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Following recent remarks by the Stoliner Rebbe permitting limited smartphone use under strict conditions, senior mashpi’im within the Stoliner chassidus have moved to sharpen and clarify his message, stressing firm boundaries and warnings against misuse.

At his Zos Chanukah tish, the Stoliner Rebbe addressed the issue of owning and using smartphones for work and livelihood. The Rebbe explained that it cannot be said that “smartphone use is categorically forbidden simply because it carries risks. Drawing a comparison, he said that just as driving a car is inherently dangerous yet permitted when used carefully, a smartphone may also be used with proper caution, strong protections, and safeguards in place.”

At the same time, the Rebbe emphasized that not every young man who gets married needs to immediately purchase a smartphone, stressing that doing so is certainly not a mitzvah. He also cautioned that even those who do use such a device should not make a point of displaying it publicly, such as using it openly in the street.

In the wake of these remarks, Stoliner mashpi’im have held conversations with chassidim over the past week to further define the parameters of the Rebbe’s guidance. While stressing that the Rebbe acknowledged the necessity and acceptability of smartphones for genuine needs, they stressed the importance of clear limits and discipline in their use.

According to those discussions, the mashpi’im warned strongly against chilul Hashem in the way smartphones are used. They reiterated the Rebbe’s view that “there is no justification for casual or unnecessary use in public spaces, such as on the street or on buses, and that usage should be strictly limited to real needs.”

They further clarified that the Rebbe’s comments “do not override the longstanding directive within the chassidus discouraging the purchase of smartphones before the age of 25, a guideline that remains fully in effect.” This, they noted, aligns with the Rebbe’s own words that there is “no obligation to acquire a smartphone immediately after marriage.”

Additionally, the mashpi’im addressed the question of daily usage time, urging that only those who genuinely need a smartphone should use one at all. Even then, they emphasized that it should not become a source of wasted time, recommending that use be “limited to a maximum of one hour per day.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, on Thursday delivered a sharp response to petitions challenging the continued tenure of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, urging the High Court of Justice to issue a conditional order requiring Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to explain why he has not removed Ben Gvir from his post.

In a formal submission to the High Court of Justice, the attorney general argued that a conditional order is necessary to shift the burden onto the prime minister to justify his inaction, given what she described as a substantial factual record regarding Ben Gvir’s conduct since his appointment.

According to Baharav-Miara, Ben Gvir has “abused his position” in an effort to exert improper influence over the Israel Police in some of the most sensitive areas of law enforcement and criminal investigations, actions she said undermine fundamental democratic principles. She maintained that the prime minister has failed to put in place safeguards or mechanisms to ensure the professional, impartial, and nonpartisan functioning of the police, despite repeated warnings.

Her response followed claims by petitioners that Netanyahu is obligated to exercise his authority and dismiss the minister. Summarizing her position, the attorney general concluded that the court should issue an order compelling the prime minister to explain why Ben Gvir has not been removed from office.

In her filing, Baharav-Miara wrote that, in light of the extensive factual foundation concerning the minister’s conduct—both since his appointment and prior to it—combined with the absence of guarantees for the proper and equitable operation of the police, and Netanyahu’s failure to act, the issuance of a conditional order is required to transfer the burden of persuasion to the prime minister.

About a month ago, the attorney general sent Netanyahu a strongly worded letter warning of what she described as “sweeping and systematic political interference” in police work. She cautioned that the minister’s actions could cause tangible harm to police operations and significantly erode the rule of law.

She further warned that excessive political intervention in police activity, particularly when carried out by bypassing professional command structures, raises serious concerns about “critical harm to police independence.” Such actions, she added, do nothing to address the ongoing need to strengthen public trust in and backing for the police.

Ben Gvir responded with an unusually harsh statement, launching a personal attack on the attorney general. “Gali Baharav-Miara is a criminal who obstructed investigations in matters where the High Court ruled that she was in a conflict of interest,” he said. “She fabricates cases against elected officials, public servants, and senior officers, openly works to carry out a coup against a democratically elected government, to cancel laws, sabotage decisions, and derail appointments—and now the peak: an attempt to remove elected officials.”

He concluded by vowing to continue fighting what he described as her actions, saying he would not rest “until her conduct is investigated,” and adding, “Israel will not be a mafia state.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, visited Thursday evening at the home of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch to receive his blessing and guidance ahead of the upcoming conference, which is scheduled to be held in Israel for the first time in seventy years.

The meeting lasted close to twenty minutes and focused primarily on the state of antisemitism around the world, particularly in Europe. During the conversation, Rav Goldschmidt raised several complex questions confronting rabbis in the diaspora, including the role of liberal rabbis, public criticism of Israel, and whether a rabbi may enter a church under specific circumstances. Rav Hirsch responded to the questions and indicated that it is possible he may personally attend the conference in Yerushalayim.

Earlier this week, Rav Goldschmidt also visited the homes of Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman and Rav Boruch Dov Povarsky to seek their brachos and invite them to the gathering.

The Conference of European Rabbis was established after the Holocaust to provide rabbinic and halachic leadership for surviving Jewish communities across Europe. Over the decades, the organization, under Rav Goldschmidt’s leadership, has become a central address for religious affairs, fighting government decrees against shechitah and kashrus and engaging in diplomatic efforts to combat antisemitism. The conference convenes a major international assembly once every two years.

This year’s conference was originally scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, but was postponed following the outbreak of the war in Israel. A later plan to hold the event in the month of Kislev was canceled at the last moment due to concrete security threats from Iran. Since the conference had not convened for several years, its leadership decided to move forward this year and hold it in Israel, both as a show of rabbinic solidarity with the Jewish state and for security reasons.

The gathering is now expected to take place in less than a month at the Olive Tree Hotel in Yerushalayim, with approximately 400 rabbis from around the world anticipated to attend.

During the visit, Rav Goldschmidt explained the scope and importance of the event and formally invited Rav Hirsch to participate. “The organization has existed for seventy years, and 300 rabbis will be coming to Israel for the conference in Jerusalem. We wanted to invite the rosh yeshiva to attend. Rabbis from all circles — from right to left — will be coming, all Torah-observant, and they need chizuk, because they are suffering from antisemitism,” he said.

Rav Goldschmidt then raised a question regarding Jewish communities in countries such as Spain and Norway, whose governments are strongly opposed to Israel yet continue to provide support to local Jewish communities. “There is a question I have been asked. In several European countries, like Spain and Norway, the government is very anti-Israel, but they still support the Jewish community. They are asking whether they should leave or stay,” he said.

Rav Hirsch asked for clarification: “From where to where do they want to move — to Israel or to other countries?” When Rav Goldschmidt replied, “Some to Israel, some to England — the question is a general one,” Rav Hirsch answered firmly, “There is no safe place. They should come.”

The discussion then turned to public criticism of Israel by rabbis abroad. Rav Goldschmidt described a recent incident in which around 100 rabbis, most of them from the United States and largely aligned with the political left, published a letter urging Israel to send food to Gaza during a period when humanitarian aid had been halted. He asked whether rabbis outside Israel should publicly express opinions or criticism of the Israeli government.

After a long pause, Rav Hirsch responded sharply: “In reality, everything that happened in Gaza is a lie — a lie of Hamas. They forget that they received Gaza from Prime Minister Sharon and could have built a normal society there. Instead, they chose to go out and massacre us and kill Jews. They forget the history.”

Rav Goldschmidt noted that some rabbinical court judges refuse to sit together with rabbis who spoke out against the Israeli government over Gaza. Rav Hirsch asked, “Did they really go out against the government — are these liberal rabbis?” Rav Goldschmidt replied, “Yes, they were Orthodox rabbis who are more aligned with the left.”

Rav Goldschmidt also recounted a recent meeting with the King of Spain, describing the pressure facing European leaders. “He told me that they always supported the Jewish community, but after what is happening in Gaza, they cannot support the Jews. I told him that on the contrary, now is exactly the time to support the Jewish community, because people on the street do not distinguish between Jews and the Israeli government. If you don’t support them, Jews will start getting killed in the streets — and he told me I was right,” Rav Goldschmidt said.

Rav Hirsch asked about the current situation, saying, “Even now, after the war, are Jews still suffering everywhere?” Rav Goldschmidt replied, “Today it is somewhat less, but there is a partial, silent boycott of Jews — in respect, in the economy, and in academia.”

Rav Hirsch responded, “Boruch Hashem, the economy in Israel is very strong. Many people from abroad are coming to invest in Israel. That is clear Divine assistance.”

A particularly sensitive halachic question was then raised regarding Chile, where a new Orthodox rabbi could be appointed as an adviser to the president. The role would require accompanying the president to church services twice a year. Rav Goldschmidt asked whether the rabbi could accept the position.

Rav Hirsch responded methodically. When asked whether entering a church would be part of the job, and hearing that it had been until now, he initially stated, “This is similar to what was said to Elisha — asking for forgiveness. I think it is forbidden to take the position.”

As the discussion continued and more details were clarified, Rav Hirsch asked what the rabbi would actually be required to do in the church. Rav Goldschmidt answered that he would merely need to enter alongside the president, without participating in any ritual. Rav Hirsch then ruled conditionally: “If that is the case, it may be permitted. It is a completely different matter if he does not have to do anything there.”

Toward the end of the meeting, Rav Goldschmidt renewed his invitation for Rav Hirsch to attend the conference. Rav Hirsch asked, “If I need to come, on which day would I come?” Rav Goldschmidt replied, “We will adapt ourselves to the rosh yeshiva, no matter which day.”

{Matzav.com}

I want to begin by thanking New York State Senator Sam Sutton and Assemblyman Micah Lasher for introducing legislation to create a buffer zone outside houses of worship. At a time when intimidation, harassment, and threats near religious institutions are becoming more frequent, their willingness to acknowledge this reality and act deserves recognition. That said, […]

A new and decisive public opinion poll points to a clear political picture if elections were held today, with the right-wing bloc securing a solid parliamentary majority and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu holding a commanding lead over all rivals in head-to-head matchups for the premiership.

The survey, broadcast Thursday evening on Channel 14’s main news edition hosted by Magi Tavori, was conducted by pollster Shlomo Filber among 736 respondents and is considered representative of the Israeli electorate as a whole. According to the findings, the right-wing bloc would win 66 Knesset seats, compared to 44 seats for the left-wing bloc and 10 seats for Arab parties — a gap that establishes a stable governing majority for the right.

Breaking down the projected seat distribution by party, Likud emerges as the largest faction with 35 seats. Shas and Naftali Bennett’s party follow with 11 seats each. The Democrats would receive 10 seats, Yisrael Beytenu 9, and both United Torah Judaism and Yesh Atid would win 8 seats apiece. Otzma Yehudit is projected at 7 seats, while Ra’am, Hadash–Ta’al, and Religious Zionism would each secure 5 seats. Balad and Blue and White would fail to cross the electoral threshold.

The poll also examined voter preferences for prime minister in direct suitability questions, revealing a wide margin in favor of Bibi Netanyahu. Netanyahu leads with 54 percent support, far ahead of Naftali Bennett at 23 percent. Gadi Eisenkot follows with 12 percent, while Yair Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman each receive 5 percent. Benny Gantz trails with just 1 percent.

{Matzav.com}

Independent journalist Nick Shirley fired back at a CBS News reporter after a network video disputed Shirley’s claims that several Minnesota daycare centers he filmed were operating fraudulently.

The dispute centers on a video posted to CBS News’ X account by Jonah Kaplan, a reporter with the network’s Minneapolis affiliate, in which Kaplan said his review of nearly a dozen daycare locations highlighted by Shirley did not uncover evidence of fraud. The segment described the effort as CBS News offering “its own analysis” of the sites that appeared in Shirley’s viral reporting.

In the video, Kaplan acknowledged that some of the facilities had been cited for regulatory issues but argued that those findings should not be conflated with fraud. “We visited those sites too, as did state inspectors many times over the last six months, and we found the facts on the ground tell a different story,” Kaplan said. “Those daycares, many of them were written up for safety violations, things like maybe busted equipment or staff training issues, but that’s not the same as being fraudulent, so it’s important to put all of this into context.”

Kaplan’s post quickly drew criticism online, including from Shirley himself, who challenged the reporting and its presentation. Responding on X, Shirley wrote, “Why don’t you go to a daycare yourself, and you will see it first hand. Or you can just keep yapping on selfie mode.”

Fox News Digital reported that it contacted Kaplan and CBS News seeking comment, but did not receive a response.

Shirley’s original reporting consisted of a 42-minute video posted over the weekend on X and YouTube, documenting his visits to multiple daycare centers across Minnesota. In the footage, several locations appeared largely inactive despite continuing to receive millions of dollars in public funding.

Kaplan later expanded on CBS’ findings in a report that aired Tuesday on CBS Evening News, stating that all but two of the locations Shirley visited held active licenses. The report also noted that CBS News had “visited and called several of the day care centers on Monday but received no responses.”

State officials also moved to counter Shirley’s allegations. Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Tikki Brown said previous inspections had not produced evidence of fraud. “We are aware of a video that’s being circulated that has gained local and national attention about childcare centers in Minnesota,” Brown said during a Monday news conference. “While we have questions about some of the methods that were used in the video, we do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously.”

The controversy prompted a federal response as well. Following the viral spread of Shirley’s video, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that it would halt childcare payments to Minnesota.

{Matzav.com}

Concerns about the direction of New York City under its new leadership were voiced sharply Thursday by Rudy Giuliani, who used a Newsmax appearance to criticize Mayor Zohran Mamdani over both symbolism and ideology following Mamdani’s inauguration.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “Newsline,” Giuliani took aim at Mamdani’s decision to take the oath of office on the Quran, Islam’s holy book, arguing that the text itself is hostile to Jews and Christians. “Has anyone ever read the Quran?” Giuliani asked during the interview, describing it as “an antisemitic book, anti-Western book, anti-Christian book.”

Giuliani went on to claim that Mamdani aligns himself with what he termed “Islamic Orthodox” beliefs and faulted the mayor for not condemning the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. He alleged that the new mayor maintains “warm relationships with people associated with” Hamas and asserted that some individuals connected to Mamdani have made anti-Jewish statements.

While religion figured prominently in his remarks, Giuliani said his deeper worry centers on public safety and what he views as a broader ideological threat. According to Giuliani, “the whole movement of the Islamic Orthodox is to destroy Western civilization,” a claim he said should alarm New Yorkers beyond partisan lines.

When asked to identify his greatest concern among Mamdani’s policy positions and campaign pledges, Giuliani said his focus was not economics or governance style, but ideology. He described his “number one thing” as what he called “Islamic extremist” beliefs.

“I’m more concerned about his being an Islamic extremist than I am even [about him being] a communist,” Giuliani said, referring to Mamdani, who has rejected the communist label while describing himself as a democratic socialist. “We’ve dealt with communists,” Giuliani added.

Giuliani also criticized federal authorities and past administrations, accusing them of minimizing the role of Islamist ideology in acts of violence. He urged Muslims who oppose extremism to speak out more forcefully, saying silence has allowed radical voices to dominate public perception.

“Yes, there are good members of Islam. Most of them are,” Giuliani said. “Most of them are [law-abiding] but most of them are too …. quiet about it.”

Looking ahead, Giuliani predicted serious trouble for the city under Mamdani’s leadership, citing what he sees as dangerous politics and priorities that will shape the administration’s path. “You can make all the happy, happy, silly predictions you want,” Giuliani said. “The man will be a disaster.”

{Matzav.com}

Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian activist who led protests at Columbia University, says his relationship with Zohran Mamdani started after Mamdani was “the first to call for my release.”

The U.S. Coast Guard said it was searching for a 77-year-old woman who fell overboard from a Holland America cruise ship that departed from Port Everglades over the weekend.

A shift in Albany tax policy is taking shape after New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Thursday that she will seek to exempt tipped income from state taxation in the coming fiscal year.

According to a statement released by her office, Hochul plans to fold the measure into her fiscal year 2027 budget proposal. The plan would remove state income taxes on up to $25,000 in tips earned during tax year 2026, bringing New York in line with the federal “no tax on tips” policy championed by President Donald Trump and enacted nationwide as part of his sweeping tax overhaul.

“I’m kicking the new year off with a proposal of no state income tax on tips, continuing my efforts to make New York more affordable for hard working New Yorkers,” Hochul said.

The governor’s announcement follows weeks of criticism suggesting that heavily Democratic states were dragging their feet on adopting Trump-backed tax relief at the state level. The New York Post reported that critics warned such delays could leave working-class residents paying higher state taxes even as their federal tax bills decline.

Republicans, the Post noted, have targeted New York, Illinois, and California for failing to move quickly to ensure tipped workers receive immediate relief locally, not just federally.

Political pressure has also come from within Hochul’s own state. Service-industry employees have argued that eliminating taxes on tips would offer tangible relief amid rising rents and daily expenses, an issue that has taken on greater urgency as Hochul prepares for a reelection bid this year.

“If we weren’t taxed on our tips, we’d be able to save more, we’d enjoy life a little more, maybe we wouldn’t have to pick up that extra shift,” bartender Rion Gallagher told the Post in remarks published last week.

In her press release, Hochul framed the proposal as part of a broader affordability agenda, saying her administration has returned more than $9 billion to New York households since she took office. Her office pointed to recently enacted middle-class tax cuts, a major expansion of the child tax credit, and statewide minimum wage increases, including a hike to $17 an hour in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.

The state-level move comes amid continued attention on the federal “no tax on tips” provision included in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which was signed into law on July 4. ABC 13 in Rochester reported that the federal policy allows eligible workers to deduct up to $25,000 in qualified tips annually from 2025 through 2028.

The station reported that the change applies to a wide range of tipped professions, including restaurant servers, bartenders, hairdressers, and housekeepers. Restaurant owners told ABC 13 that the provision could help stabilize staffing and support an industry still recovering from the disruptions of the COVID era.

One Rochester-area restaurant owner described the policy as a “great incentive” for attracting and retaining workers, while employees said that even limited tax relief can have an outsized impact on families living paycheck to paycheck.

Hochul’s announcement also follows pointed criticism from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who used X to label Hochul and other Democratic governors “Grinches Who Stole Christmas” for failing to quickly mirror Trump’s tax cuts at the state level.

The governor responded dismissively to the jab, deriding the post as “Grinch fanfic.”

Although Hochul is now advancing a no-tax-on-tips proposal, conservatives argue that the real issue is why it took mounting pressure from working-class voters—and the popularity of Trump’s federal tax agenda—to prompt action in Albany.

Still, the move underscores a broader political reality: even in deep-blue New York, Trump-backed tax relief has become increasingly difficult for state leaders to ignore.

{Matzav.com}

Mayor Mamdani says that he will keep open the recently-created Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism. “That is an issue that we take very seriously, and as part of the commitment that we’ve made to Jewish New Yorkers, to not only protect them, but to celebrate…”

Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City on Thursday, taking over one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics with a promise to transform government on behalf of the city’s striving, struggling working class. Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in at a decommissioned subway station below City Hall just after midnight, placing his […]

MAMDANI: “While only action can change minds, I promise you this; If you are a New Yorker, I am your Mayor. Regardless of whether we agree, I will protect you.”

Signals from the Justice Department suggest that a long-running inquiry into alleged political misuse of federal power may be approaching a turning point, with developments expected to accelerate in 2026. Attorney General Pam Bondi has indicated that federal investigators are closing in on what she views as years of coordinated misconduct inside Washington.

In written answers provided to Just the News, Bondi said she has instructed prosecutors and agents across the country to examine what she described as systemic abuses of authority. “At my direction, our U.S. Attorneys and federal agents are actively investigating instances of government weaponization nationwide,” Bondi said, characterizing the alleged actions as “a ten-year stain on the country committed by high-ranking officials against the American people.”

According to Bondi, the conduct she is targeting spans multiple administrations and cannot be dismissed as disconnected events. She portrayed the investigations tied to the Trump–Russia narrative and later probes of President Donald Trump and his allies as part of a single, sustained effort. “Under President Trump, we are fixing the damage and delivering justice,” she added.

Bondi’s comments echo arguments previously advanced by FBI Director Kash Patel, who last year circulated an internal memo suggesting that alleged wrongdoing linked to the Russia collusion storyline could be treated as an ongoing conspiracy. Such a designation, Patel argued, could allow investigators to reach conduct that would normally be time-barred.

Patel has also drawn attention for discoveries made inside the FBI. A source told Newsmax in July that he located sensitive records connected to the origins of the Trump–Russia probe in a concealed room at bureau headquarters, confirming earlier reporting by Fox News Digital.

Recent court activity has added to the sense that the investigation is advancing. The Washington Examiner reported that federal prosecutors in South Florida appear poised to move forward, citing records showing that Chief Judge Cecilia Altonaga approved the formation of a grand jury in Fort Pierce beginning January 12. While the order does not outline the matter under review, the outlet noted that it is consistent with earlier reports that a new grand jury was being prepared to examine alleged misconduct surrounding the Trump-era investigations.

Bondi has not publicly identified the precise venues where prosecutors are operating, but officials told Just the News that a substantial portion of the inquiry is based in Florida. That location is notable, as it is the same state where the FBI carried out its August 2022 search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.

The attorney general also leveled sharp criticism at the FBI, accusing the bureau of enforcing justice unevenly. She alleged that the agency “shielded political figures like Hunter Biden and Hillary Clinton while pursuing conservatives for their beliefs,” and pointed to information indicating that some agents internally questioned whether there was adequate probable cause for the Mar-a-Lago search.

Bondi further addressed reports involving former CIA Director John Brennan, whose attorneys reportedly sent a letter to Altonaga seeking court oversight of any grand jury proceedings connected to the probe. Bondi said the request revealed anxiety among those she called “bad actors,” adding that they were attempting to preserve “a two-tiered justice system. … No more.”

Those developments followed reports that Brennan and several former FBI officials had been subpoenaed as part of the investigation. Whether the Florida grand jury ultimately returns criminal charges remains an open question.

Still, with Bondi publicly framing the matter as a decade-long conspiracy and a grand jury set to convene early next year, the inquiry appears to be entering what could be its most consequential stage.

Additional context emerged last fall when Patel pledged greater transparency after disclosures that, during the Biden administration, the FBI obtained toll records of several Republican senators in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol protest. Senator Chuck Grassley described that surveillance as “worse than Watergate.” Patel labeled the activity “baseless monitoring,” said the bureau had dismantled the CR-15 squad, and confirmed that employees had been dismissed, with further accountability promised.

Questions about timing and legal limits have also been raised by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who suggested in July that statute-of-limitations issues might not apply if investigators treat the alleged conduct as a continuing conspiracy. Ratcliffe said he believes former President Barack Obama and senior intelligence officials worked together to undermine Trump, arguing that in conspiracy cases, the clock begins to run only with the “last act.”

{Matzav.com}

The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced that it is delaying the cancellation of thousands of migrant truck driver licenses.

Following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, the commander of U.S. Africa Command visited Somaliland.