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The Chabad community is in mourning following the petirah of Rav Yechiel Yerachmiel Nafrestek zt”l, one of the elder chassidim and longtime residents of Kfar Chabad, who passed away Monday morning at the age of 93.

A beloved and respected figure, Rav Nafrestek zt”l was among the earliest settlers of Kfar Chabad and played a central role in building the community from its earliest days. He was widely known for his decades of devoted service as the secretary of the famed Beis Rivkah seminary.

He was born on the 12th of Tammuz 1933 in the town of Siedlce, Poland, to his father, Rav Reuven Dovber Nafrestek zt”l, a talmid of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Warsaw, and his mother, Rebbetzin Chaya Gittel a”h.

With the outbreak of World War II, the family fled to Russia, where under the harsh conditions of Soviet rule, he learned Torah in secret together with his brother, with true mesirus nefesh. During those difficult years of war and starvation, his mother passed away from hunger, leaving the family bereaved.

After the war, as Polish nationals, the family received permission to leave and joined the famed “Great Escape” of Chabad chassidim. They made their way to the displaced persons camp in Pocking, Germany, then to Paris, before ultimately coming to Eretz Yisroel, where they were among the founding residents who established Kfar Chabad in 1949.

In his youth, he learned in the yeshivos of Tomchei Temimim in Pocking, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Lod. After his marriage, he settled in Kfar Chabad and began his lifelong role as secretary of the Beis Rivkah seminary, a position he fulfilled with dedication for many decades.

Rav Nafrestek zt”l was known as a deeply connected chossid to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He was actively involved in the Rebbe’s mivtzoim, especially tefillin, which he carried out with enthusiasm and devotion well into his later years.

Just six months ago, his older brother, Rav Yisroel Aharon Nafrestek zt”l, one of the elder residents of the village, was niftar. The two brothers, who endured the hardships of the war together and later helped build Chabad institutions in Eretz Yisroel, stood as a living symbol of a remarkable generation.

He leaves behind a distinguished family following the path of Torah and chassidus.

His sons: Rav Shmuel Yaakov, Rav Shlomo Dovid, Rav Yisroel, and Rav Yosef Yitzchok.

His daughters: Mrs. Bloy, Mrs. Halperin, Mrs. Nafrestek, and Mrs. Weinberg.

The levaya was held at his home at 19 Toras Shmuel Street in Kfar Chabad, and at the Shamgar Funeral Home en route to Har HaZeisim in Yerushalayim.

Tehei nishmaso tzerurah b’tzror hachaim.

Three chareidi teenagers who became stranded overnight on the cliffs of Nachal Darga were safely rescued Monday morning in a coordinated aerial operation involving emergency and rescue forces.

The rescue was carried out by an airborne team from the Lehava unit, working together with a police helicopter from the aerial division, after the teens were stuck for hours on a steep and dangerous slope at a location known as Point 12 in the Darga cliffs.

The boys had set out on a Chol Hamoed hike despite the ongoing war and found themselves unable to continue along the route, leaving them stranded in difficult terrain throughout the night.

Rescuers executed a complex extraction under challenging conditions, with the helicopter hovering low to the ground in a maneuver known as “hovering,” allowing the team to lift the teens into the aircraft.

Once the rescue was completed, the helicopter transported them to a designated evacuation point, where medical personnel were waiting. The teens were found to be in good condition and did not require hospitalization, leaving the scene on their own.

Police said the incident was first reported at 1:30 a.m., when it was learned that three youths were stuck along the southern slope of Nachal Darga with no ability to proceed. A small team of volunteers from the Megillos Dead Sea Rescue Unit established contact with the teens and pinpointed their location. It was then decided that the rescue would be carried out at first light.

At daybreak, a police helicopter was dispatched to locate and extract the teens, while an additional support team from the unit’s technical rescue division was positioned at the Nachal Darga landing zone as backup.

The operation was conducted in coordination with multiple agencies, including the IDF’s height rescue division, the Israel Police air unit, the Lehava unit, regional fire and rescue services from the Binyamin station, United Hatzalah, and volunteers from the regional rescue unit.

IDF forces from the Nachal Brigade have eliminated the three terrorists responsible for the deaths of four elite reconnaissance soldiers in southern Lebanon, in close-range combat operations, the IDF confirmed.

Troops from the Nachal Reconnaissance Unit have been continuing operations in the southern Lebanon sector, where they are engaged in targeting terrorists, locating weapons, and dismantling terror infrastructure as part of ongoing military activity.

During these operations, the unit successfully tracked down and killed the three terrorists responsible for the deaths of Capt. Noam Madmoni, Sgt. First Class Ben Cohen, Sgt. First Class Maxim Antis, and Sgt. First Class Gilad Harel z”l.

The terrorists were eliminated in direct, face-to-face combat, and subsequent intelligence verification confirmed that they were indeed the individuals behind the deadly attack on the four soldiers.

The IDF emphasized that its forces will continue operating in southern Lebanon with the goal of protecting Israeli civilians, particularly residents of the northern communities.

Commenting on the developments, Nachal Brigade Commander Col. Erik Moyal said, “Our mission is clear — to defend the residents of the north. We paid a heavy price in recent days with the loss of four reconnaissance soldiers, but we succeeded in eliminating those terrorists and will continue moving forward.”

Iran has shifted to a decentralized, guerrilla-style method of warfare similar to Hezbollah, increasing attempts to target aircraft with dispersed missile launches, according to an Israeli Air Force official, as aerial operations continue under heightened risk.

The development comes in the wake of last Friday’s downing of an American fighter jet over Iran and the subsequent rescue of its crew, underscoring the dangers facing air forces operating in the region.

A senior source in the Israeli Air Force told Walla that from the very beginning of Operation “Shaagas HaAri,” and continuing through the present, the missions have involved significant and ongoing danger. He noted that new threats are constantly emerging, requiring continuous effort to detect and neutralize them.

“There is relentless, difficult, and deep work in the Air Force, 24/7, to identify and locate threats (surface-to-air missiles). Every day, new threats appear like mushrooms after the rain, with new capabilities that the Iranians are bringing into the arena during the war. We experience this constantly. We are in a learning race with a smart enemy.”

He added that Israeli aircraft continue to operate under persistent threat conditions. “We are flying under threat. We flew throughout March and April, and we continue to fly under threat. This is a daily war. We must be able to reflect the threats and not fly into them — not to send our pilots and aircraft into danger — all while understanding that there are missions that must be carried out.”

According to the official, Iran has increasingly adopted a guerrilla-style approach, launching missiles from multiple dispersed locations rather than relying on centralized systems. “In the end, such a missile can hit an aircraft. Its efficiency as a system is lower, but in the end, one missile hitting a plane is enough to bring it down.” He noted that Israeli aircraft are indeed facing numerous surface-to-air missile launches from the ground.

Addressing the effort to neutralize these threats, the source said that the campaign against Iran’s surface-to-air missile systems is ongoing and far from complete. “It was not decided in the opening strike. The opening strike gave us an excellent starting point, but there are risks, and just as an American aircraft was downed, we too could lose an aircraft.”

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A tense and stormy discussion unfolded overnight in Israel’s security cabinet over the High Court’s involvement in decisions regarding large-scale protests and access for mispallelim at the Kosel against the backdrop of ongoing security threats and Home Front Command restrictions.

Several ministers sharply criticized the court’s intervention, insisting that such decisions must remain solely in the hands of security authorities. Justice Minister Yariv Levin said, “A decision must be made that it is not the court that determines, but only the Home Front Command.” He added that the police must follow the directives of security officials alone, stating, “It is inconceivable that a court ignores the security authority.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir echoed that position but stressed the importance of equal treatment. “Where the Home Front Command permits, there cannot be discrimination between Habima protesters and those ascending to the Mount or coming to the Kosel,” he said. He added that once demonstrations were permitted in Tel Aviv, authorities should explore ways to allow tefillah at the Kosel and Har Habayis in a secure and responsible manner.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar supported Levin’s remarks but emphasized that the ultimate authority lies with the government. “It is the government that decides, not the Home Front Command. Our considerations are broader,” he said.

Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu also criticized the High Court’s conduct, saying, “They have created a situation where everything is now open.” He added that he intends to convey a clear message that the Home Front Command must be the deciding authority on security matters, questioning, “How can a court intervene in this?”

Levin reinforced Netanyahu’s concerns, warning of the potential consequences. “They bear no responsibility — if civilians are harmed by a missile strike, that responsibility falls on us,” he said.

Ben Gvir expanded his criticism to include the state prosecution, arguing that it is not faithfully representing the government’s position. “The prosecution is also rebelling and is not presenting our position to the court,” he said, noting that he felt compelled to appear personally in order to present his stance. “This is not normal — the prosecution is supposed to represent us.”

Deputy Attorney General Sharon Afek responded by clarifying that no final ruling has yet been issued by the High Court and that an additional hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Iran is preparing for a sustained conflict and does not intend to accept the conditions being set by the United States and Israel, according to a report citing regional diplomatic sources.

An Arab diplomat involved in ongoing contacts between Tehran and Washington said Iranian leadership believes it can continue fighting for an extended period and ultimately end the war on terms more favorable to itself. The report was presented Monday morning on a news program on Israel’s Kan public broadcaster.

According to the diplomat, this assessment is not only being conveyed publicly but is also firmly held behind closed doors within Iran’s leadership. Officials in Tehran view the demands coming from Washington and Jerusalem as tantamount to surrender, and for that reason have not even responded to President Donald Trump’s reported 15-point proposal.

The same source said Iranian officials believe they have the capacity to withstand a prolonged military campaign while inflicting even greater damage on Israel, the United States, and other countries in the region.

As a result, diplomatic circles in the Middle East are increasingly pessimistic about the chances of de-escalation, with officials warning that only an extraordinary development is likely to prevent further escalation of the conflict.

Two Republican election officials say they expect legal challenges to succeed against President Donald Trump’s executive order placing new limits on mail-in voting, raising doubts about whether the policy will withstand scrutiny in court.

Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt and former Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer both indicated that lawsuits already filed against the order are likely to prevail.

Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week,” Schmidt emphasized the importance of clarity and consistency in election procedures. “We want voters to know that the election is going to be free, fair, safe, and secure, and that everyone knows what the rules are prior to going into this,” Schmidt said. “So confusion is never a positive thing unless you are seeking to sow distrust in the outcome of an election,” Schmidt said.

Trump’s executive order calls for the federal government to assemble lists of verified U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state and to use federal databases to assist state officials in confirming voter eligibility.

The directive also instructs the U.S. Postal Service to deliver ballots only to individuals listed on each state’s approved mail-in voting rolls and mandates that election-related records be retained for a period of five years.

Opposition to the measure has quickly mounted. A group of Democratic state attorneys general announced Friday that they had filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston challenging the legality of the order. The case is one of several brought by Democratic organizations and voting rights groups seeking to block its implementation.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is also involved in litigation against the order, said the courts are likely to act swiftly. “We’re going to work as hard as we can to make sure that this is a free and fair election,” Jeffries said on “This Week.” “That executive order is unlawful and unconstitutional. We’ve already filed litigation, and we expect that it will be declared so in short order by the courts,” Jeffries said.

Richer, who oversaw elections in Arizona’s Maricopa County for several years, described the executive order as unnecessary, noting that his state already incorporates many of the safeguards the administration is seeking to implement nationwide. Arizona has “some of the underlying features that President Trump aspires to have in all elections,” Richer said. “While I agree with some of the elements in the executive order and some of the aspirations, the form does matter.”

The White House, however, has defended the move, maintaining that the order is designed to bolster election security and ensure that only eligible citizens are able to vote.

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President Donald Trump indicated Sunday that deploying U.S. ground forces in Iran remains a possibility if Tehran refuses to agree to terms that include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring escalating pressure as negotiations appear uncertain.

Speaking to The Hill, Trump declined to rule out the use of ground troops when pressed on the issue. “Normal people would make a deal. Smart people would make a deal,” Trump said. “If they were smart, they would make a deal.”

Earlier in the day, the president issued a stark warning to Iran, giving its leadership a 48-hour window to either reach an agreement or reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, a vital route through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply flows.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one in Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the … Strait, you crazy …., or you’ll be living in Hell, JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

The warning followed another post the day before in which Trump emphasized the narrowing timeline for a resolution. “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out, 48 hours before all Hell will rain down on them. Glory be to GOD!”

Trump also made clear that, absent an agreement, potential U.S. targets would not be limited, suggesting a broad range of infrastructure could be struck if diplomacy fails.

In a separate, brief post Sunday, Trump added to the tension with a cryptic message: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time.” The White House has not yet clarified the meaning of the statement.

While continuing to issue strong warnings, Trump has at times offered a more optimistic outlook on the prospects for a deal. In remarks to Fox News on Sunday, he suggested an agreement could be reached as soon as Monday, while telling Axios that a resolution might come by Tuesday, even as he maintained a hardline stance.

“There is a good chance, but if they don’t make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there,” he told Axios.

Last week, Trump projected that the confrontation with Iran could conclude within two to three weeks, aligning with an earlier administration estimate of a four- to six-week timeframe following the outbreak of hostilities on February 28.

However, the potential introduction of U.S. ground forces could complicate those expectations. While many Republicans have backed the administration’s approach, some have expressed reservations about committing American troops on the ground in Iran, according to The Hill.

A former hostage held by Hamas in Gaza has shared a powerful and deeply moving account of his captivity, describing moments of intense suffering alongside unwavering emunah and clear experiences of hashgacha pratis, in an interview with the Hidabroot Channel.

Rom Braslavski spoke candidly about one of the darkest points during his captivity, when he grappled with thoughts of ending his life, but ultimately held back due to his understanding of Torah values. “I had a suicide mission. I told myself that if the war ends and I’m still here, I won’t commit suicide, because suicide is forbidden, but I will make a suicide party.”

He described a chilling incident in which he briefly had access to a weapon belonging to one of the terrorists. “I grabbed the Kalashnikov, I cocked it. I had about four minutes alone with the gun, I just got cold feet; I couldn’t continue.”

Throughout his time in captivity, Braslavski said he endured severe hardship and repeatedly found himself on the brink of death, yet saw clear signs of Yad Hashem guiding him. “From October 7th until my release, I experienced with my own eyes divine providence. I saw death before my eyes, I even experienced clinical death, and the moment you are saved time and again, I’m alone, and I’m beaten, and I stand in front of a wall, without eyes, without legs, without arms, nothing, you can’t do anything, a hostage.”

Despite everything, he emphasized that his emunah remained strong throughout. “I know that G-d is here with me, and I know that there is a reason for these beatings. That is the price I accept on myself.”

He also reflected on how he observed Yom Tov under impossible conditions, choosing not to eat chometz on Pesach despite extreme hunger and pressure from his captors. “I decided not to eat pitas. When I told him that, he refused, he said I had to eat that pita and a half, and that he wasn’t asking me. What I did was, I was with a Thai hostage. When he brought the food, the Arab would leave, and I would give my pitas to the Thai.”

Asked how he managed to survive with so little sustenance, Braslavski answered simply: “I wasn’t really nourished. I lived on a plate of rice, maybe a bit of beans.”

His account stands as a powerful testament to the strength of emunah and mesirus nefesh even under the most unimaginable circumstances.

Intensive diplomatic efforts are underway involving the United States, Iran, and regional intermediaries to secure a 45-day ceasefire that could open the door to ending the ongoing conflict, according to a report published Sunday night.

Despite the ongoing negotiations, sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the likelihood of reaching even a short-term agreement within the next 48 hours remains low. Still, officials involved view the talks as a last chance to prevent a sharp escalation that could include widespread attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliatory strikes targeting energy and water facilities across the Gulf.

President Donald Trump recently adjusted his timeline for a deal, extending the deadline to “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time” after previously giving Iran a 10-day window to reach an agreement.

Trump said the United States is actively engaged in negotiations and expressed cautious optimism that a resolution could still be achieved. “There is a good chance, but if they don’t make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there,” Trump said.

At the same time, Trump has made clear that failure to secure an agreement could lead to strikes on infrastructure vital to Iranian civilians. Iranian officials have responded with warnings that they would retaliate by targeting critical facilities in Israel and Gulf countries.

According to the report, a coordinated U.S.-Israel military plan aimed at Iran’s energy sector is already prepared, though the extension of the deadline is intended to allow one final attempt at diplomacy.

Negotiations are being carried out through mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, along with indirect communication between Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

A U.S. official involved in the process said that several proposals have been put before Iran in recent days, but none have been accepted so far.

Diplomats are working on a two-stage approach, beginning with a 45-day ceasefire that would allow for broader negotiations, with the possibility of extending the pause if progress is made. A second stage would aim at reaching a permanent resolution to the conflict.

Among the main obstacles are the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the issue of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Mediators are attempting to secure initial, limited concessions from Iran on these matters while also seeking assurances from the United States that any ceasefire would lead to a more lasting agreement.

Iranian leaders, however, have continued to project a defiant stance publicly, signaling reluctance to agree to major concessions under the current circumstances, the report said.

Emergency teams recovered the bodies of two victims early Monday from the ruins of a residential building in Haifa that was struck directly by a heavy Iranian missile, as rescue operations continue for two additional missing individuals believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

Search-and-rescue personnel, together with the Home Front Command, remain actively combing through the collapsed structure in an effort to locate the remaining missing victims. The four individuals initially unaccounted for include an elderly couple, their son, believed to be around 40 years old, and a caregiver.

Home Front Command Chief, Major General Shai Klapper, who arrived at the scene, underscored the severity of the situation and said, “This is an extremely complex site, and there is serious concern for the lives of the missing. We are operating with extreme caution due to the significant engineering and security challenges.”

One of the central challenges complicating the operation is the concern that a portion of the missile that struck the building may not have exploded. The impact caused three floors of the structure to collapse, and while crews have cleared nearby tree-lined streets to allow heavy equipment access, the steep and unstable terrain continues to hinder safe entry to the exact impact zone.

To navigate the dangers, specialized rescue teams and Home Front Command forces are constructing a controlled access passageway—a “tunnel”—using advanced equipment, aiming to reach those trapped without triggering further structural collapse or detonating any unexploded material.

Efforts have recently been concentrated on a specific area within the rubble after a cellphone belonging to one of the missing individuals was discovered. The son, who is from Herzliya, has not responded to repeated calls, and the discovery of the family’s vehicles in a nearby parking area has reinforced the assessment that they were inside the building when it was hit.

In the immediate aftermath of the strike, responders evacuated several victims, including an approximately 82-year-old man in serious condition and a toddler who sustained light injuries. Additional individuals at the scene were treated for shock.

MDA Senior EMT Shevach Rothenshtrych reported from the scene: “When we arrived at the street, we saw a multi-story building that had been hit, with extensive destruction at the scene. Residents who were there told us there were casualties trapped under the rubble on the lower floors. We managed to move large pieces of concrete with our hands and rescued an 82-year-old man from the debris, who was in serious condition but conscious. We provided him with initial treatment at the scene and evacuated him to the hospital in an MDA mobile intensive care unit ambulance while in serious condition. Large MDA teams at the scene are providing medical treatment to several people in mild condition and are prepared to provide medical care to additional casualties if they are located during the searches”

MDA Paramedic Lamas Salameh added, “This is a 7-story building that sustained a direct hit, causing extensive damage. We arrived at the scene with large MDA teams, including ambulances, mobile intensive care units, and MDA medicycles, and began searching the scenes. During the searches, we located an 83-year-old casualty in serious condition who was injured by the destruction. In addition, we treated 3 other casualties in mild condition, as well as several people suffering from anxiety symptoms. We are continuing to search the scenes to ensure there are no additional casualties and will remain on site as required.”

MDA Senior EMT, Tal Shustak, recounted, “Immediately upon receiving the reports at MDA’s emergency dispatch center about a building being hit, we were dispatched in large forces to the scene and saw extensive destruction, including glass, smoke, and concrete scattered across the ground. We rescued an 82-year-old man from the building’s rubble who was in serious condition after being struck by debris. We provided him with medical treatment and evacuated him to the hospital. In addition, we treated three people in mild condition – a 77-year-old woman, a 38-year-old woman, and a 10-month-old baby who suffered a head injury. They were injured by shrapnel, and we provided them with medical treatment. We also treated several people suffering from anxiety symptoms at the scene, and we are continuing to search the area.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rebbetzin Doris (Devorah Leah) Fine a”h, the devoted wife of Rav Mordechai Dov Fine, longtime beloved rov of Congregation Machzikeh Hadas in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who passed away after a prolonged illness.

The rebbetzin had battled health challenges in recent years, and was most recently cared for at Dr. Chuna Liebowitz’s wing at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, NJ.

For over five decades, Rebbetzin Fine stood at her husband’s side as the rebbetzin of Scranton, playing a central role in building and nurturing the kehillah with unwavering dedication.

She was widely known as a remarkable woman whose warmth, kindness, and genuine concern for others left a lasting impression on all who encountered her.

Those who knew her speak of her exceptional chein and her deep ahavas Yisroel. She had a kind word for everyone, a welcoming presence, and a heart that was open to every Yid.

An unforgettable isha kesheirah, she raised an extraordinary family of bnei and bnos Torah, continuing a legacy of commitment to Torah and yiras Shomayim.

Her petirah leaves a profound void in the greater Scranton community and among the many whose lives she touched so deeply.

The levayah will take place Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, New Jersey. The aron will then be flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah there.

For those unable to attend in person, a Zoom will be available. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84080126400?pwd=qjdCpeENqqI8tKb1cWWd5eQkUYdJDP.1, with passcode 469642. Participants may also join by phone at +1 (301) 715-8592 using Webinar ID: 840 8012 6400.

Following the levayah, the aron will be transported to JFK Airport for departure to Eretz Yisroel at approximately 12:00 p.m. from 75 North Hangar Road, Queens, New York, at Cargo D Building 75. A Tehillim gathering is expected to take place at the airport location, with exact timing to be determined based on the arrival and departure schedule.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled that the number of mispallelim permitted to daven at the Kosel may be increased to 100 at any given time, up from the previous limit of 50, while also issuing a conditional order and scheduling a further hearing for Thursday, stating that the earlier discussion “was not exhausted.”

The upcoming hearing will require the state to explain whether current security policies regarding access to the makomos hakedoshim properly balance safety concerns with the right to freedom of tefillah and religion.

The ruling comes amid ongoing restrictions from the Home Front Command, which generally cap gatherings at 50 people. However, in a separate decision, the court allowed a protest in Habima Square in Tel Aviv to proceed with up to 600 participants, creating a sharp contrast between limits placed on demonstrations and those placed on tefillah.

During earlier proceedings, Yonatan Mozes of the High Court petitions department outlined the state’s position, noting that a professional inspection had been conducted that morning to explore possible leniencies. He said experts concluded that the number could be raised to 100 individuals, including staff, based on the capacity of two protected areas at the site, calculated according to a density of 2.5 people per square meter.

Justice Ruth Ronen questioned how many of those permitted would be staff members, but Mozes responded that he did not have that information. He also explained that regarding the Kosel tunnels, the Home Front Command maintains there is concern over blast impact and potential structural collapse, even while recognizing the importance of tefillah.

Justice Yitzchak Amit addressed the tension between competing considerations, noting that while the Home Front Command carries responsibility for safety, broader administrative law principles and the realities of an ongoing war must also be taken into account. He described the issue as one of balance across different locations, emphasizing that freedom of religion is a central value. He added, “I watched the live broadcast of Birkas Kohanim, and it was embarrassing to see the Kosel, the very soul of the Jewish people, standing empty.”

A representative for the petitioners argued that in the past, mispallelim were directed into the Kosel tunnels during sirens, calling into question current claims of danger. He said that Home Front Command guidelines can vary depending on circumstances and suggested that a framework should be developed to allow for broader participation. “The easiest position to take is to forbid,” he said, adding that calculated risks should be weighed alongside the importance of tefillah.

A major legal breakthrough in the United States is paving the way for substantial compensation to victims of terrorism, as a federal appeals court in New York has reinstated a 2015 judgment requiring the Palestinian Authority and the PLO to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of attacks during the Second Intifada in Yerushalayim.

The ruling follows a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2025, which determined that U.S. courts have jurisdiction to hear international terrorism cases involving the Palestinian Authority.

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2004, was brought by ten families affected by terrorist attacks during the Second Intifada. Among the plaintiffs were families who lost children in the Hebrew University cafeteria bombing, victims of the Route 19 bus bombing in Yerushalayim, and individuals wounded in attacks along Jaffa Street.

In 2015, a jury found both the Palestinian Authority and the PLO responsible for the attacks and ordered them to pay $655.5 million in damages. However, that ruling was later overturned on appeal after a court determined that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.

Over the past decade, the victims and their legal team, including attorneys Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and Kent Yalowitz, pursued an extended legal fight that reached the Supreme Court and involved legislative changes passed by Congress. Central to this effort was the enactment of the PSJVTA law, which states that certain actions by foreign entities—such as payments tied to terrorism or continued activity connected to the United States—may be considered consent to U.S. jurisdiction.

In its 2025 decision, the Supreme Court sided with the plaintiffs, ruling that jurisdiction exists. The court highlighted that policies involving payments to individuals responsible for attacks on American citizens create sufficient legal ties to the United States under the new law.

Following that decision, the appeals court was tasked with deciding whether to restore the original judgment or allow the case to be retried. Taking into account the lengthy legal process and Congress’s stated interest in combating terrorism, the court ruled that the law applies retroactively and reinstated the original verdict.

Attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner described the decision as a turning point in the fight against terrorism, saying it restores the victims’ ability to seek compensation after years of legal battles and reshapes the legal landscape by enabling U.S. courts to hear cases that were previously beyond their reach.

Dr. Alan Bauer, who was seriously wounded in a 2002 Yerushalayim attack and is among the plaintiffs, said the path to justice had been long and difficult, but emphasized that the victims remained determined throughout and characterized the ruling as a historic victory.

A former senior CIA official said a sophisticated deception effort may have played a key role in drawing Iranian forces away from a downed U.S. airman, shedding light on how the high-stakes rescue mission unfolded behind enemy lines.

Dan Hoffman, speaking on “The Sunday Briefing,” described reports that the CIA misled Iranian authorities into preparing for a rescue at sea, while the actual extraction was carried out in mountainous terrain.

A post shared by The Sunday Briefing (@sundaybrieffnc)

According to Hoffman, the agency not only helped obscure the real rescue plan but also actively monitored both the stranded airman and Iranian units searching for him.

“The CIA was there to track [the airman’s] location… And then at the same time, the CIA is tracking Iranian security forces, their movements, their efforts to find and fix the location of our airman. And then, at the same time, running this deception operation, an extraordinary operation.”

He emphasized the difficulty of locating the isolated service member in rugged terrain while under pursuit.

“I’ve heard it referred to as looking for a needle in a haystack. I think it’s more like a needle in a stack of needles. Extraordinarily difficult,” said Hoffman.

The remarks come after the early Sunday rescue of a U.S. Air Force weapons systems officer who ejected from an F-15E fighter jet over Iran and remained concealed for roughly a day and a half before being recovered.

Hoffman noted that the airman’s survival likely depended heavily on training received in the military’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) program.

From an intelligence standpoint, Hoffman explained that the deception itself may have been relatively straightforward to execute, relying on known communication channels monitored by Iranian forces.

“The CIA would have looked to find those channels of communication that we know we can exploit that the Iranian security force are listening to. Iran has a… pretty developed cyber capability. And what we would have done is simply supplied some information there, some of it true, to establish the bona fides of the channel that we were using, and then this deception operation would have been run in that channel,” Hoffman said.

{Matzav.com}

Astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission shared a striking image of Earth from deep space as they approached their planned flyby of the Moon, offering a rare glimpse of the planet as a thin crescent against the darkness.

The photo, released by NASA on Sunday, shows only a sliver of Earth illuminated through a window of the Orion spacecraft as the crew continues its historic journey beyond low-Earth orbit.

“One last look at Earth before we reach the Moon,” NASA said in a post on X.

“This view of the Earth was captured on April 5, the fourth day of the Artemis II mission, from inside the Orion spacecraft. The four astronauts will reach their closest approach of the Moon tomorrow, April 6.”

Mission Specialist Christina Koch said the astronauts found a creative way to celebrate while in orbit.

“We wanted to take a minute to commemorate the holiday that we have at this time of year, something that many religions and many cultures hold dear,” Koch said. “It’s a time of emotions such as joy, as well as solemness, honoring what’s going on both in our world and in our religious beliefs.”

The crew took time to recognize a milestone for Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, presenting him with a gold astronaut pin to mark his first spaceflight—a tradition within the astronaut corps.

“We wanted to kick off … by honoring our crewmate, Jeremy Hansen,” the crew said in a video shared by NASA Artemis on X. “We have a longstanding tradition in the astronaut office of the traditional astronaut pin. And when you fly in space, you change from silver to gold. So, we figured today was the perfect day to honor our friend, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, with his flown astro pin.”

Hansen expressed appreciation for the moment and those who made it possible.

“That’s humbling, took a lot of people to make this little representation that we have in the office, this tradition, come to reality for me,” he said. “So a lot of gratitude for all those people. This is a pretty special experience. Thanks for doing this guys.”

Meanwhile, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman pointed to the broader significance of the mission, crediting national leadership for its progress.

“I want to be incredibly clear, we would not be at this moment right now with Artemis II if it wasn’t for President Trump,” Isaacman said. “And we certainly would not have an achievable path now to get back to the lunar surface and build that enduring presence.”

“On my first day on the job during President Trump’s second term, he gave us a national space policy, a mandate to go to the moon with frequency, build the moon base, and do the other things like nuclear power and propulsion so someday American astronauts can plant the stars and stripes on Mars,” Isaacman added.

As the spacecraft approaches the far side of the Moon, mission controllers are preparing for a temporary communications blackout lasting about 40 minutes, during which Orion will lose direct contact with Earth.

Artemis flight director Judd Frieling expressed confidence in the mission’s trajectory despite the expected silence.

“Physics takes over and physics will absolutely get us back to the front side of the moon.”

During the journey, the astronauts are also expected to witness a total solar eclipse from their unique vantage point in space, allowing them to observe the sun’s corona in a way not visible from Earth.

Earlier in the mission, Commander Reid Wiseman shared another image of Earth from orbit, reflecting on the experience.

“There are no words,” Wiseman captioned the photo.

The Artemis II mission marks a major step in NASA’s return to the Moon, with the crew set to complete a close flyby before heading back to Earth.

Iranian state media released images and video on Sunday that it claims show the remains of several American aircraft destroyed by U.S. forces during the operation to extract a downed airman, saying the equipment was intentionally eliminated to keep it out of Iranian hands.

The footage, circulated by Iran’s Fars News agency, appears to depict the burned wreckage of two MC-130J transport planes—each valued at around $100 million—as well as four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters believed to have been used in the mission.

According to reports, the U.S. Air Force established a forward arming and refueling point (FARP) at an abandoned airstrip south of Isfahan, operating deep inside Iranian territory while searching for the stranded crew member whose aircraft was brought down on Friday.

Iranian officials have sought to portray the mission as unsuccessful, drawing comparisons to the failed Operation Eagle Claw during the 1979 hostage crisis, despite U.S. confirmation that the rescue concluded without American casualties.

“The so-called US military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled,” Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said in a statement Sunday.

Tehran has also asserted that the aircraft seen in the released images were shot down by Iranian missile systems.

U.S. officials said the F-15E pilot, a colonel, successfully ejected from the aircraft on Friday and landed in a wooded section of the Zagros Mountains.

After reaching the ground, he moved deeper into the mountainous terrain on foot, activated his emergency locator beacon, and managed to avoid capture for roughly 36 hours before being recovered early Sunday.

Reports indicate that at least nine Iranian personnel were killed during a prolonged firefight lasting several hours as U.S. forces carried out the extraction, after which the officer was transported to a base in Kuwait to receive medical care.

{Matzav.com}

A U.S. Air Force colonel who was shot down over Iran managed to survive severe injuries and evade capture for more than a day, trekking up a steep mountain and hiding while enemy forces searched for him before a high-risk rescue operation brought him to safety.

The officer, whose identity has not been released, endured roughly 36 hours in the rugged Zagros Mountains after his F-15E was downed Friday in hostile territory, remaining concealed while Iranian forces and bounty hunters combed the area.

Despite being wounded, the airman climbed approximately 7,000 feet—more than 1.3 miles in elevation—and took refuge in a narrow crevice, avoiding detection even as search efforts intensified around him, according to The New York Times.

“Thousands of these savages were hunting him down,” President Trump told Axios of the harrowing situation.

Armed with only a handgun, the officer waited for help while transmitting an emergency signal from his position early Sunday, CBS News reported.

Initially, U.S. officials feared the signal might have been part of a trap designed to draw American forces into danger.

Before being rescued, the colonel transmitted a brief and unusual message over the radio, according to a U.S. defense official: “God is good.”

“What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say,” Trump told Axios, referencing the Islamic phrase “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is Great.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later echoed the same words, posting “God is good” on X following the successful recovery.

The pilot of the aircraft had already been extracted shortly after the jet was brought down, leaving the weapons systems officer alone behind enemy lines.

While the full extent of the colonel’s injuries has not been publicly detailed, officials have described them as serious.

Using intelligence resources, including CIA assistance, U.S. forces were able to pinpoint the officer’s exact location and verify that he was still alive, according to The New York Times.

As part of the effort, the CIA reportedly executed a deception plan by circulating false information indicating that the airman had already been rescued and was being transported out of Iran.

When the rescue operation was launched, it involved a large daytime deployment of aircraft, with MQ-9 Reaper drones establishing a defensive perimeter and targeting hostile forces that approached within two miles of the officer’s position, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Roughly 100 special operations personnel took part in the mission, led by SEAL Team 6, with additional support from Delta Force and Army Rangers, the Times reported.

During the operation, U.S. commandos also clashed with local tribal fighters in the area while securing the extraction.

The mission encountered complications when two aircraft positioned near Isfahan became immobilized, forcing additional planes to be sent in to evacuate personnel and destroy the stranded equipment to prevent it from being captured.

After being rescued, the injured officer was flown to Kuwait for further medical treatment.

President Trump, who publicly confirmed the successful mission, said he will hold a briefing with military officials at the White House on Monday afternoon to discuss the operation.