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Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is facing a recommended misdemeanor hit-and-run charge after authorities say he struck a parked vehicle in Napa County and drove away before his own damaged car came to a stop a short distance later.

According to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a reported hit-and-run on Yount Street in Yountville at approximately 2:30 p.m. on July 3.

Investigators said a witness called 911 after seeing a northbound convertible crash into the rear of a parked vehicle on the side of the road. The impact caused extensive damage and forced one of the parked car’s tires onto the curb.

The witness told deputies that the driver briefly stopped after the collision before leaving the scene.

Authorities later located Pelosi, 86, who acknowledged that he had struck something but told officers he did not realize what he had hit. He continued driving until his vehicle became disabled because of the damage sustained in the crash.

Deputies found Pelosi’s brown convertible partially obstructing the roadway on Yountville Cross Road. Officers observed significant damage to the front passenger side of the vehicle.

Investigators determined that alcohol did not play a role in the incident. Pelosi voluntarily submitted to a preliminary alcohol screening test, which registered a blood alcohol content of 0.00. Police said that “therefore, Driving Under the Influence was ruled out.”

Pelosi was not taken into custody. The sheriff’s office explained that “is common for this type of offense, in accordance with misdemeanor arrest laws spelled out in 853.6 of the California Penal Code.”

The investigation has been forwarded to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review. Authorities also said they will submit a driver re-examination referral to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, a procedure commonly used in cases involving elderly motorists.

A spokesperson for the Napa County Sheriff’s Office told The California Post that investigators are recommending a misdemeanor charge of property-damage hit-and-run without injuries under California Vehicle Code 20002.

The Pelosi family owns a vineyard estate in nearby St. Helena, roughly 10 miles north of Yountville. The 16-acre Zinfandel Lane property includes a residence and a licensed winery and generates revenue through grape production.

In a statement to The California Post, a spokesperson for Pelosi said, “Mr. Paul Pelosi has personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle.”

The spokesperson added, “Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.”

Pelosi has previously spoken publicly about issues affecting the area surrounding the family’s vineyard. According to the Los Angeles Times, he once opposed a neighboring winery’s proposed expansion and also raised concerns about speeding on the local roads.

“One thing I would like to say while here, though,” he said, “all of us are concerned about the speed limit on Zinfandel Lane.”

Pelosi first became the focus of national attention in 2022 after an intruder broke into the couple’s San Francisco home and assaulted him with a hammer, causing a fractured skull.

The attacker, David DePape, had been searching for Nancy Pelosi, who was away on official business at the time of the attack.

Earlier that same year, Pelosi was involved in another crash in Napa County while driving his Porsche. Responding officers reported that he appeared intoxicated, alleging that he smelled strongly of alcohol, had difficulty maintaining his balance, and slurred his speech.

A blood alcohol test later measured his blood alcohol concentration at 0.082%. Pelosi subsequently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge involving injuries.

Pelosi has also drawn public attention over financial transactions. In 2021, he reportedly earned approximately $5.3 million through Alphabet stock options that he had acquired on February 27, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the U.S. economy. The timing of the investment prompted questions from critics about possible insider trading because of his connection to a senior member of Congress.

{Matzav.com}

A series of suspected antisemitic attacks shook Montreal’s Outremont neighborhood over Shabbos night, as individuals riding in a vehicle allegedly targeted visibly Jewish pedestrians, stealing three shtreimlach and assaulting several victims in what authorities are investigating as a hate crime.

The incidents began at approximately 10:00 p.m. when a car carrying several suspects drove through the neighborhood, apparently seeking out chassidic Jews. According to reports, the group repeatedly stopped to harass pedestrians and snatch their shtreimlach before speeding away.

The first attack occurred near Mehudar, where one of the suspects exited the vehicle and struck a passerby’s shtreimel. When the victim shouted for help, nearby pedestrians rushed toward the scene, prompting the suspect to flee back into the waiting vehicle before he could take the fur hat. As the car sped away, it narrowly missed hitting another pedestrian.

The same vehicle was later linked to three additional attacks throughout the neighborhood. In three of the incidents, the suspects succeeded in stealing shtreimlach, while a fourth attempt was unsuccessful. During the spree, one victim was spat on, and another was struck by a thrown beverage can.

Members of the community pieced together the reports and concluded that the same vehicle and group of suspects were responsible for all of the incidents.

Police have launched an investigation and are treating the attacks as suspected hate crimes.

{Matzav.com}

A Bnei Brak resident was arrested Sunday after police discovered seven illegal aliens concealed inside his vehicle during a targeted enforcement operation at the Rantis crossing.

Detectives from the Ariel Police Station, operating under the Shomron District, stopped the vehicle as part of an operation aimed at preventing the illegal entry of unauthorized individuals into Israel.

According to police, the driver—a man in his 30s from Bnei Brak—was allegedly transporting seven illegal aliens who had been hidden inside the vehicle in an apparent attempt to evade detection. Several were concealed behind the rear seat, while others were found covered with a blanket in the trunk.

Police arrested both the driver and the seven passengers at the scene. All were taken to the Ariel Police Station for questioning.

In a statement, Israel Police stressed that it will continue aggressively enforcing laws against the illegal entry of unauthorized individuals into the country and against anyone who assists them.

“Israel Police will continue to act decisively and with zero tolerance against the entry of illegal aliens into the State of Israel and against anyone who assists them. Such individuals are often involved in criminal or security-related offenses. We remind the public that transporting illegal aliens is a serious criminal offense punishable by imprisonment,” the statement said.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu recently met with Yehoshua Sherman, a representative of the “Homeward – Returning to the Homeland” forum, who presented a sweeping proposal aimed at dramatically expanding Jewish settlement into portions of Judea and Samaria currently under Palestinian Authority control.

The initiative calls for the establishment of 100 new Jewish communities in Area A of Judea and Samaria, a region that, under the Oslo Accords, is under both the civil and security control of the Palestinian Authority.

The Oslo framework divided Judea and Samaria into three administrative zones. Area A falls under full Palestinian Authority control, Area B is administered civilly by the PA while remaining under Israeli security control, and Area C is under full Israeli civil and military authority. While Arabs are permitted to reside and work throughout all three areas, Jewish communities are currently limited to Area C, and Israelis who enter Area A face serious security risks.

During the meeting, Sherman outlined the details of the plan, explaining that the proposed communities would be built exclusively on undeveloped land, eliminating the need to evacuate existing residents.

Sherman also expressed appreciation to Netanyahu for what he described as the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Jewish settlement throughout Judea and Samaria, including the establishment of new farms and communities, and urged the prime minister to adopt the broader initiative.

The “Homeward – Returning to the Homeland” forum was founded approximately two months ago by Eliav Libi, a pioneer in the Judea and Samaria agricultural settlement movement whose son, David Libi, was killed while fighting in Gaza, together with Yehoshua Sherman, whose son, Yehuda Shmuel Sherman, was murdered in a terrorist attack near the Shuva Israel farm in the Shomron approximately three months ago.

{Matzav.com}

Newly analyzed documents detailing communications between Hamas and Hezbollah leaders reveal that Yahya Sinwar spent years trying to orchestrate a coordinated regional assault on Israel, believing Hezbollah would launch a massive offensive alongside Hamas once the war began.

The documents, examined by researchers at the Amit Terrorism and Intelligence Research Institute and published Sunday by Doron Kadosh of Galei Tzahal, shed new light on Sinwar’s extensive strategic discussions with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the years preceding the October 7 massacre.

According to the documents, Sinwar presented Nasrallah with multiple operational plans for attacking Israel, not just a single proposal. Each envisioned cooperation among members of the Iranian-backed regional alliance, although the degree of participation varied from one scenario to another.

Even in the less ambitious proposals, one strategic objective remained unchanged. Sinwar consistently viewed Israel’s border with Jordan as a critical battlefield in any future conflict, alongside the traditional fronts in Gaza and Lebanon.

The correspondence indicates that as early as June 2022, Sinwar advocated for a coordinated assault in which guerrilla forces would infiltrate Israel simultaneously from Syria and Jordan. He believed opening multiple fronts at once would overwhelm Israel’s military and force it to divide its resources across several theaters of combat.

The exchanges also suggest that Nasrallah responded favorably to the proposals. According to the documents, he described one of the plans as a “realistic scenario that can be realized.” Nasrallah reportedly said he intended to present the proposal to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for approval. Despite that, the plans did not envision direct Iranian military involvement, with Tehran expected to remain outside the fighting itself.

Researchers concluded that Sinwar became increasingly confident after each meeting with Hezbollah’s leadership. He came away believing that Nasrallah was committed to participating in a major war and that Hezbollah would assume a central role once hostilities began.

By June 2023, Sinwar was expressing that confidence publicly within Hamas leadership circles. During a meeting of Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza, he declared, “In recent months, we have succeeded in bringing Hezbollah and the Iranians out of their ‘psychological deterrence’ mindset that has existed since 2006 in the Dahieh. Now the Iranians and Hezbollah are prepared…” The documents indicate that Sinwar believed both Hezbollah and Iran had become increasingly willing to confront Israel directly.

His confidence only grew as October approached. Addressing Hamas’s Shura Council in August 2023—roughly six weeks before the attack—Sinwar predicted that the conflict would rapidly spread throughout the region.

“We are certain that if the great strategic battle breaks out, God willing, many fronts will be opened against this enemy,” he told the gathering.

Not everyone within Hamas shared that optimism. Internal military intelligence assessments painted a more cautious picture, warning that Hezbollah still faced a significant “psychological barrier” when it came to entering a large-scale war with Israel. The intelligence analysis suggested Hezbollah remained hesitant despite Sinwar’s assurances to Hamas’s leadership.

Nevertheless, the documents indicate that Sinwar never altered his expectations. He remained convinced that Nasrallah would honor their understandings and enter the war immediately once Hamas launched its offensive.

According to the report, at 6:29 a.m. on October 7, shortly after Hamas began its assault, Sinwar sent an urgent message to Nasrallah apologizing for not informing him beforehand of the exact timing of the operation while pleading for Hezbollah to join the battle without delay.

“We ask for support and assistance,” Sinwar wrote before urging Hezbollah to “hurry and take part… in concentrated rocket bombardments… and begin a major ground offensive.”

The report, first revealed by Israeli journalist Ben Caspit, indicates that one of Sinwar’s immediate priorities during the opening hours of the massacre was to transform the conflict into a broad regional war by bringing Hezbollah into the fighting at full strength.

That plan never materialized.

Although Hezbollah eventually entered the conflict a day later, its involvement remained far more limited than Sinwar had anticipated. Rather than launching the sweeping invasion he envisioned, Hezbollah confined its operations to a much narrower campaign along Israel’s northern border.

Researchers concluded that the documents highlight a striking disconnect between Sinwar’s expectations and reality. While he believed the October 7 assault would almost automatically trigger simultaneous attacks on multiple fronts, that scenario never fully developed.

The analysis concludes that although the October 7 massacre itself represented an unprecedented terrorist attack and intelligence failure, the consequences could have been substantially more devastating had Hezbollah executed the full-scale offensive Sinwar expected. According to the report, Hezbollah’s decision not to immediately launch a major assault likely spared communities throughout the Galilee from a far broader and more destructive attack.

Israeli Finance Committee Chairman MK Hanoch Milwidsky launched a scathing attack on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, accusing her of waging a campaign against the Torah world through measures affecting yeshivos that enroll students whose military status has not been resolved.

Milwidsky’s comments came in response to reports that the Israel Tax Authority has begun implementing new procedures requiring dozens of yeshivos and Torah institutions to certify that none of their students have unresolved military obligations if they wish to retain tax benefits for donors. The move follows guidance issued earlier this year by Baharav-Miara.

Speaking with Kol Barama Radio, the Likud lawmaker claimed the policy was politically motivated.

“The Attorney General’s witch hunt against the Torah-learning community is intended to discourage it, harm it, and distance it from the ballot box.”

Milwidsky went on to accuse the attorney general of deliberately targeting one of Israel’s most vulnerable communities.

“She is abusing this community because it’s easy and because she can. She does not hesitate to harm children, she does not hesitate to harm the weak. She does not hesitate to support, if not participate in, the fabrication of cases against our soldiers during wartime.”

He concluded his remarks with a blistering personal condemnation of Baharav-Miara and predicted she would one day face consequences for her actions.

“She is a cursed woman, a terrible woman, and as for the damages she causes, I am certain she will ultimately be held accountable somewhere. I doubt it [will happen] here, because no one here will judge her until we carry out comprehensive judicial reform, but I am certain there are greater forces.”

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli government on Sunday approved a comprehensive new initiative proposed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that will provide continued assistance to survivors of the October 7, 2023, massacre at the southern music festivals, committing tens of millions of shekels toward their long-term rehabilitation, mental health care, and economic recovery.

The program allocates approximately NIS 60 million for the years 2026 through 2028 and is intended to ensure that thousands of survivors and their families continue receiving coordinated support as they rebuild their lives in the years following the Hamas attack.

The plan was developed under the direction of the Prime Minister’s Office following extensive work involving multiple government ministries, analysis of available data, consultations with survivors and their families, and discussions with medical, mental health, and rehabilitation professionals.

Officials said the new initiative reflects the transition from the immediate emergency response following the October 7 attack to a longer-term strategy focused on sustained recovery and rehabilitation.

Government data indicates that roughly 3,600 survivors of the southern festivals have been officially recognized as victims of hostile acts. According to the government, the high rates of physical injuries and long-term disabilities among survivors demonstrate the need for continued specialized treatment and support.

Under the approved plan, each survivor will have access to a centralized government support system that will help navigate available benefits, coordinate therapeutic services, and ensure continuity of rehabilitation through the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs.

The initiative also expands assistance for family members, recognizing their critical role in helping survivors recover from the trauma.

Among the additional measures included in the program are specialized prevention, intervention, and treatment initiatives addressing substance abuse among survivors, expanded medical and mental health services, and improved access to emergency psychological care for both survivors and their families.

The government also plans to strengthen long-term continuity of care by better coordinating physical and mental health services and ensuring that treatment plans remain integrated across agencies.

To help survivors return to the workforce, the program calls for individualized rehabilitation and employment pathways developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, the Employment Service, and Israel’s National Insurance Institute.

In addition, officials will continue expanding a centralized government digital platform designed to coordinate services among agencies, assist survivors in accessing their rights and benefits, manage data, and provide policymakers with updated information for future decisions.

The government also announced that the existing committee of ministry directors-general overseeing the recovery effort will continue its work. A dedicated official within the Prime Minister’s Office has been appointed to coordinate implementation of the program, monitor its progress, and ensure that government services continue evolving to meet the changing needs of survivors and their families.

Officials said the goal of the initiative is to provide long-term, coordinated, and accessible support so that survivors of the southern music festivals continue receiving the care and assistance they need as they work toward recovery and a return to normal life.

Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev disclosed Sunday that Israel transferred Iron Dome air defense batteries to the United Arab Emirates during the recent war, saying the systems were provided to help shield the Gulf nation from Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Speaking in an interview with Army Radio, Regev, who is a member of Israel’s Security Cabinet, confirmed that the defensive systems were deployed to protect civilians in the UAE from aerial threats during the conflict.

Regev also addressed President Donald Trump’s recent comment that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu “knows who the boss is,” dismissing it as characteristic of Trump’s outspoken style.

“That’s a typical Trump-style comment,” she said. “Netanyahu drew red lines and told him, ‘I will do what is necessary to protect the citizens of Israel, just as you would do what is necessary to protect the citizens of the United States.'”

The revelation comes after Iran fired two waves of cruise missiles at the United Arab Emirates in May. Approximately two hours before the attacks, residents throughout the country received emergency alerts on their cellphones warning of an imminent missile strike from Iran and instructing them to seek shelter. Authorities later issued an all-clear notice once the immediate danger had passed.

During the first barrage, three incoming cruise missiles were intercepted, while a fourth landed harmlessly in the sea. In the second attack, three people were reported wounded.

Iran also launched attack drones at the UAE during the conflict, with one drone reportedly striking a petrochemical facility.

Later in May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE had quietly conducted dozens of airstrikes against targets inside Iran throughout the war, coordinating the operations with both Israel and the United States.

According to the newspaper, the strikes focused on military installations and energy infrastructure and continued even after a ceasefire had been announced.

The report further stated that the UAE adopted a far more aggressive posture toward Iran than neighboring Saudi Arabia, leading to friction between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over how forcefully to confront Tehran and respond to the broader regional conflict.

[COMMUNICATED]

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Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshiva continue to speak openly about the need to create more shidduchim and support those navigating the process. Just recently, at Adirei HaTorah, Rav Dovid Schustal and other gedolim once again emphasized the importance of addressing this challenge and doing more for our singles.

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LISTEN:

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

LISTEN:

[Video below.] President Donald Trump used a patriotic address at Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day to deliver a forceful warning that communism threatens the nation’s freedoms, urging Americans to stand firmly behind the ideals of the Founding Fathers as the country began celebrating its 250th year.

Speaking before the towering memorial honoring Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, Trump said the United States is entering a historic milestone while confronting what he described as growing challenges to its identity and core values.

“Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,” Trump said during remarks broadcast live by Newsmax. “Communism is the enemy of free people everywhere. Everywhere in the world. It never works.”

He continued by saying, “It’s the enemy of the Constitution,” adding, “Above all, it’s the enemy of July 4, 1776.”

Trump argued that communist doctrine stands in direct opposition to the principles that gave birth to the United States, describing it as “the exact opposite of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

“It’s death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil,” he said, adding that communist systems “killed 100 million people just in the last century alone.”

Drawing a sharp contrast between American patriotism and Marxist philosophy, Trump declared, “You can be loyal to Karl Marx, or you can be loyal to America.”

“You can be a communist, or you can be a patriot,” Trump said. “You cannot be both.”

The president also criticized what he called efforts by “radicals and extremists” to rewrite American history by disparaging the nation’s founding and its historic leaders.

“As for those who peddle Marxist lies about our heritage, tell our children that we live on stolen land, or that our heroes were oppressors, they’re doing something much worse than slandering our past,” Trump said. “They are slandering and attacking our future.”

Earlier in the speech, Trump paid tribute to the four presidents immortalized at Mount Rushmore, describing them as “the men who declared the freedom, won our freedom, and saved our freedom and secured our freedom.”

“They were men of action, men of ambition, men of daring, men of destiny and men of truly great intelligence,” he said.

Trump also stressed that preserving America’s traditions and national character is essential to safeguarding its future.

“We must never forget there is no American freedom without American culture,” he said. “And there is no American founding without the American people.”

The appearance at Mount Rushmore officially launched the nation’s semiquincentennial observance ahead of the main Independence Day celebration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where Trump is scheduled to deliver another speech before a large fireworks display.

Concluding his remarks, Trump vowed that the United States would never embrace communist ideology.

“America will never be a communist country,” he said.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A brief fire broke out during New York City’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration Saturday night after flames erupted on platforms used to launch pyrotechnics near the Brooklyn Bridge, sending thick smoke into the air before firefighters quickly brought the situation under control.

Dramatic videos captured smoke pouring from sections of the bridge area as fireworks continued exploding overhead during Macy’s annual Independence Day display over the East River. The flames appeared to spread across multiple launch platforms while the show was still underway, alarming many spectators gathered along the waterfront.

“At first I thought it was supposed to happen but then I was scared it would exploded. I thought the bridge was made of wood so I was scared,” said Nearing Khoula, 24, from France, who was watching the display from the Brooklyn waterfront.

“There were four at the same time. Some extra fireworks exploded due to the fire.”

Another witness, Mohamed Shaban, 31, of Egypt, described watching the flames intensify.

“It started as a small fire and got bigger. There was too much black smoke,” he said.

According to a reporter at the scene, the fires burned themselves out within about a minute.

A source familiar with the emergency response said the blaze was limited to temporary platforms that had been installed to launch the fireworks and did not involve the Brooklyn Bridge itself. The source added that the 143-year-old landmark remains safe and structurally sound.

The FDNY said firefighters extinguished the fire using two engine companies. No injuries were immediately reported.

Dozens of young chareidim, many dressed in Shabbos clothing and wearing shtreimlach, blocked the Yerushalayim Light Rail tracks on Motzoei Shabbos in protest of the military draft of bnei yeshivah, temporarily disrupting train service in the capital.

The demonstration took place near the Chaim Bar-Lev and Shivtei Yisrael intersection, where protesters sat on the tracks, prompting police to suspend train operations along part of the route.

Following police instructions, service between the Givat HaMivtar and City Hall stations was temporarily halted, while trains continued operating on a partial schedule between City Hall and Hadassah Ein Kerem, and separately between Givat HaMivtar and Neve Yaakov.

The light rail operator issued a statement explaining the service disruption.

“Due to a demonstration in the Shivtei Yisrael area, and in accordance with police instructions, light rail service has been suspended between Givat HaMivtar and City Hall stations. Trains are operating on a partial schedule between City Hall and Hadassah Ein Kerem, and between Givat HaMivtar and Neve Yaakov. Once the tracks are cleared, full service along the entire L1 line (Hadassah Ein Kerem–Neve Yaakov) will resume.”

Approximately 30 minutes later, the tracks were cleared and normal operations resumed throughout the L1 line.

The operator later announced, “Dear passengers, light rail service has resumed its regular schedule along the entire L1 line (Hadassah Ein Kerem–Neve Yaakov). We thank you for your patience and apologize for the inconvenience.”

{Matzav.com}

Following President Isaac Herzog’s release of a video message in Arabic urging an end to the ongoing wave of violence and crime in Israel’s Arab communities, journalist Moshe Aryeh published a video response arguing that the root causes of the crisis are being ignored.

In his address, President Herzog appealed directly to Arab citizens, saying the bloodshed could not continue.

“My brothers and sisters, members of Arab society, my voice will not be silent and my conscience will not rest as long as blood continues to be spilled in the streets of our communities. It is the responsibility of the state, and its duty, to put an end to this tragedy and provide security and personal safety for every citizen.”

Responding in Arabic, Moshe Aryeh said that while restoring public safety is essential, focusing only on the violence itself will not solve the problem.

“Mr. President, the problem isn’t just in the streets,” he said. “Anyone who truly wants to fight violence must examine what is being taught, what messages are being passed on to the younger generation, and confront every form of incitement that encourages hatred and violence. If we deal only with the results and not the causes, nothing will change.”

Aryeh argued that the violence seen on a daily basis is merely a symptom of deeper social problems within Arab society and maintained that meaningful progress will require addressing what he described as incitement within educational systems and other institutions.

He said he deliberately recorded his response in Arabic so that it would reach the same audience as the president’s message, while urging Israeli leaders to move beyond public statements and address what he believes are the underlying sources of the violence.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Tamir Granot, whose son was killed while serving in the IDF, says he spent months quietly meeting with leading gedolim after his loss, hoping to bridge the divide between the chareidi and religious Zionist communities over military service. In a wide-ranging interview, he claimed that while some senior rabbinic leaders privately agreed with aspects of his message, they were unwilling to express those views publicly.

The interview opened with interviewer Moshe Mansa recounting a conversation with a chareidi educator who described Rav Granot as one of the most influential—and, in his view, dangerous—figures in the current debate.

“The voice is the voice of Yaakov, but the hands are the hands of Esav. He looks like one of us. He speaks our language of Torah learning. We can’t simply dismiss him because he sacrificed the most precious thing in the world—his son. Instead of going through the rabbanim, he’s trying to reach our yeshiva bochurim directly and persuade them to enlist.”

Rav Granot said he understands why some perceive him as a threat but believes those fears stem from deep anxiety.

“Whether something is dangerous depends on how much fear you live with. When your world is filled with anxiety, even things that are not threatening—even things that are positive—appear dangerous. Some people are afraid of growth. Some are afraid of greater love of Heaven because they fear it will change them.”

He said the events of October 7 transformed what had once been an ideological debate into an urgent national issue.

“We’re all in the same boat. From the standpoint of the existential threat, there’s no difference between Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv. We all have to fight. But not all of us are burying our loved ones, and not all of us are serving hundreds of days in reserve duty. My cry comes from that reality. It comes from my own family, from my students, from the thousands of wounded in Tel Hashomer, from reservists who desperately need relief, and from the students in my yeshiva who missed half the summer zeman while their counterparts in Mir and Ponevezh were not sharing that burden.”

Rejecting the notion that one group’s Torah study is inherently more valuable than another’s, Rav Granot said:

“Is their Torah worth more in Heaven? Anyone is entitled to think so, but in my opinion that has no place before the Ribbono Shel Olam. The Torah of Ponevezh is not worth more than my Torah. If we’re truly concerned with Torah rather than ego, then the responsibility has to be shared.”

One of the interview’s most striking moments came when Rav Granot described what he did immediately after completing the shivah for his son.

“For an entire year I didn’t speak to the media. The very first thing I did was meet privately with the gedolei Yisrael. I wanted them to hear my cry.”

According to Rav Granot, the responses he received generally fell into three categories.

Some, he said, remained unwavering in their position.

“I spoke about pikuach nefesh, about defending the Jewish people from those who seek to harm them. The response remained the same: ‘Nar Torah’—only Torah. ‘This is our world. This is how we preserve it.'”

Others listened sympathetically, offered words of encouragement and blessings, but took no public action.

The most surprising conversations, he said, came with senior rabbinic figures who privately expressed agreement but felt unable to speak openly.

“They told me, ‘You’re completely right. One hundred percent right.’ I asked them, ‘So why don’t you go out into the public square and say that?’ One of them looked me in the eyes and said, ‘If people find out that I listened to you for ten minutes without throwing you out of the room, I’m finished.'”

The discussion also turned to one of the chareidi community’s central concerns about military service—that it poses serious spiritual dangers for young men.

Mansa observed that someone wearing a black yarmulke generally belongs to a community with clearly defined standards and expectations, while the religious Zionist community encompasses a broader range of religious observance.

“When someone wears a black yarmulke, there are established codes. He doesn’t go to the movies. His children attend cheder. When someone wears a knitted yarmulke, he can be completely non-observant and still be considered religious Zionist. Our communal codes protect us, even if they come with a price.”

Rather than dispute that assessment, Rav Granot said he believes the difference reflects two distinct social structures.

“Chareidi society is first and foremost a society. Religious Zionism is first and foremost a worldview. A tightly knit society has significant advantages in preserving its framework. The chareidi world protects the community, even if that sometimes creates a gap between outward appearance and inner reality.”

To illustrate his point, he recounted a story he said he had heard from a security official at a government office.

“He told me that when people pass through the metal detector, the average person takes out one cellphone. A chareidi takes out two—one kosher phone and one smartphone. In the religious Zionist world there’s greater openness. People aren’t pretending. Parents know who their children really are.”

At the same time, Rav Granot acknowledged that the religious Zionist community accepts greater risks, including higher rates of young people leaving religious observance.

“We’re like a startup nation. Many startups fail, but the ones that succeed transform the world. The individual in the religious Zionist community has room to grow, choose, and change society and the economy. We’ve chosen to accept that price as Jews.”

Toward the end of the interview, Rav Granot discussed his new book, Al Sfas HaBris, explaining that it is not focused specifically on the chareidi community but on the broader challenge of strengthening unity among the Jewish people.

Referring to the Torah’s placement between Har Gerizim and Har Eival, he said the Torah must serve not only as the bond between man and Hashem but also as the force that unites the different segments of Klal Yisrael.

“The Torah does two things: it connects us to the Ribbono Shel Olam, and it should connect the different parts of the Jewish people. That’s a shared mission for us and for the chareidim—to make the Torah into something that unites all of us.”

Asked how dialogue is possible when one side refuses to engage, Rav Granot concluded with a somber response.

“I don’t know what I can do with him… other than daven for him.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Tax Authority has begun implementing a new policy that could significantly impact the finances of dozens of yeshivos and Torah institutions by conditioning valuable tax benefits on the military status of their talmidim, as reported earlier tonight here on Matzav.

In letters sent late last week to numerous institutions, the Tax Authority instructed roshei yeshivah, administrators, and authorized signatories to certify that none of their students are eligible for military service without having properly resolved their status with the military. Institutions that decline to make the declaration risk losing eligibility for Section 46 tax benefits, a key incentive for charitable donations.

The directive follows a decision issued at the end of May by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara ordering an immediate halt to tax benefits for donations made to chareidi institutions that enroll students who are subject to military service but have not regularized their draft status.

Section 46 of Israel’s Income Tax Ordinance allows donors to approved nonprofit organizations to receive tax credits on their contributions, making it one of the most important tools available to charitable organizations for fundraising.

In its letter, the Tax Authority wrote that, under current Israeli law and in accordance with rulings of the Supreme Court, “as a general rule, it is not permissible to continue granting benefits that directly or indirectly facilitate evasion of military service, including benefits provided to a yeshiva student in that capacity when his attendance at the institution constitutes avoidance of military service. The state has no authority to encourage draft evasion through public funding.”

The letter further stated that, following consultations led by the attorney general and involving legal and professional officials, it was determined that “under the law and applicable court rulings, it is not permissible to provide indirect state funding—including tax credits for charitable donations—to Torah institutions attended by students who have not regularized their status with the military authorities.”

Under the new requirements, every Torah institution—or organization supporting one—that holds Section 46 approval must submit a signed declaration from an authorized board member affirming that, as of the date of the declaration, none of its students are subject to military service without having lawfully resolved their status, and that the institution will not admit such students in the future.

Institutions are also required to submit a complete list of enrolled students for the relevant academic year, including each student’s name and identification number, in an Excel spreadsheet. The Tax Authority warned that institutions failing to submit both the declaration and the student list could lose their Section 46 approval.

At the same time, Keren Olam HaTorah, the organization established to help yeshivos and kollelim offset government funding cuts, has been working to develop alternative methods of supporting institutions affected by the new policy.

As previously reported, the fund recently informed roshei yeshivah that, after consulting with accountants and legal experts specializing in nonprofit and tax law, institutions that—based on individualized legal advice—choose not to include certain students on the lists submitted to the authorities will not automatically lose the fund’s financial support.

In a letter sent to participating institutions, the fund explained that even schools choosing “to continue omitting those students from the reported lists—while recognizing that this should not be done in every case” would remain eligible for assistance, with the fund exploring alternative methods of distributing financial support.

Keren Olam HaTorah emphasized that it is not instructing or recommending any particular course of action. Rather, it said its goal is to provide institutions with practical options for navigating the legal challenges created by the attorney general’s directive.

The new policy comes amid ongoing debate among legal advisers and accountants serving chareidi institutions over how best to respond to the government’s requirements and represents the first organized effort to develop a broad strategy for protecting financial support for the yeshivah world in light of the new restrictions.

{Matzav.com}

Naor Narkis, a candidate for Israel’s Democrats Party, appeared to embrace a campaign message circulated by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich claiming that he would close mikvaos if appointed religious affairs minister in Israel’s next government.

Rather than deny the accusation, Narkis responded with a post on X that appeared to reinforce the criticism.

“I can’t wait to become the Minister of Secularization and dismantle the chareidi and national-religious establishment into pieces. A democratic state separates religion from money. That’s exactly what I intend to do together with my partners. If you want to make the plan to separate religion from money—which worries Smotrich—a reality, all you need to do is join the Democrats.”

Smotrich quickly responded, arguing that Narkis had confirmed the message featured in his campaign.

“Yair Golan’s candidate, Naor Narkis, the future religious affairs minister in an Eisenkot government, confirms it: The day they take power, they will close every mikveh for religious Jews. Listen to him. They intend to do exactly what they’re saying.”

The Sephardic religious party Shas also sharply criticized Narkis, accusing him of revealing what it described as the true agenda of Israel’s left.

“Naor Narkis has exposed the true face of a left-wing government—a war against the Jewish tradition. Shas is proud that during the last term it built and upgraded dozens of mikvaos and allocated hundreds of millions of shekels for the construction and renovation of thousands of mikvaos across the country, serving millions of Israelis—secular, religious, and chareidi alike. Shas will continue strengthening religious services and preserving the Jewish tradition. They speak about closing mikvaos; we will continue building them.”

{Matzav.com}

Dozens of chareidim gathered outside a café on Rechov Agrippas in Yerushalayim on Shabbos morning to protest its recent decision to operate on Shabbos, objecting to what they described as public chillul Shabbos in the city.

The café, which opened only in recent weeks, became the focus of the demonstration as protesters voiced their opposition to its Shabbos operations.

Videos of the protest quickly spread across social media, prompting dozens of secular residents to come to the café in a show of support for the business. As the day progressed, the café filled with customers who said they wanted to express solidarity with its owners.

Owner Yoel Ben David told N12 that he attempted to speak with the demonstrators and explain that the café was not disturbing the surrounding neighborhood.

“I tried talking to them. There are no loudspeakers outside, and the business is located in an alley—we’re not bothering anyone.”

Lior, the café’s shift manager, said the demonstrations continued in several waves throughout the morning.

“They shouted, and one of them overturned a table. Altogether there were four waves during the morning, with dozens of chareidim trying to discourage customers from entering.”

Yerushalayim Deputy Mayor Yossi Havilio also arrived at the scene and voiced support for businesses remaining open on Shabbos, further escalating tensions.

“If we want young secular residents to stay in Yerushalayim instead of leaving, and if we don’t want the city to become Bnei Brak, then we need more places that are open on Shabbos,” he said.

Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion later issued a statement calling for restraint while condemning violence.

“Yerushalayim is a diverse city in which people from every sector and community live together. Precisely because of that, all of us have a responsibility to act with mutual respect and restraint. Violence of any kind is completely unacceptable. It has no place in Jerusalem, and we will not tolerate it. We will continue working to preserve the status quo while upholding the law, maintaining public order, and protecting the delicate fabric that enables all of Yerushalayim’s residents to live together with dignity and security.”

Two 21-year-old men who deliberately set out to harass Jews in London’s heavily Orthodox Stamford Hill neighborhood received suspended jail sentences after admitting to carrying out an antisemitic hate crime that they filmed and shared online.

According to the Daily Mail, Adam Badawi and Abdelkader Boussloub were each sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for one year, after pleading guilty to intentionally harassing a Jewish man in an offense aggravated by religious hatred.

In addition to the suspended sentences, the court ordered the pair to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service, participate in a 20-day rehabilitation program, and pay £85 in court costs.

During the proceedings, the court heard that the two men had deliberately traveled to Stamford Hill carrying a fishing rod as part of what they described as a plan to “fish” for Jews—an antisemitic stunt in which they sought out visibly Orthodox Jews to harass and humiliate while recording the encounters for social media.

Following the sentencing, prosecutor Varinder Hayre condemned the defendants’ actions.

“The pair deliberately targeted a member of the Jewish community and subjected him to antisemitic abuse in a public place. They recorded the incident intending to publish it on social media, amplifying the harm caused to the victim. Hate crimes inflict significant damage on victims and entire communities, and we will continue to prosecute these offenses robustly.”

The incident took place in May 2026, when the two men went to Clapton Common, another area with a large chareidi population, where they confronted a Jewish man, verbally abused him, and filmed the encounter for a TikTok video. Both later admitted in court to committing a public order offense aggravated by religious hostility.

Detective Chief Inspector Oliver Richter also strongly condemned the attack at the time.

“This was a deliberate and targeted antisemitic attack, made even more serious by the pair’s intention to post the incident on social media to spread hatred. It is completely unacceptable and has no place in London.”

{Matzav.com}