Feed aggregator

Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out the Trump administration’s case for dismantling the International Criminal Court, arguing that the tribunal has evolved far beyond its original mission and now seeks the power to prosecute American citizens, military personnel, and government officials without the consent of the United States.

In an essay published by the State Department, Rubio asserted that the ICC now “claims the power” to haul U.S. soldiers, law enforcement officers, and elected officials before an international tribunal and imprison them under legal standards that the United States has never accepted.

Tracing the court’s evolution, Rubio argued that its mission has dramatically expanded over time. “The ICC was born at the turn of the century. At first, it was marketed as a narrow backstop to prosecute the gravest crimes,” Rubio wrote. “Now the ICC and its allies seek a standing world tribunal with near-unlimited reach, empowered to override the courts and constitutions of the US and other sovereign states.”

Rubio emphasized that the United States has consistently rejected the ICC’s authority over Americans. He noted that leaders from both political parties have opposed placing U.S. citizens under the jurisdiction of an international court and pointed to President Bill Clinton’s decision not to send the Rome Statute—the treaty establishing the ICC—to the Senate for ratification.

He also highlighted bipartisan congressional approval of the American Servicemembers’ Protection Act, legislation authorizing the president to “use all means necessary” to prevent the ICC from arresting or detaining U.S. citizens.

Rubio sharply criticized the ICC’s decision in 2020 to investigate allegations of war crimes involving American forces in Afghanistan, arguing that the move amounted to an attempt to supersede the U.S. legal system.

“In effect, Ms. Bensouda was anointing herself the final judge of US military policy and the entire US justice system,” Rubio wrote, referring to former ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.

According to Rubio, efforts to broaden the court’s authority have continued during President Trump’s second administration, with international organizations and activists urging the ICC to investigate American policies and military operations.

He warned that officials responsible for enforcing U.S. law or protecting national security could eventually find themselves targeted by the court.

“Border Patrol agents working to remove violent criminals from our country, US Marines risking their lives to restore order in the Western Hemisphere, federal prosecutors working to dismantle terror networks plotting attacks on the American homeland, all would face the constant risk of persecution,” Rubio wrote.

Rubio argued that recognizing the ICC’s authority would come at the expense of America’s sovereignty.

“To accept the ICC is to surrender control of our national destiny,” he wrote.

Drawing a historical parallel, Rubio said the issue echoes one of the core complaints that fueled the American Revolution, when the Founders resisted being subjected to trials under foreign governments.

“Independence is our birthright,” Rubio wrote. “We don’t intend to trade it for rule by a self-appointed priesthood of ‘international law.’”

Rubio pledged that the Trump administration will continue working to shield American personnel from possible ICC prosecutions while pressing an international campaign against the court.

“The US is launching a diplomatic campaign with a simple message: sovereign states over globalism,” he wrote.

He concluded by promising that the administration would coordinate with allies and employ every available tool to reduce the court’s power and influence.

“This is only the beginning,” Rubio wrote. “Using all the tools at our government’s disposal, working beside every ally with whom we can make common cause, we will dismantle the ICC, brick by brick, if necessary.”

{Matzav.com}

The Mossad’s Persian-language account on X escalated its online campaign against Iran’s leadership on Wednesday, posting an image that appeared to mock several of the country’s highest-ranking officials by suggesting they could all be working for Israel. The post followed reports alleging secret contacts between former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Israeli intelligence agency.

The graphic featured several prominent Iranian figures, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Each official was illustrated wearing an earpiece and bearing a Star of David on his hand, an apparent suggestion that they were acting as Israeli operatives.

Written above the image was a single word in Farsi that translates to: “Which of them?”

The provocative post came a day after The New York Times reported that former Mossad Director David Barnea had attempted to recruit Ahmadinejad as a possible future leader of Iran following the eventual downfall of the Islamic Republic.

According to the report, Barnea and Ahmadinejad secretly met in Hungary during 2024, using a climate conference at Ludovika University of Public Service as cover for their discussions.

The report also described an elaborate Mossad operation carried out at the outset of the war with Iran, during which Israeli operatives allegedly extracted Ahmadinejad and transported him to a secure location inside Iran. It said Ahmadinejad was unsettled by the rescue mission and expressed disappointment with what he believed was Israel’s plan to return him to power. He later departed the safe house under circumstances that have not been publicly explained.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump urged Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu during a phone conversation Thursday to begin withdrawing Israeli troops from Syria and encouraged a similar move in Lebanon, according to U.S. and Israeli officials cited by Axios.

The reported request comes as Israeli forces continue operating in portions of southern Syria and southern Lebanon. Israeli leaders have maintained that the deployments are essential to prevent future cross-border attacks like the October 7 massacre.

According to Axios, one U.S. official said Trump expressed concern that Israel’s continued military presence inside Syrian territory was fueling regional tensions and increasing the risk of a broader conflict. The official said Trump told Netanyahu, “They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” adding that the president conveyed the same message regarding Lebanon.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that during the discussion, Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s need to maintain security zones along its borders to safeguard the country from future threats.

The conversation came one day after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey. According to U.S. officials, the administration has been working to establish a new security framework between Israel and Syria that would eventually include a phased Israeli withdrawal from territory captured following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024.

In southern Syria, recent weeks have seen growing unrest, including demonstrations by local residents opposing the Israeli military presence as well as confrontations between protesters and Israeli forces.

At the same time, American mediators met Tuesday in Rome with Israeli and Lebanese officials to advance implementation of an agreement between the two countries. Under the proposed framework, Israel agreed to withdraw from two designated “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon, allowing the Lebanese Armed Forces to move into those areas.

Israeli troops have not yet pulled out of the designated zones. Lebanese officials have pressed for the withdrawal process to begin and have requested a schedule for additional redeployments. Israeli officials, however, have said they intend to verify that Hezbollah has removed its weapons and military infrastructure from the areas before proceeding.

The White House declined to comment on the Axios report and did not dispute its account. A U.S. official told Axios that Trump “has a strong relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu” and emphasized that Israel “has always been a great ally to the United States.”

A Gerer yungerman who was sentenced to 20 days in Military Prison 10 despite reportedly having received a full medical exemption from military service was released less than 24 hours after his arrest, bringing a dramatic end to a case that sparked widespread outrage throughout the Chareidi community.

The avreich, Reb Moshe Reuven Werdiger, was imprisoned after what supporters say was a serious bureaucratic error within the military’s administrative system. His release followed an intensive overnight effort by community leaders, senior askanim, and public officials, who pressed military authorities to review the case.

According to those involved, Werdiger has suffered since childhood from a serious and complex medical condition. After submitting all of the required medical documentation to the military draft office, he was reportedly informed that he had been granted a full exemption from military service on medical grounds.

The matter took an unexpected turn when, despite receiving the exemption, Werdiger was contacted and instructed to return to the draft office to complete what he was told were routine administrative procedures. After questioning why he needed to return when he had already been exempted, he was reportedly told, “What difference does it make? Just come to the office and take care of it in five minutes.”

Believing everything was in order, the avreich arrived at the draft office carrying his medical records. Upon his arrival, however, he was informed that he was classified as a draft evader, apparently because his medical exemption had not yet been entered into the military’s computerized records. He was subsequently referred to a military judicial officer at Tel Hashomer.

Although medical documents detailing his severe, life-threatening allergy were presented during the proceedings, officials reportedly maintained that no exemption appeared in the computer system. The military judicial officer declined to rely on the physical documentation and sentenced Werdiger to 20 days in Military Prison 10.

As soon as news of the imprisonment spread, Gerer askanim launched an around-the-clock effort to secure his release. An emergency command center was established, with senior community activists—including Pinchas Kubitz, Motty Babchik, and Rabbi Shimon Shisha, widely known as the “father of the prisoners”—working to resolve the matter with senior officials in the IDF and the Defense Ministry.

During the night, UTJ chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf was fully briefed on the situation and, according to the report, conveyed a firm message to military officials on behalf of the Gerer Rebbe. The message warned that unless the avreich was released within 24 hours, thousands of Gerer chassidim would stage a massive protest outside Military Prison 10 on Tuesday.

According to those familiar with the case, the prospect of large-scale demonstrations prompted military officials to reexamine the matter. After determining that the imprisonment appeared to result from a serious administrative error involving an individual who was in fact entitled to a full medical exemption, the prison commander initiated an expedited review.

As part of that review, a military physician was brought into the prison to personally examine Werdiger’s original medical documentation. After reviewing the records, the physician reportedly concluded that Werdiger suffered from a life-threatening allergy and confirmed that he qualified for a full medical exemption. Military officials then updated the computerized records and immediately filed an appeal seeking to overturn the prison sentence.

On Monday afternoon, less than one day after his arrest, the commander of Military Prison 10 signed Werdiger’s release order. He walked out of the prison a free man and returned home to his family, where he was greeted with relief by relatives and the many askanim who had worked tirelessly on his behalf.

Individuals involved in securing his release said that military officials ultimately recognized the seriousness of the mistake.

“The defense establishment realized, perhaps a bit late, that sending an avreich with a life-threatening medical condition to military prison because of their own negligence and bureaucratic failure was a grave mistake that could have ended in disaster and ignited the entire Chareidi community. Common sense and the determination of the askanim prevailed over the bureaucracy.”

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the arrest of bnei yeshivah, a new report claims that the vast majority of recent arrests are taking place not during police operations, but inside IDF draft offices after young men voluntarily arrive to address administrative matters.

Speaking on Kol Chai’s morning program, reporter Nati Kalish detailed the recent arrest of a Gerer yungerman from Ashdod and discussed what he described as a recurring pattern in recent weeks, while also highlighting a strongly worded letter issued by the Rosh Yeshivah of Mir warning talmidim not to visit draft offices without prior authorization.

Kalish reported that the avreich from Ashdod was arrested and immediately sentenced to 20 days in military prison.

“An avreich, a resident of Ashdod and a Gerer chassid, was arrested and immediately sentenced to 20 days of actual imprisonment in military prison. According to the precise information that reached us, his arrest was carried out through what his family describes as a form of deception by the military authorities. The avreich was told to come in person to the draft office to take care of technical matters and submit several missing documents. He arrived innocently with the requested paperwork—and was arrested on the spot as a draft evader.”

According to Kalish, the case reflects a broader trend.

“This pattern has repeated itself again and again in recent weeks. The Military Police are hardly going to people’s homes anymore, but nearly all of the arrests now are taking place inside the draft offices themselves. These are bochurim who come to regularize their status according to the law. Some are convinced they are doing the right thing and have no idea they are risking arrest and immediate imprisonment.”

Kalish recalled the response from Ger following a previous arrest involving one of the chassidus’ members in Ashdod.

The last time a Gerer chassid was arrested, thousands of Gerer chassidim gathered outside Military Prison 10 for a massive, organized protest under the direction of the chassidus’ leaders and askanim. The arrested bochur was subsequently released shortly thereafter.

According to the report, Gerer askanim have been engaged in quiet discussions with senior military officials since late Monday night in an effort to have the latest prison sentence overturned.

Sources within the chassidus warned that if the avreich is not released quickly, large-scale public protests could once again be organized.

“If the avreich is not released soon, there will be a major upheaval on the ground,” sources in the chassidus said, adding that organizers are seriously considering launching another wave of mass demonstrations to secure his release.

Kalish also claimed that many bochurim are arriving at draft offices after receiving questionable legal advice from attorneys who promise they can obtain medical exemptions.

“The bochurim come there hoping to receive exemptions for legitimate medical reasons, but they become victims of fixers and non-chareidi attorneys who advertise their services and try to profit financially from them. These people send the young men to the draft offices with completely inaccurate information and without any real experience, and in the end the bochurim are arrested because they are long-standing draft evaders.”

He noted that a similar incident occurred approximately three weeks ago involving a talmid of Yeshivas Mir who was arrested after reporting to a draft office under similar circumstances.

In response to that case, Mir Rosh Yeshivah Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel took the unusual step of issuing an official letter to the talmidim announcing the establishment of a special committee to advise bochurim on all matters relating to the draft authorities.

In his letter, Rav Finkel instructed that no bochur should report to a draft office under any circumstances without first consulting the committee and receiving its approval. He further warned that anyone who chooses to act independently and report without guidance would bear full responsibility for any resulting arrest and its consequences.

{Matzav.com}

Newly released Justice Department records indicate that the investigative team led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith reviewed text messages involving more than 40 current and former members of Congress during its investigations into President Donald Trump, prompting sharp criticism from Republicans who argue the actions violated constitutional protections.

The documents, turned over Tuesday to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), show that Smith’s office obtained access to communications exchanged between Trump White House officials and 44 lawmakers representing both political parties.

Among those whose messages were reviewed were Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who previously served in Congress, and former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), now administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The records also identify several prominent Republican lawmakers, including Grassley, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), as having communications that were accessed.

During sworn congressional testimony in December 2025, Smith was asked whether investigators had examined “the content of text messages” as part of the two criminal investigations involving the 45th and 47th president. Smith replied, “No.”

Republicans reacted forcefully to the newly disclosed records.

“This is yet another grotesque example of the Biden administration’s weaponization of the Justice Department,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said in a statement. “At this point, no one should be shocked by Jack Smith’s recklessness and blatant abuse of power, but they should be outraged.”

Grassley’s office has previously revealed that Smith’s investigation issued subpoenas seeking records from roughly 430 Republican individuals and organizations, as well as phone logs connected to more than a dozen GOP figures. Grassley has characterized the effort as a broad “fishing expedition.”

According to the documents, Smith’s office established a specialized “Filter Team” whose role was to prevent investigators from viewing privileged communications or infringing upon constitutional protections while reviewing records obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration.

The communications at issue were exchanged between October 2020 and Jan. 20, 2021, during the final months of the Trump administration.

White House officials whose messages were included in the records encompassed former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, Ivanka Trump, Stephen Miller, Peter Navarro, current CIA Director John Ratcliffe, current FBI Director Kash Patel, Rudy Giuliani, Kellyanne Conway, and then-Vice President Mike Pence.

The Filter Team was tasked with screening evidence gathered through two investigations known internally as “Project Coconut,” which examined efforts to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election, and “Project Cranberry,” which focused on allegations involving classified documents kept at Mar-a-Lago.

One internal DOJ email dated Aug. 21, 2023, and included among the records provided to Grassley, shows investigators discussing the direct acquisition of “54 excel files with text messages from White House phones,” which were subsequently uploaded to a shared drive.

Another internal Justice Department document outlined strict procedures governing the review process, stating, “All communication to/from the Filter Team must go through the Coordinator. No materials shall be disclosed to the investigative team without approval of a filter team attorney.”

Despite those safeguards, Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis wrote in a letter accompanying the records that Smith’s investigators failed to follow the established process.

According to Davis, Smith’s team “bypassed the Filter Team and directly accessed these text messages. The FBI then identified the people whose phone numbers sent or received the texts.”

{Matzav.com}

45Kearny, NJ — Bloom’s Kosher is proud to announce the launch of the Bloom’s Kosher International Teachers’ Grant, a new initiative created to recognize and support the extraordinary dedication of Morahs and Rabbeim who regularly spend their own money on classroom rewards, snacks, celebrations, educational activities, and supplies.

Every year, educators invest hundreds of dollars out of their own pockets to create memorable classroom experiences, encourage good behavior, celebrate accomplishments, and make learning more enjoyable. Rather than investing solely in traditional advertising with uncertain results, Bloom’s Kosher has chosen to invest directly in the people who invest in our children every day.

“Morahs and Rabbeim dedicate themselves to their students every day, often purchasing classroom rewards and supplies with their own money,” said Sholom Rabin, CEO of Bloom’s Kosher. “We wanted to create a program that recognizes their commitment while strengthening Torah learning, supporting the supermarkets that carry our products, and investing directly in the communities we serve. We hope this is just the beginning of a program that will grow year after year and positively impact thousands of educators around the world.”

Applicants will complete an online application and be verified as Morahs or Rabbeim actively teaching in Jewish schools. Approved applicants will receive an email notifying them of their grant amount, along with detailed instructions for the next steps.

Recipients may then purchase any products from the Bloom’s, Oneg, or Sizgit family of brands at the supermarket of their choice. After submitting their receipt and any required documentation, they will receive reimbursement in accordance with the program guidelines.

By reimbursing purchases after they are made, the program directs grant funding through the supermarkets that invest in exceptional shopping experiences, maintain strong inventory, and proudly carry the Bloom’s, Oneg, and Sizgit family of brands. The initiative supports educators while also driving customers to the retailers that make these products available in their communities.

The Bloom’s Kosher International Teachers’ Grant is launching as a pilot program, with funding available for hundreds of grants during its inaugural year. While Bloom’s Kosher would love to support every Morah and Rebbi who applies, funding for the pilot program is limited. Applicants who are not selected may be placed on a waiting list and considered for future funding opportunities as the program expands.

Looking ahead, Bloom’s Kosher envisions the grant becoming much more than a reimbursement program. Future initiatives may include Torah learning campaigns, educational challenges, classroom contests, raffles, and exclusive classroom resources designed to encourage participation while creating memorable learning experiences.

The long-term vision is to expand the Bloom’s Kosher International Teachers’ Grant one school at a time, ultimately supporting thousands of Morahs and Rabbeim throughout the world. As the program grows, Bloom’s Kosher hopes to establish a charitable funding model that will enable the grant to reach even more educators and continue making a meaningful impact for generations to come.

Applications are now open.

Learn more and apply at: https://bloomskosher.com/grant

{Matzav.com}

Darline Graham Nordone was officially sworn into the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, stepping into the seat once held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham, and pledging to continue the work he championed on behalf of South Carolina and the nation.

Nordone took the oath of office just one day after being appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who selected her Monday to fill the vacancy created by Graham’s unexpected death two days earlier. Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley of Iowa administered the oath during Tuesday’s ceremony.

At 62, Nordone becomes the first woman ever to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate. Her temporary appointment will last until Jan. 3, 2027, when the winner of the special election officially takes office.

Speaking after her appointment was announced Monday, Nordone reflected on the opportunity before her.

“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States,” Nordone said at a press conference Monday after her appointment was announced.

Although she has never previously served in elected office, Gov. McMaster’s office emphasized that Nordone brings decades of experience in public service.

Since 2019, she has led the South Carolina Commission for the Blind as commissioner, where, according to the governor’s office, she “has worked to expand opportunities for South Carolinians who are blind or have low vision to achieve employment and independence.”

State employment records identify Nordone as the agency’s chief executive, with an annual salary of approximately $138,000. As a U.S. senator, her prorated annual salary will be about $174,000.

Before taking over the Commission for the Blind, Nordone spent nearly three decades serving in various public-sector positions, including roles with Clemson University, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, and the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.

McMaster’s office also highlighted her additional leadership positions, stating, “In addition to her full-time role as SCCB Commissioner, Ms. Graham currently serves on the South Carolina State Workforce Development Board and is president-elect of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind,” the McMaster statement continued.

Nordone earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling. She is also a Certified Public Manager.

Before McMaster made his decision, President Donald Trump and several South Carolina Republican lawmakers publicly endorsed Nordone as the best choice to temporarily succeed her brother.

“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”

Her appointment follows a well-established pattern in American politics, where close relatives have occasionally been chosen to fill congressional vacancies after the deaths of family members.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, eight widows have been appointed to replace their late husbands in the U.S. Senate, while the House of Representatives has seen 39 similar successions.

One of the most notable examples occurred in 2001, when Jean Carnahan was appointed to Missouri’s Senate seat after her husband, Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan, won election posthumously three weeks after he was killed in a plane crash.

Jean Carnahan later lost the seat in a 2002 special election to Republican Jim Talent.

South Carolina Republicans are scheduled to hold a special primary on Aug. 11 to determine the party’s nominee for the November election to permanently fill Graham’s Senate seat.

Lindsey Graham, who never married and had no children, died suddenly Saturday evening after suffering a tear in his aorta. He was 71.

Preliminary findings from the Washington, D.C., medical examiner concluded that the fatal rupture resulted from chronic heart disease.

As many as 50,000 airline tickets could be canceled during July after the United States halted the evacuation of its refueling aircraft currently stationed at Ben-Gurion Airport, prompting Israeli aviation officials to warn of significant disruptions to airport operations, The Jerusalem Post reports.

Israel Airports Authority Director-General Sharon Kedmi issued a letter expressing alarm over the American decision, warning that the continued presence of the military aircraft could have an immediate impact on civilian aviation. “This delay has immediate and serious operational consequences,” he stated.

Transportation Ministry Director-General Moshe Ben Zaken said additional U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft would not be allowed to land at Ben-Gurion Airport. According to reports, Israeli air traffic controllers have also been instructed not to authorize the landing of any further American refueling planes.

Emphasizing the need to protect commercial air travel, Ben Zaken said, “Citizens cannot be harmed; the Defense Ministry must find solutions.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed to The Jerusalem Post that the freeze remains in effect despite growing concerns raised by Israeli officials.

At the same time, N12 reported that four additional American refueling aircraft recently landed at Ben-Gurion Airport after arriving from Gulf states that have recently come under Iranian attack.

Later Tuesday, additional reports indicated that another U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft had arrived in Israel.

Responding to those reports, Israel’s Transportation Ministry clarified that the latest aircraft was not remaining at the airport. “The refueling aircraft that landed at Ben Gurion Airport in the last few minutes landed for refueling purposes only and not for parking purposes, precisely and in accordance with the instructions of the Transport Minister,” the ministry said.

{Matzav.com}

A heated confrontation erupted Monday night in the Knesset plenum during debate ahead of the second and third readings of the Basic Law: Torah Study, as MK Simon Davidson sharply criticized the exemption of bnei yeshivah from military service and directly confronted a group of chareidi youths seated in the visitors’ gallery.

Addressing the young men during his speech, Davidson questioned whether they intended to serve in the IDF.

“Have you heard of this thing called enlisting? Are you enlisting? I’m asking you, yes or no? While you’re sitting here looking at us like monkeys in a zoo, people your age are serving in the army, carrying weapons and wearing helmets and fighting.”

Davidson went on to contrast the youths in the gallery with IDF soldiers and reservists currently serving in combat.

“Every day I see dozens like you who come here to enjoy the Knesset, while my children and his children are serving in the army, fighting and losing their friends. I’m tired of seeing you here already. Walking around like it’s a circus. Go serve in the army.”

The lawmaker also spoke about what he described as the tremendous sacrifices made by reservists and their families.

“The price they pay is so heavy. Another 100 days of reserve duty. Do you know how many reservists lose their businesses, their families? Do you know what it’s like for a mother and father who can’t sleep at night because their son is in Lebanon?”

To illustrate his point, Davidson recounted a story involving a friend whose son is currently serving in Lebanon.

“Yesterday I spoke with my friend, Eli Orgad. His son is in Lebanon. They called at two in the morning—it was apparently a mistake. He suffered paralysis on one side of his face. The man is paralyzed on one side of his face because of a mistaken phone call,” he claimed.

Davidson also criticized the coalition’s efforts to advance draft legislation, arguing that it would only increase the number of young chareidim who avoid military service.

“The moment this law passes, the moment they are no longer pursued and there is no military police, they’ll say, ‘Fine,’ another one and another one and another one. Why should we care? Why should we care that we’re ‘having a good time’ while our children of the same age are risking their lives? Why should they care? They don’t care.”

Despite the sharp tone of his remarks, Davidson concluded by telling the youths that his outburst stemmed from deep emotion rather than personal animosity.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you—it came from the bottom of my heart. Truly, it makes me terribly angry. I just want to tell you one thing: You must be part of the State of Israel, part of carrying the burden. Enlist in the army. It won’t make you less religious. It will make you better citizens—for the country, for your brothers, and for your family.”

{Matzav.com}

A growing number of Israeli motorists who use kosher phones are finding themselves unable to obtain receipts after filling up at Israeli self-service gas stations, prompting renewed calls for fuel companies and lawmakers to provide alternatives for consumers who do not use smartphones or SMS services.

The issue was raised by a listener named Dudi during the Osim Seder program hosted by Hillel Kessler on Kol Chai. He said that at many gas stations—particularly self-service pumps—the only receipt option offered after payment is a digital receipt sent via SMS. For customers who use kosher phones or do not utilize text messaging, that often means leaving without any proof of payment.

Dudi said he has encountered the problem repeatedly. In one instance, even the convenience store at the gas station was unable to print a receipt because it had run out of printer paper.

Because he needs receipts for expense reimbursements, he said he was forced to write the transaction details down by hand, leaving him without an official document that could serve as proof of payment. According to Dudi, the problem creates an ongoing financial burden for many drivers, particularly self-employed individuals and employees who rely on receipts to receive reimbursement for business travel.

Joining the discussion was Itcheh Dzialovsky, a longtime advocate for chareidi consumer rights, who agreed that the issue represents a genuine consumer concern. He noted that, to the best of his knowledge, there is currently no explicit legal requirement obligating fuel companies to provide printed receipts at self-service pumps.

Dzialovsky said that government agencies have already developed accommodations for members of the public who do not use smartphones, and argued that gas station operators should adopt similar solutions. He added that while fleet fuel cards (delekan) may offer a practical solution for drivers who regularly use the same vehicle, they are not suitable for the broader public.

During the program, Dzialovsky pledged to contact the major fuel companies directly to raise the issue. He also announced that he would publicly recognize, at no cost, any company that introduces a receipt option that does not require a smartphone or SMS capability.

Kessler noted that the problem extends well beyond gas stations, describing it as part of a broader shift toward digital-only services that increasingly excludes large segments of the population who deliberately choose to use kosher phones.

The Osim Seder program regularly invites listeners to submit questions and concerns involving consumer rights and public services, with the goal of helping listeners navigate issues affecting their daily lives and ensuring they receive the rights and services to which they are entitled.

{Matzav.com}

Why do some Pepsi products have a K, some a Kof-K, and some no hechsher at all? Can you drink them? Rabbi Alexander Charlop, Rav Hamachshir for Pepsi, takes us behind the scenes to explain the surprising answers—including how Pepsi’s secret formula stays secret while remaining kosher.

WATCH:

View it in its entirety at: https://www.kashrusawareness.com/post/can-you-rely-on-a-k 

Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

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

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

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

https://mytat.me/o112

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

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

______

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

Message or call: 678-8-Kosher

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

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

Click here to Join a LTK WhatsApp Group

Transcription

Hello everyone and welcome back to Let’s Talk Kashrus presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project in conjunction with the CRC of Chicago. Today I am honored to be joined by Rabbi Alexander Charlop, the Rov of Zichron Chaim in Cleveland and the Rav Hamachshir on Pepsi products. Thank you Rabbi Charlop for being here. Pleasure. 

Yasher koach. It’s a zchus we’ve been trying to get you here for a while so we finally made it happen, Baruch Hashem. Now it’s interesting, you are a rov in Cleveland, but you are involved in kashrus unrelated to your rabbinical duties. This is something that as I would want to hear you speak about, this is actually a position as the Rav Hamachshir on Pepsi that you yarshened, you inherited from your father who inherited it from his father. 

So this is something that’s been in the Charlop family for years. Just take us down that road of history how that developed. Okay so my grandfather came to America in 1920 be’erech. He came from Yerushalayim. 

In around 1930 or so he started to realize that in America with food being made commercially, you really needed to have kashrus commercially. He was one of the founders of the OU kashrus department. That’s your zeida. Yes. 

Rabbi Yechiel Michel Charlop. Then he went on his own, he went away from it. He actually, I believe, was the one that got them Heinz, which was like the first big commercial hashgacha that was gotten. And then he went away from the OU, he went on his own. 

He gave the hashgacha I believe since 1934 on Pepsi. Now there are a number of questions that come up and maybe we’ll get into them. How do you give hashgacha on Pepsi if Pepsi tries to maintain a secret? We’ll get to that. But and he developed, and he had a relationship with them until he was nifter in 1974. 

My father took over 1974 and gave the hashgacha till 2014. I worked with him for a number of years beforehand, but I took over the hashgacha since 2014. Now the Charlop family, are you related to the famous Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Charlop, is that same mishpacha? Yes, Rabbi Chiel Michel was a ben bechor of Rabbi Yaakov Moshe. Oh really? Wow. 

Okay. So mishpacha meyuchases. He was a rov in the Bronx and yeah. Very interesting. 

So it is a unique thing that this has carried over from generation to generation. It’s besides for fulfilling your duties as a Rav Hamachshir, you’re literally carrying on the legacy of your zeida and now your father which makes it extra special. How would you describe the yeoman’s task of giving the hashgacha on Pepsi and what are some of the challenges that you encounter? Okay, so the fact that they’re so large really makes the hashgacha much easier. 99 percent of our work is very boring. 

Because they have systems in place. Good hashgachas have good systems. The OU developed many systems that many of us mimic or take part, add, subtract, and they work very well with systems. So for example, just as a mashal, if you’re giving hashgacha on a local restaurant that might only be doing $75,000 of sales a year, the owner of that restaurant could be short on oil and he could go out to a store and get oil which is a major sakana maybe he’ll get oil that’s not kosher. 

At a Pepsi plant where they’re producing Pepsi, there’s nobody in that building that has the ability to order anything for Pepsi. He can put in a request and most of it is not even by his request. He’s just given the task to actually produce it. There’s the team that does procurement, there’s a team that’s involved in regulatory, and the way Pepsi is set up now is that part of regulatory’s jobs, part of what they’re doing is making sure that it is compliant with kosher. 

In fact… You mean that’s actually included in their responsibility? Correct. Just as they have allergen compliance and FDA compliance, all these different compliance, one of the compliance that they need to check before they run any product, because right now everything they run, we’ll get into detail of certain ones that are a little trickier, but everyone that they run, anything that’s in a Pepsi concentrate facility is kosher right now. You could have 700 ingredients, every one of them is kosher. 

How many such Pepsi producing facilities are there around the United States? Okay, so now… This is the part that makes it much easier again from a Kashrus vantage point. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say the exact number, but I can tell you that a Pepsi concentrate has something called global procurement. They are concerned about always being able to deal with any issue that could come up. 

So if the Strait of Hormuz is closed, they have another option. If COVID hit, they have another option. And therefore they’re really biktzei haaretz, they’re at totally different ends of the world. But they have a handful, literally five different plants that are supplying different parts. 

Most of it is supplied from one or two concentrate facilities, but there are five concentrate facilities that are part of… around the world? Around the world. That provide to the smaller Pepsi facilities, would you say, or…? They are providing all the concentrate of anything in America for sure. Anything in America is provided by these concentrate facilities. 

Are all Pepsi beverages under your supervision? So all the what is called the cold fill, all the regular carbonated drinks, the concentrate for all of them is kosher. Now some of them are a little trickier than others, meaning about ten fifteen years ago they started introducing certain energy drinks such as Kickstart. Now Kickstart, all the concentrate… which is a Mountain Dew brand? Mountain Dew Kickstart, yes, thank you. 

Mountain Dew Kickstart is getting the concentrate from a concentrate facility. The concentrate facility is totally kosher. Anything coming out of the concentrate facility is kosher. But they have also direct drop. 

Meaning what does that mean in layman’s terms? They have certain ingredients that are directly sent to the bottler or through a DC, a distribution center, which the distribution center sends it to many bottlers. When it comes to Kickstart, so Kickstart has a grape juice component. It advertises ten percent juice. Almost always when they’re advertising ten percent fruit juice, what they’re referring to is white grape juice. 

White grape juice is the cheapest, sweetest juice that they use. That is being sent directly to the bottler. Now they do order kosher grape juice, but grape juice is a very sensitive product. You can’t just rely on the bottler getting it and assume that it’s okay. 

And therefore we strongly recommend we would not take any responsibility and would say that you should only drink Mountain Dew Kickstart if the bottler has hashgacha. Okay, and how would you know that? Okay, so now the bottlers are at their own discretion can decide if or if not they will have hashgacha and they can decide which hashgacha. Many of them are independently owned and they can decide which hashgacha. For example, the New York area bottler is under Kaf-K. 

There are another couple bottlers as well that are under Kaf-K. They, because of marketing, they put a Kaf-K on the cans, on the bottle. There are many other bottlers that also have hashgacha will only put a K because it gets too complicated, they don’t want to order a million cans with their emblem. So collectively all of them will just order with a K. 

You might have one or two might be under the Star-K, you might have one or two under the CRC, you might have one or two Northeast Vaad of Philadelphia… but the K is representing all of them? And K is for any kosher. As of now, I can’t always guarantee it, as of now they always run by us who they want to use for a specific bottler and they will only use somebody that we say is reliable. Okay, got it. 

As of today, as of this recording, right? This conversation, yes. And based on that, if I would see a Kickstart with a K… you’re comfortable because there’s hashgacha on the bottling facility. Correct. 

So it’s interesting, you jumped right into that topic which is one of the big Pepsi questions is why certain bottles of Pepsi products have a Kaf-K, some have a K, some don’t have hashgacha on it at all. So you addressed why it may have a Kaf-K or a K because those supervising agencies are giving the hashgacha on the local bottling facility in that region. But why is there sometimes no hashgacha on a Pepsi product even though really it sounds like it would be kosher? So many of the bottlers… you are not allowed to put a hashgacha on your final product unless that final product was bottled with somebody taking responsibility that it is kosher. 

We will not take responsibility on a bottler if we never walked into that bottler and if we don’t have ongoing visits into a bottler, we’re not going to take the responsibility for the bottler. In truth, I wouldn’t be concerned about the bottler without taking responsibility because they only… But that mere system, that mere system, that fear is enough to make you comfortable to drink from any Pepsi bottling facility in the United States? Yes, because for them to deviate, they would be paying so much money not to use Pepsi. Right, right. 

And it will be caught. And what about besides for the concentrate, aren’t there other ingredients that they’re using that may be of concern? So right now, at a bottler, on a regular drink, let’s say Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, it’s not Sierra Mist anymore, I forgot what all the different flavors that they have, the Mug flavors, the regular Mountain Dew flavors, including all their orange blast and berry blast and all the different names that they make are just different flavors in the concentrate. All that is kosher. What goes in at the bottler level is very simple. 

There’s sweetener that goes in, which Pesach presents a major issue, but during the year sweetener whether it’s corn syrup or sugar is what would be called a group one. It’s very simple.Carbonation, water, very simple. They will have sent through the DCs, they’ll send citric acid, sometimes another salt like a potassium benzoate, which are also all group ones. 

Furthermore, we are on top of all the distribution centers. There are a few distribution centers in America. We regularly visit them to make sure everything that Pepsi says that they are sending to the final product is kosher. Right. 

And how about the fact that it’s an independent facility, you’re not worried about shared equipment or using it for other runs and things like that? Very good question. So the assumption of most kashrus organizations in America is that that is not an issue because it’s what is called a cold fill plant. Okay. So everything there is filled cold. 

You will have something that they’ll just have to dissolve a concentrate but even that is not getting hot. There’s no klirishon. Got it. So even in a scenario where they would use it, it would still be cold. 

Correct. Even if they used it for something else that wasn’t kosher? And you’re saying it’s probably not even likely that they’re doing that. Right. The only thing that they use it for other than Pepsi is a number of the bottlers might bottle another national brand such as Dr. Pepper. 

Okay. But it doesn’t challenge the integrity of the kashrus. Got it. And especially because nothing is hot and nothing is kavush, nothing is left in a tank for 24 hours overnight or anything like that. 

Got it. And Baruch Hashem, you build up a rapport. I remember the first time we went, they’re very concerned about other people coming in just from proprietary purposes, but the first time the Badatz gives in Eretz Yisrael, and so we’re dealing with the ingredients all the time together. And I remember we went to a specific supplier, and Rabbi Binder from the Badatz and I went down to the supplier. 

Rabbi Binder is brilliant and really understands the chemistry of ingredients very well. But we had to sign confidentiality agreement beforehand. By the time we left, they were nervous that he could repeat… that he’s that brilliant. 

Aha, very interesting. They weren’t worried about me. That’s interesting. But I’m happy you brought up Rabbi Binder, you talk about Eretz Yisrael because that was going to be my next question. 

Basically we’re comfortable with Pepsi in the United States, you’re pretty much good to go with basically everything. Except for the Kickstart which needs either a K or Kof-K. Right, which needs a specific hashgacha. What’s the story with Pepsi products outside the United States? Eretz Yisrael is great. 

And that’s under the Badatz? That’s under the Badatz, yes. Okay. Is it by the way, is Pepsi in Eretz Yisrael owned by the same Pepsi corporation? It’s owned by the same corporation with a lot of overlap. Okay. 

We’re on many emails together. Aha, interesting. So Eretz Yisrael you’re okay. How about if someone goes to Europe or South America or wherever it might be? Okay, so at the beginning of the conversation we spoke about what is called global procurement, which is Pepsi’s ability to supply globally. 

Okay. And if this continent gets knocked off, you have this continent and so on and so forth. Global procurement provides for many many countries, including all of Europe, including Russia, including the US, Canada, Mexico, all of Central and South America and Southeast Asia. Not included is one country in South America, Venezuela. 

Venezuela has its own concentrate facility. I don’t know anything about what goes on in Venezuela. Okay. Not included is China, North Korea. 

India and I would be concerned probably around the number of the countries near India, whether it be Pakistan, Sri Lanka. I’m not sure whether those countries are covered by the India supplier or by global procurement. Got it. So what does that mean now that you’ve told us that, what does that mean regarding someone who’s traveling, sees a Pepsi product, can he buy it, can he use it? If you’re desperate, if it’s not a third world type of place, in all likelihood you’re okay because the Pepsi itself should certainly be made cold fill. 

There’s no hot fill in that so you wouldn’t really run into a major problem anyway. I just am hesitant to make a blanket statement. Right, right. Any final thoughts on this fascinating topic? If you’re health conscious and you don’t want to drink Pepsi, drink Bubly. 

Is that also Pepsi? Owned by Pepsi, okay. And that’s under your supervision as well? Most of the Bubly. All Bublyconcentrate is. Again, Bubly plants, the Bubly bottlers go on the same rule as Pepsi. 

Right, same rule as we discussed prior. Rabbi Harlap, thank you for being here. It’s a tremendous zchus again, we wanted to speak to you for a while. Thank you for bringing us into the world of Pepsi and we wish you continued hatzlacha in your avodas hakodesh in carrying on the avoda that your father fulfilled so admirably, that your grandfather pioneered so many years ago in the last century and continued hatzlacha in all your avoda.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev said Israel remains in the midst of a multi-front war despite recent military gains, while also launching a sharp political attack on the center-left and defending the coalition’s efforts to protect the Torah world through recently advanced legislation.

In an interview with HaMahadura HaMerkazit, Regev stressed that the war is far from over, noting that IDF forces continue operating on several fronts simultaneously and warning that the Iranian threat has not disappeared.

“No, we are still at war. Our soldiers are still in the security zone in Lebanon, in strategic areas of Syria, and in more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip,” she said.

Speaking about Iran, Regev reiterated the government’s determination to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

“Iran cannot become nuclear. Iran will not become nuclear. The uranium will be removed from there.”

Regev also praised the Trump administration’s recent approach toward Iran, arguing that Washington has now come to recognize what Israel has long maintained about the Iranian regime.

“President Trump and the Americans have experienced firsthand the Iranians’ lack of credibility,” she said.

She added that the decision to reimpose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz demonstrates that U.S. leaders now understand that no lasting agreement can be reached with Tehran. Regev further argued that Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia have reinforced among moderate Arab states the understanding that “Iran, together with the Houthis, together with Hezbollah and together with Hamas, are essentially proxies of terror.”

Addressing the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, Regev said Israel has no intention of withdrawing as long as security threats remain.

“The IDF is there in the security zone that separates the residents of southern Israel from Hamas,” she said.

She added that Israel would likewise maintain its security presence along the northern front “as long as we need to remain there,” arguing that only the complete disarmament of Hamas and Hezbollah would make it possible to establish lasting security.

Turning to domestic politics, Regev commented on the ongoing debate within Likud over the party’s primary system and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s request for reserved slots on the party’s electoral list.

She said she supports holding party primaries while also believing Netanyahu should retain the ability to reserve places on the slate.

“There is no doubt that Likud members should come and influence the composition of the next Likud list for the Knesset,” she said.

At the same time, she emphasized Netanyahu’s central role within the party.

“Likud is Netanyahu, and Netanyahu is Likud, and the one who brings us the greatest number of mandates is Netanyahu.”

Regev said the internal debate over the issue reflects the democratic character of the Likud rather than internal weakness.

Looking ahead to the next election, Regev sharply criticized former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and the center-left bloc, warning right-wing voters not to be misled.

“Don’t be fooled by Gadi Eisenkot’s smile and image. He is part of the left,” she said.

She argued that a government headed by Eisenkot would neither safeguard Israel’s security nor preserve the country’s Jewish identity.

“The other camp will not protect religion or tradition,” she said, adding that the longstanding partnership between Likud and the chareidi parties would continue in the future.

Regev also voiced support for the recently approved Basic Law: Torah Study and for legislation freezing the arrest of bnei yeshivah.

“As far as Torah study is concerned—the Basic Law: Torah Study—I have absolutely no problem with it. We all understand that Torah study is a value,” she said.

Regarding the proposed arrest freeze, Regev said that had there already been broad agreement on a draft law, such legislation would have been unnecessary.

She also criticized the IDF Chief of Staff’s public opposition to the bill.

“I don’t understand why politics is being brought into this issue,” she said, adding that the IDF itself had participated in formulating the proposal before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Concluding the interview, Regev said she supports expanding military service among the chareidi public, but only through dialogue and accommodations that respect the community’s way of life.

She also criticized the IDF Chief of Staff for what she described as insufficient engagement with rabbanim from the Religious Zionist community.

“The Chief of Staff needs to meet with them, and the Chief of Staff needs to sit down and talk with them,” she said.

Regev concluded by saying Israel today needs “an army that is both smart and large,” adding that increasing enlistment will require cooperation with both the chareidi and Religious Zionist communities while preserving their religious values and lifestyles.

{Matzav.com}

New details have emerged about Sen. Lindsey Graham’s final moments, with a fellow Republican senator revealing that Graham called one of his staff members Saturday night to report severe chest pains and ask for help just before his sudden death.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) recounted what he learned from members of his own staff, shedding new light on Graham’s final hours after the South Carolina senator returned from a trip to Ukraine and prepared to resume work following Congress’ post-Independence Day recess despite not feeling well.

“My former scheduler was Lindsey’s scheduler, and one of my staff members was with that scheduler the night Lindsey called,” Tuberville said, explaining that the two aides had been watching a World Cup soccer match together at a restaurant in the Washington area.

According to Tuberville, Graham reached out seeking assistance after experiencing alarming symptoms. “Lindsey called [and] basically said, ‘Listen, I’m having chest pains. You know, I need to do something,’” the former college football coach recounted. “[She said,] ‘Did you call 911?’ And he goes, ‘No, that’s reason I called you.’ And so she called 911 … By the time she got there, 911 had knocked the door down, and they were working on him.”

Efforts to reach Graham’s scheduler for comment were unsuccessful.

Previously released emergency dispatch recordings indicate that paramedics were sent to Graham’s Capitol Hill townhouse at approximately 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Shortly before 9:00 p.m., first responders reported that CPR was underway and that a man inside the residence was suffering cardiac arrest.

A nearby resident later shared photographs showing an elderly man being wheeled from Graham’s home on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Graham’s office publicly announced his death shortly after 2:00 a.m. Sunday. A preliminary report issued by the District of Columbia medical examiner concluded that he died from an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Axios reported Monday that Graham had also told another individual on Saturday night that he was not feeling well but intended to see a physician after his scheduled Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press.

According to that report, Graham joked, “I can’t die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization.”

President Trump, who appeared on Meet the Press in Graham’s place, confirmed that he had spoken with the senator earlier that evening.

“He sounded a little tired, but perfect, but a little bit tired,” Trump said. “He had a right to be. Man, he was a worker. He was really a worker. But he sounded great actually. But he actually said he was tired.”

As senators returned to Capitol Hill on Monday still grappling with the news, Tuberville reflected on Graham’s relentless work ethic, saying the longtime lawmaker may have pushed himself too hard.

“Most of us have families,” the Alabama Republican said. “He didn’t have any family, and if we had a couple of days off, he went to that airport. He went somewhere to try to work out something for our country.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said that understandings reached with Iran through Pakistan on June 17 were “sort of a test,” adding that Tehran “didn’t honor the test.”

“It was built to test. We didn’t know,” Trump said in a phone interview with the Salem News Channel.

“Look, memorandums of understanding when you’re dealing with sleazebags don’t mean much,” the president continued. “They don’t mean much when you’re dealing with honorable people too, because it’s a memorandum of understanding—it doesn’t mean much.”

“You know, it’s a standard tactic in the U.S. that you go to a memorandum of understanding and then you go to the deal,” said Trump. “I said, just go to the deal first. But you know what, it was sort of a test, and they weren’t there.”

Trump said Iran “never followed it.”

“These people are crazy,” he told the outlet.

To the Iranian regime, “deals are made to be broken,” Trump continued. He added, “They are extremely unreliable people—and, frankly, if they ever had a nuclear weapon they’d use it within one day.”

Trump ordered more strikes against Iranian regime sites on Monday in response to the Islamic Republic’s attacks on civilian-manned commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The president also told Fox News that the United States would be “taking over” the strategic shipping lane.

“We’re taking over the strait. They [the leaders of the Iranian regime] have nothing,” Trump said in a phone interview.

“Yesterday, they had an 11-hour meeting. Everything’s 11 hours with these guys,” the president continued. “Everything was agreed to yesterday. And they leave the room, and they call back, and they say, ‘We had to make a couple of changes.’ I said, ‘Changes? They’re going to make changes? We’re not going to make changes.’

“For 47 years, they’ve been tapping presidents along. Every president got tapped along, didn’t do anything, and they became more and more powerful. This should have been done 47 years ago. It shouldn’t have been allowed to start,” Trump said. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that New York will halt the approval of environmental permits for new large-scale data centers for up to one year, temporarily blocking major projects while the state develops stricter regulations for the rapidly expanding industry.

Under an executive order Hochul said she will sign, state regulators will impose a temporary moratorium on issuing new air permits for so-called hyperscale data centers seeking to connect to New York’s electrical grid. The pause is expected to remain in effect for as long as one year.

Explaining the decision, Hochul said, “As data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources, and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’s my responsibility to take action and lead.”

She added, “New York will lead the way in creating the strongest standards in the nation for data center development, ensuring that when companies succeed because of New York, New Yorkers succeed too.”

Demand for massive data centers has surged in recent years, driven largely by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and other computing-intensive technologies. Those facilities consume enormous amounts of electricity, raising concerns about their impact on power supplies and utility costs.

Public opinion appears to favor the temporary pause. A Siena University poll conducted last month found that approximately half of New York voters believe a one-year moratorium on large data centers would benefit the state. Twenty-one percent opposed the proposal, while another 17% said they were undecided.

The temporary freeze applies only to new permit applications and is expected to remain in place while state officials study the industry’s impact and develop a new regulatory framework governing future data center construction.

Hochul said the restrictions will not be permanent. “Once the State finalizes these standards, the moratorium will be lifted, allowing new data center projects to proceed as long as they follow state, zoning code and other local approvals.”

The governor’s executive action is less sweeping than legislation approved earlier this year by the New York State Legislature. That proposal would have imposed additional requirements on data center operators, including paying union-scale prevailing wages and obtaining a significant portion of their electricity from renewable energy sources.

Business organizations strongly opposed the legislative proposal, arguing that the additional mandates would discourage investment and economic development in New York.

{Matzav.com}

What happened at the Jewish Agency Board of Governors — and why it matters for every Torah Jew in the Diaspora

By Rabbi Pesach Lerner • Chairman, Eretz HaKodesh

I walked into the meeting room of the Jewish Agency’s Unity of the Jewish People Committee — a committee on which I sit — and was handed an official statement, already written, already finalized, ready to be voted on. I had never seen it. I was never asked for input. There had been no discussion, no draft circulated, no deliberation of any kind. A committee whose very name invokes the unity of the Jewish people had prepared a statement on that unity while excluding a member of the committee who represents a different voice.

That statement committed the Jewish Agency for Israel to actively work in support of pluralism, to enhance the egalitarian platform at the Kotel, to oppose any change in the Law of Return, and to oppose anything “that undermines Jewish pluralism and weakens the Jewish People.”

The Jewish Agency for Israel is the largest Jewish non-profit organization in the world, serving as the primary link between the State of Israel and Jewish communities globally. It is responsible for facilitating Aliyah, managing global shlichut programs, and strengthening Jewish identity. The organization is funded by global philanthropic efforts, including the Jewish Federations of North America, KKL/JNF, Keren HaYesod, and the Israeli government.

This took place at the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Board of Governors meetings in Tel Aviv, June 28–30, 2026. I have attended many such gatherings as a representative of Eretz HaKodesh, the slate in the World Zionist Congress that speaks for Torah Jewry. I have learned to expect disagreement. What I do not accept — what no one should accept — is a process designed to manufacture the appearance of consensus.

A fait accompli is not deliberation

When the statement was distributed, I raised my hand. I deliberately did not argue content. I argued process. Who wrote this? When did the committee see it? What is the purpose of a committee if its members are handed conclusions? I asked that the item be tabled until the full committee could review it and provide input — the way responsible institutions conduct business. To his credit, World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel supported the request to table. The chair declined, offering instead to “coordinate further discussion” after the vote. A discussion after the vote is not a discussion; it is a courtesy call.

The vote proceeded: seven in favor, two against. Even Natan Sharansky, the former Jewish Agency chairman and a longtime advocate for the egalitarian section at the Kotel, was overheard acknowledging that if the committee had never discussed the statement and had not seen it before the meeting, then the objection was correct, and it was wrong to vote on it.

Hours later, at the closing plenary of the entire Board of Governors, the same statement was brought to the full body. The attendees had not seen it. It was not on the board portal. No copies were distributed. It was not even loaded on the screen when the chair began reading it aloud. I rose again, repeated my concerns, and moved to table the statement until the next meeting so that the governing body of the Jewish Agency could actually govern. The chair called the vote anyway. Perhaps 30-40 hands out of some 200 Board and committee members and invited guests went up in favor — the others likely had no idea what the vote was even about — and the chair was prepared to end the matter there, without even calling for opposing votes, until I insisted the voting process be completed. Votes against came from myself, from Gael Grunewald of the WZO, a member of the Mizrachi faction, who told me plainly that if the committee had only seen the text that afternoon he would vote against on process alone; and from Charles Kaufman of B’nai B’rith, for the same procedural reasons.

Afterward, numerous board and committee members approached me — including people who disagree with everything Eretz HaKodesh stands for. Their message was consistent: I disagree with you, but you were respectful, and the process failed. Thank you for being here. It is time someone challenged the system. Some had even been told I had received the statement weeks earlier; when they learned that was untrue, their response was immediate — then it was wrong to call for a vote.

Who speaks for Diaspora Jewry?

The episode is not an isolated procedural lapse. It reflects a deeper assumption that runs through the National Institutions: that “Diaspora Jewry” holds one set of views, and that the institutions may speak in its name accordingly.

Earlier in the same conference, at the Government Relations Committee, senior staff — who throughout the year review Knesset legislation — presented bills addressing conversion according to halacha and the status quo at the Kotel, and announced, as a matter of course, that the Jewish Agency would work to challenge them. (I later learned that the only Knesset bills that seem to interest them are those addressing halachic conversion and the protection of Kedushas HaKotel. No other Knesset bill, regardless of topic, draws their attention.) I raised my hand there too, and placed on the record a simple fact: there are members of this Board of Governors, and hundreds of thousands of Jews across the Diaspora — if not far more — who want conversion according to halacha and who want the status quo at the Kotel preserved. The Jewish Agency does not speak for all of Diaspora Jewry when it speaks against them.

No one else in the room said it. Someone had to.

What engagement achieves

There will be those who ask: why sit in these rooms at all? First, there are many important things that the Jewish Agency does. Second, the voice of the Torah community must be heard. And the same Board of Governors meeting provided another answer.

For the past year, I and others have pressed the National Institutions on a painful and neglected problem: Lone Soldiers who complete their IDF service and return to their countries of origin receive no assistance — none — from the State of Israel, the IDF, the Jewish Agency, the WZO, or KKL. After the recent war, which is still ongoing, nearly every soldier carries wounds, physical or emotional; so many soldiers require medical or mental health attention. Gedolei Yisrael on both sides of the Atlantic have said clearly that a wounded Jewish soldier must be helped as if he were our own child. Working with NEVUT, an American organization founded by Lone Soldiers and their parents, we brought this issue to the attention of the President of Israel, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, senior IDF officers, the Minister of Aliyah and Klita, and the chairmen of the Jewish Agency, WZO, and KKL.

At this Board of Governors meeting, the Jewish Agency announced the creation of a new department: Lone Soldiers of the Diaspora, with its own director, staff, and budget. That is what a seat at the table accomplishes.

It is the same reason my counsel to the Global Jewish Connection Committee — which is mapping every Jewish community of 2,000 or more worldwide for emergency preparedness — was welcomed. I told them: work with Chabad, who are present nearly everywhere and are too often the target of attacks; and do not overlook the Torah communities, who are also often targeted, and whose Hatzalah, Shomrim, gemachs, and crisis-response networks are frequently the best-prepared resources any community has.

On notice

Unity is not achieved by drafting statements behind closed doors and calling snap votes before the room has read the text. Unity is achieved the way Jews have always achieved it — by sitting together, arguing honestly, and respecting the process. A “Unity of the Jewish People Committee” that bypasses its own members is neither unity nor a committee.

Eretz HaKodesh will keep showing up. We will keep raising our hands. We were, at times, a lone voice — but the institutions are now on notice that Torah Jewry is present, can be helpful, and is part of the Jewish people. And they now realize that we are watching, and that we will not be spoken for by others. Judging by how many people sought me out afterward, we are not nearly as alone as the vote count suggests.

Rabbi Pesach Lerner is Chairman of Eretz HaKodesh, a slate representing Torah Jewry in the World Zionist Congress, and serves on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli citizen was arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle 216 kilograms of khat into Italy, where the plant is classified as an illegal narcotic, authorities announced following the seizure at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.

Italian customs officials discovered the shipment hidden inside seven suitcases checked by the passenger, who had arrived on a flight from Israel. In total, authorities confiscated 216 kilograms of khat concealed among the traveler’s luggage.

According to Italian authorities, the passenger was selected for a targeted inspection after giving vague and contradictory answers regarding the purpose of his trip and the details of his planned stay in Italy.

Following a thorough search of the luggage, customs officers uncovered the large quantity of khat, leading to the passenger’s arrest.

Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) said the traveler, who was listed as the sole owner of the luggage containing the leaves, “was reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for violating drug laws. The operation is part of ongoing efforts by police and the Customs and Monopolies Agency to combat transnational illegal trafficking at Italy’s airports and ports.”

The case is the latest in a series of similar incidents involving Israelis attempting to transport khat into European countries, where the substance is prohibited.

In June 2026, customs officials in Warsaw and Krakow arrested two young women after allegedly attempting to smuggle approximately 100 kilograms of khat into Poland through Krakow Airport.

A similar case occurred in December 2025, when two young chareidi women from central Israel, both in their twenties, were arrested at Prague’s international airport after authorities allegedly discovered 96 kilograms of khat in their luggage—48 kilograms packed into each suitcase.

Although khat is widely sold and consumed in countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia, and Yemen, it is subject to strict restrictions throughout the European Union, where its importation, sale, and possession are prohibited under drug laws.

{Matzav.com}

Utah taxpayers may ultimately be forced to spend well over $10 million to fund the legal defense of Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as experts warn that the lengthy and complex death penalty case could stretch on for years.

Legal analysts say the enormous potential cost stems from the unique demands of a capital murder prosecution, where defendants face the possibility of execution and virtually every stage of the proceedings—including years of appeals following any conviction—requires extensive legal work.

Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who is not involved in the case, told The Post that Robinson’s attorneys appear to be pursuing an aggressive strategy aimed at avoiding a death sentence. “are litigating anything and everything to try to bring the prosecution to the table to offer a life-without-the-possibility-of-parole deal,” Rahmani said.

He acknowledged that the legal tactics are expensive but unsurprising. “So yeah, it it is costing taxpayers,” he said of the drawn-out process, which most recently involved Robinson’s preliminary hearings.

Rahmani added, “But what do you expect the defense to do? They’re playing the hand that they’re dealt, right? And it’s not a good hand.”

Robinson, 23, is accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old married father of two and co-founder of Turning Point USA, while Kirk was addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University in Orem in September.

To cover the costs of the prosecution and defense, the Utah County Commission approved an initial $1 million last year to pay both Robinson’s defense attorneys and the prosecutors handling the case, according to Fox News.

By February, however, county officials were already warning that another $1 million in state funding would be required for Robinson’s legal team alone, bringing the anticipated defense costs to at least $2 million. At that point, the county had already paid approximately $349,000 to his attorneys, according to KUTV.

One major reason for the mounting expense is that Robinson has been declared indigent and therefore qualifies under Utah law for court-appointed attorneys with specialized experience in death penalty litigation and appellate practice.

Because those lawyers possess highly specialized expertise, their services come at a premium, with taxpayers responsible for the costs as the case continues to move slowly through the courts while the defense attempts to eliminate the possibility of capital punishment.

Nearly 10 months after the Sept. 10 shooting, Robinson has yet to receive a trial date.

According to Rahmani, Robinson’s attorneys have repeatedly delayed the proceedings by filing numerous motions on a wide range of issues, including repeated efforts to block cameras from the courtroom and attempts to disqualify prosecutors or seek sanctions against them. He believes the objective is to pressure prosecutors into negotiating a plea agreement.

Rahmani compared the strategy to the approach taken in Bryan Kohberger’s quadruple homicide case.

“They’re trying to put pressure on the prosecution to offer a life deal. Like they did in Kohberger,” Rahmani said of his lawyers.

He argued that a plea agreement would dramatically reduce the financial burden on taxpayers. “If the state offered a plea deal and a life sentence, the taxpayers would save millions and millions of dollars,” the expert said, noting it’s usually cheaper to put someone behind bars for life than to sentence them to death because of the cost of the appeals process.

Rahmani also said the pace of the case reflects the deliberate approach of Judge Tony Graf, who is presiding over the proceedings.

“I think all the attention on the case, he doesn’t want to make a mistake or be overturned on appeal,” he said of the judge. “He’s very slow, he’s very thorough, and very deliberate.”

Utah defense attorney Nathan Evershed likewise told The Post that delaying proceedings is a common defense strategy in death penalty cases because additional time can increase the likelihood of reaching a negotiated resolution.

“Usually what happens is that the longer a case can get delayed, the more of a chance there can be an off-ramp or a plea deal,” Evershed said.

He added, “And an off-ramp is harder to find when it’s raw and very, very fraught with emotions. Whereas it’s easier to find when it’s less raw and you’re able to come to the table.”

Evershed agreed that Robinson’s case is likely to become exceptionally expensive due to the anticipated length of the trial, the specialized capital defense team, and the expert witnesses expected to testify during both the guilt and sentencing phases.

“It’s going to cost quite a bit of money to get to that point,” Evershed said. “And the only people that will be paying for that are the taxpayers.”

Last week, Judge Graf presided over several days of preliminary hearings and must now determine whether prosecutors have established probable cause for the case to proceed to trial. In Utah, preliminary hearings serve as an alternative to grand jury indictments.

Those hearings themselves were postponed for two months from their originally scheduled May date. Graf also announced that he will not issue his ruling until after additional arguments are heard in September.

If the judge ultimately finds probable cause, Robinson will then be arraigned before a trial date is scheduled. He remains in custody pending further proceedings.

Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, along with his parents and several family friends, attended the preliminary hearings. During the proceedings, the court viewed graphic video footage of the public shooting. Erika Kirk left the courtroom before the disturbing recordings were played.

{Matzav.com}

The Eidah HaChareidis of yerushalayim is preparing for what organizers expect to be a massive demonstration on Wednesday, Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av, following a public call by the members of the Badatz urging the chareidi public to protest outside the military draft office at Tel HaShomer.

The demonstration comes in response to ongoing efforts to draft bnei yeshivah into the IDF. The Badatz called on the public to gather in order to voice strong opposition to what it described as attempts to undermine lomdei Torah and compel yeshiva students to leave the batei medrash for military service.

According to organizers, thousands of participants—from young bochurim to elderly supporters—are expected to travel from Yerushalayim and other chareidi communities to the Tel HaShomer induction center. The protest is expected to be led by the distinguished members of the Badatz themselves, who are slated to address the gathering and deliver forceful messages of protest.

Individuals involved in planning the demonstration say it is expected to differ markedly from the recent protest held by Chassidei Gur outside Prison 10. During that demonstration, participants maintained strict discipline, concluding the event peacefully after Minchah, the recitation of Tehillim, and remarks by one of the chassidus’ rabbanim.

Israel’s security establishment and police are preparing in force. Large numbers of uniformed and undercover officers, Border Police companies, and specialized units are expected to be deployed around the Tel HaShomer draft office and along the roads leading to the site in an effort to prevent violent confrontations between demonstrators and security forces.

The demonstration is expected to be one of the largest anti-draft protests organized by the Eidah HaChareidis in recent months, coming amid heightened tensions over the government’s efforts to address the status of bnei yeshivah and ongoing disputes surrounding proposed draft legislation.

{Matzav.com}