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Shas chairman Aryeh Deri met Friday morning with the party’s spiritual leader, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, president of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, as signs continued to emerge that recent tensions surrounding the spiritual leadership of the party have been resolved.

Deri visited Rav Yosef at his home as part of the regular weekly consultations between the two. During the meeting, Deri also heard a lengthy Torah discussion from Rav Yosef on the halachos of Shabbos.

The meeting came following efforts by Deri and others to stabilize his relationship with Rav Yosef and bring an end to uncertainty that had developed over the question of Shas’ spiritual leadership.

According to a previous report, one proposal discussed during the negotiations would have Deri sign a document — or approve a provision to be incorporated into the Shas party bylaws — formally establishing that the party’s Torah decisions will follow the path laid down by its founder, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, as represented today through the leadership of his son, Rav Yitzchok Yosef.

In practical terms, the arrangement would establish Rav Yosef as Shas’ central Torah authority without requiring, at least for now, his formal appointment as president of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah.

The contacts between the sides came alongside a lengthy conversation this week between Deri and Rav Moshe Maya, the senior member of the Shas Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah. The discussion reportedly lasted approximately two hours.

During that conversation, Rav Maya made clear to Deri that he regards the leadership of Shas as being entrusted to Rav Yitzchok Yosef, whom he described as the son and continuation of the path of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

“I am already weak, and I rely on Maran Rav Yitzchok Yosef for everything. By his word shall everything be decided,” Rav Maya told Deri.

Recent reports have also identified Deri’s brother, Momo Deri, as one of the central figures working behind the scenes to bridge the differences and reach an understanding between the sides. Former minister Ariel Atias was also reportedly involved in the reconciliation efforts.

The developments follow Rav Yitzchok Yosef’s appearance Thursday alongside Deri at the launch of Shas’ election campaign, where the Rishon LeTzion publicly spoke about the relationship between his father, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, and Deri, while calling for Shas to be strengthened ahead of the upcoming elections.

“My father established this movement together with Reb Aryeh,” Rav Yosef said.

Calling upon the public to work on behalf of Shas, he added, “We are approaching the Day of Judgment. How can a person merit favor on the Day of Judgment? By helping this holy movement.”

Rav Yosef also addressed the ongoing battle over the draft status of bnei yeshivos, arguing that the issue demonstrates the importance of maintaining Shas’ political strength.

“After the elections, we will have to deal with the issue of the bnei yeshivos. How will we deal with it if we do not have this holy movement?” he said.

Rav Yosef additionally addressed the Chareidi community’s attitude toward IDF soldiers, stressing that support for the olam haTorah should not be interpreted as hostility toward soldiers.

“We speak a great deal about the bnei yeshivos, about the olam haTorah, but people need to know that we love the soldiers. I myself went from base to base and blessed them, and I saw how moved they were,” Rav Yosef said.

“The media portrayed it as though we are against them. We are against them? We love the soldiers,” he added.

The public appearances and Friday meeting represent the latest indications that the internal tensions surrounding Shas’ spiritual leadership have eased, with Rav Yosef increasingly being positioned as the party’s central Torah authority while Deri continues to lead the movement politically.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu lashed out at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday after authorities in Turkey sought Interpol arrest warrants targeting Netanyahu and dozens of other senior Israeli officials, sharply escalating the already bitter confrontation between Yerushalayim and Ankara.

The Prime Minister’s Office responded to the Turkish move with a blistering attack on Erdogan and his government.

“Erdogan is an antisemitic dictator who has massacred Kurds, harbors Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus, and jails record numbers of journalists and politicians who oppose him. He now seeks to extend his aggression against Israel into Syria. Israel will not tolerate it,” said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Erdogan’s pathetic attempt to intimidate the leaders and soldiers of Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, will go nowhere,” the statement stressed.

The Turkish request for the international warrants was filed in connection with criminal proceedings taking place in the absence of the Israeli defendants at Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court.

Reports indicated that the case stems from Israel’s interception of the “Global Sumud” flotilla, which attempted to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces stopped the vessels in international waters before they could reach Gaza. There has thus far been no indication that Interpol has approved Turkey’s request for warrants.

Relations between Israel and Turkey had appeared to be moving toward a diplomatic thaw in the period preceding the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel. The relationship deteriorated dramatically following the attack and the ensuing war, with Erdogan and other senior Turkish officials repeatedly launching harsh attacks against Israel.

In March 2025, Erdogan branded Israel a “terror state” following Israeli preemptive strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure in Gaza. He subsequently accused Netanyahu’s government of being the greatest single threat to stability across the Middle East.

Erdogan stepped up his rhetoric again last week, charging that Israel was attempting to push the Palestinian Arab issue off the international agenda.

The latest dispute also comes amid growing tensions between Israel and Turkey over Syria. Earlier this week, Israel carried out a strike against the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria after Syrian authorities came close to violating a security understanding by permitting Turkish forces to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo.

Turkey rejected Israel’s justification for the strike and accused Yerushalayim of using security claims as a pretext for attacking Syrian territory.

Ankara also leveled broader accusations against Netanyahu, claiming that he was pursuing territorial expansion and fueling instability across the region for political reasons ahead of Israel’s elections.

The Turkish effort to secure international arrest warrants now adds another front to the increasingly hostile relationship, with Netanyahu making clear that Israel has no intention of being deterred by Erdogan’s move.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Friday that military action against Iran remains a possibility, making clear that his administration’s new emphasis on economic warfare against Tehran does not mean the United States has taken the use of force off the table.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Trump was asked whether the shift toward an aggressive economic campaign against the Islamic Republic meant that Washington’s military options had become more limited.

“No, not at all,” the President replied. “It just means that we’re seeing what happens. They have no money, they have no navy, they have no air force, they have 350% inflation. So we’re just going to sort of see what happens.”

Trump on Iran:

They would love to make a deal, but they are not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion. pic.twitter.com/YR5yxQu37O

— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 21, 2026

Trump pointed to what he described as overwhelming American control in the region, including around the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, as evidence of the pressure currently being exerted on Tehran.

“We have total control, as you know, of the border. We have total control, if you look at the blockade, we have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz. And that means well into it, the land areas,” Trump continued.

Despite the mounting pressure, Trump suggested that Tehran remains interested in reaching an agreement with Washington, but said Iranian leaders have not yet shown a willingness to accept terms that he considers satisfactory.

Iran “would love to make a deal, but they are not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump said.

The President’s remarks came just two days after he unveiled a sweeping new economic campaign targeting Iran, describing the effort as an “economic D-Day” intended to further isolate and weaken the Islamic Republic.

In announcing the initiative on Truth Social, Trump warned that governments and other entities continuing to provide economic assistance to Iran could themselves face consequences from the United States.

“These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide. IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” he wrote.

The administration’s latest moves follow the expiration Tuesday of a 60-day negotiating period between Washington and Tehran. Trump said at the time that there were neither active negotiations nor any new talks scheduled between the two countries.

“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated.”

Trump’s latest comments underscore that while the White House is currently seeking to squeeze Tehran through economic and strategic pressure, the administration is continuing to preserve the possibility of military action if Iran refuses to reach an agreement acceptable to Washington.

{Matzav.com}

The Belzer community is mourning the sudden petirah of Rav Aryeh Mordechai Frankel z”l, a longtime and beloved mechanech in Bnei Brak who devoted more than four decades to educating young children and was among the earliest volunteers and founders of the renowned chesed organization Ezrah Lemarpeh. He was 73.

Reb Aryeh Mordechai was born on 4 Adar 5714 to his father, Reb Yehuda Frankel z”l, and his mother, Mrs. Tzila Frankel a”h.

After establishing his home with his wife, he devoted his life to chinuch, serving for more than 40 years as a rebbi for young children. Over the decades, hundreds of children received their earliest foundations in alef-beis and Chumash from him.

For many years, he was also responsible for the cherished “Naye Yingele” ceremony held for three-year-old boys upon their formal entrance into cheder at the Belzer cheder at 5 Belz Street in Bnei Brak. Through his warmth and dedication, he helped make those first moments of chinuch memorable for generations of children and their families.

His commitment to helping others extended well beyond the classroom. Reb Aryeh Mordechai was among the first volunteers and founders of Ezrah Lemarpeh, the organization that would eventually grow into one of Israel’s best-known chesed organizations.

In the organization’s earliest days, when Ezrah Lemarpeh was still operating on a small scale out of a private home, Reb Aryeh Mordechai would sit there each day and assist people who came to borrow medical equipment. Long before the organization became what it is today, he was among those quietly doing the work on the ground.

Approximately a decade ago, Reb Aryeh Mordechai suffered a stroke but subsequently recovered. Despite the difficulties he endured, he continued coming every day with extraordinary mesirus nefesh to the central Belzer bais medrash at 5 Rebbe of Belz Street, where he had davened throughout the years.

For many years, he also took upon himself the simple but meaningful responsibility of preparing tea for the mispallelim and lomdim in the bais medrash, ensuring that those who came to daven and learn would have something warm to drink.

Only this week, Reb Aryeh Mordechai had the zechus to enter for a private audience with the Belzer Rebbe and present a kvittel. He was deeply attached to the Rebbe with heart and soul and frequently traveled to be with the Rebbe for Yomim Tovim, Shabbosim and other special occasions.

On Wednesday night, Reb Aryeh Mordechai began feeling unwell and was hospitalized at Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center. His condition deteriorated overnight, and he was niftar shortly before dawn, leaving behind a lifetime of chinuch, chesed and quiet devotion to others.

The levayah was held on Yigal Street in Bnei Brak, proceeding past the central Belzer bais medrash at 5 Rebbe of Belz Street before continuing to the Kahal Machzikei Hadas section of the cemetery in Ashdod, where he was brought to kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s High Court of Justice agreed Friday to release funding for the Ministry of Religious Services after the ministry warned that a continued budget freeze could force the closure of major holy sites across the country as early as Sunday.

The court announced that funding approved for the Religious Services Ministry would be exempted from a temporary order freezing budget transfers that had been approved by the Knesset Finance Committee earlier this month.

The decision followed an urgent warning submitted to the court by Religious Services Ministry Director-General Yehuda Avidan, who said the ministry was rapidly approaching a financial crisis that could disrupt the operation of holy sites, rabbinical courts and other essential religious services.

The state had earlier warned the High Court that maintaining the freeze on the budget transfers could have far-reaching consequences for the ability of government ministries to continue operating and providing services to the public.

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich told the court through the state’s submission that he believes the underlying petition should be decided as quickly as possible rather than leaving the matter unresolved while the court considers a request for an interim order.

According to the state, the effects of the funding freeze could become increasingly severe beginning September 1 if the legal dispute remains unresolved.

Particular concern was raised over funding for Israel’s rabbinical courts. The state asked the High Court to exempt those funds from the temporary freeze, warning that beginning August 23, the lack of funding could immediately interfere with computer systems and support services needed for the courts to function.

Avidan presented the court with an even more urgent picture regarding the Religious Services Ministry.

He said the disputed funds are needed for the ministry’s regular operations, the rabbinical courts and holy sites throughout Israel. The money is also required to pay vendors and employees and cover security, cleaning, rent, municipal taxes and computer services.

Avidan noted that the month of Elul is among the busiest periods of the year for the Religious Services Ministry, with thousands of mispallelim expected to visit holy sites throughout the country each day.

Without the necessary funding, he warned, the ministry would be unable to approve the additional security and cleaning services needed to safely accommodate the large crowds.

The most dramatic warning concerned the possibility that some of Israel’s best-known holy sites could be shut down beginning Sunday.

Avidan told the court that if the budget transfer was not approved, he would be forced to inform the High Court that the ministry was beginning the process of closing holy sites around the country.

Among the locations specifically cited were Me’aras Hamachpeilah, Kever Rochel and Kever Rashbi in Meron, along with other holy sites visited by thousands of people each day.

The funding crisis, Avidan said, could also force the ministry to shut down portions of its computer infrastructure, some of which depend on outsourced personnel. Other workers could be forced to stop working, while vendors providing essential services could go unpaid.

Avidan also invoked the Meron disaster in warning of the potential dangers of allowing security and operational funding at crowded holy sites to lapse. He said the ministry had been warning for more than three weeks that the money was urgently needed ahead of Elul and the expected surge in visitors.

The state asked the High Court to establish an expedited timetable for hearing and deciding the broader petition. It also specifically requested that funding for the rabbinical courts be excluded from the temporary order because of the potential consequences for their ability to function as judicial bodies.

The legal dispute stems from controversy surrounding the Knesset Finance Committee’s decision to convene during the Knesset recess to approve the budget transfers, as well as claims that approval from the Knesset’s agreements committee was required.

The state maintains that the budget requests considered by the Finance Committee resulted from government decisions made before the Knesset recess began and that the committee proceedings were conducted in accordance with accepted procedures.

With the legal dispute still pending, the Religious Services Ministry warned that the immediate consequences could be felt within days, with holy sites potentially closing and critical services provided by the rabbinical court system facing disruption.

Following the ministry’s warning, however, the High Court moved to avert that scenario, announcing that the budgets approved for the Religious Services Ministry would be excluded from the temporary freeze.

The decision allows the ministry to receive the funding while the larger legal battle over the disputed budget transfers continues.

{Matzav.com}

The Five Towns Jewish community is reeling following the sudden passing of Allison Rahmani a”h, a 40-year-old mother of four and beloved longtime educator, who passed away today following a tragic accident at her Hewlett home.

Mrs. Rahmani, a teacher and math coordinator at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR), was critically injured after she apparently lost control of her vehicle, which crashed into the swimming pool on the property.

Despite the unusual circumstances of the accident, Mrs. Rahmani did not drown, according to a source familiar with the family. She remained conscious following the crash and was able to call for help.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene and Mrs. Rahmani was transported by ambulance for emergency medical treatment. Tragically, despite efforts to save her, she passed away while being transported to the hospital.

News of the tragedy spread rapidly throughout the frum community this afternoon, stunning friends, neighbors, fellow educators and the countless families whose children Mrs. Rahmani had taught over the years.

Irving Place Minyan in Woodmere announced Rahmani’s passing Friday afternoon. Her husband, Matthew Rahmani, serves as president of the shul.

Mrs. Rahmani was deeply involved in Jewish education, serving not only as a classroom teacher at HAFTR but also as the school’s math coordinator. In that capacity, she played an important role in shaping the school’s mathematics program and working with both students and fellow educators.

Those who knew Mrs. Rahmani describe her as a dedicated educator whose work extended far beyond teaching mathematics.

The circumstances surrounding the accident remained under investigation..

The levayah is scheduled to take place Sunday at 11 a.m. at Boulevard-Riverside Chapels in Hewlett.

Mrs. Rahmani is survived by her husband, Matthew, their four children, and extended family.

Yehi zichrah baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Lakewood, NJ’s private school transportation crisis escalated dramatically this afternoon, as mosdos across the township began advising parents not to opt in to the LSTA’s non-mandated busing program at the newly imposed $945-per-student rate, a coordinated move that could leave the transportation system without the participation and funding it needs to operate as currently structured, Matzav.com has learned.

The extraordinary recommendation comes amid mounting outrage over the loss of government funding for non-mandated transportation and the resulting decision to more than double the amount charged for each affected student, from $385 last year to $945 for the coming school year.

Rather than accept the massive increase and pass it along to Lakewood families, mosdos are now taking the position that parents should not enroll their children in the non-mandated program at the new rate.

The message is unmistakable: Lakewood parents should not be expected to personally make up for government funding that disappeared.

In an email sent Friday afternoon to Lakewood mosdos by Igud Hamosdos, schools were informed that following discussions with numerous mosdos throughout town, they were being asked to convey a unified message to parents.

“As you are all aware, the LSTA did not receive funding to help cover non-mandated busing. As a result, the fee for non-mandated transportation has been increased to $945 per student,” the email states.

The email then delivers the key recommendation: “Please notify your parents that, at this time, you do not recommend that they opt in to the Non-Mandated Busing program at the newly requested rate.”

“The feeling is that the cost of this transportation should be covered through government funding and should not be placed on the parents,” the email adds.

A sample notice was provided for mosdos to distribute directly to parents, stating that the yeshiva believes the $945 transportation charge should be funded by government rather than Lakewood families.

“Therefore, at this time, our recommendation is that parents NOT opt in to the Non-Mandated Busing program at the new rate,” the proposed message says.

That recommendation began reaching parents Friday afternoon.

In one message sent on behalf of Lakewood Cheder and Bais Faiga, parents were told, “Regarding the LSTA new fee for non mandated students, the Lakewood Cheder and Bais Faiga feel this is a fee that should be covered by government and not the parents. Our recommendation is to NOT opt in.”

The development represents a major new front in the rapidly unfolding LSTA controversy that has Lakewood region residents up in arms.

Until now, the central question confronting families was how they were supposed to absorb an unexpected $945 transportation bill for each child who requires non-mandated busing. For a family with several affected children, the cost could quickly run into thousands of dollars annually, on top of tuition and the already substantial expenses of raising a family.

Now, however, the issue has moved beyond whether individual parents can afford the fee.

If the recommendation from Lakewood’s mosdos results in large numbers of parents declining to opt in, the financial and operational foundation of the non-mandated busing program itself could be thrown into jeopardy.

The LSTA transportation system depends upon a broad network of routes carrying children to private schools throughout Lakewood. If thousands of eligible students are not enrolled because their parents have been advised not to pay the $945 fee, the system could face an unprecedented situation in which the number of participating students — and the revenue associated with them — drops sharply.

That raises the possibility of a breakdown of the current LSTA model and puts enormous pressure on state and local officials to find another solution.

The mosdos’ position effectively turns what had been presented as a financial burden on individual families into a broader battle over who is responsible for funding transportation for Lakewood’s schoolchildren.

Local roshei mosdos are making clear that, in their view, the answer is not parents – nor the mosdos.

The showdown traces back to the failure to secure the government funding that had helped subsidize non-mandated transportation in previous years. Without those funds, the amount required from parents soared from $385 to $945, an increase of $560 per student, or approximately 145%.

The increase immediately sparked alarm throughout Lakewood, particularly among families with multiple children requiring transportation.

For many parents, busing is not an optional convenience. Lakewood’s enormous geographic footprint, heavy traffic and the distances between residential neighborhoods and the community’s numerous mosdos make transportation an essential part of the school infrastructure.

The coordinated recommendation not to opt in dramatically raises the stakes.

If parents follow the schools’ guidance en masse, there will be no easy way to simply shift the missing government funding onto families. Instead, the consequences will land squarely on the transportation system itself, potentially forcing government officials and other stakeholders back to the table.

The timing also adds urgency to the crisis. The new school year has already begun for the boys and will begin soon for the girls, leaving little room for prolonged negotiations or uncertainty over whether thousands of children will have transportation to school.

For now, mosdos are telling parents to hold the line.

What began as a staggering increase in a busing fee has therefore become something considerably larger: A potential standoff over the future of Lakewood’s school transportation system.

The mosdos are saying that families should not be forced to fill a government funding hole by writing checks for $945 per child. And by urging parents not to opt in, they are making clear that they are prepared to challenge the new arrangement rather than quietly accept it.

If enough parents heed that call, the question will no longer be whether Lakewood families can afford the new LSTA fee.

It will be whether the LSTA system can function without them.

{Matzav.com}

New York City won an initial procedural victory Friday in the court fight over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s two-year rent freeze, as a judge ruled that a lawsuit seeking to overturn the policy was brought in the wrong borough and must be transferred from Staten Island to Manhattan.

The ruling does not resolve the central dispute over whether the Rent Guidelines Board acted lawfully when it froze rents on approximately one million rent-stabilized apartments. Instead, it delays consideration of those arguments, along with pending efforts by groups representing landlords and tenants to intervene in the case.

Staten Island Supreme Court Justice Ralph Porzio ordered the proceeding moved to Manhattan Supreme Court, although he made clear that he had been ready to address the substance of the challenge.

Porzio said he “was prepared to decide the issue on the merits,” pointing to the “enormity and the impact this case has.”

“However, this venue motion… had to be decided, and I’ve decided it this way.”

The legal battle began last month when a coalition of New York City landlords sued the Rent Guidelines Board over its June decision to impose a two-year freeze affecting roughly one million rent-stabilized units. The landlords contend that the process was a rigged “sham” and “unlawful.”

The case was filed by Randy Mastro, who served as first deputy mayor before becoming a prominent legal adversary of the Mamdani administration. Friday’s decision represented an early setback for Mastro and the small landlords he represents.

City attorneys quickly challenged the decision to bring the case in Staten Island, arguing that the lawsuit belonged in Manhattan regardless of the underlying merits of the landlords’ claims.

At issue was a procedural requirement governing Article 78 proceedings, the type of lawsuit used to challenge decisions by government agencies and public bodies. City attorneys maintained that such a case must be brought in the location where the government action being challenged took place. Because the Rent Guidelines Board proceedings at issue occurred in Manhattan, they argued, Manhattan was the proper venue.

“This venue motion has nothing to do with your honor’s ability to hear the case on its merits,” Corporation Counsel Steven Banks said during Friday’s virtual court proceeding. “It has to do with the importance of adhering to the rules.”

Mastro, who told the court that Friday happened to be his birthday, pushed back against the city’s position and argued that Staten Island was an entirely appropriate place to bring the challenge.

He noted that the Rent Guidelines Board’s decision applies citywide and directly affects Staten Island, where approximately 8,200 apartments are subject to rent stabilization.

“Staten Island may be smaller in population than the other boroughs in our city, but it is every bit as important, and it is just as affected by this decision as any other borough,” Mastro argued.

Attorney Deborah Reigel, who is also representing the landlords, warned that accepting the city’s reasoning could create troubling incentives for municipal agencies.

Reigel argued that the contention that Staten Island was an improper venue because the Rent Guidelines Board did not conduct rent-freeze hearings there “really invites bad behavior,” potentially allowing city agencies to avoid holding proceedings in certain boroughs in order to make it more difficult for residents there to challenge their decisions.

Porzio rejected that interpretation, saying the landlords’ attorneys had “misconstrued” the applicable legal standard.

“The material event is not where the impact will be felt, but … where the proceedings were brought,” Porzio said while reading from his order.

The judge’s written ruling similarly concluded that the fact that Staten Island residents will be affected by the rent freeze was not enough to establish the borough as the proper location for the lawsuit.

“While the rent regulations will apply in Richmond County … neither the decision complained, nor the process undertaken to arrive at that determination, have a material connection to Richmond County,” Porizo’s ruling read.

The dispute stems from the Rent Guidelines Board’s June vote to freeze rents for two years on approximately one million stabilized apartments, a decision that delivered Mamdani one of the signature policies he had championed.

Landlords challenging the freeze maintain that the board’s process was improperly engineered to produce the result favored by the mayor and are seeking to have the decision overturned.

Friday’s ruling, however, addressed none of those allegations. It dealt only with where the case must be heard.

As a result, the city’s victory is procedural rather than a ruling upholding the legality of the rent freeze itself. The landlords will still have an opportunity to press their claims and ask a judge to invalidate the Rent Guidelines Board’s action.

Porzio said the litigation will now continue in Manhattan, where a new date is expected to be scheduled for arguments addressing the substance of the landlords’ challenge.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the Trump administration was handed a massive fiscal problem by the Biden administration, describing it as a “debt bomb” while arguing that President Donald Trump’s economic team has a strategy to make U.S. economic growth outpace the growth of the national debt.

Vance made the remarks during an appearance on Newsmax’s “Carl Higbie FRONTLINE,” where host Carl Higbie questioned him about the administration’s approach to the national debt, which recently surpassed $40 trillion.

“There’s a weird way where American taxpayers are getting fleeced because of the very high debt charges,” Vance said.

Vance said the high cost of servicing the federal debt largely took shape during the Biden administration and maintained that the Trump administration has already begun improving the situation.

“By the way, very high debt charges that started under the Biden administration. This is a crisis that we inherited, and I think has gotten better.”

According to Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is pursuing a “very discreet plan,” with Trump’s support, aimed at expanding the economy at a faster rate than the country’s debt burden is growing.

“And if you look, we are on track. So even though the debt is too high, even though we inherited this debt bomb from the Biden administration, we actually do have a plan to get the economy growing faster than the debt. And that’s the most important thing,” Vance said.

Vance argued that the central problem during the Biden years was not simply the size of the debt, but the fact that borrowing was increasing at a faster pace than the overall economy.

“The issue that we’ve had under the Biden administration and what we’re still kind of dealing with is that the debt was growing faster than American GDP [gross domestic product]. That’s the problem.”

Both the Trump and Biden administrations, however, enacted policies that contributed trillions of dollars to projected federal borrowing.

A 2024 analysis by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that policies approved during Trump’s first term would add approximately $8.4 trillion in borrowing over a 10-year period. Policies approved during Biden’s first three years and five months in office were projected to add approximately $4.3 trillion over the same time horizon.

When major COVID-19 relief measures were removed from the calculations, the CRFB estimated that Trump-approved policies would account for roughly $4.8 trillion in additional 10-year borrowing, compared with approximately $2.2 trillion resulting from policies approved under Biden.

The organization also cautioned against simply attributing increases in the national debt during a president’s tenure directly to that president. Federal borrowing can be driven by previously enacted laws, changing economic conditions and other circumstances beyond a president’s direct control.

Vance nevertheless said the current administration recognizes the seriousness of the debt problem and that Bessent has Trump’s full support in attempting to address it.

“That’s something that we’re certainly fixing every single day in the Trump administration. Scott Bessent is very much on top of it,” he said.

“He knows it’s a problem, and he’s got the president’s empowerment to do something about it.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump scored a significant legal victory Friday as the Supreme Court allowed construction of his massive new White House ballroom to continue while litigation over the project moves forward, lifting for now a lower-court restriction that had blocked portions of the work.

The ballroom, being constructed on the site of the demolished East Wing, is expected to span approximately 90,000 square feet — roughly twice the size of the main portion of the White House complex. Although Trump had repeatedly said taxpayers would not be responsible for the project, its cost has reportedly climbed to at least $300 million, with some public funding now expected to be involved.

Friday’s Supreme Court action marked the latest development in a months-long legal fight between the Trump administration and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The nonprofit sued in an effort to stop the project, contending that Trump cannot undertake construction of this magnitude on the East Wing site without first obtaining authorization from Congress.

The ballroom would dramatically expand the White House’s capacity for large-scale official functions, addressing what Trump has long complained is inadequate space for major events, particularly state dinners and gatherings involving foreign leaders.

Trump has also maintained that the project goes far beyond entertaining guests. He has said the new complex will incorporate major national-security infrastructure, including bomb shelters, medical facilities, sniper positions and a drone port.

The Supreme Court became involved after a series of conflicting lower-court decisions left the future of the construction uncertain. The justices faced a Friday deadline to act on the administration’s emergency request.

In a brief order signed by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court stayed the lower-court ruling that had halted portions of the construction, clearing the way for work to proceed while the underlying legal dispute continues.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation warned the justices earlier this week that allowing the administration to continue building could effectively render its lawsuit meaningless because so much of the project could be completed before courts reach a final decision.

“Rather than obtain permission from Congress, Petitioners have instead decided to try to outrun judicial review” by accelerating construction, the organization wrote. “It is clear that in Petitioners’ view, if the Court grants their stay application, this case is over—despite every court to have reviewed their project having found it to be patently unlawful, and no matter the fact that this Court has not reviewed those decisions on the merits.”

The legal battle began in March, when U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled against the Trump administration and ordered construction stopped except for portions of the project related to White House safety and security.

The administration appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which subsequently permitted construction to continue temporarily. Leon later refined his order, allowing underground work on the ballroom complex to move ahead while continuing to prohibit above-ground construction.

Trump sharply objected to the distinction, arguing that the security components and ballroom construction could not realistically be separated.

“It’s all tied together as one big, expensive, and very complex unit, which is vital for National Security and Military Operations of the United States of America!” Trump wrote on social media.

The dispute returned to the appeals court, but the Trump administration ultimately sought emergency intervention from the Supreme Court, asking the justices to allow the entire project to move forward while the litigation continues.

Construction began last July and has already significantly altered the area surrounding the White House. Access to portions of the north side of the White House grounds and Lafayette Park, areas previously accessible to the public, has been restricted as work has progressed.

The project has also generated considerable public opposition. An April Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 56% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s decision to demolish the East Wing and construct the ballroom.

Friday’s Supreme Court order does not resolve the central legal question of whether Trump ultimately has the authority to complete the ballroom without congressional approval. Instead, it allows construction to proceed while the courts continue considering the case.

For Trump, however, the immediate effect is clear: work on one of the most ambitious physical transformations of the White House in modern history can continue.

{Matzav.com}

A group of Jewish hikers came under attack by dozens of Arab rioters on Friday after entering the Palestinian Authority-controlled village of Sa’ir in the eastern Gush Etzion region, apparently by mistake, prompting security forces to rush to the area and evacuate them.

The hikers were traveling through the eastern Gush Etzion area when they entered Sa’ir, where a large group of local Arabs began hurling rocks at them.

Israeli security forces were summoned to the scene and moved to rescue the hikers from the village.

According to initial reports, a local community security coordinator was among the first security personnel to reach the area. He was reportedly struck by a rock thrown by one of the attackers and responded by opening fire in self-defense.

Palestinian Arabs offered a different account of the incident, claiming that the Israelis had deliberately entered Sa’ir and started a fire in the village, sparking the confrontation.

The IDF subsequently issued a statement confirming that Israeli civilians had been injured in the rock-throwing attack and that a security official had opened fire, resulting in Palestinian casualties.

“Earlier today (Friday), IDF soldiers dispatched to the area of Sa’ir following a report of Palestinians hurling rocks towards a group of Israeli civilians who were present in the area without advanced authorization.”

“As a result of the rock hurling, Israeli civilians were injured. A security official opened fire in the area, and there are Palestinian casualties as a result of the shooting.”

The military also addressed reports of a fire at a structure in the village, saying firefighters had been dispatched to bring the blaze under control.

“In an additional report that was received regarding a structure under construction being set on fire, firefighting crews worked to extinguish the fire.”

IDF troops worked to break up the confrontation before removing the Israeli hikers from the area.

“IDF soldiers operated to disperse the confrontation and removed the Israeli civilians from the area.

“The IDF clarifies that the presence of Israeli civilians in the area without prior coordination and authorization endangers the civilians and diverts the soldiers’ efforts away from defensive and counterterrorism activities.

“At this time, officers from the Judea and Samaria District Police are at the scene with IDF soldiers, operating to collect evidence and testimonies as part of an investigation that has been launched.”

Police have identified 26-year-old Liel Ifergan as the primary suspect in the shocking murder of seven-year-old Hillel Mordechai Dadon in Beit Shemesh, where two young cousins were allegedly attacked with a knife while playing in a pool.

According to investigators, Ifergan allegedly stabbed Hillel and his four-year-old cousin during the attack. Hillel was killed, while the younger child suffered serious injuries.

Ifergan, who lives near the location of the stabbing, was taken into custody by police shortly after the deadly incident.

Investigators suspect that several hours before the attack, Ifergan came to the vicinity of the apartment where the children were later stabbed. He reportedly had a brief conversation with the homeowner before leaving. Police believe he subsequently returned to the location and attacked the two children with a sharp object.

A court has ordered Ifergan to remain in custody until next Tuesday as police continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing.

Chief Inspector Guy Avrahami, deputy head of interrogations at the Jerusalem District Central Unit, described the horrific scene encountered by investigators following the attack.

“We arrived at a very difficult scene, where a young child lost his life while playing in a pool.”

Police are now working to determine what may have motivated the suspect and what circumstances preceded the attack, while investigators continue collecting evidence and reconstructing the sequence of events.

“At this stage, we are focusing our investigative efforts on understanding exactly what the suspect’s motive was and what led him to harm the children. The work of gathering evidence and putting together the pieces of the puzzle continues, with the aim of uncovering the truth and bringing the suspect to justice to the fullest extent of the law,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

Jill Biden is leaving open the possibility that Joe Biden may have been drugged before his disastrous 2024 presidential debate against President Donald Trump, while revealing that doctors examined him that night amid her own fears that he may have suffered a stroke.

During a podcast interview Thursday, host Jamie Kern Lima directly asked Jill Biden whether doctors had ruled out a stroke following her husband’s alarming performance on the debate stage.

“Well, they did. They said, I mean, I didn’t say to them, when I was writing my book, I was reflecting, but I didn’t say, ‘God, did Joe have a stroke?’ I just said, ‘Is he OK? Is he OK?'” Biden responded.

When Lima pressed her on what she personally believes caused her husband’s performance that night, Biden said she still does not know, pointing to his extensive travel schedule, fatigue and the fact that she had spent little time with him in the period immediately preceding the debate.

“I mean, there’s all kinds of theories — you know, he had been traveling,” she said. “I know he was tired, he didn’t feel well that day, when I saw him, but there was nothing definitive that I could point to. And I had been on the road for two weeks up until that moment. So, I wasn’t with him. I didn’t see him days before, weeks before. I saw him maybe one hour before.”

Lima then raised a more startling possibility, asking whether someone could have secretly put something into Biden’s drink before he took the debate stage.

“There’s no way anyone could have, God forbid, laced his drink or something?”

“Who knows? Who knows?” Biden responded.

Joe Biden’s office did not immediately respond to a request from Fox News Digital seeking comment on the remarks.

The June 2024 debate against Trump became one of the defining events of the presidential campaign. Biden repeatedly stumbled over his words, appeared confused at times and experienced lengthy pauses, triggering an immediate political crisis as even some prominent Democratic supporters began publicly calling for him to abandon his reelection bid.

Jill Biden has revisited the episode in her memoir, “View from the East Wing,” writing that as she watched her husband onstage that night, she became frightened that he might be suffering a stroke.

“I wasn’t horrified. I was frightened,” Jill Biden recalled in a May interview.

She said Biden’s appearance and behavior were unlike anything she had previously witnessed from him and that her immediate reaction was concern that something medically serious was unfolding.

“I had never ever seen Joe like that before or since,” the first lady said. “I don’t know what happened. As I watched it, I said, ‘Oh my God, he’s having a stroke.’ It scared me to death.”

During Thursday’s podcast appearance, Jill Biden said doctors were routinely around the presidential couple and that she was assured her husband was medically fine that evening. Biden subsequently continued with additional scheduled events.

“It was like such an aberration,” she added.

Jill Biden’s decision to repeatedly revisit the tumultuous final months of the 2024 campaign during publicity appearances for her book has drawn criticism from some Democrats, who would prefer to move beyond an election that ultimately ended with Vice President Kamala Harris losing to Trump.

Andrew Bates, who served as a Biden spokesperson, publicly questioned the wisdom of reopening the controversy while Democrats are preparing for the midterm elections.

“I don’t see why that painful conversation for the party needed to be publicly reopened right now.”

Jill Biden responded sharply to Bates’ criticism, challenging him to address his objections directly to her.

“I want to say to Andrew: Call me up, and say it to my face, buddy.”

Matt Dallek, a professor of political management at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital that he does not expect Jill Biden’s memoir tour or the renewed discussion of the 2024 campaign to have a significant effect on voters in either the midterms or the 2028 presidential race. He said, however, that many Democrats view the Bidens’ recent public appearances as dwelling on a difficult chapter the party would rather leave behind.

“Democrats seem to feel like they’re focused on the past, they’re focused on Trump coming back to power,” Dallek said. “They’re focused on the perceived sense of failure of Biden and his unpopularity as he left office.

“I think that the memoir tour, the various appearances by — whether it’s Jill Biden or Hunter Biden — I think there’s still, you know, a lot of affection for Joe Biden, for the Bidens in the Democratic Party. There’s also, I think, a certain amount of pain associated with the memory of the Biden presidency and especially the last kind of year or two,” he told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Joe Biden is expected to offer his own account of his presidency in a book scheduled for release in November, following the midterm elections.

{Matzav.com}

A New York Supreme Court judge has temporarily halted the remaining construction of Crown Heights’ controversial protected bike lane project following a lawsuit challenging the city’s procedures for moving forward with the project.

New York Supreme Court Justice Rachel Freier granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) barring the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) from proceeding with additional portions of the project on Kingston and Brooklyn Avenues and several surrounding streets. The order will remain in effect until the case returns to court, with the next hearing scheduled for September 16, when the court will consider the matter further.

The lawsuit was brought by Crown Heights resident Yosef Wolf, a member of the Chabad community, against the City of New York, the Department of Transportation, and DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. Wolf argues that DOT began implementing the project without completing the formal notifications, consultations, and certifications required by city law before a major transportation project can proceed.

The order came after construction had already begun. DOT had completed the protected bike lane on Kingston Avenue between East New York Avenue and Winthrop Street and was preparing to continue the project on Brooklyn Avenue and other locations. That includes the planned protected lane on Brooklyn Avenue, the remaining Kingston Avenue work, pedestrian islands, curb extensions, planters and concrete barriers, a protected loop around the Wingate campus, and additional bike lanes planned for Rutland Road and Fenimore Street.

The city argued that extensive community outreach had already taken place. DOT says it presented the project to elected officials, the FDNY, NYPD, and other city agencies, as well as Community Board 9 and Crown Heights organizations including Shomrim, Hatzalah, the Crown Heights JCC, and the Jewish Future Alliance.

Wolf’s lawsuit, however, argues that community outreach alone was not sufficient and that DOT failed to complete the formal legal procedures required before construction began. His filing claims that Councilmember Rita Joseph had not been notified that DOT was beginning implementation and that Councilmember Crystal Hudson was also not properly notified. The lawsuit further alleges that DOT failed to provide required certifications documenting consultations with the FDNY, NYPD, Small Business Services, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

Court filings also show that DOT had already modified the original project following community opposition. The initial plan extended farther north toward Empire Boulevard, while the current version begins at East New York Avenue. DOT also reduced the projected loss of parking spaces and made other design changes.

While the lawsuit centers on the city’s legal procedures, many Crown Heights residents have also raised concerns about the safety of protected bike lanes, particularly for children boarding buses on their way to yeshiva.

Crown Heights resident Boruch Sholom, who is not involved in the lawsuit, said he supports bike lanes generally but has concerns about protected lanes.

“I’m a cyclist, and I use bike lanes, but protected bike lanes are dangerous, especially for children boarding buses.”

Sholom said that if the goal is safety, the safety of everyone — including children getting on and off buses — must be taken into account.

The case is also notable for being heard by New York Supreme Court Justice Rachel Freier, whose background and familiarity with the Orthodox and Chassidic Jewish community are well known.

For many Crown Heights residents, having a judge who understands the community’s way of life and the practical concerns facing its families provides a meaningful sense of reassurance.

Justice Freier’s temporary restraining order, however, is based on the legal issues raised before the court, and the case will now proceed through the judicial process.

Wolf is seeking not only to stop the remaining construction but ultimately to overturn DOT’s decision to implement the project and require the city to restore portions of the streets that have already been altered.

For now, Judge Freier’s order puts the remaining construction on hold, giving the court an opportunity to examine the legal questions surrounding the project before the city moves forward.

{Matzav.com}

Israel Airports Authority Chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Yiftah Ron Tal sharply condemned the surprise strike that threw Ben-Gurion Airport into chaos on Thursday, vowing that those found responsible will face both administrative and legal consequences.

Speaking to 103FM on Friday morning, Ron Tal described the work stoppage as unjustifiable and denounced the conduct behind it as “bullying and intolerable behavior.” His comments came as the airport continued dealing with the aftermath of the disruption, including passengers facing lengthy waits for their luggage.

“I regret the distress and the damage caused to passengers, which is completely unjustifiable. In my eyes, this is bullying and intolerable behavior, and we will examine it in the coming days,” he said. “As soon as we identify who is responsible for this, they will pay the price,” Ron Tal said.

Ron Tal indicated that the response will not be limited to internal disciplinary action, saying the Airports Authority intends to carefully examine what legal measures may also be warranted.

He added: “The steps that will be taken are not only administrative; they are also legal. I do not want to do things in a way that will not be correct.”

At the same time, Ron Tal defended the broader workforce at Ben-Gurion, praising employees for continuing to perform their jobs through demanding circumstances and making clear that his criticism was directed at those responsible for the strike rather than airport workers as a whole.

“Our employees are simply excellent. During the war and today, they work under difficult and complex conditions, and they do not deserve to be directed this way,” he said.

Ron Tal also cautioned against responding to the dispute with unilateral action, arguing that such an approach could ultimately undermine organized labor throughout Israel.

“We do not take unilateral steps; this will harm organized labor in the State of Israel.”

Turning to broader problems within the Airports Authority, Ron Tal acknowledged that significant reforms are needed and said changing an organization that has operated for decades will not happen immediately.

“You do not change Rome in one day. You speak to the solution, not the problem; that is why I am here,” he stated.

Still, he insisted that reform will take place, describing the authority’s existing organizational structure as deeply problematic and saying officials have little choice but to address it.

“Not only is it possible to change, but we will change it, period. The authority has existed for 50 years, and its organizational structure is very problematic. We will find the way because we have no other choice,” he said.

Ron Tal specifically characterized Ben-Gurion Airport’s staffing structure as an “inverted pyramid,” saying the balance between permanent and temporary employees needs to be addressed even if doing so results in confrontation with organized labor.

“It is an inverted pyramid; there are far fewer temporary workers than permanent employees. Management needs to manage, and workers need to work. There will be friction, and perhaps there will be a struggle, but this will change. This is our obligation,” he said.

The Airports Authority chairman also challenged assertions by the workers’ committee that Ben-Gurion is operating with a shortage of approximately 400 baggage handlers, questioning the source and accuracy of that figure.

“Where does this number come from? If you are getting this number from the workers’ committee, I suggest you check it. Even if there is a shortage of workers, it is among manual labor workers. This airport operated yesterday and the day before under conditions that were no less difficult,” Ron Tal said.

He similarly disputed claims that airport employees are required to perform physical labor for 15 hours without interruption, saying their working conditions are governed by existing labor agreements.

“They work 12 hours; this appears in the labor agreements, and there is a break between one plane and another,” he said.

By Friday, Ron Tal said Ben-Gurion had returned to normal operations, with airport officials working through the remaining backlog created by the strike. He said 16 flights had been canceled but would be restored as operations returned to full capacity.

“The situation at the airport has returned to normal operations, and we are closing gaps. There were 16 flights that were canceled, and they will return. The airport is operating at full capacity.”

The fallout from the strike also reached Israel’s political arena. On Thursday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Airports Authority workers’ committee chairman Pinchas Idan to be expelled from the Likud Party after Likud denounced “the wild and illegal strike at the airport that harmed the citizens of the country and damaged the economy.”

Idan fired back at Netanyahu on Friday, making clear that he had no intention of voluntarily leaving the party.

“in the Likud before Bibi and I will stay after Bibi,” Idan said, according to KAN News.

He also dismissed the significance of his position within the party apparatus.

“What is a member of the Likud central committee? Nothing,” he added.

Idan then warned that additional airport strikes could occur unless management brings in more workers, arguing that the current staffing levels will be insufficient to handle the upcoming holiday travel period.

“We won’t get through the chagim if there is no hiring,” he said. “It’s a waste of time, lest they say I didn’t say so.”

{Matzav.com}

The Skulener Rebbe of Yerushalayim shared an unusual chassidishe teaching about the spiritual significance of kugel, citing earlier tzaddikim who taught that eating the traditional dish on Shabbos and Yom Tov carries the power of “breaking harsh judgments.”

The Rebbe addressed the obvious question: How can an ordinary food such as kugel possibly be credited with such a profound spiritual effect?

In explaining the idea, the Rebbe cited teachings passed down in the name of tzaddikim of previous generations, who emphasized that seemingly simple Jewish customs — particularly those connected with honoring Shabbos and Yom Tov — can contain lofty spiritual meaning far beyond what is apparent on the surface.

The Rebbe then turned to this year’s Rosh Hashanah, when the first day falls on Shabbos and the shofar is therefore not blown.

The Rebbe said that under such circumstances, the kugel eaten on Shabbos takes on a particularly significant role — serving, in a manner of speaking, in place of the shofar blowing.

The Rebbe explained that if tzaddikim teach throughout the year that Shabbos kugel possesses the power to “break harsh judgments,” then on a Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos, when there is no shofar blowing, eating kugel can be viewed as an additional spiritual means of sweetening the judgments on the Yom HaDin.

The Rebbe stressed that the observation was offered “in a humorous vein,” rather than as a literal halachic statement. At the same time, he noted that chassidishe sayings delivered with a smile often contain a much deeper message.

The teaching, he explained, reflects the sanctity of Shabbos, the spiritual power contained within longstanding Jewish customs, and the understanding that avodas Hashem is expressed not only during exalted moments of tefillah and shofar blowing, but also through the seemingly ordinary actions of a Yid who honors and sanctifies Shabbos.

{Matzav.com}

Several El Al aircraft landed at Ben Gurion Airport shortly before the onset of Shabbos on Friday evening, leaving some Shabbos-observant passengers facing the extraordinary prospect of spending Shabbos inside the airport after there was insufficient time for all their luggage to be unloaded and for them to leave before shkiah.

The unusual situation unfolded amid the continuing fallout from Thursday’s surprise strike by workers at Ben Gurion Airport, which caused massive disruptions to flights and baggage handling and left airport personnel struggling to clear a significant backlog throughout Friday.

Several El Al flights arrived in Israel extremely close to the onset of Shabbos. Although the aircraft themselves succeeded in landing before Shabbos, the late arrivals left passengers with only a very limited window to disembark, pass through passport control, retrieve their luggage and leave the airport.

The continuing baggage crisis made that virtually impossible for some travelers.

With suitcases not expected to be unloaded in time, Shabbos-observant passengers who remained at the airport when Shabbos began were expected to spend Shabbos at Ben Gurion rather than leave the airport after shkiah. Their luggage was expected to remain in the airport’s baggage system until it could be processed.

The remarkable scene was the latest consequence of a chaotic 24 hours at Israel’s primary international airport. While Thursday’s strike ended and airport operations formally resumed, its effects continued throughout Friday, particularly in the baggage-handling system.

Thousands of pieces of luggage had accumulated during the disruption, leaving ground crews facing a major backlog as they attempted to service arriving and departing aircraft.

Some arriving travelers were forced to wait extended periods for their suitcases, while some departing flights reportedly left Israel without all of their passengers’ checked baggage in an effort to prevent further flight delays.

The proximity of Shabbos created an additional complication for El Al, which maintains a longstanding policy of not operating flights on Shabbos.

Earlier Friday, El Al canceled Flight LY8 from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after delays made it impossible for the aircraft to reach Israel before Shabbos. Passengers had already boarded and were seated when the decision was made to cancel the flight.

Rather than allow the aircraft to depart knowing that it would land after the onset of Shabbos, El Al returned the plane to the gate and had passengers disembark.

The flights that were already airborne and approaching Israel Friday afternoon presented a different scenario. Those aircraft were able to touch down before Shabbos, but the narrow window between landing and shkiah left observant passengers confronting the question of whether they could actually get out of Ben Gurion in time.

For those who could not, the issue went well beyond the inconvenience of delayed baggage. Once Shabbos began, traveling home from the airport was no longer an option for Shabbos-observant passengers.

As a result, some passengers were expected to remain inside Ben Gurion throughout Shabbos, unable to continue their journeys until after Shabbos ended Saturday night.

The extraordinary predicament underscored the far-reaching consequences of Thursday’s airport strike. What began as a labor dispute and resulted in flight cancellations, lengthy delays and mountains of stranded luggage ultimately spilled into Erev Shabbos, leaving travelers racing against a deadline that could not be pushed back.

For the passengers aboard the final El Al flights to arrive Friday afternoon, the planes made it to Israel before Shabbos.

Getting home before Shabbos was another matter entirely.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is looking for a new cook at Gracie Mansion, with the city seeking someone experienced in preparing South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine to serve the mayor, his wife and their guests for a $64,500 annual salary.

The city posted the opening earlier this month for a “Cook” to join the kitchen staff at the mayoral residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Beyond culinary skills, applicants are expected to exercise considerable discretion about what they see and hear while working inside the mayor’s home.

“Reporting to the Senior Executive Chef, the Cook is responsible for preparing and serving high-quality meals for the Mayor, the Mayor’s family, and their guests for daily service, events, and official functions,” the job posting states.

The listing makes clear that privacy is a significant part of the position.

“Must maintain strict confidentiality regarding the Mayor, Principals, guests, and household operations,” it adds.

The successful applicant will also need experience preparing the types of food favored by Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji.

“The role requires experience with multiple cuisines with a focus on South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.”

The listing does not specify exactly which dishes the new cook will be expected to prepare. Mamdani has previously named biryani, paan and lamb adana laffa among his favorite foods while discussing his preferred New York City restaurants.

Mamdani also marked his election victory as the city’s first Muslim mayor by sharing an aloo dum lunch with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in November.

The opening was created after a member of the Gracie Mansion kitchen staff left to take a restaurant job. The four remaining members of the five-person culinary team all served at the mayoral residence during the administration of Mamdani’s predecessor, Eric Adams.

In addition to maintaining confidentiality, applicants are expected to have at least three years of culinary experience, possess “strong knife skills,” be capable of lifting as much as 50 pounds and “adapt quickly to shifting kitchen demands,” according to the posting.

The city did not provide specific working hours for the full-time position, but anyone hoping for a predictable schedule may be disappointed. Applicants must be prepared for a “fully flexible schedule including days, nights, weekends, holidays, and short notice shifts.”

At $64,500 annually, the Gracie Mansion position pays considerably more than the average compensation for comparable cooking jobs in New York City, according to Salary Expert.

It also pays more than some other culinary positions within city government. A senior cook opening posted last month by the New York City Department of Correction offered a maximum salary of $52,242.

The newest member of the Gracie Mansion kitchen will work under Executive Chef Feliberto Estevez, who has remained in charge of the mayoral residence’s kitchen through the administrations of Bill de Blasio, Eric Adams and now Mamdani.

Mamdani confirmed in June that Estevez would remain in the position. The mayor said some of the most noticeable culinary changes under his administration included bringing meat back onto the menu while excluding pork — and ending the green smoothies that became closely associated with Adams.

Adams had posted videos showing himself preparing the unusual drink, which combined romaine lettuce, avocado, banana, orange and red apple.

Asked whether he had instructed the Gracie Mansion staff to continue making his predecessor’s vegetable-and-fruit concoction, Mamdani indicated that he had not.

“I have not asked,” Mamdani told Fox 5.

{Matzav.com}

A 40-year-old Jewish woman was tragically killed after a vehicle plunged into a residential backyard swimming pool on Elinor Road in Hewlett, Long Island.

The horrific accident occurred when the vehicle apparently left the roadway, crashed onto private property and landed in the swimming pool behind a home.

Emergency personnel rushed to the scene following reports of the crash. Despite efforts to save the victim, the woman was pronounced dead.

The circumstances surrounding the crash, including what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway, were not immediately clear. Authorities are investigating the sequence of events leading up to the fatal accident.

It was also not immediately clear whether anyone else was inside the vehicle at the time of the crash or whether additional injuries were reported.

Additional details, including the identity of the victim, have not yet been released.

Boruch Dayan Ha’emes.

{Matzav.com}

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly pursued a far more ambitious role in American political life than previously known after leaving their duties as senior members of the British royal family, including an alleged effort by Markle to position herself for Kamala Harris’ U.S. Senate seat and a later attempt by the couple to secure an Oval Office meeting with President Joe Biden.

According to a source cited by the New York Post, Markle sought a meeting with California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the weeks leading up to the 2020 presidential election because she “wanted to be considered to be appointed” to Harris’ Senate seat if the California senator became vice president. The source said the conversation was publicly portrayed as a welcome-to-California discussion in an effort to head off questions about its purpose.

It remains unclear how seriously Newsom considered any such request. After Harris resigned from the Senate shortly before becoming vice president on Jan. 20, 2021, Newsom selected then-California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to fill the vacancy. Padilla went on to win a full six-year Senate term in the 2022 election.

A source close to Harry and Meghan strongly denied that Markle had sought Harris’ Senate seat

A memorandum from Newsom’s office that emerged in February 2021 showed that the governor held an “introductory meeting” with Harry and Meghan on Oct. 19, 2020. Newsom’s office characterized the conversation as social and did not disclose what was discussed. It was unclear whether Markle separately sought another meeting with the governor following the election.

Had Markle actually been appointed to the Senate, her status as the Duchess of Sussex could have raised significant constitutional questions. Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the Constitution provides that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust … shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”

The presence of a member of the British royal family in the U.S. Senate could also have collided with longstanding American hostility toward hereditary titles. Alexander Hamilton wrote in “The Federalist Papers” that “the importance of the prohibition of titles of nobility … [is] the corner-stone of republican government; for so long as they are excluded, there can never be serious danger that the government will be any other than that of the people.”

The reported interest in Harris’ Senate seat was not the only effort by Harry and Meghan to establish connections at the highest levels of American politics after their departure from royal duties.

In late 2021, the couple sought a meeting with Biden inside the Oval Office and also requested accommodations at Blair House, the presidential guest residence generally used to host foreign dignitaries during official visits, according to multiple sources.

White House officials rejected the proposal. One source said an Oval Office appearance featuring Biden alongside Harry and Meghan “would have caused a major diplomatic kerfuffle” with both the British government and the Royal Family.

A former Biden administration official said Biden and first lady Jill Biden, both admirers of Queen Elizabeth II, were wary of becoming entangled in the highly publicized tensions between Harry and other members of his family.

The Bidens “didn’t want to get into a family squabble,” the source said.

An Oval Office reception and stay at Blair House would have given Harry and Meghan a significant boost in stature as they attempted to establish a new public identity in the United States following their January 2020 departure from frontline royal duties, widely dubbed “Megxit.”

The couple enlisted several political consultants with ties to the Obama administration, including Miranda Barbot, who currently serves as Harry’s chief of staff. Those connections reportedly helped provide a channel to the Biden White House through which the couple’s request was communicated.

Jen Psaki, who served as Biden’s White House press secretary after previously working as communications director in the Obama administration, was reportedly among those connections. Psaki wrote in her 2024 memoir, “Say More,” that Markle once sent a box of lemons to her home in Virginia so that Psaki could personally bring them through White House security and deliver them to Jill Biden’s East Wing office.

A source close to the Sussexes denied Thursday that Harry and Meghan had requested either an Oval Office meeting or accommodations at Blair House. However, the couple reportedly made another unusual request involving the presidency the following year.

After Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022, Harry and Meghan inquired about returning to the United States aboard Air Force One, according to the report.

That request was quickly rejected.

The couple also became involved in American political issues through public statements and advocacy. During a September 2020 video appearance for Time magazine, they encouraged Americans to vote and “reject hate speech,” remarks widely interpreted at the time as favoring Biden. The intervention drew criticism from those who argued that Harry and Meghan were violating the British royal tradition of remaining outside partisan politics.

“I wish a lot of luck to Harry, because he’s going to need it,” Trump responded dismissively to the couple’s appeal.

Markle, who remained an American citizen after marrying Harry in 2018, later became directly involved in a major legislative debate. In November 2021, she personally contacted several U.S. senators as part of an effort to advocate for federally mandated paid family leave.

Despite those moves, Harry and Meghan never succeeded in establishing the kind of major political influence they reportedly sought, with their attempts to build a significant role in American politics eventually losing momentum alongside setbacks in some of their Hollywood and lifestyle ventures.

Sources said the couple also eventually exhausted some of the goodwill they initially enjoyed within the Biden administration, despite the Bidens’ personal sympathy toward Harry over the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a 1997 automobile crash. Biden had himself endured a devastating family tragedy when his first wife, Neilia, and infant daughter, Naomi, were killed in a 1972 car accident that also injured his sons Beau and Hunter.

Jill Biden had meanwhile been a regular presence at the Invictus Games, the international sporting competition for wounded military personnel founded by Harry in 2014, and had frequently appeared alongside the prince at the event. After becoming first lady in January 2021, however, she stopped attending, reportedly because of concerns over the political and diplomatic optics created by Harry’s split from the Royal Family.

{Matzav.com}