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A heartbreaking tragedy has struck the Modzitz and Lelov communities with the petirah of three-year-old Yisroel Don Taub z”l, a grandson of the Modzitzer Rebbe and the Lelover Rebbe of Yerushalayim, who passed away shortly before the onset of Shabbos after battling a serious illness.

The young child, a son of Rav Shlomo Tzvi Hirsch Taub, was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Yerushalayim, where his condition deteriorated dramatically in the hours leading up to Shabbos.

As his condition became critical, doctors informed the family that his life was in immediate danger and that he might have only hours remaining.

An urgent message was circulated among Modzitzer chassidim before Shabbos, calling upon the community to intensify their tefillos and plead for rachamei Shomayim on behalf of the young child.

Throughout those final hours, family members and chassidim davened fervently for his recovery, hoping that the heartbreaking situation would take a turn for the better.

Tragically, despite the many tefillos, little Yisroel Don was niftar just minutes before Shabbos, leaving his parents, grandparents, extended family and the Modzitz and Lelov communities plunged into profound grief.

The levayah was held on Motzoei, departing from the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim and proceeding to Har Hazeisim for kevurah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Russia launched another major wave of attacks against Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure overnight, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without power Sunday, as Ukrainian drones struck industrial targets deep inside Russia, reportedly causing extensive damage to a facility in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces targeted energy installations across four regions, disrupting electricity supplies as the country prepares for the approaching winter.

“The intensity of the strikes is very high, and the Russians are seeking to maximally exploit the ​deficit of ballistic missile interceptors,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia had launched 433 long-range drones beginning Saturday evening, with Ukrainian defenses intercepting 371 of them. Dozens of additional drones remained airborne Sunday morning, while residents of Kyiv faced six separate air raid alerts after midnight.

The latest bombardment came despite a six-day localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in southern Ukraine, which remained in effect on its final day. Fighting continued elsewhere along the front lines, however, with both countries carrying out long-range attacks against targets beyond the battlefield.

Ukraine also struck back inside Russian territory. Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had attacked the Kamensky plant in Russia’s Rostov region, identifying it as a facility involved in producing missiles for the Russian military. Moscow did not immediately respond to that claim.

In the Nizhny Novgorod region, Governor Gleb Nikitin acknowledged that an extensive Ukrainian drone assault overnight had inflicted “significant damage” on an industrial installation, although he declined to identify the affected facility.

The region contains the NORSI refinery, one of Russia’s largest oil-processing plants, raising questions about whether the attack had disrupted critical fuel production or distribution operations.

Russian authorities subsequently moved to reassure motorists about fuel availability. The regional government said it was working to maintain supplies at gas stations and advised residents to “buy fuel only as ⁠needed and ⁠avoid panic buying,” according to the Interfax news agency.

The warning suggested possible damage to oil-refining or fuel-distribution infrastructure, although officials did not confirm the nature of the facility that had been struck. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately claim responsibility for the Nizhny Novgorod operation.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses had intercepted 235 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory during the night.

Additional reports from Sunday identified the damaged Russian industrial site as being in the Kstovo district, where the major Lukoil oil refinery is located. Ukrainian media reported that the refinery had been struck, while footage circulating online appeared to show flames at the complex. Russian officials confirmed extensive damage to an industrial facility but did not publicly identify it.

Governor Nikitin said Russian defenses had destroyed more than 100 drones over the Nizhny Novgorod region alone, with preliminary reports indicating no casualties.

The attacks followed renewed tensions over Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy facilities. On Friday, Moscow accused Kyiv of restarting attacks against its oil refineries despite a request from President Donald Trump to halt such operations.

Trump has expressed concern that attacks on Russian oil infrastructure are contributing to rising diesel prices ahead of Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections.

Ukrainian officials maintain that they are prepared to accept a comprehensive ceasefire covering energy infrastructure on both sides, including Ukraine’s severely damaged electricity network, but accuse Russia of refusing such an arrangement.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who oversees the country’s energy sector, addressed the issue Sunday in an interview with state television broadcaster Vesti. Without discussing the specific damage in Nizhny Novgorod, Novak argued that Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries were worsening instability in international fuel markets and putting additional pressure on prices.

Hundreds of right-wing demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv on Motzoei Shabbos to protest the possibility of a minority government headed by Gadi Eisenkot that would depend on the support of Arab parties in the Knesset.

The demonstration took place at Habima Square, where protesters carried signs and voiced opposition to any coalition arrangement involving parties they accuse of sympathizing with terrorism. The central message of the rally was “לא מקימים ממשלה עם תומכי מחבלים” — “Do not form a government with supporters of terrorists.”

The protest comes amid growing political uncertainty following last week’s elections for Israel’s 26th Knesset, which left neither the right-wing bloc nor its opponents with enough seats to independently establish a governing coalition.

One scenario now being discussed involves Eisenkot heading a minority government that would rely on parliamentary backing from Arab parties to secure the confidence of the Knesset and remain in office.

The possibility has prompted fierce objections from right-wing political activists, who argue that a government dependent on Arab factions would be unacceptable, particularly given the positions taken by some Arab politicians on terrorism and Israel’s security policies.

Adding to the tensions is an investigation into allegations of foreign interference in the recent elections, including suspicions that overseas funding was used in efforts to influence voting patterns and strengthen the electoral performance of Arab parties.

The investigation, which has been referred to in Israeli media as the “ballot terrorism” affair, is reportedly being conducted by the Shin Bet, with the Mossad also said to have become involved. The allegations remain under investigation, and the claims of foreign involvement have not been established as fact.

A newly married chosson who was arrested by Israeli military police on Sunday while traveling with his kallah to their Sheva Brachos celebration has been sentenced to 20 days in military prison, triggering an outpouring of condemnation from chareidi political leaders and urgent demands for his immediate release.

Yaari Lieberman, a talmid of Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim in Yerushalayim under Rav Reuven Elbaz, was apprehended by plainclothes military police officers shortly after stepping off a bus with his wife. According to eyewitness accounts, the officers were not wearing visible identification badges and forcibly seized Lieberman before taking him away to military detention.

His kallah, who had married him only days earlier, reportedly did not initially realize that the men were military police officers and feared that her husband was being kidnapped.

The announcement that Lieberman had received a 20-day military prison sentence intensified the controversy, with chareidi lawmakers demanding that authorities intervene to allow the young couple to complete their Sheva Brachos celebrations together.

United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher spoke directly with Israel’s defense minister following the arrest, demanding his intervention to secure Lieberman’s immediate release.

“This is not a totalitarian country or a police state,” Rabbi Asher declared. “Arresting a groom in the midst of his days of celebration is an act of insensitivity that knows no bounds. I demanded that the defense minister act to secure his immediate release and return him to his family and his celebration.”

Shas also issued a sharply worded condemnation and announced an initiative to gather signatures from Knesset members across the political spectrum demanding that Lieberman be freed.

“We vehemently condemn the brutal arrest of a groom in front of his bride, in the midst of the days of Sheva Brachos, and call on the Military Police to release him immediately!” the party said.

Shas added, “We are appealing to all members of the Knesset and asking them to sign a petition calling on the IDF to immediately release the groom so that he can return and rejoice in his celebration. This is a necessary first step toward repairing and healing the divisions among the people.”

Agudas Yisroel chairman MK Rabbi Yitzchok Goldknopf delivered particularly harsh criticism of the military authorities, describing Lieberman’s detention as an unprecedented escalation in the campaign against yeshiva students.

“The arrest of a young groom in front of his bride in the midst of the days of Sheva Brachos is a new low in the campaign of persecution against Torah learners,” Rabbi Goldknopf said. “The obsessive pursuit of yeshiva students, whose only crime is studying Torah, has crossed every boundary of humanity and sensitivity.”

Rabbi Goldknopf continued, “This shameful arrest is a mark of disgrace for a Jewish state. I demand the immediate release of the groom.”

He also directed his criticism at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, accusing him of failing to fulfill his commitments regarding legislation that would regulate the military service status of yeshiva students.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu has failed until now to fulfill his promise to pass a law that would regulate the status of yeshiva students, and the result is the disgraceful arrests we are witnessing,” Rabbi Goldknopf said. “The responsibility for this situation rests on his shoulders.”

Meanwhile, the nationwide Tzeva Shachor emergency alert network, which mobilizes activists when military police attempt to arrest yeshiva students, sent an urgent letter to Rabbi Asher and Rabbi Goldknopf demanding immediate action.

The letter, titled “An Urgent Outcry and Protest Over the Arrest of the Groom Yaari Lieberman During His Days of Wedding Celebration,” described the distress experienced by Lieberman’s family following the arrest.

“We are turning to you urgently and with great pain following the difficult reports and appeals received by our organization from the family members of the groom Yaari Lieberman concerning the shocking and distressing circumstances of his arrest,” the organization wrote.

The group said it remained in constant contact with Lieberman’s extended family, who were overwhelmed by the incident and struggling to comprehend what they described as the humiliation of a ben Torah during the days traditionally devoted to celebrating his marriage.

Addressing the two lawmakers, the organization stressed their responsibility to defend yeshiva students against military enforcement actions.

“You are emissaries of Hashem and representatives of the rabbonim, and this is your role and mission: to stand as a fortified wall in defense of Torah learners and prevent any harm to the Torah world and those who toil in it,” the letter stated.

The organization concluded with an appeal for the lawmakers to use every available means to obtain Lieberman’s release.

“We appeal to you with a heartfelt request that you employ every tool at your disposal, shake the heavens and the earth, and neither rest nor remain silent until his sentence is canceled and the groom is returned to his home and his celebration without delay.”

MK Rabbi Meir Porush also joined the growing chorus of condemnation, describing the arrest as an incident that should deeply disturb the Jewish public.

“The criminal conduct of the Military Police, who arrested a groom during his Sheva Brachos, should shock every Jew,” Rabbi Porush said.

Rabbi Porush recalled an earlier incident in which a newly married man was detained and Knesset members from several political parties signed a petition seeking his release. That effort ultimately succeeded, he noted, expressing hope that similar intervention would secure Lieberman’s freedom.

“I call on the authorities this time as well to be attentive to the Jewish heart and release the groom immediately,” he added.

The arrest has also prompted discussions within the Yerushalmi Faction about organizing demonstrations in response to Lieberman’s imprisonment.

Lieberman’s detention comes less than a month after military police made an unsuccessful attempt to arrest him at his parents’ home in Modi’in.

On October 6, military police arrived at the residence intending to take him into custody over his military draft status. An emergency alert brought hundreds of protesters to the location, where demonstrators entered the building and prevented officers from completing the arrest.

After approximately two hours, military police withdrew without taking Lieberman into custody.

At the time, Lieberman was preparing for his wedding and had reportedly expressed concern that authorities might attempt to arrest him during the wedding itself.

Although the wedding proceeded without incident, military police apprehended him during the subsequent Sheva Brachos celebrations.

Lieberman’s reported 20-day sentence comes amid continued enforcement against yeshiva students classified as military draft evaders, an issue that has generated widespread demonstrations and intensified tensions between Israel’s military establishment and the chareidi community.

{Matzav.com}

As Israel’s political parties weigh their options following last week’s Knesset elections, a chareidi commentator is urging Shas and United Torah Judaism not to rush into a coalition headed by parties that have spent years attacking the chareidi community, even if such a government offers major concessions on yeshiva funding and military conscription.

In an opinion column published by Emess, Yanki Hess argues that the chareidi parties face a fundamental choice between securing immediate political gains and preserving the principles, dignity and public trust of the communities they represent.

Hess maintains that the question is not whether the chareidi parties should remain loyal to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, but whether they should enter a government led by politicians whose previous positions were openly hostile to chareidi interests.

He acknowledges that the community is experiencing an exceptionally difficult period, with yeshiva bochurim facing arrests, Torah institutions struggling financially and families confronting considerable uncertainty over the future of the draft law.

A new coalition, he writes, might offer legislation protecting yeshiva students from conscription, restore funding to Torah institutions and bring an end to the arrests. Nevertheless, he argues that those potential achievements do not automatically justify joining forces with longtime political adversaries.

Among the figures he identifies are Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett, both of whom have repeatedly clashed with chareidi parties over military service, religious policy and the role of the chareidi community in Israeli society.

Hess questions whether politicians who previously portrayed chareidim as a burden on the country should suddenly be embraced as acceptable coalition partners simply because the parliamentary arithmetic has changed.

He also challenges the argument that chareidi representatives should participate in any government willing to meet their legislative and financial demands.

For years, he notes, critics have accused chareidi politicians of caring primarily about budgets and being prepared to join virtually any coalition in exchange for concessions. Entering a government headed by outspoken opponents of the community, he suggests, would reinforce precisely that accusation.

Hess argues that the political benefits of such an arrangement must therefore be weighed against the damage it could cause to the community’s credibility and confidence in its elected representatives.

The commentator goes further, suggesting that remaining in opposition, or even allowing Israel to return to the polls, may be preferable to accepting a coalition agreement that lacks a foundation of mutual trust.

Another election, he contends, could give right-wing parties an opportunity to reassess the mistakes that contributed to their disappointing showing and develop a more coordinated electoral strategy.

He specifically points to the parties associated with Ofer Winter, Leithner and Avi Maoz, which failed to cross the electoral threshold, arguing that their leaders must examine the consequences of running separately and allowing votes to go unrepresented in the Knesset.

Shas, he writes, must also evaluate its electoral performance, determine why some voters abandoned the party and work to rebuild confidence among its traditional supporters.

Hess additionally calls for a thorough investigation into suspicions surrounding the unusually high voter turnout in Arab communities, including allegations of foreign financial involvement and possible Qatari funding. He emphasizes that any wrongdoing would need to be established through an investigation and that there is currently no basis for predicting how such findings might affect future elections.

Turning to the prospect of a new coalition agreement, Hess warns that even apparently significant concessions could prove unreliable.

Draft legislation enacted by a new government might subsequently face challenges in court, while promised financial allocations could encounter legal or administrative obstacles before reaching the institutions they are intended to support.

For that reason, he argues, chareidi representatives should demand meaningful guarantees rather than accept political declarations that may ultimately prove impossible to implement.

The commentator also raises the possibility that joining a controversial coalition could have serious electoral consequences for the chareidi parties themselves.

He describes a scenario in which Shas and United Torah Judaism enter a new government, announce a trial period and promise major accomplishments, only to see the coalition collapse months later without delivering the expected results.

Such an outcome, he warns, would leave party leaders struggling to explain why they had entered an alliance with political opponents without securing the achievements that supposedly justified the decision.

The resulting disappointment could extend beyond negative publicity and produce a lasting loss of confidence among voters who traditionally support the chareidi parties.

Hess suggests that even the loss of one or two Knesset seats would represent a serious setback, particularly following an election that exposed tensions and dissatisfaction within segments of the chareidi electorate.

He cautions against assuming that traditional voters will continue supporting their parties regardless of the political decisions their representatives make.

While acknowledging the urgent need to address the hardships facing yeshiva students, avreichim and Torah institutions, Hess concludes that those concerns must be balanced against the longer-term consequences of entering an unstable and politically uncomfortable alliance.

In his view, if the choice is between joining a government whose leaders cannot be trusted and preparing for another election, the chareidi parties should seriously consider the latter option.

The central question, he argues, is not merely which politicians will occupy ministerial positions in the next government, but what price the chareidi community will be asked to pay to put them there.

{Matzav.com}

A newly married yeshiva bochur was arrested by Israeli military police on Sunday while traveling with his kallah to a Sheva Brachos celebration, in an incident that has sparked outrage throughout the chareidi community and prompted Shas to demand his immediate release.

The chosson, Yaari Lieberman, a talmid of Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim in Yerushalayim under Rav Reuven Elbaz, was apprehended shortly after he and his wife stepped off a bus on their way to the celebration. According to eyewitness accounts, military police officers dressed in civilian clothing and without visible identification badges suddenly approached Lieberman, seized him and forcibly removed him from the scene.

His kallah, who had married him only days earlier, was reportedly not informed initially that the men were military police officers. Fearing that unidentified individuals were abducting her husband, she believed she was witnessing a kidnapping.

Lieberman was subsequently transferred to military prison over his status as a military draft evader.

The incident is particularly striking because Lieberman had already been the subject of a dramatic attempted arrest less than a month earlier, when hundreds of protesters gathered outside his parents’ home in Modi’in and prevented military police from taking him into custody.

During that earlier operation, military police arrived at the residence intending to arrest Lieberman. An emergency alert was circulated through the chareidi community using the “Tzeva Shachor” warning system, bringing hundreds of demonstrators to the location.

Protesters entered the building and the apartment where Lieberman was staying, making it impossible for the officers to complete the arrest. After approximately two hours, the military police withdrew without taking him into custody.

The failed operation reportedly led to disagreements between the Israel Police and the IDF over responsibility for the unsuccessful arrest attempt.

At the time, Lieberman was approximately three weeks away from his wedding. His rebbi, Rabbi Dor Salti, subsequently told Kol Chai radio that the young man was concerned military police might attempt to arrest him even during his wedding ceremony.

Although Lieberman was able to celebrate his wedding without incident, military authorities apprehended him during the week of Sheva Brachos, while he was accompanied by his new wife.

Reports have also raised suspicions that military authorities may have located Lieberman by tracking his cellphone. However, that allegation has not been confirmed, and no evidence establishing that such surveillance occurred has been publicly presented.

Lieberman’s arrest comes amid a continuing series of detentions involving yeshiva students classified by military authorities as draft evaders.

Earlier Sunday, Yosef Chaim Mansour, a talmid of Yeshivas Tiferes Ovadia, was arrested by traffic police at the Morasha Interchange.

According to the Am Kadosh organization, which assists yeshiva students facing military detention, Mansour was expected to be transferred to Military Prison 10 and was receiving legal representation through the organization.

Another arrest occurred Friday when Shlomo Ovadia, a talmid of Yeshivas Romemus Halev in Givat Ze’ev and a resident of Netivot, was stopped by traffic police on Route 3 while traveling home from yeshiva for Shabbos.

The encounter took place at approximately noon. During a check of Ovadia’s identification, officers discovered that he was listed as a military draft evader and summoned military police to take him into custody.

Ovadia, who serves as a representative of Am Kadosh at his yeshiva, managed to activate the organization’s emergency notification system, known as “The Kidnappers Have Arrived,” which alerts activists when a yeshiva student is being detained.

However, before protesters could reach the location, Ovadia was handed over to military police and transported to Military Prison 10 at Beit Lid.

According to Am Kadosh, Ovadia is expected to face proceedings before a military court because of the length of time he has been classified as a draft evader.

Following his arrest, prison authorities reportedly asked his attorney to agree to a hearing within 48 hours rather than the customary 24-hour period. His attorney refused the request, and a hearing was held Friday, resulting in an extension of his detention.

A subsequent hearing was scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Shas issued a strongly worded statement condemning the arrest of Lieberman during his Sheva Brachos celebrations and calling for his immediate release.

The party declared, “We strongly condemn the brutal arrest of a groom in front of his bride, in the midst of the seven days of Sheva Brachos, and call on the Military Police to release him immediately!”

Shas also appealed to members of the Knesset to sign a petition demanding that Lieberman be freed so he could return to his wife and continue celebrating their marriage.

The party described such a release as an essential first step toward repairing the divisions that have developed within Israeli society over the military draft controversy.

The arrests come amid renewed enforcement of military conscription requirements against yeshiva students, an issue that has generated repeated demonstrations, road closures and mounting political tensions.

As of the latest reports, Lieberman remained in military custody, while efforts to secure his release were continuing.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that he is willing to postpone a new trade agreement with the United States until President Donald Trump leaves office if the two countries cannot reach terms favorable to Canada, signaling that Ottawa is prepared for a prolonged economic confrontation with Washington.

In an interview with Politico following a meeting with European Union leaders in Montreal, Carney made clear that he would rather continue without a new agreement than accept concessions he considers harmful to Canadian interests. He also criticized Washington’s handling of relations with Canada and expressed frustration over American policy toward Russia and Ukraine.

Negotiations between the neighboring countries have remained largely stalled since Canada withdrew from discussions in August. The dispute has intensified in recent months, with both governments introducing additional tariffs and showing little indication that a compromise is imminent.

Carney reiterated that Canada would not sign an agreement “just for the sake of it.” When asked whether that position meant waiting until a different American president takes office, he indicated that he was prepared to do exactly that.

“We’ll have to, if that’s what it takes,” Carney said after a summit in Montreal with European Union officials. “And American families, American businesses, will also lose out because of that. They’re not winners in this circumstance.”

Meanwhile, Canada is exploring ways to strengthen its economic relationship with Europe. According to the CBC, Carney has been pursuing a proposal that would make Canada the European Union’s first associate member, although the initiative has encountered resistance from several European governments, including Germany.

The White House had not issued an immediate response to Carney’s comments when Politico sought its reaction.

Relations between the two countries have also been strained by accusations concerning possible Canadian involvement in American electoral politics. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa recently distributed material to journalists raising concerns about “potential interference in U.S. elections” by Canadian officials.

American Ambassador Pete Hoekstra subsequently clarified that U.S. authorities had reached no “definitive” conclusion that Canadian politicians had interfered in the election process.

“I think Canadians are tired of it,” Carney said. “I think that’s very clear.”

Carney also took issue with the Trump administration’s approach to Russia’s war against Ukraine, suggesting that changes in American policy have complicated efforts by Western governments to maintain a coordinated response to Moscow.

With Tuesday’s midterm elections approaching, Trump has eased certain economic restrictions involving Russia while seeking additional diesel supplies to reduce energy costs. Carney avoided criticizing any single decision but pointed to “variance in terms of U.S. actions, with respect to restrictions on, sanctions on Russia, provision of defensive capabilities to Ukraine.”

“That’s been unhelpful,” Carney said.

The Canadian leader also dismissed suggestions that Ottawa should reconsider its growing relationship with the European Union out of concern that Trump might impose retaliatory measures.

Asked whether he had modified his approach to the Montreal summit to avoid provoking the American president, Carney answered emphatically.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “That way lies madness.”

At the summit, Canadian and European leaders agreed to pursue closer cooperation on trade, defense, technology and critical minerals. Although Carney has expressed interest in an associate-membership arrangement with the EU, the joint declaration stopped short of adopting that designation. The two sides aim to define their expanded partnership by their next summit in 2027.

Despite the political friction, Carney also shared a lighter detail about his relationship with Trump, revealing that the president recently presented him with four Brooks Brothers shirts.

The Canadian prime minister said he had yet to wear any of the gifts but suggested that reaching a satisfactory trade agreement might finally give him a reason to do so.

“I haven’t had occasion to put on the shirts, because we don’t have a mutually advantageous trade deal,” he said.

For the moment, Carney added, “They’re sitting in my closet.”

{Matzav.com}

Join tens of thousands of Lomdei Oraysa as they embark on Masechta Kiddushin

On a cold November evening in 2025 at the CURE Insurance Arena in New Jersey, thousands of Lomdei Oraysa heard the voice of Hagaon Rav Shlomo Feivel Schustal shlita ring out as he read the first Mishnah of Yevamos. To many lomdim, the goal that lay ahead seemed daunting: to learn the entire Masechta Yevamos, a masechta known to be challenging even for accomplished talmidei chachamim. However, the electricity that coursed through the arena that night as they celebrated a siyum of Seder Moed, and the pure simchas haTorah that permeated the atmosphere, left every lomed with a renewed sense of mission: The goal was within reach, amud by amud, day by day.

Now, almost a year later, their persistence and perseverance—their dedication to the daily amud and rigorous chazarah—have borne fruit. This past Thursday night, October 29, 2026, well over a thousand people gathered for a beautiful siyum celebrating Masechta Yevamos, following many months of genuine ameilus and toil by Lomdei Oraysa.

Besides being a unique masechta in its own right, Yevamos is also the first masechta in Seder Nashim, which will be the focus of Lomdei Oraysa for the next few years.

While Kesubos ordinarily follows Yevamos, Gedolei Roshei Hayeshivos have guided Oraysa to learn Kiddushin next as a special one-time change to the regular order. After Masechta Kiddushin, Oraysa will learn Masechta Kesubos and resume learning the masechtos in the order of Shas.

Today, Sunday, November 1, heralds the beginning of Masechta Kiddushin, and lomdim across the globe are excited to begin this new masechta with vigor.

Masechta Kiddushin contains many fundamental sugyos that are relevant throughout Shas, including kinyanim, avadim, shlichus, and much more. These exciting sugyos will bring many lomdim back to the geshmak they experienced during their yeshiva years.

The Oraysa Amud V’Chazara program was developed in collaboration with leading Roshei Yeshiva and Gedolei Yisroel to address the growing demand for a Gemara-learning framework that balances consistent progression with meaningful review.

By learning one amud a day from Sunday through Thursday, chazering the previous day’s amud daily, and reviewing the week’s 2½ blatt over Friday and Shabbos, the program provides the lomed with momentum—steadily covering ground while retaining the material as well.

The program’s structured yet flexible approach makes it accessible to lomdei Torah across the spectrum, from kollel yungerleit to baalei batim and mechanchim. With Oraysa, every participant, regardless of background or schedule, has the ability to grow in limud haTorah and deepen their connection to their learning.

Almost seven years since its inception, Oraysa now has more than 45,000 lomdim in 503 chaburos across more than 110 cities worldwide. With every passing masechta, scores of new lomdim and chaburos join the worldwide chaburah of Lomdei Oraysa.

Lomdim have access to a plethora of high-caliber shiurim available on the Oraysa website and other platforms. The comprehensive Yalkut Askin B’Oraysa, which contains a wealth of resources in print, has become a beloved addition to Oraysa chaburos around the world.

With a long winter ahead, joining Oraysa with the goal of acquiring Masechta Kiddushin, day by day and amud by amud, is sure to add depth, meaning, and fulfillment to one’s daily seder hayom.

Join thousands of Lomdei Oraysa as they embark on their journey into the sugyos of Kiddushin. Savor the satisfaction of learning in a goal-oriented way, with a built-in system for chazarah and retention that ensures every amud remains truly yours for years to come.

Oraysa begins Masechta Kiddushin today, Sunday, November 1.

To join the program, for more information, or to help establish a chabura in your community, contact Oraysa at 914.8.ORAYSA or email info@oraysa.org.

The Kashrus Council of Lakewood (KCL), one of the established kashrus organizations serving Lakewood and the surrounding communities, has announced a major leadership transition following the retirement of Rabbi Avraham Moshe Weisner, who has headed the organization for nearly 40 years.

The KCL has informed its clients that Rabbi Weisner is stepping down after decades of overseeing the organization’s kashrus operations.

The announcement outlined a reorganization under a newly appointed five-member Board of Trustees, along with changes to administrative procedures, contact information and payment arrangements.

The development marks the end of a lengthy chapter in the history of Lakewood’s kashrus infrastructure. Under Rabbi Weisner’s leadership, KCL grew into a recognized kashrus organization providing supervision to food establishments and businesses throughout the area.

The organization expressed its appreciation for Rabbi Weisner’s decades of service, crediting his dedication and leadership with helping build KCL into the organization it is today.

In a separate Hebrew letter addressed to Lakewood’s residents, store owners and business community, Rabbi Weisner reflected on his nearly four decades of involvement in local kashrus supervision and explained his decision to retire.

He wrote that he had been privileged to serve under the guidance of the city’s rabbinic leadership in maintaining standards of kashrus throughout Lakewood. Over the years, he noted, the organization expanded its supervision to numerous stores and businesses operating under the Kehillos Chareidim of Lakewood kashrus system.

Rabbi Weisner explained that he had reached a point in his life when he felt it was appropriate to step away from the demanding responsibilities of administering a kashrus organization. He expressed confidence in those assuming responsibility for KCL’s operations and voiced his hope that the transition would proceed smoothly.

The new Board of Trustees will consist of five community members: Ari Stern, Meir Gelley, Shaul Seigman, Tovia Rosenberg and Yanky Adler. The board will oversee the organization’s operations as KCL undergoes what it describes as a period of transition and restructuring.

KCL emphasized that its fundamental mission and kashrus standards will remain unchanged despite the leadership transition. The organization said it intends to strengthen its administrative operations, improve communication with businesses under its supervision and provide more efficient service.

Rabbi Weisner’s letter also paid tribute to the rabbonim who guided the organization over the years, including Rav Yaakov Forchheimer and the late Rav Gavriel Finkel zt”l, whose guidance and dedication contributed to the organization’s development.

He also expressed gratitude to the rabbonim currently involved in KCL’s leadership, including Rav Shalom Taub, Rav Yosef Fund, Rav Yechezkel Auerbach and Rav Avraham Shlomo Katz, as well as the mashgichim and administrative personnel who have worked to maintain the organization’s standards.

In his letter, Rabbi Weisner called upon the community and the businesses under KCL supervision to cooperate with the new leadership and continue supporting the organization’s work.

As part of the restructuring, KCL has announced updated contact arrangements for businesses requiring assistance. Rabbi Shlomo Perl will handle matters involving stores, products and mashgichim, while Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Katz will address catering, halls, Shabbos events and detailed halachic questions.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned that any new American or Israeli military attack on Iran will trigger an immediate response, declaring that Tehran’s forces must be prepared to strike U.S. and Israeli interests wherever they are located. The threat comes as reports suggest that diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran may be making progress in Qatar.

In a statement posted on X following a meeting with senior Iranian military commanders, Khamenei called for a forceful response to any future threats against the Islamic Republic, without limits on where Iranian forces could operate.

“Every level or type of threat must be met with an immediate and effective response, without geographical restrictions,” Khamenei wrote.

The Iranian leader further warned that Tehran would not allow its adversaries to dictate the duration or terms of any renewed military confrontation.

He declared that if Iran’s enemies launch additional military operations or terrorist attacks against the country, “it will be the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian people who determine when and under what conditions these attacks will end.”

Khamenei also instructed Iran’s military leadership to undertake a broad reassessment of potential targets, demanding that its operational plans encompass American and Israeli assets of every kind, including both physical facilities and nonphysical infrastructure.

According to Iranian state media, the instructions followed a meeting with the country’s senior military commanders, including the heads of its armed forces, army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The gathering was reportedly the first publicly disclosed meeting between Khamenei and all three commanders since the war began in February.

The warning comes amid speculation that President Donald Trump could authorize another round of strikes against Iran following Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections. Iranian military officials have separately warned that renewed fighting could spread across a much larger area of the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Iranian representatives traveled to Doha for talks with Qatari mediators after more than 12 hours of negotiations in Tehran on Friday. Sources familiar with the diplomatic effort reported preliminary progress on Iran’s nuclear program, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and potential financial incentives for Tehran.

An American delegation could join the discussions in Qatar, according to the reports, while China and Russia have been mentioned as possible guarantors of an eventual agreement. Washington has not confirmed that direct negotiations have been arranged.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that President Donald Trump has imposed no deadline on diplomatic negotiations with Iran and has not decided whether to launch another round of military strikes, leaving Washington’s options open as efforts to reach an agreement continue.

Speaking with reporters following a G20 foreign ministers’ gathering in Atlanta, Rubio said the administration would prefer to settle the confrontation through negotiations but remains alarmed by Tehran’s nuclear activities and its attacks on international maritime commerce.

Asked how much longer the United States might pursue talks mediated by Qatar before turning to military action, Rubio pointed to Iranian threats against civilian shipping and the danger they pose to countries around the world.

“Well, I mean, the message is simple. Iran is blowing up ships, including ships that have, for example, Indian sailors on them, including ships that have energy that’s destined for countries represented at that table. We live in a world in which a country is openly – a regime is openly – saying: We will blow up commercial ships. Think about that, okay? Think about the world we now live in. It sounds like something from a hundred years ago or 80 years ago. It’s happening, and every country there is challenged,” he said.

The secretary of state explained that communication with Tehran has continued during the fighting, sometimes through direct exchanges and at other times through intermediaries. He said Trump alone would determine when negotiations had run their course.

“As far as the talks are concerned, I don’t know if there’s a time frame. It’s up to the President to make decisions with regards to those sorts of things,” he said.

Rubio described Trump as favoring diplomatic solutions to international crises whenever they are achievable, while recognizing that negotiations do not always produce an acceptable outcome.

He made clear that any arrangement with Iran would need to address the concerns that prompted American involvement in the conflict, including the regime’s nuclear ambitions and its activities throughout the Middle East.

Rubio said Washington would not accept an agreement that “endangers our national security or one that doesn’t meet our core concerns that we have that brought us into that in the first place.”

He also reiterated the administration’s position that Iran has sought nuclear weapons capabilities and that the United States is determined to prevent the regime from acquiring such weapons.

When questioned about whether a renewed American offensive could be carried out quickly without triggering a wider conflict, Rubio declined to discuss operational plans or speculate about potential military action.

“First of all, I’m not going to comment about what the US may or may not do militarily,” he said, while expressing confidence in the American military’s ability to accomplish its objectives if ordered to act.

Rubio emphasized that the president has not authorized another attack and that the administration is treating the possibility of renewed hostilities seriously.

“He hasn’t made a decision. I have no announcement in that regard with you today, and nor do we take any of it lightly,” Rubio said.

The secretary of state added that American forces are already helping defend commercial shipping and regional allies against Iranian drones and missiles. He accused Tehran of threatening not only vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz but also energy infrastructure in neighboring Gulf countries.

Meanwhile, Iranian negotiators met with Qatari mediators in Doha yesterday after extensive discussions in Tehran the previous day. The diplomatic effort has focused on Iran’s nuclear program, restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and possible economic concessions. Reports indicate that the discussions are being coordinated with Washington, although no breakthrough has been announced.

The negotiations are unfolding amid continued American military preparations. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, reportedly briefed Trump at the White House on Thursday about possible operations against Iran.

On Friday, Trump suggested that Iran’s worsening financial situation was increasing pressure on its leadership to reach an agreement.

“There are talks. They want to talk. They keep talking. They’re not paying their soldiers. They’re not paying their police. They’re in a lot of trouble,” Trump said.

The president also indicated that he saw no immediate need to bring the confrontation to a conclusion.

“We have time, frankly. It’s a war, but it is not a typical war.”

A senior Religious Zionist Party official has accused the Noam party of costing his faction an additional Knesset seat in last week’s Israeli elections, arguing that Noam’s decision to compete independently squandered thousands of right-wing votes and weakened the broader national camp.

Noam, headed by Avi Maoz, received 9,876 votes in the election but failed to win representation in the Knesset. According to the Religious Zionist official, his party needed only 6,312 additional votes to capture a seventh mandate, which instead went to Likud under the surplus-vote agreement between the two parties.

“Seats are allocated using the Bader-Ofer method, which examines the relative number of votes when distributing the final seats,” the official explained to Arutz Sheva-Israel National News.

He maintained that Noam’s supporters could have changed the allocation of the final seat had they voted for Religious Zionism instead.

“If the votes cast for Noam had gone to the Religious Zionist Party, the additional seat would have gone to us rather than Likud. The meaning is simple: Noam brought Erez Tadmor into the Knesset instead of Tzvi Sukkot. That is its decisive contribution to strengthening the Jewish identity of the State of Israel,” he added sarcastically.

The official also dismissed Noam’s defense that its separate campaign had caused no meaningful damage because the right-wing bloc had fallen short of the 61 mandates required to secure a governing majority regardless.

“That is a lie on two counts,” he charged. “First, even without 61 seats, the internal composition of the Knesset and the strength of the Zionist, nationalist, and Torah-oriented parties are enormously important. The loss of a Religious Zionist Party seat to another party is a real blow to those forces, even if it does not, by itself, change the ability to form a government.”

He further contended that the cumulative impact of votes cast for unsuccessful right-wing parties may have been considerably greater than the loss of one Religious Zionist mandate.

“If you add up all the votes wasted on parties that failed to cross the electoral threshold, including Noam and other parties that ran independently, you find that the national camp could have reached around 55 or perhaps even 56 seats.”

The official argued that the difference between 53 seats and a stronger showing of 55 or 56 could have major implications for coalition negotiations, particularly regarding the influence of Arab parties.

“There is an enormous difference between a situation in which the change bloc, together with Ra’am, holds a majority over the national camp, and one in which it also needs the active support of the Joint List. Whether a government can be formed with Ra’am alone, with the Joint List abstaining, or only with its explicit support is a question of tremendous public and political significance.”

Election results released by Israel’s Central Elections Committee on Friday gave Likud 27 seats and Religious Zionism six, with Netanyahu’s broader bloc securing 53 of the Knesset’s 120 mandates. The opposition bloc received 48 seats, while Ra’am and the Joint List together won 19. No political bloc secured an outright majority.

Noam was among the parties that failed to clear the 3.25% electoral threshold, leaving its votes without direct Knesset representation. Updated election tallies showed the party receiving approximately 9,900 votes.

The Religious Zionist official insisted that even when an election produces no clear governing majority, the distribution of individual seats can determine which parties hold influence and what coalitions might ultimately be possible.

“The argument that if there are no 61 seats, it doesn’t matter where the votes go is simply untrue. Every vote affects the balance of power in the Knesset, the identity of its members, and the possibility of forming a government. In Noam’s case, the price paid by the Religious Zionist Party is clear to see.”

Iran is refusing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or return to formal negotiations with the United States unless Washington accepts seven conditions laid out by Tehran, Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei declared Saturday, even as diplomatic efforts to avert another military confrontation continue.

Rezaei, identified as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Iranian state television that the two countries have been exchanging proposals through diplomatic channels for more than a month. According to his account, the Trump administration has submitted three separate proposals, and Iranian officials are awaiting Washington’s reaction to Tehran’s latest demands.

“We are now waiting for the Americans’ response,” Rezaei said, insisting that the strategically important waterway “cannot reopen unless Iran’s seven conditions are met.”

The Iranian official characterized Washington’s first response as unsatisfactory but acknowledged that its second offer represented progress. He nevertheless accused the United States of attempting to draw Iran into negotiations while preparing another military offensive. A third American proposal, he said, remains under consideration because several provisions require clarification.

Rezaei said Iran’s demands are intended to resolve outstanding disputes stemming from an earlier understanding reached in Islamabad, particularly over shipping arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s proposed collection of transit fees.

His remarks came amid reports of direct outreach from Vice President JD Vance, who reportedly sent Rezaei a letter on President Donald Trump’s instructions. The Wall Street Journal first disclosed the correspondence, while The Washington Post subsequently reported that Vance had offered to meet the Iranian official in person, potentially in Istanbul or Doha.

Rezaei acknowledged receiving and reading the vice president’s message but said he had not responded.

“The tone of the letter has completely changed,” he said, contrasting Vance’s communication with an earlier message from Trump.

On Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Rezaei maintained that Tehran has made no decision to alter its existing policy, notwithstanding calls within the country for a different approach following attacks on Iranian nuclear installations.

“There has been no new decision regarding a change in the nuclear doctrine,” he stated.

“If there are to be nuclear negotiations, we will demand our rights,” he added.

Separate reports from Qatar indicated that mediation efforts were advancing, with an Iranian delegation participating in discussions in Doha and American representatives reportedly expected to join the process. The talks have addressed Iran’s nuclear program, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and potential economic concessions. China and Russia have also been mentioned as possible guarantors of a future agreement.

The diplomatic maneuvering comes as the Trump administration weighs additional military action. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, reportedly briefed Trump at the White House on Thursday about potential operations against Iran.

On Friday, Trump portrayed Tehran as eager to negotiate because of mounting economic and military pressures.

“There are talks. They want to talk. They keep talking. They’re not paying their soldiers. They’re not paying their police. They’re in a lot of trouble,” Trump said.

The president also indicated that Washington was not facing an urgent deadline to reach a settlement.

“We have time, frankly. It’s a war, but it is not a typical war.”

President Donald Trump warned last night that the United States could eliminate Iran’s remaining nuclear facilities within minutes, even as he acknowledged that Tehran is seeking a new agreement with Washington. The president expressed serious doubts about whether the Iranian regime could be trusted to honor any deal and refused to rule out another round of American military strikes.

Speaking with reporters during a Halloween gathering at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump reiterated his determination to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while indicating that diplomatic negotiations remain underway.

“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. They want to make a deal; we’ll find out about that,” Trump said.

.@POTUS: "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. They want to make a deal; we'll find out about that."

"How are the negotiations going?"@POTUS: "They're going fine, but they're not very reliable… They make a deal and then they back out." pic.twitter.com/D8zSNcnvzW

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 1, 2026

Asked whether the negotiations were making progress, the president suggested that discussions were proceeding but cautioned that Iran has a history of failing to follow through on its commitments.

“They’re going fine, but they’re not very reliable. They make a deal and then they back out. They want to make a deal. We’ll see if they make a deal.”

Trump also made clear that he sees little reason for Washington to rush into an agreement, pointing to the extensive damage American military operations have already inflicted on Iran’s armed forces and nuclear infrastructure.

“We’re not in very much of a hurry from the standpoint that we’ve knocked out their navy. We’ve knocked out their air force. We’ve knocked out their anti-aircraft. We’ve knocked out almost every piece of military equipment they have. We’ve knocked out their nuclear. We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in ten minutes. You probably have to look at Pickaxe Mountain. We could do that all very quickly.”

The president’s reference to Pickaxe Mountain appeared to concern a heavily fortified Iranian nuclear installation, highlighting the possibility that additional facilities remain potential targets despite previous American attacks.

When a New York Times reporter pressed Trump on whether the United States might resume military operations against Iran as soon as this week, the president refused to reveal his plans.

“Why would you ask such a stupid question? Let’s say I did – would I tell you? I can’t tell you things like that.”

Trump’s comments followed reports that he had spoken by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu earlier yesterday as Washington considered options for another military offensive against Iran. The conversation reportedly came amid preparations for possible renewed strikes, although no final decision on additional action has been publicly announced.

The diplomatic effort has also continued. Iranian representatives met with Qatari mediators in Doha yesterday, following lengthy discussions in Tehran on Friday. According to individuals familiar with the negotiations, the meetings explored possible arrangements to prevent another escalation, with mediators maintaining contact with Washington.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the administration remains receptive to a diplomatic settlement, while emphasizing that military options remain available if negotiations fail.

Regional governments have expressed concern that additional American strikes could trigger Iranian retaliation against U.S. and Israeli interests across the Middle East. Iran has warned that it would respond to renewed attacks, while Gulf countries have reportedly urged Washington to avoid another major confrontation.

Reports from Qatar suggest that the indirect negotiations have achieved some progress, but American officials have not confirmed that a breakthrough has been reached or that an agreement is imminent.

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An avreich affiliated with the Biala chassidus was reportedly released from Israeli military custody shortly before the onset of Shabbos, as the ongoing crackdown on yeshiva students classified as military draft evaders continues to generate arrests, protests and mounting concern throughout the chareidi community.

The release came amid another turbulent week surrounding the military draft controversy, with dozens of bnei Torah remaining behind bars and activists working to secure the freedom of those detained over their refusal to enlist in the IDF.

According to chareidi media reports, 35 bnei Torah were expected to spend Shabbos in military prison as efforts to obtain their release continued.

On Friday morning, another yeshiva bochur was arrested while traveling home for Shabbos from Yeshivas Romemus Halev in Givat Ze’ev to his family’s home in Netivot.

The bochur was stopped by traffic police on Route 3 near Moshav Beko’a. During the encounter, officers discovered that military authorities had listed him as wanted over his draft status, and arrangements were made to transfer him to Military Police custody.

Before being taken away, the bochur managed to notify an emergency network that assists yeshiva students facing military arrests. However, military authorities reportedly transferred him before activists could reach the location.

News of the detention prompted demonstrators to gather along Route 3, where protesters blocked traffic in an effort to prevent the transfer. Confrontations subsequently developed between protesters and police.

Meanwhile, two other yeshiva students who had been detained over their draft status were released Friday and allowed to return home.

One of them, Alon Smadja, a talmid of Yeshivas Tiferes Shraga, had been arrested outside his home in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

According to reports, Military Police officers allegedly approached his residence under the pretense that a delivery was waiting for him. When he came downstairs, he was taken into custody.

His arrest sparked widespread outrage and contributed to a major demonstration Thursday near the Geha-Jabotinsky interchange outside Bnei Brak.

Protesters blocked Route 4, disrupting traffic and clashing with police, who deployed crowd-control measures. Chareidi media reported that several demonstrators were injured during the confrontations.

Another bochur released Friday was Elchanan Damati, a talmid at Yeshivas Torah B’Tifartah in Elad.

Damati had been summoned to the Kfar Saba police station for questioning in connection with a traffic-related matter. During the investigation, officers discovered his military draft status and transferred him to Military Police custody.

His detention also prompted demonstrations in Kfar Saba and near the entrance to Elad, where protesters attempted to prevent his transfer and blocked nearby roads.

The continuing arrests come amid a broader dispute over military conscription following court rulings requiring the government to enforce the draft law against eligible yeshiva students.

Recent Justice Ministry documents have revealed disagreements between Israel Police and the IDF over enforcement procedures, including cases in which individuals detained over their draft status were released because military personnel did not arrive within the required time.

A newly highlighted marriage document from 2009 shows Rep. Ilhan Omar’s surname being changed twice on an official Minnesota application, raising additional questions as federal investigators examine allegations involving the Democratic congresswoman’s identity, immigration history and past marriage to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.

A certified copy obtained from Hennepin County records shows that Omar’s last name was originally entered as Omar, then crossed out and replaced with Elmi, before being changed back to Omar. The alterations have attracted renewed attention because investigators are reportedly examining whether the Minnesota lawmaker used inaccurate personal information in connection with her family’s immigration and citizenship proceedings.

The application, dated February 12, 2009, concerns Omar’s marriage to Elmi, whom critics have long alleged is her brother. Omar has repeatedly rejected that allegation, which has not been established in court.

Federal authorities are reportedly investigating whether Omar participated in an immigration fraud scheme involving the marriage and whether incorrect names or birthdates were supplied on government paperwork. The Justice Department recently identified the congresswoman in a court filing as “Congresswoman Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.”

According to an individual familiar with the investigation, federal officials suspect that Elmi may have been Omar’s original family name. That assertion remains disputed, and the marriage application alone does not establish which surname was legally correct.

The 2009 paperwork contains another detail attracting investigators’ attention. In response to a question asking whether the prospective spouses were related through blood or adoption, the box marked “no” was selected.

It remains unknown who completed the document. The handwriting appears consistent throughout the application, although no determination has been made about who entered or corrected the information. One of the revisions identifies the bride as “Ilhan Omar Elmi,” rather than the longer name subsequently used in the Justice Department filing.

Images of the document have circulated for years, with Minnesota-based Alpha News publishing the application in August 2016. The newly obtained certified version has brought the corrections back into focus during the current federal investigation.

Scott W. Johnson, a retired Minneapolis attorney who has examined allegations involving Omar for approximately a decade, questioned the changes.

“Questions should be asked. She’s never answered them,” Johnson said.

“The whole thing was a joke. The marriage was a fraudulent marriage, brazenly fraudulent,” he added. “They didn’t take it seriously. It was entered into for a fraudulent purpose.”

AJ Kern, a former congressional candidate in Minnesota who has researched discrepancies in Omar’s immigration records, likewise argued that the available information warrants further investigation.

“I think it’s pretty clear she married her brother and committed immigration fraud,” Kern said.

Kern also questioned whether Omar properly obtained American citizenship, suggesting that any evidence of an invalid naturalization would raise serious constitutional concerns about her eligibility to serve in Congress.

“If the evidence seems to be pointing to the fact that she never obtained citizenship, Congress is failing to do their job. If we’ve had a foreign nationalist occupying a seat in Congress, that’s a problem,” Kern said.

Omar has characterized the allegations as politically motivated attacks and rejected claims that her marriage was fraudulent. During an interview with MS NOW host Chris Hayes last week, she was asked whether she had married her brother and replied, “Not to my knowledge.”

President Donald Trump has also publicly questioned the congresswoman’s identity. Speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, he asserted that Omar “is not her real name.” He has previously described her as a “complainer” because of her repeated criticism of American policies.

The controversy intensified after federal agents searched Omar’s Washington residence on October 12 as part of an investigation involving alleged immigration irregularities.

Questions surrounding her marriage to Elmi were previously examined by federal authorities beginning in 2016, during the Obama administration. That investigation ended in 2021, after officials reportedly concluded that potential criminal charges related to the original marriage would be barred by the applicable five-year statute of limitations. Investigators were also unable to question Elmi, who had returned to Britain.

Omar’s marital history has drawn scrutiny because of overlapping relationships. She participated in an Islamic marriage ceremony with Ahmed Hirsi in 2002, and the couple had two children. She legally married Elmi in 2009, although their marriage ended in divorce in 2017. During that period, she had a third child with Hirsi in 2012. Omar subsequently married Hirsi legally in 2018, divorced him the following year and married political consultant Tim Mynett in 2020.

Investigators are also reportedly reviewing discrepancies concerning Omar’s date of birth. Some documents identify October 4, 1981, while others list October 4, 1982. The difference could be significant because Omar has said she obtained American citizenship at age 17 through her father’s naturalization.

If the earlier birth year is accurate, questions could arise about whether she qualified for derivative citizenship as a minor. Authorities are also reportedly examining the circumstances under which her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, became a citizen.

Legal experts have suggested that prosecutors could potentially pursue allegations involving more recent false statements or an ongoing conspiracy even if older conduct falls outside the criminal statute of limitations. Civil proceedings to revoke citizenship obtained unlawfully are generally not subject to the same time restrictions.

Omar has denied wrongdoing, and no court has determined that she committed immigration fraud or obtained citizenship improperly.

The Justice Department has issued a warning to election officials across the country just days before Tuesday’s midterm elections, reminding them that deliberately failing to preserve federal voting records is a criminal offense that can result in up to one year in prison.

The letters, sent Thursday and signed by acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter, cite a federal statute enacted in 1960 requiring election authorities to retain records connected to federal elections for 22 months. Under that requirement, documents from the November 3 election must remain preserved through September 2028.

In correspondence addressed to Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, McCotter specified that the preservation requirement covers voter registration applications, polling-place records, voter sign-in sheets, absentee ballot requests, mail-in ballot envelopes and completed ballots.

The Justice Department emphasized that the obligation extends beyond statewide election administrators to county clerks and other local officials responsible for conducting federal elections.

“It is a crime to willfully fail to comply with Section 20701,” McCotter wrote.

To illustrate the importance of maintaining complete election records, the letter referenced several historically close contests, including a California congressional race decided by just 187 votes in 2024 and the 2000 presidential election, when George W. Bush carried Florida by 537 votes.

By Friday, election authorities in at least 12 states had acknowledged receiving the notice or made copies publicly available. Those states included Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New York and Wisconsin.

Although the Justice Department did not specify how many jurisdictions received the correspondence, officials familiar with the distribution reportedly indicated that the letters were being sent to all 50 states.

A department spokesperson described the mailing as a reminder of existing legal responsibilities rather than the announcement of a new enforcement policy. Federal prosecutors rely on election documentation when investigating suspected illegal voting, registration violations and other potential election offenses.

“We are simply reminding them of their obligation under federal law to preserve these documents,” the spokesperson said.

Election administrators from both major political parties responded that their offices already follow the federal record-retention requirements.

“We already comply with what the letter states,” Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, a Republican, said.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs’ office, led by a Democrat, similarly indicated that election materials would continue to be maintained in accordance with applicable state and federal statutes.

Some former federal officials nevertheless questioned the timing and presentation of the warning. Justin Levitt, who previously served in the Justice Department and later advised the Biden White House on voting rights, said he was unaware of a comparable nationwide mailing in the past.

Levitt acknowledged that the department had the authority to send such a notice but argued that its emphasis on criminal consequences raised questions about its purpose.

The letter “certainly looks like it’s meant to intimidate rather than to inform,” he said.

The warning arrives as the Trump administration pursues a separate election-related legal dispute with California over voter eligibility.

Earlier in October, McCotter directed California officials to examine a federal list containing as many as 20,000 individuals suspected of being noncitizens registered to vote. The state was given 48 hours to conduct the review, and the Justice Department filed suit after that deadline expired.

Federal prosecutors subsequently asked a court to require California to separate ballots associated with the disputed registrations while their eligibility was investigated.

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter rejected the request Wednesday, warning that the proposed action could interfere with voting rights.

“Once a vote is segregated, lasting harm has occurred,” Carter wrote.

The Justice Department appealed, but a divided panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused Friday to order California to isolate the ballots. In a 2-1 decision, the judges concluded that the proposed measure risked disrupting election administration and potentially preventing eligible voters from having their ballots counted.

Federal investigators have also reportedly issued grand jury subpoenas to California election officials as part of their examination of voting records and registration practices.