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The traditionally expensive shtreimel market may be facing an unlikely new competitor: a Chinese manufacturer offering Chassidishe shtreimlach online for prices beginning at just $960, far below what many buyers are accustomed to paying in Israel and the United States, Matzav.com has learned.

For generations, shtreimlach have been associated with highly specialized craftsmen, custom fittings and prices reaching thousands — and sometimes tens of thousands — of shekels. But a listing on Alibaba is now offering what it describes as a genuine Chassidish eshtreimel directly from a manufacturer in China.

The product is being sold by Hengshui Fn Fur Trading Co., Ltd., a company based in China’s Hebei province. On Alibaba, the manufacturer is listed with a rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on 13 reviews.

The listing describes the product as a “Streimel Jewish Hasidic Hat” and references sable fur and sable tails, along with fox fur. Current prices range from $960 to $1,350, with a minimum order of two shtreimlach.

According to details of the offer that circulated online, customers can choose among four sizes based on head circumference: 54–56 centimeters, 56–58 centimeters, 58–60 centimeters and 60–62 centimeters.

Perhaps even more intriguing is that the Chinese company is not limiting itself to finished shtreimlach. Its Alibaba listings also offer raw materials used in their production, including Russian and Canadian sable tails, available at wholesale prices of several dozen dollars per piece.

The availability of those materials raises the possibility that the manufacturer has considerable familiarity with the shtreimel production process and may already have connections to businesses within the industry. There is currently no evidence, however, that the Chinese company manufactures shtreimlach for any established producers in Israel or the United States.

The appearance of a Chinese-made shtreimel available for direct purchase at a fraction of the prices commonly charged in much of the traditional market is nevertheless drawing considerable interest — and raising the question of whether established shtreimel machers have reason to be concerned.

The bigger question, however, is what buyers would actually receive for the bargain price. The quality of the fur, craftsmanship, durability, fit and ability to produce the distinctive styles favored by different Chassidishe courts cannot easily be determined from photographs and specifications on an online listing.

For now, the $960 Chinese shtreimel may be more curiosity than industry disruptor. But in a market where a traditional shtreimel can cost many times that amount, its arrival is certainly enough to get shtreimel machers — and their customers — talking.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly 90 years after they were issued in Lithuania, rare historical documents detailing the activities of Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman zt”l, founder of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, have been brought to Israel after being uncovered in Lithuanian government archives.

Lithuanian Ambassador to Israel Audrius Bruzga presented the documents to MK Uri Maklev during a meeting at the Lithuanian Embassy. The ambassador compiled a special binder containing official records he located in Lithuania’s state archives documenting Rav Kahaneman’s activities in the city of Ponovezh during the 1920s and 1930s.

The discovery grew out of Maklev’s ongoing relationship with the Lithuanian ambassador, with the two having worked in recent years on efforts to preserve Lithuania’s Jewish heritage and the remnants of the flourishing Torah world that existed there before the Holocaust.

Approximately eight months ago, Maklev arranged a special visit for Bruzga to the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, which Rav Kahaneman established after the Holocaust and named for the Lithuanian city where his original yeshiva had stood.

During that visit, Bruzga met with the yeshiva’s president, Rav Eliezer Kahaneman, a grandson of Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, who shared with him the history of the yeshiva and described its reestablishment in Eretz Yisroel following the destruction of European Jewry.

The ambassador and Maklev subsequently visited the home of Ponovezh Rosh Yeshiva Rav Boruch Dov Povarsky, where their conversation focused on the legacy of Lithuanian Jewry and efforts to preserve Jewish cemeteries throughout Lithuania.

That visit apparently sparked the ambassador’s curiosity about the yeshiva’s Lithuanian roots. Bruzga told Maklev during their latest meeting that he subsequently began searching Lithuania’s official archives for records connected to Rav Kahaneman and his activities in Ponovezh.

The search produced a remarkable collection of historical material, including municipal records, land diagrams, building permits and legal documents bearing Rav Kahaneman’s name.

Among the documents is a 1936 authorization from the municipality of Ponovezh referring to a permit originally granted to Rav Kahaneman on July 13, 1922, allowing him to construct a three-story brick building on property belonging to the Jewish community on Ramygalos Street.

Perhaps the most significant discovery is a district court ruling from Ponovezh dated May 21, 1937. The case dealt with a request to formally recognize Rav Kahaneman’s rights to property located at 34 Ramygalos Street.

According to the ruling, the property covered 1,537 square meters and contained buildings that were used by the local Jewish community.

The court records also trace the history of the property. Documents submitted in the case indicated that before World War I, the land had belonged to a Jewish religious organization known as “Cheder-Kloil.” It later came under the control of the Jewish community of Ponovezh, which maintained continuous possession of the property for more than a decade beginning in 1922.

As part of the legal proceedings, an official notice was published allowing anyone with objections to the claim to come forward. According to the court ruling, no objections were submitted.

After reviewing the documentation and testimony, the court formally recognized Rav Kahaneman’s rights to the property on the basis of the lengthy period of continuous possession.

The collection also includes detailed plans of the property and its buildings, along with additional official records from the Ponovezh municipality. Together, the documents provide a rare glimpse into the scope of Rav Kahaneman’s activities in the Lithuanian city during the years preceding the Holocaust.

The discovery also comes amid an unusual historical coincidence. Questions surrounding rights and control of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak have recently returned to the headlines following new legal rulings. Now, an 89-year-old Lithuanian court decision has surfaced dealing with the rights of the yeshiva’s founder to property in the original city of Ponovezh. There is no legal connection between the two matters, but the historical parallel is striking.

Only a few years after the 1937 ruling, the Jewish community of Ponovezh was destroyed during the Holocaust. Rav Kahaneman survived and set about rebuilding in Eretz Yisroel the Torah world that had been devastated in Europe, naming the yeshiva he established in Bnei Brak after the Lithuanian city he had left behind.

Maklev thanked Ambassador Bruzga for taking the initiative to search for the records and for the effort involved in locating them. He said the documents constitute historically important material for both the Torah world and the preservation of Lithuanian Jewish heritage.

{Matzav.com}

The family of 24-year-old Katriel Nachman Keinan of Beit Shemesh fears he may have been abducted after disappearing approximately a week ago while traveling between Tiveriah and Tzfas, as police, volunteers and divers continue an extensive search for him.

Keinan’s father, Yossi Keinan, filed a missing-person report with the Beit Shemesh police after his son abruptly vanished and stopped communicating with his family. According to a report by mako, the family has grown increasingly concerned that foul play may have been involved.

“I’m afraid my son was kidnapped. It’s a dangerous area. He didn’t just disappear and stop making contact for no reason. Maybe someone kidnapped him,” his father said. “He is such a good boy that wherever he goes, there is light and positive energy. He was on his way to meet with his rabbi to consult with him.”

Yossi said the last time he personally saw his son was at the entrance to a shul.

“He told me he was going to stop by a friend and didn’t come back. I haven’t seen him since,” he said.

According to his father, Nachman had said that after meeting his friend, he planned to travel from Beit Shemesh to Tzfas for an urgent consultation with his Rav.

The Rav later told the family that Nachman did in fact arrive in Tzfas and spoke with him by telephone at approximately 10 p.m. The Rav explained that he was at a hospital because of a family matter and could not meet him that evening, but offered to see him at 10 a.m. the following morning and even arrange a place for him to sleep. Nachman responded that he would manage on his own and would meet the Rav the next day.

“He never heard from him again. I still managed to speak to him the next morning, but he said his phone battery was about to die, and then he disappeared. That was it,” his father said.

Since Nachman vanished, search teams have concentrated their efforts in locations where investigators believe he may have traveled. Police have also reviewed security-camera footage in an effort to reconstruct his movements.

One surveillance camera from a business in Tiveriah captured Nachman walking in the direction of Gai Beach on the Kinneret, providing investigators with one of the last known images of him before he disappeared.

According to the family, the commander of the Beit Shemesh police station and local officers have been closely involved in the search, together with police forces from the Northern District. Divers have also been searching the Kinneret, but no trace of Nachman has been discovered.

“The station commander in Beit Shemesh is constantly in touch with us. He is helping us and conducting searches in the field with his officers. Divers are also searching the Kinneret. Nobody has found anything. It’s very strange,” Yossi said.

Nachman, a Chabad chossid, spent several years living in the Philippines before returning to Israel. His family continues to hold out hope that he is alive and will soon be found.

“We are davening and believe that Nachman is alive. We hope the police and the many volunteers will find him. He is the light of our lives.”

Nachman was last seen on Monday, August 10, at approximately 6 p.m. in the area of Gai Beach in Tiveriah while reportedly on his way to Tzfas. He has not been seen since.

Nachman is approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with black hair, a beard and brown eyes. When last seen, he was wearing a white shirt, black suit and hat and was carrying a black backpack and a dark-brown tefillin bag.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s attorney general is calling on the IDF and police to resume proactive operations and arrests targeting draft evaders, while also demanding an expansion of economic and personal sanctions, after an annual review found that approximately 80% of those currently classified as draft evaders are members of the chareidi community.

The review covers the military recruitment year that ended in June 2026 and was conducted under the leadership of the attorney general. Representatives from the IDF, Defense Ministry, Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry, Israel Police, Population and Immigration Authority, National Digital Agency and other government bodies participated in the assessment.

Alongside the figures on draft evasion, officials reported an increase in the number of chareidim entering military service. According to the review, the combination of issuing draft orders to all eligible chareidi men, intensifying economic and personal enforcement measures, and adapting military service tracks for chareidi recruits has proven effective in increasing enlistment.

The figures presented during the review indicate that approximately 50,000 chareidim are currently classified as draft evaders, while another roughly 31,000 have been issued what is known as a “Tzav 12.” Since the beginning of the year, 34 indictments have been filed against chareidim for draft evasion.

The data further shows that 679 military deserters have faced disciplinary proceedings since August 2025, while 860 arrests were carried out over the past year.

In addition, 244 individuals were detained by police, while another 1,528 were stopped at Ben Gurion Airport and other border crossings. During the past three months alone, authorities prevented 1,061 deserters from leaving Israel through border crossings.

Justice Ministry officials concluded that additional enforcement measures should be introduced as quickly as possible in order to further reduce draft evasion and address what the government describes as the military’s urgent need for additional manpower.

At the same time, the attorney general determined that the IDF and Israel Police should resume proactive enforcement operations and arrests against draft evaders from all sectors of the population, citing the principle of equal enforcement.

In a response submitted by the attorney general to the High Court, officials acknowledged that carrying out proactive arrests of chareidi draft evaders presents significant practical difficulties because such operations have repeatedly triggered large-scale protests and disturbances.

The filing said military and police officials had pointed to “the significant difficulty that currently exists in carrying out proactive operations and arresting draft evaders from the chareidi community, in light of the large-scale public disturbances accompanying them.”

Authorities also noted that responding to the protests surrounding such arrests requires the deployment of substantial police and security resources.

Despite those difficulties, professional officials maintained that proactive operations and arrests remain important enforcement tools and can serve as a deterrent against draft evasion.

{Matzav.com}

The Justice Department is preparing to dispatch approximately 1,000 election monitors across the country for November’s midterm elections, a major expansion of federal oversight as the Trump administration places increased emphasis on election integrity and public confidence in the voting process.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon disclosed the planned deployment during a Monday appearance on Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power,” saying the effort could significantly increase the number of federal personnel assigned to observe elections around the country.

“We will do it to the tune of approximately 1,000 election monitors in the November election,” Dhillon said, noting that the Civil Rights Division has for decades dispatched personnel to election “hot spots” to address potential problems and strengthen confidence in election procedures.

Federal election monitoring is not new to the current administration. The Justice Department has regularly sent observers and monitors to polling locations under both Republican and Democratic administrations as part of its responsibility to enforce federal voting laws and safeguard the rights of eligible voters.

During the 2024 presidential election, DOJ personnel were dispatched to 86 jurisdictions, while monitors were sent to 64 jurisdictions during the 2022 midterm elections, according to The Washington Post.

Dhillon said officials have not yet determined the final list of locations where the approximately 1,000 monitors will be assigned in November.

Among the jurisdictions that could receive federal monitors are areas where concerns have arisen over access for voters with disabilities or those requiring language assistance, as well as locations where authorities believe voter fraud may be an issue.

The Justice Department has already deployed monitors during primary elections held earlier this year. In Michigan, federal personnel were sent to Detroit, Hamtramck, Lansing and East Lansing.

DOJ officials said the Michigan deployment was designed to promote “transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.”

Federal monitors were also dispatched to polling locations in three Arizona counties during elections held in July.

The planned expansion has prompted concerns from Democrats over the scale and role of the federal presence at polling locations.

A group of Democratic senators recently called on the Justice Department to make certain that federal monitors operate on a nonpartisan basis and refrain from interfering with election administration conducted by state and local authorities.

Dhillon rejected the suggestion that the monitoring initiative represents an unprecedented undertaking by the Trump administration, stressing that observing elections and enforcing federal voting protections have long been responsibilities of the Justice Department.

She said the department is also dealing with disagreements involving the accuracy of voter-registration lists, alleging that some election administrators have failed to remove people who are no longer eligible to remain registered, including noncitizens.

According to Dhillon, voter rolls in states cooperating with the Justice Department include hundreds of thousands of deceased individuals and tens of thousands of noncitizens. She cautioned, however, that additional investigation is necessary before authorities can conclude that any particular individual actually cast an illegal ballot.

“The goal is not so much going after one voter here or there,” Dhillon said. “It is increasing all American citizens’ confidence in our elections.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump’s job approval has fallen to 33%, the lowest point of his current presidency, as Americans increasingly express concern over the duration of the U.S. war with Iran and the economic fallout from the conflict, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The four-day survey found that just one-third of respondents approved of Trump’s performance in office, while 64% disapproved. The 33% figure represents a decline from the 35% recorded in a Reuters/Ipsos survey completed earlier this month and is the lowest of Trump’s current term. It also matches the lowest approval rating recorded during his previous term, reached in December 2017.

Trump returned to the White House in 2025 with an approval rating just below 50%, but his standing has deteriorated this year following his decision to launch strikes against Iran alongside Israel. The resulting war severely disrupted roughly one-fifth of global oil commerce, sending gasoline prices higher and increasing financial pressure on American households. The economic consequences are also creating political difficulties for Republicans seeking to preserve their congressional majorities in November’s midterm elections.

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to control inflation and keep the United States out of prolonged wars. He initially predicted that the confrontation with Iran would be over within several weeks, but Tehran has continued resisting while keeping much of the oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz restricted, even as the intensity of the fighting has diminished.

The poll found widespread expectations that the conflict will continue. Approximately 80% of Americans, including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, believe U.S. involvement in Iran “will go on for an extended period of ‌time.” Only 16% expect the war to conclude within the next several weeks.

At a political rally Friday in Garden City, New York, Trump defended the higher fuel costs associated with the conflict, saying paying “a ‌tiny little bit more for your gasoline” was justified if it prevented “a very evil country” from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Throughout the war, Trump has repeatedly shifted between warning of further military escalation and suggesting that a peace agreement could soon be reached.

The survey found limited public support for the conflict itself. Only about 20% of Americans said they believe the war has been worth its costs, while approximately half of Republican respondents said the same.

The combination of the Iran conflict and rising gasoline prices has heightened Republican concerns ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, particularly as the party seeks to protect its narrow majority in the House. Democrats, meanwhile, increasingly view control of the Senate as potentially within reach.

Recent Reuters/Ipsos polling has also shown a shift in public perceptions of which party would better manage the economy. For the first time in roughly a decade, Democrats have moved ahead of Republicans on the issue. In the latest survey, 38% said Democrats would do a better job handling the economy, compared with 35% who favored Republicans.

Democrats also held an advantage when respondents were asked which party they believed could better address the cost of living.

Immigration has remained a stronger issue for Republicans throughout Trump’s presidency, amid a steep reduction in illegal border crossings and the administration’s nationwide immigration enforcement campaign. However, the Republican advantage has narrowed as concerns have grown over deadly encounters and an increase in the number of people being detained, including children.

Among registered voters, 40% said Republicans have the better approach to immigration, while 38% chose Democrats. The two-point Republican advantage is the smallest recorded during Trump’s current term, representing a dramatic contraction from the 26-point lead Republicans held on immigration in January 2025.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted online among 1,166 adults across the United States. The poll carries a margin of error of approximately three percentage points in either direction.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S.-led Board of Peace is moving toward a major change in its Gaza disarmament plan, abandoning a phased approach in favor of requiring Hamas and other terror groups to surrender all of their weapons in a single operation before Israel fully withdraws from the Gaza Strip.

Under the emerging proposal, Hamas would no longer be permitted to gradually turn over its weapons as other elements of the Gaza agreement move forward. Instead, the terror group and other armed organizations would be required to complete the disarmament process before a full IDF withdrawal takes place.

The shift reportedly follows a meeting between U.S. special envoy Jared Kushner and Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu. A Board of Peace official said the new approach would “reduce the gamble” for the countries participating in the process.

“We want complete disarmament without compromises on the issue and do not intend to allow any kinds of tricks,” the official said, describing the objective as “actual, genuine, complete and rapid disarmament.”

If Hamas refuses to surrender its weapons, the official added, “Israel will have international diplomatic backing to do it by force.”

The Kushner-Netanyahu meeting also produced an understanding that reconstruction of Gaza will not proceed unless Hamas is disarmed throughout the entire Strip.

Netanyahu reportedly insisted that the first step must be the surrender of Hamas’s weapons for destruction. Under his proposal, the arms would be turned over to Gen. Jasper Jeffers, commander of the International Stabilization Force for Gaza, with the process conducted under American supervision.

Kushner, speaking in an interview with Fox News, said Hamas had received a “firm ultimatum” to comply with the agreements it signed and relinquish its weapons. If it refuses, he said, the IDF would carry out the disarmament by force and “finish the job.”

Kushner added that a Hamas refusal to fulfill its commitments would leave Israel with substantially greater international support for renewed military action.

“Israel will have much more support from the U.S. and other countries to go finish the job properly,” he said.

Officials with the Board of Peace say the ultimate objective is now broadly agreed upon: Hamas must be completely stripped of both its weapons and governing authority, Gaza must be fully demilitarized, and only after those conditions have been fulfilled would Israel complete its withdrawal from the Strip.

{Matzav.com}

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Israeli airline Israir announced Tuesday that it will launch flights to New York by October.

The much-anticipated move comes as service on the highly lucrative transatlantic route remains limited, with only Israeli carriers currently flying nonstop to and from the United States after all three U.S. legacy carriers froze their flights due to the war with Iran.

While American carriers, led by Delta and United, are scheduled to resume service to Tel Aviv next month, airfares remain stubbornly high throughout the fall due to heavy postwar demand.

Israel’s second-largest carrier said it plans to start its New York flights by Oct. 19 pending final FAA approval, with tickets set to go on sale from next week. It will bring forward the launch date if the final authorization comes in sooner.

Israir did not cite a starting price for the route on Tuesday, but plans on offering economy, premium and business fares.

It is expected to run a daily flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport this fall, joining competing service by El Al, Arkia United and Delta.

Travel consultants said that the entry of an additional Israeli carrier on the top international route out of Tel Aviv was “significant news” for consumers and is expected to bring down airfares.

“We anticipate that as the supply of direct flights to New York grows, we will see a positive impact on pricing and availability, particularly during periods of high demand,” Yoni Waxman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS. “The fact that it is an Israeli carrier offers an additional advantage, especially given how much importance Israeli travelers place on flight continuity and certainty.”

“We have been waiting for quite some time for an additional Israeli airline to compete directly with El Al in flying nonstop to New York,” said Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours. “If Israir wants to gain market share, they will need to aggressively market – and not match – El Al prices, and then the Israeli public will jump at this option.”

Israir operated transatlantic flights to New York from 2004 to 2008, when rising fuel prices forced it to suspend the route. JNS

The IDF carried out an airstrike Tuesday evening targeting several Hamas commanders gathered at a café in the Gaza City port area, saying the operatives were planning imminent attacks against Israeli troops operating in the Strip.

The strike took place in the Shati area of northern Gaza. According to reports from Gaza, the target was the “Bitter and Sweet” café located inside the port complex. Palestinian channels reported that at least six people were killed and another 10 wounded in the attack.

An Israeli security official said the operation targeted four Hamas terrorists who had gathered at the café, all of whom held command positions within the terror organization. The official said the group included one company commander and three platoon commanders.

The strike was carried out after the threat posed by the Hamas commanders was assessed by the IDF as immediate. The military said the operatives had been preparing attacks against Israeli forces currently deployed inside Gaza.

“The terrorists planned to carry out terror attacks against IDF forces operating in the Gaza Strip. The terrorists were struck from the air in order to remove the threat to the forces,” the IDF said.

Palestinian reports claimed the impact of the strike at the café was particularly powerful and that some of those killed were thrown into the sea by the blast. Israeli authorities have not confirmed those claims.

The IDF stressed that Southern Command forces remain deployed throughout Gaza in accordance with the existing agreement and will continue taking action against immediate threats to Israeli soldiers.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the operation reflected Israel’s standing policy in Gaza, as established by Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and himself.

“Israel’s policy in Gaza, as clarified to the IDF by Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and by me, is clear: We remove threats, eliminate terrorists, and settle accounts with anyone who took part in the October 7 massacre,” Katz said.

“That is how the IDF acted today in eliminating the Hamas terrorists, and that is how it will continue to act with force to protect our soldiers and ensure quiet for the communities of the south — from within the security zone.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox, 

A Choshen Mishpat PSA: The Torah prohibition against delaying a person’s wages is far more serious—and far more common—than many people realize.

I work in the Choshen Mishpat world in the tristate area. I’m not formally a dayan, but as a Rabbi with Yadin Yadin, people do come to me with their shailos. Of course, I don’t pasken as a yachid, but I do help clarify the issues, present relevant views from the poskim, and guide people toward a clearer understanding of the situation.

I’ve been involved in this for a while, and I hate to say that there is one issue that is extremely serious and consistently keeps coming up. I feel the need to bring it to public attention as a PSA:

PAY YOUR WORKERS ON TIME.

This, more or less, includes anyone you hire to do work for you in any capacity—babysitters, doctors, dentists, architects, gardeners, tutors, cleaners, contractors, freelancers, and anyone else providing a service. If someone did a job for you, the halachic obligation to pay them properly and on time applies fully, regardless of the type of work or how “informal” the arrangement may feel.

There is an explicit prohibition in the Torah against delaying a worker’s wages. In fact, the Gemara counts five lavin and one asei that can be involved in this area, underscoring its seriousness. While not all of them apply in every single case, ביומו תתן שכרו is an asei, and לא תלין פעולת שכיר is a lav gamur, and these apply with almost every worker.

This is not a joke. The Torah itself explains the seriousness of the mitzvah with the words ואליו הוא נושא את נפשו—he is “carrying his life.” Chazal explain that when you withhold a worker’s wages, you are, in a sense, taking his life from him. Although the lav applies regardless of the worker’s bank account, this is especially real when a poor person is struggling to put food on the table—and you would be surprised how often that is unfortunately the case. I promise you, you have no idea how bad it can get. People who seem like regular workers are often really struggling because they are not being paid.

Of course, this is not an easy mitzvah. Bills are annoying. Life is expensive. Everyone is stretched, everyone is juggling, and most people are genuinely trying their best. It is not easy to keep up with everything, and financial pressure is real. But at the end of the day, none of that changes the basic responsibility: You hired a worker, he did the job, and you are obligated to pay him. Period.

Your worker never asked to be your lender to help you with your cash-flow issues.

To be mekayem the mitzvah, you need to pay right away. The exact details of “right away” vary depending on the type of worker and the terms of employment, but in ordinary contemporary arrangements, the practical rule is: Don’t wait.

There are other important details regarding the timing. For example, halacha takes customary billing and accounting arrangements into account, and בל תלין is triggered when the worker demands payment. But once the bill comes in and payment is due, it becomes an actual aveira. Things get very serious, very quickly.

Pay the worker on time. I can’t say it enough. Before you spend money on a beautiful, upgraded esrog, make sure the person who worked for you has been paid.

This is a very serious matter, and although it should be obvious anyway, I’m afraid it simply isn’t known well enough.

Hence this PSA.

The number of stories I hear is insane. People are literally struggling to put food on their tables, unable to pay their credit card bills, or unable to pay their own workers because they are waiting for money that they honestly earned from people they worked for. These are people who did a good job and helped their clients—their clients are thrilled with the work—but are now being left hanging for weeks or months.

Recently, someone came to me in an absolute mess. More than 50 people had failed to pay him. Some owed him close to $50,000, others closer to “just” $7,000, and altogether he was owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. They were all frum clients.

And now this person was taking tzedakah to pay for a chasunah, for Shabbos, and for Yom Tov—because he had to fight to collect money that was already rightfully his. If two or three more people had followed halacha, he wouldn’t have had to take out a loan to pay for the chasunah!

Of course, he has since become much more careful about things like retainers and payment arrangements. He could have protected himself better. But that does not excuse the people who simply did not pay him. If you hire someone, PAY HIM.

And I don’t mean eventually. I mean pay him on time—on the day his work is completed, when halacha requires it.

If there is a genuine dispute about part of the bill, don’t use the disputed amount as an excuse to hold up money that you clearly owe. Pay the undisputed amount and resolve the remaining issue promptly. Don’t use a dispute over $500 to hold up $5,000 that you know you owe.

I also must add that even if someone already missed the halachic deadline, that does not mean the money is now “okay to owe.” He is still obligated to pay immediately, and continued delay is itself prohibited. Missing the deadline is not a free pass to let the bill sit for another week or month.

None of this is some minor technical halacha buried in Choshen Mishpat. It is a pasuk in the Torah. (Which happens to be in this week’s parsha…)

The Yom HaDin is coming quickly. Having an unpaid worker’s money sitting on your head is not something anyone should want to take with them into Din.

If someone works for you, pay him. Pay him on time. It’s the halacha.

(Sources for those who want: Bava Metzia 110b–112a; Shulchan Aruch CM 339)

M.

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President Trump issued an urgent warning to Alaska voters Tuesday morning, urging them to make certain they cast their ballots for incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan amid an unusual primary featuring another candidate with nearly the identical name.

“ALASKA: Be careful, VOTE FOR THE REAL DAN SULLIVAN TODAY,” Trump posted on Truth Social, once again throwing his support behind Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who is campaigning for a third term in Washington.

Trump alleged that Democrats were attempting to mislead voters by having another Dan Sullivan appear on the ballot. The second candidate, Dan J. Sullivan, is a retired fifth-grade teacher who describes himself as a pragmatic Republican.

“The Dumocrats know how good he is and have put up an imposter of the same name,” Trump wrote. “Vote for the ‘INCUMBENT SENATOR.’ Don’t let these Fraudsters get away with this HOAX.”

The president also praised Sen. Sullivan’s record representing Alaska, crediting him with helping bring “HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS” to the state.

Trump had delivered a similar message Friday, accusing Democrats of engaging in “trickery” and instructing his supporters to vote for “SULLIVAN, DAN S. — REGISTERED REPUBLICAN/INCUMBENT.”

The Alaska Democratic Party and the campaign of ex-Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, who is viewed as Sen. Sullivan’s leading opponent in the race, have both denied having any involvement in Dan J. Sullivan’s decision to run.

Despite those denials, Republicans have continued raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has cited people associated with his campaign, including adviser Amber Lee and representative Alan Harris, in arguing that the candidacy has connections to Democrats.

Harris previously appeared in an advertisement produced by Majority Forward, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Democratic-aligned Senate Majority PAC, that attacked Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.

Senate Majority PAC has denied having any communication with Dan J. Sullivan or encouraging him to enter the contest. Dan J. Sullivan has likewise denied coordinating his campaign with Peltola.

Alaska election authorities initially removed Dan J. Sullivan from the ballot after determining that he had not filed his candidacy in good faith and that his campaign was intended to cause confusion among voters.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews subsequently overturned that determination. Matthews ruled that state election officials did not have the authority to create an additional “good-faith” requirement for candidates and concluded that the state had failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that Dan J. Sullivan entered the race with the intention of confusing voters.

The Alaska Supreme Court upheld Matthews’ decision, clearing the way for Dan J. Sullivan’s name to appear on Tuesday’s primary ballot.

Alaska uses a nonpartisan primary system in which the four candidates receiving the most votes advance to the ranked-choice general election in November.

With 16 candidates competing for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat in Tuesday’s primary, it remains possible for both candidates named Dan Sullivan to finish among the top four and advance to the November election.

{Matzav.com}

Summer travel congestion at Ben Gurion Airport has reached extraordinary levels, with fewer than one in 10 flights departing on time or within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure during the past week.

According to a report by Hofit Cohen Olai in Calcalist, Ben Gurion Airport recorded 31% more departures last week than the weekly average over the previous three months. At the same time, delays surged by 24%.

A total of 1,847 flights departed from Ben Gurion Airport during the week, but just 9.8% took off on schedule or no more than 15 minutes late. The average delay at Terminal 3 reached 69 minutes, while passengers departing from Terminal 1 faced an average delay of 66 minutes.

The congestion extended well beyond the runways. Travelers reported lengthy lines at check-in counters and security checkpoints, while some passengers on Friday said they waited as long as two and a half hours for their luggage.

Red Wings posted the worst average performance among the airlines examined. Although the carrier operated only 17 flights, its average delay was a staggering 207 minutes.

Blue Bird Airways followed with an average delay of 128 minutes across 189 departures, while TUS recorded an average delay of 114 minutes on its 69 flights.

At the other end of the rankings, Flydubai posted the shortest average delay at 22 minutes. Azerbaijan Airlines averaged 28 minutes, while Emirates recorded an average delay of 29 minutes.

Significant differences were also seen among Israel’s airlines. El Al operated 598 flights and recorded an average delay of 42 minutes. Israir’s 282 flights were delayed by an average of 59 minutes, while Arkia posted an average delay of 100 minutes across 284 departures.

Certain destinations proved particularly vulnerable to disruptions. Flights to Heraklion were delayed by an average of 104 minutes, while Mykonos-bound flights averaged 103 minutes late and Barcelona flights were delayed by an average of 101 minutes.

The Israel Airports Authority attributed some of the problems to heavy congestion in European airspace, particularly over Greece, as well as disruptions involving assigned takeoff and landing windows. Calcalist also reported that the activity of American refueling aircraft in the region has affected available flight slots.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the current congestion is that Ben Gurion Airport is operating with dramatically fewer airlines than during a typical summer. Only 47 carriers are currently serving the airport, compared with approximately 100 during a normal summer season.

Despite that reduced number, the airport has struggled to handle the summer traffic. Infrastructure limitations, insufficient security-screening positions, shortages of aircraft parking spaces and staffing constraints have all contributed to the difficulties.

Israel’s Transportation Ministry told Calcalist that the delays reflect a combination of normal summer travel congestion, the complicated security situation and substantial pressure on European airspace.

The ministry said efforts are being made to maintain continuous operations at Ben Gurion Airport while minimizing flight cancellations as much as possible.

{Matzav.com}

Syria has acknowledged for the first time that it possesses nuclear material, with the country’s foreign minister declaring that the material will remain under Syrian control while being subject to international oversight.

The Syrian foreign minister addressed the status of the nuclear material held by Damascus, saying it would remain in the country under guarantees and supervision from the International Atomic Energy Agency. He said Syria would provide the necessary conditions for its safe storage while maintaining its right to pursue nuclear energy for civilian and peaceful purposes.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of an airstrike attributed to Israel at the Abu al-Duhur military airport in Syria’s Idlib province. The strike reportedly damaged a runway and abandoned storage facilities, with no casualties reported.

According to Syrian sources, the attack took place one day after a Turkish military delegation visited the facility to examine plans for rehabilitating the airport and potentially transforming it into a joint Syrian-Turkish military base.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike, describing it as “unjustified aggression and a blatant violation of Syrian sovereignty.”

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack sharply criticized the attack, calling it an “unnecessary escalation.” Barrack said the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has demonstrated an interest in reducing tensions and urged the parties to pursue dialogue rather than further military action.

Israel, however, suggested that the strike was connected to highly sensitive intelligence. A senior Israeli official told Fox News that “highly sensitive intelligence was provided to the United States in advance.”

The Israeli official further indicated that al-Sharaa could not be permitted to operate through proxy forces in the manner of Syria’s previous regime, while raising the possibility that the Syrian leader himself may not have been aware of the activity that prompted the Israeli action.

{Matzav.com}

Likud Minister Dudi Amsalem received an unexpected boost in the middle of the party’s primary election after radio host Menachem Toker informed him that he had finished first in a WhatsApp poll of the program’s followers regarding which Likud figure is most closely associated with supporting tradition, Judaism, Torah and the Chareidi community.

Toker spoke with Amsalem during his “Zman Avir” program on Kol Chai as Likud members were casting their ballots in the party primaries. The poll asked listeners and followers which Likud politician they believed showed the greatest concern for Jewish tradition, religious issues, Torah and Chareidim.

Toker broke the results to Amsalem on air, telling him that he had won by a wide margin.

“Our listeners and followers love you. We asked who cares about tradition, Judaism, religion, Torah, the Chareidim. On the values and social issues, they liked you. First place by a wide margin,” Toker said.

Amsalem welcomed the news, saying the result was particularly meaningful to him.

“First of all, I’m proud of it. It really gives me nachas. That’s the most important thing to me,” Amsalem replied.

Toker then asked the minister how he believed he would fare in the actual Likud primaries and whether he expected to secure a high position on the party’s Knesset slate.

Amsalem said he was not spending his time calculating his prospects or attempting to predict the final results.

“I have no idea, Menachem, and I don’t deal with it either, honestly. I do my part,” he said.

Amsalem then explained his approach in terms of emunah, saying that the ultimate result had already been determined long before primary day.

“On Rosh Hashanah, even before that, my position was already determined. I’m just doing the hishtadlus,” he said.

Toker reacted enthusiastically to the comment.

“What a man of faith. That’s a man of faith, a real one,” Toker said.

“Everything is for the good,” Amsalem responded.

Asked for his number on the Likud primary ballot, Amsalem said he was listed as candidate 103. Toker noted that Amsalem had finished fifth in the previous Likud primaries and said he hoped the minister would climb even higher this time.

Toward the end of the interview, Toker openly endorsed Amsalem and urged eligible Likud members listening to the program to cast their votes for him.

“I call on everyone who has [the right to vote] and can vote, choose 103, Dudi Amsalem. Such a man of faith, a person who really is like this, a public servant, should be advanced,” Toker said.

“Thank you very much, Menachem,” Amsalem replied.

After the conversation ended, Toker continued discussing the Likud primaries and mentioned several other party figures whom he admires. Among them was Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi.

“I very, very much appreciate what he’s doing here. For example, Kol Chai, the fact that we can be heard in the north, that’s him,” Toker said.

The program then shifted back to the regular musical atmosphere of “Zman Avir,” featuring songs reflecting themes of emunah and the month of Elul.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump dramatically escalated his claims over the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, posting a map that labeled the strategically vital waterway “new US territory” while declaring that Iranian mines had been cleared and that no additional negotiations with Tehran were currently scheduled.

Trump shared the altered map on Truth Social, reinforcing his recent suggestion that the United States could establish a permanent presence in the strait. In subsequent posts, the president said the crucial shipping route had been de-mined and was operating again, while indicating that Washington had no new talks with the Islamic Republic on its calendar.

The president had first publicly floated the prospect of the United States maintaining permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz during a political appearance on Long Island on Friday.

The map circulated by Trump depicted the waterway between Iran and Oman as “new US territory,” marking a significant rhetorical escalation in his statements about the strategically critical passage.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes, with ships traveling through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

Speaking Friday while campaigning for Republican candidates running in New York’s gubernatorial and congressional races, Trump suggested that an official declaration concerning the strait could come after Iran’s defeat.

“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said while stumping for Republican candidates in New York’s gubernatorial and congressional elections.

During the same Long Island appearance, Trump defended the economic consequences of his campaign against Iran, arguing that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons justified Americans temporarily facing higher fuel costs.

The president said accomplishing that objective was worth paying “a tiny little bit more for your gasoline,” adding: “I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing.”

{Matzav.com}

Energy Minister Eli Cohen emerged as the decisive winner of the Likud primaries, capturing first place as the final count reshaped the party’s prospective Knesset slate and left several veteran ministers and lawmakers facing the possibility of losing their seats.

Cohen finished more than 3,000 votes ahead of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who secured second place. Justice Minister Yariv Levin took third, followed by Transportation Minister Miri Regev in fourth and Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz in fifth.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch placed sixth, with Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar immediately behind him. Deputy Minister Almog Cohen, making his first run in a Likud primary after departing Otzma Yehudit, made a strong debut in eighth place. Ministers Amichai Chikli and Dudi Amsalem rounded out the top 10.

MK Moshe Saada captured the 11th position, while MK Tally Gotliv landed in 12th — a significantly weaker showing than projections that had suggested she could finish among the leading candidates.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi made a late move past MK David Bitan to claim 13th place, pushing Bitan to 14th. Boaz Bismuth finished 15th, followed by Ministers Nir Barkat, Ze’ev Elkin and Gila Gamliel. Gamliel edged out Eti Hava Atia to secure the third position designated for a woman.

Once the party’s reserved slots are factored into the final Knesset lineup, a number of sitting ministers and MKs are expected to fall outside positions considered realistic for entering the next Knesset. Among them are Ministers Ze’ev Elkin, May Golan, Avi Dichter and Idit Silman, along with MKs Nissim Vaturi, Keti Shitrit, Hanoch Milwidsky and Ariel Kallner.

Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu also scored victories in the regional contests, with all three candidates he endorsed winning their races. Erez Tadmor prevailed in the district encompassing Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Shfela; Shlomo Lerner won the Dan and Tel Aviv district; and Yehoshua Shuki Ohana captured the Galilee and Valleys district. Two other Netanyahu-backed candidates, Osnat Zohar and Dr. Ruth Kabbesa Abramson, did not win positions on the slate.

Netanyahu, who serves as Likud chairman, welcomed the outcome and said he was “very pleased.”

“The new Likud slate reflects renewal and the integration of new figures at the top of the list. Together with the reserved candidates to be appointed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who will further strengthen the slate, the Likud team led by Netanyahu will achieve a major victory and establish a broad national government immediately after the elections. This is the only way to prevent a left-wing government led by Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Lieberman, and the Arab parties,” Netanyahu said.

Likud issued its own statement after the results, saying: “Prime Minister Netanyahu thanks the Likud members who voted based on common sense and not political deals. Prime Minister Netanyahu also deeply appreciates those who did not secure a place on the slate, thanks them for their contribution, and intends to involve them in efforts to secure a Likud victory.”

The counting process began after polls closed Monday evening at 107 voting locations used by Likud members nationwide. After ballots were initially tallied at the individual polling sites, the boxes were slated to be transported to the Bloomfield Stadium complex in Tel Aviv for an additional count. Party officials had said the definitive results were not expected until the morning.

Likud reported that 75,177 members participated in the primary, producing a turnout of 53.5%. That represented a decline of approximately five percentage points compared with participation in the party’s previous primary election.

The voting was also accompanied by allegations of irregularities. Earlier in the process, Minister May Golan and MK Amit Halevi filed complaints with Likud’s Central Election Committee and called for counting at the Yeruham polling station to be stopped immediately. They alleged that votes were repeatedly erased, changed or recorded differently from the candidate names announced aloud, with corrections allegedly made only after a local observer objected and demanded that the records be fixed.

Regev, meanwhile, alleged Monday that the El Al workers’ union had mounted an effort to hurt her performance in the primary because of her move to allow expanded Wizz Air operations in Israel.

“Anyone who tells you ‘Miri Regev is secure’ wants to weaken me,” Regev said. “You know the El Al union decided to drop me from their slates. It’s all because I decided to bring in Wizz.”

Regev said the opposition would not cause her to reverse course on her plans for Israel’s aviation market. “I said I would lower flight prices, and that is what will happen,” she declared.

The transportation minister insisted that pressure from organized labor would not alter her position. “No union will intimidate me or extort me,” she added. “The citizens of the State of Israel come first.”

{Matzav.com}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has prepared a broad enforcement plan for Yehuda and Shomron that would take effect following the transfer of civilian enforcement authority, Border Police operations and administrative-order powers in the region to the Israel Police.

According to a report by Channel 14, the plan calls for a significant expansion of police and Border Police activity across Yehuda and Shomron, including administrative orders against far-left activists, renewed weapons searches in Chevron, the relocation of Border Police bases into Areas A and B, and joint training exercises with local emergency response teams.

One of the most significant elements of the proposal is the issuance of approximately 20 administrative orders against far-left activists, particularly those operating in the southern Chevron Hills. The report identified Guy Hirschfeld and Yonatan Pollak among those who could potentially be targeted by the orders.

The move would represent an expansion of the use of administrative enforcement measures to include activists on the political left.

Ben Gvir is also seeking to restore a more substantial Border Police presence in Palestinian cities as part of an effort to increase Israeli enforcement and operational activity. The plan reportedly calls for Border Police personnel to resume proactive operations, including searches of homes in Chevron for illegal weapons.

Another provision would permit individuals to enter the Me’aras Hamachpeilah while carrying firearms.

Under the plan, Border Police bases in Yehuda and Shomron would also be relocated into Areas A and B. The move is intended to shorten response times and give forces greater operational control and faster access to areas where incidents occur.

Ben Gvir’s proposal additionally calls for expanded cooperation between Border Police forces and emergency response teams in Jewish communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

According to the report, Border Police personnel would conduct joint exercises with the local teams, focusing particularly on scenarios involving terrorist infiltrations into communities and preparations for the possibility of a large-scale assault.

The training is intended to improve readiness for extreme security scenarios and prevent a repeat of the type of catastrophic infiltration and mass attack carried out on October 7.

If fully implemented, Ben Gvir’s plan would represent a significant change in both the distribution of enforcement authority and the nature of Israeli police and Border Police operations throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

{Matzav.com}

The remains of IDF soldier Yehuda Katz, who disappeared during the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yaqub and remained missing for more than four decades, have been located, the IDF announced Tuesday.

Military representatives informed Katz’s family that his remains had been identified, bringing an end to one of Israel’s longest-running cases involving a soldier missing in action.

Katz had been the final soldier from the Battle of Sultan Yaqub whose fate had remained unresolved. He disappeared during the fierce fighting in Lebanon 44 years ago and had been listed as missing ever since.

The discovery concludes a decades-long effort by Israel’s military and intelligence agencies to determine the fate of the three soldiers who vanished during the battle. In 2019, the remains of Zechariah Baumel were brought back to Israel in an operation facilitated with Russian assistance.

Six years later, in 2025, the Mossad carried out a classified operation that succeeded in recovering the remains of Zvi Feldman and returning them to Israel.

Katz, Baumel and Feldman all disappeared following the Battle of Sultan Yaqub on June 11, 1982. The fighting took place near a strategic crossroads south of the Lebanese village of Sultan Yaqub in the Bekaa Valley during the First Lebanon War.

The unresolved status of the three soldiers remained a painful national issue for decades. In 2004, then-IDF Chief Military Rabbi Rabbi Yisrael Weiss determined that the three should be officially designated as “fallen soldiers whose place of burial is unknown.”

Their families challenged that determination, however, petitioning against the ruling. The decision was subsequently withdrawn, leaving the three officially classified as missing as efforts to locate them continued.

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of Breslover chassidim preparing to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah 5787 are facing steep increases in transportation costs, with fares from European airports, border crossings and Ukrainian train stations rising by tens of percentage points compared with last year.

An examination by Emess comparing official price lists from the previous two years with newly published rates for Rosh Hashanah 5787 found substantial increases across nearly every major route and vehicle category. The report also found that the two primary transportation companies serving Uman travelers, Paichele and Uman Express, are advertising completely identical prices this year.

For travel from Chisinau, Moldova, to Uman, the cost of a private car increased from $500 to $550, a 10% rise. A VIP SUV climbed from $650 to $750, an increase of approximately 15.4%, while a five- to seven-passenger minivan jumped from $700 to $900, or roughly 28.5%. An 18-seat Sprinter rose from $1,400 to $1,500, approximately 7.1%.

Travel from Iasi, Romania, saw even sharper increases. A private car now costs $650, compared with $500 last year, representing a 30% jump. A VIP SUV rose from $650 to $800, approximately 23%, while a minivan climbed from $700 to $1,000 — an increase of approximately 42.8%. An 18-seat Sprinter increased from $1,400 to $1,700, or roughly 21.4%.

The journey from Bucharest to Uman has also become significantly more expensive. A private car increased from $950 to $1,100, approximately 15.8%, while a VIP SUV jumped from $1,100 to $1,400, or roughly 27.2%. Minivan prices surged from $1,200 to $1,700, an increase of approximately 41.6%, and Sprinter transportation rose from $2,300 to $2,800, or approximately 21.7%.

Travelers arriving through Poland are seeing similar increases. A private car from Rzeszow to Uman has risen from $800 to $1,000, a 25% increase. Minivans from Warsaw or Katowice, previously priced between $1,400 and $1,500, now cost $2,000, representing increases ranging from approximately 33% to 42%. Sprinter transportation from those cities has increased from roughly $2,700-$2,750 to $3,200, approximately 17%.

Prices have also climbed for travelers continuing to Uman from Ukrainian railway stations. A private car from Vinnytsia, previously costing between $150 and $180, now costs $210. Minivan service from Vinnytsia has jumped from approximately $210-$250 to $350, while a minivan from Khmelnytskyi now costs $600, compared with $400-$480 previously.

Perhaps the most striking finding in the new price lists is that Paichele and Uman Express are advertising precisely the same rates for every vehicle category, destination, border crossing and surcharge examined in the report, without even a one-dollar difference between the two companies.

A senior Breslov community activist sharply criticized the situation, raising concerns about possible price coordination in a market where travelers have few alternatives.

“It is simply terrible to see how prices are skyrocketing in such an extreme and unprecedented manner from year to year, placing an unbearably heavy financial burden on the chassidim. But even more serious is that the only two companies currently providing transportation services are matching their price lists and presenting completely identical prices. There is a serious concern of price coordination in a closed market. When there are only two options on the ground and they are completely coordinated, the public becomes captive and has no alternative or opportunity for free competition on the way to Rabbeinu.”

The transportation companies rejected the implication that the higher rates were arbitrary, pointing instead to sharply rising operating costs caused by the continuing war in Ukraine, fuel prices, infrastructure problems and shortages of available drivers.

Paichele told Emess: “The increase in prices is an unavoidable reality resulting directly from the war in Ukraine and Russia’s bombardment of power stations and fuel infrastructure in the country. Fuel prices have nearly tripled and continue to rise consistently, and last winter there was almost no electricity in the country. In addition, there has been a sharp increase in all cost-of-living indexes and logistical expenses in Ukraine, making it extremely difficult to operate the transportation system.”

Uman Express offered a similar explanation, saying its rates reflect significantly higher costs on the ground.

“It is important for us to clarify that the prices were determined according to actual costs, which have risen very significantly this year. The main factor is the sharp increase in fuel prices in Ukraine, and in addition, there is a significant shortage of drivers who are able and permitted to leave Ukraine, which makes it very difficult to find available drivers and increases operating costs. Beyond that, prices throughout the Ukrainian market have risen considerably, not only for pilgrims but also for the local population. We were forced to adjust prices to the existing reality, and we are making every effort to maintain fair prices without compromising service, safety and reliability.”

{Matzav.com}