Descendants of those who once davened in shtieblach, learned in yeshivos and botei medrash, and sacrificed everything for Yiddishkeit are now leading campaigns against many of the very institutions that ensured the survival of Torah after the Holocaust and remain at the heart of what being a Jew is all about.

Make no mistake about it: What is going on now is far more than a dispute over the military draft of yeshiva bochurim.

That issue is merely the symbol of a much broader struggle.

Rabbi Wein, whose final book, A Life of Learning, was recently published ahead of his upcoming first yahrtzeit, recounts there the first time he encountered the Ponovezher Rov.

It was 1947. Rabbi Wein was not yet bar mitzvah. The Ponovezher Rov had already become a legendary figure, and when he arrived in Chicago, the city’s rabbonim, roshei yeshiva, and approximately 250 yeshiva talmidim gathered to hear him.

“We all sensed his aristocratic bearing,” Rabbi Wein writes. “The Torah shone from him.”

The bais medrash was overflowing. The Ponovezher Rov first delivered a brilliant shiur and then turned to the future of Eretz Yisroel.

Rabbi Wein recalls his astonishing prediction: “He predicted that a Jewish state would be established, but that it could very well be that the Jewish government would put a person in jail just for being a shomer Shabbos…. That was my first exposure to the Ponovezher Rov. I had never heard words like that before…. I went home with my father…. When we came home, my mother asked, ‘So what did he say?’ and my father told her [about his prediction].”

Those words must have sounded almost unimaginable to the audience in Chicago at the time. Yet, history unfolded much as the Ponovezher Rov foresaw. The State of Israel was established, and while Jews are, boruch Hashem, not imprisoned simply for being shomrei Shabbos, we are witnessing something that would have been equally difficult to imagine: Thousands of bnei Torah, whose lives are devoted to limud haTorah, are being treated as enemies of the state, facing arrests, threats, and relentless efforts to dismantle the Torah world. Alongside this has emerged a painful and dangerous rift among Jews, one that many believe is unlike anything experienced since the founding of the state.

The Ponovezher Rov foresaw the great challenge that the Jewish people would face from Jews who no longer understood what Torah is, what a ben Torah represents, and why the Torah itself is the heartbeat of Klal Yisroel.

And now, seventy-eight years later, just a couple of weeks ago, senior Israeli roshei yeshiva traveled to Chicago, among other places, to present their case and raise desperately needed funds to sustain the Israeli yeshivos and yungeleit, who are being squeezed financially by anti-Torah state forces engaged in this battle.

The battle extends far beyond yeshivos and yungeleit. It also encompasses Chinuch Atzmai, the independent Torah school system founded with extraordinary mesirus nefesh by Rav Aharon Kotler, the Chazon Ish, Rav Zalman Sorotzkin, and the gedolei hador, who understood that without authentic Torah education, there would be no future for Klal Yisroel. It includes repeated efforts to weaken the autonomy of Torah institutions, reduce funding for yeshivos, alter the religious character of the public sphere, challenge the sanctity of Shabbos, and erode the kedusha of the Kosel, Eretz Yisroel, and Am Yisroel.

Each controversy may appear to stand on its own, but all are expressions of the same underlying conflict: What should a Jewish state look like? Should it be guided by the eternal values of Torah or should it resemble every other modern Western democracy, with Judaism relegated to little more than a cultural artifact?

This is the tragedy of spiritual distance. When Torah is no longer the lens through which a Jew sees the world, even the institutions that preserved the Jewish people for thousands of years can come to be viewed as obstacles rather than treasures. The yeshiva, once the pride of the Jewish people, becomes a target of resentment. The Kosel, once the symbol of every Jewish heart’s longing, becomes just another public site to be redefined. Shabbos, the gift that has sustained us, becomes an inconvenience to be accommodated rather than a covenant to be cherished. The holy city of Yerushalayim becomes a battleground over whether stores should remain closed on Shabbos.

The greatest sadness is that so many of those fighting these battles are our own brothers and sisters.

Had they been raised to appreciate the beauty of Torah, the sacrifice of previous generations, and the miracle of the Torah world rebuilt after the churban of Europe, they might see these institutions not as relics of the past, but as the very heartbeat of the Jewish future.

That, too, is part of the churban we mourn during these days.

Not only the stones that were burned, but the hearts that have grown distant.

During these Nine Days, we refrain from music and limit our joy because our nation’s heart remains broken.

Perhaps we should also allow ourselves to mourn the brothers and sisters who are still alive but are disappearing from our people.

The Gemara teaches that the second Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed because of sinas chinom. It will be rebuilt through ahavas Yisroel. Love means more than merely embracing another Yid. It means seeking to bring him home.

The answer to assimilation is not better politics. It is not better messaging. It is not cute slogans or social media campaigns.

It is Torah.

It is parents who teach their children that being Jewish is not simply an ancestry, but a destiny.

It is schools that fill young hearts with pride in Hashem, His Torah, and His people.

It is communities that understand that every Jewish child who grows up loving Torah is another stone laid in the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh.

The enemies of the Jewish people seek to destroy our bodies. Assimilation destroys our souls. During these Nine Days, we mourn both.

And perhaps, if our mourning is sincere enough – for the Jews we have lost, for those we are still losing, and for those who can yet be found – it will help bring the day when mourning itself will disappear and the words of the novi Zechariah (8:19) will finally be fulfilled: “The fast of the fourth (17th of Tammuz), the fast of the fifth (Tisha B’Av) … shall become days of joy and gladness.”

Chazal tell us that Moshiach was born on Tisha B’Av. The Nine Days are not only about mourning. They are also about rebuilding. Every Jewish child who learns the Alef-Bais, every Jew who puts on tefillin, every family that begins keeping Shabbos, every baal teshuvah, and every person who begins learning Torah is another brick in the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh.

Perhaps this is the cry of the Nine Days for our generation. We mourn a Bais Hamikdosh that was destroyed because Jews became distant from one another and from our Father in Heaven. We must mourn every Jewish soul that has drifted away and believe that every soul can return. The same Jewish spark that burned in Avrohom Avinu, in the kedoshim of Europe, and in the builders of Torah in Eretz Yisroel after the churban still burns somewhere within every Jew. Sometimes it is very deep, very hidden, and very small, but it is there. Our task is not only to mourn what was lost. It is also to dedicate ourselves to bringing home what was lost.

My dear friend, Rav Eliezer Sorotzkin, who for many years led Lev L’Achim and today heads Chinuch Atzmai, was in the United States last week and shared with me a remarkable story that offers a perspective we would do well to remember.

Eighty years ago, the parent committee of the Shearis Yisroel cheder discovered that the father of two boys attending the school traveled to the beach on Shabbos, Rachmana litzlan. The committee members were aghast. They concluded that the boys could no longer remain in the cheder.

The renowned chareidi writer Rav Moshe Schonfeld was involved with the school and suggested that before taking any action, they should discuss the matter with the Chazon Ish.

The situation was presented to the Chazon Ish, and he listened carefully as the parents spoke. Then, instead of responding immediately, as was his usual practice, he sat in silence.

Five long minutes of deep concentration passed.

Finally, he lifted his eyes and quietly said, “I searched through the entire Torah. I carefully examined all the punishments prescribed for a mechallel Shabbos, and I did not find anywhere that it is forbidden to teach Torah to his sons.”

This is not to say that we should begin admitting the children of mechallelei Shabbos into our schools. Rather, the lesson is that perhaps we should look at those Jewish children in the United States and Eretz Yisroel who have wandered so far from the path of their ancestors with sadness and compassion, and ask whether there is some way we can reach them, inspire them, help bring them home, and support worthy organizations such as Lev L’Achim, Shuvu, and Oorah, which engage in this holy work.

The Kuzari, (5:27), the Maharal in Netzach Yisroel (Perek 23) and many other seforim teach us that appreciating the loss of the Bais Hamikdosh and mourning the churban bring us closer to its rebuilding. Grieving over what we have lost arouses Heavenly mercy and hastens the geulah.

May we merit to see the fulfillment of “Kol hamisabel al Yerushalayim zoche vero’eh b’simchasa,” that all those who mourn Yerushalayim will merit to witness her consolation bekarov.

During these Nine Days of mourning, let us daven that we merit to see the day when the Bais Hamikdosh will be rebuilt, when every neshomah that has become distant returns, and when we will merit the ultimate geulah, speedily in our days.

A massive billboard erected in the heart of Tehran depicting President Donald Trump lying in a coffin has heightened alarm over Iran’s increasingly aggressive public threats against American leaders. The display, prominently placed in the capital’s Islamic Revolution Square, comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify.

The billboard follows funeral events held for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where crowds were heard openly calling for the deaths of President Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Prominently featured on the new display is the English-language message “We Kill Trump,” accompanied by imagery portraying the American president inside a coffin. The message has been widely viewed as an unmistakable threat directed at Trump.

The latest display reflects years of hostility between the Iranian regime and the United States, a conflict that intensified dramatically after the 2020 American drone strike that eliminated Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

Since Soleimani’s death, Iranian leaders have repeatedly pledged retaliation, with senior officials and state-affiliated figures publicly vowing revenge that includes killing President Trump.

For several years, U.S. intelligence agencies have warned that Iran has actively pursued assassination plots targeting Trump as well as other former senior officials from his administration.

Although Trump has remained the primary focus of those threats, he has not been the only target identified by American authorities.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton have likewise been named by U.S. officials as individuals targeted in Iranian assassination schemes.

In a previous case, the Justice Department filed charges against individuals allegedly connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps over what prosecutors described as a plot to murder Bolton.

According to federal prosecutors, the alleged conspiracy involved offers totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars to carry out the assassination, highlighting what U.S. officials characterized as an organized and ongoing Iranian campaign.

Bolton has publicly confirmed that he has been the subject of repeated threats and has received U.S. government security protection as a result.

Pompeo was also provided with government security after intelligence assessments concluded that credible threats against him existed.

More recently, War Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed during a Pentagon briefing that U.S. forces had conducted a targeted operation against a senior member of an Iranian unit allegedly responsible for coordinating assassination plots against President Trump and other current and former American officials.

While few operational details have been made public, Hegseth described the individual as a “key operative” who played a central role in organizing attacks outside Iran, including assassination plans targeting the president and former U.S. leaders.

The latest developments unfold against the backdrop of already soaring tensions between the United States and Iran, fueled by months of military confrontations, cyber operations, and continued disputes over security and freedom of navigation in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1823-Seiver-Part-23-Siyata-Dishmaya.mp3

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

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Stories4Life-Shiur-597-Staying-Warm-Chafetz-Chaim.mp3

A newly implemented pedestrian traffic arrangement in Bnei Brak has become the focus of a legal and political battle after opponents filed a petition with Israel’s High Court of Justice seeking to overturn the city’s decision to designate separate sides of a sidewalk for men and women during busy evening hours near local wedding halls.

The arrangement, approved by the Bnei Brak Municipality with the backing of the city’s rabbanim, applies only to a section of Shlomo HaMelech Street adjacent to several event halls. Under the plan, one side of the sidewalk is designated for men and the other for women during evening hours, when thousands of people pass through the area attending weddings and other celebrations.

City officials say the temporary arrangement is intended to ease heavy pedestrian congestion while preserving the area’s traditional character and standards of tznius. They emphasize that the policy is limited to a specific location and time of day and is not part of any broader initiative affecting other areas of the city.

The measure has nevertheless drawn sharp criticism from opponents, who argue that it amounts to gender separation in a public space.

The issue has also generated extensive media attention, with numerous journalists and television crews visiting Shlomo HaMelech Street to photograph the newly installed signs and interview residents opposed to the arrangement.

The controversy comes at a time of heightened political tensions, with national elections scheduled to begin this Sunday, further amplifying debate over issues involving religion and the public sphere.

The legal challenge was filed by Yaya Fink and Michal Rozin, both candidates in the Democratic Party’s upcoming primary elections. They contend that the city’s policy constitutes unlawful gender segregation in the public domain and are asking the High Court to invalidate it.

Announcing the petition, the two said they intend to fight the municipality’s decision, declaring, “We will not allow the exclusion of women from the public sphere. Bnei Brak will not become Tehran.”

Government funding provided to Israel’s Reform Movement has come under renewed scrutiny following Wednesday morning’s Women of the Wall gathering at the Kosel, with critics questioning why the Ministry of Settlements and National Missions continues to provide financial support to an organization whose legal arm has been at the forefront of efforts to alter the status quo at the site.

The debate intensified after members of Women of the Wall brought a Sefer Torah into the women’s section of the Kosel, an action that critics say violated the guidelines established by the rov of the Kosel and the holy sites.

According to publicly available government support records, the Reform Movement—officially known as the Reform Movement–Progressive Judaism in Israel—received more than 650,000 shekels from the Ministry of Settlements and National Missions during 2025. In 2024, the organization reportedly received nearly 900,000 shekels from the same ministry as part of broader government funding totaling several million shekels.

The published figures also indicate that government support from the ministry increased significantly after Minister Orit Strock assumed leadership of the office.

While the Reform Movement also receives funding from other government ministries, including the Education Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office, critics argue that the support provided by the Ministry of Settlements and National Missions is especially noteworthy because it is headed by Strock, a leading figure within the Religious Zionist camp.

Opponents contend that, given the ministry’s mission and priorities, it is appropriate to question whether organizations identified with the Reform Movement should be receiving funding from that office.

Critics also point to what they describe as the direct connection between the Reform Movement and the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), the movement’s legal and public advocacy arm.

According to IRAC’s own website, the organization operates as part of the Reform Movement. In addition, its donation page instructs contributors to make checks payable to the Reform Movement and mail them to the movement’s headquarters on King David Street in Yerushalayim.

Critics argue that this demonstrates that even if IRAC does not appear independently in government funding records, its financial operations are conducted through the Reform Movement, which receives the government grants.

IRAC has long advocated for what it describes as equal prayer rights at the Kosel, including support for Women of the Wall services. The organization has also been involved in a wide range of legal and public campaigns on matters of religion and state, including opposition to the Basic Law: Torah Study, petitions against rabbanim and right-wing public officials, and previous legal efforts seeking to disqualify Dr. Michael Ben Ari from running for the Knesset.

Critics also noted that donations to the Reform Movement qualify for tax benefits under Section 46 of Israel’s Income Tax Ordinance—the same provision under which recognition was recently revoked from numerous Torah institutions and yeshivos.

Approximately two months ago, the advocacy organization B’Tzalmo formally appealed to Minister Strock, urging her to immediately halt government funding to the Reform Movement and its affiliated organizations.

The organization argued that public funds should not be directed to a movement it says is working against the sanctity of Jewish holy sites and against the values of the national camp. Its letter asserted that ministry funds were being provided to an organization actively seeking to dismantle the long-standing status quo at the Kosel and encourage public provocations there.

B’Tzalmo CEO Shai Glick sharply criticized the funding on Wednesday.

“The reality in which the Minister of Settlements and National Missions is funding the provocations at the Kosel is outrageous,” Glick said. “Women of the Wall and the fight against religion are not a national mission—quite the opposite. Minister Strock must immediately stop these absurd transfers of public funds that harm the Torah of Israel, the people of Israel, and the Land of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

Large crowds of Chareidi demonstrators gathered Wednesday outside military draft offices in Tel Hashomer and Yerushalayim, protesting the enlistment of bnei yeshiva as tensions over the draft crisis continued to escalate. Senior rabbanim, roshei yeshiva, and community leaders were among those who joined the demonstrations.

The protests, held on Rosh Chodesh Av as a new round of military draft activity got underway, drew thousands of participants and became some of the largest anti-draft demonstrations seen in recent weeks.

The largest and most energetic gathering took place outside the IDF induction center at Tel Hashomer, where masses of protesters assembled to voice their opposition to the enlistment of yeshiva bochurim.

At the center of the demonstration, organizers positioned a large truck that served as an elevated platform for prominent rabbanim and roshei yeshiva, who addressed the crowd with speeches of encouragement and protest.

With temperatures soaring under the summer sun, several philanthropists financed the distribution of dozens of umbrellas to help shield demonstrators from the intense heat. The scene was striking, as hundreds of protesters stood beneath the umbrellas while police officers and security personnel remained exposed to the blazing sun as they monitored the demonstration.

Among those seen participating was the longtime mashamesh ba’kodesh of the Vasloi Rebbe, who joined the protest alongside numerous rabbanim, roshei yeshiva, and other respected community figures.

At the same time, a separate demonstration took place outside the military draft office in Yerushalayim, organized by members of the Eidah HaChareidis and other Chareidi communities.

Although the Yerushalayim protest was smaller and quieter than the demonstration at Tel Hashomer, participants there also voiced strong opposition to the military draft and what they described as the ongoing decrees against the Torah world.

Israel Police deployed large numbers of officers to both locations in an effort to maintain order throughout the day.

According to police, confrontations broke out after demonstrators intermittently blocked roads leading to the draft offices. Authorities described the incidents as unlawful disturbances, and several tense exchanges occurred between protesters and police as officers worked to reopen the roads and restore traffic flow.

{Matzav.com}

Israel Police will launch a large-scale nationwide traffic enforcement operation beginning Thursday morning, deploying hundreds of officers, patrol vehicles, motorcycles, and advanced enforcement technology across the country’s highways and city streets in an effort to reduce deadly crashes, strengthen road safety, and remove dangerous drivers during the busy summer travel season.

The nationwide operation, led by the Traffic Division in coordination with police districts throughout Israel, is part of the force’s ongoing campaign against fatal traffic accidents and serious driving offenses that endanger motorists and pedestrians alike.

Police said officers will be stationed at key locations from the Galilee in the north to the Negev in the south, conducting continuous enforcement operations throughout the day and into the late evening. The objective is to increase deterrence, improve compliance with traffic laws, and ultimately save lives.

Hundreds of police officers and volunteers from across Israel’s traffic enforcement units will participate in the operation. Those taking part include Traffic Division officers, members of the National Motorcycle Patrol Unit, Heavy Vehicle Enforcement Unit personnel, detectives from the Traffic Division’s Central Investigations Unit, Traffic Division headquarters staff, regional traffic officers, and civilian volunteers.

Authorities will deploy hundreds of marked and unmarked patrol cars and motorcycles while making extensive use of advanced enforcement technology. Equipment will include still cameras, tactical cameras, laser speed detection devices, “Bee” radar speed detection systems, and other digital tools designed to identify dangerous drivers and improve enforcement on Israel’s roads.

The operation was planned following an extensive review by the Traffic Division’s Research and Development Department, which analyzed accident statistics and identified the traffic violations most closely associated with serious and fatal crashes.

Based on that analysis, enforcement efforts will focus on high-risk highways and urban areas. Officers will prioritize violations such as excessive speeding, distracted driving—including cellphone use behind the wheel—lane departures, running red lights, and dangerous conduct by riders of motorcycles, scooters, and electric bicycles.

Alongside the highly visible police presence, undercover detectives from the Traffic Division’s Central Investigations Unit will conduct targeted operations against repeat and high-risk traffic offenders whom police consider an ongoing danger to the public.

Police said the timing of the operation is intentional, as the summer vacation period typically brings a sharp increase in traffic volume, family travel, and nighttime driving by younger and less experienced motorists. The warmer months also see significantly greater use of motorcycles, scooters, and other two-wheeled vehicles, increasing the risk of serious accidents involving vulnerable road users.

Traffic Division Commander Maj. Gen. Chaim Shmueli urged motorists to remember that the road is not a place for taking risks or cutting corners.

He said every driver makes a choice each time they get behind the wheel whether to be part of the solution or part of the problem, emphasizing that the responsibility for protecting lives ultimately rests with the driving public.

Shmueli called on motorists to exercise patience, respect fellow road users, and remember that at the end of every journey, families are waiting for their loved ones to return home safely. Israel Police also urged the public to obey traffic laws, stressing that effective enforcement plays a critical role in saving lives.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance alleged that individuals connected to elements within the Israeli government financed an organized campaign aimed at discrediting him over the Trump administration’s efforts to negotiate with Iran. Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Vance claimed the operation was designed to undermine both the negotiations and the eventual ceasefire initiative.

During the interview, Vance described what he called a coordinated effort operating behind the scenes.

He said there was a “very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign” that had attempted to derail negotiations and a ceasefire agreement.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2077450739207610427

To support his claims, Vance pointed to a recent TIME magazine investigation examining a digital media campaign overseen by Brad Parscale, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager. According to the report, Parscale’s firm, Clock Tower X, was retained by the global advertising agency Havas to conduct a messaging campaign on behalf of the State of Israel.

TIME reported that filings submitted under the Foreign Agents Registration Act showed Israel agreed to pay Clock Tower X $1.5 million each month. The campaign focused on producing online content geared primarily toward younger audiences while amplifying its message across social media and other digital platforms.

According to the magazine, three individuals familiar with the project described a network in which conservative social media influencers received suggested messaging through private group chats and were compensated based on the reach and engagement generated by their posts.

Parscale denied that any money from the Israeli contract was used to pay influencers and rejected accusations that he had attempted to interfere with or undermine President Donald Trump’s policies.

Vance, however, interpreted the report differently.

“It lists a bunch of people who have quite literally been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government,” Vance told Rogan. He alleged that those individuals were “attacking me viciously for quite literally trying to accomplish the negotiation objective that the president set for the country.”

When Rogan asked how those attacks had manifested themselves, Vance said they came through online criticism as well as information being leaked to members of the media.

“They’re attacking me obsessively, saying that we should not be negotiating with Iran. We should just keep the military campaign going indefinitely,” he said.

Vance also said some critics accused him of being influenced by Qatar and other foreign governments, while others alleged that he was taking “marching orders from Tucker Carlson.”

The vice president emphasized that he has no objection to Israeli officials expressing their views or attempting to persuade American policymakers. However, he said he opposes situations in which U.S. leaders allow outside influence to shape American policy decisions.

“When I open up the pages of Time Magazine and I see that there’s a literal foreign influence campaign being funded to tank the very deal that I was pursuing, and, oh, by the way, many of the people who were receiving that money were actually attacking me in completely dishonest ways, you know, my response to that is, well, go to hell,” Vance said.

“I’m going to do what I have to do for the American people. I represent Americans first.”

TIME also reported that some U.S. officials believed Israel’s effort to preserve support among younger conservatives conflicted with the Trump administration’s push to end the conflict with Iran. The publication quoted a senior U.S. intelligence official who claimed that American influencers were being paid by a foreign government in an effort to influence either the president or those closest to him.

Vice President JD Vance tells Joe Rogan that Jeffrey Epstein had clear connections to US and Israeli intelligence services.

"He clearly had connections to the highest levels of American intelligence, he clearly had connections to the highest levels of Israeli intelligence.” pic.twitter.com/Ze7HVfh0zC

— Jon Michael Raasch (@JMRaasch) July 15, 2026

Parscale denied coordinating any such operation and maintained that his firm’s work for Israel did not direct or influence independent commentators or hosts affiliated with Salem Media.

Elsewhere in the interview, Vance also discussed convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, asserting that Epstein maintained ties to both American and Israeli intelligence services.

“He clearly had connections to the highest levels of American intelligence. He clearly had connections to the highest levels of Israeli intelligence,” Vance stated.

Vance said the Epstein case illustrated the importance of distinguishing between different factions within Israel’s government, adding that not all Israeli officials opposed the administration’s diplomatic efforts.

“There are a lot of elements within the Israeli government that actually do like our peace process,” he said.

He further alleged that Epstein’s relationships were primarily with left-leaning figures within Israel’s political establishment.

“I’ve always found that fascinating,” Vance said. “It wasn’t like he was super connected to the right of center of Israeli politics.”

{Matzav.com}

In a significant shakeup within Israel’s ruling Likud Party, Knesset Member Dan Illouz announced Wednesday that he is leaving the party after serving a single term in the Knesset, citing deep disagreements over its direction and its handling of the military draft exemption issue.

“I cannot ask the public to vote for a party that I myself can no longer vote for,” Illouz said in a statement released Wednesday evening.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, Illouz argued that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu should have made way for new leadership at the conclusion of his current term.

“The truth is that immediately after October 7, it was clear to everyone that Netanyahu should end his tenure after this term. Instead of standing before the public and asking for forgiveness, Likud is doing everything it can to evade responsibility. We are removing the word ‘massacre’ from legislation and preventing the establishment of a commission of inquiry. A Jewish identity means, first and foremost, taking responsibility.”

Illouz said the recent legislation concerning military service exemptions for yeshivah students was the decisive factor behind his decision to leave the party.

“The saga of the draft exemption is a disgrace that made it clear to me that my place is no longer in Likud.”

He sharply criticized the party’s approach, accusing it of capitulating to its Chareidi coalition partners.

“At a time when the IDF is warning that it is collapsing under the burden, and my fellow reservists are sacrificing their families and their experience of fatherhood, Likud chose ongoing surrender to the Chareidi parties and advanced political maneuvers to institutionalize draft evasion. Today, there is no difference between voting for Likud, Shas, or Goldknopf.”

Illouz concluded by pledging to continue serving the country despite his departure from the party.

“I will continue to work for the State of Israel from wherever I am, with integrity and determination.”

In recent months, Illouz had emerged as one of the most outspoken critics within Likud, particularly regarding efforts to formalize the status of yeshivah students. Over the past two days, he voted against both the Basic Law: Torah Study and the law freezing the arrest of draft evaders.

Commenting on those measures, Illouz argued that they represented “a severe blow, not to mention a spit in the face of the public we were elected to represent.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that Iran is on the brink of defeat, signaling that the United States is prepared to intensify its military campaign unless Tehran agrees to negotiate. His remarks came as U.S. Central Command announced a second wave of strikes targeting Iranian military assets tied to threats against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, Trump expressed confidence that the United States has gained the upper hand in its confrontation with the Islamic Republic.

“We’re doing really well with Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran is not happy right now.”

Trump argued that decisive action against Iran should have been taken decades ago rather than allowing the regime to grow stronger over the years.

“Should have been done 47 years ago. Should have been done at least during the 47-year period. And it wasn’t. Other presidents didn’t do what was right. They should have done it a long time ago. Would have been much easier.”

Trump:

Iran will be defeated very soon. pic.twitter.com/DW1RxEjynl

— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 15, 2026

He also suggested that mounting U.S. pressure has left Tehran eager to negotiate, while making clear that military action remains on the table if diplomacy fails.

“They want to settle so badly. They don’t like what we’re doing. And they do want to settle. We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them or we just finish it off,” said Trump.

The president also took aim at President Barack Obama over the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, arguing that the deal strengthened the regime and contributed to the current crisis.

“He was very bad on Iran because he basically gave them the money. He made a – what a horrible deal. He went away from Israel and he went to Iran. And that’s part of the reason that we’re stuck with this whole situation,” Trump stated.

Trump’s latest comments followed an interview with Fox News a day earlier in which he warned that U.S. attacks would become increasingly severe if Iran refused to engage in meaningful negotiations.

“We’re going to hit them very hard tonight, we’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night, we’re going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants, next week comes the bridges.”

He said the campaign would soon expand to include critical infrastructure unless Iranian leaders changed course.

“We’re going to knock out all their power plants, we’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate,” he added.

Trump emphasized that the military operation would continue for as long as he deemed necessary, saying Iran’s capabilities had already been significantly weakened. “Continue until I say it’s enough…the word the military likes to use is degrade. They’ve been degraded to a very low level.”

As Trump spoke, U.S. Central Command confirmed Wednesday evening that American forces had begun a second wave of operations against Iran. According to CENTCOM, the latest strikes are focused on Iranian military capabilities that have been used to threaten international shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important waterways for global trade.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Israel’s Knesset interrupted its proceedings on Wednesday to pay an extraordinary tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, honoring the longtime South Carolina lawmaker with a moment of silence in recognition of his decades of steadfast support for the Jewish state. The ceremony reflected the deep admiration Graham earned across Israel’s political spectrum and underscored the unique bond he forged with Israeli leaders over more than 30 years in public service.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana opened the tribute by asking lawmakers to rise in memory of Graham, praising him as one of Israel’s most devoted allies in the United States.

“In honor of one of the greatest friends the state of Israel has ever had, members of the Knesset from both sides of the aisle will now rise for a moment of silence to pay our respects to the legendary Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“May his memory be a blessing,” he said.

Following Ohana’s remarks, members of the Knesset stood together in silence to honor the late senator.

The rare parliamentary recognition highlighted the immense respect Graham commanded in Israel, where he was widely regarded as one of the most vocal and dependable champions of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

During his years in the Senate, Graham consistently advocated for robust American military assistance to Israel, promoted closer defense cooperation between the two allies, and was among Washington’s leading voices calling for a hard line against Iran and other threats facing the region.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who shared a longstanding personal friendship with Graham, released a heartfelt statement after learning of his death.

“Sara and I grieve with the American people over the loss of our dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Netanyahu said.

“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world.”

Netanyahu added, “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”

President Isaac Herzog also expressed his sorrow, remembering Graham as a genuine friend of Israel whose commitment to the country never wavered. Defense Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar likewise praised the senator’s unwavering dedication to Israel’s security and to strengthening the alliance between Jerusalem and Washington.

Graham died unexpectedly on Saturday following a brief illness caused by an aortic dissection, according to the District of Columbia’s chief medical examiner.

His passing at the age of 71 stunned political leaders in the United States and abroad, particularly because he had remained actively engaged in foreign policy discussions and had recently returned from overseas travel.

It is uncommon for Israel’s parliament to formally commemorate an American lawmaker in this manner, making Wednesday’s tribute especially significant.

The ceremony served as a reflection of Graham’s exceptional standing among Israel’s leadership, who viewed him not only as a steadfast advocate in Washington but also as a trusted personal friend whose support remained constant through changing administrations and multiple wars.

The tribute came as Israel prepares to send a high-level delegation—including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—to Graham’s funeral in the United States, another indication of the remarkable relationship the senator cultivated with the Jewish state throughout his long career in public service.

{Matzav.com}

A major coalition crisis erupted in the Knesset on Wednesday, throwing into doubt the fate of legislation aimed at significantly reducing the powers of Israel’s attorney general after Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni threatened to withhold support for the bill amid an escalating dispute with Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich.

The legislation, championed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Constitution Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman, had reached the Knesset floor for its second and third readings after approximately 70 committee sessions. But moments before the decisive vote, the coalition was thrown into turmoil when the Chareidi parties signaled they might oppose the measure, triggering a direct confrontation between Gafni and Smotrich.

As negotiations intensified behind the scenes, Rothman prolonged his speech from the Knesset podium in an effort to delay the vote and buy time for coalition leaders to resolve the standoff.

At the heart of the dispute is mounting frustration within United Torah Judaism over what party leaders say is the government’s continued refusal to approve long-promised seniority-based salary increases for Chareidi preschool teachers.

According to UTJ officials, Smotrich has deliberately withheld the funding in an effort to pressure the Chareidi parties into allowing Religious Zionism representatives to join the municipal coalition in Beit Shemesh. In response, Gafni and his colleagues warned they would vote against one of the coalition’s flagship judicial reform bills—a move that could doom the legislation.

Religious Zionism responded with an unusually sharp public attack, accusing Gafni of effectively rescuing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and preserving what it described as judicial overreach.

Sources close to Smotrich said Baharav-Miara “can send Gafni flowers,” arguing that his actions are granting her immunity, preserving her “judicial dictatorship,” and enabling her to continue undermining both the right-wing coalition and the Chareidi public for years to come.

The party also issued a direct warning to Gafni and his allies, declaring that if they are responsible for defeating legislation intended to curb the attorney general’s authority, “they will not be able to show their faces on the Chareidi street.” The statement concluded with the blunt message: “Let them not threaten.”

The confrontation comes despite earlier coalition understandings under which the Chareidi parties had agreed to fully support the attorney general legislation as part of a broader political agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Under that arrangement, the coalition advanced several key priorities sought by the Chareidi parties, including the Basic Law: Torah Study, the law temporarily freezing the arrest of yeshiva bochurim who fail to report for military service—which has since been suspended by the High Court—and legislation repealing the kashrus reform.

Now, with tensions between coalition partners at their highest point in months, questions are mounting over whether that broader political agreement can survive.

The legislation at the center of the dispute would significantly reshape the relationship between Israel’s elected government and its legal advisers.

Its principal provision would eliminate the binding authority of the attorney general’s legal opinions, making them advisory rather than mandatory. Under the proposal, the attorney general would continue providing legal guidance, presenting policy alternatives, and helping ensure compliance with the law, but final decision-making authority would rest with the government and its ministers.

The bill also provides that while the attorney general’s written legal opinions would continue to reflect his or her interpretation of existing law, they would no longer be legally binding on the government. Ministers would have the authority to determine that an opinion does not accurately reflect the law, subject to notification of the Knesset Constitution Committee.

In addition, the proposal would give the government the final authority over its legal positions before the High Court and other courts. If the attorney general declines to represent the government’s position, the government would be permitted to retain private legal counsel to argue its case.

For now, however, the future of the judicial reform package remains uncertain, as coalition leaders struggle to bridge the widening divide between Smotrich and Gafni before the legislation comes to a vote.

{Matzav.com}

A House amendment to end aid to Israel sharply divided the Democratic caucus on Wednesday with less than half of Democrats voting to continue annual military funding to the Jewish State.

Only 93 of the 212 Democratic lawmakers in the House voted to oppose the amendment from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) to end $3.3 billion in assistance to Israel.

The amendment failed 104-314, with 103 Democrats voting to end aid to Israel and 10 voting “present.” Massie was the lone Republican to vote in favor of the measure, with 215 Republicans opposed.

Debate on the amendment before the vote largely pitted Democrats against one another, with pro-Israel Democrats accusing their colleagues, who intended to vote in favor of the amendment, of endangering U.S. national security and the lives of Israeli civilians.

“This amendment would embolden the enemies of peace, those pursuing the complete elimination of Israel and those who seek the death of Jews,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). “It is a vote to weaken our ability to engage in the region and it’s a vote against American security, against American interests and against American safety.”

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and said that Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu had taken Israel “down an ugly path.”

“Israel does not need and quite honestly does not deserve more American money for weapons,” Castro said. “Do not reward a wrongdoer.”

Support for Israel has rapidly become one of the biggest fault lines in Democratic politics, as pro-Israel incumbents have lost a string of primary elections to anti-Israel challengers.

Democrats who voted in favor of the amendment to cut off Israel aid included 15 congressmen who are endorsed by AIPAC as “pro-Israel” candidates or thanked by the pro-Israel group on their endorsement page, including former House speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

One of those endorsees, Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), said after the vote that he was rejecting AIPAC’s endorsement and returning its donations to his campaign.

“I expect groups like AIPAC will not support me in my future elections and frankly, I don’t want their support,” Ryan wrote. “Hardline stances that refuse to stand up to a corrupt and increasingly dangerous Netanyahu regime have no place in our politics.”

Two other AIPAC endorsees, Reps. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) and Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.) voted “present” on the amendment.

Other pro-Israel groups that had endorsees who voted to cut off Israel aid included Democratic Majority for Israel and the Jewish Democratic Council of America. (JNS sought comment from AIPAC, DMFI and JDCA.)

Matt Brooks, CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, stated that the group “applauds House Republicans for unanimously defeating Thomas Massie’s reckless effort to strip all American aid to Israel from the State Department funding bill.”

Under the “strong leadership” of U.S. President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), “America has Israel’s back,” Brooks stated. “Today, the GOP-led House of Representatives proved it.”

Brooks said that Massie is “a voice of one in the Republican Party” and a “lame duck outlier.”

“The Republican majority left no doubt about where our party stands: resolutely with the Jewish state,” he said. “The contrast could not be clearer. In today’s Democratic Party, vociferous hostility to Israel is not the fringe. It is their future.”

“Democrats’ primaries are sending it to Congress, their leaders are indulging it and their base is demanding it,” he added. “Today’s Democratic Party is being shaped in the image of the worst, most radicalized elements of its anti-Israel base, and the Squad’s Hamas caucus is leading the way. Today’s vote reaffirms the longstanding commitment of Republicans to stand unwaveringly with Israel through thick and thin.”

The vote divided Democratic leadership even after Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to colleagues on Tuesday explaining his reasons for voting “no” on the measure. Jeffries said in the letter that he would not whip the vote given the “strongly held views” among Democrats on Israel.

Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), both of whom are endorsed by AIPAC, voted in favor of the amendment, while Jeffries and the two other members of the Democratic leadership team, Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), voted to oppose it.

Massie argued in the debate that he was opposed to all foreign aid, not just aid to Israel, but his subsequent amendment to cut off aid to Jordan revealed the extent to which the Jewish state has become a particular focus of ire among House Democrats.

That amendment failed 421-6, with not a single Democrat voting to cut off military aid to the Arab kingdom. JNS

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yosef Rabinowitz zt”l, the longtime mara d’asra of Khal Zichron Aryeh Leib in Flatbush, Brooklyn, who was niftar after decades of distinguished harbotzas haTorah and tireless service to his kehillah.

Rav Rabinowitz served as the rov of Khal Zichron Aryeh Leib for more than 40 years, earning the deep respect and affection of generations of mispallelim through his dedication, warmth, and steadfast hanhogah.

Rav Rabinowitz pursued his formative years of learning at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, where he became one of the devoted talmidim of the legendary rosh yeshiva, Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt”l. The profound influence of his rebbi and the other illustrious rabbeim at Chaim Berlin remained with him throughout his life, shaping both his worldview and his approach to Torah, avodah, and communal leadership. Those who knew him often remarked that he carried the distinctive spirit and ideals of Chaim Berlin wherever he went, remaining deeply connected to the yeshivah and its enduring legacy.

When he assumed the rabbonus of Khal Zichron Aryeh Leib, Rav Rabinowitz devoted himself wholeheartedly to the spiritual growth and well-being of his kehillah. For more than four decades, he served not merely as the rov of the kehillah, but as its guiding heart and soul. He was available at all hours to answer shailos, offer counsel, provide chizuk during difficult times, and share in the simchos of his mispallelim. His door was always open, and countless individuals benefited from his chochmah and compassion.

His rabbonus was characterized by genuine personal concern for every member of the kehillah. Whether delivering shiurim or providing practical guidance, he approached every interaction with sincerity and humility.

Throughout his life, Rav Rabinowitz remained deeply committed to harbotzas haTorah. An outstanding talmid chochom himself, he encouraged his mispallelim to engage in serious Torah learning and inspired others through his own hasmadah and ahavas haTorah.

The levayah was held today in Flatbush, after which kevurah took place at Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, New York.

Rav Rabinowitz is survived by his devoted rebbetzin, together with a distinguished family of children and grandchildren who continue to walk in his path of Torah, yiras Shamayim, and dedication to Klal Yisroel.

A Gerer yeshiva bochur studying at Yeshivas Sfas Emes was arrested Wednesday at an Israeli military draft office and immediately sentenced to 20 days in military prison after being classified by the IDF as a draft evader, despite having reportedly appeared at the enlistment office three separate times in an effort to regularize his status.

The arrest has sparked outrage within the Gerer community, where officials insist the young man made every effort to comply with the military’s instructions and that bureaucratic delays at the draft offices ultimately led to his imprisonment.

According to sources in Ger, the bochur‘s original reporting date was Monday. He arrived that day, but mistakenly went to the draft office in Yerushalayim instead of the office in Haifa, where he had been instructed to report.

Personnel in Yerushalayim directed him to the Haifa office, but by the time he arrived there, the office was preparing to close. He was instructed to return the following day.

The bochur returned to the Haifa draft office on Tuesday as instructed. However, according to those close to him, his case was not processed, and he was again told to return on Wednesday.

When he appeared for the third consecutive day on Wednesday morning, military officials informed him that because two days had passed since his original reporting date on Monday, he was now officially classified as absent without authorization and therefore considered a draft evader.

He was immediately tried by military authorities and sentenced to 20 days in military prison.

Officials in Ger contend that the imprisonment resulted solely from delays and repeated runarounds at the draft offices, arguing that the young man consistently followed every instruction he was given and genuinely sought to resolve his status.

The case is the latest in a growing series of arrests involving bnei yeshiva in recent days and has intensified criticism within the Chareidi community regarding the military’s handling of draft matters.

Just one day earlier, another ben yeshiva—a grandson of the Ziditchov Rebbe—was arrested after reporting to a draft office to address his status and was likewise classified as a draft evader, an incident that generated widespread outrage throughout the Chareidi community.

Community leaders say the military and defense establishment continue to demonstrate a lack of sensitivity to the unique realities of the Chareidi public.

“When an ordinary yeshiva bochur is arrested, localized protests immediately break out,” community sources said. “But when the person arrested is the grandson of an Admor or a chassid from a well-known family, the situation changes entirely and the public reaction becomes much more intense.”

Many within the Chareidi community now fear that the recent arrests could trigger widespread demonstrations, particularly because several of those detained were young men who, according to their supporters, were acting in good faith to regularize their status but instead became caught in bureaucratic delays.

The latest arrest also comes just a day after the Knesset approved legislation temporarily freezing the arrest of yeshiva bochurim over draft-related issues. That law, however, has since been suspended by an interim order issued by Israel’s High Court of Justice, leaving thousands of bnei yeshiva in continued legal uncertainty.

Yerushalayim Affairs and Jewish Heritage Minister Meir Porush delivered a fiery address in the Knesset on Wednesday, launching a blistering attack on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Israel’s High Court of Justice during debate over legislation redefining the powers of the attorney general. In an emotional speech, Porush accused the legal establishment of waging a campaign against Torah learners, likened its actions to those of Haman in the Purim story, and vowed that the Chareidi community would no longer submit to what it views as judicial persecution.

Taking the podium during the heated Knesset debate on the Attorney General Law, which addresses legal opinions, government representation, and oversight, Porush sharply criticized both the attorney general’s conduct and recent High Court rulings concerning the military draft of yeshiva bochurim and the funding of Torah institutions.

Addressing Baharav-Miara directly, Porush accused her of pushing the country toward an irreparable national divide through her legal policies on matters of religion and state.

Recalling the bill’s preliminary reading more than six months ago during the Purim season, Porush drew on imagery from Megillas Esther to compare the current political struggle to the biblical confrontation between Mordechai and Haman.

“You, Attorney General, are leading the country toward civil war,” he declared. “You are leading the nation toward an irreparable rift. When this bill passed its preliminary reading—the same bill we are debating today—during Purim more than half a year ago, I said: In Megillas Esther it is written, ‘If you have begun to fall before him, you shall surely fall,’ and I added, ‘Attorney Miara—you shall surely fall.’ Many members of this Knesset answered me then with ‘Amen,’ and today, together with the government, we are bringing that ‘Amen’ to fruition.”

Porush escalated his rhetoric by directly comparing the actions of the Attorney General’s Office and the High Court to those of Haman, accusing them of attempting to destroy the Torah world through legal rulings and financial sanctions.

“Just moments earlier in the Megillah it says, ‘If Mordechai is of the seed of the Jews…’ And today I stand here and say to everyone who thinks they can persecute Torah students—whether in the Attorney General’s Office or in the High Court—you, intoxicated by your own power, are behaving like Haman. Other than hanging Torah learners on the gallows, you have already done almost everything. But power does not last forever. ‘If Mordechai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the seed of the Jews, you will not prevail against him, but you shall surely fall before him,’” Porush proclaimed from the Knesset podium.

The minister went on to review Jewish history, arguing that every empire, ruler, and regime that sought to eradicate Torah and its students ultimately disappeared, while the Jewish people endured.

“Jewish history is filled with empires, rulers, tyrants, and officials consumed by delusions of grandeur who tried to uproot the Torah, restrict those who study it, and impose a foreign culture upon us. Where are they today? Buried beneath the dust of history. And where are we? Growing stronger! ‘The Eternity of Israel does not lie,’” he said to applause from members of his faction.

Concluding his speech, Porush declared that the Chareidi public would no longer bow to judicial decisions that, in its view, undermine the Torah world. He argued that the legislation represents the beginning of restoring authority from unelected legal officials to Israel’s elected representatives.

“The legal bureaucracy, sitting in its ivory tower, has become accustomed to believing it is the true ruler of the State—that it can issue decrees, freeze funding, turn kollel avreichim into criminals, and expect us to bow our heads. Those days are over. Today we are restoring authority to the people and to their elected representatives, and just as importantly, we are placing a bright stop sign in front of this anti-Jewish campaign of persecution,” Porush concluded.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is openly questioning Sen. Mitch McConnell’s extended absence from Congress, saying she cannot understand how such a lengthy disappearance by an elected official is being treated as routine.

Speaking with a reporter outside the U.S. Capitol, Ocasio-Cortez expressed disbelief over McConnell’s continued absence from the Senate.

“I mean, this is — I don’t even know how this is legal. I really don’t even know how this is legal at this point. And it — I just find it shocking,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “And how is everyone pretending this is normal? This is not normal. This is not normal, at all.”

The New York Democrat also referenced the extended absence of another Republican lawmaker, widely understood to be Rep. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey, though she did not mention him by name.

“First of all, how is it that we have sitting elected members of Congress going missing for months at a time when, especially right now when the margin — margin in the Senate are razor-thin, the margins in the House are razor-thin,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Every single person’s absence here has country-altering implications.”

While acknowledging that lawmakers can face legitimate medical issues, she argued that there comes a point when prolonged absences become unacceptable.

“There’s a line here, and I think almost everyone can agree that it’s been crossed.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks come after weeks of questions surrounding McConnell’s health and whereabouts following his hospitalization on June 14.

McConnell, 84, has not cast a vote in the Senate for more than a month. On Sunday, he addressed the speculation by releasing a statement accompanied by a photograph of himself in the hospital with his wife.

In the statement, McConnell said his absence stemmed from injuries suffered in a fall, as well as a mild case of pneumonia.

“As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet,” he wrote in a Sunday statement shared with The Hill.

Despite that explanation, questions have continued to circulate regarding his condition.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., fueled some of that speculation on Monday when he questioned how recently the hospital photograph had been taken, though he later walked back those comments.

McConnell’s prolonged hospitalization, combined with the recent death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has complicated President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda, particularly efforts to advance a $1.5 trillion defense spending package.

As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, McConnell oversees legislation involving Pentagon funding. Without his vote, Republicans could face an uphill battle in passing the defense package unless they secure support from Democratic senators.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump threw his full support behind MyPillow founder Mike Lindell on Wednesday, issuing a glowing endorsement of his campaign for governor of Minnesota and urging voters to send the longtime ally to the governor’s mansion.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump praised Lindell while sharply criticizing outgoing Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.

“Mike Lindell, the “Pillow Man,” and one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots, is running to be GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA, replacing one of the worst and most incompetent governors in the history of the U.S.A.,” Trump wrote.

Lindell entered the gubernatorial race last December, becoming one of several Republican candidates seeking to succeed Walz. The Democratic governor, who had initially sought a third term, withdrew from the race in January after facing intense scrutiny over a massive fraud scandal in Minnesota.

According to prosecutors, as much as $9 billion was allegedly stolen by multiple organizations that claimed to provide meals for needy children and other services reimbursed through state agencies.

Trump has repeatedly clashed with Walz over the alleged fraud, as well as over immigration enforcement and the administration’s policies regarding the conflict with Iran.

In his endorsement, Trump said Lindell is the candidate capable of reversing the state’s decline.

“He can do it! Nobody has sacrificed more than Mike Lindell in fighting for our country, especially when it comes to Election Integrity,” Trump wrote. “He truly deserves everything he gets – He will MAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

Trump concluded his endorsement by declaring, “MIKE LINDELL HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. Good Luck Mike!!!”

Lindell’s campaign comes only months after a federal judge ruled that he had defamed Smartmatic by making false statements alleging that the company’s voting machines helped rig the 2020 presidential election.

President Trump has continued to maintain that the 2020 election was illegitimate, despite courts and election officials finding no evidence of widespread fraud sufficient to change the outcome. He is expected to deliver a primetime address Thursday focused on election integrity.

Minnesota voters will head to the polls for the state’s primary election on Aug. 11. On the Democratic side, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is widely viewed as the leading contender heading into the November general election.

Last month, Lindell announced that retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Phillip Parish will be his running mate for lieutenant governor if he is elected. Parish, a former intelligence officer, withdrew his own gubernatorial campaign to join Lindell’s ticket.

{Matzav.com}

A wave of grief swept through the community in Yerushalayim on Wednesday following the tragic passing of four-and-a-half-year-old Frieda Hershkowitz a”h, who was fatally struck by a vehicle in the Meah Shearim neighborhood.

The devastating accident occurred shortly after midday on Rechov Harav Shmuel Salant. The young girl was hit by a passing vehicle, prompting an immediate response from emergency personnel.

First responders performed extensive resuscitation efforts at the scene before evacuating her in critical condition to a hospital in Yerushalayim. Despite the determined efforts of medical teams, she succumbed to her injuries, and her petirah was later confirmed.

The tragic news spread quickly, leaving family members, friends, neighbors, and residents of the surrounding Chareidi neighborhoods in profound shock and mourning.

Following the accident, ZAKA volunteers responded both at the scene and at the hospital to assist the family and ensure that every aspect of the situation was handled with dignity and according to halachah.

“With the receipt of the report, ZAKA volunteers were dispatched to the scene of the accident,” said Bentzi Auering, Commander of ZAKA’s Jerusalem District, together with Tzvi Yurovitz, a ZAKA Yerushalayim District minilance driver. “After the girl’s death was pronounced at the hospital, the volunteers worked at the scene collecting all findings out of respect for the deceased. At the same time, they accompanied the family at the hospital and assisted in coordinating with all the relevant authorities until she could be brought to burial.”

ZAKA’s legal department worked with police and the appropriate legal authorities to expedite the process. Following those discussions, it was decided that the child’s body would be released directly for kevurah without being transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine.

Auering praised the efforts of the volunteers and those involved in securing the family’s request.

“From the moment the report was received, ZAKA volunteers worked at both the scene and the hospital alongside the family. At the same time, ZAKA’s legal department coordinated with all the relevant authorities, and with siyata diShmaya the process was completed and the child was released for burial without being transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine.”

Michael Gutwein, coordinator of ZAKA’s legal department, said the organization regularly assists bereaved families during their most difficult moments.

“Members of the legal department accompany families during their hardest moments and work with all the authorities to ensure the swift release of the deceased for burial while preserving the dignity of the deceased and the rights of the family.”

The circumstances surrounding the fatal accident remain under investigation. The levayah is expected to take place as soon as arrangements are completed.

Baruch Dayan HaEmes.

{Matzav.com}

A photograph showing Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu reading a book aboard an aircraft has ignited widespread discussion on social media, with critics questioning whether the image captured a genuine moment or was staged for public consumption.

The image, shared by political commentator Amit Segal on his Telegram channel alongside a political update, appeared to portray Netanyahu making productive use of his flight time by reading. Instead of focusing on the book itself, however, many online commenters zeroed in on details they said cast doubt on the authenticity of the scene.

Among the issues raised was the apparent difficulty of reading under the circumstances. Critics questioned why someone would choose to read a printed book inside a dimly lit, noisy aircraft while using a cellphone as a flashlight in one hand and holding the book in the other. They argued that the posture appeared awkward for sustained reading and looked more like a carefully arranged photo opportunity than a candid moment.

The biggest point of criticism centered on Netanyahu’s lack of reading glasses. Social media users referenced longstanding claims that his prepared speeches are printed in unusually large type so he can read them without wearing glasses in public. That prompted many to ask how he could comfortably read the small print of a book under poor lighting inside an aircraft without eyewear.

For many of the photo’s critics, those details transformed what might have been viewed as a flattering image into what they described as evidence that Netanyahu was posing with the book rather than actually reading it. They argued that the photograph was intended to project the image of a diligent, intellectual leader who uses every spare moment productively.

Segal also came under criticism for publishing the photograph. Some detractors argued that instead of simply reporting the accompanying political news, he amplified what they viewed as a public relations image from the prime minister’s office without explaining the circumstances in which it was taken or questioning whether it reflected a spontaneous moment or one designed to convey a particular message.

At the same time, critics acknowledged that the photograph itself does not prove Netanyahu was not reading. Nevertheless, they argued that the combination of the cellphone flashlight, the dim conditions, and the absence of reading glasses gave them reason to question whether the image depicted genuine reading or simply the appearance of it.

A remarkable historical research project led by a Christian woman from Poland has enabled a large Chassidic family with more than 5,000 descendants to locate the exact burial place of their ancestors in a Jewish cemetery destroyed by the Nazis. Her painstaking work has also uncovered thousands of forgotten Jewish burial records and inspired a separate effort to preserve the memory of prewar Jewish life through the traces of mezuzos still visible on centuries-old homes.

Janina Naskalska, 42, a Christian resident of Krakow, has spent years researching Jewish history and preserving the memory of communities that were almost entirely wiped out during the Holocaust. She leads an extensive digitization project that has documented more than 9,000 names of Jews buried in the historic Plaszow Jewish cemetery, which was desecrated and destroyed by the Nazis. She is also widely known in Krakow for launching the project, “In the Footsteps of Krakow’s Mezuzos.”

As a licensed tour guide and historian, Naskalska conducts educational tours highlighting the physical remnants left behind by Jewish families who once lived throughout Krakow. Her research focuses on the marks and indentations left on doorposts where mezuzos were once affixed before World War II.

Naskalska said her interest in Jewish history began after she realized how much of Poland’s Jewish past had been omitted from her education.

“It came as a shock to me that there was so much history that no one had ever taught me,” she said, explaining that Jewish history was largely absent from the Polish school curriculum when she was growing up.

Motivated by that discovery, she immersed herself in Jewish studies. She visited the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, traveled to Yad Vashem in Yerushalayim, learned basic Hebrew, and during the COVID-19 pandemic completed a master’s degree in Jewish Studies at Krakow’s Jagiellonian University while caring for her two children at home.

Before pursuing graduate studies, she completed specialized training at the Galicia Jewish Museum. She is now working toward a doctorate focusing on the Jewish history of Podgórze, the Krakow district where many Jews lived before the Holocaust.

Naskalska is also inviting descendants of Jews from Podgórze to contact her if they are searching for information about relatives who lived there before the war. Those seeking assistance can reach her at [email protected].

She explained that her fascination with Jewish history began roughly 15 years ago while training to become a city tour guide. During her studies, she learned that before World War II, roughly one-quarter of Krakow’s population was Jewish—and that nearly the entire community was murdered during the Holocaust.

Determined to preserve what remained, she began examining archival materials that had never previously been researched. Her work eventually led to the digitization of more than 9,000 burial records from two destroyed Jewish cemeteries. Of all the original gravestones, only one remains standing today—the matzeivah of Chaim Yaakov Abrahamer, who passed away in 1935.

One of the most emotional chapters of her work unfolded recently when she met members of the Halperin family from New York.

According to Naskalska, the family’s greatest wish was to stand at the precise location where their ancestors had been buried on what is now little more than a barren hill. Today, only one original Jewish gravestone remains at the site, alongside a reconstructed monument honoring Sarah Schenirer, founder of the Bais Yaakov movement.

Using old maps, historical records, and rare photographs, Naskalska successfully identified the exact burial location, enabling the family to stand there and recite Kaddish.

She said the family was deeply moved by the experience.

“Although the gravestones are gone, we found the exact location thanks to the maps and a handful of surviving photographs of the family graves,” she said.

Among the graves identified were those of Chaya Halperin and her husband, Rav Mattisyahu Halperin, who served as the rav of the town of Dobczyce.

When Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, the Jews of Dobczyce were subjected to increasingly harsh decrees and forced labor. In August 1942, they were deported to the Wieliczka Ghetto and from there sent to the Nazi death camps.

Today, Rav Mattisyahu Halperin’s descendants number approximately 5,000 and are spread throughout the United States, Britain, and Eretz Yisroel.

During the family’s visit, Shaya Halperin told Naskalska, “The family gravestones did not survive, but the families did, and that is a great victory over evil.”

Speaking to B’Chadrei Chareidim, Halperin reflected on the emotional significance of the discovery.

“For years, our family knew where our ancestors were buried, but we never knew exactly where their graves had stood after the cemetery was destroyed by the Nazis.”

He then recounted an extraordinary story from many years earlier.

“I once came across an auction on eBay offering an old photograph of the gravestones of my grandfather and grandmother—Rabbi Mattisyahu Halperin and his wife Chaya Halperin. I immediately began calling cousins I knew were active on eBay and asked them not to bid so I could quietly purchase the photograph without driving up the price.”

But things did not go as planned.

“However, when the auction closed, the bids kept climbing higher and higher. I couldn’t understand who would even be interested in a photograph of my family’s gravestones. I lost the auction.”

Only later did he learn what had happened.

“The winning bidder was connected to the Plaszow Museum. It turned out the photograph was one of only six known images of the old Jewish cemetery in Podgórze taken before its destruction during the Holocaust. It is considered one of the most historically significant photographs of the cemetery because it captures the magnificent Byzantine-style taharah building with its towering dome behind the graves. More importantly, the photograph clearly preserves the names on several gravestones—including those of my family.”

For years afterward, Halperin tried unsuccessfully to determine the exact location of the graves in hopes that one day they could properly commemorate them.

That breakthrough finally came through Naskalska’s research.

“She succeeded in identifying the exact place where Rabbi Mattisyahu Halperin and Chaya Halperin were buried,” Halperin said. “When we stood there together as a family, on what now appears to be an empty hill, we were finally able to say Kaddish at the actual place where our ancestors were buried before the cemetery was destroyed.”

Halperin also shared the broader history of his family.

“For me, this story goes back even further. For approximately ten generations, the rabbis of the Halperin family were buried in Berezhany, today in western Ukraine. Generation after generation—father after son—was buried there. Rabbi Mattisyahu Halperin was the first to leave that family line. After marrying into the distinguished Frankel-Teomim rabbinic family of Podgórze, whose patriarch, Rabbi Shimon Alter Frankel-Teomim, served as the city’s chief rabbi, he settled in Podgórze. When he passed away in his father-in-law’s home, he was buried in the Jewish cemetery there.”

Although the Nazis destroyed his gravestone, Halperin emphasized that they failed to erase his legacy.

Three of Rav Mattisyahu’s grandsons survived the Holocaust. One branch became the family of the renowned Rav Elchonon Halpern of Golders Green in London, whose descendants today live across Britain, Eretz Yisroel, and New York. Two additional surviving brothers established large families in Brooklyn and Efrat.

With Naskalska’s continued assistance, together with experts in historical mapping and geography, the Halperin family now hopes to reconstruct and rededicate the original matzeivah at the precise spot where it once stood, restoring a small but meaningful piece of Jewish history the Nazis sought to erase.

Reflecting on her years of work, Naskalska said the project has become deeply personal.

“It gave me a feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction to do something for people who are so different from you,” she told B’Chadrei Chareidim. “I felt that it really became part of me.”

She explained that while her original goal was simply to preserve Poland’s Jewish history, she now feels privileged to help Holocaust survivors’ descendants rediscover their own family stories.

Her research has also extended to more than 200 fragments of broken marble matzeivos uncovered during excavations conducted under rabbinical supervision. Through painstaking detective work, she has identified many of the individuals to whom those fragments belonged.

One belonged to Adela Bergner, who passed away in 1939. After locating her name in municipal records, Naskalska expressed hope that Bergner’s descendants might one day read about her work and contact her to learn more about their family history.

Naskalska said one of the greatest disappointments she encountered was discovering that the Chevra Kaddisha burial ledgers disappeared during the war. Undeterred, she turned instead to municipal death registries and city archives, where families had officially recorded deaths. Through years of painstaking research, she reconstructed the identities of approximately 9,000 Jews buried in the cemeteries.

She noted one heartbreaking statistic: roughly 30 percent of those buried were infants and young children.

Beyond cemetery research, Naskalska’s unique tours encourage visitors to look closely at the old doorframes throughout Krakow. Small physical traces—a diagonal groove in the wood, rust stains from ancient nails, or faint marks in the plaster—often reveal where a Jewish family once affixed a mezuzah before the Holocaust.

Through those silent remnants, she says, the stories of Krakow’s vanished Jewish residents come alive once again. On her tour’s official website, she describes those tiny marks as “an opening to the micro-history of Krakow’s Jewish residents and the Jews who once lived here.”

{Matzav.com}

In a dramatic political announcement, Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer said Wednesday that he will not seek re-election to the next Knesset, signaling the end of his parliamentary career amid longstanding ideological disagreements with Religious Zionism Party chairman and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, particularly over the military draft issue.

Sofer, a member of the Religious Zionism Party, made the announcement in a public statement, thanking his political partners while alluding to the tensions that have marked recent months within the government and coalition.

“I have decided not to present my candidacy for the next Knesset. I thank Religious Zionism Party chairman Betzalel Smotrich for years of trust and joint work, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his leadership and guidance during this complex and challenging period.

“The State of Israel must continue strengthening its security and building a firm and unshakable iron wall, but one that is also founded upon spirit, values, and unity. It is our duty to foster a spirit of unity among the people of Israel. The bereavement and wounds of war will leave scars that will not heal quickly. They will remind all of us, every day, of the magnitude of our responsibility and our commitment to the proper path.”

Addressing the Israeli public directly, Sofer also called for a more respectful political discourse.

“The citizens of Israel have a duty to demand a dialogue of unity, solidarity, and genuine partnership in the sacred and critical mission of defending the security of the State.”

Reflecting on his tenure as Minister of Aliyah and Integration, Sofer said he would remain in office through the end of the current government’s term while expressing gratitude for the opportunity to help facilitate large-scale immigration during a difficult period.

“I had the privilege, during a difficult and challenging period, to lead the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and contribute my part in the aliyah of tens of thousands who chose to make Israel their home דווקא during this time, an endeavor that filled me with great hope and optimism. I will continue contributing to the State of Israel and Israeli society in other ways. Thank you to my voters, the many activists, my partners along the way, and my dedicated staff, alongside whom I will continue working faithfully until the completion of this term, and a special thank you to my wife and family, who stood by my side throughout the journey.”

Responding to the announcement, Smotrich said he respected Sofer’s decision while praising his longtime colleague for his years of public service.

“I received with sorrow the decision of my friend and longtime political partner, Minister Ofir Sofer, not to run for the next Knesset. Ofir represents an important voice among the people of Israel and within the Religious Zionist community. Throughout the years, we worked together on important initiatives for the people of Israel, the Land of Israel, and the Torah of Israel, all with his pleasant and unique political style.”

Smotrich added that he is confident Sofer will continue serving the Jewish people in another capacity.

The announcement follows months of public disagreements between Sofer and members of his own party over the draft law. Sofer had repeatedly voiced opposition to the legislation and previously warned of its political consequences.

In recordings published several months ago, Sofer was heard saying, “If the law is advanced, despite the reservists and against their will, the right will collapse. It will pay an electoral price for it. Certainly in the overall numbers, and even if you look at more specific constituencies.”

{Matzav.com}

Tensions flared at the Kosel on Wednesday morning as members of the trouble-making Women of the Wall group arrived on Rosh Chodesh Av, prompting confrontations and renewed criticism from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which accused the activists of turning the site into a venue for protest.

According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the group “turned the Western Wall plaza into a protest site – the likes of which have not been seen in hundreds of years, and acted in violation of the regulations and instructions from the court, when they brought the Torah scroll into the Western Wall plaza.”

Foundation officials expressed sorrow over what they described as a growing atmosphere of confrontation at the Kosel, saying the tensions reached a new level on Rosh Chodesh. They appealed to all parties to refrain from transforming the Kosel plaza into a site of demonstrations. The Foundation emphasized that the Kosel “is not a place for whistles and shouting, nor is it a place for provocations or for desecrating its sanctity.”

The Foundation also noted the significance of the day, pointing out that Rosh Chodesh Av marks the yahrtzeit of Aharon HaKohen, renowned for his love of peace and pursuit of harmony. “On Rosh Chodesh Av, which marks the anniversary of the passing of Aaron the High Priest, who loved and pursued peace, we call on everyone to give the Western Wall the proper respect and preserve its sanctity in accordance with Jewish tradition,” the Foundation said.

Women of the Wall, for its part, claimed its members were confronted by opponents during the gathering. The organization alleged that “male and female rioters surrounded the women, whistled, screamed, cursed, and pushed into them. Police distanced some of them.”

{Matzav.com}

Britain’s Labour government is reportedly preparing to scale back proposed immigration reforms after mounting opposition within the party over plans that would delay permanent residency for more than 1.6 million migrants who entered the country during the surge in migration known as the “Boriswave.”

According to reports, immigration changes championed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood could be shelved for those migrants following pressure on incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham from Labour’s left-wing backbench lawmakers.

As part of an effort to reduce the long-term financial burden associated with mass migration, Mahmood had proposed doubling the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five years to ten years.

However, applying the new rules to migrants already living in Britain has reportedly met fierce resistance from within Labour. Nearly 80 Labour MPs argued that preventing those migrants from obtaining permanent residency under the current timetable would be “anathema to who we are, what we stand for and how we should do politics.”

The Times of London reported that negotiations between Mahmood and Labour’s left-wing faction could result in a compromise that preserves the existing five-year pathway to permanent residency for Boriswave migrants while delaying their eligibility for certain welfare benefits.

Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, sharply criticized the reported retreat in comments provided to Breitbart London.

“This is appalling, if entirely predictable. Whatever Ms Mahmood’s intentions may be, it is obvious that Labour’s far-left backbenchers will have none of it. This would hand settlement to 1.6 million people, each of whom could in turn bring in more dependants.

“The Prime Minister-in-waiting should stop hiding. Will Mr Burnham show more backbone than his predecessor-to-be and kill this anti-Britain plan now?”

Under current law, migrants who obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain become eligible for a range of government benefits, including Universal Credit, housing assistance, state pensions, housing subsidies, and access to National Health Service hospital and general practitioner care.

The issue has intensified scrutiny of the sharp rise in immigration that occurred under former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Critics argue that, despite promises to reduce immigration after Brexit, Johnson’s policies instead produced record-breaking levels of migration into Britain.

A report published in April by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party estimated that migrants who arrived during the Boriswave between 2020 and 2024 would ultimately cost British families an average of approximately £20,000 each over their lifetimes, for a total projected cost of £622.5 billion by the year 2085.

Reform UK has pledged that, if it comes to power, it would eliminate Indefinite Leave to Remain altogether. The party instead proposes replacing permanent residency with a five-year work visa modeled after the American system, under which migrants would not qualify for welfare benefits.

The party has also vowed to launch a nationwide inquiry into those it says were responsible for allowing record levels of immigration despite promising the opposite, including Boris Johnson and former Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Reform UK Shadow Home Secretary Zia Yusuf condemned the Boriswave as the greatest act of “vandalism” ever inflicted on the British public and warned that unless the policy is reversed, it could “bankrupt” Britain.

{Matzav.com}

Joe Biden is set to release a new memoir this fall reflecting on his four years in the White House, with the book scheduled to hit shelves just two weeks after the midterm elections, when Democrats will be trying to win back control of Congress.

Publisher Little, Brown and Company confirmed to The Associated Press that the memoir will be published on November 17. Reports have indicated that Biden received a $10 million advance for the book.

Titled Promise Me, America, the memoir will center on Biden’s single term as president and the major events and decisions that defined his administration.

The release comes as Democrats remain divided over Biden’s political legacy, particularly following his unsuccessful effort to seek another term in the White House. His presidency has also remained under scrutiny amid ongoing questions about his mental acuity while in office and allegations regarding the use of an autopen for official documents.

According to the Associated Press, Democratic leaders are hoping this fall’s campaign remains focused on President Donald Trump’s record rather than Biden’s tenure. The report noted that Biden has largely faded from public view after his bid to return to the White House ended and support within his own party evaporated.

In a video released Wednesday alongside the announcement, Biden described the themes of the book.

“‘Promise Me, America’ is about the challenges we faced as a nation. It’s about the decisions I made and why I made them,” Biden said. “Most of all, it’s about my faith in the promise of America.”

The title recalls Biden’s 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad, which chronicled the illness and passing of his son, Beau Biden.

A spokesperson for Little, Brown said the 83-year-old Biden plans to promote the memoir with a nationwide book tour and will also participate in media interviews surrounding its release.

{Matzav.com}

More than a year after a sweeping workforce reduction tied to the Department of Government Efficiency, the Social Security Administration is still grappling with the loss of nearly 8,000 employees, even as agency leadership points to gains in technology and customer service.

The agency, which provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to approximately 75 million Americans each month, has seen its workforce shrink by about 14% since the DOGE-directed cost-cutting initiative began, according to a report published Wednesday by The Washington Post.

Current and former employees say the staffing losses continue to place significant pressure on daily operations, despite ongoing recruitment efforts and a broad modernization campaign.

Since taking over the agency, Commissioner Frank Bisignano has prioritized updating Social Security’s systems by increasing automation and encouraging greater use of online services.

Bisignano has said the technological improvements are expected to save the equivalent of 2,500 full-time work hours, while the agency has begun hiring for roughly 1,000 new positions.

Even so, employees and union representatives say the departure of approximately 7,800 workers has left offices across the country struggling to keep up with demand.

“The look on everybody’s face is they’re beat down, they are demoralized, they’re tired,” Chris Delaney, a claims specialist and local union president representing Social Security workers in Hudson, New York, said.

According to the American Federation of Government Employees Council 220, which represents employees in field offices, the vast majority of the agency’s roughly 1,200 local offices lost at least one-tenth of their staff during the workforce reductions.

To compensate for staffing shortages, the agency has reassigned thousands of employees to help answer calls on its national 800-number. Internal figures show that as of July 6, about 1,500 field office employees had been assigned to phone duty, while approximately 2,500 workers had been reassigned across the agency.

Officials say those staffing changes, along with upgrades to the telephone system, have significantly improved response times. Agency data show that the average wait to reach a representative dropped from 11 minutes a year ago to five minutes in May. However, callers who opt for a callback are recorded as having no wait time, and the agency no longer publicly reports the average length of time required for callbacks.

“I’d like to make this more complicated, but it’s not. It’s putting people where the work is,” Bisignano told lawmakers during a congressional hearing last month. “It’s building technology in a modern-day fashion.”

Employees, however, say the improvements in phone service have come at the expense of other critical functions.

Agency data indicate that as of July 6, only 64.6% of appointments for initial benefit claims were scheduled within 30 days, down from 78.1% during the same period last year. In some parts of the country, that figure recently fell below 45%.

Union officials argue that shifting field office staff to phone duty reduces the time available to meet with beneficiaries in person and slows the processing of claims.

“It’s extremely disruptive to the workloads,” Jeremy Maske, a union president representing frontline employees in Iowa and Nebraska, said. “If you’re assigned to the 800 number once a week, that’s taking a fifth of your time to answer those phones.”

Bisignano has highlighted other areas where he says the agency has made progress, including shorter wait times for customers with appointments, smaller claims backlogs, and faster processing of disability benefit applications.

The Social Security Administration is also testing a nationwide appointment scheduling system that would replace the current local office scheduling process. At the same time, officials have expanded online services, including the ability to request replacement Social Security cards electronically, while pledging to keep field offices open and continue offering assistance in person, by phone, and online.

Advocates for senior citizens, people with disabilities, and low-income Americans warn that reducing staff while relying more heavily on automation could create additional obstacles for beneficiaries with complicated cases.

“You can’t lose that many people in that haphazard of a manner without an impact on services,” Devin O’Connor, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said. “The question is where or when the harm will be felt.”

{Matzav.com}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir pushed back forcefully against criticism from Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas over the government’s demolition of illegally built homes in the Negev, declaring that the law will be enforced equally against anyone who violates building regulations.

In a video message released Wednesday, Ben Gvir rejected accusations that the demolitions are motivated by discrimination.

“Racism is a lie. Listen carefully, and tell all your friends: anyone who builds illegally-their house will be demolished.”

Ben Gvir’s remarks came in response to a speech Abbas delivered in Arabic from the Knesset podium on Tuesday, in which the Ra’am leader argued that the coalition’s only real accomplishment has been maintaining unity among its members long enough to complete its term in office.

Abbas sharply criticized the current right-wing government, saying its record has been marked by “failure, crimes, murder, demolitions, and wars.” He contrasted that with the previous “government of change,” in which Ra’am served as a coalition partner and, according to Abbas, played a significant role in addressing the needs of Israel’s Arab community.

The Ra’am chairman also claimed that violent crime in Arab society declined by 15 percent during the previous government’s first year. He argued that if that coalition had remained in power for a full four-year term, the number of homicide victims could have fallen to “only forty deaths, or even fewer.”

Turning to the issue of housing enforcement, Abbas asserted that only four occupied homes in the Negev were demolished during the previous government. By contrast, he claimed that Ben Gvir has proudly cited approximately 5,700 demolition operations carried out over the past year.

Abbas also took aim at Hadash and Ta’al, the factions that make up the Joint List, accusing them of failing to shoulder responsibility when opportunities arose.

“Our colleagues from the Joint List did not understand the responsibility that rested on them,” Abbas said, arguing that Ra’am had been willing to accept the political consequences of joining the coalition. He questioned what the public ultimately gained from the collapse of the previous government and what it has lost under the continued tenure of the current coalition.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a temporary injunction suspending implementation of the newly enacted law that halted the arrest of bnei Torah who have not reported for military service, setting the stage for another high-profile legal battle over the status of lomdei Torah.

Supreme Court Justice Ofer Grosskopf ordered that the law be put on hold pending further proceedings. In his decision, he wrote: “In light of this Court’s longstanding rulings on the enlistment of yeshiva students, the implications of freezing arrest, investigation, and enforcement proceedings with respect to only certain segments of the population, and the substantial arguments raised by the petitioners in the various petitions challenging the law’s validity, a conditional order is hereby issued instructing the respondents to explain why the law should not be struck down.”

Grosskopf added that the petitions challenging the legislation will be heard as soon as possible before an expanded panel of justices to be appointed by the President of the Supreme Court.

Multiple petitions have already been filed seeking to invalidate the law, including those submitted by the Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid parties.

MK Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism sharply criticized the court’s ruling, arguing that the injunction has no legal basis. He asserted that any soldier or police officer who takes part in arresting bnei Torah under the current circumstances would be acting in violation of the law passed by the Knesset.

The legislation, approved by the Knesset on Tuesday in its second and third readings by a vote of 58 to 54, temporarily halted the arrest of bnei Torah who are subject to military draft proceedings.

Four coalition lawmakers voted against the measure: Yuli Edelstein, Sharren Haskel, Dan Illouz, and Moshe Solomon. Minister Ofir Sofer and MK Michal Woldiger were absent during the vote.

The bill was presented to the Knesset by Minister Shlomo Karhi, who engaged in heated exchanges with opposition lawmakers during the debate from the Knesset podium.

During the debate, the Knesset Ethics Committee required Chareidi members of Knesset to disclose that members of their own families could potentially be affected by the outcome of the legislation.

A sprawling homeless encampment stretching across Manhattan’s West Side is drawing mounting criticism as opponents accuse Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new homeless policy of preventing police from taking swift action, leaving a deteriorating situation to worsen near one of the city’s busiest tourist destinations.

Under the administration’s revised approach, the NYPD is barred from clearing homeless encampments until civilian outreach workers and homeless advocates have spent seven days attempting to persuade those living there to accept services and shelter. According to sources, that seven-day countdown only began Tuesday despite residents complaining about the encampment for weeks.

Residents said city outreach teams did not arrive at the site until approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Public safety experts warned that the rapidly expanding encampment bears troubling similarities to New York City’s troubled decades of the 1980s and early 1990s.

“The mayor is too young to remember the eighties and early nineties and what a mess New York was,” former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton told The NY Post. “Those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it. It all began with non-enforcement of quality-of-life offenses.

“Remember the squeegee men at every entrance to the city?” Bratton said. “Remember the rampant …. graffiti? Remember the 8,000 open air drug selling locations? Remember the rampant subway fare evasion? I remember, and it’s happening again.”

The NY Post first highlighted the encampment Friday, though neighborhood residents said tents and makeshift shelters have lined the area for several weeks. They also alleged that panhandlers have been harassing visitors while drug dealing and theft have become common in broad daylight.

By Tuesday, some of those living in the encampment had reportedly connected illegal electrical lines to nearby city utility poles in order to obtain power.

“In just half a year, Mayor Mamdani’s policies have managed to turn the West Side into Skid Row,” City Councilwoman Joann Ariola, R-Queens, told The Post Tuesday.

“The administration is repeating the same ridiculous hands-off approach to the homeless that destroyed LA and San Francisco, and now we have a 12-block homeless campsite in Manhattan.

“Way to go DSA,” she added, referring to the Democratic Socialists of America, the lefty group that counts Mamdani as a member.

Soon after taking office, Mamdani reversed former Mayor Eric Adams’ policy that empowered police to aggressively dismantle homeless encampments and remove individuals considered to be at risk from city streets.

In its place, the administration adopted what it describes as a larger, more humane strategy centered on a housing-first model. Under the plan, the Department of Community Safety relies on civilian outreach teams and social workers, rather than police officers, to connect homeless individuals with housing and support services.

The policy requires those outreach teams to spend seven days engaging with people living in an encampment before police are permitted to remove it.

The NYPD, whose role in homeless enforcement had already been reduced during the de Blasio administration, now has even less authority under Mamdani’s policy. Officers may intervene only when criminal activity, emergencies, or the protection of city workers requires their presence.

“The Mamdani Administration has stopped the failed encampment sweep policies of the past and moving forward will connect New Yorkers to the resources they need to thrive and to build a New York where everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home,” the city sanitation department said in a statement.

A City Hall spokesperson also told The NY Post on Tuesday, “This site will be cleaned.”

Brian Stettin, who served as a senior adviser on severe mental illness during the Adams administration, said the concept behind the policy may be reasonable, provided city officials move quickly.

“It’s perfectly reasonable to spend a week attempting a voluntary resolution before dismantling an encampment,” Stettin said. “But people will quickly lose faith in that policy if they see the city dragging its feet. The 7-day clock should start as soon as DHS confirms the presence of an encampment.”

Critics argue that the administration has failed to act with the urgency the situation demands.

“This is embarrassing and a big black eye on the city, especially with FIFA tourists,” one veteran cop griped. “The Intrepid is a big tourist attraction, and what are people from all over the world thinking when they walk by this encampment?”

During patrols Tuesday, police instructed occupants of two encampments to disconnect unauthorized electrical hookups from city utility poles. According to reports, however, the illegal connections are often restored once officers leave the area.

Mamdani addressed the controversy publicly on Monday but emphasized his administration’s broader strategy rather than immediate enforcement.

“We are focused on connecting New Yorkers to shelter and on establishing a pipeline to stable housing, not just moving New Yorkers from one place to another place,” he said. “To this specific encampment that you brought up, we’re going to look into the details of that.”

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, ArtScroll has launched a five week sale unlike anything in the company’s history, offering readers the lowest prices ever seen on hundreds of titles.

It began July 7th and running through August 9th, ArtScroll will feature 50 different books and sforim on sale each week, all at 50% off. Over the course of the five weeks, that adds up to 250 titles at their lowest prices ever. Each week’s sale is only available for that week, and once the week ends, those prices are gone for good.

Week 2 of the sale is now live, featuring 50 more titles at half price. Shop this week’s sale here.

Alongside the sale, ArtScroll is giving away more than $50,000 in prizes over the five week period, with no purchase necessary to enter. Each week, one winner will receive a $10,000 ArtScroll gift card at list price, along with an additional $10,000 in weekly prizes that include digital libraries, exclusive book sets, and special items and experiences not available for purchase anywhere else.

Entering is simple: submit one entry, and it counts toward all five weekly giveaways. Enter the giveaway here.

With five weeks of unprecedented discounts and tens of thousands of dollars in prizes on the line, this is being called a once in fifty years opportunity for ArtScroll’s readers.

President Donald Trump is directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to resume conducting traffic stops, rejecting a recent Department of Homeland Security decision to suspend the tactic following two fatal shootings involving ICE agents in Maine and Texas.

In a post on Truth Social Wednesday, Trump defended the use of traffic stops as a critical law enforcement strategy.

“We CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal’s hands.”

Trump’s remarks came a day after DHS reportedly instructed ICE personnel across the country to temporarily stop carrying out routine vehicle stops. The directive, according to reports, eliminated most traffic stops except in limited situations, including operations involving criminal warrants or coordinated actions with other law enforcement agencies.

The policy change followed two deadly encounters involving ICE officers. On Monday in Biddeford, Maine, agents attempting to stop a vehicle fatally shot 25-year-old Colombian national Joan Sebastian Guerrero, who was married and the father of a 3-year-old daughter.

An ICE spokesperson said an officer discharged his weapon while “fearing for public safety.” The shooting remains under investigation by the FBI and local authorities, while DHS’ Office of Inspector General has also been notified.

Independent Maine Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin informed him that the man who died was not the individual ICE agents had initially intended to apprehend.

The Maine incident came just days after another fatal ICE shooting during a vehicle stop in Houston. Acting ICE Director David Venturella said the victim, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who had lived in the United States for decades, was likewise not the person agents had been attempting to locate.

According to DHS, officers believed Salgado Araujo matched the description of the suspect they were seeking. The department said an ICE officer fired in self-defense after Salgado Araujo allegedly rammed an agency vehicle.

Both deadly encounters occurred as the Trump administration has stepped up immigration enforcement nationwide, sparking anti-ICE demonstrations in both Maine and Texas.

The Associated Press reported that the ICE agents involved in the Houston shooting were not equipped with body cameras. DHS has said those officers are expected to receive body-worn cameras within the next 60 days.

Trump also used his Truth Social post to again criticize the immigration policies of President Joe Biden.

“The men and women of ICE are doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done. CRIME IS WAY DOWN IN AMERICA, in many cases with numbers that haven’t been seen in decades,” he said.

“The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted,” Trump continued. “Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out. In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart.”

Concluding his message, Trump encouraged ICE officers to return to conducting enforcement operations while exercising sound judgment.

“I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job,” Trump wrote. “Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is urging television networks not to broadcast President Donald Trump’s scheduled address Thursday night, arguing that media organizations should not give airtime to claims about election fraud that she says lack factual support.

Trump announced on Truth Social that he plans to deliver a speech at 9 p.m. Thursday but did not reveal what he intends to discuss. According to published reports, the president is expected to revisit his longstanding assertion that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and to argue that Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both Democrats from Georgia, are “illegitimate” members of the Senate.

Ossoff and Warnock won Georgia’s two Senate runoff elections on Jan. 5, 2021, one day before the Capitol riot, giving Democrats control of the Senate. Warnock, who initially won a special election to complete the remainder of former Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term following his resignation, secured a full six-year term in 2022. Ossoff is seeking reelection this November.

On Tuesday, MeidasTouch reporter Pablo Manríquez spoke with Ocasio-Cortez outside the U.S. Capitol and asked for her reaction to the president’s upcoming remarks.

“He’s basically doing a made-for-TV broadcast about election fraud and conspiracy theories,” Manríquez said.

“I don’t think we should be contributing to the platforming of lies about our elections,” the congresswoman replied. “Many news outlets oftentimes may receive transcripts [in advance], and I think we have an ethical obligation not to air things that undermine our elections that are not rooted in evidence and in fact.”

AOC on Trump’s Thursday address: I don’t think we should be contributing to the platforming of lies about our elections. Many of these outlets often receive transcripts, and I think we have an ethical obligation not to air things that undermine our elections and are not rooted in… pic.twitter.com/MrHKjt2Waa

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 14, 2026

Following the 2020 election, Trump spent the next two months challenging the results and urging Republican officials in states won by Joe Biden to revisit or overturn their certified outcomes. He repeatedly questioned the integrity of the election, and some political analysts have argued that his continued focus on alleged election irregularities discouraged some Republican voters from participating in Georgia’s Senate runoff elections, helping Democrats capture both seats and take control of the chamber.

[Video below.] President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that expanding pipeline infrastructure in Texas and Alaska could provide alternative routes for moving energy supplies as tensions with Iran continue to disrupt shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

The remarks came as the United States carried out a fourth straight day of airstrikes against Iran. U.S. officials say the military action followed Iran’s alleged violation of the memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran last month. Iranian officials, however, contend that Article 5 of the agreement grants Iran authority to manage all maritime traffic through the critical waterway within its territorial waters. Although some commercial vessels have attempted to avoid Iranian-controlled waters by sailing along the Omani coastline, Iran struck several tankers last week, killing one crew member. In response, the United States reinstated its naval blockade of Iranian shipping in the Gulf of Oman while continuing its bombing campaign.

Despite the escalating conflict, Trump and other administration officials have maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international traffic.

During an interview Tuesday with Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst, the reporter pointed to a dramatic decline in maritime traffic through the waterway.

“Shipping data trackers indicate that just 10 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday,” Yingst stated. “Less than 10% of what normally goes through this critical waterway. When you say the strait is open, what do you mean?”

Trump responded by insisting that access remains available to most countries while emphasizing that Iran itself is being blocked.

“It’s open if people want to go through it,” the president said. “We’re not opening it for Iran. That’s the only one it’s closed for. It’s closed for Iran both in and out. But it’s open now. A lot of things have happened, Trey, in the last few months. Pipelines are being built. We’re coming up with great alternatives, including Texas, including Alaska.”

Although Trump referenced domestic pipeline projects as potential alternatives, the United States is not controlling which commercial vessels may transit the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, the U.S. naval blockade is being enforced farther east in the Gulf of Oman, where Iranian vessels are being intercepted before reaching the strategic shipping lane.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Can a Jew stop a non-Jew driving on Shabbos and ask him to turn on an air conditioner? Is it permissible to ride in an elevator with a non-Jew? And may a non-Jew open an electronically locked hotel room door on Shabbos? These were among the practical halachah questions addressed by Rav Ofir Malka during his Israeli radio program Halachah Lemaaseh.

One listener described living in a predominantly non-Jewish neighborhood and asked whether, because of the intense heat, he could stop a passing non-Jewish driver on Shabbos and have him turn on the air conditioner in his home.

Rav Malka ruled that doing so is prohibited.

“You are hinting to a non-Jew to perform melachah with his own possessions for your benefit—that is forbidden,” the Rav said.

He explained that stopping the vehicle itself causes the non-Jew to perform additional melachos on behalf of the Jew.

“The moment he stops the car, he presses the brake, and then when he starts driving again, that is another melachah. It’s all because of you,” the Rav explained.

Another question involved hotels outside of Israel where guest rooms are accessed using electronic key cards. The caller asked whether it would be permissible to arrange in advance for a non-Jew to accompany him in the elevator and open the hotel room door for him.

Rav Malka responded that there is “absolutely no permission to ride in an elevator with a non-Jew under any circumstances,” explaining that even if the non-Jew operates the elevator, the Jew’s own use of the elevator activates various electrical systems.

The Rav elaborated that entering and exiting the elevator interrupts the light beam in the doorway, increases the electrical current, and, most significantly, activates the elevator’s digital weighing system, which adjusts the elevator’s operation based on the weight of its passengers.

“All of that is done by the Jew himself. It has nothing to do with the non-Jew—it is chilul Shabbos without even realizing it,” he emphasized. For that reason, he said, the presence of a non-Jew does not make riding the elevator permissible.

Regarding electronic hotel room doors, Rav Malka explained that if there is a significant and genuine need, it is permissible to ask a non-Jew to open the door.

Ideally, however, he advised guests to prepare before Shabbos by leaving the door latch disengaged so that the room can be entered without using the electronic lock. Only if someone is stranded without any other practical option may he ask a non-Jew to open the door in a case of substantial need.

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly lost confidence in former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad months before his regime collapsed and even explored the possibility of replacing him with his wife, Asma al-Assad, according to a new investigative report published by the British newspaper The Observer.

The report paints an unusual picture of the relationship between Putin and Assad during the final months of the Syrian regime. According to the investigation, as Assad’s government weakened in the months leading up to its collapse in December 2024, the Kremlin considered installing Asma al-Assad as Syria’s new leader after concluding that her husband was no longer capable of effectively governing the country.

Citing multiple sources, The Observer reported that Asma al-Assad, who was born in Britain and previously worked as an investment banker, had long played a far more influential role than that of a ceremonial first lady. According to the report, she became a central figure in decision-making within the presidential palace and exercised significant control over the regime’s economic power centers. Business leaders who refused to cooperate with her associates allegedly faced tax investigations, sanctions, and the closure of their companies. Her extensive involvement in running the country reportedly drew criticism over the years from senior regime officials, intelligence figures, and members of Syria’s business community.

The investigation further claims that Putin personally raised the idea with Bashar al-Assad of transferring power to his wife. However, the Syrian leader reportedly rejected the proposal outright. When rebel forces launched the offensive that ultimately brought down the regime in December 2024, Russia refrained from mounting any significant military intervention. Assad fled to Moscow on December 8, where he has remained under political asylum ever since, while international arrest warrants against him remain outstanding.

According to the report, Asma al-Assad had already left Syria in August 2024 to receive medical treatment in Russia. Since then, she has reportedly traveled between Dubai and other international destinations. Although she is barred from entering Britain and European Union member states, the report claims she spends considerable time in Dubai, where the Assad family owns luxury properties.

{Matzav.com}