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The Lelover Rebbe lights a Medrura along with hundreds of Chassidim outside the Kever of Reb Duvid of Lelov ZT’L, on his Yartzheit, in the city of Lelov.

When Archwest Capital, a fast-moving real estate lender with 25+ years of experience in real estate finance, partnered with David Altshuler and Jewish Ad Group (JAG), the objective was clear and ambitious: generate high-quality borrower leads — fast. What happened next surpassed expectations. This wasn’t a slow rollout or an experimental test. It was a precision-built, rapid-deployment lead engine, designed and executed […]

Dana Bash: It feels as though in some ways your blaming the victim here. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino: The victims are the Border Patrol agents. I’m not blaming the Border Patrol agents… The suspect put himself in that situation. The victims are the Border Patrol agents there.

Dana Bash: It doesn’t look anything like he is trying to massacre law enforcement.” Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino: In fact, I believe the fantastic training that our law enforcement partners have. The fact that they’re highly trained prevented any specific shootings of law enforcement.

A deer runs gracefully through the backyards of homes in Monroe as heavy snow falls.

Waterbury Hatzolah service team chaining up tires on all response vehicles as they prepare for 18 inches of snow.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

In recent weeks, a glossy new effort has begun making the rounds, complete with polished language and lofty promises, all centered on one seductive phrase: helping bochurim “know Kol HaTorah Kulah” by learning Rambam. It sounds inspiring. It sounds ambitious. It sounds holy. And it is precisely because it sounds so good that it deserves to be challenged, forcefully and without apology.

A bochur is not supposed to be mastering Kol HaTorah Kulah. That may sound jarring to some ears in an age addicted to slogans and shortcuts, but it is a simple truth rooted in mesorah, experience, and common sense.

A bochur is supposed to be learning how to learn.

That is not a semantic distinction. It is the entire foundation of the yeshiva system.

The goal of the formative yeshiva years has never been encyclopedic knowledge. It has never been box-checking or coverage. It has never been about being able to say, “I finished X” or “I know Y.” The goal has always been something far deeper and far less flashy: acquiring the tools, discipline, patience, and intellectual honesty required to engage Torah seriously for a lifetime.

Learning how to learn means grappling with a sugya until it hurts. It means struggling through a Tosafos that refuses to cooperate. It means developing the ability to ask the right questions, to recognize when something does not yet make sense, and to sit with that discomfort rather than paper it over with summaries or surface-level clarity. It means learning a derech halimud, not collecting achievements.

And crucially, it means learning what one’s yeshiva tells him to learn.

The yeshiva system is not an accident. It is not a haphazard assembly of masechtos and meforshim. It is the result of generations of refinement by Torah giants who understood that Torah growth requires structure, restraint, and patience. Bochurim are not free agents building personal Torah portfolios. They are talmidim being shaped, carefully, by a framework designed to produce depth, not breadth.

When a yeshiva chooses a particular masechta, a particular approach, a particular emphasis, it is doing so with one goal in mind: building a ben Torah. Not a walking index. Not a marketing success story. A ben Torah.

The recent push to redirect bochurim toward mastering Rambam under the banner of “knowing Kol HaTorah Kulah” fundamentally misunderstands this. Limud of Rambam is, of course, sacred. Learning Rambam is invaluable. But when, how, and for whom matters. Not every good thing is good at every stage. Not every lofty goal is appropriate for every age. And not every powerful sefer belongs at the center of a bochur’s already demanding and carefully calibrated learning schedule.

What worries me most is not the Rambam itself, but the mindset behind the campaign.

We are increasingly uncomfortable with process. We crave outcomes. We want to be able to say that our bochurim are “doing something,” “finishing something,” “knowing something.” We want neat narratives and impressive claims. And so we invent new tracks, new initiatives, new frameworks, often without asking the most important question of all: Who asked for this?

Our bochurim are already under immense pressure. They are navigating demanding learning schedules, expectations from yeshivos, families, peers, and shidduch systems, all while trying to figure out who they are and how they fit into the world of Torah. The last thing they need is yet another external program whispering in their ear that what they are doing is not enough, that unless they are also “knowing Kol HaTorah Kulah,” they are somehow missing the boat.

That is not encouragement. That is distraction.

And distraction in the formative years is not benign. It pulls a bochur off track, not in dramatic rebellion, but in subtle misalignment. Focus becomes divided. Priorities blur. The message shifts from “immerse yourself fully in your yeshiva’s derech” to “add this on, just in case.” Over time, that erosion matters.

We should be deeply wary of new inventions in chinuch, especially those introduced from outside the yeshiva world and marketed directly to bochurim. Mesorah does not reject innovation out of fear; it rejects it out of responsibility. The burden of proof lies with those who want to change the system, not with those who are protecting it.

There will be a time—many times, in fact—when a Jew can and should broaden his horizons, build bekius, master Rambam, and aspire toward encompassing Torah knowledge. That time is not defined by a catchy campaign or an advertising push. It comes naturally, organically, after the foundations have been laid.

A bochur does not need to know Kol HaTorah Kulah.
He needs to know how to learn Torah.
He needs to know a derech halimud.

How to make a laining – or a “lainis‘ for the old timers – on a Gemara.
He needs to know how to stay on track even when shiny alternatives beckon.

Let us not confuse ambition with wisdom.
Let us not mistake slogans for substance.
And let us not pull our bochurim off the path that generations before us fought so hard to preserve.

Sometimes the most responsible thing we can say to a new idea—no matter how well-intentioned—is simply this: not now, and not for them.

A Simple Yid

The Tri-State

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LAKEWOOD: Drone footage captures the beautiful serenity of Lakewood covered in layers of snow

Prime Minister Netanyahu, Construction and Housing Minister Haim Katz, and Settlement Minister Orit Struck announced at a cabinet meeting the establishment of five new settlements in the Negev. Prime Minister Netanyahu proposed that one of the settlements be named “Rananim,” in memory of Ran Gvili, the last slain hostage still being held by Hamas in […]

Earlier today, the IDF struck a structure in the Bir al-Sansal area of southern Lebanon, which the IDF said was used by Hezbollah terrorists as a weapons manufacturing site. The IDF said it had recently identified terrorist activity at the location. In a separate strike, the IDF targeted additional Hezbollah military infrastructure in the Beqaa […]

Several matzeivos were desecrated at a Jewish cemetery in the Les Corts neighborhood of Barcelona, after headstones were smashed and vandalized by unknown individuals, the Jewish community said. * Photos released by the community show shattered matzeivos and extensive damage to the site. * Israel Foreign Ministry condemned the incident, warning against the normalization of […]

The IDF says that following last week’s exchange of fire with hamas terrorists in Rafah—during which six gunmen were killed—troops discovered military equipment, bomb-making instruction manuals, and at least one explosive device in the area. At a separate location, the military says forces also found five disused rocket launchers.

The IDF says combat engineers recently demolished a four-kilometer-long Hamas tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip. According to the military, the tunnel contained weapons and included several rooms used by terrorists. Demolition work began about a year ago and was completed in recent days.

New details surrounding the death of a Minneapolis protester shot by federal agents have prompted speculation that a firearm may have discharged accidentally, setting off the chain of events that ended with the man’s death during an anti-ICE demonstration.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who had been protesting President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies in Minnesota, was armed with a loaded Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun when he allegedly attempted to interfere as federal agents tried to arrest a woman in public. Authorities said Pretti was legally permitted to carry the firearm.

Footage from the scene shows one federal agent shouting “gun” before seizing the weapon from Pretti. As the agent walks away holding the firearm, another agent abruptly rises and fires several shots, killing Pretti.

Rob Dobar, an attorney representing the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, said he believes the incident may have escalated after the handgun discharged unintentionally once it was taken from Pretti.

“I believe it’s highly likely the first shot was a negligent discharge from the agent in the grey jacket after he removed the Sig P320 from Pretti’s holster while exiting the scene,” Dobar said on X.

The Sig Sauer P320 is a widely used handgun among civilians and law enforcement agencies, including ICE, but it has also faced more than 100 claims alleging it can fire without a trigger pull, often described as “uncommanded” discharges.

Following the shooting, authorities released an image of Pretti’s firearm, showing a fully loaded magazine. The weapon appears to be a customized P320 AXG Combat model, which is typically sold with three 21-round magazines and carries a retail price ranging from $1,100 to $1,300.

Minneapolis police confirmed that Pretti possessed a valid permit to carry the gun. However, the Department of Homeland Security has previously stated that it is “unlawful” for demonstrators or bystanders to bring firearms to protests.

Concerns about the P320 have surfaced in prior legal cases. In November 2021, a jury in Philadelphia awarded U.S. Army veteran George Abrahams $11 million after his holstered pistol fired while he was walking down stairs, leaving him with permanent injuries.

“We’ve been asking Sig for over three years now to recall this gun, to fix it, and frankly to use the same type of safeties that other manufacturers are using that Sig Sauer is not,” the plaintiff’s attorney, Robert W. Zimmerman, said following that verdict.

Sig Sauer, which is based in New Hampshire, has repeatedly defended the firearm. At the time, the company described the P320 as “among the most tested, proven, and successful handguns in recent history,” in a statement posted on its website.

In April 2025, Sig Sauer executive Bobby Cox successfully pushed for legislation in the New Hampshire State House that shields the company from liability lawsuits related to the P320.

Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed the measure into law the following month, despite objections from some Democrats who argued that Sig Sauer should be required to defend its claims in court.

Sig Sauer has maintained that the alleged defect has been addressed and that unintended discharges are extremely rare given the millions of pistols the company has manufactured.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Reuven Hechster, the mashgiach of Yeshivas Mir Brachfeld in Modiin Illit, has been named as mashgiach at Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ, marking a significant development for the largest yeshiva in the United States.

The appointment comes nearly two years after the passing of the longtime Lakewood mashgiach, Rav Mattisyahu Salomon zt”l.

Rav Hechster, a close talmid of his revered rebbi, Rav Nosson Meir Wachtfogel zt”l, mashgiach of Bais Medrash Govoah, will assume the new role while continuing his position in Mir Brachfeld.

According to details that have emerged, Rav Hechster was recently approached with the proposal to take on the Lakewood post and sought guidance from Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch before reaching a decision. Delegations from Modiin Illit appealed for him to remain, citing the many mussar talks and vaadim he delivers in the city, while representatives from Lakewood urged him to come and serve the yeshiva as its mashgiach.

Following consultations with Rav Hirsch, it was decided that Rav Hechster would divide his time between the two mosdos. Under the agreed arrangement, Rav Hechster will spend approximately 20 days each month in Modiin Illit at Mir Brachfeld and 10 days in Lakewood. He is expected to travel to the United States on Sundays following his free Shabbos in Mir Brachfeld to fulfill his responsibilities in Lakewood.

Rav Hechster is widely regarded in the Torah world as a central address for guidance and chizuk, with thousands of avreichim seeking his counsel. In Modiin Illit in particular, he is viewed as a trusted source of direction and inspiration. He was originally appointed as mashgiach of Mir Brachfeld by the late rosh yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l.

In addition to his role at Mir Brachfeld, Rav Hechster delivers a mussar talk every Motzaei Shabbos, gives a weekly vaad on Tuesdays at Kollel Ateres Shlomo attended by hundreds of avreichim, leads a Thursday night vaad for dozens of talmidim at Mir Brachfeld, hosts a Friday vaad for alumni in his home, and conducts a biweekly Sunday vaad at the Mir Ueshiva in Yerushalayim for alumni.

Following the decision of Rav Hirsch, the appointment is set to take effect in approximately a week and a half.

Rav Hechster is expected to arrive at Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood during the week of Parshas Yisro, when he will formally begin his role as mashgiach at the yeshiva.

{Matzav.com}

New York City public school buildings will not open on Monday as Winter Storm Fern moves through the region, though students will still be required to attend classes virtually, according to an announcement by Mayor Mamdani.

The move means that roughly 500,000 students enrolled in the city’s public school system will log in from home rather than report to classrooms, affecting nearly 1,100 schools across the five boroughs as instruction continues online.

“As snowfall begins to blanket our city and conditions become hazardous, closing school buildings is a necessary step to keep New Yorkers safe,” Mayor Mamdani said.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Peretz Plitnik zt”l of Kiryat Sanz, one of the distinguished talmidim of the Mir Yeshiva and the legendary baal tokeia of Rav Yitzchok Hutner, at the age of 91.

Rav Plitnik was laid to rest last night in Yerushalayim. The levayah departed from Beis Medrash Ahavas Torah on Rechov Toras Chesed and continued to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Rav Plitnik a devoted talmid of Rav Hutner and later of his son-in-law, ybl”c Rav Yonasan David, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Pachad Yitzchak. He cleaved to their Torah and derech with every fiber of his being.

All who merited spending time in his presence encountered a living example of the unique tzuras ha’adam instilled in him by his rebbi, a figure of pure yiras Shamayim, blended with refinement, nobility, and an exceptional warmth toward every individual.

For many years, Rav Plitnik set his primary learning in the Mir Yeshiva and was among the pillars of the Ahavas Torah shul.

For decades, Rav Plitnik served as the baal tokeia in the presence of Rav Hutner. The lofty moments of reciting Lamenatze’ach and the tekiyos of the shofar that emerged from the depths of his heart, with awe and humility, remain etched in the memories of his admirers.

Alongside his profound avodas Hashem, Rav Plitnik was especially noted for his deep emunas chachamim. When he was approximately fifty years old, doctors ruled that he required urgent bypass surgery and warned that without it he would not survive. He sought guidance from the gaon Rav Yisrael Eliyahu Weintraub, who told him he could not decide and suggested they go together to the Steipler. After hearing the situation, the Steipler ruled emphatically, “They do not see.” Following those words, Rav Plitnik decided not to undergo the surgery.

Placing his full trust in the Steipler’s declaration, Rav Plitnik was granted many additional decades of life, ultimately passing away peacefully at age 91. With absolute emunah, he merited exceptional longevity in a manner seen by those close to him as beyond the natural order.

Rav Plitnik was zocheh to raise many talmidim and leaves behind a large and beautiful family: his wife, Rebbetzin Rivkah Plitnik, sons and a daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all continuing in his derech.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

A debate over what is driving the surge of antisemitism across Europe erupted into a very public confrontation between two prominent Jewish figures, drawing in tech mogul Elon Musk and pitting a senior US official against one of Europe’s most prominent rabbis.

The dispute stems from comments made Wednesday at the World Economic Forum, where Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, spoke during a panel focused on antisemitism, extremism, and social cohesion.

Asked about the sharp increase in antisemitic incidents in Germany and elsewhere, Rabbi Goldschmidt said the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel had sparked a dramatic global spike in antisemitism. He pointed to what he described as coordinated and even state-backed activity appearing on university campuses and in public arenas.

Rabbi Goldschmidt also connected political shifts across Europe to unease surrounding immigration.

“I think the rise of the extreme right in many European countries is a response to the insecurity felt by the so-called old Europeans regarding the new immigrants who came from the Middle East,” he said.

He further argued that Jews and Muslims share a common interest in confronting both antisemitism and Islamophobia, citing past interfaith efforts that he said helped strengthen social cohesion.

Those remarks quickly drew criticism from Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the US special envoy tasked with monitoring and combating antisemitism, who challenged Rabbi Goldschmidt’s framing in a series of posts on X. The criticism marked one of Kaploun’s first high-profile public interventions since his Senate confirmation in December.

“Blaming ‘old Europe’ for the present surge in antisemitism is disgraceful,” Kaploun wrote, asserting that mass migration has been a central factor in recent antisemitic violence and threats to Jewish communities.

“I am proud to serve in an administration that understands that mass migration is a huge driver of antisemitism,” Kaploun added. “It creates dramatic social changes and threatens the safety of all citizens. This administration, led by President Trump and Secretary Rubio, recognizes and confronts today’s challenges with clarity. Mass migration itself threatens the safety of Jews and all communities.”

The exchange gained wider attention after Musk, who owns X, reposted Kaploun’s comments and added his own endorsement, writing, “Exactly. Thank you for speaking up,” effectively propelling the dispute beyond internal Jewish leadership circles.

Rabbi Goldschmidt responded within hours, pushing back against Kaploun’s interpretation and saying his words had been misconstrued. He insisted that he had not blamed European society for the rise in antisemitism and stressed that he sees the phenomenon as emerging from multiple ideological streams.

“I never blamed ‘old Europe’ for the current rise in antisemitism,” Rabbi Goldschmidt wrote, explaining that his comments in Davos were meant to describe political reactions to immigration trends, not to justify or excuse antisemitic violence.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani found himself on the receiving end of online criticism after issuing a broad snowfall estimate ahead of the winter storm to hit the region today, reviving memories of past City Hall missteps during major weather events.

The mayor’s warning that the city could see anywhere from “3 to 16 inches of snow” prompted disbelief and sarcasm on social media, with critics questioning the usefulness of such a wide range.

“3-16, way to narrow down the forecast,” one user on X commented.

Others were less restrained in their reaction to the estimate.

“Saying that NYC is going to get between 3 and 16 inches of snow is nonsense,” another person said. “That tells you absolutely nothing. Citing numbers with a probability range of 5% to 95% is idiotic and moronic.”

A third commenter speculated humorously about the numbers themselves.

“Maybe they forgot the 1 in front of the 3? Idk ?” another well-meaning commenter suggested.

Mamdani released the forecast around 4:30 p.m. as the city was already under a winter storm watch from the National Weather Service, which projected a narrower range of 6 to 12 inches of snowfall.

“NYC is forecasted to get 3–16 inches of snow this weekend. And we’re ready,” Hizzoner wrote.

Along with the snowfall alert, Mamdani said the city would activate a Code Blue warning, a measure taken during extreme cold that relaxes capacity limits at homeless shelters to keep people off the streets overnight.

“Tomorrow, we’ll begin pre-snow treatment, brining highways and major streets. Once the storm hits, @NYCSanitation and city workers will be out around the clock, keeping our city moving,” his post read.

The storm system, known as Winter Storm Fern, is expected to reach the tri-state area today, with snowfall potentially lingering into Monday.

Should accumulations reach or exceed 12 inches, it would mark the heaviest snowfall in New York City since February 2021, when 16.8 inches were recorded in Central Park.

Major snow events have long carried political consequences at City Hall, where past mayors have faced scrutiny over how the city handled severe winter weather.

In November 2018, a storm that dumped only about 6 inches of snow brought much of the city to a standstill, triggering widespread criticism of municipal preparedness.

Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio later attributed the city’s struggles during that storm to “bad luck” rather than flawed planning.

His predecessor, Mike Bloomberg, also endured political backlash after a massive blizzard in December 2010 severely disrupted city services. Bloomberg later described that episode as a “character building” experience.

{Matzav.com}