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Work on a $16 billion Hudson River rail-tunnel project that could ease congestion between New Jersey and Manhattan is set to come to a halt today following the Trump administration’s decision last year to freeze its funding.

The new tunnel, called Gateway, is one of the nation’s most ambitious infrastructure projects — and has been long wished for by commuters stewing on delayed trains. A prolonged shutdown could deal a serious setback to Gateway, which rail advocates say is sorely need to alleviate train delays and allow for maintenance on the current, aging tunnel.

The Trump administration has been in a standoff with state and local officials regarding Gateway since October, when it froze funding for the project over a new rule that bars contracting requirements based on race or sex. Earlier this month, the Gateway Development Commission, which is building the tunnel, sued the federal government in an effort to unlock more than $205 million. New York and New Jersey also sued the administration.

Construction of the tunnel, which Congress agreed to fund during the Biden administration, had been able to continue past the initial shutoff in October as the Gateway commission drew on money it still had in the bank. On Friday, if the flow of federal dollars isn’t restored, that money will be exhausted.

Tom Prendergast, the Gateway commission’s chief executive officer, said at a news conference on Thursday that work will pause on Friday without a funding deal. The project risks losing skilled construction workers who know the development inside and out but will need to seek work elsewhere, he said.

“Tomorrow, work on the largest, most urgent infrastructure project in America will come to a pause,” Prendergast said. “The Gateway Development Commission has expended every resource to prevent any interruption to the construction, but we’ve gone as far as we can go.”

Building a new tunnel under the Hudson River has been a political football for years. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ended a previous tunnel initiative in 2010, irritating many commuters. And President Donald Trump wrangled with state leaders in his first term over the cost of Gateway.

Lengthy and unpredictable commutes have continued to be an emotional, pressing issue for many New Jerseyans. Service disruptions and broken-down trains have caused commuter frustration to boil over, increasing pressure on local leaders to do something to ease the strain.

New York and New Jersey are seeking a temporary restraining order that would force the administration to continue funding the project, with a hearing set for federal court in Manhattan on Friday afternoon.

“This, for our region, is all about jobs, it’s about families, it’s about the economy,” Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey’s current governor, said Wednesday at a news conference in Newark. “Unfortunately for President Trump, it’s just about politics.”

Terminating Gateway or delaying it significantly would create extensive disruption for travelers along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, which runs from Washington through New York and on to Boston. Former Amtrak chief Joseph Boardman warned in 2014 that the existing tunnel, which first opened in 1910, had about 20 years left before it would need to be partially closed for rehabilitation.

Shutting down part of the existing tunnel would slash train service between New York and Washington by half and increase commuting times for 245,000 drivers in the New York City region, according to a 2019 Regional Plan Association report. Nearly 140,000 drivers would see their commutes extended by at least 30 minutes. Only six trains would be able to move through the tunnel every hour, down from 24.

Thousands of regular NJ Transit riders would be forced to turn to cars, buses, ferries or the PATH train, which connects northeastern New Jersey to Manhattan. Anyone trying to cross the Hudson or just get around northern New Jersey would be affected, according to Tom Wright, president and chief executive officer of the RPA, which promotes economic health in the New York City area.

“All of those trips are going to become longer, more difficult, more painful because of the hit to the system” if the existing tunnel wasn’t fully operational, Wright said.

Spending Freeze
While commuters won’t be affected if work stops Friday on the new Gateway tunnel, it would put 1,000 construction employees out of work and threaten 95,000 other jobs linked to the project, while risking almost $20 billion in related economic activity, Gateway has estimated.

“The people that are going to get hurt the most are these families, these union workers and construction workers who are potentially going to lose their jobs in a matter of hours, all the businesses that are going to struggle from this,” New Jersey Democratic Senator Andy Kim said in an interview. “That’s who’s losing if this continues to be a political cudgel that the president’s trying to use.”

Nearly $2 billion has already been spent on the project, according to Gateway’s legal complaint. If work is paused, a custom-built boring machine that arrived last month from Germany and was set to begin digging this spring will start collecting dust.

“You not only lose time, but you are spending money on things you didn’t anticipate to spend money on,” Prendergast told reporters last week.

Overall, the Trump administration halted about $18 billion in payments tied to US transit infrastructure projects in areas with Democratic leaders. Transit officials have said they have shown the federal government that they are compliant with the new rules.

“Gateway is fully funded, fully permitted, and desperately needed to modernize our dilapidated and damaged rail tunnels,” Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat and Senate Minority Leader, said in a statement. “For the good of New York, New Jersey, our economy, and union workers, the only thing to do is for President Trump to release the legally-approved funds now.”

Other major urban transportation projects are also at risk without the funds. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs New York City’s transit system, needs federal money by March for a tunneling contract that will extend the Second Avenue subway to Harlem. The MTA said it has been waiting on $50 million. The Chicago Transit Authority is warning potential investors in its bond sale that the federal pause could result in increased costs or delays on the extension of its Red Line and modernization work on its Red and Purple lines, according to bond documents.

About 450 trains move through the existing Hudson River tunnel each day, with two tracks serving trains going in opposite directions. Shutting down one track for repairs or to remove a disabled train forces all trains to operate on a single track. Major disruptions are common.

Construction of the new two-track Gateway tunnel is expected to be done in 2035, with rehabilitation of the existing tunnel completed by 2038. That would give the region a total of four tracks, increase train capacity and improve on-time performance for 200,000 daily riders, according to Gateway.

Without the new tunnel, Amtrak will be forced to operate on a single track once it begins rehabilitating the other passageway. That could cost the national economy an estimated $16 billion over four years and property values in New Jersey could drop by as much as $22 billion, according to the RPA report.

Added Costs
Public officials, businesses and transit advocates in the region have been looking for ways to increase train capacity between New Jersey and New York since the 1990s.

A work stoppage would mean almost $20 million a month in additional costs for Gateway to demobilize work crews, secure construction sites and move and store heavy equipment, among other expenses, according to the commission’s complaint. Those costs would deplete the project’s remaining reserves, Gateway said.

Even if the US government were to release the money, the withholding of funds and Gateway’s need to seek legal action will cost the project, RPA’s Wright said. Stopping work is an expense for contractors, too, and they will need to factor in the risk of federal money not arriving on time, he said.

“There’s really no argument that we don’t need to build Gateway,” Wright said. “All this is doing is slowing it down and making it cost more.”

{Matzav.com}

The State Department issued an urgent warning advising U.S. citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing heightened security risks as indirect negotiations get underway in Oman between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program.

In a notice released late Thursday, the virtual U.S. Embassy to Iran told Americans to arrange an exit strategy “that does not rely on US government help” and urged those unable to depart to “keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings.”

The advisory follows weeks of unrest in Iran, after the Shiite regime violently suppressed mass protests early last month, killing thousands of demonstrators amid a rapidly deteriorating economy. The United States has repeatedly encouraged its citizens to leave the country since the crackdown.

At the same time, Oman confirmed that a first round of indirect discussions had already taken place. According to Omani officials, the talks involved Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and first son-in-law Jared Kushner. Video later released by the state-run Oman News Agency also showed Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, attending the meeting alongside Oman’s foreign minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi — an unusual development compared with previous rounds of diplomacy.

In a statement, Oman’s Foreign Ministry said, “The consultations focused on preparing the appropriate circumstances for resuming the diplomatic and technical negotiations by ensuring the importance of these negotiations, in light of the parties’ determination to ensure their success in achieving sustainable security and stability.”

Regional tensions have continued to intensify since the protests were crushed, with President Trump deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East and repeatedly warning Tehran that military force remains an option if it refuses to engage seriously.

Asked whether Iran’s supreme leader should fear further action, Trump offered a blunt assessment. “I would say he should be very worried,” he told NBC News in an interview Wednesday, referring to Ayatollah Ali Khameni, following U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025. “Yeah, he should be. As you know, they’re negotiating with us.”

Trump also said he had heard that Iran was attempting to revive its nuclear weapons program, adding that if confirmed, he would be prepared to direct U.S. bombers to “do their job again.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran has conveyed a readiness to accept a long-term halt to its nuclear activities if international sanctions are lifted, while making clear it will not compromise on its ballistic missile program, according to a report published Friday by The New York Times.

Tehran maintains that its missile capabilities are essential for what it describes as defensive purposes, particularly in light of threats it associates with Israel.

In diplomatic contacts, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Omani counterpart that the Islamic Republic’s immediate objective is “to manage the current situation between Iran and the US and to advance negotiations,” according to Iran’s state-run IRNA.

Iranian outlet Nournews offered a more critical assessment of the talks, stating, “The negotiations between Iran and the US in Muscat, with the presence of the commander of CENTCOM, alongside the transfer of equipment and naval movements, is a combination of negotiations and a show of force to increase pressure. Iran will not retreat under threat. The inclusion of the military component raises the risk and cost of negotiations, and the responsibility for this lies with the US.”

Separately, Al-Mayadeen reported that current discussions are focused on procedural matters rather than substantive terms. “What is happening now is negotiations about the negotiation process itself, not about the details of the agreement. We are waiting for the opening of the third phase of the first round of indirect talks. The Iranian side emphasizes the need for seriousness in negotiations. It is claimed that Iran has set a defined ceiling – limiting the talks to the issue of the nuclear program only.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States accused China of secretly carrying out at least one nuclear explosive test, escalating tensions as Washington presses for a new arms control framework that would bring Beijing into negotiations alongside the United States and Russia.

Speaking Friday at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Thomas DiNanno, the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said Washington believes Beijing has conducted prohibited nuclear activity.

“I can reveal that the US government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons,” DiNanno told delegates at the conference.

DiNanno later elaborated on social media, alleging that Beijing had deliberately masked its actions. “China has used decoupling — a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring — to hide its activities from the world,” he wrote on X, adding that one such test took place on June 22, 2020, during the height of global COVID-19 lockdowns.

China rejected the accusations. Shen Jian, Beijing’s ambassador on disarmament, did not directly respond to the specific claim but criticized Washington’s broader narrative, saying “the US continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives … [The US] is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race.”

The allegations surfaced just one day after the expiration of the 2010 New START treaty between the United States and Russia, ending the last remaining agreement that limited the two countries’ strategic nuclear arsenals and leaving them without binding constraints for the first time since the SALT agreements of the early 1970s.

DiNanno argued that the changing global landscape requires a new approach to arms control. “Today, the United States faces threats from multiple nuclear powers. In short, a bilateral treaty with only one nuclear power is simply inappropriate in 2026 and going forward,” he said, warning that China is expected to possess more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.

Beijing, however, ruled out joining trilateral talks for now. Shen said China would not participate in such negotiations at this stage, adding: “In this new era we hope the US will abandon Cold War thinking … and embrace common and cooperative security.”

At the same time, Russian and American officials discussed the issue on the sidelines of broader diplomatic talks in the United Arab Emirates, where Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. delegations held two days of meetings focused on a potential peace settlement in Ukraine.

“There is an understanding, and they talked about it in Abu Dhabi, that both parties will take responsible positions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday. “and both parties realize the need to start talks on the issue as soon as possible.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump drew sharp condemnation after sharing a racist video clip that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, prompting outrage and renewed scrutiny of Mr. Trump’s long record of promoting offensive stereotypes about Black Americans and other groups.

The short clip appeared near the end of a 62-second video that circulated conspiracy theories about supposed irregularities in the 2020 presidential election. The segment was set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and was included as part of a montage posted by Mr. Trump during a late-night burst of activity on social media Thursday.

Depicting the Obamas as apes echoes a deeply racist trope that has long been used to dehumanize Black people and to rationalize violence, including lynchings and other atrocities. A spokeswoman for Mr. Obama declined to comment on the video.

The post fits into a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric by Mr. Trump targeting people of color, women, and immigrants. During his second administration, official government social media accounts, including those of the White House, the Labor Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, have also shared images and slogans that critics say resemble white supremacist messaging.

Asked about the video, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism, calling it “fake outrage.”

“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King,” she said. “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, publicly objected to the post, writing on X that he hoped it was fake “because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.”

The clip appears to have originated from a video shared on X in October by a user who captioned it “President Trump: King of the Jungle,” accompanied by a lion emoji.

That earlier video portrayed several prominent Democrats — including former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York, former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and former vice president Kamala Harris — as various animals, while Mr. Trump was depicted as a lion. In that version as well, the Obamas were shown as apes, and the video concluded with the animals bowing before Mr. Trump.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office issued a statement condemning the post, calling it “disgusting behavior by the President.” Mr. Newsom added, “Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.”

Since returning to office, Mr. Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly mocked Mr. Obama or promoted false claims about him, keeping the former president a frequent target of political attacks.

{Matzav.com}

Administrators at a prominent chareidi seminary have canceled a planned trip to Mount Hermon after a forceful halachic ruling by Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, who ruled that it is forbidden to enter the site due to its public desecration of Shabbos.

The ruling, published this week in the weekly Torah journal Divrei Chemed, prompted the seminary to shelve one of the main attractions planned for a two-day excursion in northern Israel. The expanded issue marked the journal’s 100th edition and included a detailed responsum from Rav Zilberstein addressing the question.

According to the report, the principal of a chareidi seminary approached Rav Zilberstein on behalf of the teaching staff. The educators explained that they were organizing a two-day trip and hoped to surprise and delight the students with a visit to Mount Hermon, particularly appealing during the winter season when the mountain is covered in snow.

The seminary administrators acknowledged that the site operates throughout the week and remains open on Shabbos, involving public chillul Shabbos. They asked whether, despite this, it might still be permissible to visit the area itself—without using the cable cars, sleds, or other attractions—arguing that Mount Hermon is fundamentally a public space, even if the site is managed by an operating authority.

Rav Zilberstein responded at length, ruling unequivocally that entering the site is prohibited. He explained that without the organized site, access to the mountain would not be reasonably possible. The operators paved the roads, leveled the terrain, and invested extensive resources to make the area accessible and enjoyable. As a result, even visiting without using the attractions is forbidden, since the site’s operation is inseparable from ongoing chillul Shabbos.

Beyond the technical prohibition, Rav Zilberstein emphasized the obligation to protest chillul Shabbos. He warned that there is no greater desecration of Hashem’s Name than observant Jews visiting a site that openly violates Shabbos, thereby lending legitimacy to its operation.

He added that if it were clear to the site’s management that chareidi visitors would stay away as long as it remains open on Shabbos, the resulting financial pressure might lead them to close on Shabbos. Anyone who goes there, he argued, indirectly assists the continued chillul Shabbos.

Rav Zilberstein concluded his ruling with an emotional outcry, expressing pain that educators would even feel the need to ask such a question. He drew a stark comparison, saying that had there been a sign at the entrance barring Jews, no one would consider entering such a place. Here too, he said, the large sign advertising that the site is open on Shabbos constitutes a direct affront to Heaven, making it unthinkable to even ask whether a visit could be permitted.

The ruling had an immediate impact. The seminary, heeding the guidance of Rav Zilberstein, canceled the planned visit to Mount Hermon and arranged alternative destinations for the students elsewhere in Israel.

{Matzav.com}

With a 30-day deadline looming to approve Israel’s state budget, political commentators are warning that the coalition is nearing a decisive moment: Either advance a draft law acceptable to the chareidi parties or risk the dissolution of the Knesset. Analysts say the coming weeks will determine whether the crisis ends in compromise or collapse.

The issue was discussed Thursday night on the main news program of Kol Chai Radio, where host Betzalel Kahn spoke with political commentators Avi Grintzeig and Yishai Cohen. The panel examined the growing political and legal knot threatening government stability, focusing on the late-night drama in the Knesset, the chareidi parties’ decision to halt the Economic Arrangements Law as leverage, and the ongoing stalemate over the draft law in light of the legal establishment’s position.

Cohen opened by describing the dramatic chain of events in the Knesset, saying the chareidi factions surprised their coalition partners with a coordinated move. “We all saw the messages and attacks between Aryeh Deri and Gafni over religious services, yet at that very moment they were cooperating and deciding to freeze the budget and block the transfer of the Arrangements Law to committee. They informed no one in the coalition except Inbal Mazolai and Uri Maklev, instructing them to announce after midnight that the chareidim were not on board. When the vote stage arrived, the full implications became clear, and the decision was made to pull the vote and delay it until Monday.”

He went on to explain the legal complications preventing progress on the draft law, despite assurances from Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. “Netanyahu claims there is a majority of 61 for the draft law, but the chareidim respond that there is no bill agreed upon by the legal adviser. The situation has become even more complicated because everything is now frozen for technical reasons as well, since a senior official in the Knesset’s legal advisory department who is handling the issue was forced to step aside due to personal circumstances. Every day is critical because the legislation is tied to the budget, and we could reach a point where the chareidim realize there will be no draft law and vote in favor of the budget simply to protect their funding, while simultaneously demanding a bill to dissolve the Knesset.”

Despite the pessimism, Grintzeig stressed that Israeli politics often remain fluid until the final moment. “In Israel, as in Israel, until the 90th minute things can still go either way. If I had to estimate, both the draft law and the budget will pass in the final days before the deadline. The real question is whether, when the clock is ticking, the laws will actually be there. I cautiously think the chances are still high, because the ultimatum directed at Netanyahu is meant to pressure the legal advisers to show flexibility, and that is the real test of this entire episode.”

In closing, Grintzeig sharply criticized the conduct of the judicial system and the attorney general, particularly regarding judicial appointments. “The justice minister is dealing with a legal adviser who never misses an opportunity for confrontation, and in the end the ones who suffer are the citizens in the magistrate and district courts. The attorney general has become a fully political actor, even drawing rebukes from Supreme Court justices for repeatedly losing her own positions. Even the Supreme Court president is emerging as a political figure acting in full public view, unlike his predecessors who operated with far greater sophistication. This has turned the entire system into a frontal clash with the elected leadership.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

A single, throwaway line from Elon Musk managed to expose a truth many people spend their lives running from.

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness really knew what they were talking about.”

Cue the sarcasm, the mockery, the eye-rolling. “Cry me a river.” “Try being poor.” “I’d rather be miserable and rich than miserable and broke.” Very clever. Very predictable.

But beneath the snark was something raw and uncomfortable, and that’s exactly why people rushed to drown it out.

Here is a man who has more money than kings ever dreamed of, more access than entire countries, more power than most governments, openly admitting that it didn’t deliver what it promised. Not in a philosophical essay. Not in a self-help book. In one blunt sentence and a sad emoji.

And instead of pausing to listen, the world laughed.

Because if he isn’t happy, the fantasy collapses. If money doesn’t fix the emptiness at the very top, then maybe the problem isn’t “not enough.” Maybe the problem is thinking that having more will finally quiet the noise inside.

We’ve trained ourselves to believe that unhappiness is a budgeting issue. That anxiety is a temporary stage before the next raise. That fulfillment is one deal, one upgrade, one win away. And so when someone who has already crossed every imaginable finish line says, “This isn’t it,” we feel threatened. His honesty interferes with our coping mechanism.

So we mock him. We minimize it. We tell ourselves we’d handle the money better. We’d enjoy it more. We’d be grateful. We’d finally be calm.

But deep down, we know that’s not true.

Money solves problems. Real ones. Painful ones. No one is romanticizing poverty. But meaning, contentment, menuchas hanefesh — those don’t scale with net worth. If anything, they’re often buried under pressure, isolation, and expectations that never stop growing.

The saddest part isn’t that a billionaire admitted he isn’t happy. The saddest part is how desperate we are to pretend he’s wrong.

Because if he’s right, then we may have to confront a far harder question than how to make more money. We may have to ask what we’re actually living for.

And that’s a conversation far more uncomfortable than any sad emoji.

Sincerely,
An observer who thinks the joke is on us

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The White House on Thursday pointed to new research indicating that homicide rates in America’s largest cities fell to their lowest level in more than a century, crediting aggressive law enforcement and border policies under President Donald Trump.

During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referenced findings published by the Council on Criminal Justice, describing the decline as unprecedented in modern records.

“A study from the Council on Criminal Justice shows that the murder rate across America’s largest cities plummeted in 2025 to its lowest level since at least 1900,” Leavitt said, noting that it “marks the largest single year drop in murders in recorded history.”

Leavitt attributed the sharp decrease to a broad federal crackdown on crime and illegal immigration. “This dramatic decline is what happens when a president secures the border, fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals, and aggressively deports the worst of the worst illegal aliens from our country,” she said.

She also highlighted law enforcement data comparing recent arrest figures. According to Leavitt, the Federal Bureau of Investigation made twice as many violent-crime arrests in 2025 as it did in 2024, which she described as the final full year of President Joe Biden’s administration. She added that during Trump’s first full year in office, total FBI arrests were nearly 200 percent higher than during the period from January 20, 2024, to January 20, 2025.

“The FBI also disrupted 1,800 gangs and criminal enterprises, a 210 percent increase from the year prior. The FBI has arrested 1,700 child predators and more than 300 human traffickers across the country,” Leavitt said. “Since President Trump took office, six of the FBI’s top 10 Most Wanted fugitives have been captured.”

The White House also pointed to crime trends in Washington, D.C., where Trump federalized local policing last year and authorized the deployment of the National Guard. According to the administration, crime levels in 2026 to date are significantly lower across nearly all categories compared with the same period in 2025. As of Thursday, the city recorded three murders so far this year, an 83 percent decrease from the 18 murders reported between January 1 and February 5 in 2025.

Other crime categories showed similar declines, with sex abuse offenses down 63 percent, robberies reduced by 58 percent, burglaries falling 44 percent, motor vehicle theft dropping 58 percent, and arson reduced by 100 percent.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers echoed the administration’s assessment in comments to Breitbart News earlier this week. “President Trump promised to make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful again — now it is one of the safest cities in the country,” Rogers said. “Thanks to President Trump’s successful federal law enforcement operation, our nation’s capital has seen a dramatic decrease in crime and homicide.”

{Matzav.com}

Senior rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel have issued a sharp and emotional public appeal calling on the Jewish public to completely avoid the ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, formerly known as Beit Hatfutsot, following its refusal to remove exhibits that recognize and legitimize intermarriage.

The extraordinary statement comes after repeated approaches by Yad L’Achim, which has been campaigning for the removal of what it describes as offensive displays that normalize intermarriage and constitute a serious chillul Hashem. According to the organization, museum management has persistently rejected all requests to alter or remove the exhibits.

In their joint declaration, leading poskim, dayanim, and rabbanim warned both adults and children “not to dare set foot on the threshold of Museum ‘ANU,’ nor to come near it for any reason whatsoever,” stressing the spiritual danger posed by the content on display.

The letter is signed by Rav Masoud Ben Shimon, Rav Moshe Bransdorfer, Rav Shamai Kehas Gross, Rav Menachem M. Lubin, Rav Naftali Nussbaum, Rav Moshe Shaul Klein, Rav Sariel Rosenberg, Rav Yaakov Meir Stern, Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, and Rav Chaim Schmerler.

In the text of the appeal, the rabbanim wrote that they had received “reliable and deeply troubling information” from the leadership of Yad L’Achim, describing displays at the museum that greet visitors with messages of heresy and public recognition of intermarriage, which they say strike at the very root of Jewish continuity. “Upon hearing these matters,” the letter states, “our souls recoiled in anguish.”

The rabbanim further noted that Yad L’Achim had made numerous attempts over an extended period to engage museum officials and seek the removal of the exhibits, employing every reasonable form of dialogue and advocacy. “To our great sorrow,” the letter continues, “all of these appeals were met with sealed ears and hardened hearts. Woe to us that such things have arisen in our days, particularly at a time when the nation of Hashem is in dire need of salvation.”

Citing the teaching of Chazal that “one who causes others to sin is worse than one who kills,” the rabbanim emphasized the severity with which they view the matter.

In a statement following the publication of the rabbinic call, Yad L’Achim said the leading poskim were shaken by the full scope of the information presented to them regarding the museum’s exhibits and the prolonged struggle with its management.

The organization made clear that the public warning would not mark the end of its efforts. “Alongside the publication of this call,” Yad L’Achim stated, “we will continue to employ every legitimate tool available to us. We will not rest and we will not be silent until the exhibit is removed. It is inconceivable that while the Jewish people face grave external threats, a state-recognized institution in Israel should deal such a devastating blow to Jewish identity by granting malicious and reprehensible recognition to its desecration.”

Yad L’Achim added that the fight against assimilation is being waged worldwide, while “here, in Tel Aviv, a sword is being plunged into Jewish identity under the guise of culture and pluralism.”

{Matzav.com}

The NYPD arrested about a dozen anti-ICE protesters outside Columbia University after they sat in the street and blocked traffic near the campus entrance.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene in central Israel on Friday after a bus slammed into a building in the city of Ramat Gan, leaving at least 10 people injured, including one woman with severe, life-threatening injuries. Magen David Adom said EMTs and paramedics treated multiple victims following the crash, which unfolded in a busy […]

Dr. Oz explains how ’Trump RX’ is promising big savings on prescription medicine for Americans.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that a Democratic victory in the midterm elections would lead to aggressive oversight of President Donald Trump, including efforts to address what he described as corruption across Washington.

Speaking on MS NOW’s “All In,” Jeffries argued that Trump has acted as though he should not be subject to the same standards as other presidents. “Donald Trump likes to conduct himself as if he should be held to a standard different than every other American president or former president. And we can’t allow that to happen on all of the things,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said a Democratic-controlled House would focus both on policy priorities and oversight. “And certainly it’s going to be the case that in a Democratic majority, we’re going to fight hard to tackle the issues that matter, to drive down the high cost of living, fight hard, fight hard, to fix our broken health care system, of course,” he said. He added that Democrats would also move to address ethics concerns throughout the federal government. “But also at the same time, we’ve got to clean up the corruption that exists in Washington, DC, in the Congress, with the Supreme Court, and also deal with Donald Trump and his administration, who spend all of their time. It seems like trying to enrich themselves, their family and their friends, as opposed to focusing on doing their job to make life better for the American people.”

Jeffries said Democrats intend to use the House’s constitutional role as a check on executive power. “We will hold the Trump administration accountable in a manner consistent with what the House should be all about a check and balance on an out-of-control administration,” he said.

Looking ahead to November, Jeffries predicted electoral losses for Republicans, saying Trump is aware of the political stakes. “Donald Trump understands that if there is a free and fair election in November, and we’re going to make sure there is one, that the House is lost, Democrats are going to take back control of the House of Representatives,” Jeffries said.

He also suggested the GOP’s prospects in the Senate are weakening. “And the Senate is looking increasingly shaky as well, because the American people are rejecting this extremism. Donald Trump and Republicans have failed,” Jeffries said.

{Matzav.com}

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s long-awaited decision on a running mate is already stirring backlash inside her own coalition, with Jewish leaders, labor groups and Democratic insiders warning that her pick could become an early liability in a high-stakes reelection fight. Hochul announced that former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams would join her on the […]

Freezing January temperatures left tens of thousands of New York City residents without heat or hot water, triggering a wave of complaints and putting pressure on Mayor Zohran Mamdani just weeks into his term. While some tenants faulted the city’s response under the new administration, housing officials pointed to enforcement efforts and deep-rooted infrastructure failures.

Interviews published by the New York Post detailed residents across several neighborhoods who said their buildings went extended periods without reliable heat or hot water during the coldest stretch of winter. The accounts described daily disruptions and makeshift solutions as temperatures dropped.

In Williamsburg, tenant Alex Hughes told the Post he had endured “over 40 days of no hot water over the last 11 months” and was then on “day eight or nine straight of no hot water,” saying he resorted to showering at a friend’s apartment.

Similar problems were reported in Astoria, where Nicole Pavez, a city planner, said the heat in her building had been failing almost every night throughout the month.

Residents of public housing described comparable conditions. Malik Williams, who lives at the Lehman Houses, told the Post that his apartment lacked heat for much of January and that he boiled water on the stove in an effort to warm his home.

According to Breitbart, approximately 80,000 people contacted the city’s 311 system in January to report a lack of heat or hot water, marking what it described as the highest monthly total ever recorded.

Separate data released by the city’s Housing Preservation and Development agency showed that, through Jan. 29, there had been 215,045 heat-related complaints during the current heating season, compared with 187,775 complaints at the same point last season.

Mamdani, who was sworn in on Jan. 1, has been pressed to explain how the city is handling emergency responses and enforcing heat regulations amid the surge in complaints.

The report also tied the spike in calls to the mayor’s housing agenda and his decision to appoint tenant advocate Cea Weaver to head the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. The appointment was announced on Jan. 1 alongside an executive action aimed at reviving and expanding that office’s role.

The New York City Housing Authority, which oversees the nation’s largest public housing system, said it maintains a 24-hour heat desk and emergency response operation and has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in heating upgrades in recent years.

Even so, estimates contained in city and NYCHA documents place the cost of restoring the housing authority’s properties to a state of good repair at roughly $78 billion over the next two decades.

{Matzav.com}

The United States’ virtual embassy to Iran reiterated its warning Friday urging all American citizens to “leave Iran now,” citing widespread unrest, communication blackouts and growing risks of detention. The advisory, run by the United States Department of State, reiterates guidance first issued on Jan. 12, as nationwide protests and government crackdowns disrupted daily life […]

A deputy chief of Russia’s military intelligence agency was shot and wounded in Moscow on Friday in an attack that follows a series of assassinations of senior military officers that Russia has blamed on Ukraine. Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev was hospitalized after being shot several times by an unidentified assailant at an apartment building in […]

Emergency crews rushed to the scene in central Israel on Friday after a bus slammed into a building in the city of Ramat Gan, leaving at least 10 people injured, including one woman with severe, life-threatening injuries. Magen David Adom said EMTs and paramedics treated multiple victims following the crash, which unfolded in a busy […]

Organizers behind an international flotilla carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza said Thursday that they are preparing a far larger mission set to depart in March, involving more than 100 vessels, according to a report by The Associated Press.

Those leading the campaign framed the planned voyage as the biggest civilian-driven effort yet opposing Israel’s conduct in Gaza, and they called on governments and international bodies to ensure that Israeli forces do not attempt to stop the flotilla at sea.

The plans were unveiled during an event at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, where speakers included Mandla Mandela, the grandson of South Africa’s former president.

Mandela took part in last year’s Global Sumud flotilla and was among the activists detained when Israeli forces stopped their vessel before it reached Gaza.

According to organizers, more than 1,000 participants are expected to take part in the upcoming mission, including physicians, engineers, and investigators focused on alleged war crimes. In addition to the maritime effort, a land convoy is being organized that could attract thousands more supporters traveling from countries such as Tunisia and Egypt.

The flotilla’s vessels are slated to set sail from ports in Spain, Tunisia, and Italy. While activists acknowledged that clashes with Israeli forces are likely, they maintained that their actions are protected under international law.

The previous flotilla last year consisted of roughly 50 boats and about 500 activists. Israeli authorities detained an estimated 443 people, among them Mandela, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and European Parliament member Rima Hassan.

Earlier that same year, a separate effort known as the Madleen also sought to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and was intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces.

After that interception, the activists were provided with food and water, despite many having recorded videos in advance claiming they were “kidnapped” by the IDF.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry later said that the aid aboard the Madleen amounted to less than a single truckload and would instead be delivered to Gaza through established humanitarian channels.

{Matzav.com}