Feed aggregator

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yoel Yaakov Sperka zt”l, an outstanding talmid chochom, tzaddik, and yerei Shomayim whose entire life was defined by limud haTorah, harbotzas haTorah, and unwavering avodas Hashem.

Gentle in demeanor, refined in character, and deeply beloved by all who knew him, Rav Sperka leaves behind a legacy of Torah scholarship, humility, and selfless dedication that spanned decades.

From his earliest years, Rav Sperka devoted himself completely to the pursuit of Torah. Seeking to continue his aliyah, he traveled to Eretz Yisroel and learned at Yeshivas Ponovezh in Bnei Brak. There, he became a close talmid of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, with whom he enjoyed a particularly warm relationship, and grew close to the Ponovezher Rov, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman zt”l. Those formative years helped shape him into the distinguished marbitz Torah he would become.

He merited to learn under Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l in Lakewood, NJ, where he absorbed not only profound yedios haTorah but also the ideals of total devotion to Torah that would define the course of his life.

Rav Sperka then dedicated himself to teaching and spreading Torah. He served as a marbitz Torah in Los Angeles and in other communities, inspiring generations of talmidim through his profound scholarship and his gentle, caring approach.

He eventually made his home in Detroit, where he served as a rov for more than three decades. During those years, he became a beloved rov at Congregation Bnai Israel-Beth Yehudah, offering psak, guidance, encouragement, and Torah wisdom to numerous individuals and families. His shiurim reflected both remarkable depth and exceptional clarity, while his personal example of humility and yiras Shomayim left an indelible impression on all who encountered him.

Those who knew Rav Sperka speak of a man whose greatness was matched only by his modesty. Soft-spoken, aidel, and unfailingly gracious, he carried himself with quiet dignity. Every aspect of his life revolved around Torah and avodas Hashem. He sought neither recognition nor honor, content to spend his days immersed in learning, teaching, and serving Hashem with sincerity and purity.

His Torah scholarship lives on through his acclaimed seforim, Chazon Yoel, a collection of his original chiddushei Torah. The seforim reflect the brilliance of his mind, the breadth of his learning, and the depth of his understanding, and continue to illuminate the batei medrash of those privileged to study them.

Following his retirement from the Detroit rabbonus, Rav Sperka relocated to Lakewood, where he settled in the Pine River Village community, continuing to devote himself to limud haTorah, inspiring others through his quiet example until his final days.

The petirah of Rav Sperka is a tremendous loss for his family, his talmidim, the communities he served, and the broader Torah world. His life was one of complete dedication to Torah, marked by extraordinary scholarship, unwavering emunah, and exceptional refinement of character.

The levayah is taking place now at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, New Jersey. Watch the levayah live HERE. The aron will then be flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah there.

Rav Sperka is survived by his devoted rebbetzin, Mrs. Fayge Sperka, together with a wonderful family of children and grandchildren who continue his legacy of Torah and yiras Shomayim.

The family will be sitting shivah at 142 Liberty Drive in Lakewood, NJ.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Meir Dovid Shmueli, rosh yeshivah of Yeshivas Chazon Dovid and a prominent maggid shiur at the Moussaieff Shul, publicly apologized Sunday evening for comments he made about Arab medical personnel in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas massacre, saying the remarks did not reflect his Torah values or personal beliefs.

The unusual reconciliation meeting took place at the Sukkat HaShalom center in Abu Ghosh and was attended by Arab physicians and other healthcare professionals.

The gathering was organized by attorneys Amit Hadad and Eli Perry, together with former Shomron Regional Council chairman Bentzi Lieberman. Hosting the event were former Abu Ghosh council head Issa Jaber and Abdul Abd Rahman, a local resident and court interpreter.

Addressing those in attendance, Rav Shmueli said, “The things I said after October 7 were a serious mistake spoken out of shock and overwhelming pain. They simply should never have been said, and they are completely contrary to my Torah and my values.”

“I came here tonight, to Abu Ghosh, to look the Arab medical teams in the eye and ask for forgiveness. Every sector has wonderful people, and Arab doctors devote themselves every day to saving lives, just like Jewish doctors. They are an example of humanity. The full responsibility is mine. My guiding principle is unity and peace, and where there is peace, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is present.”

Attorney Amit Hadad said the initiative grew out of conversations he had with Abdul Abd Rahman.

“When we met in Abu Ghosh and spoke, the subject of Rav Shmueli’s remarks came up,” Hadad said. “It troubled me because I knew they did not reflect who he really is. Abdul immediately suggested hosting the rav here at Sukkat HaShalom to create the necessary dialogue.”

He added, “The public and emotional challenge of standing up, retracting painful statements, and expressing public remorse is enormous, and that reflects this rav‘s greatness. When we suggested that he come, he didn’t hesitate for a moment. He was happy to come, look people in the eye, and say, ‘I made a mistake.’ We are all descendants of Avraham, and we all want to do good. That is the power of this evening.”

Former Abu Ghosh council head Issa Jaber accepted the apology, saying, “What unites us is greater than what divides us, and when a great person asks for forgiveness, it is a great thing.” He also noted that approximately 40 percent of Israel’s physicians are Arabs.

Dr. Muayad Qawasmeh, an East Yerushalayim physician who works at the Magen David Adom blood bank, also spoke about his experiences during the war.

“After the war began, we collected blood donations, including in East Jerusalem,” he said. “We collected 4,000 units of blood from Jews, Arabs, and Druze. We gave that blood to everyone who needed it, without regard to religion, race, gender, or whether the patient was Jewish or Arab.”

{Matzav.com}

Former hostage Rom Braslavski has revealed for the first time the intense religious pressure he endured while being held captive by terrorists, describing repeated efforts to persuade him to convert to Islam and the profound spiritual transformation that instead led him to embrace Judaism.

Speaking in an interview with Channel 14, Braslavski said his captors relentlessly urged him to abandon his faith.

“All day they talked to you about Muhammad, the Quran, ‘Come join us. You’re wrong and we’re right,'” Braslavski recounted. “They tried to convince me to convert to Islam many times.”

Braslavski said the pressure was not limited to him, claiming that many Jewish hostages ultimately agreed to convert as a survival tactic.

“At least 60% of the Jewish hostages converted to Islam in captivity. They said it was just a game. And I admit that I also considered it. But I told myself, ‘G-d in heaven is looking at you and knows everything. I will not play this game.’ I decided not only would I not convert to Islam, but I would touch on their sensitive issues.”

Rather than distancing himself from Judaism during captivity, Braslavski said the ordeal inspired him to become more committed to his faith.

“Before October 7, I wasn’t a person of faith. I didn’t keep Shabbat. I grew up in Neve Yaakov, which is a very haredi neighborhood, but I went against the current. My family is still like that to this day. On October 7, I fully returned to religion.”

Braslavski also recounted an unexpected conversation with a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad sheikh, whom he approached for guidance because he could no longer remember the traditional Jewish prayers.

“I told him, ‘Listen, I want to pray to G-d, but I don’t remember the prayers-they’re long and in the siddur.’ He told me, ‘Take what you remember and create your own prayer.’ Since then, I repeated, ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me,’ several times a day. I also said another few lines that were etched in my memory from the prayer book. That’s how I built my own prayer, and I prayed three times a day.”

According to Braslavski, the issue of conversion resurfaced later in his captivity, when the same sheikh encouraged him to adopt Muslim prayer practices.

When the subject of conversion came up again, Braslavski said the sheikh told him, “Pray five times a day, like us.”

Braslavski said he politely refused, determined to remain faithful to Jewish practice despite the circumstances.

“I said, ‘No, we pray three times a day,'” he recounted. “Today, there hasn’t been a single Shabbat that I haven’t observed. I observe every Shabbat, and I will continue to keep [Shabbat] for the rest of my life.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington later this week for another meeting with President Donald Trump, according to assessments within the Prime Minister’s Office. If the visit takes place as planned, it will mark the eighth meeting between the two leaders since President Trump returned to the White House, underscoring the close relationship and frequent coordination between Israel and Washington.

The anticipated visit follows a phone call between the two leaders on Friday, during which they agreed to meet in the near future. A separate Israeli delegation is also expected to travel to the United States for additional consultations on Iran, although officials believe the two visits will be conducted on separate schedules.

The Iranian nuclear program is expected to top the agenda, along with a range of regional security issues. Israeli officials view close coordination with the Trump administration as essential in shaping policy toward Tehran, particularly following recent developments in the region and ongoing efforts to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear capabilities.

Another major topic is expected to be the growing relationship between the United States and Turkey. Israeli officials are closely monitoring President Trump’s anticipated visit to Ankara and are particularly concerned about the possibility that Washington could restore defense cooperation with Turkey, including approving the sale of F-35 fighter jets or other advanced military systems.

Those concerns stem from Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, a move that prompted U.S. fears that sensitive information about the stealth aircraft could be exposed to Russia. Despite that history, the Trump administration is reportedly examining ways to rebuild defense ties with Ankara, including a potential agreement to sell F-110 engines for Turkey’s domestically produced KAAN fighter jet.

Also in the background are the warm personal ties between President Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to an Associated Press report, President Trump suggested that his expected visit to Ankara following the 36th NATO Summit could include a major announcement benefiting Erdogan.

When asked whether he would arrive with “a big bag of gifts,” President Trump responded, “Yes, I think so. I’ll probably do something that will make him very happy.”

Israeli officials are also watching Turkey’s increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Israel. Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told CNN Türk that Israel has become a burden on the international community, accusing it of destabilizing the region and declaring that Turkey is not afraid of a confrontation with the Jewish state. His comments followed a series of previous anti-Israel statements by President Erdogan.

Against that backdrop, officials in Yerushalayim view Netanyahu’s expected meeting with President Trump as an important opportunity to present Israel’s concerns directly to the administration. Alongside discussions about Iran, the prime minister is expected to stress the potential security implications of expanding U.S.-Turkey defense cooperation, particularly if Washington approves the sale of advanced military systems to Ankara.

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset House Committee on Sunday began preparing the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study for its second and third readings, as lawmakers debated whether the legislation would serve merely as a declaration of principle or carry significant legal consequences.

The revised bill, following comments from the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, states that Torah study is a fundamental value of the heritage of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The legislation seeks to formally recognize Torah study as a foundational national value and establish it as a consideration alongside other fundamental values in Israeli law.

During the committee discussion, Knesset Legal Adviser Adv. Sagit Afik said it had not been made clear during earlier deliberations whether the proposal was intended to be purely declarative or to have practical legal effect.

Because the proposal is a Basic Law, Afik warned that it could have implications beyond a symbolic statement. She said the committee’s discussions ahead of the second and third readings would help define the legislature’s intent and stressed that if lawmakers do not intend for the law to have operative consequences, that should be stated explicitly in the legislation.

Deputy Attorney General Adv. Avital Sompolinsky echoed that position, saying that if the proposal is intended only as a declarative statement, it should be drafted differently.

Representatives of Israel’s Finance Ministry cautioned that the legislation could have significant economic ramifications if courts interpret it as having practical legal force.

The ministry’s legal adviser, Dudi Kopel, warned that if the law were interpreted as giving Torah study precedence over the principle of equality, it could affect military conscription policy, government spending related to those subject to the draft, and eligibility for benefits granted to Torah scholars.

Rom Brav of the Finance Ministry’s Budget Department added that the legislation could be used to justify policies that conflict with Israel’s broader economic interests, particularly regarding the integration of chareidi men into military service and the workforce.

Brav also presented economic data showing that each month of reserve duty costs the Israeli economy an average of approximately 50,000 shekels per reservist. He said the economic cost of reserve service since the beginning of the war has reached roughly 170 billion shekels, with an additional 115 billion shekels in government expenditures.

He warned that if the law were interpreted to permit draft exemptions or restore benefits to those subject to military service, it could place an even greater burden on reservists and active-duty soldiers while harming the Israeli economy.

During the discussion, MK Yinon Azulai asked whether the proposed Basic Law would itself exempt chareidim from military service. Afik responded that it would not and explained that any exemption from military service would require separate legislation.

Azulai said the purpose of the proposal was to provide judges with “another weight on the scale” when balancing the value of equality against the value of Torah study.

MK Yitzchak Pindrus said the law is intended to serve as a “signpost” for the judiciary, giving Torah study the status of a fundamental value to be weighed alongside other constitutional principles.

MK Moshe Abutbul emphasized that the Jewish people must always have “a tribe devoted exclusively to Torah study.”

“There is the sefer and there is the sword,” he said, “and both descended from Heaven bound together.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s political landscape has tightened dramatically, with a new poll showing Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s Likud and Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party locked in a tie for first place, each projected to win 23 Knesset seats. The survey, released Sunday by Kan News, marks the first time in the current election campaign that the two leading parties have been dead even.

Compared to the previous poll, Likud slipped by one seat while Yashar gained one, resulting in the 23-23 tie. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party remained in third place with 16 seats, unchanged from the previous survey.

Among the mid-sized parties, the Democrats, Otzma Yehudit, and Yisrael Beiteinu each received nine projected seats. Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu gained one seat compared to the previous poll, indicating modest momentum.

The chareidi parties also posted encouraging numbers. United Torah Judaism climbed by one seat to eight mandates, matching Shas, which remained steady at eight seats. Hadash-Ta’al was projected to receive six seats, Religious Zionism five, and Ra’am four. The Miluimnikim party (2.3%), Blue and White (1.9%), and Balad all fell below the electoral threshold.

Under the current projections, Netanyahu’s governing coalition would secure 53 seats, while parties opposed to him would control 67 seats.

The poll also examined a hypothetical new party led jointly by Yuli Edelstein, Ayelet Shaked, and Gilad Erdan. Such a party would be expected to win six seats, drawing support primarily from Likud, Yashar, Bennett’s Beyachad, and Religious Zionism. Under that scenario, Netanyahu’s bloc would fall to just 50 seats.

The survey also found a significant shift in public opinion regarding the race for prime minister. For the first time, Eisenkot narrowly edged out Netanyahu in a head-to-head matchup, with 41% saying Eisenkot is better suited to serve as prime minister, compared with 40% for Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, however, maintained a clear advantage when matched against Bennett, leading 41% to 33% in the poll’s prime minister preference question.

{Matzav.com}

A 70-year-old man suffering from dementia who disappeared after leaving his family’s home in Beitar Illit on Motzoei Shabbos was found safe Sunday following an extensive overnight search involving police, rescue volunteers, and local residents.

Shlomo Amselag, a resident of Otniel who had been visiting family in Beitar Illit, left the home on Motzoei Shabbos and failed to return, prompting an immediate large-scale search after he was reported missing at approximately 6:00 p.m.

Dozens of volunteers from the Etzion-Yehuda Police Rescue Unit in the Judea and Samaria District joined officers from the Yehuda police region and local residents in the search effort. Teams deployed advanced technological equipment while combing the area for hours.

At approximately 4:00 a.m., rescue volunteers located Amselag in the Rozmarin area of Yerushalayim, several kilometers from where he had disappeared. He was safely reunited with his family.

Police expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in the search and helped publicize information about the missing man.

“Thank you to everyone who assisted, publicized, and shared information about his disappearance,” the police said in a statement.

{Matzav.com}

 

I look at my tiny baby sleeping peacefully in the ICU.

But my heart knows the truth this is only the beginning of our battle.

A battle for his life and for my strength to keep going.

 

My name is Miriam.

My baby’s name is Baruch.

 

He is only two months old.

 

He should be sleeping peacefully in my arms.

He should be growing, smiling, and filling our home with joy.

He should be wrapped in blankets, not surrounded by doctors, tests, medicine, and pain.

 

But Baruch is suffering.

 

His tiny kidneys are not working the way they should.

The doctors are still trying to understand exactly what is happening inside his little body.

 

We still do not have all the answers.

 

But one thing is already painfully clear:

My baby is in terrible pain.

And this is not something that will end tomorrow.

 

I look at my tiny baby sleeping peacefully in the ICU.

But my heart knows the truth: this is only the beginning of our battle.

A battle for his life — and for my strength to keep going.

 

Since Baruch became sick, our whole life has changed.

 

There are appointments.

There are tests.

There are medicines.

There are long days of fear and long nights with almost no sleep.

 

I hold him in my arms and try to stay calm.

I whisper to him that Mommy is here.

That everything will be okay.

 

But inside, I am falling apart.

Donate today!

 

 

MSNBC host Al Sharpton sharply criticized the Trump administration during an appearance on MS NOW’s Deadline, accusing it of openly promoting what the infamous race-bater described as bigotry while rolling back decades of civil rights progress.

Reflecting on the nation’s history, Sharpton argued that Americans should celebrate the advances that have been made while remaining vigilant against efforts to reverse them.

“I feel that one should celebrate the progress made and that we ought to be energized to stop those that are trying to bring us back to some of the progress that was made, when we look at the fact that you had the Voting Rights Act, just about nullified by this Supreme Court. Many of whom were nominated by Donald Trump. When you look at what they have done today, you’re looking at the undoing of the Civil Rights Act of 64. You’re looking at undoing Act 65. You’re looking at women’s rights. You’re looking at those that have tried to make freedom of religion mean that this is a Christian nation. I’m a Baptist preacher, but freedom of religion is freedom of religion. I think they’d be the Founding Fathers. I don’t know if they’d be disappointed because some of them had some, in my opinion, questionable positions, but I think they would all say, ‘This is not what we projected.’”

Sharpton went on to accuse the administration of no longer attempting to conceal what he views as its motives, arguing that its actions are carried out without shame.

“I think what is so brazen about this is the shamelessness. They don’t even try to hide the grift or the fact that they are, in fact, bigoted. They, in fact, use it as a badge of honor when you take January 6 people and elevate them. How can you say that we are the patriots when you reward those that would defile the Capital of this nation and want to stop a duly certified election from being certified?”

{Matzav.com}

House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Sunday that the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates within the Democratic Party represents a serious danger to the nation’s political system, echoing President Donald Trump’s recent Independence Day message urging Americans to reject the movement ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream, the Louisiana Republican said candidates aligned with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are gaining momentum in Democratic primaries across the country and argued that voters should pay close attention to the trend.

Johnson characterized democratic socialism as “a serious threat to our whole system of government,” arguing that the movement represents a direct challenge to America’s longstanding political principles rather than simply another faction within the Democratic Party.

Drawing comparisons to the Cold War, Johnson invoked the warnings of President Ronald Reagan about communism, saying the threat is no longer coming from overseas but from within the United States.

“The barbarians are inside the gate,” Johnson said, contending that today’s Democratic Party has changed dramatically from previous generations. He also claimed that many Democratic lawmakers privately acknowledge they are struggling to match the enthusiasm, fundraising, and grassroots support fueling the party’s progressive wing.

Johnson’s comments came one day after President Donald Trump delivered a speech on the National Mall commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, during which he portrayed democratic socialism as a rebirth of communism and called for an aggressive response.

In that address, which began nearly two hours late after severe storms forced the temporary evacuation of attendees, Trump likened democratic socialism to a cancer that must be removed.

The renewed attacks on the movement follow a series of primary victories by progressive candidates that have reshaped New York’s political landscape and intensified pressure on the Democratic establishment.

Mamdani, who became New York City’s first democratic socialist mayor in January, saw all three of his endorsed candidates prevail in the June 23 Democratic primaries, defeating incumbent Representatives Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman.

Democratic leaders have responded with varying degrees of concern. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who supported the defeated incumbents, urged fellow Democrats after the primaries to shift their attention to the general election.

Speaking to MSNBC, Jeffries said, “the enemy is Donald Trump and MAGA extremism.”

The democratic socialist movement continues to expand beyond New York, with candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America also competing in prominent races in Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The movement traces much of its modern political momentum to the presidential campaigns of Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020.

{Matzav.com}

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1814-Seiver-Part-14-Feel.mp3

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

 

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Tefila4Life-Shiur-1105-Accepted-Vayevarech-Dovid.mp3

A seaplane carrying eight people made an emergency landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday afternoon, prompting a rapid response from emergency crews. All eight occupants were safely rescued, and only two people suffered minor injuries.

The aircraft came down near the NY Skyport Seaplane Base, the city’s only seaplane terminal, along the East River near East 23rd Street and the FDR Drive. Firefighters and marine rescue units arrived within minutes and pulled everyone from the aircraft before it was towed back to the dock.

According to the New York City Fire Department, the emergency call came shortly after noon. Responders found the aircraft floating upright in the water, allowing rescue crews to evacuate the passengers quickly and safely. Two people sustained minor injuries but declined transportation to a hospital.

The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Kodiak 100 seaplane. Preliminary information indicates that a wing strut snapped during the hard landing, leaving the aircraft disabled in the river. The flight had departed from East Hampton on Long Island and was approaching the Manhattan seaplane terminal when the incident occurred.

The cause of the emergency remains under investigation. Air traffic control recordings indicate the pilot declared a “Mayday” shortly before landing in the river, while NYPD helicopters were dispatched after reports that an aircraft had gone down in the water.

Videos from the scene showed firefighters, police boats, and other rescue vessels surrounding the partially submerged aircraft as passengers were evacuated one by one. After the rescue operation concluded, the plane was righted and towed to a nearby dock while authorities secured the area and began their investigation.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman warned that the United States is once again engaged in a fierce race to the moon, saying China is advancing rapidly and could soon establish its own human presence on the lunar surface unless America moves first.

Appearing Sunday on CBS News’ Face the Nation, Isaacman said the competition with Beijing has become one of the nation’s top strategic challenges.

“The Chinese are moving at incredible speeds, and they are certainly capable of doing what the Soviets were not during the first space race,” Isaacman said. “The Chinese will land their taikonauts on the moon. There’s no question.”

While expressing confidence in China’s capabilities, Isaacman said the more pressing issue is whether the United States can beat China back to the moon and establish a permanent foothold there.

“The question is, will the United States return before them, and will we do so in a different way this time, when we build a base, establish that enduring presence? I think the answer is yes.”

NASA has continued making progress toward that goal. Following the successful Artemis II mission in April, during which four astronauts circled the moon, the agency recently announced the crew for the next Artemis mission, scheduled for next year.

The Artemis III mission is expected to play a critical role in preparing for America’s return to the lunar surface in 2028 by testing key landing technologies and systems.

Isaacman explained that Artemis III will involve a complex series of operations designed to validate the equipment needed for future lunar missions.

“You’re going to see the three most powerful rockets in the world … And then you’re going to have the landers come together in Earth orbit, test out their capabilities, very a la Apollo 9, give us the confidence in our landers for Artemis IV in 2028. This is an achievable plan to put astronauts back on the surface of the moon.”

Beyond returning astronauts to the moon, Isaacman said NASA intends to begin creating a permanent lunar outpost. He said the agency plans to launch missions at an almost monthly pace during 2027 to establish what he described as a proving ground for future exploration of Mars.

Looking ahead, Isaacman predicted construction of the lunar base could begin as early as next year. By the time astronauts return to the moon in 2028, he said, they should find the first elements of a permanent settlement already in place.

“There’s going to be a buggy there, a lunar terrain vehicle, there’s going to be a start of infrastructure … [and] I would say, early 2030s, the moon is going to be like the International Space Station.”

He added that astronauts will eventually spend extended periods living and working on the moon as NASA gains experience operating in the lunar environment before undertaking future missions to Mars.

“You’re going to have crews that are there on pretty extended periods of time, as we learn in that environment and prepare for Mars.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to reinstall revised historical exhibits at the site of President George Washington’s former Philadelphia residence, rejecting an effort to block displays that critics argue soften the history of slavery in early America.

The interpretive panels are slated to be placed at the President’s House site, just steps from where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. The National Park Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

The updated displays are intended to replace exhibits installed in 2010 that focused on the lives of the nine enslaved people who lived in the household of George and Martha Washington during the 1790s, when Philadelphia served as the nation’s temporary capital.

The changes were prompted by President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order directing federally owned historic sites to avoid presenting material that would “disparage Americans past or living” and instead emphasize the “greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.”

Friday’s decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit was procedural in nature, allowing a ruling issued last month to take effect. The appellate court sits directly across the street from the President’s House historic site.

The earlier ruling—issued by a panel consisting of one judge appointed by Trump, one appointed by President George W. Bush, and one appointed by President Barack Obama—held that a lower court had improperly ordered the federal government to remove the revised exhibits.

On Thursday, the administration asked the court for permission to immediately reinstall the panels, arguing that they were ready to be put in place and should be installed “without further delay.” Court filings submitted by the administration maintain that the new exhibits continue to address the subject of slavery.

Historians, academics, preservation advocates, and public officials have expressed concern for months that the revised presentation, drafted to comply with Trump’s executive order, minimizes the brutality of slavery in favor of a more celebratory account of American history.

Images posted on a government website show that the replacement panels still discuss the enslaved people who lived at the President’s House and include information about the abolitionist movement, the Constitution’s treatment of slavery, the abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania, the views and actions of George Washington and President John Adams regarding slavery, and the Civil Rights movement of the 20th century. However, the new displays omit some material that appeared on the earlier panels, including a map of the transatlantic slave trade, a slavery timeline, and headings such as “The Dirty Business of Slavery.”

The City of Philadelphia, which sued after the original exhibits were removed, continues to fight the changes. On Friday, city attorneys asked the appeals court to temporarily withdraw its order, at least long enough for the city to formally respond to the administration’s request filed the previous day.

In its filing, Philadelphia argued that allowing the new panels to be installed would cause harm, stating: “The President’s House is a site of exceptional importance to Philadelphia and the Nation, developed through years of federal-local collaboration to tell a historically significant and long-suppressed story.”

Roughly half of the original interpretive panels had already been reinstalled earlier this year before a court order halted that effort.

{Matzav.com}

Two 21-year-old British men narrowly avoided serving prison time after admitting to filming a TikTok video in which they walked through a heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in London carrying a fishing rod while announcing they were “catching Jews.”

According to a report published by the London Evening Standard, both men pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to six weeks in prison. However, the sentences were suspended for 12 months, allowing them to avoid immediate incarceration.

The incident occurred on May 7 in Stamford Hill, home to one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in the United Kingdom. During the video, the pair joked about going “fishing for Jews” and verbally harassed a local Jewish resident as part of content they intended to post on social media.

The Metropolitan Police said the suspects attempted to flee when officers arrived at the scene but were quickly caught and taken into custody.

In addition to the suspended prison sentences, the court ordered each defendant to complete 150 hours of community service and participate in 20 days of rehabilitation. They were also directed to pay £85 in court costs.

The case comes amid a significant increase in antisemitic violence across Britain. Among the recent incidents was the stabbing of two Orthodox Jewish men in the Golders Green neighborhood in late April.

Following that attack, British authorities raised the nation’s terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe,” marking the first such increase in more than four years.

According to figures released for 2025, the United Kingdom recorded the world’s highest per-capita rate of violent antisemitic attacks, documenting 121 serious assaults against a Jewish population of roughly 300,000.

{Matzav.com}

As the Israeli government moves toward revoking tax-deductible donation status for yeshivos that enroll students classified as military draft evaders, Rav Nachum Bombach, chairman of the board of Yeshivas Itri and a certified public accountant, said the measure would undoubtedly create challenges but expressed confidence that the Torah world would endure.

Speaking with Avi Mimran on Kol Chai Radio’s central news program, Bombach explained that Section 46 of Israel’s Income Tax Ordinance allows donors to approved public institutions to receive a tax credit equal to 35 percent of their contribution, making it a significant incentive for charitable giving.

Even so, Bombach said it remains unclear how severely the proposed change would affect donations.

“A person who donates to a yeshiva is not donating because of the tax benefit,” he said. “After all, 65% of the donation isn’t recognized anyway. If someone chooses to support a yeshiva, it’s possible that the tax benefit is only a secondary consideration. It could even motivate people to continue giving despite losing the benefit. We simply don’t know what the actual impact will be.”

Bombach acknowledged that eliminating the tax incentive appears to be a serious financial blow but noted that yeshivos have already weathered more difficult crises, including the sharp reductions in government funding over the past year and a half.

“Clearly, on the surface, this seems like a significant blow, but we’ve dealt with things that were even worse. The yeshivos survived the budget cuts, and we’ll get through this as well.”

During the interview, Bombach was also asked whether yeshivos could preserve their Section 46 status by placing students classified as draft evaders into a separate nonprofit organization while maintaining the primary institution’s eligibility.

He dismissed the idea as unrealistic.

“I don’t think it’s a practical solution at all. The state would argue that it’s a fictitious arrangement and would never allow it.”

Concluding the interview, Bombach addressed the broader legal and political battle surrounding the draft of bnei yeshivos, saying he believes there are those who are actively seeking to undermine the Torah world.

“We have to deal with the situation,” he said. “We hope that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will bring us better times. For now, this is the reality. The yeshivos have survived, they will survive, and they will continue to grow even stronger.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu pushed back against Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent assertion that the United States is Israel’s only significant ally, saying that while President Donald Trump has been Israel’s greatest friend in the White House, the Jewish state also enjoys strong relationships with many other countries around the world.

During an interview Sunday with Fox News anchor Jacqui Heinrich, Netanyahu was asked about remarks Vance made during a White House briefing last month.

At that briefing, Vance said, “Donald J. Trump the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. And he happens to be the head of state of the world’s superpower. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”

Heinrich then asked Netanyahu, “What was your reaction when you heard that?”

The Israeli leader began by expressing respect for Vance while making it clear that they do not always see eye to eye.

“First of all, I respect J.D. Vance,” Netanyahu began. “We have a very good relationship, but it doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that he says, and I have to point out this: Donald Trump is a great, the greatest friend we’ve ever had in the White House, and I stand by that completely.”

Netanyahu went on to argue that Israel’s network of allies extends well beyond Washington, pointing to India as one example of a nation that has shown tremendous support.

“Secondly, we have some other friends like the small country of India, you know? It has 1.4 billion people. And, boy,” Netanyahu chuckled, “do we have tremendous support there. I have this Facebook thing,” he laughed again. “I’m just flooded by the overwhelming support there. And we have many others.”

Expanding on that point, Netanyahu said many foreign leaders privately express admiration for Israel despite anti-Israel sentiment in their own countries.

“Let me tell you where we have support, because it’s fashionable now, you know, in many countries, because their media and their social media are inundated with anti-Israel, antisemitic material. Many leaders, you know, call me up and say, ‘Hey, look, I’ve got this problem with public opinion, but I want you to know, we respect you, and can we make some deals? And can you teach us some of the things that your military does? And can we have some of your AI and cyber expertise?’ You know, Israel is the number two country in cyber in the world. And our technology is, it’s so good. So, the relations are not quite as they appear. And we have many, many friends.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie launched a blistering attack on President Donald Trump during an appearance on ABC’s This Week, accusing the president of treating the White House as a vehicle for personal enrichment after reports that Trump earned $1.4 billion last year through his family’s cryptocurrency ventures.

Christie argued that Trump and his family view their return to office as permission to capitalize financially on their political success, comparing the situation to the conduct of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“He and his family believe they are entitled to this,” Christie said. “This is an entitlement to them. They believe, when they came back and won this election the second time, that that gave them license. That the American people gave them license to essentially go and take whatever they could take over this period of time. And, quite frankly, you know, when you look at the scale of this, here’s another thing apparently that Donald Trump learned from Vladimir Putin during his first term. This is Putin-esque type of corruption and self-enrichment!”

Trump has rejected suggestions that he is personally involved in managing his financial holdings. Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, he said he has no role in overseeing his investments.

“I don’t get involved in my personal — we have funds that run my money…I don’t talk to them. I never — I don’t even speak to them. So I have many people — I don’t know what they call it — closed accounts, or something. You put your money in, and that’s it.”

While Christie acknowledged that existing ethics laws do not prohibit the president from engaging in such financial arrangements, he suggested there could be constitutional issues. His remarks prompted host George Stephanopoulos to interject.

“Potentially the Constitution does, the Emoluments Clause,” Stephanopoulos said.

Christie agreed and pointed to Qatar’s gift of a new Air Force One aircraft as another example of what he believes are constitutional concerns. He also argued that repeated statements by Trump about the costs of various projects have damaged his credibility.

“I mean there’s a difference between, obviously, as you know, between the individual ethics laws, which do not apply to him, but the emoluments clause, when you look at the plane. And what I think will start to hurt him more is that he says things that turn out to not be true. Oh, the plane is a gift. It won’t cost us anything. Well, no, it costs us hundreds of millions of dollars to get it up to Air Force One level of operation. Every time he says one of those things, the ballroom won’t cost anybody anything. Now we’re talking about them wanting to move a billion dollars to work on the ballroom.

He concluded by arguing that voters are increasingly taking notice of the controversy.

“The American people are starting to catch up to this. You can feel it.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk delivered a blunt patriotic message over the Independence Day weekend, declaring that anyone who does not love the United States should be expelled from the country. The billionaire entrepreneur made the remarks Sunday as part of a series of pro-America posts shared on X, the social media platform he owns.

Musk’s comments came in response to a post by former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, who wrote that it was “OK to love America.”

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO argued that such a statement did not go nearly far enough.

He wrote:

“Not merely ‘ok.’ Anyone who doesn’t love America is a traitor and beneath contempt. Those who don’t love America, those who are disloyal should be exiled immediately.”

The post was one of several patriotic messages Musk shared throughout the Fourth of July holiday. Among them was an old photograph of himself as a young man standing in front of an American flag. He also reposted a portion of Vice President JD Vance’s Independence Day address and shared a video in which he likened the United States to Atlas, carrying the weight of the world.

In another message celebrating the nation’s founding, Musk reflected on reading one of America’s foundational documents.

“I read the Declaration of Independence out loud today with heartfelt conviction,” Musk said in another post. “It is a work not just of genius, but also of a purity of soul that resonates to this very day.”

{Matzav.com}