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It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Mrs. Chavie Kahn a”h following a lengthy illness. She was in her forties.

Mrs. Kahn served as principal of the Marilyn David IVDU Upper School Boys Division, where she devoted herself tirelessly to the growth and success of the students. At IVDU, which is a special education school, she first served as a special education teacher, then program director, and eventually as principal, touching so many people along the way.

Known for her warmth, wisdom, and unwavering dedication, she touched the lives of countless students, parents, and colleagues through her exceptional leadership and boundless compassion.

Mrs. Kahn was a beloved friend to so many, whose kindness, generosity, and selflessness knew no bounds. She possessed a rare ability to make every person feel valued and cared for, and she dedicated her life to helping others with genuine humility and devotion.

She was a daughter of Reb Danny and Miriam Klugman of Monsey.

She was the devoted wife of Reb Dovid Kahn, son of Rav and Rebbetzin Pinchos Kahn zt”l, longtime R”M at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin. Together they built a beautiful Torah home founded upon yiras Shamayim, chesed, and ahavas haTorah.

She is survived by her parents, her husband, and their children, who, together with countless family members, friends, students, and admirers, mourn her painful loss.

The levayah will take place today at 7:20 p.m. at the Bais Tefilo chelkah at the Monsey Bais Hachaim on Brick Church Road in Monsey, New York.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com}

The venerated mashgiach Rav Don Segal has instructed that donors be offered full refunds after learning that fundraising advertisements attributed personal promises of salvation to him without his approval.

The controversy arose after an organization that raises funds to build and renovate mikvaos published advertisements in the United States claiming that contributors would receive specific blessings and yeshuos based on assurances made by Rav Segal.

When the mashgiach became aware of the campaign, he immediately directed that anyone who donated because they believed he had personally guaranteed them a yeshuah should be permitted to receive their money back.

Rav Segal subsequently issued a public letter clarifying that any blessings experienced by donors come solely through the tremendous mitzvah of supporting mikvaos, not because of any personal power or guarantee on his part.

In the letter, Rav Segal praised the organization’s work, writing that it “builds, establishes, renovates, and prepares hundreds of mikvaos throughout Eretz Yisroel, in places where they are literally preserving the spiritual future of the generation through the purity of the Jewish people and the sanctity of Klal Yisroel.”

He noted that, beyond construction, the organization also provides ongoing supervision to ensure that the mikvaos remain fully kosher.

“As is well known,” he wrote, “neglect causes deterioration, and without constant repairs and maintenance, water levels decline and numerous deficiencies can develop that directly affect the validity of the immersion.”

Rav Segal emphasized that this extensive work, carried out across the country with thousands of people involved, requires enormous financial resources and is supported solely through the generosity of donors.

“Hashem has granted us until now that everything has been conducted with complete honesty and integrity,” he wrote.

The mashgiach then addressed the advertisements directly.

“I now come to address the fact that, through an error, it was publicized as though in my name I faithfully promise that anyone who donates a certain amount will merit the blessing and salvation that he needs. This is false and baseless. I am neither worthy nor fitting to make such promises—not in the slightest. The purity of the Jewish people and the sanctity of the nation cannot be built through falsehood.”

At the same time, Rav Segal stressed that supporting mikvaos is indeed an extraordinarily great mitzvah.

“Certainly, this mitzvah is exceedingly great. All those who assist will receive abundant reward from Heaven and will merit goodness and great blessing from Hashem. Through Hashem’s kindness, we have witnessed salvations beyond the natural order, and we bless and pray for all those who support this cause that the pleasantness of Hashem rest upon them always and that He establish the work of their hands.”

However, Rav Segal concluded his letter with an unusual request.

“But anyone who donated because he believed that his salvation would come as a result of my promise or anything similar, I ask him with all my heart to come immediately and have his money returned, for this is not what Hashem desires.”

{Matzav.com}

The sons of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, have issued a heartfelt public appeal urging Klal Yisroel to gather for a special tefillas rabbim at the Kosel this coming Thursday night during the Yemei Bein Hametzarim, to daven for the complete recovery of their father, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, Rabbi Yisroel ben Leah Esther.

The call was signed by the Rebbe’s sons: Rav Chaim Meir Hager, Av Beis Din of Vizhnitz; Rav Yitzchok Yeshaya Hager, Av Beis Din of Vizhnitz Ashdod; and Rav Yaakov Mordechai Hager, Av Beis Din of Vizhnitz Elad.

The gathering will take place Thursday night of Parshas Mattos-Masei, at 10:30 p.m. at the Kosel Hamaaravi, where members of the Vizhnitzer community, including avreichim, baalei batim, and yeshiva bochurim, are expected to join together in tefillah.

In their letter, the Rebbe’s sons wrote that the approaching season is one of special ratzon and rachamim, a time toward which the hearts of all Jews are turned with longing and reverence.

They expressed their hope that the coming year should be one of joy, redemption, salvation, and good tidings, while imploring Heaven on behalf of their father, whom they described as the source of spiritual nourishment for his followers.

The letter prays that the Rebbe should quickly regain his full strength and health, concluding the current year with its blessings and entering the new year with renewed life and vigor. It expresses the hope that he will be able to celebrate the upcoming Yomim Tovim together with his chassidim in complete health.

{Matzav.com}

A broad coalition of roshei yeshiva and roshei mosdos in the tri-state area has issued a unified set of standards for bochurim‘s summer learning camps, calling for strengthened chinuch, heightened ruchniyus, stricter technology safeguards, and a zero-tolerance policy toward alcohol.

A statement by these roshei mosdos – mostly from the Lakewood, NJ region – states that the yeshivos expect camps to implement the guidelines and warns that institutions failing to do so risk losing enrollment from their bochurim.

The letter, addressed to “Roshei Hamachanos,” explains that it follows a series of meetings between yeshiva and camp leadership and outlines specific areas requiring chizuk, together with practical guidelines that participating camps have agreed to implement.

“As per discussed by the previously held meetings,” the letter opens, “the following letter is a list of areas of chizuk to be done in camp. Each area has a general hashkafah point, along with practical guidelines that the camps have agreed to.”

The first section focuses on preserving an atmosphere befitting bnei Torah throughout every aspect of camp life.

“Forms of programming should be on the highest of levels befitting chashuve bnei Torah,” the roshei yeshiva write. “Every aspect of the itinerary should be ruach chachamim nocheh heimenu.”

The letter instructs camps to exercise exceptional care when selecting trips, stressing that outings “should be chosen with extreme scrutiny to ensure they are in fact appropriate destinations,” while urging camp administrators to pay special attention to “tzniyus on the trips, including unexpected mistakes that may come up on trip day.”

Entertainment is also addressed directly.

“Concerts and kumzitzen should include an extra emphasis to be on a high standard of ruchniyus, in regards to the performers, choice of songs, and type of music,” the letter states, before issuing an unmistakable directive: “Absolutely no disco or colored lights.”

A second section, titled “Shemirah from Technology,” warns that technology presents significant spiritual dangers and calls upon camps to shield bochurim from unnecessary exposure.

“Technology can be harmful on many levels,” the letter states. “Special attention must be given to protect our bochurim from being exposed. Exposure may come even from an unlikely source e.g. an unattached staff member or vendor.”

The guidelines then establish one of their most far-reaching policies.

“Absolutely no cell phones for bochurim coming out of 9th, 10th & 11th grades,” the letter declares, “even if they bear a hechsher stating they are 100% filtered, even if the boy has one during the year.”

The final section addresses alcohol, instructing camps to adopt what the letter describes as an uncompromising approach.

“Camp must adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards alcohol,” the roshei yeshiva write. “This includes all forms of alcohol such as wine, whiskey, beer, and alcoholic ices. This is applicable both to campers and to madrichim.”

Regarding campers, the letter states unequivocally: “Any form of alcohol consumption is prohibited.”

The prohibition extends throughout the entire summer and includes “Motzoei Shabbos programs, concerts, plays, and any other time one may be moreh heter.”

The consequences for violations are equally explicit.

“In the event a boy is found to have drank or simply in possession of alcohol, he must be sent home.”

The letter devotes a separate section to counselors, emphasizing their responsibility as role models.

“Madrichim are role models for their campers,” it states. “Under no circumstance may they drink alcohol throughout the summer.”

Camp staff are instructed that they are expected to perform every aspect of their responsibilities—including leading concerts, participating in KaBbolas Shabbos, and appearing on stage—without consuming alcohol.

“There is also no such thing as drinking in private,” the letter cautions. “The campers always realize.”

In its concluding remarks, the letter explains that the initiative is intended to ensure that the spiritual growth fostered during the school year continues uninterrupted throughout the summer months.

“The chinuch that take place in the yeshivas needs the shutfus of the camps to ensure that ‘Lo Yamushu Mipicha‘ and that bein hazemanim is a time of aliyah,” the roshei yeshiva write.

The letter adds that yeshivos will continue emphasizing these values during the school year and expects camps to faithfully implement the standards.

It concludes with a clear warning: “The yeshivos are looking for the camps to implement these guidelines. In the event the guidelines aren’t met, the yeshivos will not allow their bochurim to enroll in those camps.”

The document lists the camps that have formally committed to implementing the standards. Those camps include Camp Achim, Camp Aliyah, Camp Braisa, Camp Chazak, Degel Hatorah, Kibbutz Hamesivtos, Komemius, Meshivas Nefesh, Mesivta D’Masmidim, Ohr Shraga, Ruach Hakayitz, Snowlake/Vermont, Teumim Mesivta, Shaarei Menucha, YBH, and Uhr Kasdim.

{Matzav.com}

As Israel wrestles with one of the deepest internal crises in its history over the military draft of yeshiva students, newly uncovered archival correspondence is shedding fresh light on the political bargain that first established the exemption for Torah scholars. At a moment when calls for enlistment are growing louder and the nation’s social fabric is under increasing strain, the decades-old documents reveal that the political arrangements between Israeli governments and the chareidi parties stretch back to the state’s earliest years—and continue to shape events today.

This week, the Knesset approved the first reading of the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study by a vote of 63 in favor and 53 opposed. While the vote itself was straightforward, it reflected a far more intricate political reality, illustrating the competing pressures Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is balancing as he seeks to preserve his governing coalition.

Determined to secure at least 61 votes—a number regarded as essential should the legislation ultimately face judicial review before Israel’s High Court—Netanyahu personally ensured the bill’s passage. Recognizing the significance of the moment and the importance of maintaining coalition stability, he left the opening ceremony of the Maccabiah Games and hurried directly to the Knesset chamber so he could cast his vote in support of the legislation.

According to the report, the vote represents only one piece of a much broader political understanding. Netanyahu, committed to advancing legislation such as the kashrus bill and the proposed law designed to prevent the arrest of yeshiva students who fail to report for military service, has found himself in an increasingly close alliance with the chareidi parties. In exchange for supporting legislation strengthening the legal status of Torah study, the prime minister reportedly received chareidi backing for several of the most sensitive items on his political agenda, including legislation establishing a political commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks, splitting the role of the attorney general, and understandings regarding the timing of Israel’s next election.

The demonstrations, highway blockades, and escalating confrontations between chareidi and secular Israelis tell the story of a nation struggling through one of the most emotionally charged disputes since the country’s founding. For many within the Torah world, the present crisis represents the gravest challenge to full-time Torah study in the history of the modern State of Israel.

Yet at this moment of profound uncertainty, a remarkable document has emerged from Israel’s state archives that casts the entire debate in a new historical light.

Far more than a historical curiosity, the correspondence reveals a dramatic turning point nearly seven decades ago, when Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion stood on the verge of abolishing the exemption granted to yeshiva students before a forceful intervention altered the course of history. One strongly worded letter succeeded in halting the initiative and preserving the arrangement that continues to define Israeli politics to this day. Now, amid today’s renewed conflict, the article argues that history once again points toward Israel’s presidency.

The Political Story Behind the Original 400 Exemptions

For generations, Israeli political debate has revolved around a single issue: the Toraso Umanuso arrangement.

Throughout countless Knesset debates, street demonstrations, and public arguments, chareidi representatives have pointed to the historic agreement reached by David Ben-Gurion, under which 400 yeshiva students were exempted from military service. At the time, Israel was still fighting for its survival, the IDF was only beginning to take shape, and the exemption was widely viewed as an act of compassion toward the devastated Torah world that had been nearly destroyed during the Holocaust.

The newly revealed archival material, however, presents a far more complex picture.

According to the documents, the decision was not driven solely—or even primarily—by ideology or recognition of Torah learning. Rather, it emerged from hard political calculations. Ben-Gurion, one of Israel’s greatest political strategists, needed the support of the religious parties to assemble a stable coalition government. The exemption granted to 400 yeshiva students served as the political price required to secure that partnership.

The report argues that short-term political considerations ultimately outweighed broader national concerns, with the exemption functioning as part of a coalition agreement designed to strengthen Ben-Gurion’s government during the state’s formative years.

History, however, soon took an unexpected turn.

Within just a few years, Ben-Gurion reportedly began regretting the very arrangement he had created. What started as a temporary political compromise evolved into a precedent that he increasingly viewed as undermining the principle of equal national responsibility.

According to the report, Ben-Gurion gradually came to believe that the exemption had grown beyond its original purpose. On several occasions he reportedly threatened to terminate the arrangement altogether, warning that the growing exemption system had become politically and socially unsustainable.

As later events would demonstrate, however, reversing the course he himself had set in motion would prove far more difficult than creating it.

The Political Price Behind the 400 Exemptions

To understand the significance of Ben-Gurion’s concession, the report argues, it is necessary to examine the political landscape of Israel’s earliest years.

His determination to stabilize his coalition was about far more than political survival. The young state was grappling with economic hardship, mass immigration, diplomatic uncertainty, and enormous security challenges. Ben-Gurion believed that only a stable government could successfully carry out the Zionist vision while confronting those national crises.

To secure that stability, he depended heavily on the United Religious Front, a political alliance that included both Agudas Yisrael factions. According to the report, the exemption granted to 400 yeshiva students was not merely an act of compassion but a key component of the political agreement that enabled him to form a durable governing coalition.

The report contends that the exemption functioned as the political price Ben-Gurion was willing to pay in exchange for coalition support.

His willingness to make that concession, however, had limits.

When he concluded that the religious parties were no longer following his political direction or maintaining coalition discipline, Ben-Gurion reportedly threatened to eliminate the exemption altogether.

According to the report, those threats demonstrated that he regarded the arrangement primarily as a political instrument rather than a permanent ideological commitment.

The article draws a striking parallel to Israel’s current political landscape.

Just as Ben-Gurion once found himself balancing coalition pressures with difficult diplomatic challenges, today’s government is likewise navigating intense international demands while attempting to preserve coalition stability at home. Once again, the military draft has become one of the central tests of political survival.

Ben-Gurion’s Attempt to End the Arrangement

Approximately a decade after Israel’s founding, the report says, Ben-Gurion’s frustration with the exemption had grown considerably.

What had begun as a temporary political compromise had evolved into a permanent policy that he increasingly believed threatened the principle of equal national responsibility.

Determined to reverse course, Ben-Gurion instructed then-Defense Ministry Director General Shimon Peres to begin preparing plans for the widespread enlistment of yeshiva students into the Israel Defense Forces.

Had those plans been carried out, the report argues, the religious and social history of the State of Israel might have unfolded very differently.

As discussions continued, however, signs emerged that Ben-Gurion himself was reconsidering aspects of the proposal. Faced with mounting opposition, he reportedly began reviewing possible alternatives, a shift the report characterizes as the beginning of a retreat from his original hard-line position toward the Torah world.

The Chareidi Community Turns to Chief Rabbi Herzog

News of the government’s plans stunned the chareidi leadership.

Many viewed the proposal as an existential threat to the rebuilding Torah world that had emerged after the devastation of European Jewry.

Recognizing that political lobbying alone would not be enough to persuade Ben-Gurion, community leaders turned to the country’s highest religious authority—Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Halevi Herzog, grandfather of Israel’s current president.

Rabbi Herzog occupied a unique position.

Beyond his stature as chief rabbi, his sons, Chaim and Yaakov, maintained close relationships with Ben-Gurion, making him perhaps the only person capable of influencing the prime minister at such a critical moment.

For the chareidi leadership, Rabbi Herzog represented their final hope.

According to the report, he immediately entered the struggle, determined to prevent what many feared would permanently alter the future of Torah scholarship in Israel.

His intervention ultimately succeeded.

The initiative Ben-Gurion hoped to implement was halted, preserving the yeshiva exemption at a moment when it appeared destined to disappear.

A Historic Exchange of Letters

The confrontation eventually produced an extraordinary exchange of correspondence that has now resurfaced in Israel’s State Archives.

According to the report, these letters rank among the most important historical documents illuminating the long-running debate over religion and state in Israel.

Believing that temporary compromises would only postpone the crisis, Rabbi Herzog composed a passionate appeal urging Ben-Gurion not to alter the status of yeshiva students.

He argued that preserving Torah scholarship was essential to the future of the Jewish people and that maintaining the existing arrangement would strengthen the nation in the long run.

The article portrays Rabbi Herzog’s letter as the document that ultimately derailed Ben-Gurion’s proposed reform, transforming what had begun as a temporary political compromise into the enduring framework that continues to shape Israeli society today.

A Heartfelt Plea

The report describes Rabbi Herzog’s letter as both eloquent and deeply emotional.

Writing, as he explained, from a heart filled with anguish, he expressed profound alarm over reports that the government intended to alter the legal status of yeshiva students.

He wrote, “I was deeply shaken, and my heart broke within me upon hearing that there was an intention to introduce changes to the existing status of the yeshiva students.”

Rabbi Herzog also sought to persuade Ben-Gurion by acknowledging his secular worldview while praising the remarkable events that had led to the rebirth of the Jewish state. He argued that preserving the Torah world after the destruction of Europe’s great centers of learning was not simply a religious concern but a national and moral obligation.

In Rabbi Herzog’s view, rebuilding Torah scholarship formed an inseparable part of the Jewish people’s recovery after the Holocaust.

Ben-Gurion Fires Back

Ben-Gurion did not leave Rabbi Herzog’s appeal unanswered.

In a forceful and direct reply, he firmly rejected the comparison between the Holocaust and the debate over military service. He argued that Jewish life had continued to flourish in communities outside Europe, pointing specifically to places such as Brooklyn and Casablanca as evidence that the Jewish people had survived despite the devastation.

“Our security depends only on ourselves,” Ben-Gurion wrote, emphasizing that the defense of the Jewish state rested solely in the hands of its own citizens.

He then posed what has remained one of the defining moral questions in Israel’s draft debate for generations.

“Is it proper that one mother’s son should be killed defending the homeland while another mother’s son sits safely in his room studying?”

The report notes that, between the lines, Ben-Gurion appeared willing to make limited accommodations for exceptional Torah scholars. However, he remained firmly opposed to maintaining a blanket exemption for all yeshiva students.

“The State of Israel was not built and established because of yeshiva students,” he declared.

Instead, Ben-Gurion proposed what he viewed as a balanced solution: the overwhelming majority of yeshiva students would perform full military service, while only a carefully selected group of outstanding scholars would receive exemptions to devote their lives to Torah study. Others, he suggested, could receive only basic military training.

The exchange of letters laid bare the profound ideological divide separating Israel’s founding political leadership from the Torah world. At the same time, the correspondence reveals that Ben-Gurion was not seeking an outright confrontation but rather a practical formula that would integrate the Torah community into Israeli society without abandoning his vision of equal national responsibility.

A Debate That Never Ended

Nearly seventy years after those letters were exchanged, the debate they addressed remains as relevant as ever.

According to the report, the struggle over the place of Torah study within Israeli society has not faded with time. Instead, it continues to dominate some of the country’s most consequential political debates.

If Rabbi Herzog’s handwritten letter once served as the focal point of the controversy, today that role has been assumed by high-stakes Knesset votes, coalition negotiations, court battles, and nationwide demonstrations.

The article argues that the status of the Torah world remains one of the central issues determining the formation and survival of Israeli governments.

Looking back, the report suggests that Israel’s history has repeatedly turned on pivotal moments such as these.

What once appeared to be an inevitable effort to eliminate the yeshiva exemption was ultimately halted before it could be implemented.

According to the article, the individual who stood at the center of that historic turning point was Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Halevi Herzog.

Prepared to place the full weight of his public stature behind the cause, Rabbi Herzog confronted the political leadership directly. Through determined advocacy, careful diplomacy, and passionate conviction, he fought to preserve the honor of Torah scholars and, in doing so, helped shape the relationship between the State of Israel and the Torah world for generations to come.

History Comes Full Circle

The report concludes by pointing to what it describes as one of history’s striking ironies.

Nearly sixty-eight years after Rabbi Herzog’s intervention, his grandson, President Isaac Herzog, now finds himself occupying one of the highest offices in the State of Israel during another period of intense national conflict over the future of Torah study.

Drawing an explicit comparison between grandfather and grandson, the article argues that today’s circumstances once again call for national leadership capable of defending the Torah world during a moment of profound crisis.

It concludes with a direct appeal to President Herzog, urging him to follow the path established by his grandfather and to use the influence of his office to help preserve the status of Torah study in Israel.

The article closes by arguing that the principles for which Rabbi Herzog fought against overwhelming political pressure are the very same principles that, according to Jewish tradition, sustained the Jewish people throughout centuries of exile.

Just as devotion to Torah ultimately enabled the Jewish nation to return to its homeland, the report contends, preserving that commitment today remains essential to its future. With the current crisis once again placing the Torah world at the center of Israeli public life, the article concludes that many are looking toward the President’s Residence in the hope that the legacy of Rabbi Herzog will once again help guide the nation toward a solution that safeguards the future of Torah scholarship.

{Matzav.com}

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, a newly released national survey reveals a surprising disconnect: while nearly half of Americans cannot identify the historic event being commemorated, large majorities remain proud of their country, value the Constitution, and continue to believe in America’s founding principles.

The poll, conducted by the Cato Institute in partnership with Morning Consult, surveyed 2,253 adults across the country. It found that 46 percent of respondents did not know that the nation’s 250th anniversary marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Only 53 percent correctly identified the occasion.

Even with those shortcomings in historical knowledge, the survey found that patriotic sentiment remains widespread. Eighty-six percent of respondents said they are grateful to be Americans, while 79 percent said they are proud to be American.

Support for the nation’s origins also remained high. According to the survey, 76 percent view America’s founding favorably, and 70 percent believe the principles established by the Founding Fathers are still relevant today.

The results indicate that although many Americans struggle with basic facts about the nation’s history, most continue to identify strongly with the country’s constitutional framework and the ideals of liberty upon which it was founded.

Confidence in the Constitution also remains robust. Nearly 86 percent said the Constitution plays an important role in protecting Americans’ rights and freedoms, while 82 percent credited it with helping create the nation’s prosperity.

At the same time, respondents expressed concern that the country has strayed from its original vision. Fifty-seven percent believe America has drifted away from its founding ideals, and 56 percent worry the nation could lose its freedom within the next 50 years.

When asked about the greatest threats facing the republic, respondents most frequently pointed to corruption, abuse of government power, and elected officials ignoring constitutional limits.

Americans also continued to favor constitutional checks and balances. Fifty-eight percent said no political party should ever be entrusted with excessive power, while 72 percent said presidents should follow Supreme Court rulings even when they disagree with them.

One of the survey’s notable findings was the broad bipartisan support for America’s founding despite today’s deeply polarized political climate. More than 81 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans said they view the nation’s founding favorably. Likewise, 72 percent of Democrats and 83 percent of Republicans agreed that America’s founding principles remain relevant today.

Republicans, however, expressed stronger enthusiasm overall, with a greater share saying they were “very favorable” toward America’s founding and more convinced that those principles continue to apply today.

The survey also highlighted significant philosophical differences between the two parties on a range of issues.

Among the findings:

• Republicans (76%) were substantially more likely than Democrats (53%) to believe America remains a “land of opportunity.”
• Republicans were more likely to define their identity primarily through family, country, and religion, while Democrats placed greater emphasis on race and gender in addition to national identity.
• Democrats (46%) were more likely than Republicans (36%) to agree with the 1619 Project’s assertion that preserving slavery was a primary cause of the American Revolution.
• Democrats (51%) were more supportive than Republicans (37%) of expanding the Supreme Court from nine to 13 justices.
• Democrats (61%) were considerably more likely than Republicans to support candidates who identify as “Democratic Socialists.”
• Republicans were markedly more optimistic about the nation’s future, with 54 percent saying America’s best days still lie ahead, while 44 percent of Democrats believed the country’s best years are already behind it.

The survey also found pronounced generational differences. Nearly 61 percent of Generation Z respondents were unable to identify what America’s 250th anniversary commemorates. Younger Americans were also less likely than older respondents to view the Founding Fathers as courageous leaders or to believe they had inherited the nation’s founding ideals.

Support for socialism also appeared strongest among younger Americans. More than half of Gen Z respondents expressed favorable views of socialism, and nearly four in 10 said they viewed communism favorably—a significantly higher percentage than among older generations.

Despite political divisions and declining civic knowledge, respondents largely agreed on what future generations should learn from the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday. The highest priorities included teaching that freedom is rare and must be safeguarded, understanding that patriotism means loyalty to America’s founding principles rather than allegiance to any political party or politician, and recognizing that American history includes both remarkable achievements and serious injustices.

Overall, the survey portrays a country whose citizens continue to express strong patriotism despite deep political disagreements and significant gaps in historical knowledge. Although many Americans could not identify the significance of the nation’s semiquincentennial, most still embrace the Constitution, believe the country’s founding ideals remain meaningful, and hope those principles will endure for generations to come.

{Matzav.com}

As Shabbos Parshas Pinchas approaches, organizations assisting imprisoned yeshiva students are urging the public to daven for the 41 bnei yeshivah and avreichim who will remain behind bars in Israel’s military prison throughout the coming Shabbos.

According to sources, dozens of Torah students will spend the day in Military Prison 10 after refusing to report to military induction centers in accordance with the directives of their rabbonim. The report describes their imprisonment as a consequence of their commitment to Torah study.

Sources state that yungerman Nehorai ben Chaya Michal and bochur Gavriel Rachamim ben Mazal Tov are expected to be released on Friday. Following their release, 41 bochurim and avreichim will remain incarcerated over Shabbos.

The sources also highlight the many organizations that continue to work around the clock on behalf of the detainees and their families, providing assistance and support throughout the ongoing crisis.

Askanim recall Monday night’s large protest gathering in the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood of Bnei Brak, where members of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, roshei yeshiva, kollel leaders, and community rabbonim, led by Rishon LeTzion Harav Yitzchak Yosef, addressed thousands of participants.

During the gathering, speakers sharply criticized the government’s policies while offering words of encouragement and support for the imprisoned Torah students, whom they described as being persecuted solely because of their dedication to Torah learning.

According to sources, the following individuals remain incarcerated in Military Prison 10:

• Yonatan ben Yaffa
• Menachem Zev ben Bracha
• Evyatar ben Anat
• Yair ben Roten
• Yosef ben Rivka
• Asher Aryeh ben Efrat
• Nehorai ben Tirtzah Avigail
• Meir ben Hadassah
• Shmuel ben Yocheved Yaffa
• Avraham Yoel ben Orit
• Yitzchak ben Ahuvah
• Shalev ben Nella
• Eliyahu ben Yael
• Netanel M.
• Binyamin ben Yael
• Yosef ben Reina
• Natan Yehudah ben Hindel
• Yitzchak ben Devorah Rochel
• Menachem ben Sarah Bracha
• Alter Menachem Mendel ben Rivah Adelle
• Amram ben Rivah Adelle
• Moshe Chaim ben Rochel
• Avraham Mordechai ben Dava Mindel
• Moshe Shmuel ben Chaya Bracha
• Moshe Mordechai ben Bracha
• Moshe ben Rochel
• Yaakov Zev ben Hendel
• Shlomo Zalman ben Rivka Chana Gittel
• Tahar Yitzchak ben Timor
• Neriya Yehonasan ben Sarah Nurit
• Shalom ben Kasa
• Osher ben Gavia
• Moshe Mordechai ben Leiba Bracha
• Shimon ben Nira
• Ofir B.
• Oded ben Avital
• Moshe ben Basya
• Nehorai ben Leah
• Harav Yisrael ben Feiga
• Yair ben Aviva
• Elchanan ben Aliza

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) intensified his warnings about gain-of-function research on Thursday, arguing that the controversial experiments pose a grave danger to humanity and serve no legitimate scientific purpose. Comparing the practice to “Dr. Frankenstein,” Paul said scientists are recklessly manipulating viruses in ways that could unleash catastrophic global consequences.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “The Record With Greta Van Susteren,” Paul discussed his decision, as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to subpoena former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci to testify later this month regarding the origins of COVID-19.

Paul said the upcoming hearing will focus on the type of research that many Republicans believe played a role in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Describing how gain-of-function research works, Paul explained that scientists combine genetic material from different viruses and then grow the modified viruses in human cells to determine whether they become more infectious.

“Gain of function just describes a type of experiment where what happens is you take one known virus and maybe one unknown virus,” he said. “You take parts of them, put them together, and then grow them in human cells to see if they gain in function.”

The Kentucky senator also renewed his criticism of Fauci’s longstanding position that an experiment cannot be classified as gain-of-function unless researchers know beforehand that it will create a more dangerous virus.

“Anthony Fauci has argued, well, if you don’t know in advance they’re going to gain in function, then you can’t really call it gain of function,” he said. “But they did know, and they continued to do these experiments in Wuhan, even when the evidence from the experiments was showing that it was gaining in function.”

When host Greta Van Susteren asked whether such research has any valid scientific justification, Paul rejected the premise outright.

“I don’t think there is,” he said.

Paul noted that Fauci wrote in a 2011 opinion article that “even if a pandemic should occur from gain-of-function research, that the knowledge is worth the risk,” but argued that numerous scientists strongly disagree with that assessment.

“They’ve done things like take the avian flu, which doesn’t go human to human well or at all, and they’ve put in eight mutations to make it transmissible, not only human to human, but through the air,” he said.

“It’s sort of like being Dr. Frankenstein and doing these kind of things. There is no good purpose for this. It’s incredibly dangerous,” he continued.

Paul cautioned that the risks are not limited to coronaviruses, pointing to Ebola as another example of a deadly pathogen that could become far more dangerous if deliberately altered.

“We have things like Ebola that aren’t readily transmitted by aerosol,” Paul said. “If you change it and mutate it on purpose to make it aerosolized … you would risk 50% of the planet dying.”

He concluded by warning that the fallout from such an event would extend well beyond the virus itself, overwhelming healthcare systems and basic infrastructure worldwide.

“You would have people dying by the tens of thousands just from lack of doctors, lack of sanitation, lack of clean water,” he added. “I mean, you would devastate the planet. So, we shouldn’t be doing these experiments.”

{Matzav.com}

A federal lawsuit brought by current and former members of Congress could result in lawmakers receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars each in back pay, along with significant future salary increases, if they ultimately prevail in court. The case could leave taxpayers responsible for at least $69 million in retroactive compensation, with even greater long-term costs if congressional pensions are also increased.

The lawsuit gained significant momentum last month after a federal judge ruled that the case may proceed, marking a major legal victory for the lawmakers seeking higher compensation.

The plaintiffs argue that Congress violated the 27th Amendment by repeatedly blocking automatic cost-of-living adjustments established under a 1989 law. According to their claim, lawmakers unlawfully prevented salary increases that were intended to keep congressional pay aligned with inflation.

If the courts ultimately agree with that argument, the National Taxpayers Union estimates that taxpayers would be responsible for paying at least $69 million in retroactive compensation to current and former members of Congress.

For nearly two decades, members of Congress have left their annual salary unchanged at $174,000, largely to avoid criticism over voting themselves raises. Privately, however, many lawmakers have expressed frustration that congressional pay has remained frozen while inflation has continued to rise.

“Seventeen years, I have gotten people from my side and people from the other side saying, ‘Can’t we fix this?’” Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), a former House majority leader and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said during an appropriations hearing last month.

“Our goal is to stop the continual violations of the Constitution as it relates to Congressional pay,” Ken Cuccinelli, the attorney for the suing lawmakers, told The Post in an email. “As a policy matter, I would note that Congressional pay on an inflation-adjusted basis is the lowest it has been since 1954.”

Cuccinelli, who previously served as Virginia’s attorney general and later as acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security during President Donald Trump’s first administration, assembled the class-action lawsuit on behalf of a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The named plaintiffs include Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), James Clyburn (D-S.C.), and former Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.).

Exactly how many current and former lawmakers could ultimately qualify for back pay remains unresolved. Federal Claims Court Judge Eric Bruggink has instructed both sides to address that issue in additional filings due later this summer.

Another unresolved question is the amount of damages that individual lawmakers could receive. Current estimates place potential awards at between $225,000 and $420,000 per member.

Beyond retroactive payments, a favorable court ruling could also restore automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments for members of Congress.

Under current estimates, congressional salaries could eventually climb to more than $253,000 annually—roughly 45% higher than today’s pay.

The financial impact could extend even further. Former members of Congress who receive higher salary calculations could seek increased pension benefits from the Office of Personnel Management, adding additional costs for taxpayers.

Demian Brady, vice president of research at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, argued that if lawmakers believe they deserve higher salaries, they should pursue them through legislation rather than litigation.

“Because of all these perplexing questions, and because the damages will fall on taxpayers through higher deficit spending and potentially higher long-term liabilities, and also because of the reputational harm this will do to Congress as an institution, I’ve urged the lawmakers to drop their case,” he said.

“They should seek higher pay by convincing their colleagues to vote for higher pay instead of suing taxpayers.”

Those who support higher congressional salaries argue that members face substantial financial demands while serving in office, including maintaining one residence in their home district and another in Washington, D.C., one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets.

Congress last received a salary adjustment in 2009, when lawmakers’ annual pay increased 2.8%, from $169,300 to the current $174,000.

Since the ratification of the 27th Amendment in 1992, Congress has voted 21 times to reject automatic pay increases that otherwise would have taken effect.

The plaintiffs contend those repeated votes violate the Constitution’s 27th Amendment, which provides that no law “varying” congressional compensation “shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”

In allowing the case to move forward, Judge Bruggink wrote, “Laws varying congressional compensation are ineffective to the extent they seek to effectuate a change in congressional compensation before an election intervenes.”

{Matzav.com}

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism after temperature readings inside New York City Hall appeared to contradict his public request that residents keep their air conditioners set to 78 degrees during this week’s heat wave to ease pressure on the electric grid.

According to measurements taken by the New York Post using an infrared thermometer, temperatures in City Hall and several municipal buildings were frequently well below the 78-degree level Mamdani urged New Yorkers to maintain. Reporters said they tested 20 different locations they were able to access, with only five registering at or above 78 degrees.

The findings surfaced one day after Mamdani encouraged residents to conserve electricity by raising their thermostat settings in an effort to help prevent widespread Con Edison outages during the extreme heat.

“Maybe the mayor shouldn’t tell New Yorkers to sacrifice their comfort if he isn’t willing to do the same,” scoffed David Carr (R-Staten Island), the City Council’s minority leader.

Around noon, when temperatures in Central Park were climbing toward 100 degrees, most of the locations tested inside City Hall were reportedly within a degree or two of the mayor’s recommended setting.

Later in the afternoon, however, the readings dropped considerably. By approximately 4:30 p.m., one room inside the building housing the mayor’s office measured just 54 degrees.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, drew widespread attention online after recommending that New Yorkers set their air conditioners to 78 degrees or higher. Critics mocked the advice, though similar recommendations had also been issued during previous administrations, including those of Mayors Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio.

The U.S. Department of Energy likewise recommends thermostat settings between 75 and 78 degrees during the summer months to reduce electricity consumption.

When issuing his recommendation, Mamdani also said City Hall would follow the same conservation practices.

“Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment,” he posted on X.

The temperature measurements reported by the newspaper, however, painted a more varied picture.

At approximately noon, areas near the mayor’s second-floor office, the Rotunda, the Governor’s Room, and the City Council chambers each registered about 77 degrees, while the mayor’s first-floor press office measured 78 degrees.

Later in the day, temperatures reportedly fell further. Outside the mayor’s office, the thermometer registered 74 degrees.

The Governor’s Room, where staff members were preparing teleprompters, cameras, and lighting equipment for Mamdani’s Independence Day address, also measured 74 degrees.

The Rotunda reportedly cooled to 64 degrees.

One of the coldest readings—62 degrees—was recorded near the mayor’s first-floor press office, where communications staff and other employees were gathered.

Air flowing directly from an air-conditioning unit inside the press radio room, where reporters have long complained about frigid conditions, registered 54 degrees.

The CityStore inside the Manhattan Municipal Building also measured approximately 64 degrees, according to the newspaper’s testing.

Reporters also said employees at several municipal offices, including sanitation and health department facilities, declined to allow them inside after learning they intended to measure indoor temperatures.

The newspaper further reported that while many city employees worked in air-conditioned offices, police officers and security personnel stationed in hallways remained in temperatures exceeding 80 degrees and had not been provided with fans. Hallways and lobbies inside the David Dinkins Municipal Building reportedly measured around 80 degrees, while elevator temperatures reached 89 degrees.

The Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, which reporters said was unoccupied at the time, measured 81 degrees.

“The Mayor set the temperature at Gracie Mansion to 78 degrees yesterday afternoon,” said Mamdani spokesman Jeremy Edwards.

Edwards also confirmed that City Hall’s thermostat settings were adjusted to the recommended level later Thursday after the newspaper questioned the administration about its findings.

Meanwhile, Mamdani’s chief spokesman, Joe Calvello, spent much of Thursday defending the mayor’s recommendation on social media, arguing that the guidance was hardly unprecedented.

“This practice of asking New Yorkers to set their AC to 78 degrees dates back to Dear Communist Leader Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani,” he replied to Barstool Sports founder and Mamdani critic Dave Portnoy.

The debate unfolded as approximately 5,000 Con Edison customers in the Bronx temporarily lost electrical service.

“Due to an electric problem in Riverdale, we had to shut off power to some customers temporarily to prevent more extended outages,” the utility said in a statement. “We’re completing repairs as quickly as possible.”

{Matzav.com}

A newly released Department of Homeland Security inspector general’s report has uncovered a series of major Secret Service failures that allowed President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin to reach a rooftop overlooking his Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally before opening fire. Among the most striking revelations is that, as local police urgently reported the gunman’s location, a Secret Service counter-drone operator was searching the internet to determine where the rooftop was instead of immediately obtaining the information from officers on the scene.

The 64-page report concludes that the Secret Service “missed multiple opportunities to detect, prevent, and disrupt” Thomas Crooks’ assassination attempt. Investigators found repeated breakdowns in communication that prevented the agents assigned to protect Trump from ever learning that an armed suspect had climbed onto the roof of the American Glass Research International (AGR) complex, located just 155 yards from the stage.

According to the report, local law enforcement contacted the Secret Service and Pennsylvania State Police communications center at 6:09 p.m., warning that a suspicious individual had been spotted on the roof of the AGR building.

Investigators found that neither the Secret Service communications supervisor nor the agency’s counter-drone operator requested the location of the AGR complex after receiving the warning. The report states they “did not ask for the AGR complex’s location …. did not immediately identify it as a risk.” It further notes that the communications supervisor “did not even ‘recall learning that the suspicious person was on the roof'” because he had “delegated communications about the suspicious person to the counter drone operator because it was a ‘busy time’ on Secret Service radios and the counter drone operator was sitting near him and offered to help.”

Rather than immediately asking local officers where the building was located in relation to the rally site, the counter-drone operator instead attempted to locate it online.

“Instead of asking local law enforcement personnel for the AGR complex’s location, the counter drone operator searched online for it, and was still searching when Crooks fired his first shots,” the report determined.

Just two minutes after the initial warning—at approximately 6:11 p.m.—Crooks fired eight rounds toward the stage, grazing President Trump’s ear, killing one rally attendee, and wounding several others.

Investigators concluded that despite mounting concern among local officers beginning well before the shooting, the Secret Service failed to recognize the urgency of the threat.

“Ultimately, although members of the local law enforcement communications room were increasingly concerned by the presence of a suspicious individual as early as 5:42 p.m.,” the report continued, “Secret Service communications room personnel did not identify Crooks as an urgent threat before he fired shots.

“Moreover, Secret Service decision-makers responsible for protecting President Trump while on stage at the Butler event were not made aware of Crooks’ presence at any time.”

The report also faults the Secret Service for failing to establish a joint communications center with local law enforcement. Because of that decision, 102 radio transmissions concerning the suspicious individual never reached Secret Service personnel.

Among the messages that went unheard was a 5:42 p.m. transmission from local officers reporting, “we had a younger white male long hair lurking around the AGR building, he was viewed with a rangefinder sighting the stage … we lost sight of him.”

As the situation intensified, local officers continued broadcasting increasingly urgent warnings that likewise never reached the agents protecting the president.

“I have someone on the roof with white shorts,” one officer radioed at 6:08 p.m.

Moments later, another transmission warned, “He’s armed, I saw him. He’s laying down,” followed immediately by, “You need to deploy to the AGR building … male on the roof with a long gun. Shots fired!”

Instead of receiving those radio alerts, the Secret Service was informed about Crooks through only five telephone calls and three text messages, according to investigators.

“As a result, Secret Service members did not alert President Trump’s protective detail about concerns of a suspicious person,” the report concluded.

The investigation also revealed that Trump’s campaign staff rejected an earlier Secret Service proposal to position large trucks between the AGR building and the rally stage because the vehicles would interfere with television camera angles.

“On July 12, 2024 … the site agent counterpart told us she proposed placing the trucks between the AGR complex and the stage, but protectee staff denied the request because the trucks would be ‘too close to [President Trump’s] press shot,’” the DHS report found.

“The site agent counterpart then proposed moving the trucks to a nearby location instead, which would block line of sight from a different area; protectee staff agreed.”

Crooks was ultimately shot and killed by law enforcement officers moments after opening fire on President Trump and the crowd.

{Matzav.com}

Mir Yeshiva has issued a sharp response following widespread reports identifying the American bochur indicted on espionage charges as a talmid of the famed yeshiva, insisting that the claims are entirely false.

In a statement released Friday, the yeshiva said the accused was never enrolled as a talmid at Mir and had no connection whatsoever to the institution.

“The bochur against whom the indictment was filed was not registered as a talmid in Mir Yeshiva, never studied there, and has no connection to the yeshiva,” the statement read.

The yeshiva further criticized media outlets for continuing to associate its name with the case, saying such reports are inaccurate and mislead the public.

“Any publication or claim linking his name to Mir Yeshiva is false and does not reflect the facts,” the statement added.

The clarification came after news outlets reported that a 21-year-old American bochur studying in Yerushalayim had been indicted for allegedly carrying out assignments on behalf of Iranian operatives. According to prosecutors, the suspect allegedly photographed various locations, carried out dead-drop missions, and was asked to recruit additional yeshiva bochurim, receiving payments in cryptocurrency for the tasks.

{Matzav.com}

After weeks of heartfelt tefillos throughout the Torah world, uplifting news arrived Friday from Hadassah Medical Center: Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik, rosh yeshiva of Brisk, has been discharged from the hospital following a significant improvement in his condition.

The revered rosh yeshiva, whose hospitalization prompted an outpouring of tefillah across yeshivos and kehillos around the world, is now recovering at home after doctors determined that his condition had improved sufficiently to allow his release from the hospital.

During the rosh yeshiva‘s illness, special Tehillim gatherings and tefillah vigils were held in numerous communities, with thousands of bnei Torah fervently davening for his complete recovery.

Although his condition has, b’chasdei Hashem, improved dramatically, the public is continuing to daven for his complete refuah.

Klal Yisroel is asked to continue davening for Rav Avraham Yehoshua ben Ettil.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump defended his financial holdings Thursday, insisting that he has no direct role in managing his investments while serving in office and saying his sons oversee his business interests. Responding to questions about the billions of dollars disclosed in his latest financial report—including more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency holdings—Trump said he was unaware of the investments and rejected suggestions that they posed a conflict of interest.

Speaking during a CNBC interview from the Oval Office, Trump emphasized that building wealth has long been part of his professional career.

“I’ve always made money,” he said. “I’m a business person. I’m a really good business person. I made money. I made a tremendous amount of money.”

Trump said his personal investments are managed by others and that he is not involved in the day-to-day decisions.

“I let people invest it. I don’t even speak to – I don’t even know who they are,” he said. “My son Eric handles it. I don’t talk to him about things such as this.”

He explained that his assets are placed with major investment firms that manage them through what he described as “semi-blind trusts or blind trusts.” Although he did not identify the firms involved, Trump suggested that part of the increase in his wealth was attributable to the strong performance of the stock market.

His comments came after his latest financial disclosure revealed approximately $1.2 billion in income tied to various cryptocurrency investments over the past year. During the interview, Trump maintained that he was unaware of those specific holdings.

He added that even if he had known about the investments, no law would have prohibited him from continuing to carry out his presidential duties, noting that presidents and vice presidents are not legally required to step aside from policy decisions that could affect their personal financial interests.

“I didn’t. There’s nothing illegal with that. I could know,” he said, pointing out there is no legal requirement “to recuse yourself on every decision running the country that could have anything to do with you. It just isn’t feasible to do it.”

Trump also reflected on the business career he built before entering public office, noting that his wealth was accumulated through decades in real estate, casinos, and television, including his long-running role on NBC’s The Apprentice.

He also noted that he does not accept the presidential salary.

“This is the Oval Office,” he added. “It’s a much bigger purpose than whether or not I make money. As an example, the president’s the highest paid person in government, and you know, by some standards it gets a lot of money. … I gave up my salary. I don’t get a salary.”

The salary for the president of the United States is $400,000 per year.

Trump noted that the Trump Organization had been operating long before he entered politics, with his children—Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump—playing significant roles in the business. Although Ivanka has since stepped away from the company, Trump argued that his family’s long-standing business activities make it impossible to completely separate them from public scrutiny.

“Almost anything my kids do — if they buy a truck — they have inside information,” he said, arguing that his children are being unfairly criticized simply for continuing their professional careers while he serves as president.

“I feel badly in a way for my kids,” he said, adding that “anything they do, because the presidency is so powerful … if they buy a cupcake company, well, the energy to make the cupcakes, is you know, sort of like, how’s my energy policy?”

“So it’s pretty tough in that sense. I tell my kids, ‘stay away,’” Trump said. “But they also have a life. You know, they were doing business long before I ever thought of … running for president.”

Asked specifically whether his cryptocurrency holdings created a conflict of interest, Trump dismissed the concern and instead framed digital assets as an area of strategic competition with China.

“The way I view crypto is a little differently. We have to be at the top, otherwise China is going to take it over,” he said.

Since returning to office, Trump has aggressively promoted cryptocurrency, calling for the United States to become the world’s “crypto capital.” His administration has pursued policies aimed at reducing regulatory barriers, establishing a national Bitcoin reserve, and encouraging the growth of a dollar-backed stablecoin market.

{Matzav.com}

An American yeshiva bochur studying in Yerushalayim has been indicted on charges of spying for Iran after allegedly carrying out a series of intelligence-gathering missions in exchange for cryptocurrency payments. According to the indictment, the 21-year-old was also instructed by his Iranian handlers to recruit additional bochurim.

The defendant, Eli L., allegedly made contact with Iranian intelligence operatives after responding to a job advertisement posted in a Telegram group called “Yeshivos Telegram” while visiting his family in the United States during the war. According to the indictment, the communication began while he was in America and continued after he returned to Israel.

Shortly after arriving back in Israel, two Iranian agents allegedly contacted Eli through Telegram and assigned him various missions, paying him in digital currency for completing them.

Among the assignments, prosecutors say, were photographing Yerushalayim’s Central Bus Station, documenting an abandoned building in the Bucharim neighborhood, photographing a grocery store, and scouting several locations along Rechov Yaffo to identify potential hiding places for objects.

According to the indictment, Eli also purchased and concealed a USB device, hid a cigarette pack containing a note reading, “The job is complete,” and sent his handlers photographs of himself holding his passport.

While continuing his studies in yeshiva, Eli also worked at the Mishartecha Machmetzes bakery in Meah Shearim. Prosecutors allege that he sent the Iranian agents a video from his workplace to strengthen their relationship. At one point, he was allegedly instructed to provide the names of fellow bochurim in his yeshiva and to recruit additional bochurim to work for the Iranian operatives.

Authorities say Eli received approximately 4,225 shekels (about $1,250) from the Iranian agents for completing the various assignments. Following a joint investigation by the Yerushalayim District Police’s Major Crimes Unit and the Shin Bet, an indictment was filed against him on Friday.

Chief Inspector Amichai Penta of the Yerushalayim District’s interrogation unit said, “In recent months, several defendants have been exposed for spying on behalf of the enemy. Some carried out these acts during wartime, thereby assisting the enemy in carrying out its plans within the State of Israel. We will continue, together with the Shin Bet, to locate and expose offenses of this kind, arrest anyone who endangers the security of the state and its citizens, and bring them to justice.”

Yerushalayim District Prosecutor Ronit Shentzer Yaakobi warned that seemingly harmless online job offers can quickly become something far more dangerous.

“Sometimes all it takes is a single Telegram message offering easy money. What begins as a task that appears minor or innocent can quickly turn into cooperation with a hostile foreign entity operating against the State of Israel. This indictment illustrates how foreign intelligence agencies attempt to exploit the digital sphere to identify, recruit, and activate people inside Israel, and how important it is to remain vigilant and immediately cut off contact with such approaches. Such contact poses a real threat to the security of the state.”

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Yerushalayim District Police’s Major Crimes Unit and the Shin Bet. Eli has been charged with unlawful contact with a foreign agent and providing information to an enemy that could be of benefit to it.

{Matzav.com}

As his campaign struggles to gain momentum in recent polls, Naftali Bennett has taken another step in preparing for Israel’s upcoming election by formally requesting approval to change the official name of his political party.

The request was submitted to the Registrar of Political Parties at the Justice Ministry by Bruria Naim Arman, the party’s director-general and a member of its executive leadership. The filing seeks to update the official registration of Bennett’s political platform to reflect its new campaign branding.

According to the application, the party has until now been officially registered as “Bennett 2026.” Bennett’s team is asking that the name be changed to “Together Led by Bennett – Restoring Hope.”

The move follows Bennett’s announcement that he will run under the “Together” banner alongside Opposition Leader and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid.

The name change is a procedural step required under Israel’s Political Parties Law. Existing parties seeking to adopt a new official name must submit supporting documentation demonstrating that the decision was properly approved through the party’s internal governing bodies.

Using an already registered political party—commonly referred to in Israeli politics as a “shelf party”—is a widely accepted practice. Rather than establishing a new party from scratch, politicians often acquire or utilize an existing registered entity, allowing them to avoid the lengthy legal process involved in creating a new party. Updating the official name is one of the final bureaucratic steps before campaigning under a new political brand.

The filing comes as Bennett continues to lose ground in public opinion surveys. In most recent polls, his party has fallen behind the political faction led by Gadi Eisenkot, which now outpaces Bennett’s list in the majority of surveys.

Earlier this week, political strategist and campaign consultant Nevo Cohen suggested during an interview on the Galei Israel Radio program Pitachi V’Zimri Ba’am that Bennett could ultimately decide to withdraw from the race altogether.

“The likely scenario is that we’ll continue to see Bennett and Lapid collapse, and then the discussion will begin about when they fall into the single digits,” Cohen said, describing what he viewed as an increasingly difficult political outlook for the two leaders.

He went on to argue that their current standing is already weaker than many realize.

“By the way, they’re already in the single digits. Each one of them separately is already in the single digits.”

Program host Yotam Zimri observed that the trend appeared especially troubling for Bennett, noting, “This is Bennett’s decline, because Lapid was already in the single digits.”

Cohen agreed and predicted that the political and media pressure on both leaders would continue to intensify.

“That’s true,” Cohen replied. “Over the next two weeks, people will begin talking about when the two of them together reach the single digits.”

His assessment was based on a series of recently published polls showing continued erosion in support for Bennett and Lapid’s “Together” alliance, while support for Eisenkot’s party has continued to rise.

{Matzav.com}

The Yenuka delivered an emotional message about the ongoing arrests of bnei yeshivah during a recent meeting with a group of avreichim from the Old Yishuv community in Beit Shemesh, drawing parallels to historic decrees against Torah scholars and urging greater unity and respect within the Torah world as the proper response to the current crisis.

The discussion took place after the group visited the Yenuka to present him with a copy of a sefer they had published. During the meeting, the avreichim asked him to address the growing controversy surrounding the drafting of bnei yeshivah and the difficult situation confronting many lomdei Torah.

Video from the gathering shows the Yenuka speaking with visible pain about recent events. One of the avreichim told him, “In Beit Shemesh alone, we’ve heard of 16 avreichim sitting in prison. What can be done?”

In response, the Yenuka compared today’s efforts to draft bnei yeshivah and restrict the Torah world to earlier attempts by foreign governments, including the forced conscription of yeshivah students into the Russian army.

He cited the teaching of the Vilna Gaon, who explained that the Cantonist decrees came about because of lashon hara and the bizui of talmidei chachamim and lomdei Torah.

The Yenuka then quoted numerous Torah sources that, he said, point to the same underlying cause for decrees against Torah scholars throughout Jewish history. He stressed that especially during a period when the Torah world is under such intense pressure, Jews must avoid internal disputes and divisions.

Instead, he said, the proper response to the current challenges is to strengthen ahavas Yisroel, promote unity, and ensure that the honor of those who dedicate themselves to Torah learning is protected.

During the conversation, the Yenuka also referred to a well-known account involving Rav Amram Blau zt”l, who warned that the struggle with the Zionist movement was not merely ideological and could ultimately lead to bloodshed.

The avreichim noted that they had received a different version of the story through their own tradition. The Yenuka responded that there are, in fact, two different versions of the incident.

{Matzav.com}

Two unusual incidents occurred Thursday evening in Bnei Brak, both ending without injuries b’chasdei Shamayim. A partially renovated residential building collapsed, prompting an emergency response, while in a separate incident, a private vehicle rolled out of a parking area and fell onto the roadway below.

Rescue and firefighting crews from the Bnei Brak station were dispatched to Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev Street after receiving reports that part of a building had collapsed. Authorities said a section of the first floor of a three-story building that was undergoing renovations gave way.

Firefighters immediately began extensive searches to ensure that no one had been trapped beneath the debris. At the same time, crews secured the scene and took steps to prevent additional hazards to nearby residents and pedestrians.

Following an inspection, the city’s chief engineer declared the structure unsafe for occupancy.

Later that evening, emergency responders were called to another incident on Abarbanel Street in the Kiryat Herzog neighborhood after a private vehicle apparently rolled out of a parking space and plunged onto the street below, reportedly after the driver lost control.

The father and daughter who were inside the vehicle at the time escaped unharmed, and no injuries were reported in the incident.

{Matzav.com}

Representatives of Iran’s Jewish community announced that Jews and members of other recognized religious minorities will participate in the funeral and memorial ceremonies for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during Operation Roaring Lion. A leading representative of the community also praised the Iranian regime’s treatment of religious minorities and revealed that he recently wrote to Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, over concerns about renewed anti-Jewish rhetoric in the country.

Homayoun Sameh, the official representative of Iran’s Jewish community, addressed the issue on Friday, confirming that the Jewish community would join other minority groups in mourning ceremonies for Khamenei.

Sameh, who is known for expressing loyalty to the Iranian regime and frequently criticizing Israel, said, “In coordination with officials from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and representatives of the country’s religious minority communities, we will make every effort to attend all events related to the funeral and memorial ceremonies for the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.”

He added that foreign diplomats, representatives of religious minorities, political and religious leaders, and delegates from abroad had also been invited to various events.

“We have received official invitations to additional ceremonies, and we hope to be there alongside the rest of the Iranian people,” he said.

Sameh also praised Khamenei’s relationship with Iran’s Jewish community and other religious minorities.

“The attitude, support, and fatherly concern that the late leader showed toward all religious minorities, especially the Jewish community, were always deeply valued and gave us hope,” he said.

Addressing concerns within the Jewish community following the 12-day war, Sameh acknowledged that “some misconceptions” had emerged among segments of the population. However, he said Khamenei consistently emphasized the importance of safeguarding the civil rights and dignity of religious minorities.

According to Sameh, just as Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini distinguished between Iran’s Jewish citizens and Zionism, Khamenei continued that same policy. He said that during the years immediately following the Islamic Revolution, many Iranians failed to distinguish between Jews and Zionists, creating significant challenges for the country’s Jewish community.

Sameh recounted that about 12 years ago, while serving as head of Iran’s Jewish Association, he wrote a letter to Khamenei after media outlets published reports that blurred the distinction between Judaism and Zionism.

He said that roughly two weeks later, Khamenei addressed organizers of the annual Jerusalem Day events and instructed them: “Shout against the Zionists, not against the Jews.”

Sameh said the Jewish community regarded those remarks as “a position of great value and significance.”

He added that in recent days, certain public statements and media broadcasts once again raised concerns within the Jewish community about anti-Jewish incitement. As a result, he said, he sent a letter to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has assumed leadership following his father’s death.

According to Sameh, anti-Jewish rhetoric declined noticeably afterward, while the distinction between Jews and Zionists became more clearly reflected in official media coverage and government slogans.

“The Jewish community in Iran has always regarded itself as part of the Iranian nation,” Sameh said. “The level of satisfaction within the Jewish community is very high, and we all share in mourning the loss of the late leader. We hope that under the leadership of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the path of respect, peace, and mutual understanding among all sectors and religions in the country will continue to grow stronger.”

{Matzav.com}

A report has ignited fierce criticism after claiming that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz granted a pardon to an illegal immigrant convicted of first-degree abuse of a 10-year-old girl, a move that reportedly eliminated the conviction that had served as the basis for the man’s planned deportation, John Nolte reports at Breitbart.

According to the report, the pardon halted deportation proceedings for four years.

The article argues that the decision represents a glaring example of political hypocrisy.

“Minnesota officials, including Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, last month pardoned an illegal immigrant who was previously convicted of assaulting a 10-year-old girl and who was slated to be deported,” reports Fox News. Tou Lue Vang, a 42-year-old Laos national, “was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal conduct. Between 2002 and 2006, he repeatedly ly assaulted the girl.”

According to the report, Vang pleaded guilty but did not receive a jail sentence. Although the conviction resulted in the loss of the legal immigration status he had obtained under the Clinton administration in 1994, he nonetheless remained in the United States rather than being removed.

The report further contends that Walz’s pardon erased the abuse conviction, effectively eliminating the legal basis for Vang’s deportation and making it unlikely that immigration authorities will now be able to remove him from the country.

Based on Vang’s reported current age of 42, the article notes that he would have been approximately 22 years old at the time of his 2006 conviction, alleging that the abuse occurred when he was between the ages of 18 and 22 while the victim was a young girl.

{Matzav.com}