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Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei accused the United States and Israel on Sunday of seeking to undermine unity across the Muslim world, issuing the charge as questions continue to swirl over his health and whereabouts following months without a public appearance.

In a message issued for Islamic Unity Week, Khamenei described Washington and Jerusalem as fundamentally hostile to Muslim solidarity and claimed that even Muslim governments maintaining close relations with the two countries are not immune from that hostility.

“The criminal rulers of the US and the illegitimate Zionist regime are the sworn enemies of this unity and friendship,” Khamenei said in a message marking Islamic Unity Week. He added that even leaders of Muslim countries regarded as allies of Washington and Jerusalem were subject to what he characterized as their hostility.

Khamenei went on to contend that greater solidarity throughout the Muslim world could have strengthened the position of Palestinian Arabs. He questioned whether they would have remained “so defenseless” if Muslims had acted as “a single, united hand.”

His comments followed another appeal for unity issued two days earlier, when Khamenei called on Iranian government officials to protect national cohesion and refrain from statements that could erode public confidence.

Addressing Government Week on Friday, Khamenei issued a categorical warning against conduct that could deepen divisions within Iranian society.

“I firmly declare that committing anything that harms social cohesion is forbidden.”

Khamenei also instructed officials to steer clear of “discouraging statements that weaken national and public motivation.” He criticized what he portrayed as manufactured political divisions, citing such competing formulations as “war or negotiations,” “consensus or extremism” and “compromise or warmongering.”

The Iranian leader urged government authorities to emphasize the country’s “power and strength,” maintaining that focusing excessively on Iran’s vulnerabilities could benefit its adversaries while damaging the morale of those who support the regime.

Khamenei additionally turned to Iran’s mounting economic problems, urging officials to address inflation, unemployment, rising prices, investment and domestic manufacturing. He also expressed support for efforts to diminish the dollar’s importance within the Iranian economy.

Despite the series of statements attributed to him, Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the 40-day war began on February 28. His disappearance from public view came after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint American-Israeli strikes on Iran and Mojtaba Khamenei subsequently assumed the position of Supreme Leader.

The prolonged lack of a public appearance has fueled persistent speculation about Khamenei’s physical condition and location, with some reports alleging that he sustained severe wounds and others raising the possibility that he is no longer alive.

In July, Saudi broadcaster Al Hadath cited an Israeli defense source who claimed Khamenei had fled Iran. The source further alleged that Ahmad Vahidi and senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials were preparing statements in Khamenei’s name. According to the same account, growing internal disputes within the IRGC, coupled with unrest across Iran, were threatening the organization’s continued stability.

CNN reported in March that Khamenei had been wounded on the opening day of the war. According to that report, his injuries included a broken foot, wounds near his left eye and cuts to his face.

Another report issued earlier this month and attributed to Khamenei’s office claimed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had participated in a conference with the Supreme Leader. However, no photographs, video or other visual documentation of the purported meeting were released.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the continuing uncertainty surrounding Khamenei during an interview last week with The Glenn Beck Program. Trump said he believes the Iranian leader remains alive, although he asserted that Khamenei suffered extensive injuries.

“I don’t think he’s dead. He was very seriously wounded,” Trump said. “The left side of his body, the arm, the leg, the whole thing, he was very seriously wounded. But I don’t think he’s dead.”

Trump also said that Iranian officials continue to publicly conduct themselves as though Khamenei remains in command, repeatedly portraying their decisions as requiring his authorization.

“And if he is, they’re putting on a pretty good show because they talk about, you know, going back to talk to him all the time, you know, to get a final blessing on things,” the President said.

Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, is urging the British government to reconsider planned sanctions and trade restrictions targeting Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, warning that the measures could hurt British Jews, damage UK-Israel relations and ultimately undermine efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

Rabbi Mirvis said he presented those concerns directly to Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband during a meeting Friday, amid reports that Britain is preparing punitive measures in response to Israeli plans to build housing in the E1 area between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.

“I welcomed the opportunity on Friday to meet with the Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon. Ed Miliband. While we share fervent hopes for a future of peace and security in the Middle East, I explained why I believe the UK Government’s intended sanctions will be counter-productive and even endanger such a vision of peace,” Rabbi Mirvis said in a post on social media.

The Chief Rabbi also warned that the move would be particularly troubling for British Jews amid what he described as unprecedented hostility toward Jews and Israel.

“I told the Foreign Secretary that many within the UK Jewish community will view such measures with deep dismay, at a time when the vilification of Jews, Judaism and the Jewish State has already reached unprecedented levels,” he added.

Rabbi Mirvis questioned whether the proposed sanctions would have any meaningful effect on Israeli government policy. Instead, he said, their economic impact could expand well beyond their intended targets and potentially develop into a broader boycott of Israel.

“The intended policy will not influence Israeli decision-making in the way the Government intends. Instead, it risks inflicting real harm across the region. Given the obvious challenges of defining and implementing such measures, there is a clear danger that they will spiral into a de facto boycott of trade with Israel more broadly, damaging the long-term relationship between our two countries and threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Palestinian workers,” continued Rabbi Mirvis.

The Chief Rabbi said British Jews could also bear an outsized share of the consequences because of their extensive religious, family, educational and charitable connections to Israel. He warned that heightened anti-Israel rhetoric has repeatedly been accompanied by increased hostility toward Jews.

“These measures will also disproportionately affect British Jews because of our close religious, family, charitable and educational ties to Israel. Over recent years, we have seen repeatedly that when rhetoric towards Israel escalates, hostility towards Jews is never far behind.”

Rabbi Mirvis made clear that he condemns attacks against Palestinians carried out by Israeli extremists, but argued that Britain’s proposed policies could perversely strengthen those responsible while punishing many others who reject such violence.

“I strongly condemn the reprehensible violence perpetrated against Palestinians by a small number of extremists, yet the UK Government’s proposals will only embolden the tiny minority who support such criminality, while penalizing countless others who abhor it.”

He also challenged the British government’s rationale for targeting Israel over construction in E1. Rabbi Mirvis noted that previous diplomatic frameworks for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have envisioned the strategically located area remaining under Israeli control.

“The stated justification for punishing an ally in this way, is Israel’s long-planned construction of homes in the E1 area. Yet successive peace efforts, from Oslo to Camp David and beyond, have envisaged a final agreement in which this area would remain under Israeli sovereignty. It is therefore difficult to escape the painful conclusion that domestic political considerations are driving foreign policy, the impact of which is negative both for prospects for peace in the Middle East and for the UK Jewish community,” concluded the Chief Rabbi.

Rabbi Mirvis’ intervention followed a report in The Times that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing a series of measures in response to Israel’s E1 construction plans. Among the possibilities reportedly under consideration are restrictions on goods associated with Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and sanctions against individuals involved in moving the housing plans forward.

Israel recently published a tender for seven residential complexes in E1 encompassing 1,234 housing units. Those homes are part of approximately 3,400 units that received approval for construction in the area last August.

Miliband responded to the tender by sharply condemning Israel and demanding that the plans be rescinded.

“This Israeli Government’s publication of a tender for the E1 settlement project is an unacceptable and destructive act. E1 would cut across the heart of Palestine and risks separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem, which would endanger the viability of a two-state solution,” Miliband said.

The British foreign secretary maintained that construction in E1 conflicts with London’s commitment to establishing a Palestinian state and asserted that Israeli communities beyond the pre-1967 lines violate international law.

“The UK has been clear privately and publicly in our opposition to E1 and our support for a two-state solution as the only way to ensure long-term security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. All settlements damage that prospect and are a flagrant breach of international law,” he claimed.

Miliband said he personally conveyed Britain’s objections to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. He also revealed that London’s Foreign Office summoned Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires to formally protest the E1 plans.

“Today, I made clear to the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that the Israeli Government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion. In addition, the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires has been summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where we set out the UK’s profound objection to this move by the Netanyahu government and demanded an immediate reversal,” said Miliband.

Miliband further signaled that the British government intends to unveil additional steps against Israel in the coming weeks.

“Britain will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two-state solution. In the coming weeks we will set out a comprehensive set of measures to respond to Israeli government policies, protect the viability of the Palestinian state, target sanctions at those who participate in illegal settlement expansion and support a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” the UK Foreign Secretary declared.

Sa’ar responded by forcefully rejecting Britain’s demands and accusing Miliband of addressing Israel in a condescending manner.

“I reject outright the statement of the UK Foreign Secretary and the patronizing tone of his words,” Sa’ar wrote on social media.

The Israeli foreign minister defended the right of Jews to live throughout Eretz Yisroel and invoked Britain’s own historic recognition of the Jewish people’s connection to the land.

“The Jewish people have the right to live throughout the Land of Israel, just as the British have the right to live in London and throughout the United Kingdom. More than a century ago, the Balfour Declaration formally recognized the historic right of the Jewish people to re-establish their national home in the Land of Israel – including in the area in question.”

Sa’ar then turned Britain’s criticism back on London, pointing to territories under British control far from the United Kingdom and accusing the government of applying a double standard to Israel.

“Britain itself still controls colonial territories thousands of miles from its shores. It is absurd for Britain to lecture the Jewish people about where they may live in their historic tiny homeland, when the Jewish people’s connection and right to this land is the most extensively documented of any people in human history.”

Sa’ar also rejected the suggestion that Israel had suddenly authorized a new E1 construction initiative. He said the underlying decision dates back to 2025 and that the tender process had already been moving forward for months before the latest documents were released.

“There have been no new decisions regarding development in E1. The decision was made in 2025. The tender process has been underway for several months, with certain tender documents published only in recent days. The British Foreign Secretary’s statement is entirely one-sided.”

The Trump administration is preparing another round of banking sanctions against Iran this week as Washington intensifies its effort to cut Tehran off from the global financial system, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Bessent said the administration is prepared to use aggressive financial measures to pressure Iran and those facilitating its access to international markets.

“This is going to be financial violence if we have to,” Bessent said in the interview. “We are showing people that we know who you are, you know who you are, and this has got to stop.”

Bessent made the remarks ahead of Group of 20 meetings in Asheville, North Carolina, where he is expected to meet individually with finance officials from major global economies as well as developing countries. Winning broader international support for the campaign to economically isolate Iran is expected to be a central subject of those discussions.

As the war with Iran approaches its sixth month, the Trump administration has increasingly turned to financial pressure as another major front in the conflict. U.S. officials have labeled the expanding effort an “economic D-Day” against Tehran, building upon sanctions that Washington has maintained against Iran for decades.

Last week, Bessent unveiled “Operation Economic Outcast,” an initiative aimed at further restricting Iran’s access to money and isolating its government from the international financial system. The United States later announced additional sanctions targeting UAE branches of Egypt’s Banque Misr.

As part of the Treasury Department’s proposed action, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, known as FinCEN, would prohibit Banque Misr UAE from maintaining correspondent banking relationships with American financial institutions. Such a move would significantly restrict the bank’s ability to process dollar-denominated transactions connected to Iran.

The administration has thus far largely relied on warnings to governments that continue doing business with Tehran instead of imposing sweeping new sanctions against those countries. China presents one of Washington’s most significant challenges because it remains Iran’s largest trading partner and the leading buyer of Iranian oil.

Bessent told AP that he intends to address China’s continued purchases of Iranian oil directly with Chinese officials during the G20 gathering. Asked about possible U.S. sanctions against Beijing over that trade, he said “all options are on the table.”

The Treasury secretary also pushed back against claims that the Trump administration has been reluctant to challenge China over its economic relationship with Tehran, calling that characterization “a completely false narrative that the media picked up on.”

Despite the tensions over Iranian oil, Bessent said the United States and China have overlapping interests in two critical areas: restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.

{Matzav.com}

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The Movement for Quality Government in Israel on Sunday called for a criminal investigation into former Rishon LeTzion Rav Yitzchok Yosef following sharp remarks he made about Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara during his weekly shiur, including his declaration that “she will get her blow.”

The organization submitted its request to the attorney general, state attorney, police commissioner, and head of the Israel Police Investigations and Intelligence Division, asking authorities to open either a criminal investigation or, at minimum, a preliminary inquiry into whether Rav Yosef’s remarks crossed the legal threshold for incitement to violence.

As previously reported, Rav Yosef strongly criticized Baharav-Miara over her controversial decision to order the cancellation of the main hilula event commemorating his father, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

“The attorney general, who hates religion, decided to cancel the hilulos for Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l,” Rav Yosef said. He then sharply condemned her decision, saying, “This wicked woman is messing with Maran? Hakadosh Boruch Hu will destroy her; she will get her blow.”

Rav Yosef continued by recalling the enormous turnout at his father’s levayah and contrasting the restrictions on the planned gathering with events held in memory of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

“Listen, at Maran’s levayah, my father’s, there were almost a million people there, all of the Jewish people. There were secular and religious Jews, knitted kippahs, white kippahs, Chassidim, Litvaks. Whoever was at the levayah and saw the broad public that was there — everyone was there, a million people. So, the anniversary of the Rav arrives, and they want to hold a memorial for him as they should, as befitting his honor, as the entire public recognized his greatness, and suddenly they issue a legal opinion. This wicked woman, the attorney general — I don’t know what her name is — this crazy Miara, issues a legal opinion that it is forbidden to hold a gathering in honor of Maran. Rabin was murdered close to elections, and for him they don’t prohibit it.

“He belongs to the left, fine, let them hold a gathering, why not? But Maran was the gadol hador, who was not a political person. Maran was a Torah figure. Rabin was a political person, but Maran was a Torah figure. She issued an opinion this week that it is forbidden to hold gatherings before elections. They should not listen to her at all. Hakadosh Boruch Hu will destroy her; He will give her her blow. She is messing with Maran, with Maran, the gadol hador. This will not pass in silence. Hashem should help that she gets her blow.”

In its request, the Movement for Quality Government argued that Rav Yosef’s comments must be viewed in the context of what it described as an increasingly hostile public atmosphere and repeated attacks against the attorney general and other senior public officials.

The organization noted Rav Yosef’s stature and broad public influence, pointing out that his weekly shiur is recorded, broadcast and viewed by a large audience.

According to the organization, the totality of the remarks raises a genuine concern that they could constitute incitement to violence under Section 144D2(a) of Israel’s Penal Law. It said determining whether the comments crossed the criminal threshold requires consideration of the identity and influence of the speaker, precisely what was said, the context in which the remarks were delivered, the audience and the extent to which they were disseminated.

“Given Rabbi Yosef’s high standing and the broad distribution in which the remarks were heard, garnering thousands of views, this raises a concern about the commission of acts of violence. Therefore, the movement demanded that law enforcement authorities open a criminal investigation against Rabbi Yosef, or at the very least a preliminary inquiry, and act to fully pursue the matter if it is found that there is a basis to do so,” the organization said.

Attorney Yael Bloch, director of the litigation department at the Movement for Quality Government, said criticism of the attorney general is legitimate but argued that Rav Yosef’s comments went beyond permissible criticism.

“It is permissible to criticize a decision by the attorney general. It is forbidden to turn that criticism into harsh statements that raise concern about incitement to violence against her. This is not the first time Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef has used his position and influence to attack the rule of law and the gatekeepers. We are not the ones who determine whether an offense was committed — that is the job of law enforcement authorities. Now they must examine the remarks seriously and quickly.”

Shas MK Michael Malchieli responded sharply to the demand for an investigation and defended Rav Yosef’s right to express his daas Torah.

“The ginger’s brazenness is reaching the heavens and breaking a new record. No one will be able to harm Maran shlita, who stated his opinion, daas Torah, clearly. The Shas movement will continue to grow stronger despite the ginger’s bitterness and whims.”

President Donald Trump warned Sunday that allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon could lead to the destruction of Israel and potentially much of the Middle East, as he defended the ongoing U.S. military and economic campaign against Tehran and vowed that the Islamic Republic will never become a nuclear-armed state.

Speaking with Trey Gowdy on Fox News, Trump portrayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions as an intolerable danger and said Tehran’s longstanding role as a sponsor of terrorism makes preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons imperative.

“Iran is a number one leading state sponsor of terror, you’ve heard that many times, in the whole world. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

.@POTUS: "Iran is the number one leading state sponsor of terror… They cannot have a nuclear weapon." pic.twitter.com/XmfAxTcFvT

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 31, 2026

Trump said he has repeatedly faced questions about whether the military campaign against Iran was necessary. He said the scale of destruction possible from a nuclear weapon makes the answer obvious.

“I have numerous people say, ‘Well, did you have to do it?’ And then I say, ‘Do you think it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon?’ Nuclear weapon is massive destruction. You know, take what you see and multiply it times 100. And everybody says no.”

According to Trump, the U.S. pressure campaign has inflicted extraordinary damage on Iran, with the naval blockade and financial restrictions hitting the country particularly hard.

“The blockade has been unbelievable. The financial hits that we’re giving them, we’re hitting them very hard. Never, nobody’s ever been hit like this,” he said.

Calling Iran “a failing nation,” Trump indicated that he does not necessarily need a negotiated agreement to bring the confrontation to a successful conclusion, saying he is willing to see how events unfold.

“And at the right point, we’ll either win or they’ll do something. But I don’t mind winning, just winning. I don’t need a signature on a piece of paper,” Trump said.

Trump also asserted that Iran’s armed forces have suffered devastating losses during the campaign, including the destruction of major portions of its naval, air and air-defense capabilities.

“But we’re doing very well. Their Navy’s gone. Their Air Force is gone. Their leaders are gone. All of their anti-aircraft, I mean, it’s all wiped out.”

While describing Iranians as “tough people” and “smart people,” Trump condemned the country’s rulers in stark terms. “But they’re very evil,” he said.

Trump further accused the Iranian regime of killing tens of thousands of demonstrators, claiming that the death toll has continued to climb in recent months.

“They killed 52,000 protesters as of three months ago. And sadly, they’ve added very substantially to that list.”

Trump alleged that the crackdown has expanded beyond those taking part in demonstrations.

“Even people that aren’t protesting, they go into the houses and they take them and they shoot them,” Trump added.

Turning to the potential consequences of a nuclear-armed Iran, Trump said Israel’s survival would be directly threatened and suggested the repercussions could engulf the entire region.

“These are very violent, evil people. And if they had a nuclear weapon, Israel would be gone. If I weren’t president, Israel would be gone. There would be no Israel and there would probably be no Middle East,” Trump stated.

Trump also cited Iranian attacks on Gulf states after the outbreak of hostilities, saying Tehran targeted countries that had previously maintained relatively neutral relations with the Islamic Republic.

“And the way you know that is people that were sort of neutral got along with them for years. As soon as the shooting started, they started aiming at Saudi Arabia, at Qatar, at UAE, at Bahrain, at Kuwait. They were aiming. Everybody was shocked. I was surprised,” he said.

Those attacks, Trump argued, ultimately worked against Iran by costing Tehran whatever regional backing or neutrality it had previously enjoyed. He said the episode also demonstrated what those countries might have faced had Iran possessed nuclear weapons.

“I thought it was a very good thing because they lost all of the support that they had. They had a certain amount of support. They were, let’s say, neutral, largely neutral. That means that if they would have had a nuclear weapon, they would have fired it,” Trump said.

Trump reiterated his warning that the consequences of an Iranian nuclear weapon could have been catastrophic throughout the Middle East.

“So I think the Middle East would have essentially been gone. But Israel definitely would have been gone,” added the President, who said the danger could eventually have spread farther.

“And I guess we would be next or Europe or someplace. But no, you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon. And they won’t have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump’s remarks were broadcast just hours after American forces struck Iranian military targets on Larak Island. The attack reportedly left two people dead and two others wounded.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded by threatening retaliation. Iranian forces subsequently fired missiles toward U.S. bases in Jordan.

The attack on Larak Island represented the first American strike inside Iranian territory since late July, when Trump halted a two-week U.S. military campaign centered on the strategically vital waterway.

Trump announced last week that U.S. naval forces had completed the removal of mines from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz.

“I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump said American forces were maintaining intensive surveillance of the area and warned that Washington would respond immediately to any attempt to place additional mines in the strait.

“Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites. There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect.”

Iran, however, has maintained that the conflict remains underway. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi subsequently said Tehran continues to consider itself at war and would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until its demands are met.

“We are still in a state of war, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed,” Gharibabadi said, in comments quoted by Iranian media, while stressing that reopening the strategic waterway would require an end to the conflict on all fronts, the lifting of the blockade and a resolution of the situation in Yemen.

Gharibabadi said those conditions would have to be fulfilled before Iran permits the crucial shipping route to reopen.

“The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will only happen in exchange for ending the war on all fronts, lifting the blockade, and resolving the situation in Yemen.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Tzemach Mazuz, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Kisei Rachamim, sharply criticized Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over the decision to cancel this year’s central memorial gathering for Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, accusing her of continually seeking new ways to harm bnei Torah.

Speaking during his weekly address at Yeshivat Kisei Rachamim on Motzoei Shabbos, Rav Mazuz invoked a posuk from Bereishis while condemning the attorney general.

“That poor attorney general — her mind all day is ‘only evil all day’ (Bereishis 6:5). Every day she thinks, ‘What can I do to the bnei Torah? How can I harm them?’ Every day she thinks of a new decree,” Rav Mazuz said.

Rav Mazuz then described seeing a newspaper headline on Friday reporting that Baharav-Miara had barred the annual memorial gathering honoring Rav Ovadia Yosef.

“I saw a headline in the newspaper on Friday: ‘The attorney general prohibits holding the hilula of Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.’ Yes, why? (She even has reasons…) ‘Because it could influence people to vote Shas. No! We want pure elections. Everyone should vote according to the dictates of his conscience.’ How ‘pure’ she is… Yes.”

Rav Mazuz continued his criticism, sarcastically referring to Baharav-Miara as “holy” and comparing her to the wicked biblical Queen Izevel.

“Almost every day, look at the front page of the newspaper — what this ‘holy’ attorney general, this wicked Izevel, thought of and came up with that night. Yes, she is unfortunate!” Rav Mazuz said.

The controversy erupted after reports Thursday that the attorney general had directed that this year’s memorial gathering for Rav Ovadia Yosef be canceled, despite legislation providing for the event.

According to the stated reasoning behind the decision, Rav Ovadia Yosef is closely identified with the Shas party, and holding the gathering could therefore amount to election propaganda even if no explicitly political statements were made during the event.

Critics have pointed to what they describe as a glaring double standard involving the annual state memorial for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin was directly identified with the Labor Party, they argue, yet the official state ceremony commemorating him continues to be held even when its date falls in close proximity to Election Day.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s judicial complaints commissioner has upheld a complaint filed by a man who said a bais din warned him that refusing to sign a proposed divorce agreement could result in NIS 10,000 in legal costs, finding that the warning could have been perceived as improper pressure to accept the bais din’s proposal.

Retired Judge Asher Kula, the Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, released summaries Sunday of several recent decisions involving complaints against judges and batei din, including the case involving the NIS 10,000 warning.

According to the complaint, the man was appearing in proceedings involving a divorce claim filed against him and was not yet represented by an attorney. During the hearing, the head of the bais din allegedly warned him that if he did not sign the divorce agreement, his refusal would “cost” him NIS 10,000 in legal expenses.

The man maintained that, at that stage, he did not understand the implications of the agreement being presented to him. He therefore asked not to sign anything until he could obtain legal advice and have the terms and consequences of the agreement explained to him.

After reviewing the circumstances, Kula determined that the complaint was justified.

According to the commissioner, raising the possibility of imposing NIS 10,000 in costs immediately after the man said that he was unwilling to sign the agreement or proceed with the divorce before obtaining legal counsel could have been understood as pressure to accept the bais din’s proposal.

In a separate decision, the commissioner addressed the handling of a case in small claims court. A complainant said a senior registrar had failed for approximately six months to rule on a municipality’s request to dismiss a lawsuit for lack of jurisdiction.

A decision dismissing the lawsuit was ultimately issued only on the morning the hearing was scheduled to take place, less than four hours before the proceeding was set to begin.

The complainant said that because of the delay, he lost a day of work and was forced to prepare unnecessarily for a hearing that ultimately never took place.

The commissioner acknowledged that on the morning of the scheduled hearing, the registrar acted efficiently in attempting to notify the parties and prevent them from making an unnecessary trip to court. Looking at the case as a whole, however, Kula concluded that greater consideration should have been given to the litigant’s time.

Another complaint involved the issue of equal treatment between the parties during proceedings in a bais din.

A woman complained that the man’s attorney was permitted to question her at length, while her own attorney was not afforded a comparable opportunity to question the man.

The review found that the bais din itself had extensively questioned both parties and concluded that the factual record necessary to decide the case had been sufficiently developed.

Nevertheless, the commissioner observed that once the attorney representing one side had been permitted to question the opposing litigant, the bais din should have considered granting the other side’s attorney a similar opportunity. Doing so, he said, would help preserve procedural equality between the parties as well as the appearance of justice.

Nicolás Maduro has released the first photos of himself from a New York federal detention facility, eight months after he was captured in a special U.S. operation and brought to the United States.

The images show the ousted Venezuelan president smiling, dressed in athletic clothing and flashing a victory sign with his hands. They are the first photos of Maduro to emerge from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he has been held since January alongside his wife, Cilia Flores.

“I want you to know that we are standing firm,” Maduro wrote in a message accompanying the photos.

In another post, Maduro said he was sending the pictures as a “small gift” to his grandchildren and supporters, thanking them for “every word, every gesture and every blessing.”

According to those close to Maduro, the photographs were actually taken on June 25, around Father’s Day, but only reached his family by mail this week.

Maduro is facing four charges in the United States related to narco-terrorism and has denied the allegations against him.

During his first court appearance in January, Maduro declared, “I am innocent. I am a decent man. I am still the president of my country.”

He subsequently described himself as a “prisoner of war.”

Maduro and Flores are expected to go on trial in June 2027.

The release of the prison photographs comes as Venezuela and the United States have reached a massive oil agreement under which the U.S. will control 65 billion barrels of the country’s oil reserves.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of bnei Torah gathered outside the gates of Prison 10 on Sunday evening for a large atzeres chizuk and protest following the arrest and imprisonment of yeshiva bochur Yisrael Guchafi of Bnei Brak.

The gathering, attended by rabbonim, roshei yeshiva and hundreds of members of the Olam HaTorah, was held following an unusual joint call issued by Rav Moshe Maya, senior member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, and Rav Shlomo Machpud, a member of the Moetzet, who urged the public to attend and protest the arrests of bnei yeshiva.

Rav Machpud addressed the gathering with an impassioned speech, sharply condemning the latest arrests.

“This is nothing new. For 78 years, the state has fought against everything holy in the Jewish people. But the latest decrees have surpassed them all.”

“They built the state only to destroy Judaism. They do not really want soldiers. They do not want them in the army. They are not interested in the yeshiva students who are in the yeshivos.”

“What interests them? To uproot Judaism from the Jewish people!”

“They know that the Jewish people are not a nation except through their Torah. The Torah is our life, and they cannot move us even a hairsbreadth.”

The joint letter issued by Rav Maya and Rav Machpud was headlined “Lech Kenos Es Kol HaYehudim” and expressed a forceful protest over what the rabbonim described as “the degradation of the honor of Torah and the persecution of those who learn it.”

The letter declared that “it is incumbent upon every individual to participate and protest the arrest of Torah scholars at a gathering honoring the Torah,” following the imprisonment of the yeshiva bochur, who, the letter said, had been jailed “for the sin of toiling in Torah.”

The rally comes amid a growing wave of arrests of bnei yeshiva in recent days. Among the cases that have drawn particular attention is that of Guchafi, a talmid at Yeshivas Kfar Chassidim, who was arrested in Haifa after becoming involved in an incident with an inspector over a malfunction with his Rav-Kav transit card. He was subsequently turned over to the military police.

Another recent arrest involved Motti Mishkovsky, a grandson of Rav Nosson Zochovsky, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Gaon Yaakov. Mishkovsky was arrested near the Ben Shemen Forest and transferred to military police custody. He was subsequently tried and sentenced to 20 days in Prison 10.

Avraham Angel, a talmid at Yeshivas Nezer Yisrael, was also transferred to Prison 10. Angel was initially arrested on Route 443 on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle. According to the report, police officials had explicitly indicated that he would not be transferred to the military police, but he was ultimately handed over and imprisoned.

Officials with the Tzeva Shachor system reacted angrily to the developments, warning that the manner in which the arrests are being handled could have serious consequences.

“The lack of trust in the police and law enforcement system will lead directly to anarchy and a complete loss of control during future attempts to arrest yeshiva students in the field.”

Rav Yitzchok Yosef also addressed the arrests during his weekly shiur, recounting an incident involving a yeshiva bochur who had previously been imprisoned in a military facility and endured severe spiritual challenges while incarcerated.

“The prisoners, the poor yeshiva boys who were arrested. One of the prisoners told me that they took him to a detention facility, and the television was on the entire time. He was there for several days. He begged the guards — I am a yeshiva student, I am a ben Torah, why are you showing television, all kinds of immodesty, all kinds of things. They did not listen to him, as though they were forcing him.”

{Matzav.com}

Community leaders, bereaved families and the gabbaim of the Tiferes Yisrael shul in Beit Shemesh gathered Sunday for the solemn kevurah of the remains of Sifrei Torah that were burned in the missile strike that devastated the shul and claimed lives earlier this year.

Before the kevurah, remarks were delivered by Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuel Greenberg, City Council member Nati Gabay and Tzion Revach, who had donated one of the Sifrei Torah and whose son, Gavriel Baruch Hy”d, was killed in the same tragedy.

The Tiferes Yisrael shul, where the Sifrei Torah had been housed, was completely destroyed in the missile strike. The shul is now at an advanced stage of reconstruction and is expected to reopen to mispallelim in time for the upcoming Yomim Tovim.

For Revach, the kevurah carried an especially painful significance. After having buried his son, he was now taking part in the kevurah of the Sefer Torah for which he had painstakingly saved, shekel by shekel, in order to have it written.

“For me, this is a difficult day. It takes me back to the terrible blow I suffered this year when I buried my son, and now I am burying the Sefer Torah for which I collected shekel by shekel in order to have it written. But I find comfort in the rebuilding of the shul, which will symbolize our revival and our ability to rise from our mourning.”

Mayor Greenberg spoke about the pain of the kevurah while pointing to the rebuilding of the destroyed shul as a source of hope and renewal following the tragedy.

“We are burying here today, with sorrow and honor, the Sifrei Torah that went up in flames at the site of the missile strike that hit the city during the ‘Operation Lion’s Roar’ war. The shul that was completely damaged is at an advanced stage of reconstruction, and with God’s help, the site will be ready in time for the Yomim Tovim. May the year and its curses end; may the year and its blessings begin.”

City Council member Nati Gabay described the kevurah as the closing of another painful chapter for Beit Shemesh, while noting the extraordinary anguish endured by Revach.

“Another painful chapter in the history of the city came to an end today. For Tzion, this is a second burial after losing his son. We are now rebuilding the temporary miniature Bais Hamikdosh, and with Hashem’s help, it will only be an interim station until the permanent structure is built and the community is returned to the shul.”

{Matzav.com}

As first reported here on Matzav.com, several admorim from New York have received official invitations from the White House to attend a special meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., this coming Thursday, with the gathering expected to focus on matters of importance to Klal Yisroel and the Jewish community.

Invitations were extended to the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, the Skverer Rebbe, the Bobover Rebbe and the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey. The meeting is also expected to provide an opportunity for the Admorim to express hakaras hatov to President Trump for his efforts on behalf of the Jewish community in a range of areas.

The Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, addressed the invitation during his tish on Leil Shabbos Kodesh with talmidim of the mesivta in Kiryas Yoel, explaining that he ultimately decided to accept the invitation in the hope that the meeting could be used to help Jews facing difficult circumstances.

Preparations for the gathering are now underway, with askanim representing the various Chassidishe courts coordinating with political officials. Consultations are also being held in the homes of the Admorim as the details are finalized for what could become an unusual and historic gathering of prominent Admorim at the White House.

Speaking at his tish on Leil Shabbos, the Satmar Rebbe began by citing the posuk of “Dirshu es shlom ha’ir,” speaking of the obligation to seek the welfare of the government. He noted that Jews in the United States are privileged to live under a malchus shel chesed, with the government maintaining good relations with the Jewish community and providing conditions far better than those Jews experienced in Europe in earlier generations.

“I received an invitation from the White House last Sunday to meet with the president this coming Thursday, together with other rabbis and community activists. At first, I thought not to accept the invitation, since we are now in the month of Elul, we are very busy, and in the yeshiva we are in the middle of the sugya of chatzi shiur, and we need to prepare for the Yomim Noraim. After all, this is a non-Jew who has never performed a single mitzvah in his life, and has never merited to shake a lulav or eat matzah. Every single Jew is worth more than him! What is so significant about this?! You go in, sit on a chair for a few minutes and talk to a non-Jew…”

The Rebbe then recalled a similar experience approximately three decades ago, when he participated in a meeting with the president serving at the time. That encounter, he said, ultimately provided an opportunity to help a Jew who was facing serious difficulties.

“But then I remembered that about 30 years ago, something similar happened to me, when we had a meeting with the president at the time, and there was a Jew who was in distress and it was possible to help him, and thank God it was worthwhile.”

The Rebbe related that on the day after that earlier White House meeting, he spoke to the bochurim in yeshiva and sought to place the significance of meeting an American president in its proper perspective.

“The day after that meeting 30 years ago, I spoke at the yeshiva before the boys and said that every Jew is worth more than him. One must know that when reciting the blessing ‘Who has not made me a non-Jew,’ the intention is not referring to a non-Jew who cleans the streets, but to the most important non-Jew, who is the president of the United States, and that is what one should have in mind when reciting the blessing ‘Who has not made me a non-Jew.'”

The Rebbe then cautioned the bochurim against allowing the attention surrounding his prospective White House visit to distract them from their limudim, telling them that their continued immersion in the sugya being learned in yeshiva was far more important.

“I want to ask all the boys, when there is such a matter, it is possible that the boys will get involved in it and become immersed in it, so I ask that everyone diligently continue studying the sugya of ‘chatzi shiur,’ so as not to neglect Torah study and not to become immersed in all the ‘Trumpism,’ as they call it… I tell you: One shiur in the sugya in the yeshiva is worth more in my eyes than this entire matter! Hakadosh Boruch Hu should help that we be able to act on behalf of Jews who are in distress.”

Following the Rebbe’s remarks, those gathered sang with great emotion, “Atah vechartanu mikol ha’amim, veromamtanu mikol haleshonos, vekidashtanu bemitzvosecha, vekeiravtanu Malkeinu la’avodasecha.”

The court of the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, also confirmed that an invitation had been received. Following the news, an archival photograph was circulated showing the Rebbe during a White House visit with President Ronald Reagan in 5747/1987.

The latest development comes nearly a year after plans were made for a meeting between the Satmar Rebbe and Rav Shaul Alter, Rosh Yeshiva of Ger, and President Trump. That planned meeting ultimately did not take place.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein delivered a powerful message of chizuk to a group of melamdim and mechanchim in Holon, telling them that the Torah learned by young children represents Klal Yisroel’s greatest protection and declaring, “You are the real Israel Defense Forces — they stole the name from us.”

The staff members of Talmud Torah Beis Dovid in Holon visited Rav Zilberstein in his learning room in honor of the beginning of the Elul zeman. Hundreds of children learn at the Talmud Torah, which is under Rav Zilberstein’s nesius. The melamdim and mechanchim were accompanied by the school’s director, Rabbi Avraham Ovadia, and came to hear words of guidance and chizuk for their vital role in educating the next generation.

Rav Zilberstein began by addressing the tense security situation and fears surrounding Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

“Look, my dear friends, do you know what the prime ministers here are afraid of today? An atomic bomb. It is clear to him that Iran has an atomic bomb, because the biggest liars in the world are Iran; they are the biggest liars in the world. He says that from the way they speak with passion and conviction, it seems to him that they have the bomb. An atomic bomb is the greatest fear in the world today, and I heard that the government here is afraid of the bomb.”

Rav Zilberstein then turned to the melamdim and told them where, from a Torah perspective, Klal Yisroel’s true defense lies.

“Do you know who the greatest force against the atomic bomb is? You! How? There are children who are free of sin — these tinokos shel beis rabban who are here. Their prayer is prayer, their learning is learning; there is no accuser. When Haman came to Mordechai and heard that he was learning with them the laws of kemitzah, he said, ‘I am lost.’ He also knew that the Jewish people have a weapon, and the weapon we have is not drums or dancing; our weapon is the children!

“You, my dear friends, are the weapon of the Jewish people. You teach tinokos who are free of sin, and they are our weapon. The children must learn well, and that is in our hands. Children who learn well are the shield of the Jewish people.”

Rav Zilberstein also stressed the importance of ensuring that children conduct themselves with proper derech eretz, particularly at a time when resentment toward lomdei Torah is intense.

“There are children whom I see in the street, acting a little wild, walking around like that, and it is very bad… We have to be very careful with the children in the street. If people see them outside wandering around freely… the anger against Torah learners is truly terrible. They say: ‘We are all here at war, and look how they are walking around the street, looking here, looking there; there are some who even smoke a few cigarettes. Your brothers went out to war and you will sit here.’ It is destructive!

“You, my dear friends, are today in charge of the Israel Defense Forces. What is the army that we have? The army — this is our army. Children who walk in the street with derech eretz and behave with derech eretz and seriousness — that is the greatest weapon in the world, and it is in your hands.”

Turning to the practical work of chinuch, Rav Zilberstein said that frightening children with talk of an Iranian atomic bomb may not necessarily be the proper approach. Instead, he urged the melamdim to inspire their talmidim through stories of tzaddikim that instill yiras Shomayim and demonstrate what genuine dedication to Torah looks like.

“To instill in them and tell them that there is an atomic bomb, I don’t know if that is exactly the right way. But look at this picture. This is my father-in-law, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l. Let me tell you what happened with him:

“In Yerushalayim, a hot-air balloon (zeppelin) once arrived for the first time. Rav Elyashiv heard that a hot-air balloon had arrived, so he left his house in order to see it. After taking one step, he immediately said to himself: ‘You should be ashamed of yourself. The Jewish people need yeshuos and you are going to see a hot-air balloon? Are you crazy? Is this why you were born into the world? To see a hot-air balloon?’ He immediately went back. Although he very much wanted to see this wonder, he restrained himself and locked himself in. There is no balloon, there is no flying; there is only one thing — the holy Torah!

“Stories of tzaddikim can help tremendously. Stories about tzaddikim are very, very important — stories of tzaddikim that bring inspiration and yiras Shomayim.”

Rav Zilberstein then shared two memories from the Yerushalayim of his childhood, illustrating the sensitivity and yiras Shomayim of Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer zt”l, the author of the Even HaEzel.

“I’ll give you another example of stories of yiras Shomayim. I learned in Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim in Yerushalayim. I was a small child, and our rebbe was Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer zt”l. We followed him and saw that during the summer he would not take the shortest route from Eitz Chaim to his home, but would make a detour. We wanted to know why he made a detour. Whom do you ask? Only family members. They went and approached the Rebbetzin and said to her: We want to know, Rebbetzin, why does Rav Isser Zalman go this way? She answered: There are very beautiful watermelons there, and he is afraid that he will give an ayin hara!

“If someone else had told me this, I would have told him that either you are telling a joke or you don’t know Rav Isser Zalman. Maybe you are confusing him with somebody else. Why would he even look at the watermelons?

“But since it is written in the Gemara (Bava Basra 2b), Rav Abba said in the name of Rav Huna in the name of Rav: It is forbidden for a person to stand in his friend’s field when the crop is fully grown, and as Rashi explains there, ‘so that he should not harm it with an evil eye.’ What crops do we have in Yerushalayim? When there are good fruits, like a red watermelon, it is like what the Gemara was discussing. Therefore, in his great goodness, he was afraid and concerned about this. It is simply unbelievable.”

Rav Zilberstein then related another incident involving Rav Isser Zalman, this one concerning an ani who came seeking tzedakah.

“Another small story. These things are small, but in truth they are great, and we have to tell children stories of tzaddikim. I learned under Rav Isser Zalman in cheder. A poor man came, knocked and asked for tzedakah. Rav Isser Zalman told him: I don’t have money right now. So he left. A moment later, the Rebbetzin, Baila Hinda a”h, came in and told him that all of her milk had spilled from the pot onto the fire, and she said she did not know why it had happened. Rav Isser Zalman said: I know why… because he did not give tzedakah to the poor man.

“He went out into the street and ran after the poor man, Reb Yankel! So Reb Yankel, the poor man, says to Rav Isser Zalman: ‘Ah, something already spilled in your house’… Yerushalayim is a city of truth. Rav Isser Zalman saw this and did not respond. He only apologized that he had not had money.

“This is what stories of tzaddikim are, and this is what must be done. It is a mitzvah for each of our dear beloved ones to find a story about tzaddikim, to tell stories of quality, like this incident, which was a tremendous mussar haskel for me.”

Rav Zilberstein concluded by returning to his central message to the melamdim: that their daily work with Jewish children is itself part of the spiritual defense of Klal Yisroel.

“These are the things that must be said to talmidei chachomim who are engaged in the Israel Defense Forces. Who are the Israel Defense Forces? You! You who learn with the children — that is the real Israel Defense Forces. They stole the name from us. That name is not theirs. The Israel Defense Forces are us.”

Rav Zilberstein then directed the visitors’ attention from his learning room toward the adjoining kollel, where dozens of avreichim were immersed in their learning.

“Come and see what is going on here. Avreichim are sitting here and do not lift their heads from the Gemara for even a moment. Look. It is a mitzvah to look. Come, look here. Almost all of them have semichah for hora’ah, and there is not one person here speaking devarim beteilim. There is not one person dreaming about devarim beteilim. This is called the Israel Defense Forces. Look here, see here. They sit here day and night; you will not hear one unnecessary word here”…

Rav Zilberstein concluded his remarks with a heartfelt bracha to the melamdim for success in their avodas hakodesh.

“My dear beloved ones, may Hakadosh Boruch Hu help us succeed in carrying out our mission. The Iranians want to prepare only one thing — an atomic bomb — and that is everyone’s fear. But this is the answer: Do not be afraid. Rather, be here (in the kollel), or more correctly, be here (in the Talmud Torah). All the best to you, with God’s help.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has issued updated emergency guidelines for those planning to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, warning travelers that the ongoing war in Ukraine has created an unpredictable security environment and will result in nighttime curfews and other restrictions during the holiday period.

The ministry urged travelers to strictly follow Ukrainian laws and instructions from local authorities, including presenting identification and other documents whenever requested. Israelis were warned against arguments, confrontations or provocative behavior with authorities that could result in arrest. The ministry stressed that Israeli consular assistance does not extend to interfering with legitimate enforcement of Ukrainian law.

Regarding the continuing security threat, travelers were instructed to take air-raid sirens seriously and immediately enter the nearest protected area whenever an alert sounds. They were also warned to stay away from locations where missiles, drones or intercepted projectiles have fallen.

The Foreign Ministry emphasized that photographing or publishing images of military installations, military vehicles, soldiers or the sites of missile and drone impacts is strictly prohibited, including posting such material on social media. Such photographs could expose information about the activities or locations of Ukrainian security forces.

Israeli-Ukrainian dual citizens were given an additional warning. Ukrainian authorities may regard them solely as Ukrainian citizens while they are in the country and could therefore subject them to restrictions applicable to Ukrainian nationals. In such circumstances, the Israeli government’s ability to provide consular assistance may be limited.

Ahead of the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage, the Foreign Ministry recommended that travelers download the Israeli Traveler application and make certain that their passports remain valid for the required period.

Those who require medication were advised to bring medical prescriptions written in English. Travelers may bring no more than five packages of medication intended exclusively for personal use, according to the guidelines. Carrying narcotic or psychotropic substances is strictly prohibited, as is bringing medications that are banned in countries through which travelers will pass on their way to Ukraine.

The ministry also cautioned travelers to prepare for heavy traffic and significant congestion on roads and at border crossings as large numbers of visitors make their way to Uman. Travelers were advised against paying tourism taxes through unfamiliar or unauthorized parties and were told to retain all necessary receipts and documentation.

In an emergency, Israelis in Ukraine can contact the emergency line of the Israeli Embassy in Kyiv at +380-96-770-0103. The Foreign Ministry’s Situation Room in Israel can also be reached at +972-2-530-3155.

{Matzav.com}

Three religious Givati Brigade soldiers were sentenced Sunday to 10 days in military prison after refusing to enter an armored personnel carrier with a female medic, triggering an uproar among rabbinic and political figures who accused the IDF of disregarding the religious commitments of observant troops.

The three soldiers, members of the Rotem Battalion and students at Hesder yeshivas, declined to board a Namer armored vehicle while their unit was operating in the Gaza Strip.

The prison sentences quickly drew condemnation from religious and political leaders, who charged that the military had failed to respect accommodations for religious soldiers and had placed them in a situation that conflicted with Jewish law.

Noam Party chairman MK Avi Maoz placed responsibility for the episode on Israel’s political and defense leadership. “Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, this is on your watch. You are turning your back on IDF soldiers,” he said. “Givati soldiers, Rotem Battalion, you risked your lives with self-sacrifice in Lebanon, and today the army is turning its back on you. It is not acceptable that with one hand the army calls on the haredim to enlist, and with the other it harms outstanding soldiers who want to live according to their faith. Even if you are required to sit in prison, do it with your head held high and Jewish pride. Free to be a Jew.”

Rabbi Dror Aryeh, a rabbi at the Hesder yeshiva in Sderot, sharply criticized the soldiers’ punishment as well. “This is brazen arrogance without parallel,” he said. “The Minister of Defense failed to protect dedicated soldiers from progressive theatrics. The soldiers are heroes; jail will not break them. They are the pillar of fire before the camp, and they will be remembered for generations as the true victors in this bizarre story. Their commanders acted contrary to Jewish law and contrary to orders. Those who should have been tried were the commanders who violated the procedures.”

Wives of Soldiers for the Sanctity of the Camp, an organization advocating on issues of religious standards in the military, demanded that the three soldiers be freed immediately and called for action against the officers responsible for the incident.

“We demand that the soldiers be released immediately and that those who mistreat them be punished. The agenda of progressive coercion has reached the lowest moral low point and resulted in extreme, violent action. The IDF is a Jewish army; Jewish law, the mitzvah and sanctity are our guiding principles. Observant Jews should not be treated like a discarded object by commanders who are not worthy of that. This is a disgrace and a badge of shame for the IDF chief of staff and the Minister of Defense.”

The group warned that incidents of this kind could also damage attempts to persuade more chareidim to enter the military. “You will not be able to talk about drafting the haredim as long as observant Jews in the IDF are being persecuted for the existence of Torah and sanctity,” it said.

Rabbi Hagai Lundin, head of the Holon yeshiva, had earlier sent a message of encouragement to the Rotem Battalion soldiers, framing their refusal in the context of their religious beliefs and the approaching Rosh Hashanah.

“Dear friends, I want to remind you now, in the month of Elul ahead of Rosh Hashanah, of the things the rabbi writes in his introduction to the cycle,” Lundin said. He went on to explain that the central focus of a person’s prayers on Rosh Hashanah should be the revelation of Hashem’s kingship rather than his own personal concerns.

“In other words, on Rosh Hashanah, it is a good day that a person must decide with whom he works. Does he work for his own interests, or does he work for Your blessed kingdom, with the Holy One, blessed be He? And you stood precisely in that test. You are not working for the media, nor with the progressive operation, nor for all kinds of people who think that the state belongs to them. You are working for the Master of the Universe, who goes through with Israel, through what the rabbis told you, through the IDF, which is the order to remain in the camp in the humility of purity and sanctity.”

“Therefore, do not be afraid and do not be dismayed,” he concluded. “You did what needed to be done, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will lead the events exactly where they need to go. We are all with you, and most importantly, our Father in Heaven is with you. Wishing you success and a good year.”

The confrontation took place in the Rotem Battalion as troops operating in Gaza prepared for an operational mission that was to include travel in a Namer armored vehicle. A female medic was assigned to be inside the vehicle.

The three soldiers refused to enter. Sources familiar with what happened said they were then asked whether another member of the platoon would agree to participate in the mission, but the soldiers responded that none of their fellow troops were prepared to do so.

According to a source familiar with the episode, the company commander spoke directly with the soldiers and stressed that the mission was both important and urgent. The soldiers nevertheless continued to refuse. The source said the brigade rabbi was brought into the matter and authorized the mission to proceed with the female medic because of the operational urgency and importance involved.

Rabbi Tzvi Kostiner, head of the yeshiva in Mitzpeh Ramon, and Rabbi Shlomo Shushan, head of the yeshiva in Beit She’an, were also reported to have directed their students serving in the company not to enter a combat vehicle when a female medic was inside.

The Association of Hesder Yeshivas backed the soldiers, maintaining that their conduct was consistent with the IDF’s joint service regulations and arguing that soldiers who adhered to those arrangements should not have been disciplined.

The IDF, however, said its joint service regulations generally entitle soldiers who observe a religious lifestyle to conduct operational activities within a gender-segregated framework, while allowing exceptions in unusual circumstances. According to the military, the soldiers’ refusal ultimately prevented the force from carrying out the planned operational mission, which was subsequently canceled.

{Matzav.com}

Gadi Eisenkot will receive security protection through Election Day following a new recommendation from Israel’s Advisory Committee for Personal Security, reversing an earlier decision that had drawn public criticism.

The committee convened Sunday and recommended assigning security protection to Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar! party, through the upcoming elections.

The change came after members of Eisenkot’s team presented security officials with warnings and new information concerning potential threats against him.

The committee also decided that it will hold a separate meeting at a later date to consider security arrangements for Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan. Similar information regarding possible threats against Golan has also been submitted to authorities.

Sunday’s recommendation reverses a decision reached just one week earlier that generated controversy. Shin Bet Director David Zini had determined at the time that there was no justification for providing Eisenkot with security guards.

Zini explained that the Shin Bet had received no intelligence pointing to a concrete threat against Eisenkot. He emphasized that the determination was based entirely on professional considerations and followed consultations that included Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg.

The initial decision prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to intervene publicly later that evening.

Netanyahu instructed Zini to reconsider the issue and ensure that Eisenkot receives an appropriate level of protection based on an assessment of his security requirements.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Amudim has been answering crisis calls since 2014. In that time, more than 321,000 calls have come in across more than 23,000 cases. People reach out for help with sexual abuse, addiction, mental health, and domestic violence. And the need has not slowed down. In an average week, about 70 new cases begin.

What stands out to us is how often the same questions come up. Different people, in different communities and at different points in their lives, often find themselves asking nearly the exact same things. Most of those questions aren’t about the law. They’re  about someone they love, trust, or are afraid to lose.

These are the questions we hear again and again: “What do I do now that I know my father abused my daughter.” , “My brother told me what happened to him years ago. My other siblings do not know. What am I supposed to say to him.” “My son said his rebbi touches him.” “Everyone respects him. Who is going to believe me?”

There is another reason many of these calls reach Amudim. Often, it’s not because we were the first place someone thought to call. It is because asking someone closer felt like it could come with a cost.

You see it most clearly in the questions that do not fit neatly into one category. Someone may need a halachic answer, but the situation also involves mental health. A choson or kallah may be trying to understand what needs to be disclosed before a wedding, and to whom. A mother may be weighing whether to go to the police while also wondering what that decision could mean for her family.

Those questions do not always have an obvious place to go. A rav may understand the halachic side but not have experience with the clinical piece. A therapist may understand the emotional and mental health side but cannot answer a shaila.

So sometimes the question goes unanswered for months or even years, and the person carrying it starts to assume that no answer means there is no way forward. That is not the case.

Rabbi Yisroel Grossberg serves as Amudim’s rav for these kinds of questions, and many of them are ones he hears again and again. Different people, in different years, often come  believing they are the only one who has ever had to ask. In reality, there is often more room in halacha than people realize, and some of the questions that feel hardest to say out loud are the ones we hear most often..

There is another part of this that is important to say carefully. Many of these calls involve someone who is trusted or well regarded in the community. That is not unique to our community. It is part of what can make abuse so difficult to recognize and respond to in any community.

Access is often given to people because they are trusted, and that same trust can make a disclosure harder to believe or act on. The person being described may already have a reputation, a role, or relationships that carry weight, while the person speaking up is left wondering whether anyone will believe them.

Some of the hardest calls come from people who have been carrying these questions for years. They may have spent decades in therapy, raised children, built full lives, and still find themselves wondering: Is it too late?

What Comes Next is a chance to bring those questions into the open, and to answer them in a room where many people may be carrying the same ones without realizing they are not alone.

The panel will include Rabbi Zvi Gluck and Rabbi Avi Landa, LCPC, of Amudim; Dr. Myriam E. Lankry, DSW, LCSW, Amudim’s clinical director; and Zeldy Broyde, founder of Ray of Hope. Nachi Gordon of the Meaningful People podcast will moderate.

This event will take place Thursday night, September 3, at 8:00 PM at 153 Grandview Avenue in Monsey. Separate seating and family seating will both be available. The event is free, seating is limited, and registration is required .

Click HERE to register!

A recording will be released a few days later for anyone who cannot attend in person, or who would feel more comfortable watching privately.

The panel will also answer questions submitted through the registration form. Those questions can be submitted confidentially, without a name.

And if what you are carrying cannot wait until Thursday, Amudim is available confidentially at 646-517-0222.

A new Kan 11 poll shows a dramatic shift in Israel’s political landscape, with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s Likud falling to just 21 seats and former IDF general Ofer Winter’s newly established party crossing the electoral threshold, while a separate Channel 14 survey presents a sharply different picture, giving Likud 31 seats and Netanyahu a commanding lead in the race for prime minister.

According to the Kan 11 survey, Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party would emerge as the largest faction in the Knesset with 24 seats. Likud would finish second with 21, while Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party would strengthen to 14 seats.

Within the right-wing bloc, Otzma Yehudit would receive seven seats and Religious Zionism, led by Bezalel Smotrich, would win five. Winter’s entry into politics appears to be reshaping the competition for right-wing voters, with his new party projected to win four seats and enter the Knesset.

The remainder of the Kan 11 poll gives the Democrats nine seats, Yisrael Beytenu eight, United Torah Judaism eight, the Joint List eight, Shas seven, Ra’am five and Amcha Yisrael four. Bayit Tzioni, Blue and White and a party led by Gilad Erdan would all fail to cross the electoral threshold.

A Channel 14 poll conducted Sunday, however, produced dramatically different results. In that survey, Likud remains comfortably in first place with 31 seats, followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar with 24. Bennett’s Beyachad receives only six seats.

Channel 14 projects Otzma Yehudit, United Torah Judaism and Yisrael Beytenu at seven seats each, while Religious Zionism and Amcha Yisrael would each receive four seats.

According to the Channel 14 numbers, the right-wing bloc would command a 63-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 45 seats for the left-wing bloc and 12 for the Arab parties.

Netanyahu also holds a substantial advantage in Channel 14’s question on suitability to serve as prime minister. Fifty-one percent of respondents chose Netanyahu, compared with 35% for Eisenkot and 10% for Bennett.

{Matzav.com}

Michelle Obama is facing criticism after saying she does not miss the years when her daughters lived at home, telling Jon Stewart that she now enjoys having complete control over her schedule while emphasizing that she remains extremely close with her children.

The comments came during Wednesday’s episode of Obama’s “IMO” podcast, where Stewart discussed how the daily responsibilities of raising children had provided structure and meaning in his life. When he asked Obama whether she missed that stage of parenting, her answer was brief.

“I’m good,” Obama said.

The remarks quickly drew criticism, including from California Republican Party Delegate Elizabeth Barcohana, a mother who told Fox News Digital that Obama’s comments appeared to reflect resentment toward motherhood at a time when the subject has become part of a broader national discussion.

Barcohana said she interpreted Obama’s comments as suggesting that she was relieved the years of actively raising daughters Malia and Sasha were behind her.

“There is a difference between a mother expressing exhaustion from the demands of motherhood — which is real and relatable — and expressing resentment,” Barcohana said. “Resentment is what appears to come through in Michelle Obama’s remarks, and it is especially painful to hear amid the national conversation surrounding the Lindsay Clancy trial.

“She seems happy that her daughters’ childhoods are over. That is not a relatable feeling for most mothers at all.”

Obama, however, made clear during the discussion that her feelings about no longer having her daughters at home should not be confused with a lack of affection for them. She said she loves Malia and Sasha and noted that she was scheduled to have dinner with them that same evening.

“I don’t miss them. I don’t. I love them. I’m going to see them tonight for dinner. I love them,” she said. “But Barack cried when they went to college. I was like, ‘Bye, little — goodbye.’ Now I … now Friday nights aren’t wrecked with terror and fear about, ‘Where are you? Where are you?’”

Obama contrasted her reaction to becoming an empty nester with that of her husband, Barack Obama, saying he cried when their daughters left for college while she welcomed the transition.

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh was among those who attacked Obama over the remarks, accusing her of having been eager for her daughters to leave home despite the advantages and assistance he said the family’s wealth provided.

“And yet she still couldn’t wait for the kids to leave because the minor demands they made on her time and energy were still too much for her. Just a total raging narcissist,” Walsh said.

Political commentator Link Lauren similarly criticized Obama, arguing that the remarks fit a broader pattern in which she publicly complains about her family and privileged lifestyle.

“This podcast is just her sitting around her mansion in Martha’s Vineyard complaining about how hard her life of luxury is and how much she despises her husband and children,” Lauren said.

Obama offered additional context for her reaction to becoming an empty nester, saying she enjoys the independence that comes with her daughters being adults and believes she already devoted substantial time to raising them and developing close relationships with them.

“I love my schedule. I have a great schedule, and it’s all mine,” Obama said. “I mean, I’ve had so much quality time with my children. So much. Yeah, yeah. I know them inside and out.”

Obama has also spoken positively about Barack Obama’s role as a father. Last year, she said both of them consciously made their daughters a priority during the eight years that the family lived in the White House.

“It was important for both of us, for me and Barack, to carve out that time in those eight years when our girls were in their formative years, you know,” Obama said.

{Matzav.com}