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Amid a recent halachic debate circulating in the batei medrash of the kollelim over whether the wife of a kollel avreich may use sick days from work when a child is ill, a comprehensive halachic opinion has now been issued permitting the practice in most cases.

The ruling was authored by Rav Tzvi Braverman, who concluded that in the vast majority of situations a wife of an avreich may legitimately receive sick-leave pay when she remains home to care for a sick child.

The issue arose because Israeli law allows workers to use sick days to care for an ill child only when both spouses are defined as “workers.” Under the strict wording of the law, the wife of a kollel avreich would seemingly not qualify for such leave, since her husband is not formally classified as an employee.

In his halachic analysis, Rav Braverman identifies three central factors that allow such payments to be permitted.

The primary consideration, he writes, is the principle of minhag hamedinah — the accepted practice in the marketplace. In practice, most employers do not enforce the technical legal requirement in such situations. As explained in the Shulchan Aruch, established custom in employment arrangements is binding and can even override strict legal formulations, certainly those found in civil law.

Another factor involves the declaration employees sometimes submit after an absence, stating their spouse’s occupation. When an employer does not request such a declaration, it is considered a waiver of that requirement. Moreover, in many cases employers are already aware that the employee’s husband is an avreich through information provided in employment forms or salary records, yet they still allow the use of sick days.

Nevertheless, Rav Braverman notes that if an employer explicitly insists on strict adherence to the law, the matter may require consultation with a competent posek in each individual case.

By contrast, government employees who work under the taksheer regulations do not face this dilemma. Within that framework, the wives of avreichim are explicitly recognized as having spouses who are considered “workers” for the purpose of using sick days to care for an ill child.

The teshuvah also notes that chareidi members of the Knesset previously attempted to formalize this status through legislation that would define avreichim as workers for this purpose, but the initiative never advanced into binding law.

{Matzav.com}

Gasoline prices across the United States have climbed sharply since the war with Iran began, increasing by more than 55 cents per gallon over the past two weeks, according to data cited by MarketWatch.

The national average for regular gasoline has risen from roughly $2.98 per gallon on Feb. 28 to $3.539 as of March 10, based on figures compiled by AAA. The rapid increase comes as crude oil prices jumped amid concerns that fighting in the Middle East could disrupt global energy supplies.

Industry analysts say the upward trend may continue as gas stations adjust their prices to reflect rising wholesale fuel costs tied to the surge in oil markets.

“It’s extremely rare to see such a fast-paced increase,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, noting that the recent jump ranks among the fastest weekly increases in more than two decades of gasoline price data.

The spike in fuel costs follows a series of escalating military strikes across the Middle East that briefly pushed global oil prices above $100 per barrel, forcing energy markets to react quickly to the possibility of prolonged supply disruptions.

“Oil prices did rise beyond the $100 mark sooner than I thought,” De Haan said, adding he had hoped there would be “a tangible and cohesive plan to execute on for the Strait of Hormuz that obviously has not happened.”

Experts say gasoline prices may continue to rise in the days ahead as fuel retailers pass along higher supply costs to consumers.

GasBuddy projects that prices in many parts of the country could rise another 20 to 50 cents per gallon this week, potentially bringing the nationwide average close to $3.70 and possibly approaching $4 per gallon if crude oil prices remain elevated.

The increase has been particularly dramatic in California.

According to AAA, the average cost of regular gasoline in California is currently about $5.29 per gallon, making it the highest in the nation and nearly $1.75 above the national average.

In some locations, the prices are even more extreme.

Reports from Los Angeles indicate that at least one station has charged as much as $8.21 per gallon, illustrating how quickly retail fuel prices can spike in California’s tightly constrained gasoline market.

Fuel prices in California are typically far higher than in most other states due to several factors, including higher gasoline taxes, specialized environmental fuel requirements, and limited refining capacity, all of which can intensify price swings when global oil markets tighten.

Energy analysts caution that prices could keep rising if the conflict in the Middle East continues.

“The longer the Iran conflict goes on, the more susceptible the market becomes to incredible price spikes,” said Denton Cinquegrana, chief oil analyst at OPIS.

Economists say gasoline prices tend to influence consumer behavior more strongly than many other costs.

“At $4 a gallon, the consumer starts to figure out how to use less gasoline,” said Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, noting that drivers often respond by traveling less, combining errands or carpooling.

Studies show motorists typically begin adjusting their driving habits when gasoline prices exceed the levels they have grown accustomed to over the previous year.

“We’re definitely in that territory,” said Clemson University economist Matthew Lewis. “Now drivers are paying attention.”

{Matzav.com}

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said Tuesday that federal investigators uncovered widespread fraud in the Lifeline subsidy program, including tens of thousands of deceased individuals who were reportedly enrolled for benefits in California.

Carr addressed the issue during a policy discussion with Breitbart News. During the conversation, Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matt Boyle asked Carr about steps being taken to combat fraud, referencing the administration’s announcement that JD Vance would lead a national initiative targeting fraudulent activity following directives issued by President Donald Trump.

In response, Carr explained the structure of the Lifeline program and why the FCC has taken a closer look at how it has been administered in California under Governor Gavin Newsom.

“The Lifeline program is a federal program that you pay for,” Carr explained. “It is effectively an assessment that appears on your monthly telephone bill. We collect that money, and it goes to do a lot of things, but one of the things it does is to provide subsidies for phone or internet service for low income households.”

Carr said that over the years the program has repeatedly drawn the attention of individuals seeking to exploit it.

“Well, turns out, over the years, it has been very attractive to fraudsters,” he stated. “And the FCC’s inspector general did a report and advisory and found that in California alone, over 94,000 dead people were signed up for and getting Lifeline in California — itself was in charge of vetting to see who’s eligible for Lifeline or not.”

According to Carr, the FCC has already moved to change how eligibility is verified in California.

“So we’ve now revoked California’s authority to conduct its own vetting,” Carr remarked. “We now make California join almost every other state to go through a federal vetting process for Lifeline and we’re putting in place a very simple two-part test.”

He explained that recipients must meet two basic criteria in order to qualify.

“To get these federal subsidies, you must be both a lawful and living beneficiary,” he continued. “Some people say we were setting the bar too high by a lawful and living beneficiary standard.”

Carr added that the FCC plans to strengthen verification procedures by making greater use of national databases that track deaths.

“There’s death registries, death databases that should be doing a much better job of vetting and checking. So we are starting a proceeding where we’re going to make sure that there’s a much better job being done of that,” Carr added.

The chairman also argued that problems with fraud extend beyond the Lifeline program, pointing to issues in California’s emergency response system.

“The fraud goes much beyond that,” he commented. “There’s also a recent story where Gavin Newsom came in, and I think in his first week in office, said he was going to improve the state’s aging 911 systems. You call 911 that’s a call that you always want to go through.”

Carr said the state invested heavily in an effort to modernize the system but that the upgrade ultimately failed.

“There’s an antiquated, outdated system in California,” Carr continued. “Gavin Newsom pledged $450 million to solve that antiquated, outdated 911 system. Once they upgraded the system, they turned it on, it didn’t work. So they’ve shut it down. Apparently, as best as I can tell, the $450 million is gone, and California is still stuck on the old, antiquated 911 system.”

Carr said the FCC has created a specific initiative aimed at identifying misuse of federal funding programs.

“So we are working hard at the FCC,” he said. “Again, we have a very specific work stream, just looking at instances of waste, fraud and abuse, and we’re going to continue to direct change. But again, millions and millions of dollars is just going up in smoke all across the country.”

When asked about consequences for individuals who participate in fraudulent schemes, Carr said regulators are exploring stronger penalties that would prevent offenders from receiving benefits from any federal program.

“There’s a whole — we call it debarment process, where if you’re caught violating one federal program, you should be kicked out from all federal programs,” he noted. “There’s been some holes in how that’s worked at the FCC, and we’re looking to close that out.”

Carr concluded by saying the commission is considering tougher enforcement measures to ensure that those involved in fraudulent activities face broader restrictions.

“So if you’re participating in a bad scheme at the FCC, you’re not just kicked out of FCC programs, but potentially all federal benefit programs,” he concluded. “And so we’re looking to be much more aggressive there with the bad actors.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was reportedly injured in the early stages of the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, according to a Wednesday report by The New York Times citing both Israeli and Iranian officials.

The report said Khamenei, 56, sustained wounds to his legs during the opening day of the attacks. The injuries may explain why he has not yet appeared publicly or delivered a recorded address since being chosen to succeed his father.

Mojtaba Khamenei was formally named supreme leader on Sunday following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for decades before being killed at the outset of the war.

According to the report, the younger Khamenei was injured during the same opening strikes that claimed his father’s life. His absence from public view since the announcement of his leadership has fueled speculation about the extent of his condition.

As of Wednesday morning—more than two days after his appointment—Khamenei had not issued a public statement nor appeared in any video message.

Sources cited by The Times said that beyond concerns about his injuries, security fears are also playing a role in his silence, with officials worried that any public communication could expose his location and make him a target.

Earlier reports had already suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei was hurt during the conflict. Iranian state media previously referred to him as a “janbaz,” a term used to describe someone wounded by enemy forces.

It remains uncertain whether his injuries are severe enough to hinder his ability to lead the country.

Adding to the uncertainty, the son of Iran’s president addressed the matter on Wednesday, saying Mojtaba Khamenei was “safe and sound,” though he did not dispute reports that the new supreme leader had been injured.

“I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I have asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,” said Yousef Pezeshkian, who is also a government adviser, in a post on his Telegram channel.

Despite years spent operating behind the scenes as a key aide running his father’s office, Mojtaba Khamenei is still largely unfamiliar to many people in Iran.

Senior Iranian officials told The Times that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pushed aggressively for his appointment. According to those sources, the powerful military organization viewed him as a leader who would more readily support its hardline agenda and override objections raised by more moderate voices within the regime.

The IRGC, which already wielded enormous influence, has further strengthened its position since the outbreak of the war. Sources said the group quickly brushed aside reservations from senior clerical and political figures whose resistance briefly delayed the announcement of Khamenei’s selection.

Israel has already warned that any Iranian leader directing the country’s campaign against Israel could become a target.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said last week that any leader appointed by the Iranian regime would be an “unequivocal target for elimination.”

“Any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue leading the plan to destroy Israel, threaten the US and the free world and the countries of the region, and oppress the Iranian people, will be an unequivocal target for elimination,” Katz said in a statement.

“It does not matter what his name is or where he hides,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s defense establishment says its military campaign against Iran will press ahead without a deadline, as Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz declared that the country’s leadership has retreated into underground bunkers while Israeli and American forces continue coordinated operations.

Katz delivered the remarks Wednesday during a high-level security assessment with senior defense officials, where he said Israel intends to pursue the war until every strategic objective has been met.

The meeting was attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram, Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, Operations Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, Home Front Command head Maj. Gen. Shay Kalper, the defense minister’s military secretary Brig. Gen. Guy Markizeno, Research Division chief Brig. Gen. Ofir Mizrahi-Rozen, Operations Division head Brig. Gen. Israel Shomer, Israeli Air Force chief of staff Brig. Gen. Gilad Keinan, along with other senior security officials.

Speaking during the discussion, Katz commended the military’s performance and pointed to the close cooperation between Israel and the United States. “I praise the very impressive achievements in both offense and defense and the joint activity with our American partner. The surviving Iranian leadership are a group of cowards who act bravely only against women, children, and the elderly in the streets, specializing in massacres and the killing of civilians – and they are already threatening to murder and slaughter anyone who protests.”

Katz said Iran’s leaders have retreated underground in the face of sustained military pressure. “But as we see, Chief of Staff, when they encounter real force, they flee like rats into tunnels, just like the Hamas leadership in Gaza. Today they truly resemble Hamas, and from there they give orders to fire at civilians and children in Israel and across the region. That is exactly what remains of them – a Hamas-like leadership.”

He continued by describing the scope of the military campaign against Iran’s security apparatus. “The IDF, together with our partner, is carrying out impressive and systematic operations targeting regime personnel themselves, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij. Many thousands have been killed, and because they shut down the internet they are concealing the numbers.”

Katz said intelligence assessments indicate that Iranian hospitals are overwhelmed by casualties among regime forces. “I understand that the morgues in hospitals are full, and we are talking here about terror forces, not civilians, and this effort must certainly continue. We will continue to act and crush the regime and its strategic targets in Tehran and across Iran, day after day, target after target. We will also continue in order to enable the Iranian people to rise up and remove this regime. Ultimately, this is something that depends on them.”

He also emphasized that the war effort is being directed jointly by the leaders of Israel and the United States. “This operation, led by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – who speak and coordinate daily and from there guide and set policy – and carried out by you and by CENTCOM together with the US military, will continue without any time limit, for as long as necessary, until we achieve all objectives and decisively win the campaign.”

{Matzav.com}

Nearly 600 Israelis arrived in Israel on Tuesday aboard two direct flights fully financed by the government of the United Arab Emirates, in an operation organized through efforts by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, according to a report by Roi Kais on Kan News.

The UAE is currently the only country known to have fully covered the cost of evacuation flights for Israeli citizens from anywhere in the world, including flights returning them to Israel. The aircraft reportedly flew along a longer-than-usual route and carried no external identifying markings.

Two days earlier, Israel’s Transportation Ministry announced the launch of Operation “Lionesses of the Gulf,” a plan aimed at bringing Israelis currently in the United Arab Emirates back home. The initiative followed a conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE leader Mohammed bin Zayed.

Under the arrangement reached between the two countries, special evacuation flights are being provided exclusively for Israeli citizens currently in the Emirates at no cost. The flights are being operated in cooperation with Emirati airlines to Israel and other destinations as soon as airspace conditions allow.

Meanwhile, Israeli airlines announced this past weekend that they would begin operating outbound flights from Israel starting Sunday. The flights are being conducted according to the Transportation Ministry’s framework for rescue operations from Israel, with passenger numbers on each departing flight temporarily limited to 70 people.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump has quietly appointed Erika Kirk, the chief executive officer of Turning Point USA, to the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.

Secretary Burgum: “This terrorist regime began 47 years ago by literally taking U.S. hostages, and then here they are, 47 years later… holding the entire world hostage economically by threatening to close the strait. President Trump as made it very clear the consequences if they try to do that.”

Photos of the vehicle the crashed through a barricade at the White House, leading to one arrest. No injuries reported.

NYC Mayor Mamdani is facing intense backlash after hosting pro-terrorist protester Mahmoud Khalil at his residence while failing to recognize a two-star police chief who jumped over barricades to stop a Muslim bomber in New York City.

WATCH: Update from CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper on Operation Epic Fury:

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, is expected to travel to Germany next Sunday to undergo medical treatment there, following a series of treatments he has recently received in Yerushalayim.

The upcoming trip comes as a continuation of the care the Rebbe has been receiving from leading physicians at the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center.

The journey was arranged through coordination between senior specialists at Hadassah and the medical team at the hospital in Germany where the next stage of treatment will take place.

Representatives of the Vizhnitzer chassidus have expressed appreciation for the dedication of the Hadassah administration and its medical staff, noting their tireless efforts on behalf of the Rebbe’s recovery.

All are asked to daven for Yisroel ben Leah Esther.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump insisted he had the answer for Republicans anxious about losing their congressional majority this year: build on an already strict national voter identification law to ban mail ballots and restrict transgender rights. “It’ll guarantee the midterms,” he told Republicans gathered in the ballroom of his golf course just outside Miami on Monday. “If you don’t get […]

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Two Israeli American men were brutally attacked outside a popular restaurant in San Jose on Sunday afternoon in what authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime. The victims, Lior Zeevi, 47, and Daniel Levy, 48, were waiting for a table outside Augustine, an upscale restaurant in the busy Santana Row shopping district, when three […]

CNN anchor Abby Phillip is facing backlash after lying on air that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was the target of a terrorist attack over the weekend — a characterization that bears little resemblance to what investigators say actually happened. During Tuesday evening’s edition of CNN NewsNight, Phillip previewed an upcoming segment by telling […]

A senior figure in the chareidi parties said Tuesday night that the Israeli draft law has not been abandoned, despite the government’s decision to delay its advancement because of the war and the need to pass the state budget.

According to the official, the halt in promoting the legislation is tied to the current security situation and the urgency of approving a budget that will fund Israel’s war effort.

“The draft law has not died but was postponed due to the war and the need to pass a budget to finance the fighting. After the war we will return to legislating the law with full force,” the official said.

The senior figure also criticized statements made by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, describing them as politically driven. “The statements are meant to gather votes in order to pass the electoral threshold and to justify his retreat from the reforms.”

Smotrich himself addressed the delay in advancing the draft law, explaining that the government has decided to temporarily set aside divisive issues during wartime.

“In order to succeed in this mission we are putting aside issues that are in dispute and not appropriate for wartime. We are putting aside the draft law, which will not be advanced now.”

He added that passing the state budget quickly would enable Israel to continue its security campaign while maintaining economic stability.

“War is a time for unity and national responsibility. Passing the budget immediately will allow us to win the war and strengthen Israel’s economy in the coming years.”

{Matzav.com}

As the war with Iran continues, the country’s Jewish community—estimated at roughly 15,000 people—is navigating a tense and uncertain reality while trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

Sources familiar with the situation say that, for now, conditions for Jews across Iran remain relatively stable. Community members are deliberately keeping a low profile in public and avoiding activities that might draw attention during the wartime period. At this stage, those monitoring the situation say there has been no unusual escalation in the regime’s treatment of Jews.

Individuals closely following the circumstances of the Jewish communities emphasize that the greatest concern now is simply their safety. “At this moment, all that remains is to pray that no harm comes to the Jews,” those familiar with the situation say, adding that discretion is essential under the current conditions.

According to sources with knowledge of the community’s internal decisions, all weddings and large gatherings within the Jewish community in Iran have been canceled. Community leaders believe it would be inappropriate to hold celebrations at a time when the country is under military attack.

Jewish community figures in several countries abroad who are in contact with those monitoring the situation have also issued a specific request to Israelis: they urge people not to attempt to communicate with Jews inside Iran, warning that such contact could put them in danger.

Last week it was reported that Iran’s Jewish community publicly condemned the Israeli and American strikes that resulted in the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Homayoun Sameh, the Jewish representative in the Iranian parliament, issued a statement praising the late leader.

“The leader was busy managing the affairs of the state until his last drop of blood and unjustly sacrificed his life for the Iranian nation,” Sameh said.

Sameh also released a condolence message following what he described as the “unjust death” of the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the message he blamed the killing on what he called the “Zionist regime,” saying the event had brought deep sorrow to Iran.

“The Iranian Jewish community sends its sincere condolences to the noble Iranian nation, to his family, and to all lovers of the Islamic Revolution over this heartbreaking and painful loss. There is no doubt that dear Iran mourns the death of a wise, patient, and compassionate leader — a personality who dedicated his blessed life to the path of independence, dignity, and pride of this land, and who always emphasized national unity, empathy, and peaceful coexistence among followers of the divine religions.”

{Matzav.com}

Major storms whipped up tornadoes in parts of Illinois and Indiana that leveled homes, killing at least two people and injuring others, and another round of rain, hail and strong winds made its way through the region Wednesday, authorities said. “Please do not come here. Do not try to help right now,” Newton County Sheriff […]

Iran’s parliament speaker declared Tuesday that Tehran has no interest in pursuing a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, insisting instead that those he called the “aggressor” must face consequences.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf made the remarks in a message posted to social media, making clear that Iran intends to continue fighting rather than seeking a pause in the hostilities.

“Certainly we aren’t seeking a ceasefire,” Ghalibaf wrote in a post on social media.

“We believe the aggressor must be punished and taught a lesson that will deter them from attacking Iran again,” he added.

His comments followed a statement issued Monday by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps responding to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who had suggested that the war with Iran could conclude in the near future.

In remarks cited by Reuters, the IRGC said they would “determine the end of the war”, while warning that Iran could take steps to halt oil shipments from the region if attacks by the United States and Israel continue.

The statement added that Iran would not permit “one liter of oil” to leave the region under such circumstances.

Trump responded to the warning with a message posted on his Truth Social platform, cautioning Tehran against interfering with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.”

He continued with an additional warning directed at Iranian leadership.

“Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again – Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them – But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen! This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the situation Tuesday, saying the United States will not permit any disruption to maritime traffic or energy shipments in the region.

The US is acting so that “the United States and all our allies can receive their energy needs. President Trump will not allow rogue Iranian terrorists to strop the freedom of navigation and the free flow of energy,” Leavitt said in a statement.

“If they (Iran) do anything to stop the flow of oil or goods within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the world’s most powerful military 20 times harder than they have been hit thus far,” she threatened.

Leavitt also sought to reassure Americans concerned about rising fuel costs, saying the price increases would not last.

She added that “the increase in gas prices is temporary and in the long term prices will fall. Once the military goals are achieved, we will live in a world where Iran can no longer threaten.”

At the same time, CBS News reported that US officials believe Iran could be preparing to place naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would threaten one of the world’s most important shipping corridors.

Trump addressed the report on Truth Social, warning Iran not to take such a step.

“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before. If, on the other hand, they remove what may have been placed, it will be a giant step in the right direction!” Trump wrote.

{Matzav.com}