Feed aggregator

Five former presidents of Israel’s Supreme Court issued a sharply worded public statement on Monday condemning the government’s decision regarding the Second Authority Council, warning that refusing to comply with High Court rulings would deal a severe blow to Israeli democracy.

The statement was signed by former Supreme Court Presidents Aharon Barak, Dorit Beinisch, Asher Grunis, Esther Hayut, and Uzi Vogelman.

Referring to the government’s decision, they wrote, “In light of the decision adopted yesterday by the Government of Israel regarding the Second Authority Council, we warn of the unprecedented gravity of this decision, whose clear meaning is a call by the government to disregard and disobey court orders.”

The retired justices continued, “Failure to comply with court orders and rulings is the final nail in the coffin of democracy. It is a step that completely disrupts the system of government and the rule of law in the state, leading to anarchy and concentrating all governmental authority in the hands of a single body. Such a reality would make the proper functioning of society impossible.”

They added that, “In order to prevent this destructive outcome, it is appropriate for the government to state the obvious—that court rulings and judicial decisions must be obeyed.”

Meanwhile, Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Amir Yaron also addressed the controversy during an interview with Channel 13 News.

“High Court judicial decisions are binding on all institutions,” Yaron said. “A government announcement that it will not comply with a High Court ruling undermines business certainty in the economy.”

A significant decline has been recorded in the number of chareidi recruits joining the IDF’s Chashmonean Brigade, with a new report attributing the drop to the recent wave of arrests targeting yeshivah students.

According to a report published by Walla, dozens of chareidi candidates who had already begun the screening and enlistment process for the Chashmonean Brigade have withdrawn or halted their applications in recent months.

The report states that during the most recent enlistment cycle in May, only about 97 new soldiers joined the brigade, despite an estimated annual pool of approximately 14,000 potential chareidi recruits.

Conversations with candidates cited in the report indicate that the recent increase in arrests has been the primary reason many chose to abandon the enlistment process. The broader public debate over drafting chareidim, together with pressure from within the chareidi community, has also affected their willingness to continue.

The findings echo comments made by Sgt. Maj. (Res.) Elchanan Wasserman, the former head of recruitment for the IDF’s Chareidi Chashmonean Brigade and current director of the Derech Yoav preparatory academies, in a recent interview.

During the interview, Wasserman issued a stark warning to policymakers and law enforcement officials regarding the arrest of yeshivah students who do not enlist.

“These arrests are taking us on a 100-meter sprint—but in reverse,” he said. “They are not helping increase chareidi enlistment; they are preventing it.”

{Matzav.com}

In a departure from the traditional vacation destinations favored by many admorim, the Vizhnitzer Beit Shemesh Rebbe has chosen to spend his summer retreat in the Shomron city of Emanuel, where he is expected to remain for an entire week. The unprecedented visit has generated tremendous excitement among the city’s chassidic residents, who are preparing to welcome the Rebbe for what is being described as a historic Shabbos.

Residents of Emanuel, home to a growing chassidic population, have warmly welcomed the announcement. It will mark the first time a Rebbe of such stature will spend an extended Shabbos and several days among the city’s residents.

The visit also represents a notable shift in the Rebbe’s customary summer plans. Until two years ago, the Vizhnitzer Beit Shemesh Rebbe would spend several weeks in the British resort town of Llandudno, Wales, together with his father-in-law, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe. Last year, after the Vizhnitzer Rebbe remained in Israel due to health concerns, the Beit Shemesh Rebbe traveled to Leżajsk, Poland, for a two-week retreat. This year, however, he has chosen to spend his vacation in Emanuel, a city known for its thriving Torah and chassidic communities.

The decision is closely tied to the steady growth of the Rebbe’s own chassidic community in Emanuel over recent years. The local congregation has expanded alongside dozens of Vizhnitzer chassidim affiliated with his father-in-law’s court. The Rebbe has consistently encouraged young chassidim to settle in the city and regularly visits to monitor the community’s development, though he has never before remained for such an extended stay.

According to the current schedule, the Rebbe is expected to arrive this Thursday, on the eve of Parshas Mattos-Masei, the 24th of Tammuz, and remain in Emanuel until the following Thursday, Parshas Devarim, the 2nd of Av.

Throughout the week, residents and chassidim will have opportunities to seek the Rebbe’s guidance and receive his brachos. The highlight of the visit will be Shabbos Parshas Mattos-Masei, when the Rebbe will lead the tefillos and conduct his tishen for the entire community. Large crowds are expected to attend the uplifting gatherings.

Members of the local organizing committee are completing final preparations for the Rebbe’s arrival, as Emanuel readies itself for what many residents expect to be one of the most significant events in the city’s history.

{Matzav.com}

Thousands gathered in Netanya as the Yenuka, Rav Shlomo Yehuda Be’eri, delivered a moving hesped and words of chizuk following the tragic murder of the mekubal Rav Amos Guetta zt”l. During his emotional address, the Yenuka shared a remarkable personal story about his first encounter with Rav Guetta nearly twenty years ago, offering a rare glimpse into the slain tzaddik’s extraordinary spiritual stature.

A profound sense of grief filled the gathering as the Yenuka came to comfort Rav Guetta’s family and the countless talmidim and admirers left devastated by his brutal murder.

Addressing the family, bnei yeshivah, and the assembled crowd, the Yenuka opened with visible emotion.

“I am in tremendous, tremendous pain,” he said.

He cited the Gemara in Maseches Rosh Hashanah, which compares the passing of tzaddikim to the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, and quoted the words of the novi Yeshayah: “הצדיק אבד ואין איש שם לב” — “The righteous man has perished, and no one takes it to heart.”

The Yenuka emphasized that Rav Amos had devoted every ounce of his life, strength, and soul to Klal Yisroel, tirelessly bringing distant Jews closer to Torah, offering heartfelt tefillos, and caring deeply for every Jew who crossed his path.

He went on to compare the horrific murder to the killing of Zechariah Hanavi, whose blood was spilled unjustly. Crying out in anguish, he lamented that the generation had descended to such a painful low that “there is no consolation for such a loss.”

To highlight the severity of bloodshed, he referenced the Gemara in Maseches Yoma describing the Kohanim ascending the kevesh of the mizbei’ach, declaring, “There is no bloodshed more terrible or more horrifying than this. The heart cries out to the heavens.”

The most riveting moment of the address came when the Yenuka recounted his very first meeting with Rav Amos nearly two decades ago.

He explained that shortly after his eighteenth birthday, following a celebration held in Netanya, he traveled in the middle of the night—at approximately two o’clock in the morning—to Rav Guetta’s bais medrash to receive a brachah.

“I entered the bais medrash alone and saw an angel of Hashem,” the Yenuka recalled.

He described finding Rav Guetta seated alone in the empty shul, his head bowed, appearing either asleep or immersed in lofty spiritual realms.

The Yenuka stood beside him silently for approximately twenty minutes, davening quietly without disturbing him. When he finished, he kissed Rav Guetta’s head and garment before quietly leaving.

The following day, he related, Rav Guetta astonished those around him.

“Tell the Yenuka that I know he stood beside me for twenty minutes and davened,” Rav Guetta said. “I know he was with me.”

The Yenuka said the incident revealed the extraordinary spiritual level attained by Rav Guetta.

He added that from that first encounter onward, the two maintained a close relationship spanning many years, exchanging correspondence and messages through talmidim and trusted intermediaries.

As he concluded his remarks, the Yenuka called upon the thousands in attendance, the bnei yeshivah, and the broader community to preserve their revered rebbe’s legacy—a life defined by compassion, ahavas Yisroel, and an unparalleled commitment to bringing Jews closer to Torah.

He also offered heartfelt blessings to Rav Guetta’s son, Rav Moshe, while strengthening the widow and the rest of the family during their difficult time.

At the conclusion of the gathering, large crowds pressed forward hoping to receive the Yenuka’s blessing.

“Remember that he is alive and exists with us,” the Yenuka concluded. “He has not left us, and he will not leave us. His light remains with us forever,” he said, invoking the teaching of Chazal that tzaddikim are considered alive even after their passing.

Renovation work at the tziyun of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman came to an unexpected halt after workers uncovered a long-sealed underground shaft near the main entrance to the complex. The discovery, made as preparations intensify for the annual Rosh Hashanah kibbutz, has temporarily suspended construction in the area.

The shaft was exposed during flooring and renovation work being carried out to prepare the tziyun for the arrival of the tens of thousands of mispallelim expected to flock to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

According to Ichud Breslov, the shaft descends into an underground chamber measuring approximately two meters deep and two meters wide. Although its existence had been documented in the past, its original purpose and the circumstances surrounding its excavation remain a mystery. The entrance to the chamber had been sealed ever since major expansion work at the tziyun complex was completed in 1998.

Following the discovery, Ichud Breslov chairman Rav Nosson Ben Nun immediately ordered all work in the surrounding area to cease. He also directed that the underground shaft be permanently sealed by filling it with concrete.

Ichud Breslov announced that once the Tishrei season concludes, it intends to launch an extensive reconstruction project encompassing the entire tziyun complex.

In the meantime, preparations for the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage continue at full pace. Volunteers from Ichud Breslov, together with Breslover chassidim who have already arrived in Uman, are assisting in readying the holy site to accommodate the massive crowds expected to gather for the Yom Tov.

[COMMUNICATED]

Dear Fellow Yidden,

Four years ago, I took achrayus of the Kesher organization because I could not turn away from the heartbreaking tzaar of so many precious young women still waiting, hoping, and davening for their shidduch. Behind every name is a bas Yisroel, a family, and tears that Klal Yisroel must not ignore.

Hagaon HaRav Dovid Schustal gave voice to this pain at this year’s Adirei HaTorah, speaking of the הצנועות באחותינו צרות מאות ואלפים הרבה, who are בצער שרויות, still waiting to find their zivugim hagunim.

When I assumed leadership of Kesher four years ago, I restructured the organization to answer that cry: supporting dedicated shadchanim, guiding volunteers, and creating the structure needed to bring more shidduchim to life. Baruch Hashem, in just the last two years, Kesher has helped make over 275 shidduchim—275 moments of joy, relief, and new beginnings.

This is a responsibility that rests upon all of us. I ask you to stand with me in this avodas hakodesh, so that together we can continue helping bnos Yisroel find their zivugim and build beautiful homes in Klal Yisroel, b’ezras Hashem.

Rabbi Moshe Bender
Nasi, Kesher

Click HERE to donate!

The Knesset on Monday night approved in its first reading legislation to establish a national state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre, the ensuing Iron Swords war, and the events leading up to the attack. The measure passed with the backing of the coalition and the chareidi parties, while the opposition boycotted the vote and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was absent.

The bill, sponsored by MK Ariel Kallner, was approved by a vote of 59-0, with no votes against and no abstentions after opposition factions declined to participate. The legislation will now return to the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee for preparation ahead of its second and third readings.

Under the proposal, the commission would consist of six members selected with the support of at least 80 members of Knesset. If such broad agreement cannot be reached, an alternate mechanism would take effect, allowing the coalition and opposition to each appoint three members.

The legislation also calls for released hostages and members of bereaved families to participate as observers on the commission. In addition, its hearings would generally be open to the public and broadcast to ensure transparency.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized both the bill and the coalition’s approach, announcing that opposition parties would boycott the vote.

“The opposition will not be part of a sham whose entire purpose is to whitewash and prevent an investigation into the greatest disaster to befall the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Lapid declared.

He added that, “In the first month of the next government, we will establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre.”

{Matzav.com}

A newly released poll suggests New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s re-election race against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is becoming increasingly competitive, as the two traded pointed attacks Monday during Hochul’s visit to Long Island.

Hochul made appearances in both Nassau and Suffolk counties, where she dismissed a Blakeman campaign mailer that linked her and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to high taxes, soaring utility costs, and crime.

“That’s interesting — because it’s not based on fact,” she claimed while announcing a new $100 million grant program in Freeport to fund law enforcement technology.

Rather than accepting blame for rising costs, Hochul pointed the finger at Republicans in Washington, arguing that support for President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran and his tariff policies had increased financial pressures on New Yorkers.

She also accused the Trump administration of playing politics by withholding federal disaster assistance for New York following the severe February blizzards.

“They think it’s hurting me, but it’s backfiring,” Hochul insisted.

The governor’s comments came as a new survey showed Blakeman closing the gap in the gubernatorial contest.

According to the poll, conducted by co/efficient on behalf of the Coalition to Protect Nassau Taxpayers, Hochul leads Blakeman by just six percentage points among likely general election voters, receiving 47% support compared with Blakeman’s 41%, while 12% remain undecided.

The polling firm earned credibility during the 2022 governor’s race by accurately projecting that Hochul’s contest against then-Rep. Lee Zeldin would be far closer than most public polls suggested. Hochul ultimately won by six percentage points, matching co/efficient’s September 2022 forecast.

The latest results differ significantly from several other public polls that have shown Hochul holding a double-digit lead, with some placing her advantage as high as 20 points.

The survey also suggested that concerns about socialism could become a significant issue in the race. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they were either concerned or very concerned about socialism, while 45% said they were not.

Despite those findings, Hochul rejected the notion that New York is moving toward socialism and portrayed herself as a pragmatic leader willing to work with officials across the political spectrum, including both President Trump and Mamdani.

“We are not becoming a socialist state because of an election of a number of individuals in New York City,” Hochul insisted during an interview on 103.9 Long Island News Radio before her visit.

“My job is continue to work with whomever the voters want me to work with,” she told host Jay Oliver, referring to Mamdani and the slate of Democratic Socialists of America candidates who won several contests in last month’s Democratic primaries.

Hochul concluded her Long Island trip in Suffolk County, where she signed legislation authorizing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to acquire the former Lawrence Aviation property, a move intended to help preserve the Setauket–Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail.

Blakeman quickly fired back after Hochul’s visit.

“You can stage all the photo ops you want, Kathy. New Yorkers know you created this mess — and I actually made our neighborhoods safer,” Blakeman snipped in a statement.

His campaign also defended the mailer that prompted Hochul’s criticism.

“Every New Yorker needs to know that the Hochul-Mamdani team is the reason their taxes and utility bills are soaring, while Bruce Blakeman has the plan to slash income taxes and cut utility bills in half,” campaign spokeswoman Madison Spanodemos said.

The poll also underscored Hochul’s political challenges beyond the head-to-head matchup, finding that only 32% of likely voters hold a favorable opinion of the governor.

“Hochul is deeply disliked across the state,” said co/efficient pollster Ryan Munce.

{Matzav.com}

A potentially deadly incident unfolded Monday evening when Border Police officers, backed by IDF troops, rescued ten Israeli civilians who became trapped inside the Palestinian city of Qalqilya after entering the area in an effort to recover a stolen motorcycle.

According to police, the group entered Area A—where Israeli citizens are prohibited from entering—after receiving information that a motorcycle stolen from the city of Elad had been taken into Qalqilya.

Authorities said the situation quickly deteriorated once local residents realized the group was Israeli. Dozens of Arabs reportedly converged on the scene, attempting to isolate the four vehicles carrying the civilians and surround them. Security forces were immediately dispatched after receiving reports of the unfolding confrontation.

Border Police officers and IDF soldiers arrived and used riot-control measures to push back the crowd while creating a protective corridor around the stranded Israelis. The forces successfully evacuated all ten civilians from the city without injury and transferred them to security officials for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.

During the operation, Border Police officers also succeeded in locating the stolen motorcycle and returned it to its owner.

Following the rescue, Israel’s defense establishment once again stressed that Israeli citizens are strictly forbidden by law from entering Area A, warning that doing so places their lives in immediate danger.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] A gang of masked burglars carried out a meticulously planned early-morning break-in at the Lalique Museum in northeastern France on Sunday, escaping with jewelry valued at an estimated €4 million (more than $4.5 million). The stunning theft is the latest in a string of high-profile museum robberies that have rattled France in recent months.

Investigators said the thieves struck at approximately 5:30 a.m. in Wingen-sur-Moder, where they forced their way into the museum before heading directly to the jewelry gallery. Once inside, they smashed six display cases and quickly fled with roughly 20 pieces of jewelry, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

“Around twenty pieces of jewelry were stolen. The loss is currently being assessed but could amount to several million euros, likely close to four million (over $4.5 million),” one investigative source said.

Authorities noted that although the stolen items were crafted from Lalique crystal rather than precious gemstones, they remain highly valuable works of art and cannot simply be melted down and resold like conventional jewelry.

Following the burglary, museum officials announced that the facility will remain closed for several days while investigators examine the crime scene and assess the damage.

Officials said the museum’s alarm system activated during the break-in, but a breakdown in the security response allowed the thieves to escape before authorities arrived.

“An alarm went off, but by the time the security company had completed its checks, it was a cleaning lady who arrived first on the scene and called the police,” the investigative source explained.

Police are now reviewing surveillance footage in hopes of identifying those responsible.

The museum, which opened in 2011 adjacent to the historic Lalique factory, celebrates the work of famed Art Nouveau and Art Deco master René Lalique. Its collection includes more than 650 rare creations, ranging from intricate Art Nouveau jewelry to Art Deco glassworks and modern crystal masterpieces.

Wingen-sur-Moder Mayor Christian Dorschner sharply criticized the handling of the incident, arguing that while the museum’s alarm systems functioned properly, the private security response fell far short.

“All the alarms went off, just as they should. And then with the security company, apparently, there was a major failure on their part: they didn’t intervene right away, they didn’t inform the gendarmes,” Dorschner said.

He also suggested the perpetrators were highly organized and had likely studied the museum beforehand.

“They were surely well informed to carry out this job in that way; they must be … specialists,” the mayor said.

The Lalique Museum had already been considered a high-risk site after last October’s breathtaking eight-minute robbery at Paris’ Louvre Museum, where thieves escaped with jewelry valued at approximately $102 million, including several historic French crown jewels.

Although authorities eventually arrested suspects in the Louvre case, nearly all of the stolen treasures remain missing. Only one crown was recovered after it was dropped during the suspects’ escape.

That robbery prompted a security review, which reportedly found that 35 percent of the galleries in the Louvre’s Denon Wing were not covered by surveillance cameras. The stolen jewels also lacked private insurance, in accordance with French law.

The Lalique burglary is only the latest in a growing wave of museum thefts across France.

Last October, authorities arrested a woman accused of stealing gold artifacts from the Natural History Museum in Paris.

Just a month earlier, thieves stole three priceless porcelain pieces classified as national treasures from the Adrien Dubouché National Museum in Limoges.

In November 2024, four men armed with axes and baseball bats stormed Paris’ Cognacq-Jay Museum in broad daylight, smashing display cases and escaping with several 18th-century works of art. That robbery ultimately resulted in an insurance payout exceeding $4 million to the Royal Collection Trust.

Only one day later, another museum in the Saône-et-Loire region was targeted in an armed robbery, with thieves making off with jewelry worth several million dollars. The latest heist has renewed concerns over the security of France’s museums and cultural institutions as authorities race to stop an increasingly bold pattern of organized thefts.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Severe weather continued to wreak havoc across New Jersey on Monday, as part of the roof at a BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ocean Township collapsed during intense flooding, while communities in Paramus remained busy clearing widespread storm damage left behind over the holiday weekend.

The partial roof collapse occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. at the BJ’s Wholesale Club on Route 35 in the Oakhurst section of Ocean Township, according to the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said 27 people were inside the store when the collapse occurred. Miraculously, no injuries were reported.

Officials said two individuals were briefly trapped beneath the damaged structure but were able to free themselves without assistance before safely evacuating the building along with everyone else. Ocean Township Police Chief Michael Sorrentino and Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden confirmed that all occupants exited the store safely.

“This incident is another reminder of how quickly severe weather can create dangerous and unpredictable conditions,” Golden said.

The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning for Ocean Township that remained in effect until 3:15 p.m. Monday as torrential rain inundated roads and businesses.

The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office released images showing several vehicles submerged in deep floodwaters along Route 35.

“Please stay clear of the area and allow emergency personnel to safely respond,” the sheriff’s office urged in a social media post.

Elsewhere in New Jersey, cleanup operations continued Monday in Paramus, where crews spent the day removing fallen trees from homes, roadways, vehicles, and power lines following powerful storms that struck on Saturday.

Residents said the continuing threat of severe weather has left many families anxious as recovery efforts continue.

Neighborhood after neighborhood, work crews used heavy equipment to clear piles of storm debris left scattered across the community.

“From first look, it doesn’t look too bad. But I am curious to see what we are supposed to do next,” homeowner Kevin Kim said.

Kim, who purchased his home just one month ago, said he is still waiting to learn the full extent of the damage to his roof.

“All of the wind started to just pick up, and we saw this first tree fall, and then it landed right in front of our doorstep. And while we were looking at that, we saw this one start to slowly fall and then it – when it hit the roof – the whole house shook,” Kim recalled.

Throughout Paramus, trees crashed onto homes, vehicles, fences, roadways, and utility lines, leaving many neighborhoods without electricity. Numerous residents are relying on generators while waiting for service to be restored.

“The timeline, earliest, would be sometime today. The latest estimate would be Friday this week,” Mary Ferrazzano said.

Paramus Mayor Chris DiPiazza said municipal offices have fielded roughly 250 calls from residents since the storms struck Motzoei Shabbos, with emergency crews continuing to respond around the clock.

“We are asking our residents to just be patient. Our departments are all hard at work,” DiPiazza said.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has officially launched work on the proposed Tziklag Airport, a new international airport expected to accommodate up to 10 million passengers annually, as officials prepare for a dramatic increase in air travel over the coming decades.

According to a report by Kan News, planning for the Tziklag project is now underway, with the project’s planning centers expected to open in early 2028.

The report said the Tziklag project is advancing more rapidly than the long-discussed Ramat David Airport proposal, raising the possibility that the northern project could ultimately be shelved. However, officials involved in the Ramat David initiative told Kan 11 that both airports could still be built. Others argue that such a scenario is unlikely, citing the multibillion-shekel cost of constructing two major airports as well as unprecedented opposition from residents near the proposed Ramat David site.

The push for a second major airport comes as passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport continues to surge. Last Thursday, approximately 85,000 travelers passed through the airport in a single day—the highest daily total since the outbreak of the “Roaring Lion” war. The Israel Airports Authority expects that record to be broken again within days.

During the current month alone, Ben Gurion Airport is expected to handle roughly 2.3 million passengers, despite the fact that more than half of the foreign airlines that suspended service to Israel have yet to resume operations.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent war, approximately 24 million passengers traveled through Ben Gurion Airport in 2019. By 2040, annual passenger traffic is projected to reach about 40 million, underscoring the need for a second major airport to ease the growing demand.

The planned Tziklag Airport is expected to have the capacity to serve approximately 10 million passengers each year.

{Matzav.com}

Asher Binyamin W., a 25-year-old resident of Bnei Brak who is facing charges of spying for Iran, claims that he and other inmates have been subjected to abuse by the Israel Prison Service. The allegations were first reported by Army Radio.

According to W., prison guards have thrown stun grenades at inmates even when there was no disturbance taking place. He further alleges that prisoners have been beaten, forcibly restrained, ordered to kneel, and threatened by guards pointing rifles at their heads.

Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled on Sunday that W.’s petition regarding the alleged abuse should be heard by the Tel Aviv District Court.

The allegations come months after W. sought a renewed hearing on his detention, arguing that a major investigative error by the Shin Bet significantly undermined the prosecution’s case against him.

In February, approximately 15 months after his arrest and the filing of national security charges against him, W. petitioned the Tel Aviv District Court for a review of his detention. He is accused of passing information to an Iranian agent.

His defense argued that the Shin Bet made a critical error in analyzing computer data, resulting in a flawed timeline that substantially altered the evidentiary picture and ultimately led prosecutors to amend the indictment.

W.’s attorneys, Elad Ret and Noam Barkovitz of the Public Defender’s Office, contended that the evidence supporting his detention had effectively collapsed. They pointed to an incident in which W. allegedly photographed the home of a nuclear scientist near the Weizmann Institute and transmitted the images to a foreign contact. The original indictment claimed that W. knew the homeowner was a professor of nuclear physics.

According to a report by Ynet, prosecutors based that allegation on computer records indicating that W. had searched the scientist’s name on Google before taking the photographs, suggesting he knew the target’s identity in advance. The defense, however, maintained that W. consistently told investigators he had no idea who lived at the home when he took the pictures and only searched the scientist’s name after returning home. They argued that investigators dismissed his explanation without adequately examining it.

A forensic expert retained by the defense concluded that investigators failed to account for Israel’s time zone when extracting the computer data, creating a three-hour discrepancy between the actual search time and the time listed in the indictment. After correcting the timestamps, the Google search was shown to have taken place at 5:50 p.m.—after the photographs had already been taken.

As a result, Ynet reported that prosecutors amended the indictment, revised the factual allegations, and reduced the most serious charge. Instead of accusing W. of providing information to an enemy with the intent of harming Israel’s security—a crime punishable by life imprisonment—he is now charged with the lesser offense of providing information that could have benefited an enemy.

{Matzav.com}

Tensions between the coalition and United Torah Judaism escalated sharply on Monday after Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz reportedly warned the party that if it votes against legislation sponsored by Minister Orit Struck, the coalition will halt progress on the proposed Basic Law protecting Torah study.

According to sources, Katz conveyed the message to UTJ leaders ahead of key Knesset votes scheduled for the day. The warning came amid growing friction over the coalition’s legislative agenda and the ongoing dispute surrounding the draft law.

In an effort to prevent a full-scale coalition clash, Katz met with Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni in hopes of reaching an understanding that would allow coalition legislation to continue advancing.

At the same time, UTJ has threatened to vote against all coalition-backed bills brought to the Knesset, including legislation establishing a commission of inquiry as well as additional bills sponsored by the Religious Zionism party.

The dispute extends beyond Struck’s bill. UTJ is also threatening to delay approval of the transfer of Interior Ministry powers to the Prime Minister’s Office, arguing that the government should appoint a permanent interior minister instead of repeatedly shifting the ministry’s authority.

During UTJ’s faction meeting on Monday, Gafni criticized the government’s approach, declaring, “Instead of transferring powers from the Interior Ministry every week, they can appoint a permanent minister.”

Gedolei Yisroel have issued strong protests against a decision by the Tiveriah municipality to remove separation barriers along the city’s waterfront near the main road leading to the kever of Rav Meir Baal Haness, warning that the changes have created a serious ruchniyus concern for the many mispallelim who visit the site.

At the forefront of the campaign is Rav Moshe Sternbuch, who released a sharply worded letter calling on the tzibbur to avoid traveling or even walking along the affected route. His call has been joined by members of the Eidah HaChareidis beis din in Yerushalayim as well as the rabbonim of Tiveriah, who have likewise urged the public to stay away from the area.

The controversy stems from the municipality’s opening of a new public beach along the waterfront in lower Tiveriah, situated on the primary road connecting the ancient cemetery with the kever of Rav Meir Baal Haness. According to those protesting the move, the beach was opened without appropriate separation barriers or even basic changing facilities.

Critics say the location of the main parking lot, directly across the road from the beach, has resulted in bathers repeatedly crossing the busy roadway, creating what rabbonim describe as a serious breach in kedushah and tznius along one of the principal routes used by visitors traveling to the kever.

Before launching a public campaign, the rabbonim of Tiveriah, led by Rav Avraham Halberstam, son of the Sanzer Rebbe and rov of the Sanzer kehillah in Tiveriah, reportedly sought to resolve the matter through discussions with municipal officials and other relevant authorities.

After those efforts failed to produce a solution, the issue was presented to Rav Sternbuch. Following detailed discussions outlining the extent of the problem, he instructed that a broad public campaign be undertaken without compromise.

In his letter, Rav Sternbuch wrote: “Everyone must take care not to pass along this road, which is a place of impurity and promiscuity, as the city’s rabbis and the rabbinical court have already warned.”

He continued: “There is another route by which one can reach the tomb of Rav Meir Baal Hanes without passing through there. Likewise, Torah institutions and girls’ schools should not rent facilities in this area, since the entire location is presumed to be [spiritually] dangerous. The severity of the prohibition against passing there is very great, and some say it falls under the category of ‘be killed rather than transgress’ by entering a place of impurity.”

Rav Sternbuch concluded his letter with a forceful appeal to those responsible for the situation: “And to those responsible for this, I call to correct this matter, and they should fear for their lives lest the wrath of G-d befall them. Every individual should pour out his heart like water over the pain of the Divine Presence.”

Separately, the members of the Eidah HaChareidis Badatz issued their own public letter supporting the campaign. The rabbonim of Tiveriah also signed a sweeping psak prohibiting use of the roadway, citing the halachic principle that an alternate route is available, eliminating any need to travel through the area.

ABC’s “The View” reportedly turned down a request from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to feature two Democratic socialist congressional candidates on the program, as the network carefully navigates an ongoing Federal Communications Commission investigation into its handling of political guests.

According to Semafor, representatives for Mamdani approached the daytime talk show about appearing alongside Democratic congressional candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez. The show reportedly responded that it could not include the congressional hopefuls while taking a cautious approach amid the FCC’s continuing equal-time review.

The reported decision comes against the backdrop of growing tensions between “The View” and figures within Mamdani’s political circle.

Semafor reported that some of the mayor’s allies were particularly upset over the program’s recent political commentary, especially remarks made by co-host Sara Haines concerning Avila Chevalier.

During a recent episode, Haines said of Avila Chevalier: “I’m gonna full-blown call her an antisemite. She would proudly call herself that, trust me.”

According to the report, one of Mamdani’s aides later complained to ABC executives, warning that Haines’ comments could influence whether the mayor and other Democratic socialist candidates choose to appear on the show in the future.

Avila Chevalier, an outspoken anti-Israel candidate who has also advocated abolishing prisons, defeated five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat in Manhattan’s 13th Congressional District. Meanwhile, Queens Assemblywoman Claire Valdez secured the Democratic nomination in the open 7th Congressional District.

The reported booking decision suggests the FCC investigation launched by Chairman Brendan Carr may already be affecting editorial decisions at one of television’s highest-profile political programs, even though the commission has not yet taken formal enforcement action against ABC or “The View.”

Last week, The New York Post reported that a conservative media watchdog urged the FCC to deny renewal of ABC’s broadcast licenses, arguing that the network has demonstrated partisan bias.

According to Semafor, “The View,” once a regular campaign stop for politicians ranging from President Trump to Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris, has not hosted a candidate running in a competitive midterm election since Carr announced the FCC inquiry in February.

The show has continued inviting elected officials who are not engaged in contested races, including Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

Murphy appeared on the May 26 broadcast to promote his new book, while Vance joined the program on June 16.

Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who is seeking reelection this year but did not face a primary challenger, also appeared on the show in March.

The FCC’s inquiry stems from “The View’s” Feb. 2 interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico.

Carr has argued that the appearance may have implicated the federal equal-time rule, which generally requires broadcasters to provide comparable opportunities to opposing candidates seeking the same office.

ABC has vigorously disputed that interpretation, maintaining that “The View” has been recognized by the FCC for more than 20 years as a bona fide news interview program exempt from the equal-time requirement. In a filing with the commission, the network argued that the investigation “threaten[s] to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech.”

The FCC has opened the matter for public comment but has not yet issued a final ruling or taken any public enforcement action against the daytime talk show.

{Matzav.com}

The family of Charlie Kirk is bracing for an emotionally difficult week as his widow, Erika Kirk, prepares to attend a key court hearing where prosecutors are expected to present graphic evidence in the murder case against accused gunman Tyler Robinson.

A source familiar with the case said the upcoming five-day preliminary hearing in Provo, Utah, is expected to be especially painful for Kirk’s relatives and close friends, many of whom plan to be present in the courtroom.

“It’s going to be a tough week on everybody,” a source familiar with the situation said of Charlie’s family and friends planning to attend Tyler Robinson’s five-day evidence hearing in Provo, Utah.

According to the source, prosecutors are expected to introduce disturbing material during the proceedings, giving family members the option to step outside if they choose.

“There is going to be evidence presented which the family may choose to leave the courtroom for,” the source said. “That’s their prerogative. They are going to make those decisions when in court.”

In Utah, a preliminary hearing allows prosecutors to present the evidence supporting their case so a judge can determine whether sufficient probable cause exists to move forward with a trial. The hearing serves as the state’s alternative to seeking a grand jury indictment.

Among the evidence expected to be presented before Judge Tony Graf are graphic videos of the fatal shooting, along with autopsy-related evidence. The hearing began Monday.

It remains uncertain whether photographs of Kirk’s body will be shown during the proceedings.

Attorneys for both the prosecution and defense have agreed to alert Kirk’s family before especially graphic evidence is displayed, allowing them to leave the courtroom if they wish.

Robinson, 23, is accused of fatally shooting the 31-year-old Kirk from a distance as he addressed a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University in Orem on September 10.

Prosecutors allege Robinson later confessed to the killing in messages exchanged with his transgender partner, Lance Twiggs. Those communications are expected to be introduced as evidence during the hearing.

The prosecution is also expected to present a recorded interview conducted with Twiggs as part of its case.

Twiggs, 22, who previously shared a residence with Robinson, met with prosecutors on April 20 to discuss the defendant and his alleged actions.

Earlier this year, Twiggs was seen staying with relatives in Texas. Prosecutors granted him limited immunity in exchange for his cooperation during the interview.

If Robinson is convicted, he could face the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea to the charges.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu on Monday publicly appealed to President Trump to prevent Turkey from acquiring advanced F-35 fighter jets, arguing that such a move would dramatically shift the military balance in the Middle East and threaten Israel’s strategic advantage.

The request comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to press for his country’s return to the F-35 program during this week’s NATO summit in Ankara, despite bipartisan opposition in Washington.

Speaking during an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” Netanyahu warned that Turkey’s current leadership poses a serious regional threat. “Turkey is a great country, but it’s governed by a man who calls openly for the annihilation of Israel,” Netanyahu said. “He occupies half of Cyprus, a NATO country. He’s threatening Greece, another NATO country. And he talks openly about conquering Jerusalem.”

Netanyahu cautioned that allowing Turkey back into the F-35 program—or supplying it with engines for advanced fighter aircraft—would have serious consequences. “I don’t think they should be given F-35s or the engines for their fighter jets because that’ll upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is ultimately guaranteed by Israeli air superiority and also by America’s posture in the Middle East.”

The F-35 is widely regarded as one of the world’s most advanced multirole fighter aircraft. Israel currently operates a fleet of more than three dozen of the stealth jets.

Turkey was expelled from the multinational F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system. U.S. officials argued that the Russian missile platform could be used to gather sensitive intelligence about the F-35’s capabilities.

Although Turkey fields NATO’s second-largest military after the United States, it has frequently clashed with fellow alliance members, particularly Greece, over longstanding territorial disputes in the Aegean Sea.

In 2019, Erdogan’s government also faced sanctions from the United States and several European nations after launching a major military offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

Turkey’s relationship with Russia has likewise been marked by both cooperation and conflict. In 2015, Turkish forces shot down a Russian Su-24 fighter jet after it entered Turkish airspace, an incident for which Erdogan later apologized.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Erdogan sought to portray Turkey as maintaining ties with both sides, declaring in 2023: “I trust Russia just as much as I trust the West.”

Despite that statement, Turkey has supplied military assistance to Ukraine, supported Kyiv’s aspirations to join NATO, and worked to counter Russian influence in the Black Sea. At the same time, Ankara previously delayed NATO membership bids by Finland and Sweden over Sweden’s handling of Kurdish activists.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated sharply since Israel launched its military campaign against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist massacre.

Netanyahu accused Erdogan’s government of embracing increasingly extreme anti-Israel rhetoric. “His foreign minister, his number two, said that the Jewish state hasn’t a place among humanity,” Netanyahu vented. “Basically, it has to be wiped out. His interior minister, he looks forward to be the government, governor of Jerusalem.”

The prime minister went on to describe the Turkish government as “a regime infected by the Muslim Brotherhood, an extreme movement that hates America and chants ‘Death to America’ from that side of the spectrum.”

Despite Netanyahu’s concerns, President Trump has repeatedly praised Erdogan in the past, describing the Turkish leader as an “extraordinary leader” and a “good friend.”

{Matzav.com}

In honor of its historic 50th anniversary, ArtScroll is celebrating with something truly extraordinary: a once-in-50-years sale featuring 50 sefarim and books each week for 5 weeks at their lowest prices ever! 50% off list price! Plus, FREE SHIPPING in the USA on orders over $79. No gimmicks!

For five weeks only — July 6 through August 9 — ArtScroll will feature a new group of 50 titles on sale each week. That’s 250 books and sefarim over the course of the celebration, all at an unprecedented 50% off list price!

These are not ordinary sale prices. They are the lowest prices ever offered on these titles — and they won’t last. Each weekly sale runs for that week only. Once a title sells out, or once the week ends, those prices are gone.

It’s a rare opportunity to build your library, stock up on gifts, purchase that set or title you have always wanted, and bring more Torah learning into your home — at savings that may never return.

AND THAT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING!

Throughout the five-week celebration, ArtScroll is giving away more than $50,000 in prizes!

Each week, one winner will receive a $10,000 ArtScroll list-price gift card. Thousands of dollars in additional prizes will be awarded weekly as well, including digital libraries, one-of-a-kind book sets, exclusive ArtScroll items, and special prizes that can’t be purchased anywhere.

Best of all, entry is free — no purchase necessary! Enter just once, and your entry counts toward all five weekly giveaways.

Fifty years. Five weeks. Fifty titles each week. Fifty percent off. And more than $50,000 in prizes!

This is ArtScroll’s biggest celebration — and its biggest savings ever.

Shop this week’s 50% off sale today!

Enter the $50,000+ giveaway now!

Don’t delay — this week’s titles are only here for a week!

{Matzav.com}

More than eight decades after vanishing during a dangerous World War II reconnaissance mission, the remains of a young U.S. Army Air Forces pilot have finally been identified, bringing long-awaited closure to a case that remained unsolved for generations.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced on July 1 that 1st Lt. Franklin H. McKinney, who was just 21 years old when he disappeared, was officially identified on May 15 through forensic testing, ending an 80-year search for the missing aviator.

McKinney disappeared on Nov. 5, 1944, while piloting an unarmed F-5E-2-LO Lightning reconnaissance aircraft. Assigned to the 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron of the 14th Air Force, he had departed from Yunnanyi, China, on a mission to photograph targets in Thailand and Burma but never returned.

Following his disappearance, personnel from the American Graves Registration Service searched along the aircraft’s expected route near the Chinese-Thai border. Despite their efforts, they found no trace of the plane or its pilot.

With no evidence of the crash ever discovered, McKinney’s remains were not recovered after the war, and he was officially declared dead in March 1946.

The case was revived in 2010 when Daniel Jackson, then a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy, began researching McKinney’s disappearance.

Jackson joined forces with Sakpinit Promthep of the Royal Thai Air Force Museum and American researcher Richard Hakanson. Their combined research uncovered new clues that pointed investigators toward a possible crash site in Thailand.

Among their discoveries was a wartime report preserved by the Royal Thai Air Force Museum describing an aircraft believed to have been struck by lightning before crashing in what is now Lampang Province. Investigators also located a witness whose recollections helped narrow the search area.

A major breakthrough came in 2017 when 94-year-old Fong Inma told researchers she had personally witnessed the aircraft crash into an area that later became a rice field near Mae Kua village. Her testimony convinced U.S. officials to launch a formal investigation of the site.

Survey teams examined the location in both 2019 and 2021 before a full-scale excavation was carried out in 2022.

During the recovery effort, investigators located aircraft debris along with possible human remains. The materials were transported to a forensic laboratory, where modern scientific testing ultimately confirmed that the remains belonged to McKinney.

Before his return home, McKinney was honored during a repatriation ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand.

He will now receive a burial with full military honors in the United States. A bronze rosette will also be added beside his name on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, marking that he has now been officially accounted for.

Reflecting on the years-long effort, Jackson wrote, “After almost 82 years, Frank McKinney is home again. America has kept its promise.”

McKinney served with the famed 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Redhawks,” whose pilots flew hazardous, unarmed reconnaissance missions over Japanese-controlled territory, gathering aerial intelligence that enabled Allied commanders to monitor enemy movements and plan operations across China, Burma, and Thailand.

Military historians have long credited the squadron’s intelligence-gathering missions with making an important contribution to the Allied war effort in the China theater.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues its worldwide mission to locate and identify missing American service members through archival research, archaeological excavations, DNA analysis, and other advanced forensic methods.

According to the agency, more than 81,000 Americans who went missing during World War II have still not been accounted for.

{Matzav.com}