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President Donald Trump declared Thursday that he has no intention of using nuclear weapons against Iran or sending American ground forces into the country, even as speculation intensifies that the United States could launch another major military operation against the Iranian regime.

In an interview with Newsmax, Trump addressed reports that the Pentagon was considering deploying the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, commonly known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” against Iranian targets. Although he stopped short of confirming whether the weapon was under consideration, he emphasized that the powerful conventional bomb should not be confused with a nuclear weapon.

Trump what he's thinking about dropping on Iran: "This is an extremely large bomb. It's like a tiny nuclear bomb." pic.twitter.com/k2iSZyYzG2

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2026

“The mother of all bombs is not nuclear. It’s not nuclear at all. This is just an extremely large bomb. It’s like a tiny nuclear bomb. But the mother of all bombs is one big bomb, but it’s not nuclear.”

Trump also explicitly rejected the possibility of employing America’s nuclear arsenal against Tehran.

“No, I wouldn’t use nuclear [against Iran]. We don’t have to. We’re the greatest nuclear power in the world.”

The president separately indicated that he was not planning to deploy American ground troops to Iran, signaling that any additional military action would be conducted without a ground invasion under his current plans.

NEWSMAX: Do you trust Netanyahu?

TRUMP: I don't trust anybody pic.twitter.com/WeKHfNUj4l

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2026

The remarks came amid reports that American military planners were examining the possibility of using the MOAB, one of the largest conventional bombs in the US arsenal, in a future operation against Iranian targets. The weapon is designed to produce an enormous blast without relying on a nuclear reaction, although Trump did not disclose whether he had authorized preparations for its use.

The administration’s intentions have remained the subject of considerable speculation following Trump’s announcement last week that additional American strikes against Iran would be suspended until after November 3, the date of the upcoming congressional elections.

In a Truth Social statement last Thursday, Trump indicated that military operations would remain on hold until after Election Day. By Monday, however, he was telling reporters that the electoral calendar would not dictate his decisions regarding Iran, leaving open the possibility of renewed action before voters go to the polls.

Trump intensified his warnings during a campaign appearance in Alaska on Tuesday evening, suggesting that the Iranian regime could soon face another major American attack.

“Oh, wait till you see what we do to Iran. We’re going to do a number. Wait till you see,” he told the crowd.

The president continued with another warning, indicating that his patience with Tehran had largely run out.

“They’re just waiting. They’re waiting. Wait till you see what we do to Iran, because we’ve sort of had it. You know, we’ve had it,” Trump continued.

Trump also repeated his insistence that Iran would never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, pointing to the destruction inflicted on Iranian nuclear facilities during previous military operations.

“But, you know, it doesn’t matter. The big thing is they were not going to have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t. That’s buried under thousands of tons of rock.”

The possibility of renewed strikes has attracted particular attention because of reports that American military officials have prepared plans involving the MOAB. According to reporting by CNN and CBS News, potential targets include Iranian military installations, energy infrastructure and nuclear-related facilities, although the White House has not announced any decision to carry out such an operation.

The GBU-43/B weighs approximately 21,600 pounds and was developed to destroy large concentrations of enemy personnel, equipment and exposed installations through an exceptionally powerful conventional explosion. The United States first employed the weapon in combat in Afghanistan in 2017, during Trump’s first administration, against an ISIS tunnel complex.

Military analysts have questioned whether the MOAB would be effective against Iran’s most deeply buried nuclear facilities, which are protected by substantial layers of rock and reinforced construction. Unlike specialized bunker-busting weapons, the MOAB is designed primarily to produce a devastating blast across a broad area.

Separate reporting has indicated that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently discussed the possibility of additional military action against Iran. Netanyahu has publicly stated that he is not seeking a preemptive attack before Israel’s October 27 election, while warning that Israel would respond forcefully to any renewed Iranian aggression.

The Newsmax interview also touched on the upcoming Israeli election and Trump’s longstanding political relationship with Netanyahu.

Asked whether he intended to become involved in Netanyahu’s campaign for another term as prime minister, Trump indicated that Israeli officials would welcome his participation.

“Well, they’d like me to be. Yeah, they’d like me to be. Look, I’ve had a very good relationship with him. We’ve had good success together.”

The president nevertheless declined to commit himself to an endorsement, despite previously raising the possibility of publicly backing a candidate in the Israeli election.

“I haven’t thought about it. Maybe I’ll do something. We may endorse somebody in these elections,” Trump said.

When questioned about whether he personally trusted Netanyahu, Trump offered a sweeping assessment of his approach to political relationships.

“I don’t trust anybody, honestly,” he replied. “I don’t trust anybody. In the world of politics, I don’t trust anybody.”

Despite that remark, Trump praised the cooperation between the United States and Israel during their military campaign against Iran, crediting the partnership with inflicting severe damage on the regime’s military infrastructure and leadership.

“We had a very successful partnership, you know, in terms of a military partnership,” Trump said.

Trump also asserted that he enjoys extraordinary popularity among Israelis, suggesting that his support in the Jewish state extends far beyond his relationship with Netanyahu.

“The people of Israel, they say if I ran for prime minister, I’d get 99% of them,” he remarked.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

As we learn this week about Noach and the Mabul, we encounter a description of the world that is devastating and unsettling. The pesukim (Bereishis 6:11-12) tell us, “Vatishocheis ha’aretz lifnei ha’Elokim vatimolei ha’aretz chomos — The world had become corrupt before Hashem, and the earth was filled with thievery.” The Torah continues, “Vayar Hashem es ha’aretz vehinei nishchosah — Hashem saw the earth, and behold, it had become corrupt.”

Acharonim note a striking feature of these pesukim. The Torah describes a world consumed by corruption, a society steeped in theft, violence, immorality, and the abandonment of basic decency. Yet, when the Torah speaks of seeing the corruption, it singles out that Hashem is the One who observed what was happening: “Vayar Hashem.” Hashem saw what had become of His world. The implication is that the people inhabiting that world did not see what was unfolding around them. Either they were so deeply implicated in the wrongdoing that they could no longer see it clearly or they had become so accustomed to their surroundings that nothing about the prevailing behavior seemed unusual.

How could an entire civilization descend to such a level without recognizing what was happening? How could people live amid rampant theft and violence, surrounded by moral decay, and carry on as though everything were perfectly normal?

Perhaps the answer is that corruption rarely announces itself as corruption. It advances gradually, one compromise at a time, until yesterday’s outrage becomes today’s accepted practice. What once would have shocked the conscience becomes commonplace. What once demanded protest becomes a subject of indifference. Eventually, people no longer ask whether their behavior is right or wrong. They ask only whether it is customary, whether others are doing it, and whether they can get away with it.

Not only were the people of Noach’s generation committing terrible sins, but their society had lost the ability to recognize those sins for what they were. The corruption had become so pervasive that the distinction between right and wrong had blurred, until the abnormal had become normal and the indefensible had become accepted.

When an individual sins, there may still be a conscience that troubles him, a voice that reminds him that he has crossed a line. But when an entire society embraces the wrongdoing, that voice becomes easier to silence. People reassure one another that there is nothing wrong with what they are doing. They point to their neighbors, their friends, and the accepted practices of their time. The oldest excuse in the book is that “everyone is doing it,” and if everyone is doing it, then it can’t possibly be wrong.

Yet, the fact that an entire world accepts something does not make it right. A society can reach a consensus and still be profoundly mistaken. An entire generation can lose its moral bearings while remaining convinced that it is right.

We see this in the way nations condemn Israel and promote the modern-day blood libel that the Jewish state is guilty of genocide. We see it in the world’s most prestigious award being given to a Jew-hater who promotes the genocide charge. We see it in the antisemitic marches in European capitals, in the legislation Western nations enact against Israel, and in the growing hostility toward Israel and the Jewish people within the American Democratic Party.

And this lesson must give us pause closer to home as well. At a time when more Jews are devoting their lives to Torah, and when chesed and tzedokah are being performed on a scale that may be unprecedented in our long history, we must also confront the troubling reality that certain forms of contemptible conduct within our own community are becoming increasingly accepted. The extraordinary growth of Torah and chesed does not absolve us of the responsibility to recognize what is wrong among us.

The Torah’s description of the Mabul teaches us that this is not merely a historical curiosity. It is one of the great dangers facing human society in every age. When the standards of right and wrong are determined by what people do rather than by what they should do, the very idea of a moral standard begins to disappear. Instead of asking whether our behavior meets the demands of truth and justice, we judge truth and justice by whether they accommodate our behavior.

The tragedy of Noach’s generation was that its people apparently no longer saw the tragedy.

There is a remarkable lesson in the Torah’s identification of the particular sin that filled the earth, namely chomos, thievery. Chazal teach that the people of that generation had become so accustomed to stealing that they devised ways of taking from one another in amounts so small that the victims could not obtain legal redress. Each individual act might have appeared insignificant, but when everyone participated, the cumulative result was the destruction of society.

This is what happens when people stop respecting the rights of others. The first theft may be accompanied by discomfort, the second by a little less hesitation, and eventually a person can reach a point where he no longer finds anything wrong with taking what belongs to someone else. He finds excuses, identifies loopholes, and persuades himself that what he is doing is acceptable. Others do the same, and soon the entire society operates by standards that would once have been unthinkable.

The members of the generation of the Mabul did not necessarily need to become spectacular villains, each committing some extraordinary act of wickedness. They needed only to create a world in which everyone felt entitled to take a little, excuse a little, and disregard the other person a little. When those small acts became the accepted way of life, the society became corrupt.

The lesson reaches far beyond theft. Whenever people become accustomed to dishonesty, cruelty, exploitation, or the humiliation of others, they gradually lose their sensitivity to the damage they cause. The question is no longer whether another person has been wronged, but whether the wrongdoing is common enough to be excused. The more widespread a practice becomes, the less likely people are to challenge it, and the less likely they are to recognize the harm it inflicts.

This is how a society can deteriorate without experiencing a moment of collective alarm. There is no single morning when everyone awakens and announces that right and wrong no longer matter. Instead, the standards erode little by little, until people look around and see nothing unusual in what has become of them.

And that is the lesson of Noach.

The Torah tells us, “Noach ish tzaddik tomim hayah bedorosav es ha’Elokim hishalech Noach — Noach was a righteous and wholehearted man in his generations; Noach walked with Hashem.”

Noach lived in the same world as everyone else. He breathed the same air, encountered the same people, and witnessed the same conduct that had become ordinary in his surroundings. He was spared the influence of his society because, while the others accepted the standards of their generation, Noach measured his conduct by the will of Hashem. If Noach knew that Hashem considered that conduct wrong, Noach’s guide was Hashem, not public opinion, not what everyone did, what everyone bought, or where everyone went. He kept himself accountable to a higher standard.

Noach measured the world against the will of Hashem rather than measuring the will of Hashem against the world.

That distinction is fundamental.

It is relatively easy to recognize wrongdoing when everyone around us condemns it. When a society agrees that an act is shameful, a person can maintain his integrity without having to question the assumptions of his friends or challenge the practices of his community. The real test arrives when the prevailing culture has accepted something that the Torah rejects, when a person must choose between the approval of those around him and his responsibility to Hashem.

That is when a person discovers whether his standards are rooted in Torah or merely borrowed from his surroundings.

Hashem instructed Noach to build the teivah over an extended period so that he could carry on discussions with the people of his day and seek to influence them to mend their ways. Though Noach’s efforts proved fruitless, he himself wasn’t swayed by the degradation of the society around him and remained committed to acting according to the will of Hashem. Though he was constantly mocked, he continued building the teivah as Hashem had commanded him.

That is the responsibility of a Jew in every generation. We cannot control the moral climate of the world, and we cannot always persuade others to recognize what is wrong. But we are responsible for ensuring that the standards by which we live our lives do not become casualties of the society around us.

We live in a world in which the language of morality is constantly invoked, but the meaning of morality is increasingly contested. Conduct that was once regarded as shameful can be celebrated, while those who object are dismissed as backward, intolerant, or out of touch.

Just because something is popular, widely promoted, and accepted by influential people does not mean that it is right. Popularity is not proof of truth, and acceptance is not evidence of righteousness.

The world can applaud something that is wrong, just as an entire generation can become accustomed to behavior that destroys the fabric of society. If we allow the prevailing culture to determine our standards, we risk losing the ability to distinguish between what is right and what is merely fashionable.

This danger is not confined to the larger society. It exists within our world as well. A person can become accustomed to speaking improperly, treating another person unfairly, wasting precious time, or making compromises in his hanhogah until what once troubled him no longer registers. He may continue to regard himself as an honest person, a responsible person, and a ben Torah, even as he gradually adjusts his standards to accommodate his behavior.

The danger is not only that we may do something wrong. It is that we may reach a point where we no longer recognize it as wrong.

A person who knows that he has stumbled can seek to correct himself. A person who has convinced himself that there is nothing to correct has closed the door to improvement.

That is why the Torah’s description of Noach’s generation should give us pause. It teaches us to consider not only what we are doing, but how we judge what we are doing. Are our standards determined by the Torah, or do we slowly, and perhaps unknowingly, adjust our understanding of Torah to accommodate the standards around us? Are we troubled when we see something wrong, or have we become so accustomed to it that we no longer notice or care? Do we examine our conduct honestly, or do we find comfort in the knowledge that others behave the same way?

Noach’s generation became so immersed in its conduct that its people lost the ability to recognize where their choices were leading. The world was filled with chomos, and yet the corruption had become ordinary. What should have been a cause for alarm had become the background of everyday life.

Noach teaches us that we must preserve the ability to see clearly, even when those around us have lost it.

There is a reason that the Torah tells us that Noach walked with Hashem. A person who leads his life by what everyone else does gets swept away in the tide of hedonism, self-indulgence, and a way of life incongruous with Torah values.

Noach reminds us that when the entire world goes astray, righteousness may look strange and may feel lonely. When everyone goes somewhere and you don’t, it may appear as if you are the one missing out, but, in fact, you are like Noach in the teivah, living life the way it was meant to be lived.

Over the Yomim Noraim and Sukkos, we invested much effort in reaching higher levels of ruchniyus, striving to improve ourselves, strengthen our connection with Hashem, and carry the inspiration of those exalted days into the year ahead. The task of those days was to work to elevate ourselves above the distractions of the world and draw closer to the person we know we can become.

As we return to regular life, what we gained over Tishrei is vulnerable to the murky floodwaters of a society in which the lines between right and wrong are increasingly blurred and our generational values can gradually be eroded.

As we learn this week’s parsha and return to school and yeshiva, we must take the lesson of Parshas Noach to heart and work to go against the flow rather than get swept away by the challenges to our mesorah and Torah way of life.

We can choose the standards by which we live, the influences to which we expose ourselves, and the values we transmit to our children. By remaining loyal to Torah and its values and doing what we can to bring goodness and ruchniyus into the world around us, we build our personal teivah, a place of refuge in which our families can remain anchored even as the waters rise around us.

We may not be able to keep the world from sinking, but we can ensure that we do not allow ourselves to sink with it. We can act as our grandfather Noach did, attempt to influence those around us, seek to make the world a better place, and help prepare the world for the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu bekarov.

President Donald Trump has formally asserted executive privilege in a federal court dispute over his leadership of the Kennedy Center, seeking to prevent the disclosure of internal communications concerning his management of the Washington performing arts institution, including controversial plans to rename the facility and shut it down for extensive renovations.

The administration’s latest legal maneuver comes as Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who serves on the Kennedy Center’s board by virtue of her congressional position, challenges the president’s authority to make major decisions affecting the institution. At the heart of the case is whether Trump can claim the confidentiality protections afforded to presidential communications while acting as chairman of the Kennedy Center’s nonprofit governing board.

In documents submitted to the court Wednesday night, Joshua Hoyt, a deputy assistant and deputy counsel to the president, stated that he was acting at “the direction of the President” in invoking executive privilege over records and correspondence requested by Beatty. The filing was reported Thursday by NBC News.

Trump assumed control of the Kennedy Center’s board last year after appointing new members, who subsequently selected him to serve as chairman. His leadership has generated legal challenges over proposed changes to the institution, including efforts to place his name on the building and a sweeping renovation project that would keep the center closed for two years.

The president publicly announced the planned shutdown in February through a social media post. He subsequently indicated that the renovation initiative would not move forward without receiving “recognition” for his involvement.

Beatty’s lawsuit maintains that Trump’s public declaration effectively predetermined the center’s closure, leaving the board to formally approve a decision that had already been made. Her attorneys have sought internal communications to determine how the decision was reached and whether the board exercised independent authority.

The White House has resisted those demands, arguing that discussions involving the president and individuals advising him on Kennedy Center matters fall within the scope of executive privilege.

In his declaration, Hoyt described the protected material as “information, documents, and communications shared between the President, his advisors (government and non-government), and Kennedy Center staff, pertaining to the management and operation” of the institution. He also asserted confidentiality protections for communications “to or from his advisors and/or Kennedy Center staff.”

Justice Department attorneys reinforced the administration’s position in a separate submission Wednesday, accusing Beatty of pursuing an unjustified “fishing expedition” through presidential records.

The department argued that her “pursuit of irrelevant evidence does not justify her extraordinary request” for further documentation.

Beatty’s legal representatives, Norm Eisen of Democracy Defenders Action and Nathaniel Zelinsky of Washington Litigation Group, responded by accusing the president of attempting to use his constitutional office to conceal decisions made in his separate role overseeing a nonprofit organization.

“Donald Trump appointed himself as chair of the non-profit board of the Kennedy Center, and is now trying to shield his management by improperly invoking executive privilege,” they said in a statement.

“The Supreme Court has stressed that the government should not invoke executive privilege lightly, but that is precisely what the Department of Justice is doing here. This kind of cover-up is a direct assault on the rule of law,” they said.

The administration had already signaled earlier in October that Trump intended to rely on executive privilege. Wednesday’s submission, however, marked the formal assertion of that protection in the ongoing litigation.

In an October 6 court filing, Beatty’s lawyers argued that the president’s participation in the Kennedy Center’s governance must be distinguished from his constitutional responsibilities as chief executive. They maintained that the institution, although established by Congress, operates independently of the executive branch “and does not exercise executive power.”

“Trustee and board chair are not roles that must be performed by the President of the United States and, indeed, never have been in the Center’s history before now,” the attorneys wrote.

Federal government lawyers rejected that distinction, maintaining that Trump’s oversight of the Kennedy Center “is undoubtedly in his official capacity,” particularly because federal law gives the president authority to appoint members of the institution’s governing board.

The disagreement raises a potentially significant legal question about the boundaries of presidential confidentiality protections when a sitting president simultaneously exercises authority over an organization outside the traditional federal executive structure.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who is presiding over the lawsuit, has yet to determine whether the disputed communications are protected from disclosure.

Earlier this month, Cooper authorized Beatty’s legal team to pursue information relating to a photograph of Trump aboard Air Force One reviewing a poster displaying the words “Kennedy Center DEMOLISH.” The image has become another point of contention as the parties dispute the administration’s plans for the facility.

The Kennedy Center itself has already suspended operations. Officials closed the venue on September 15, citing the need for emergency safety evaluations, and it has remained shuttered since then.

The dispute also follows earlier court intervention in Trump’s plans for the institution. In May, Judge Cooper blocked a previous closure decision and ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the building’s facade. The ruling did not prohibit necessary repairs or prevent the board from considering a new shutdown through an independent decision-making process.

The renovation project has been described as a roughly $257 million undertaking, with administration officials maintaining that major improvements are necessary to address the building’s condition. Trump and his allies have argued that closing the center would allow the work to proceed more efficiently and help restore the venue to a higher standard.

The legal controversy intensified in September when the Kennedy Center’s board voted to close the institution immediately, prompting further objections from Beatty and renewed scrutiny of whether the shutdown complied with the court’s earlier restrictions.

Another issue concerns the administration’s refusal to permit certain questions during depositions. Justice Department attorneys previously instructed Kennedy Center officials not to disclose communications involving Trump, citing presidential confidentiality protections even before the privilege was formally asserted.

Judge Cooper must now decide whether the administration’s claim is legally justified and whether Beatty can obtain the information she says is necessary to challenge the president’s decisions.

Meanwhile, the Kennedy Center remains closed, with its future operations and renovation plans still entangled in the federal court battle.

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Forty-seven yeshiva bochurim and avreichim are expected to spend Shabbos Parshas Noach incarcerated at Israel’s Prison 10 military detention facility after being arrested in connection with their refusal to enlist in the IDF, according to an announcement issued Thursday by an organization assisting imprisoned Torah learners.

The organization, Nosnim Gav, released a list of the detainees ahead of Shabbos and called upon Yidden throughout Eretz Yisroel and around the world to daven for their immediate release and for an end to the ongoing arrests of yeshiva students over military service.

The detainees are being held under Israel’s military draft enforcement system, which classifies individuals who fail to comply with enlistment requirements as draft avoiders or deserters. The arrests have become a major source of concern throughout the chareidi community amid the continuing controversy over the military draft of yeshiva bochurim.

According to the organization, the 47 detainees include both unmarried yeshiva students and married avreichim, who will be spending Shabbos away from their families and yeshivos behind the walls of the military prison.

Nosnim Gav, which has been involved in supporting those imprisoned over the draft issue, published the names for inclusion in tefillos over Shabbos, urging the public to remember the detainees and their families.

The names released for tefillah are:

Benayahu ben Shulamis, Hillel ben Rochel, Moshe ben Mazal, Dovid Aharon ben Dina, Yagel Nachman ben Shiran, Itamar ben Simcha, Nosson ben Aliza, Emanuel ben Lida, Yisroel Nosson ben Esther, Yakir Shalom ben Nili, Oriel ben Yafit, Shalev ben Nela, Rafael ben Leah, Eliya ben Sarit, Osher ben Gavia, Aharon ben Leah Liat, Ofir S., Eliya ben Cheftziba, Yisroel Meir A., Yakir ben Chana, Itamar ben Yehudis, Eliyahu ben Carmela, Nuriel Dovid A., Binyamin ben Tehila, Uriel ben Shulamis, Naftali Hertz ben Odel, Shimon ben Rivka, Adam ben Olga, Shilo ben Gila, Eliya Pinchas H., Shimon ben Carmit, and Yisroel P.

The additional names published by the organization are Menachem Mendel ben Nurit, Elchonon ben Rinat, Yechiel ben Chaya Rivka, Ron ben Oshra, Reuven ben Iris, Nehorai ben Chagit, Yair ben Yona, Adiel ben Shiran, Menachem Mendel ben Ayelet, Eliya Yinon ben Ofra, Yitzchok Ezra L., Avishai ben Rosa, Yisroel Meir B., Yishai ben Rosi Shifra, and Menachem Mendel ben Chaya Sarah.

The publication of the list comes amid continuing tensions over the enforcement of military enlistment requirements against chareidi yeshiva students. In recent months, arrests of bochurim have triggered demonstrations and widespread protests in chareidi neighborhoods, with rabbonim and communal organizations demanding that the government halt the detention of those committed to full-time Torah learning.

The announcement also follows reports that a major military police operation planned for next week to arrest additional yeshiva bochurim was canceled following a dispute between the IDF and Israel Police over responsibility for maintaining public order during the arrests.

Organizations assisting the detainees say that the imprisoned bochurim and avreichim have demonstrated remarkable resolve despite the difficulties of incarceration.

The organizations are appealing to the public to stand alongside the detainees and their families through tefillah and continued support, particularly as the men prepare to spend another Shabbos inside the military prison.

{Matzav.com}

A gathering of leading rabbonim, roshei yeshiva, and chassidishe rebbes took place this week in Bnei Brak to mark the establishment of Kesef Layeled, a new organization dedicated to providing emotional, educational, and personal support to children and teenagers whose parents have divorced or separated.

The initiative, known in Hebrew as Katef Layeled, meaning “A Shoulder for a Child,” was established in response to the difficulties experienced by children growing up in homes affected by divorce. At the gathering, gedolei Yisroel spoke about the emotional wounds these children often carry, the tendency of many to conceal their struggles, and the responsibility of the community to provide them with consistent support and guidance.

Among those participating were Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, rav of western Bnei Brak; Rav Chaim Feinstein, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo; Rav Itamar Garbuz, rosh yeshiva of Orchos Torah; Rav Chaim Yosef Biderman of Lelov in Bnei Brak; the Pittsburgh Rebbe; and Rav Yechezkel Derbermdiker, rav of the Boyaner chassidim and the Sofrim neighborhood.

The gathering was chaired by Rav Menachem Shapira, rav of the new organization and rav of the Bais Boruch shul.

One of the most emotional moments came during the remarks of Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, who opened with the posuk, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,” before sharing a painful experience from his own childhood.

“I became an orphan at the age of six. In those days, an orphan was the most miserable of the miserable. The scar remains with me to this very day,” he said.

Rav Stern noted that, boruch Hashem, numerous organizations have since been established to assist yesomim, but children whose parents have divorced frequently endure their own profound suffering without receiving the same attention.

“Children of divorced parents are also in a very difficult situation. Some hide their pain and do not want to appear unfortunate, while for others it comes bursting out,” he explained.

He emphasized that identifying these children and ensuring they have someone who understands their circumstances is an urgent communal responsibility.

“The need of the hour, rabosai, is to establish an organization, recognize their pain, and pair them with mentors who will understand them,” Rav Stern declared.

He concluded with a tefillah that those undertaking this work be successful in “finding the right language, how to strengthen these broken hearts.”

Rav Chaim Feinstein expressed his enthusiastic support for the initiative, describing it as an opportunity to emulate the ways of Hakadosh Boruch Hu.

“There is no doubt that this is a great mitzvah, to follow in the ways of Hakadosh Boruch Hu, Who heals the brokenhearted. These are broken hearts, broken homes,” he said.

The Pittsburgh Rebbe focused on the suffering that frequently goes unnoticed because children may appear entirely ordinary in school, even while carrying enormous emotional burdens.

“These precious children may appear outwardly just like every other child in their class, but when the school day ends, they do not have a stable, complete home to return to,” the Rebbe observed.

He described the establishment of the organization as something that “will truly be like cold water to a weary soul,” explaining that timely intervention could also “spare parents, educators, and the administrations of our holy institutions much anguish, when they identify early on any matter that requires assistance.”

Rav Yehuda Leib Kopf, the spiritual director of the Klal Chassidi cheder in Beit Shemesh and educational adviser to the new organization, spoke from his own experience of losing his father, the Lelover Rebbe of Branovitch zt”l, who passed away suddenly during a Purim seudah when his son was just 16.

“I became an orphan when it was still not popular. It was society that placed the stigma on orphans, because people were judgmental,” he recalled.

Rav Kopf stressed that changing communal attitudes must begin with the leadership of the Torah community. When gedolei Yisroel and professionals convey that children facing difficult family circumstances should not be ashamed, that message can gradually influence the broader public.

“It will filter down, and it can only filter down from the top,” he said.

Drawing on his experience as a cheder principal and yeshiva mashgiach, Rav Kopf related heartbreaking conversations with children struggling to cope with their parents’ separation.

One eight-year-old boy told him, “My father will manage. My mother will manage. If anyone is going to pay the price, it will be me.”

Another child, approaching his bar mitzvah, asked whether he could donate money he had received as prizes to help his mother cover household expenses.

“Someone said here that a six-year-old child becomes a ten-year-old,” Rav Kopf remarked. “I say that a six-year-old child becomes a ninety-year-old man.”

Rav Meir Leifer, mashgiach of Yeshivas Chernobyl, described a conversation he had just the previous day with a bochur whose parents had divorced.

“In my shiur alone, there are eight like that,” the bochur told him.

Rav Leifer observed that many children in such circumstances are reluctant to discuss their family situations, even when they desperately need support.

“How can we make them understand that we only want what is best for them, and that they should not be afraid to come?” he asked.

Rav Dovid Breverman, who will be involved in guiding the organization, addressed the connection between family difficulties and the challenges faced by young people who begin distancing themselves from Yiddishkeit.

He noted that, in his experience working with families of struggling teenagers, many cases involve painful family circumstances that have contributed to the child’s difficulties.

“In most cases, there is a family story behind what is happening,” he said.

To illustrate the importance of providing a stable and supportive relationship, Rav Breverman described a bochur in Ponevezh whose parents had divorced and who refused to consider shidduchim.

An avreich and talmid chacham took the young man under his wing, inviting him to his home every Shabbos for a year and a half.

“He suddenly saw a father and mother who had love and peace between them,” Rav Breverman related.

Eventually, the bochur married.

“A child needs to know: I have someone who is like a father, and this is the address I can turn to. Instead of building a hospital next to the bridge, let us repair the bridge,” he said.

Rav Ariel Yazdi, another professional involved in the initiative, emphasized that the relationship between a child and a mentor must be personal, consistent, and sensitive. A mentor might be the person a child calls after being insulted or the adult who accompanies him to purchase a suit for his bar mitzvah.

“But this has to be done delicately. It is not a five-kilogram hammer; these are fine, delicate tweezers,” he explained.

Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert also attended the gathering and spoke about the importance of establishing the organization, pledging municipal assistance as the initiative develops.

Other participants included Rav Shimon Kashash, an official in the city’s education department; Rav Yosef Shlomo Gerlitz, director of the Hakshiva Center operated through municipal social services; social worker Rav Bentzion Feist; and Rav Yonasan Tiefenbrunn, who will assist with the organization’s professional and educational support services.

The organization’s initial program will establish a network of trained mentors who will meet individually with children on a weekly basis, offering a dependable relationship and assistance tailored to each child’s emotional, educational, and personal needs.

The mentors will receive professional training, along with monthly lectures and ongoing guidance, to help them recognize difficulties, respond appropriately, and provide the steady support that children facing family separation may be missing.

The organization’s leadership expressed appreciation to Mayor Zeibert and Bnei Brak’s education and social services departments for their commitment to providing professional resources and educational assistance as the new initiative begins its work.

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{Matzav.com}

A waiter working at a chasunah in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, was arrested Tuesday night after a wedding guest discovered that her credit card was missing and confronted him, leading to the discovery of several additional credit cards allegedly stolen from other people attending the celebration.

The incident occurred at the Oholei Torah wedding hall, where guests had gathered for a chasunah. What began as an ordinary evening of celebration took an unexpected turn when one of the women in attendance realized that her credit card had disappeared.

According to Crown Heights Info, the woman became suspicious of a waiter who had been serving guests at the event. Rather than dismissing the disappearance, she approached the employee and confronted him about the missing card.

The confrontation reportedly led to the discovery of several credit cards in the waiter’s possession, including cards belonging to other women and guests at the wedding.

Crown Heights Shomrim was immediately notified, and volunteers responded to the wedding hall to investigate the situation and assist those affected.

Shomrim members worked alongside officers from the NYPD’s 77th Precinct, which serves the Crown Heights neighborhood. Police subsequently took the waiter into custody on suspicion of stealing credit cards from wedding guests.

The suspect was arrested at the scene and faces a grand larceny allegation. The matter was referred to police investigators for further handling.

Following the arrest, Crown Heights Shomrim issued a public reminder urging residents to exercise caution when attending weddings and other large gatherings, particularly when numerous outside employees and service workers have access to guest areas.

The organization thanked the individuals who noticed the suspicious activity and reported it promptly, crediting their vigilance with helping authorities respond before the suspect could leave the premises.

Shomrim encouraged wedding guests to keep wallets, purses, credit cards, and other valuables secure throughout celebrations and to report any suspicious behavior without delay.

Residents who observe suspicious activity in Crown Heights can contact Shomrim’s emergency hotline at 718-774-3333.

The arrest follows several other recent incidents in Crown Heights in which neighborhood volunteer patrols have assisted police in apprehending criminal suspects.

In September, cooperation between Crown Heights Shomrim, Boro Park Shomrim, and the NYPD led to the arrest of two suspects wanted in connection with grand larceny offenses. The investigation involved coordination between volunteers in both neighborhoods, including the use of technology to identify and locate the suspects.

{Matzav.com}

A wedding celebration in central Israel nearly turned into tragedy Thursday evening when the chosson’s father suddenly collapsed after suffering cardiac arrest, prompting a frantic effort by wedding guests and emergency medical personnel to save his life. Following prolonged resuscitation efforts and four electric shocks, the approximately 60-year-old man regained a pulse and consciousness and was rushed to the hospital in stable condition.

The frightening incident occurred at a wedding venue in Israel’s Shfela region, where family members and guests had gathered to celebrate the young couple’s marriage. Shortly after the festivities began, the chosson’s father collapsed, sending shockwaves through the gathering.

At approximately 6:22 p.m., Magen David Adom’s 101 emergency dispatch center received a report that a man had lost consciousness at the wedding. With every moment critical, dispatch personnel immediately began instructing those at the scene on how to perform lifesaving resuscitation.

MDA emergency dispatcher Iyas Azbarga and paramedic Shoval Remez guided the guests over the telephone while an ambulance crew was dispatched to the venue.

Using MDA’s emergency response systems, the dispatchers determined that a defibrillator was available inside the wedding hall. They directed the guests to retrieve the device and begin using it while continuing CPR.

The guests responded immediately, administering three electric shocks with the defibrillator before the arrival of emergency medical personnel.

When MDA paramedics and emergency medical technicians reached the hall, they took over the resuscitation efforts, providing advanced cardiac care, including an additional electric shock and emergency medications.

After sustained efforts, the man’s heartbeat was restored, and he regained consciousness, bringing an extraordinary measure of relief amid what had become a terrifying ordeal for the family.

Once his condition had stabilized, the father was transported directly to the cardiac catheterization unit at Kaplan Medical Center for further treatment. He was reported to be in stable condition.

MDA motorcycle emergency responders Eden Sinai and Meir Avivi, together with paramedics Moran Ben David and Chen Vermus, director of MDA’s paramedic training school, described the intense rescue effort.

“When we arrived at the wedding venue, we immediately understood that this was a complex incident, with the groom’s father having collapsed during the wedding,” the responders said.

“The people at the scene acted quickly and began resuscitation using a defibrillator that was available in the hall, after receiving instructions from MDA’s 101 dispatch center. We continued prolonged advanced resuscitation efforts, including an electric shock, resuscitation medications, and lifesaving medical treatment. After extensive efforts, we succeeded in restoring his pulse, and he regained consciousness. This is an especially emotional moment, because our goal is to save lives, and in this case, also to allow a father to return to his family after such a dramatic incident on the day of his son’s celebration.”

Additional emergency service reports identified the location as a wedding hall in the Kannot industrial area near Gedera. Hatzalah volunteers also participated in the emergency response, with responders reporting that the man had been unconscious, without a detectable pulse or breathing, when lifesaving efforts were underway.

MDA emphasized that the presence of a defibrillator at the venue, together with the willingness of guests to begin CPR immediately, played an important role in the successful resuscitation.

The organization urged the public to familiarize themselves with the locations of defibrillators in wedding halls, shuls, and other public facilities. In the event of a sudden collapse, bystanders should immediately call MDA’s 101 emergency number and follow the instructions provided by dispatchers while awaiting medical assistance.

{Matzav.com}

Anger and frustration are mounting at Yeshivas Kol Torah in Yerushalayim following reports that its rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger, a senior member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah, was not invited to the party’s major election gathering Thursday evening in the capital.

Rav Schlesinger’s name was omitted from the invitation list, leaving the rosh yeshiva unaware that the event was even taking place. The reported exclusion has provoked considerable resentment among his talmidim and associates, who say it follows an earlier incident in which the rosh yeshiva was embarrassed at another gathering attended by leading rabbonim.

The controversy comes as Degel HaTorah prepares for the upcoming Knesset elections, with the party seeking to mobilize its supporters through a series of public gatherings featuring prominent Torah leaders.

Those close to Rav Schlesinger maintain that the latest incident cannot be dismissed as a simple organizational oversight. They point to what they describe as a pattern of disrespect toward the rosh yeshiva, who is regarded as the eldest current member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

According to sources, an earlier incident occurred when Rav Schlesinger was invited to a special gathering of gedolei Yisroel but discovered upon arriving that no seat had been prepared for him at the dais alongside the other members of the Moetzes.

With no place designated for him among the participating rabbonim, Rav Schlesinger reportedly left the gathering and returned home.

Following that incident, Degel HaTorah officials dispatched representatives to the rosh yeshiva’s residence to personally apologize for what had occurred. The representatives reportedly assured him that such an incident would not happen again.

However, associates of the rosh yeshiva say the failure to invite him to Thursday evening’s gathering has renewed their concerns and deepened their frustration.

One of the rosh yeshiva’s close talmidim expressed the frustration felt by many at Kol Torah.

“I know that for quite some time, the rosh yeshiva has been very surprised by the way he has been treated,” the bochur told Emess. “But now it has reached a new low, where they simply do not invite him. This is a serious display of disrespect toward someone who is today the oldest member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.”

According to once source, one of Rav Schlesinger’s close talmidim approached him Thursday morning and asked whether he intended to attend the election gathering that evening.

The rosh yeshiva reportedly replied that he had neither heard about the gathering nor been informed that it was taking place.

A separate report by Chareidim Yerushalayim indicated that Rav Schlesinger’s son, Rav Shlomo Schlesinger, who also serves as a rosh yeshiva at Kol Torah, had not received an invitation.

The gathering was scheduled to take place at the Succas Dovid hall in Yerushalayim, with the participation of community leaders, shul gabbaim, political activists, and party representatives.

Associates of the rosh yeshiva also alleged that senior Degel HaTorah representatives had recently visited other members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah to discuss election preparations but had not made a comparable visit to Rav Schlesinger.

The controversy has also revived discussion of the recent removal of longtime Knesset member Uri Maklev from Degel HaTorah’s electoral slate. Maklev has maintained a close relationship with Rav Schlesinger for many years and has regularly consulted him on communal and political matters.

Some talmidim have suggested that the strained relationship between the rosh yeshiva’s household and party officials may be connected to the dispute surrounding Maklev’s removal. However, no evidence has emerged establishing a connection between that disagreement and the failure to invite Rav Schlesinger.

The tension has reportedly begun affecting attitudes toward the upcoming elections among some of the yeshiva’s talmidim.

Similar sentiments were reported among some alumni of the yeshiva, although the extent of the dissatisfaction and whether it will translate into actual voting decisions remain unclear.

The latest dispute comes as Degel HaTorah prepares for another significant gathering, with its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah expected to convene in Bnei Brak on Motzoei Shabbos for the first time in approximately four years.

According to the additional report, those close to Rav Schlesinger were also unaware of an invitation having been extended to him or his son for that meeting.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Shlomo Alfa zt”l, a longtime Bnei Brak resident who was a grandson of Rav Meir Karelitz zt”l, a close confidant of the Chazon Ish zt”l, and an accountant who devoted decades to serving Torah institutions, was niftar Thursday evening at the age of 95.

Rav Alfa passed away at Mayanei HaYeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak following resuscitation efforts. His petirah brings to a close the life of a man who maintained close connections with some of the greatest Torah figures of the previous generation while quietly dedicating himself to the needs of mosdos haTorah.

The levayah was scheduled for Thursday evening at 10 p.m., departing from his home at 64 Rav Kahaneman Street in Bnei Brak. The procession was to pass the Nachlas Moshe shul at 36 Rav Meltzer Street before proceeding to the Shomrei Shabbos–Zichron Meir Cemetery, where he was to be laid to rest.

Rav Alfa was born on 13 Av 5691 (1931) to Rav Eliezer Alfa zt”l, who served as the rav of the Karmia neighborhood in Haifa, and his wife, Mrs. Shulamis Alfa a”h.

His father was a distinguished talmid chacham who, during his younger years in the Novardok yeshivah, had learned b’chavrusa with the Steipler Gaon, Rav Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky zt”l, author of the Kehillos Yaakov.

His mother was a daughter of Rav Meir Karelitz zt”l, the rav of Lachovitch and an influential figure in the Torah world of Poland and Eretz Yisroel. Rav Meir was among the leaders of the Vaad HaYeshivos in both countries, helped establish the Chinuch Atzmai educational network, and served as a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

Rav Meir Karelitz was also the older brother of the Chazon Ish, making Rav Shlomo Alfa a great-nephew of the Chazon Ish and part of a family deeply connected to the development of Torah life in Eretz Yisroel.

The Alfa home in Haifa was known as a gathering place for prominent talmidei chachamim and gedolei Yisroel who visited the city. Among the distinguished visitors was the Brisker Rav, Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik zt”l.

As a young bochur, Rav Shlomo studied at Yeshivas Tiferes Tzion in Bnei Brak. During that period, he developed a close relationship with the Chazon Ish and eventually lived in his home, an experience that gave him extraordinary personal exposure to one of the leading Torah authorities of the generation.

When he reached marriageable age, Rav Shlomo married Mrs. Sarah Alfa. Their wedding took place in Haifa and was attended by the Chazon Ish himself.

In later years, Rav Alfa and his family settled in Bnei Brak, where he established himself as an accountant whose services were sought by numerous Torah institutions. His professional work became an important part of his contribution to the continued operation of yeshivos, kollelim, and other communal organizations.

Alongside his demanding professional responsibilities, he was deeply devoted to his own Torah learning, maintaining regular sedorim with exceptional dedication.

Among the institutions that benefited from his generosity was the Nachlas Moshe network of kollelim, headed by his son-in-law, Rav Avrohom Rubinstein. Rav Alfa handled the network’s accounting needs entirely on a volunteer basis, providing his professional expertise without compensation.

Additional accounts of his life describe him as a respected moreh horaah who spent many years in Yerushalayim and became known for his extensive firsthand knowledge of the Chazon Ish. He was frequently invited to speak at Torah gatherings, where he shared personal recollections of the Chazon Ish’s conduct, teachings, and daily life.

Those who knew him recalled his humility, warmth, and willingness to share the memories he had accumulated during his years in the Chazon Ish’s presence. His recollections provided later generations with a personal perspective on the life of the Chazon Ish.

In his later years, as his strength declined, Rav Alfa resided with his daughter in Bnei Brak, where family members cared for him devotedly.

On Thursday afternoon, emergency responders were summoned to a residence on Rav Kahaneman Street after Rav Alfa suddenly collapsed. Medical personnel performed advanced resuscitation procedures and transported him to Mayanei HaYeshua Medical Center in critical condition, continuing their efforts to save his life. Despite those efforts, he was niftar at the hospital.

Rav Alfa leaves behind a distinguished family of children, grandchildren, and further descendants who continue in his path.

Among his sons-in-law is Rav Avrohom Rubinstein, the former mayor of Bnei Brak, who currently serves as secretary of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

A new Israeli election poll released Thursday evening shows former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party leading Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud by three Knesset seats, while the bloc seeking to replace the current government has gained ground but still faces significant obstacles to assembling a governing majority.

The survey, published by Israel Hayom less than two weeks before the October 27 Knesset elections, gives Eisenkot’s Yashar party 24 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 21 for Likud.

The results place Eisenkot’s party at the top of the individual party rankings, although the distribution of seats among the various political blocs suggests that forming a new government could remain difficult regardless of which party receives the most mandates.

According to the poll, Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party would receive 12 seats, making it the third-largest faction in the Knesset. It is followed by Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit with nine seats.

The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, are projected to win eight seats, as are Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu and the Arab Joint List.

Among the chareidi parties, both United Torah Judaism and Shas are projected to receive seven seats apiece, giving the two factions a combined 14 mandates.

Religious Zionism, led by Bezalel Smotrich, is projected to secure six seats, while the Arab Ra’am party would receive five.

The survey also assigns four seats to the Reservists and Economist list, placing it at the minimum threshold for representation in the Knesset.

The poll places the opposition bloc at 52 seats, an increase of two from the previous Israel Hayom survey, while the parties currently aligned with Netanyahu’s coalition receive a combined 50 mandates.

The Arab parties are projected to receive 14 seats, while the four seats allocated to the Reservists and Economist list are counted separately from the two main political blocs.

Although the opposition’s 52 seats fall nine short of the 61 required for a Knesset majority, adding the Arab parties would bring the combined total to 66. That calculation, however, does not establish that the parties would agree to form or support a government together, particularly given Lieberman’s opposition to relying on Arab factions.

A closer examination of the results shows that Eisenkot’s party has gained two seats since the previous survey, while Bennett’s party has lost one. United Torah Judaism also drops by one mandate, as does the Reservists and Economist list.

The original Israel Hayom figures put the Joint List at nine seats, one more than the eight reported in the subsequent summary, bringing the combined Arab-party total to 14.

The survey was conducted by the Kantar polling institute on October 14 and 15 among 551 respondents, with a reported maximum margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

A separate poll published Thursday by Zman Yisrael presented a somewhat different picture, projecting 26 seats for Eisenkot’s Yashar party, 20 for Likud, and 11 for Bennett’s Beyachad. That survey allocated 54 seats to the opposition, 49 to Netanyahu’s bloc, 13 to the Arab parties, and four to the unaligned list.

{Matzav.com}

Chareidi political parties in Israel are developing new election-day strategies following a ruling by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg prohibiting real-time reporting from polling stations, a decision that threatens to disrupt the voter-tracking systems traditionally used by party campaign headquarters.

Degel HaTorah is considering recruiting hundreds of seminary students to operate telephone banks, while Shlomei Emunim is preparing to establish special reporting stations outside polling locations where voters will be able to voluntarily confirm that they have cast their ballots.

The proposed arrangements are intended to allow party officials to continue monitoring voter participation and identifying supporters who have not yet voted, without relying on information collected from inside polling stations.

According to information obtained by Emess, Degel HaTorah is examining a plan to enlist students from the 13th and 14th grades of seminaries in major chareidi cities to staff a large-scale telephone operation on Election Day.

Under the proposal, the students would contact voters identified as party supporters, encourage them to exercise their voting rights, and ask whether they had already visited the polls.

The information gathered through those conversations would allow campaign headquarters to assess participation among their supporters and determine where additional voter outreach may be necessary.

The proposal has not yet received final approval. Party officials are expected to present the plan to the rabbonim, who will make the ultimate decision on whether the seminary students may participate.

In addition to the proposed telephone campaign, Degel HaTorah is working on a separate voter-monitoring arrangement built around the organizational structure of its local communities.

Under that system, supporters would be divided according to their respective kehillos, with each community’s gabbai responsible for maintaining contact with members and reporting to the party’s central election headquarters which individuals have voted and which have not yet done so.

Party officials hope that this decentralized approach will provide a continually updated picture of voter participation, allowing them to identify communities where turnout is lagging.

Shlomei Emunim, meanwhile, is pursuing a different arrangement that would place specially designated reporting stations near polling locations.

The stations, which party officials are calling election command posts, would be positioned outside the actual voting areas. Supporters would be able to approach the stations voluntarily and inform party representatives that they had already cast their ballots.

The system would enable Shlomei Emunim to gather information directly from voters rather than relying on polling-station personnel to transmit details about who had voted.

The restrictions stem from a legal battle that began in August, when Justice Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, ruled that party representatives stationed inside polling places could not provide campaign headquarters with real-time information identifying voters who had already cast ballots.

Sohlberg determined that information about whether and when a person votes is protected under Israeli privacy law and that election officials are not authorized to disclose it for partisan campaign purposes.

The ruling encountered strong opposition from several political parties, including Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism, which maintained that the longstanding practice was lawful.

On September 6, the full Central Elections Committee voted 19–11, with three abstentions, to overturn Sohlberg’s restriction and permit the reporting system to continue. The matter subsequently returned to the High Court, which struck down the committee’s decision, leaving the prohibition in place ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections.

The court’s decision has created a significant logistical challenge for parties that have traditionally relied on detailed voter databases and election-day reporting systems to track participation.

Other alternatives reportedly under consideration within United Torah Judaism include telephone hotlines through which voters could report that they have voted and assigning campaign workers responsibility for maintaining contact with small groups of supporters.

{Matzav.com}

Yair Golan, chairman of Israel’s left-wing Democrats party, has declared that separating religion from the state and removing religious influence from public life will be central priorities of his political agenda, explicitly calling for public transportation on Shabbos and the introduction of civil marriage in Israel.

In remarks publicized Thursday, Golan outlined his vision for changing the relationship between religion and government, identifying two major reforms that he intends to pursue as part of his party’s platform.

“א clear separation between religion and state, beginning first and foremost with removing religion from the public sphere. There will be public transportation on Shabbos, and it will be possible to enter into civil marriages in Israel. I am presenting these as two central priorities,” Golan said, according to a translation of his Hebrew remarks.

The comments reflect Golan’s longstanding support for changes to Israel’s religious status quo, particularly in areas where religious law and institutions currently influence government policy and public services.

His latest statement, however, went beyond advocating specific changes to transportation and marriage laws. Golan explicitly spoke of removing religion from the public sphere, language that raises broader questions about the extent of the changes he envisions.

Golan made the remarks during a meeting with party activists living abroad, in comments publicized by Israel’s Channel 14 ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections.

His proposals are consistent with the Democrats party’s published platform, which calls for the establishment of a civil marriage system alongside the Chief Rabbinate and the introduction of public transportation on Shabbos.

Under the party’s more detailed policy document, local authorities would be empowered to determine the extent of Shabbos transportation in their communities. The proposal envisions limited service in secular and mixed areas while preserving the character of Shabbos in religious neighborhoods.

Golan’s latest language has nevertheless drawn particular attention because of his use of the phrase “removing religion from the public sphere,” which goes beyond the specific proposals concerning transportation and marriage.

The Democrats chairman did not explain precisely what additional measures he envisions under that description, leaving unclear whether he intends primarily to reduce the authority of religious institutions over government services or pursue more extensive changes to the country’s public character.

The remarks prompted a sharp response from Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, who accused Golan and the political left of threatening Israel’s Jewish identity.

“Yair Golan is openly saying what a left-wing government intends to do: erase the Jewish identity of the State of Israel,” Deri said in a statement Thursday.

“We are facing a real danger. The choice is now clearer than ever: Shas and a Jewish state, or the left and a state like all other nations.”

Western intelligence agencies have detected unusual military activity inside Iran in recent days, prompting heightened monitoring by Israeli and American security officials and renewed consultations between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump over the possibility of another military confrontation with Tehran.

According to a report Thursday evening by Israel’s Channel 12, intelligence officials in both countries are closely examining developments inside Iran, where the regime is reportedly taking extraordinary military measures amid mounting pressure and concerns about renewed fighting with Israel and the United States.

The activity is taking place under the leadership of Mojtaba Khamenei, as Tehran continues dealing with the consequences of the previous war and the damage inflicted on its military capabilities. Western intelligence assessments suggest that at least some of the unusual movements may be connected to the regime’s efforts to respond to its weakened strategic position and growing internal pressures.

Netanyahu has reportedly shared intelligence updates with Trump, presenting information gathered by Israeli security agencies about Iran’s recent activities and the potential implications for regional security.

Despite the concerning developments, officials in both Yerushalayim and Washington reportedly believe that the available intelligence does not currently indicate an immediate threat requiring urgent military action. Trump has also not made a decision to resume a large-scale American military campaign against Iran.

The latest intelligence findings follow reports earlier this week that Iran conducted several ballistic missile tests as part of an effort to rebuild its missile arsenal following the damage sustained during the war.

Israeli defense officials assessed that Tehran was engaged in a gradual and limited effort to restore its missile capabilities. Although the activity was being monitored closely, officials did not believe it represented a sufficient change in the threat level to justify an immediate military operation.

Meanwhile, the United States military is continuing to develop operational plans for possible future strikes against Iranian targets, including nuclear facilities and critical infrastructure.

According to a CNN report published Thursday and subsequently cited by Reuters, American military planners are examining scenarios that could involve the use of the GBU-43/B massive ordnance air blast bomb, commonly known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” against targets inside Iran.

The weapon is among the largest conventional bombs in the American arsenal. The reported planning includes potential attacks against Iranian nuclear installations and energy infrastructure should Trump authorize a renewed military campaign.

However, no decision has been made to employ the weapon, and Reuters emphasized that it had not independently verified the details of the CNN report.

The latest disclosures come amid continuing discussions between Netanyahu and Trump about how to respond to Iran’s attempts to restore its military and nuclear capabilities.

Earlier this week, Axios reported that the two leaders had discussed the possibility of launching a joint Israeli-American military operation against Iran before Israel’s October 27 elections and the American midterm elections in early November.

According to that account, Netanyahu raised concerns about Iranian efforts to rebuild its nuclear program, while American officials indicated that Trump had considered the possibility of additional military action before expressing reservations about launching an operation ahead of the elections.

The White House disputed the report’s characterization of the discussions, denying that Trump and Netanyahu had considered restarting the war in the manner described. Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on the substance of the conversations.

In an interview Wednesday with Galei Tzahal, Netanyahu said he did not favor initiating a military strike against Iran before the Israeli elections. He nevertheless emphasized that Israel would respond with substantial force if Iran launched an attack.

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have been issuing warnings of their own while indicating that diplomatic negotiations remain a possibility.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in remarks broadcast on state television that the country must strengthen its military readiness even as it continues pursuing diplomatic channels.

Reports from recent days have also described efforts to reinforce defenses around sensitive Iranian installations and restore military systems damaged during earlier fighting.

It remains unclear whether the unusual activity now being monitored by Western intelligence agencies represents preparations for an Iranian offensive, defensive measures intended to protect against another Israeli-American attack, or a calculated show of force designed to strengthen Tehran’s negotiating position.

The strategic considerations facing Washington have also been complicated by Iran’s demonstrated ability to strike critical infrastructure elsewhere in the region. A Reuters investigation published Thursday documented extensive Iranian missile and drone attacks against energy facilities, airports, pipelines, and other strategic installations across Gulf countries during the conflict earlier this year.

The investigation identified at least 135 precision attacks against 84 infrastructure sites in countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Iraq. The damage has illustrated the potential economic and regional consequences of another major confrontation with Iran.

Within the Trump administration, officials have reportedly differed over the appropriate next steps. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior U.S. Central Command officials have been described as favoring renewed military action, while other presidential advisers have argued for continuing economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure.

American officials have also indicated that indirect diplomatic efforts remain underway, with Qatari mediators awaiting an Iranian response to proposals involving restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear activities.

For now, Israel’s security establishment continues to assess the Iranian threat as a broader strategic challenge involving the regime’s nuclear ambitions, ballistic missile arsenal, and regional military capabilities. Officials believe that any decision to resume major operations would have to address those interconnected threats rather than focus exclusively on one component of Iran’s military program.

Despite the heightened intelligence monitoring, continued American operational preparations, and discussions between Netanyahu and Trump, Israeli and American officials have not identified an immediate danger requiring a new military offensive.

The coming days will determine whether Tehran’s latest military movements remain part of its efforts to rebuild damaged capabilities and deter further attacks, or whether additional intelligence points to a more serious escalation requiring a reassessment in Yerushalayim and Washington.

Changes have been announced to the schedule of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, after the Rebbe experienced weakness associated with an inflammation, prompting his household to cancel his planned return to Bnei Brak for Shabbos Parshas Noach and arrange for him to remain at his residence in Moshav Ora, near Yerushalayim, to rest and regain his strength.

The decision has also resulted in changes to two upcoming family simchos, including the postponement of a grandson’s bar mitzvah celebration and the relocation of a great-grandson’s bris from Kiryas Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak to Moshav Ora.

The Rebbe had spent the month of Tishrei at his residence in Bnei Brak, where he participated in nearly all the Yom Tov tefillos and communal gatherings attended by large numbers of chassidim.

Following the conclusion of the Yomim Tovim, the Rebbe traveled to his resting residence in Moshav Ora for a period of recuperation following the demanding Tishrei schedule.

Earlier this week, Vizhnitz officials announced that the Rebbe was expected to return to his home in Kiryas Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak in time for Shabbos Parshas Noach.

However, the Rebbe’s household subsequently issued an updated announcement explaining that, because he was experiencing weakness resulting from an inflammation, he would remain in Ora for Shabbos rather than undertake the planned trip.

As a result, the bar mitzvah celebration of the Rebbe’s grandson, habochur Moshe Yehoshua Hager, which had been scheduled for Motzoei Shabbos, has been postponed to a later date.

The bar mitzvah bochur is a son of Rav Menachem Mendel Hager, a son-in-law of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe and a son of the late rav of Seret Vizhnitz in Yerushalayim.

A second change involves the bris of the Rebbe’s great-grandson, a son of Rav Yissachar Ber Hager, whose father is Rav Menachem Mendel Hager and whose father-in-law is Rav Avrohom Shimon Marilus.

The bris had originally been scheduled to take place Sunday in Kiryas Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak. Under the revised arrangements, the simcha will instead be held in Moshav Ora, near the Rebbe’s residence.

The adjustments will allow the family simcha to take place in proximity to the Rebbe without requiring him to travel back to Bnei Brak while he is recuperating.

Vizhnitzer chassidim are following the developments with concern and continue to daven for the Rebbe’s complete and speedy recovery.

The public is asked to daven for Rav Yisroel ben Leah Esther, l’refuah sheleimah b’soch she’ar cholei Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}

The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago has reached a staggering projected construction cost of approximately $1 billion, nearly three times its original estimated price and making it the most expensive completed presidential center in American history.

The massive price tag was disclosed Wednesday by the Obama Foundation, nearly four months after the sprawling complex opened to the public on June 19. The announcement marks another significant increase in the cost of a project that has experienced years of delays, legal disputes, and repeated budget revisions.

Emily Bittner, the foundation’s vice president of communications, confirmed the latest estimate while emphasizing that the construction expenses have been covered through private fundraising.

“While we continue to reconcile costs and plan ahead for additional capital improvements, we anticipate our total cost for constructing the campus is approximately $1 billion — again, all raised in private contributions,” Bittner said.

“This includes investments in additional public art, insurance, scope changes in our Home Court, project management and exhibit installation, among other categories.”

The latest figure represents a dramatic departure from the project’s earliest financial projections. Initial estimates placed the cost between $300 million and $350 million, but that amount climbed to $500 million by 2017, when the architectural plans were unveiled.

By August 2021, internal Obama Foundation documents estimated construction expenses at $700 million. The figure continued rising, reaching $850 million in September 2025.

Last month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the price had increased to $909 million, with Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett attributing the additional expenses to new amenities and features incorporated into the campus.

The foundation’s newly disclosed $1 billion estimate adds approximately $91 million to that figure in a matter of weeks.

Although foundation officials maintain that the construction itself has been financed entirely through private donations, the reported total does not include another $123 million in taxpayer-funded infrastructure improvements surrounding the property.

That distinction means the overall public and private investment associated with the development exceeds $1.1 billion when the surrounding government-financed work is included.

Obama selected Jackson Park, on Chicago’s South Side, as the location for his presidential center in 2016. The project was originally expected to begin construction in 2018 and welcome visitors in 2021.

Those plans were disrupted by federal reviews and litigation challenging the use of historic public parkland for the development. Construction ultimately did not begin until 2021, several years behind the original schedule.

The completed campus covers nearly 20 acres and features a presidential museum, a branch of the Chicago Public Library, athletic and recreational facilities, and spaces intended for public gatherings and community activities.

The Obama Foundation has promoted the project as a major investment in Chicago’s South Side, arguing that the center will attract tourism, create employment opportunities, and stimulate economic activity in surrounding neighborhoods.

In a report released September 26 marking the center’s first 100 days, the foundation announced that 175,469 people had attended the museum and other ticketed attractions. Those visitors came from all 50 states and 39 countries, according to the organization.

The campus’s Chicago Public Library branch recorded another 206,684 visits during that period, with 3,382 new library accounts established.

The foundation also reported hosting 24 free community events, providing after-school programming for 996 neighborhood children, and welcoming 997 students through 17 organized school field trips.

Unlike traditional presidential libraries administered by the federal government, the Obama Presidential Center does not maintain custody of Obama’s original presidential records. Those materials remain under the supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration, which makes released documents available online and lends selected artifacts for exhibitions.

The cost of Obama’s center far exceeds that of other presidential facilities. The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, for example, cost approximately $327 million to construct when adjusted to 2023 dollars, according to the Texas comptroller. That project was also financed through private contributions.

Additional reporting Thursday raised questions about the Obama Foundation’s long-term financial obligations, including its ability to fund maintenance and operations at the sprawling campus.

The foundation had previously proposed establishing a $470 million endowment to support the center’s future expenses. Financial statements indicate that the organization’s overall endowment stood at approximately $14.2 million at the end of 2025, although the portion specifically designated for the presidential center remains unclear.

Foundation officials have maintained that their agreement with Chicago required the establishment of an endowment rather than full funding before the center opened. They say additional contributions to the fund are planned.

The foundation’s financial disclosures also show that liabilities increased to approximately $103.5 million in 2025, compared with $35 million the previous year. Borrowing associated with short-term construction expenses reportedly climbed from $15 million at the end of 2025 to roughly $63.5 million by July 2026.

Despite those figures, the organization retains substantial assets, and foundation officials have defended the project’s financial position and long-term prospects.

The foundation estimated in 2020 that construction and the center’s first decade of operation would generate approximately $3.1 billion in economic activity for the Chicago region.

Further expenditures are already being considered. Jarrett disclosed last month that the foundation’s board had agreed to develop a separate capital budget to cover future maintenance and improvements, with formal approval anticipated before the end of the year.

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed an effort by former CIA Director John Brennan to compel the Justice Department to preserve investigative materials that he hoped to use in challenging any future criminal prosecution, ruling that his claims of political retaliation by the Trump administration were too speculative to justify court intervention.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb rejected Brennan’s request for a preservation order, finding that he had failed to establish that federal prosecutors were improperly destroying or neglecting evidence that might become relevant if criminal charges were eventually brought against him.

Brennan, who served as CIA director under President Barack Obama, has been under investigation by the Justice Department for months but has not been charged with a crime. His attorneys contend that the investigations are politically motivated and designed to punish him for his longstanding criticism of President Donald Trump.

The lawsuit sought to ensure that Justice Department communications and other investigative records would remain available to support a potential defense alleging vindictive or selective prosecution. Brennan’s legal team argued that the administration’s handling of records in other matters raised concerns that potentially important evidence could disappear.

During a hearing last month, Brennan’s attorney acknowledged that seeking such a court order before any indictment had been filed was an unusual legal maneuver. Nevertheless, he maintained that the circumstances warranted extraordinary intervention because of what he characterized as a pattern of retaliation by federal authorities.

Cobb, however, concluded that Brennan had not demonstrated a sufficiently concrete injury or established a direct connection between his concerns and any actual failure by the government to preserve relevant evidence.

In her ruling, the judge acknowledged the seriousness of Brennan’s accusations while emphasizing that allegations alone could not establish the legal basis for the relief he was seeking.

“Brennan’s allegations — that he is being targeted by the Trump Administration not because of his conduct, but because he has opposed the current president — are deeply concerning,” Cobb wrote.

“If he was eventually able to prove those allegations true, that would certainly suggest that his potential prosecution is vindictive. But even taking all of Brennan’s allegations to be truthful at this stage, the injury he alleges is simply too attenuated from the actions he seeks to enjoin to warrant a finding of standing here.”

The legal dispute arises from multiple investigations examining Brennan’s activities during and after his tenure at the CIA, particularly his involvement in intelligence assessments concerning Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Brennan played a prominent role in the intelligence community’s conclusion that Moscow conducted an extensive effort to influence the election in Trump’s favor. The assessment became a major source of controversy during Trump’s first administration, as federal investigators examined allegations of coordination between his presidential campaign and Russian operatives.

Trump has repeatedly challenged the intelligence community’s handling of the Russia investigation, which overshadowed much of his first term and fueled years of political and legal disputes.

More recently, federal prosecutors have examined whether Brennan provided false testimony during a 2023 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee. That investigation is separate from a broader inquiry based in Florida into allegations that Brennan and other former intelligence and law enforcement officials participated in a conspiracy intended to prevent Trump from obtaining or exercising presidential power.

Brennan has received a subpoena to appear before a grand jury in connection with the broader investigation, although his scheduled testimony has been postponed. His attorneys have also said prosecutors informed them that he remains a target of the separate investigation concerning his congressional testimony.

The former CIA director has denied engaging in any criminal misconduct, and his lawyers have strongly disputed the premise of the government’s investigations.

At a court hearing last month, Brennan’s attorney, Ken Wainstein, a former senior Justice Department official, argued that the investigations were based on allegations that had no legitimate foundation.

Wainstein described the theory of a sweeping conspiracy against Trump as “fiction,” accusing federal authorities of attempting to construct a criminal case against his client for political reasons.

“I’ve spent decades in and around the Justice Department. I’ve never even conceived of a situation like this” in which the Justice Department is “blatantly trying to frame somebody for a crime that is complete fiction,” Wainstein said.

Brennan’s attorneys initiated the lawsuit in July, before any criminal charges had been filed, seeking to preserve government records that they believe could reveal improper political influence over prosecutorial decisions. They argued that such material could prove essential if Brennan were indicted and subsequently sought dismissal of the charges on constitutional grounds.

The preservation request covered records potentially documenting communications among Justice Department officials, White House personnel, and investigators involved in the inquiries. Brennan’s legal team maintained that the materials could help establish whether decisions concerning his prosecution were driven by legitimate evidence or political considerations.

Federal government attorneys opposed the request, arguing that Brennan was attempting to obtain extraordinary judicial intervention in investigations that had not resulted in an indictment. They maintained that his concerns about possible future prosecution and missing evidence did not justify the court’s involvement.

The broader Florida investigation has also experienced changes in prosecutorial leadership. Joseph diGenova, who had been overseeing the inquiry, departed the effort in September, although Justice Department officials indicated that the investigation would continue.

Thursday’s ruling represents a setback for Brennan’s attempt to secure court-ordered preservation of investigative records, but it does not resolve the underlying criminal investigations or determine whether prosecutors have sufficient evidence to bring charges.

Cobb, who was nominated to the federal bench by President Joe Biden in 2021, confined her decision to whether Brennan had established the legal standing necessary to obtain the requested order.

The question of whether Brennan will ultimately face criminal charges remains unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

A large-scale military operation targeting yeshiva bochurim classified as draft avoiders and deserters, which had been scheduled to begin next week and continue for several days, has been canceled at the last minute following a bitter confrontation between the IDF and Israel Police over responsibility for securing the arrests.

The planned operation, which would have involved military police conducting numerous arrests, was called off after the two agencies failed to reach an agreement on how to handle the widespread protests and disturbances expected to accompany attempts to arrest yeshiva bochurim.

According to a report by Ynet, police officials informed the military on Wednesday that the operation would not be permitted to proceed under the existing arrangements, effectively forcing the IDF to abandon its plans.

At the center of the dispute is the question of which agency must provide the personnel necessary to maintain public order when military police enter chareidi neighborhoods to arrest bochurim whose military status is unresolved.

Military officials maintain that Israel Police demanded that the IDF supply approximately 300 military police officers to deal with anticipated demonstrations and disturbances during the operation.

The army rejected that demand, arguing that maintaining public order in civilian areas is the responsibility of Israel Police and falls outside the military’s jurisdiction.

Police officials, however, disputed the army’s characterization of the disagreement, insisting that the operation is fundamentally a military enforcement mission and that the IDF must provide sufficient manpower to carry out the arrests safely.

The disagreement has left the planned operation without the security arrangements necessary to proceed, with each agency maintaining that the other bears responsibility for providing the required resources.

The cancellation comes after the IDF previously acknowledged that it had refrained from carrying out major arrest operations against chareidi draft avoiders during the Yom Tov period because of the sensitivity surrounding such enforcement activities.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has repeatedly pressed the military in recent months to resume enforcement measures, including arrests, against individuals who have failed to comply with military draft requirements.

Despite those directives, the recurring disagreement over responsibility for security during arrest operations has repeatedly complicated coordination between the military and police.

The difficulties extend beyond planned operations. Newly disclosed police figures indicate that coordination has also repeatedly broken down when officers encounter individuals with unresolved military status during routine police activity.

Under the existing procedures, when civilian police officers identify someone wanted by the military for failing to report for service, military police are supposed to arrive within 30 minutes to take custody of the individual.

However, since July, there have been 144 incidents in which military police failed to arrive within the required time. In those cases, civilian officers released the individuals after issuing summonses directing them to report to the IDF induction center.

Only 14 such encounters resulted in military police arriving and completing an arrest. Most of those arrested were reportedly not from the chareidi community.

The controversy comes shortly after a failed arrest operation in Modi’in on October 6, when military police attempted to detain a yeshiva bochur but encountered a rapidly growing crowd of protesters.

An initial military investigation found that approximately 700 people gathered near the location within about ten minutes after an alert was circulated through an emergency notification network used by opponents of the arrests.

The military police team, consisting of seven investigators, was unable to complete the arrest. Civilian police were subsequently called to restore order and assist the soldiers in leaving the area.

That incident intensified concerns within the security establishment about the manpower required for future operations and the possibility that arrest attempts could trigger major disturbances.

In its response to the latest cancellation, the IDF insisted that the division of responsibilities between the two agencies had already been established.

“Under the division of responsibilities between the IDF and Israel Police regarding the arrests of deserters and draft avoiders, the IDF is responsible for carrying out the arrest, while the police are responsible for maintaining public order and dispersing disturbances. The deputy attorney general clarified during a meeting that this responsibility rests with Israel Police,” the military stated.

The IDF also maintained that enforcement activities have continued in recent weeks despite the cancellation of the larger operation.

“Over the past several weeks, dozens of draft avoiders and deserters have been arrested in planned operations and at border crossings carried out by the military police, in addition to arrests conducted together with Israel Police,” the army said.

Israel Police presented a sharply different interpretation of the arrangement, maintaining that the military must provide adequate personnel before requesting assistance from civilian police.

“This is an operation under the responsibility and leadership of the military police, with Israel Police serving as an assisting body, and the handling of the matter remains unchanged. Based on lessons learned from previous incidents and in order to accomplish the mission, the IDF is required to deploy sufficient forces for a planned operation to provide an appropriate operational response for carrying out the arrests,” police officials said.

The police added that their participation would depend on the military satisfying those operational requirements.

“If the IDF meets the operational requirements, Israel Police will join the mission and provide a response to the tasks and challenges that fall under its responsibility,” the statement said.

The dispute comes as the government faces continued legal pressure over enforcement of the draft law. The state has also requested additional time to submit its response to the High Court regarding implementation of the military service requirements.

With next week’s operation now canceled, no replacement date has been announced for the planned arrests of yeshiva bochurim.

{Matzav.com}