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Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has declared that his party will refuse to join Israel’s next governing coalition unless an agreement is reached to regulate the status of yeshiva students, making the military draft controversy a central condition for Shas’s participation in any future government.

The declaration comes ahead of Tuesday’s Knesset elections, as chareidi political leaders face mounting pressure over the failure to resolve the status of yeshiva bochurim amid the ongoing military recruitment controversy.

Deri’s position applies regardless of which political leader is tasked with forming the next government. According to his statement, Shas will insist on an acceptable arrangement concerning yeshiva students before agreeing to enter a coalition.

The ultimatum places the draft issue at the center of potential coalition negotiations following the election, when parties seeking to assemble a parliamentary majority may need the support of Shas and other chareidi factions.

In an interview with Kikar HaShabbat on October 14, Deri said the position was rooted in the instructions of the late Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

“We are continuing in the path of Maran. Maran told us to do everything, absolutely everything, to regularize the status of yeshiva students, with the principle being that anyone who studies Torah should continue,” Deri said.

He emphasized that the demand had already been communicated publicly by both himself and Rav Yitzchak Yosef.

“We declared it. Maran the Rishon L’Tzion said it in his own voice, and I said it: There will be no government in Israel that Shas supports or participates in without regularizing the status of yeshiva students. How can we accept this sword hanging over them, with the arrests?”

Deri also sharply criticized the renewed arrests of yeshiva bochurim, alleging that the enforcement measures were being used for political purposes rather than to address the military’s manpower needs.

He accused the attorney general and opposition figures of seeking to inflame tensions surrounding the draft controversy, arguing that arrests would lead to demonstrations without producing additional soldiers.

“Everyone admits that not a single arrest brings a soldier. Nothing!” Deri declared, according to the interview.

He further accused the attorney general of acting maliciously and encouraging a confrontation that would provoke protests by the Peleg Yerushalmi.

“There’s no doubt that was the goal!” Deri said.

His criticism culminated in a pointed declaration: “We survived Pharaoh; we’ll survive this too.”

Deri’s position closely mirrors the ultimatum issued by United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher, who has likewise insisted that his party will neither enter nor support a government that fails to enact legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students.

Asher has stressed that coalition promises and future commitments will not be sufficient, insisting instead on actual legislative action.

The dispute has become one of the principal issues confronting Israel’s chareidi parties following the collapse of efforts to pass an acceptable draft law during the outgoing Knesset.

The absence of legislation has left thousands of yeshiva bochurim facing uncertainty over their military status, while enforcement proceedings and arrests have triggered widespread protests.

Deri has repeatedly maintained that the responsibility of Shas is to protect those who devote themselves to Torah learning and to secure a lasting legislative arrangement.

In a more recent interview with Kol Chai, published October 21, Deri went further, making clear that Shas would be prepared to face another election rather than establish a government without resolving the issue.

Asked directly whether the party would maintain its position even at the cost of another election, Deri responded: “Absolutely! We will not establish a government or swear in a government without this issue being resolved.”

He said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was aware of the demand and argued that the legislation would require sufficient parliamentary support.

“The prime minister knows this, and he says it himself,” Deri said. “There’s nothing to do; it will take some time, but that’s why we need to make sure we have 61.”

Deri expressed confidence that parties currently hesitant about the legislation would ultimately have to confront the issue during coalition negotiations.

“Those who hesitated a little in the right-wing parties will understand that without this, there is no government,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has renewed his endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, calling on Israeli voters to return Netanyahu to office so the two leaders can complete their campaign against Iran and preserve what Trump described as their extraordinary military achievements.

In a message published Sunday on Truth Social, Trump again threw his support behind Netanyahu, reposting his endorsement from the previous week and emphasizing the close partnership between Washington and Yerushalayim. The president credited their cooperation with severely weakening Iran’s military capabilities, damaging its economy, and preventing the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons.

“To the people of Israel, to those who haven’t seen it, I am attaching the Endorsement I gave one week ago to your Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu. As everyone is aware, including the enemy, Bibi and I have had a great relationship in winning together. I did the Venezuelan attack, one of the most successful Military Operations in History but, before that, we did Operation Midnight Hammer, stopping the World’s Number One State Sponsor of Terror from obtaining a Nuclear Weapon. Then we did Operation Epic Fury, and Iran now has No Navy, No Air Force, and both their Military and Economy are in shambles, including the fact that Iran’s Inflation is at 301%. The Naval Blockade has precluded them from getting Oil, and two levels of leadership, both Military and otherwise, are gone,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

President Trump, my friend Donald – thank you for your extraordinary endorsement. Israel has never had a greater friend in the White House. Together we will never let Iran's regime get nuclear weapons. Thank you for your clarity, courage and unwavering support.@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/GqaOVB74Dj

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 18, 2026

Trump’s message presented Netanyahu’s reelection as essential to maintaining the pressure on Tehran, arguing that the two countries must continue working together until the threat posed by Iran has been eliminated.

He urged Israelis to remember Netanyahu’s record when casting their ballots, portraying the prime minister as a wartime leader who had played a central role in confronting Israel’s enemies.

“When you go to the Polls please remember that Bibi has been an outstanding Warrior Prime Minister! Israel was called The Little Satan, with the United States being called The Big Satan, by some very evil people. There can no longer be the chant heard around the World of ‘Death to America, Death to Israel,’ and there won’t be. Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started!”

The renewed endorsement follows Trump’s public declaration of support for Netanyahu one week earlier, when he argued that replacing the Israeli prime minister could jeopardize the military and diplomatic progress achieved against Iran.

In that earlier message, Trump praised Netanyahu as a vital American partner and described the Iranian regime’s longstanding threats against Israel and the United States as a danger that could no longer be tolerated.

“To the Great People of Israel: Bibi Netanyahu has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its 51 year old chant, ‘Death to Israel, Death to America! We will destroy the Little Satan and the Big Satan,'” Trump wrote. “What Country can survive when things such as this are allowed to be said, because eventually, they always end up being true?”

The president argued that American and Israeli military operations, combined with economic restrictions, had dramatically reduced Iran’s ability to threaten either country. Nevertheless, he warned that the campaign against Tehran was not necessarily over and that further measures could be taken if the Iranian leadership failed to change course.

“It would have been only a question of time until Iran would have put that ominous phrase into effect, but they have been systematically destroyed, both Militarily and Financially, and unless they change their ways, rapidly, we will soon finish the job.”

Trump also issued a pointed warning about the consequences of a Netanyahu defeat, suggesting that the United States could be left to confront Iran without the same level of Israeli cooperation.

“If Israel has the wrong Leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so,” Trump warned.

The president’s decision to renew his endorsement comes at a critical moment for Netanyahu, with Israelis scheduled to vote on Tuesday, October 27. Recent election surveys have indicated that Netanyahu’s existing coalition may fall short of the 61 Knesset seats required to form a majority government, leaving the prime minister facing a difficult reelection battle.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu and figures close to him had been seeking another public statement from Trump in the final days of the campaign. According to Axios, the two leaders spoke twice over three days, and Netanyahu suggested possible language for additional endorsements, including the possibility of Trump speaking directly with Israeli journalists.

The reports indicate that Netanyahu has placed considerable importance on securing Trump’s backing, apparently calculating that the American president’s popularity among Israeli voters could help strengthen his electoral position.

The endorsement is particularly notable because Trump had previously avoided taking sides in the Israeli election. Despite their longstanding relationship, the two leaders have experienced disagreements in recent months over the handling of Iran and other regional issues.

In a telephone interview following his original endorsement, Trump explained that he had always intended to support Netanyahu but had deliberately waited before making his position public.

“I was always going to do that. I just didn’t want to do it too soon,” Trump said.

He also emphasized the importance of having a dependable Israeli leader.

“It is important that Israel has a person they can count on,” the president said.

Asked whether he could work with a different Israeli prime minister, Trump left the question open.

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. Who wants to take the chance?”

Following Trump’s initial endorsement, Netanyahu released a video thanking the president and emphasizing their shared determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The prime minister also sought to connect the confrontation with Tehran to the economic concerns of Americans, arguing that allowing Iran to become a nuclear power would have severe consequences for global energy markets.

“Let me say to the American people,” he said, “if you’re worried about today’s gas prices, think of what will happen if Iran gets nuclear weapons – something that Donald Trump and I will never allow.”

Netanyahu went on to predict that the collapse of Iran’s current government would produce a substantial reduction in fuel prices.

When the Iranian regime “disappears,” Netanyahu continued, “gas prices will go down, and how – but only under Trump.”

The prime minister also praised Trump’s leadership and his role in strengthening the security of Israel and its allies.

“The world has been fortunate,” said Netanyahu, “America has been fortunate, America’s allies have been fortunate, Israel has been fortunate, and the Jewish people have been fortunate” to have a leader like Trump.

In a separate telephone conversation after the first endorsement, Netanyahu told Trump that their joint efforts against Iran remained unfinished and that they also had further work to accomplish in expanding the Abraham Accords.

“Donald, we have a job to finish [in Iran]…and we’ll finish it together. We’ll finish it, and no one else will do it,” Netanyahu said.

Trump responded by praising Netanyahu’s resilience and expressing confidence in his prospects.

“You’re a warrior. You’ve been treated unfairly by your country and probably some others also… But you’re a great warrior, and we will prove that.”

The president added, “I think you’re terrific. I was always going to do [the endorsement]. I think you’re going to have a tremendous victory, actually,” before telling Netanyahu, “You’re the man I want by my side, Bibi.”

Netanyahu’s political opponents have challenged the significance of Trump’s intervention, arguing that the decision about Israel’s next government belongs exclusively to Israeli voters.

Gadi Eisenkot, one of Netanyahu’s principal rivals, said he respects Trump and appreciates his contributions to Israel’s security but rejected the idea that an American presidential endorsement should determine the election.

“But the elections are a domestic Israeli issue. The only ones who will decide are the citizens of Israel, and I will stand firm on this,” Eisenkot said.

Other opposition figures have similarly argued that Israel’s leadership should be determined by the electorate rather than by expressions of support from foreign leaders.

{Matzav.com}

With Israel preparing for Tuesday’s Knesset elections, the Central Elections Committee has released figures revealing the enormous logistical operation required to accommodate more than 7.3 million eligible voters, including 450 million printed ballot slips, over 12,000 polling stations, approximately 100,000 election workers, and a budget of 690 million shekels.

The figures, published Sunday ahead of the October 27 election for the 26th Knesset, offer a glimpse into the extensive preparations taking place across the country as election officials finalize arrangements for voting, transportation, security, accessibility, and ballot counting.

According to the committee, 7,331,981 Israeli citizens are eligible to vote in the upcoming election.

To accommodate them, officials have established 12,018 polling stations throughout Israel, with approximately 18,000 ballot boxes prepared for use.

Among the polling stations, 6,209 have been designated as accessible to voters with disabilities, including 3,621 specially accessible polling stations equipped to accommodate individuals requiring additional assistance.

The election operation is being coordinated through 20 regional election committees, which oversee preparations and voting procedures in their respective areas.

Perhaps the most striking figure released by the committee concerns the number of ballot slips printed for the election.

Although fewer than 7.4 million people are eligible to vote, the Central Elections Committee has printed approximately 450 million ballot slips, an average of more than 61 slips for every eligible voter.

The enormous quantity reflects Israel’s voting system, in which each political party has its own printed ballot slip. Voters select the slip representing their chosen party and place it inside an envelope before depositing it into a ballot box.

Election officials have prepared approximately 11.5 million ballot slips for each participating party list, ensuring that polling stations have sufficient supplies throughout election day.

Producing the ballots alone required approximately 250 tons of paper.

The preparations also involve a substantial workforce that expands dramatically as election day approaches.

During periods between elections, the Central Elections Committee operates with approximately 40 permanent employees. As elections approach, that number increases to roughly 1,200.

On election day itself, approximately 100,000 workers will be involved in operating polling stations, supervising voting procedures, managing logistics, and assisting with the counting process.

To prepare personnel for their responsibilities, the committee has organized training programs for approximately 50,000 workers, using some 2,140 classrooms across the country.

Another major component of the preparations involves monitoring voting procedures and preventing irregularities.

Approximately 15,000 cameras have been allocated for election integrity inspectors, who are responsible for documenting relevant incidents and helping ensure that voting and ballot counting are conducted in accordance with election regulations.

The cameras form part of the committee’s broader supervision operation, which is intended to identify irregularities and maintain confidence in the electoral process.

Transportation arrangements are also being finalized to make it easier for voters to reach their designated polling stations.

The Central Elections Committee announced that 660 intercity public transportation routes will operate free of charge on election day.

In addition, all Israel Railways routes will be included in the free transportation arrangements.

The initiative is intended to assist voters who must travel between cities to reach their registered polling locations, including individuals who live, study, or work away from the addresses where they are registered to vote.

The committee’s preparations carry a substantial financial cost.

The approved budget for the 26th Knesset elections stands at approximately 690 million shekels, equivalent to roughly $222 million.

The funding covers the nationwide election operation, including personnel, printing, equipment, transportation, training, logistical support, and supervision.

Based on the number of eligible voters, the budget represents approximately 94 shekels for every person entitled to cast a ballot.

Even after the polling stations close and the votes are counted, the logistical operation will continue.

According to the Central Elections Committee, more than 400 tons of paper and cardboard are transferred for recycling following an election, including materials used for ballots, packaging, and other election-related purposes.

The preparations come as Israel enters the final days of an election campaign marked by intense political competition and disputes over the future composition of the Knesset.

Election officials have also been addressing changes to the ballot following the withdrawal of several political parties from the race.

The committee announced Sunday that ballot slips belonging to the Achi party, which withdrew from the election on Friday, will be removed from polling stations. The party’s name will also be marked as withdrawn on lists displayed to voters, and ballots cast for the party will be considered invalid.

Similar procedures were implemented following the withdrawal of Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party.

The Central Elections Committee said that its extensive preparations are designed to ensure that voting proceeds smoothly and that every eligible voter has an opportunity to participate.

“All of this is part of the preparations to ensure a proper, accessible, and supervised election process that enables the public to exercise its right to vote,” the committee said.

With just two days remaining until Israelis head to the polls, the figures illustrate the scale of the operation behind what, for each voter, amounts to selecting a single ballot slip and placing it into an envelope.

Behind that simple act stand hundreds of millions of printed ballots, thousands of polling stations, tens of thousands of workers, an extensive transportation network, and hundreds of millions of shekels in election expenditures.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman surprised popular Jewish singer Shmueli Ungar during an appearance on the singer’s ShmueliCast podcast when he revealed that his Hebrew name is Baruch and that he belongs to an Orthodox shul.

The exchange, which featured a visibly enthusiastic reaction from Ungar, offered an unusual glimpse into Blakeman’s Jewish identity as he campaigns for governor of New York.

During the conversation, Blakeman told the hosts that they were welcome to address him by either his English or Hebrew name.

“You can call me Bruce or you can call me Baruch. My Hebrew name is Baruch,” Blakeman said.

Ungar appeared surprised by the revelation.

“You’re Jewish?” he asked.

“Yes! I belong to an Orthodox synagogue,” Blakeman responded.

The singer reacted with excitement, expressing surprise that the Republican candidate was Jewish.

“I didn’t know you’re Jewish, gevaldig! A yid, yiddishe kind,” Ungar exclaimed.

The conversation then turned to whether Blakeman could speak Yiddish, with Ungar’s co-host asking the gubernatorial candidate about his familiarity with the language.

“How about Yiddish?” the co-host asked.

“A bissel,” Blakeman replied, using the Yiddish expression meaning “a little.”

The lighthearted exchange highlighted a side of Blakeman that may be unfamiliar to some voters, particularly those who know him primarily through his political career and his role as Nassau County executive.

Blakeman, who is seeking to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in the November 3 election, has made public safety, affordability, and opposition to certain Democratic policies central themes of his campaign.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

An emerging Orthodox Jewish community in rural Florida is attracting growing interest from families in New York seeking more affordable housing, lower living expenses, and a different environment in which to raise their children.

The development, located in Glades County, has reportedly already drawn approximately 60 Orthodox families, while more than 100 additional families are considering relocating to the area.

The movement reflects a broader interest among Orthodox families in establishing communities outside the traditional Jewish population centers of Brooklyn, Lakewood, and South Florida, where housing costs and the expenses associated with raising large families have become increasingly significant concerns.

For families considering the move, the appeal extends beyond real estate prices. The developing community is reportedly working to establish the religious and educational infrastructure necessary to sustain Orthodox family life, including a shul, yeshiva, and kosher shopping options.

The project has also attracted attention amid concerns about antisemitism and public safety in New York, although the reasons families are considering relocation vary.

The community, known as Lakefront Estates, is a $300 million development covering approximately 550 acres near Lake Okeechobee. It officially began welcoming residents earlier this month and is being developed with the needs of Orthodox families in mind.

Yidel Perlstein, the development’s CEO, told the New York Post that the first wave of homebuyers has been predominantly Orthodox Jewish families looking to leave New York. He emphasized, however, that the development is open to purchasers of all backgrounds.

The planned community includes approximately 1,000 single-family homes and hundreds of rental units, together with schools, shuls, commercial facilities, and other services intended to support a growing residential population.

According to Perlstein, four-bedroom homes measuring approximately 2,500 square feet start at $460,000, while seven-bedroom homes of approximately 3,700 square feet are being offered for $585,000.

For families accustomed to New York’s real estate market, the prospect of purchasing a spacious home at those prices has been a major attraction.

But several families interviewed by the NY Post said that financial considerations were only part of the story.

One former Boro Park resident, identified only as Morris, described a growing sense of unease about antisemitism in New York City.

“You could feel the antisemitism everywhere; even my community Borough Park changed after Mamdani came in,” he said.

Another new resident, a mother of four who requested anonymity, said that concerns about antisemitism, together with the cost of housing, contributed to her family’s decision to relocate.

She also pointed to Florida’s private-school tuition assistance programs as an important consideration for families with children attending yeshivos and other religious schools.

The concerns come amid troubling statistics concerning antisemitic incidents in New York City.

According to figures cited by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Jewish New Yorkers were the victims of 245 of the city’s 463 confirmed hate crimes during the first nine months of 2026, accounting for approximately 53% of the total.

The figures have heightened concerns among Jewish community leaders, particularly as families weigh whether New York remains an affordable and comfortable place to raise children.

New York State Assemblyman Aron Wieder, whose Rockland County district includes a substantial Orthodox population, confirmed that approximately 20 families from his district have already relocated to Lakefront Estates.

Wieder said the rise in antisemitism has prompted families to consider leaving communities where they have lived for generations.

“All my grandparents were Holocaust survivors, never would they have dreamed that their descendants would have to face what they faced in the leadup to the Holocaust,” Wieder said.

“For a Jew to have to look over their shoulder when they’re walking down the street, it’s very disturbing,” he added.

The relocation movement is also being driven by the financial pressures confronting Orthodox families in New York, where large households often require additional bedrooms and where the costs of housing, tuition, taxes, and daily necessities can place substantial strain on family budgets.

Florida’s absence of a state individual income tax and its programs assisting families with private-school tuition have added to the state’s appeal.

For Glades County, a largely rural area with a population of approximately 13,270, the arrival of an organized Orthodox community represents a significant demographic and economic development.

Perlstein said that the investment has already brought economic activity to the region and that local officials and many residents have been receptive to their new neighbors.

“It’s a paradise, the weather is nice, the people are nice, everyone is so welcoming,” Perlstein said.

However, the new residents have also encountered antisemitic hostility, demonstrating that moving away from New York has not eliminated every concern that motivated some families to relocate.

Far-right activists Jake Lang and Jeffrey Walstein, who uses the online name “The Jersey Goy,” have visited the area and circulated inflammatory messages targeting the Orthodox newcomers.

In one video filmed outside the development, Lang criticized the residents for maintaining their distinctive religious and cultural practices.

“They don’t assimilate, they eat their own food, speak their own language, they worship their own God, they don’t dress like us, they are not Americans,” Lang declared.

The rhetoric has caused anxiety among some residents, particularly families who moved to Florida partly because they hoped to escape antisemitic hostility.

The mother of four interviewed by the Post said that although local business owners have generally treated the newcomers warmly, she has also encountered hostility from certain residents.

“We’re just a few people in no man’s land,” she said. “We’re here to build our families, build our community, be nice to our neighbors.”

Local law enforcement officials have taken steps to reassure the community.

Earlier this month, senior Florida Highway Patrol officials, Glades County Sheriff David Hardin, and other local government representatives visited Lakefront Estates following reports of antisemitic online attacks.

The visit was intended to demonstrate support for the new residents and reinforce the authorities’ commitment to protecting the community.

Perlstein praised the response from local officials, saying they have been attentive to the concerns raised by the hostile activity.

Meanwhile, development of Lakefront Estates is continuing, with additional homes planned and more families expected to arrive in the coming months.

Developer Yona Lunger has said that hundreds of families have expressed interest in the project, including approximately 900 who reportedly placed refundable deposits to reserve lots.

He has also acquired additional land in the area and indicated that Lakefront Estates could be followed by similar developments elsewhere in the region.

The project represents an effort to establish a fully functioning Orthodox community in an area far removed from the densely populated Jewish neighborhoods of New York and New Jersey.

With a shul, yeshiva, and kosher supermarket already operating, residents are beginning to establish the communal institutions necessary for long-term growth.

{Matzav.com}

In an unusual development within Lelov, the Lelover Rebbe, who personally refrains from voting in national Knesset elections, has departed from his longstanding practice of avoiding involvement in electoral politics and issued an explicit directive to his chassidim who do participate in elections to vote exclusively for Yahadut HaTorah.

The announcement, described by members of the chassidus as a historic departure from generations of established practice, was delivered publicly on Friday night in the Lelover Bais Medrash, shortly before the recitation of Kegavna during Kabbolas Shabbos.

At the Rebbe’s express instruction, his meshamesh bakodesh, Reb Noach Goldberg, stood before the assembled chassidim and conveyed the Rebbe’s position regarding Tuesday’s upcoming Knesset elections.

According to the announcement, the Rebbe emphasized that the community must remain faithful to the path handed down through the generations and that those who participate in elections are obligated to cast their ballots exclusively for Yahadut HaTorah.

The message further warned against supporting other political parties that do not enjoy the approval of the Torah leadership.

The directive is particularly noteworthy because the Lelover Rebbe himself does not participate in Knesset elections. Although he votes in municipal elections, he has consistently refrained from casting a ballot in national elections and, until now, has avoided publicly instructing his chassidim how to vote.

A Lelover chossid told Kikar HaShabbat that the announcement represents a significant milestone in the history of the chassidus.

For years, the Rebbe maintained a position of complete noninvolvement in Knesset election campaigns, a practice that some within the community attribute to both family considerations and a desire to preserve the traditions of his predecessors.

Among the factors cited is the Rebbe’s family connection to Satmar, including brothers-in-law and other relatives who belong to that chassidus, which maintains a longstanding ideological opposition to participation in Israeli national elections.

Another consideration has been the established practice of the Lelover Rebbe’s father, the previous Rebbe zt”l, who did not publicly express a position on Knesset elections.

The family’s history of public involvement in national elections is extremely limited.

According to the report, the Rebbe’s grandfather, the Lelover Rebbe known as the Birkas Moshe zt”l, signed an election-related kol korei on just one occasion, together with the Belzer Rebbe, Rav Aharon Rokeach zt”l.

That isolated precedent highlights the significance of the current Rebbe’s decision to issue an explicit public instruction concerning the upcoming election.

The announcement was also unusual in its timing and setting.

Rather than communicating his position privately to individual chassidim, the Rebbe directed that it be announced publicly in the main bais medrash on Friday night, before Kegavna, ensuring that the message would be heard by the assembled community.

The Rebbe’s directive was carefully worded to distinguish between his own longstanding practice of abstaining from Knesset elections and the obligations of chassidim who do participate.

He did not announce that he would personally begin voting, nor did he issue a blanket instruction requiring every member of the chassidus to cast a ballot.

Instead, the message specifically addressed those who vote, directing them to support Yahadut HaTorah and not to deviate toward other political lists.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Moshe Maya, a senior member of Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, has reportedly issued an extraordinary appeal for chareidi participation in Tuesday’s Knesset elections, arguing that the current challenges confronting the Torah community demand a unified response at the ballot box, including from groups that have traditionally refrained from voting.

Speaking at an educational gathering ahead of the election, Rav Maya addressed the importance of strengthening political representation at a time when the future of yeshiva bochurim and the independence of the Torah community have become central election issues.

According to the report, his remarks extended beyond the traditional Shas electorate to include members of the Peleg Yerushalmi and the Eidah Hachareidis, communities in which opposition to participation in Israeli elections has historically been particularly strong.

The appeal is especially notable because it comes amid intense controversy over the military draft of yeshiva bochurim, arrests of those accused of failing to report for military service, and proposed measures affecting the chareidi community.

Rav Maya’s message was that the gravity of the situation requires chareidim to recognize the potential consequences of failing to participate in the election.

His reported position represents an unusually broad call for electoral participation from a senior member of the Shas Torah leadership, reaching even those who ordinarily reject involvement in the Israeli political system.

Speaking at the education conference of the Heichal Moshe network of Talmudei Torah in Yerushalayim, Rav Maya delivered an impassioned address in which he said the arrests of yeshiva bochurim had left him deeply distressed.

“Today the situation is completely different,” Rav Maya declared. “Today their banner is to disgrace talmidei chachomim as much as possible. Since they arrested the first yeshiva bochur and put him in prison, I can barely sleep. I wake up in the middle of the night and ask myself: Where is our obligation to protest?”

He then issued his appeal to those who have traditionally abstained from elections.

“Anyone who has an identity card, even if he belongs to the Peleg Yerushalmi or the Eidah Hachareidis, must go and protest!” Rav Maya said. “If someone has the ability to protest and does not protest, he becomes a partner to the wrongdoing and is held accountable for it. Today, the only protest is to vote.”

Rav Maya directly addressed the longstanding opposition to voting among certain Torah communities, including the position associated with his own rebbi, Rav Yehuda Tzadkah zt”l.

“If you ask: Didn’t Gedolei Yisroel such as Rav Yehuda Tzadkah zt”l say that one may not vote? Gedolei Yisroel have already said that if Chacham Yehuda Tzadkah were with us today, he would say, ‘Run to vote!'”

Rav Maya explained that, in his view, the current campaign against yeshiva bochurim has fundamentally changed the considerations surrounding participation in elections.

“Until today, they did not harm talmidei chachomim. Today they are harming and disgracing them. Today, voting is not in support of the Zionists or the state. The protest is against them! We will not allow them to disgrace talmidei chachomim.”

He warned that abstaining from the election would effectively weaken the political strength of those seeking to defend the yeshivos.

“Someone who does not vote has his vote divided among the other parties, and through this he becomes a partner to their actions against those who learn Torah,” Rav Maya said.

“After all, most of the parties support drafting yeshiva bochurim and disgracing talmidei chachomim.”

Rav Maya also addressed the argument that military service represents an obligation that must be shared equally among all sectors of Israeli society.

“Today they speak about ‘equality in bearing the burden.’ What burden?” he asked. “Someone who does not believe in the Holy One, blessed be He, thinks the burden is the army, ‘My strength and the might of my hand have brought me this success.'”

He contrasted that outlook with the words of the posuk, “Not through might and not through power, but through My spirit.”

“I want one thing from you: Strengthen the yeshivos!” Rav Maya declared.

The senior Shas Torah leader then outlined the political leverage he believes could result from a dramatic increase in chareidi voter participation.

“The only way is if we all go, influence others, and vote,” he said. “That will be the greatest protest, and it will be impossible to establish a government without us.”

Rav Maya suggested that the chareidi parties could potentially reach 25 Knesset seats if all eligible chareidi voters participated, including those who ordinarily abstain.

“If the chareidi public reaches 25 seats, there will be no possibility of establishing any government,” he said. “And when they cannot establish a government, there will be repeat elections.”

In separately reported recordings, Rav Maya elaborated on the political leverage such a bloc could exercise.

“If nobody indulges himself and everyone votes only for chareidi parties, including the Peleg Yerushalmi, we will reach 25 seats. Nobody in the world will be able to establish a government,” he said.

He also made clear that he did not regard either Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu or his principal challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, as an automatic political partner.

“You don’t go with anyone. Not Bibi and not Eisenkot, only with whoever gives more,” Rav Maya said, referring to the demands of the chareidi community.

Returning to the draft controversy, Rav Maya argued that the state’s own founding commitments to freedom of religion and conscience should protect the ability of yeshiva bochurim to continue learning.

“Even according to their own understanding, in the Declaration of Independence they committed themselves to freedom of religion and conscience,” he said.

“If the Rambam explicitly rules that it is forbidden to draft yeshiva bochurim, that is the halachah! What do they want, to force us to violate our religion?!”

Rav Maya concluded with a forceful declaration about the importance of political strength in confronting the courts and protecting the Torah community.

“With our own hands, we will clip the wings of the Supreme Court,” he declared. “And we must know one thing: We have saved our souls, because at least we protested the disgrace of talmidei chachomim.”

“If we do this, the Holy One, blessed be He, will, with Hashem’s help, bring us salvation speedily.”

His appeal comes against the backdrop of a particularly bitter election campaign within the chareidi community, as the established parties seek to prevent abstention and the loss of votes to smaller factions.

The Eidah Hachareidis, however, has maintained its longstanding opposition to participation in Knesset elections. Just days ago, its Badatz issued a formal declaration reiterating that members of its community should not vote.

{Matzav.com}

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie launched a blistering attack on President Donald Trump and two of his most prominent Republican allies on Sunday, accusing the president of creating a “rotten moral core” within the Republican Party and warning that Vice President JD Vance and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy represent a troubling future for the GOP.

Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie delivered his criticism while discussing a controversial political advertisement, using the dispute to condemn what he described as a broader deterioration of moral standards within his party.

Christie, who challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 before withdrawing from the race, argued that the controversy surrounding the advertisement reflected something much deeper than a single campaign decision.

“Look, it goes to a bigger issue than just the fact that this is a horrible ad and one that should never have been run,” Christie said. “This goes to the rotten moral core that Donald Trump has created for my party.”

The former governor then turned his criticism toward Vance and Ramaswamy, portraying both men as politicians attempting to emulate Trump’s political style without possessing the qualities that have made the president successful with his supporters.

“And you then take the two, probably two of the most prominent Trump wannabes in our party, JD Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy, and what they’re showing America is, we want to be just as morally bankrupt as Trump, but we don’t have any of the charm or charisma that people might like,” Christie declared.

His remarks represented a particularly sharp attack on Vance, who serves as vice president, and Ramaswamy, the businessman and former Republican presidential candidate now seeking the governorship of Ohio.

Christie warned that the Republican Party risks replacing Trump’s distinctive political appeal with candidates who imitate his confrontational approach but lack the personal attributes that have helped him maintain a loyal following.

“This is the future of our party if we don’t get our act together, is to have charmless people with no charisma and the lack of moral clarity and center that Donald Trump has,” Christie said.

The controversy centers on a campaign advertisement produced by Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial campaign featuring Donna Arthur, the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton.

In the commercial, Arthur accuses her daughter of dishonesty, disputes Acton’s account of her difficult childhood, and urges Ohio voters not to elect her governor.

The advertisement immediately attracted attention because Acton has publicly described suffering sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather when she was 12 years old. Court records confirm that her stepfather was indicted on a charge of raping her, and Acton and her brother were subsequently removed from their mother’s custody.

Acton has said that her mother failed to protect her and that the two have been estranged for decades.

Ramaswamy’s campaign acknowledged producing the advertisement and announced plans to spend approximately $4 million promoting it through television and digital platforms.

The commercial drew criticism from members of both political parties, including prominent Republicans who questioned the decision to involve Acton’s estranged mother in the campaign.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine publicly called for the advertisement to be withdrawn, saying it was wrong to air it, particularly given the circumstances surrounding Acton’s childhood.

Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who is seeking reelection in Ohio, also distanced himself from the commercial, saying he would not have run it.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who clashed repeatedly with Ramaswamy during the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, criticized him as well, renewing her longstanding objections to his political tactics.

Vance, however, defended Ramaswamy during a campaign appearance in Ohio on Wednesday, criticizing Republicans who had joined the backlash.

“Politics is a tough business, and my message to my fellow elected Republicans is if you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days,” Vance said.

The vice president also accused Democrats and the media of focusing excessively on the controversy rather than on the issues facing Ohio voters.

President Trump addressed the controversy separately, telling reporters that he was unfamiliar with the details but understood that Acton’s mother had publicly turned against her daughter.

Trump described the situation as unusual.

Christie’s criticism on Sunday was directed as much at Vance’s defense of the commercial as at Ramaswamy’s decision to produce it.

The former governor argued that the willingness of prominent Republicans to defend such tactics reflects the direction in which the party has moved under Trump’s leadership.

He also suggested that the Ohio election could become a significant test of whether Republicans continue embracing that political approach.

“I think this ad showed much more about JD Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy and the cautionary tale for the future of our party than anything else that’s happened in this election because if Ramaswamy wins in Ohio, we’re going to see the exact same stuff in 2028,” Christie said.

“If he loses, I think it’s going to be a real wake-up call for this type of conduct in our party.”

Christie’s reference to 2028 comes as Vance is widely discussed as a potential future Republican presidential candidate, while Ramaswamy has also sought to establish himself as a prominent figure within the party’s next generation of leadership.

The former New Jersey governor has a long and complicated history with Trump. He was among the first major Republican officials to endorse Trump during the 2016 presidential primaries and later advised him during his presidency.

Their relationship deteriorated significantly after the 2020 election, particularly over Trump’s efforts to challenge the results and the events surrounding January 6, 2021.

Christie subsequently became one of Trump’s most outspoken Republican critics, making opposition to the president a central feature of his unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign.

During that campaign, Christie also clashed with Ramaswamy, whom he accused of adopting Trump’s political style and defending the president rather than presenting an independent vision for the Republican Party.

His latest remarks indicate that those disagreements have continued well beyond the 2024 election.

The dispute over the Ohio advertisement has also become a broader debate within Republican circles over the boundaries of political campaigning and whether intensely personal attacks should be considered acceptable election tactics.

Ramaswamy’s campaign has maintained its defense of the commercial, arguing that voters should hear criticism of Acton from someone who knows her personally.

Acton and her supporters, meanwhile, have condemned the advertisement as an attempt to exploit painful experiences from her childhood for political advantage.

A controversy has erupted in Israel just two days before Tuesday’s Knesset elections after a left-wing activist circulated a social media message encouraging religious and chareidi voters to write the words “בס״ד” on their election ballots, a seemingly religious gesture that would actually cause their votes to be disqualified.

The message, posted on X by activist Donnie MacLoof, whose name has also been rendered in Hebrew as Doni Machlouf, was accompanied by an image demonstrating how voters should add the familiar Hebrew abbreviation to the upper corner of their ballot slips.

The abbreviation, short for B’siyata Dishmaya, meaning “With the Help of Heaven,” is commonly written at the top of letters and documents in the frum community.

However, under Israeli election regulations, adding handwritten words or other identifying markings to an official ballot can render it invalid, meaning that voters following the activist’s suggestion could unknowingly lose their votes.

MacLoof presented his recommendation as a matter of religious pride, arguing that ballot papers in the Jewish state should carry the traditional inscription.

“It is outrageous that in the Jewish state they did not print בס״ד on the voting ballots,” he wrote.

“Therefore, I recommend that everyone bring a pen with them to the polling station and add בס״ד in the upper corner of the ballot.”

He continued by claiming that doing so would strengthen the voter’s choice while delivering a message to secular Israelis.

“This will also strengthen your vote and stick a finger in the eye of all the secular people,” he wrote.

The post quickly attracted attention after it was shared by prominent figures associated with Israel’s political left, including Gonen Ben Yitzhak, a founder of the anti-Netanyahu protest movement Crime Minister, and Naor Narkis, an activist associated with the Democrats party.

The involvement of those figures intensified accusations that the message was a deliberate attempt to trick religious voters into invalidating their own ballots.

Critics argued that the wording appeared specifically designed to appeal to religious sensibilities, encouraging voters to perform an act that would ordinarily be viewed as an expression of faith while concealing its potential electoral consequences.

The controversy was highlighted by political commentator Matti Tuchfeld, the political desk chief at Israel’s Channel 14, who warned that the recommendation could cause religious and traditional voters to lose their votes.

“Who writes בס״ד at the top of a page? Religious people are accustomed to opening every letter and every document with בס״ד or Baruch Hashem,” Tuchfeld explained.

He said the suggestion was being presented as a way of connecting the voting process to religious observance, even though the additional writing would violate election rules.

“You must not scribble on voting ballots, and this could lead to disqualification,” Tuchfeld warned.

The controversy prompted an intervention by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who issued his own warning to voters.

“Citizens of Israel, another trick has been exposed today, one of the ugliest we have seen,” Netanyahu said.

“They are spreading an apparently innocent ‘recommendation’ — write בס״ד on the voting ballot. But they know the truth: A ballot with additional writing is an invalid ballot.”

Netanyahu accused his political opponents of attempting to manipulate the election by causing supporters of the right-wing and religious parties to cast invalid votes.

“The goal is for your vote to be disqualified and for Gadi Eisenkot to establish a government with Yair Golan and the Arab parties,” Netanyahu declared.

“That will not happen, because you will not allow it.”

The Central Elections Committee has separately issued warnings about the importance of keeping ballot papers free of additional writing.

Acting committee director-general Dean Livne explained that writing “בס״ד” or “בע״ה” on a ballot, or adding a drawing, would cause the ballot to be invalidated.

The clarification is particularly relevant to religious voters, for whom writing such expressions at the top of a document is an ordinary practice.

Unlike personal letters, however, official election ballots must comply with strict rules designed to ensure that votes are properly recorded and counted.

Israeli voters ordinarily select a printed ballot bearing the letters of their chosen political party and place it inside an official envelope.

Adding handwritten inscriptions, drawings, or other markings can result in the ballot being rejected during the counting process.

The election authorities have also been addressing other misleading messages circulating ahead of the vote, including claims concerning the signatures required on voting envelopes.

Officials clarified that responsibility for ensuring the validity of official envelopes rests with polling station personnel, rather than voters themselves.

{Matzav.com}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has launched a targeted campaign to win over dissatisfied chareidi voters ahead of Tuesday’s Knesset elections, warning that support for smaller parties that fail to cross the electoral threshold could cost the right-wing bloc as many as two Knesset seats.

According to internal polling cited by Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, chareidi voters representing approximately one-and-a-half to two Knesset seats are considering supporting alternative political lists that are unlikely to secure representation in the next Knesset.

Party officials also claim that tens of thousands of additional chareidi voters are considering staying home rather than supporting the established chareidi parties.

Ben-Gvir is seeking to capitalize on that dissatisfaction by presenting Otzma Yehudit as an alternative for voters who are unwilling to support United Torah Judaism or Shas but do not want their votes to be wasted on parties that may fail to enter the Knesset.

The initiative is being directed by Yossi Goldberger, a chareidi candidate associated with Otzma Yehudit, who has been assigned responsibility for outreach to the community.

The campaign comes amid growing tensions within the chareidi electorate over the military draft controversy, the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, and dissatisfaction with the performance of chareidi political representatives.

In a special statement delivered Sunday evening to the chareidi media, Ben-Gvir appeared alongside Goldberger, who occupies the ninth position on Otzma Yehudit’s Knesset list, and presented what he described as troubling findings from polling conducted within the chareidi community.

“My chareidi brothers, good week. In-depth surveys conducted within the chareidi community show us a worrying phenomenon,” Ben-Gvir said.

“There are between one-and-a-half and two Knesset seats’ worth of chareidim who intend to vote for parties that will not cross the electoral threshold. There are also several tens of thousands of chareidim who do not intend to vote at all.”

The figures were presented by Ben-Gvir’s party and have not been independently verified. Nevertheless, they underscore the concern among right-wing political figures that dissatisfaction within the chareidi community could translate into a substantial number of votes being lost.

Under Israel’s electoral system, a party must receive at least 3.25% of the valid national vote to enter the Knesset. Votes cast for parties that fail to reach that threshold do not contribute to the allocation of seats, potentially affecting the balance of power between competing political blocs.

Ben-Gvir framed the issue as a direct threat to the political right and connected it to his longstanding campaign against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

“Therefore, I call on you: Do not give a gift to Gali Baharav-Miara!” he declared.

Addressing voters who are disappointed with UTJ and Shas, Ben-Gvir urged them to consider Otzma Yehudit rather than supporting smaller lists or abstaining.

“If you are disappointed with the chareidi parties, vote Otzma Yehudit,” he said.

“Bet, and another bet, and another bet, in order to remove Gali Baharav-Miara, not to give her a gift.”

Ben-Gvir was referring to the Hebrew letter bet, the ballot symbol of Otzma Yehudit.

His appeal was accompanied by the establishment of a special campaign headquarters devoted to reaching chareidi voters who are considering casting protest votes or staying home.

Goldberger, the party’s chareidi candidate, has been placed in charge of the initiative.

According to party officials, the campaign includes small gatherings in private homes and personal meetings with potential supporters, with the aim of persuading voters that Otzma Yehudit offers a viable alternative to smaller parties that may fail to win representation.

The party has been careful to emphasize that its campaign is not directed at chareidim who follow the instructions of their rabbonim to support the established chareidi parties.

Instead, officials say they are concentrating on voters who have already decided against supporting UTJ or Shas and are considering other political options.

That distinction is particularly important given the sensitivity surrounding attempts by non-chareidi parties to attract voters traditionally aligned with the Torah leadership.

Otzma Yehudit maintains that it is seeking to recover votes that would otherwise be lost rather than weaken the established chareidi parties.

The latest campaign follows earlier reports that Ben-Gvir’s party sees significant electoral potential among dissatisfied chareidi voters.

Last week, party officials cited polling suggesting that chareidi support for Otzma Yehudit could potentially amount to two or three Knesset seats, although those estimates were also based on internal party assessments.

Ben-Gvir has previously claimed that senior figures within the chareidi parties approached him about coordinating his campaign to avoid drawing support away from voters committed to UTJ and Shas.

According to Ben-Gvir, those discussions focused on directing his outreach toward people who would otherwise abstain or vote for parties unlikely to cross the electoral threshold.

He did not publicly identify the chareidi officials whom he said had contacted him.

The issue has become especially sensitive as the chareidi electorate confronts competing political appeals in the final days before the election.

While Gedolei Yisroel and the established chareidi parties have called for strong participation in the vote, smaller movements have attempted to capitalize on dissatisfaction with the traditional political leadership.

Among the alternatives attracting attention is the new chareidi party headed by Motti Leitner, which has sought support among voters frustrated with the established parties.

Recent national polling has not shown Leitner’s party crossing the electoral threshold, raising questions about the potential consequences of votes cast for the list.

Ben-Gvir’s campaign seeks to turn those concerns into support for Otzma Yehudit, presenting his party as an alternative for voters who want to register dissatisfaction without supporting a list that may receive no Knesset seats.

The strategy also reflects the broader competition within the right-wing bloc over votes that could prove decisive in determining the composition of the next government.

With the election scheduled for Tuesday, Ben-Gvir is warning that the combined effect of abstention and support for smaller parties could significantly weaken the right’s prospects.

{Matzav.com}

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Rav Yitzchok Yosef, the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, has sent a deeply moving letter of encouragement to a bus driver who was involved in a tragic accident that claimed the life of a young child in Modiin Illit, urging the emotionally shattered driver not to surrender to despair and to find strength in Torah learning and his responsibility to his family.

The letter was revealed by journalist Moshe Mans during a broadcast of Kikar HaShabbat’s Davar Rishon program, in which he recounted an emotional conversation with the driver, who has reportedly been struggling with overwhelming anguish since the accident.

The tragedy occurred on Avnei Nezer Street in Modiin Illit, where a young boy riding a scooter entered a pedestrian crossing and was fatally struck by a bus.

According to Mans, footage of the accident indicates that the child entered the crossing at high speed, leaving the driver without sufficient time to stop the vehicle and prevent the collision.

Despite the circumstances, the driver has been devastated by the knowledge that a child lost his life in an accident involving his bus.

Mans described the driver as a gentle, highly respected individual whose emotional condition has deteriorated significantly since the tragedy.

“I came to him after seeing messages in groups about a broken and shattered man sitting in his home,” Mans related.

“This is a precious driver whom everyone knows, and the footage also proves that he had absolutely no possibility of stopping. The child suddenly entered the pedestrian crossing at high speed, and the driver had no way of preventing the tragedy.”

Mans said that even though the available footage appeared to support the driver’s account of the accident, the driver remained consumed by grief and guilt.

“And yet, when I speak with him, he cries bitterly,” Mans continued.

The driver described the terrible emotional toll the incident has taken on his daily life.

“I have no day and no night. I cannot pick up my children. I have no life,” the driver told Mans.

The journalist said the conversation left a profound impression on him, illustrating how a fatal accident can devastate not only the family of the victim but also a driver who may have been powerless to prevent it.

During their conversation, the driver made an emotional appeal to parents, asking them to speak to their children about the dangers of entering pedestrian crossings without first checking for approaching traffic.

“Beg on your program for parents to tell their children that even when they reach a pedestrian crossing, they should stop for a second and look,” the driver pleaded.

“A bus driver or the driver of a tall vehicle cannot always see a child who suddenly enters the road at high speed.”

The driver hoped that publicizing his experience would encourage parents to reinforce basic road-safety precautions with their children and potentially prevent another family from experiencing a similar tragedy.

Mans expressed sympathy both for the grieving family of the child and for the driver, who continues to struggle with the emotional aftermath of the accident.

The story took an especially moving turn when Rav Yitzchok Yosef learned of the driver’s condition and sent him a personal letter offering guidance and encouragement.

In the letter, Rav Yosef acknowledged the terrible tragedy while emphasizing that the incident had occurred unintentionally.

“I heard about the tragic incident that occurred through you inadvertently and without intent,” Rav Yosef wrote.

He then addressed the driver’s emotional condition directly, warning him against allowing his grief to develop into prolonged despair.

“Know that it is the advice of the yetzer hara that you should fall into sadness and despair,” Rav Yosef wrote.

“The wheel cannot be turned backward, because everything is from Heaven.”

Rav Yosef explained that although the driver was understandably shaken by the tragedy, allowing himself to become overwhelmed by depression would only create further suffering for himself and those who depend on him.

“What will it accomplish if you fall into deep melancholy? It will harm you and your family, and the damage will outweigh the benefit,” he wrote.

The former chief rabbi then offered the driver practical spiritual guidance, encouraging him to transform his anguish into meaningful actions that would benefit the neshamah of the child.

“Therefore, my advice is that you establish and add time for Torah learning for the elevation of his soul, strengthen yourself in Torah and mitzvos, and divert your thoughts as much as possible so that you can continue raising your children.”

The letter reflected Rav Yosef’s effort to help the driver find a path forward while recognizing the profound emotional pain caused by the tragedy.

Rather than allowing the accident to consume his life, Rav Yosef encouraged him to dedicate additional time to Torah learning l’ilui nishmas the child and to draw strength from continued observance of Torah and mitzvos.

He also emphasized the driver’s responsibilities toward his own children, urging him to regain the emotional strength necessary to continue caring for and raising his family.

The account has drawn attention to the lasting psychological impact that fatal traffic accidents can have on drivers, even in cases where the circumstances indicate that they may have had little opportunity to avoid the collision.

In this case, Mans said the driver was not seeking to minimize the tragedy or distance himself from the suffering of the bereaved family.

On the contrary, his anguish was so intense that he described himself as unable to function normally in his own home.

His appeal to parents focused on a practical lesson from the tragedy: children must understand that a pedestrian crossing does not eliminate the need to stop, look, and make sure that approaching vehicles can see them and have sufficient time to stop.

The driver’s warning was particularly directed toward children riding scooters, who may enter a crossing more quickly than a motorist can reasonably anticipate.

For the driver, the accident has become a source of continuing emotional torment.

Rav Yosef’s letter sought to provide him with a measure of comfort, reminding him that he cannot undo what happened and encouraging him to direct his energy toward Torah, mitzvos, and his family.

The tragedy has left a family mourning the loss of a young child and a driver struggling to come to terms with his involvement in the accident.

Through his letter, Rav Yosef offered the driver a message of chizuk: to resist despair, increase his Torah learning in memory of the child, and find the strength to continue living and caring for his family.

{Matzav.com}

Chareidi comedian and social media personality Avi Lukov, who became known for his biting criticism of the chareidi establishment, has publicly expressed regret over his past remarks against Gedolei Yisroel and is now urging voters to support United Torah Judaism in Tuesday’s Knesset elections.

In an interview with Moshe Mans on Kikar HaShabbat’s Davar Rishon program, Lukov described a personal reassessment of his conduct, including an emotional visit to his father’s kever, where he sat and cried during tefillah. He said he had come to recognize the responsibility that accompanies public influence and the serious consequences of speaking disrespectfully about Torah leaders.

Lukov’s reversal has attracted considerable attention because of his reputation as one of the chareidi community’s more outspoken and sarcastic social media commentators. For years, his criticism has focused on problems within chareidi society, including economic hardship, employment opportunities, the educational system, and the conduct of communal and political leaders.

Now, with the election approaching, he has begun openly encouraging his followers to vote for UTJ, represented by the letter gimmel on Israeli election ballots.

The announcement prompted an immediate backlash from some of his followers, who accused him of abandoning the positions that had made him popular. Others went further, alleging that he had received money from the UTJ election campaign in exchange for his endorsement.

Lukov firmly denied the allegations, maintaining that his decision was motivated by a genuine change in perspective rather than any financial arrangement.

During the interview, he acknowledged that he had gone too far in his previous statements about Gedolei Torah. Although he continues to stand behind his criticism of problems within the chareidi community, he said he now understands that there is a fundamental difference between challenging communal shortcomings and showing disrespect toward the Torah leadership.

He explained that his reassessment was connected to a growing awareness of the influence he had developed through his public commentary.

As his audience expanded, Lukov began questioning whether his words were having consequences beyond the specific issues he intended to address.

He said he feared becoming a “chotei u’machti es harabbim” — someone who sins and causes others to sin.

That concern became especially significant during an emotional visit to his father’s kever. Lukov recounted sitting there and crying as he reflected on his conduct and the responsibility he bore toward those who followed his commentary.

The experience contributed to his decision to change the way he speaks about Gedolei Yisroel.

Lukov emphasized that his change of heart should not be confused with an endorsement of every aspect of the chareidi establishment.

He remains critical of the economic difficulties facing chareidi families, the challenges of earning a parnassah, and problems within the cheder system.

He also continues to believe that legitimate criticism is necessary to address those issues.

What he now rejects, however, is the idea that such criticism provides justification for undermining the authority of Gedolei Torah.

The distinction has become central to his explanation of why he intends to vote for United Torah Judaism despite his dissatisfaction with individual politicians.

Lukov described the upcoming election as a difficult choice in which voters must decide which principles are most important to them.

He made clear that his support for UTJ should not be interpreted as a personal endorsement of politicians such as Yitzchok Goldknopf or Yaakov Asher.

Rather, he explained, voting for UTJ represents an expression of loyalty to Yiddishkeit, Shabbos, and Gedolei Yisroel.

In particularly sharp language, Lukov described supporting alternative political parties as an “etzba ba’ayin l’Gedolei Yisroel” — a finger in the eye of Gedolei Yisroel.

He also characterized such a vote as an act of chillul Hashem, arguing that the consequences of rejecting the direction of the Torah leadership extend beyond ordinary political disagreements.

His remarks come amid an increasingly contentious election campaign in which some chareidi voters have expressed dissatisfaction with the established parties and considered supporting new political movements.

The debate has centered partly on whether the traditional chareidi representatives have adequately addressed the needs of their constituents, particularly regarding education, employment, economic pressures, and the ongoing military draft controversy.

Lukov acknowledged the frustration behind some of those complaints. Indeed, many of those concerns are the same issues he has highlighted in his own commentary.

Nevertheless, he argued that the election should not be reduced to a referendum on the performance of individual Knesset members.

For him, the overriding consideration is the relationship between the chareidi public and its Torah leadership.

That position represents a significant departure from the public persona that helped Lukov gain attention on social media.

His commentary has frequently employed pointed humor and cynicism to expose what he considers failures within chareidi society. His willingness to criticize influential figures made him popular with some audiences while drawing objections from others.

His latest statements have therefore generated criticism from people who viewed his earlier positions as an expression of independence from the established political leadership.

Some have accused him of a political sellout, while others have questioned the sincerity of his sudden support for UTJ.

Lukov has rejected those accusations and insisted that his decision followed serious personal reflection.

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Mendel Hager, has taken the extraordinary step of temporarily expelling five avreichim from his chassidus following an incident in which they allegedly harassed the Strikover Rebbe at a wedding last week, declaring that violence and disrespect toward other admorim have no place in Vizhnitz.

The decision was announced on Motzoei Shabbos, when the Vizhnitzer Rebbe assembled his chassidim and delivered a forceful address condemning the incident and warning against behavior that violates the longstanding principles of the Vizhnitzer dynasty.

The controversy began last week during the wedding of a daughter of the Leipniker Rebbe, when several avreichim associated with Vizhnitz allegedly confronted and mistreated the Strikover Rebbe.

The incident generated considerable outrage within chassidic circles, particularly because it involved conduct directed against an admor during a public simcha.

Sources within Vizhnitz described those responsible as individuals on the fringes of the community and emphasized that their actions did not represent the values or teachings of the chassidus.

The matter was treated with particular seriousness by the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, who moved to address the incident publicly and take disciplinary action against those involved.

Already on Thursday, Rav Yisroel Greenberger, a prominent Vizhnitzer dayan, delivered a strongly worded address in the main Vizhnitzer bais medrash, denouncing acts of violence and the mistreatment of others.

Rav Greenberger placed particular emphasis on the obligation to honor rabbonim and admorim, stressing that the foundations of chassidus are rooted in ahavas Yisroel, respect for others, and adherence to the teachings of the great admorim of previous generations.

He made clear that acts of intimidation and humiliation are incompatible with those principles, regardless of the circumstances or the motivations of those involved.

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe also met with Rav Yehuda Silman, a prominent dayan, to discuss the appropriate response to the incident.

During their meeting, the two considered what steps should be taken to express the seriousness of the misconduct and ensure that similar incidents would not occur again.

The involvement of senior rabbonim reflected the importance being placed on the matter within the Vizhnitzer leadership.

On Motzoei Shabbos, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe personally addressed the controversy during a gathering of his chassidim.

Speaking about the incident involving the Strikover Rebbe, he expressed his unequivocal condemnation of the conduct and emphasized that such behavior is entirely foreign to the traditions of Vizhnitz.

The Rebbe stressed that the approach handed down by the admorim of Vizhnitz throughout the generations has always emphasized proper middos, respect for others, and reverence for Torah scholars and chassidic leaders.

He warned that individuals who engage in aggressive behavior, even while believing that they are defending the honor of their own chassidus, are actually causing harm.

The Rebbe made clear that invoking the honor of Vizhnitz cannot justify conduct that contradicts the principles upon which the chassidus was established.

As a concrete expression of his condemnation, the Rebbe ordered that the five avreichim identified as having participated in the harassment of the Strikover Rebbe be barred from the Vizhnitzer court for a period of time.

The incident also prompted a notable gesture of support for the Strikover Rebbe from Rav Dov Landau.

A day after the confrontation, Rav Landau personally visited the Strikover Rebbe at his residence to offer chizuk following the ordeal.

{Matzav.com}

Moshe Feiglin, chairman of Israel’s Zehut party, has sought to clarify his position on Shabbos observance in Israel after declaring that he would vote against legislation prohibiting public transportation on Shabbos, a statement that raised questions about his approach to preserving the Jewish character of the state.

In a clarification issued Sunday, Feiglin emphasized that major state institutions, including Ben Gurion Airport and Israel’s public broadcasting corporation, Kan 11, should operate in a manner that respects the sanctity of Shabbos as Israel’s national day of rest.

At the same time, he reiterated his opposition to legislation that would impose religious observance through government coercion, arguing that decisions affecting individual communities should be made by local residents rather than dictated by national politicians.

The controversy emerged following an interview Feiglin gave to the publication Olam Katan, in which he stated that he would oppose a proposed law banning public transportation on Shabbos.

His remarks prompted renewed discussion about the position of Zehut, which advocates preserving Israel’s Jewish identity while limiting government intervention in religious matters.

Feiglin subsequently explained that his position distinguishes between national institutions representing the State of Israel and public spaces within individual cities and neighborhoods.

According to Feiglin, institutions such as Ben Gurion Airport and the Kan 11 public broadcasting network should reflect Israel’s Jewish identity and respect Shabbos as the country’s national day of rest.

However, he argued that questions involving transportation and other activities within local communities should be resolved by the residents themselves.

Feiglin sharply criticized previous attempts to strengthen Shabbos observance through legislation, claiming that such measures have often produced the opposite of their intended effect.

“For thirty years, futile coercive laws have not brought a single person closer to Shabbos. On the contrary, they have ignited unnecessary disputes and invited judicial rulings that have harmed tradition,” Feiglin said.

He argued that attempts to impose religious standards through political legislation have contributed to tensions between different segments of Israeli society and encouraged court intervention in matters involving Jewish tradition.

“Shabbos and Judaism are founded on choice, connection, and mutual respect, not political populism,” Feiglin said.

“Questions concerning the local communal sphere must be returned to the residents and communities themselves, without turning the sacred values of the Jewish people into weapons used against one another.”

The Zehut chairman maintained that protecting the Jewish character of national institutions is consistent with allowing communities greater authority over their own affairs.

Under the distinction outlined by the party, state institutions would be expected to uphold the Jewish identity of the country, while local communities would determine arrangements governing their own public spaces.

Zehut officials stressed that the party’s opposition to coercive religious legislation should not be interpreted as opposition to Shabbos observance or to preserving Israel’s Jewish character.

Rather, the party maintains that reducing government coercion could help strengthen public trust and improve relations between religious and secular Israelis.

{Matzav.com}

Jewish-American billionaire investor Bill Ackman, one of Israel’s most prominent supporters in the United States, has publicly urged Israeli voters and political leaders to consider forming the country’s next government without National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, arguing that their exclusion would help restore Israel’s international standing and strengthen its relationship with the American public.

Ackman, the founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, made the remarks Sunday in a post on X, just two days before Israelis head to the polls for the October 27 Knesset elections.

The billionaire, who has been an outspoken defender of Israel since the October 7 Hamas attacks, emphasized that he was not attempting to dictate who should serve as Israel’s next prime minister. Instead, he said he wanted to offer an American perspective on the damage he believes the two ministers have caused to Israel’s reputation abroad.

“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have caused enormous reputational damage to Israel through their statements and actions,” Ackman wrote.

According to Ackman, the international media frequently portrays Ben-Gvir and Smotrich as representatives of the views and aspirations of the entire Israeli population, creating an impression of the country that he believes is both damaging and misleading.

He argued that their continued presence in a governing coalition could make it more difficult for Israel to rebuild its standing among Americans, particularly at a time when support for Israel has become an increasingly contentious political issue.

Ackman stressed that the question of who should lead Israel belongs exclusively to Israeli citizens and that he was not endorsing any particular candidate for prime minister.

Nevertheless, he maintained that Israelis should consider how the composition of their next government will affect the country’s relationships with its closest allies.

The investor suggested that excluding Ben-Gvir and Smotrich from the next coalition would allow Israel to signal a fresh start to the international community, potentially reversing some of the reputational damage he believes has accumulated in recent years.

Such a decision, he argued, could help Israel rebuild credibility in Washington and improve its standing with both major American political parties.

Ackman specifically pointed to Democrats, Republicans, and the broader American public, arguing that Israel’s long-term interests would be better served by strengthening support across the political spectrum rather than allowing the country to become identified with controversial political figures.

He also suggested that a government without the two ministers would improve Israel’s prospects for expanding the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements launched during President Donald Trump’s first administration.

Those agreements established formal diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and have remained a major component of American efforts to expand regional cooperation.

Ackman believes that removing Ben-Gvir and Smotrich from the governing coalition would make it easier for additional countries to pursue normalization with Israel.

His comments amount to an unusual public intervention in Israeli coalition politics by a major American investor who has demonstrated significant financial and political support for the Jewish state.

Since the outbreak of the war following the October 7 attacks, Ackman has become increasingly involved in efforts to defend Israel internationally, particularly in American public discourse.

He has repeatedly spoken out against antisemitism and anti-Israel activism, including on American college campuses, and has used his public platform to challenge institutions and public figures over their responses to the war.

His support for Israel has also extended beyond public statements.

In January 2024, while Israel was engaged in fighting against Hamas, Ackman and his wife, Neri Oxman, acquired a stake of approximately 5% in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

The investment was widely viewed as a significant expression of confidence in Israel’s economy during a period of considerable uncertainty.

The purchase drew attention because it came at a time when the war was placing substantial pressure on Israeli businesses, financial markets, and international investment sentiment.

Ackman’s latest comments therefore come from someone who has backed Israel not only through public advocacy but also through a major financial investment.

At the same time, his position places him at odds with two prominent figures on Israel’s political right who have been influential members of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

Ben-Gvir, who leads the Otzma Yehudit party, and Smotrich, who heads Religious Zionism, have both taken strongly nationalist positions on security and Palestinian issues, attracting criticism from foreign governments and international organizations.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Sunday that President Donald Trump could face another impeachment effort if Democrats regain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, raising the possibility of a third impeachment battle involving the president.

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Schiff indicated that impeachment remains a possibility under a Democratic-controlled Congress, although the party has not committed to pursuing such proceedings.

The remarks come just days before the November 3 midterm elections, when voters will determine which party controls the House of Representatives and Senate for the remainder of Trump’s term.

Schiff, who played a leading role in Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, has remained one of the president’s most prominent Democratic critics. As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee at the time, he helped lead the investigation into Trump’s dealings with Ukraine and subsequently served as a House impeachment manager during the Senate trial.

Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him in February 2020.

The president was impeached a second time in January 2021, following the January 6 Capitol riot, on a charge of incitement of insurrection. The Senate again voted to acquit him.

A new impeachment effort would therefore mark the third time the House has sought to impeach Trump, an unprecedented development in American presidential history.

During Sunday’s interview, NBC moderator Kristen Welker pressed Schiff directly on whether he believed Trump had already committed impeachable offenses.

“Let me ask you about a big debate right now inside the Democratic party,” Welker said. “If Democrats do win back control of Congress, it’s about impeachment. You, of course, led the first impeachment of President Trump back in 2019. As we sit here today, Senator, do you believe that President Trump has committed impeachable offenses?”

Schiff declined to reach a conclusion before congressional investigations had taken place.

“I feel the same way I did early in the Russia investigation, which is you don’t prejudge the outcome before you even do the oversight,” Schiff responded.

He said Democrats should concentrate initially on economic issues and investigating what he described as corruption within the administration.

“Our primary focus needs to be on bringing costs down,” Schiff said, adding that congressional oversight should examine alleged corruption contributing to higher costs.

He then explicitly left the door open to impeachment.

“If that corruption leads in the direction of impeachment, it will lead wherever it leads,” Schiff said.

“But we should put our overriding emphasis not on impeachment, but on bringing the cost down for the American people, on our affirmative agenda, on our oversight agenda, yes, our investigative agenda. But it should be with an eye to improving the quality of life for the American people.”

Schiff’s comments reflect a broader debate among Democrats over how the party should exercise congressional power if it wins the midterm elections.

Some Democrats have openly advocated another impeachment effort, while others have argued that the party should prioritize investigations, government spending, and economic issues rather than immediately launching impeachment proceedings.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) recently argued that another impeachment could establish standards for presidential conduct, citing concerns about executive authority, military action, and potential conflicts of interest.

Other senior Democrats have taken a more cautious approach.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a leading Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, has suggested that an immediate impeachment push could play into Trump’s political strategy by allowing the president to rally his supporters against congressional Democrats.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, has similarly argued that impeachment should remain available while congressional investigations focus on the administration’s conduct.

Republicans, meanwhile, have warned that a Democratic takeover of the House could result in a wave of investigations targeting Trump, members of his administration, and his family.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has argued that Democrats would use their congressional authority to pursue political opponents rather than conduct legitimate oversight.

Trump himself has previously criticized the prospect of a third impeachment, describing such an effort as unfair.

Even if Democrats regain control of the House, impeachment would not automatically result in Trump’s removal from office.

Under the Constitution, the House can impeach a president by a simple majority vote, but removal requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate following a trial. That threshold would present a substantial obstacle without significant Republican support.

For now, Schiff’s remarks stop short of calling for immediate impeachment proceedings. Instead, he is signaling that a Democratic-controlled Congress could undertake investigations that might ultimately produce grounds for another impeachment effort.

With the midterm elections approaching, the possibility of renewed impeachment proceedings has become another point of contention between the parties, raising questions about how Democrats would use congressional oversight powers during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.

{Matzav.com}

More than 20,000 Israeli police officers will be deployed throughout the country on Tuesday as Israel holds elections for the 26th Knesset, with authorities preparing an extensive security operation designed to protect voters, maintain public order, and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.

The massive deployment was announced Sunday evening following a meeting between Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, and Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy, during which senior police officials presented their operational preparations for Election Day.

The meeting focused on security arrangements at polling stations and other locations across the country, measures to prevent election-related disturbances, and efforts to ensure that voting proceeds without interference.

Joining Levy at the meeting was Brig. Gen. Eli Pinto, the senior police official responsible for overseeing election preparations. Also participating was attorney Dean Livne, acting director-general of the Central Elections Committee.

Police officials outlined the extensive preparations undertaken in recent months, including the planned deployment of officers, security personnel, and volunteers throughout Israel.

Following the briefing, Sohlberg expressed satisfaction with the police preparations and praised the close coordination between law enforcement authorities and the Central Elections Committee.

“The police are prepared in the best possible manner. This high level of preparedness is the result of the close cooperation between the police and the Elections Committee throughout the entire process,” Sohlberg said.

The committee chairman emphasized that the deployment of more than 20,000 officers would provide a substantial security presence throughout the country and allow police to respond to incidents that could arise during the voting process.

“The more than 20,000 police officers who will be deployed in the field on Election Day are expected to provide an appropriate response. The police preparations ensure the integrity of the elections,” he said.

Commissioner Levy pledged that the Israel Police would take all necessary steps to protect the electoral process and ensure that citizens could exercise their right to vote.

“The Israel Police will do everything to ensure the integrity of the elections,” Levy declared.

He explained that police commanders have spent recent months conducting comprehensive preparations for the nationwide operation, coordinating the deployment of officers, security forces, and volunteers who will be stationed across the country.

The operation is intended to maintain public order and provide security throughout Election Day, with police resources positioned to address disturbances or other incidents that could interfere with voting.

The preparations also involve close cooperation between the police and election officials, allowing authorities to coordinate responses to problems that may arise at polling locations.

Livne praised the working relationship between the Central Elections Committee and the police, describing the level of cooperation as among the strongest seen in recent years.

He said the planned police presence represents an unprecedented deployment, reflecting the extensive preparations undertaken ahead of Tuesday’s elections.

According to Livne, the security operation will continue beyond the closing of polling stations, with police maintaining their deployment until the election results are published.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States would not launch a military strike against Iran that day, backing away from remarks made just 24 hours earlier suggesting that another American attack could take place as soon as Sunday. The announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned that Iran or its proxies might attempt to disrupt Tuesday’s Knesset elections with an attack on Israel.

The developments unfolded amid heightened military preparations in Israel, continuing tensions in the Persian Gulf, and reports that Washington and Tehran remain in indirect contact despite their public threats and disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House before departing for a campaign rally in Michigan, Trump was asked whether he intended to order another strike against Iran.

The president initially declined to discuss military plans in advance, but then offered a definitive answer regarding the possibility of an attack that day.

“No. There will be no attack today,” Trump said.

His comments represented a change in tone from Saturday, when he raised the possibility of renewed American military action against Iran while speaking with reporters after casting his ballot in early voting for the November midterm elections.

Asked about the prospect of another strike, Trump responded sarcastically that such an operation was under consideration and could potentially take place the following day.

During the same exchange, Trump also suggested that a diplomatic agreement with Tehran remained possible, although he expressed skepticism about whether Iranian leaders would honor any commitments they made.

The conflicting statements have added to uncertainty surrounding Washington’s immediate intentions, particularly as American military forces continue operating in the Persian Gulf and indirect diplomatic communications with Iran remain active.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu issued a sharp warning to Tehran on Sunday during a visit to an Israeli Arrow missile defense battery.

The prime minister said Israeli intelligence had identified the possibility that Iran or Iranian-backed organizations could attempt to launch an attack in the days leading up to Tuesday’s elections, potentially seeking to interfere with the voting process.

“Do not test us. You will suffer blows out of all proportion,” Netanyahu warned.

He emphasized that the IDF was prepared both to defend Israel against incoming attacks and to carry out offensive operations across multiple fronts if necessary.

The warning came as Israeli security officials increased their readiness ahead of the October 27 elections, amid concerns that Iran could attempt to exploit the politically sensitive period.

Israeli officials have reportedly assessed that Israel is unlikely to initiate a large-scale military operation against Iran before Election Day. Nevertheless, security officials remain concerned that Tehran could misinterpret Israeli military preparations and decide to launch a preemptive attack.

On October 14, Ynet reported that an Israeli security official did not anticipate an Israeli-initiated strike before the elections. The same report warned that a mistaken assessment by either side could lead to an unintended escalation.

The latest intelligence concerns have placed Israel’s defense establishment on heightened alert as the country prepares for an election taking place under the shadow of a possible confrontation with Iran.

Despite the increasingly forceful military rhetoric, Iranian officials continue to insist that a diplomatic settlement with Washington remains possible.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Sunday that Tehran had not closed the door to renewed negotiations with the United States and that messages were continuing to pass between the two governments through intermediaries.

In an interview with German media, Baghaei accused Washington of maintaining unilateral demands, including what he characterized as a demand for Iran’s complete surrender.

He said Tehran would not accept such conditions, although the Iranian government remained willing to pursue discussions if the American position changed.

The comments indicate that diplomatic channels have not been completely severed, even as the two countries continue to exchange threats and maintain substantial military deployments in the region.

Negotiations have been largely stalled in recent weeks, with major disagreements centered on the Strait of Hormuz and the American blockade of Iranian ports.

The strategically vital waterway, through which significant quantities of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies normally pass, has become a central point of contention in the confrontation.

Over the weekend, reports emerged that Tehran had submitted a new proposal through Pakistan offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the removal of the American blockade.

Iranian sources subsequently denied that a new proposal had been delivered, although they maintained that the possibility of reaching a diplomatic arrangement had not been eliminated.

The conflicting reports have made it difficult to determine whether meaningful progress is being made behind the scenes or whether the communications represent preliminary exchanges that have yet to produce a basis for negotiations.

American military activity in the region has continued alongside those diplomatic efforts.

According to the Associated Press, Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, flew over the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday as American forces continued operations intended to safeguard commercial shipping.

CENTCOM also reported that more than 3,000 commercial vessels had traveled through the strait with American military assistance over the previous six months.

The figure underscores the extensive American involvement in protecting maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important energy transportation routes.

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have affected international energy markets, shipping companies, and maritime insurers, increasing the economic consequences of the confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

The continued military presence has also made the waterway a potential flashpoint, with any new incident involving Iranian and American forces carrying the risk of a broader escalation.

The unfolding crisis comes at a particularly sensitive political moment for both Israel and the United States.

Israel is scheduled to hold its Knesset elections on Tuesday, October 27, while American voters will head to the polls one week later, on November 3, for midterm elections that will determine control of the House of Representatives and a portion of the Senate.

In the United States, the war with Iran and its effects on energy prices have become major campaign issues.

Trump has faced criticism over rising costs, particularly fuel prices, while also confronting pressure to demonstrate diplomatic progress that could reduce American military involvement in the Middle East.

The administration must balance those domestic political considerations against its stated security objectives and the continuing threat posed by Iran.

In Israel, security officials are primarily focused on preventing an attack that could interfere with the electoral process or force widespread emergency measures in the days surrounding the vote.

Netanyahu’s warning Sunday made clear that Israel intends to respond forcefully to any Iranian attempt to exploit the election period.

At the same time, Trump’s announcement that no American strike would take place Sunday leaves open the possibility of renewed military action in the coming days.

The immediate question is whether the president’s decision reflects a temporary postponement of military operations or a willingness to allow additional time for diplomatic efforts.

Washington is expected to continue closely monitoring Iranian military activity in the Persian Gulf, while Tehran assesses whether the latest American statements signal a genuine opening for negotiations.

With Israeli elections just two days away and American midterm elections approaching, the coming days could prove decisive in determining whether the confrontation moves toward renewed diplomacy or another round of military escalation.

{Matzav.com}

With less than two days remaining before Israel’s Knesset elections, political tensions within the chareidi community are intensifying, with police called to investigate the distribution of thousands of election-related posters in Bnei Brak, senior poskim issuing unusually forceful warnings against a breakaway chareidi party, and prominent Sephardic rabbonim undertaking last-minute efforts to prevent votes from being diverted away from established parties.

The developments, reported by Bavel’s Meiriv news program, reflect the increasingly contentious atmosphere surrounding Tuesday’s election, as competing factions attempt to influence chareidi voters and opponents of electoral participation prepare additional protest activities.

One of the more unusual incidents occurred shortly before Shabbos in Bnei Brak, where residents reported a vehicle driving through the city while its occupants scattered large quantities of politically charged pashkevilim throughout public areas.

Police were summoned following complaints about the vehicle and the extensive distribution of the posters.

According to the report, the material being distributed did not promote the established chareidi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism. Instead, the posters carried messages associated with several competing political groups and anti-election campaigns.

Among the materials were posters expressing support for Moti Leitner and his Chareidi Public party, advertisements promoting Chaim Miller’s Black Color party, and notices associated with Satmar’s campaign urging chareidim to refrain entirely from participating in the elections.

The fact that materials representing several different political movements were allegedly being distributed from the same vehicle raised questions about who was behind the operation and whether the activity was coordinated.

The report characterized the incident as an attempt to disrupt the established chareidi political framework, although it did not identify those responsible for organizing the distribution or establish that the various groups whose names appeared on the posters were involved in the operation.

Meanwhile, a separate political confrontation has erupted over Moti Leitner’s Chareidi Public party, which is attempting to attract voters dissatisfied with the established chareidi political leadership.

Two prominent poskim, Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl and Rav Asher Weiss, have issued strongly worded letters opposing support for the party.

According to Bavel, the letters represent an unusually forceful intervention by the rabbonim, whose associates and talmidim reportedly could not recall similar involvement in previous election campaigns.

The rabbonim warned that the party’s political and ideological direction poses a threat to the traditional chareidi way of life.

In particular, they expressed concern that Leitner’s movement seeks to encourage greater integration between the chareidi and general Israeli populations, rather than strengthening the independence of chareidi institutions and communities.

The warnings also focused on the potential consequences for the education of children in families supporting the party.

According to the report, the rabbonim maintained that voting for Leitner could ultimately undermine the educational values and religious framework that chareidi families seek to preserve.

Their intervention follows growing concern among established chareidi political leaders that smaller parties could attract enough votes to weaken the electoral strength of the larger chareidi factions without themselves securing representation in the Knesset.

Under Israel’s electoral system, a party must receive at least 3.25% of the valid national vote to enter the Knesset. Votes cast for parties that fail to reach that threshold do not translate into parliamentary seats.

That concern has prompted an intensive campaign to discourage voters from supporting smaller lists that are not expected to cross the electoral threshold.

In the Sephardic chareidi community, a particularly significant development unfolded over the weekend as Rav Avrohom Salim, a rosh yeshiva and member of the Shas Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, undertook a late-night series of visits to prominent rabbonim who have traditionally opposed participation in Knesset elections.

According to the report, Rav Salim traveled from one rabbinic home to another in an effort to secure statements that could encourage greater electoral participation and reduce the number of votes lost to abstention or competing parties.

The meetings reportedly produced several significant statements, although the article did not provide their full wording.

The initiative comes amid concern within Shas over the possibility that opposition to the military draft and dissatisfaction with the political establishment could lead some Sephardic chareidi voters to stay home or support alternative parties.

In another development, Rav Chida Abergel, leader of the Achi Yisrael movement, withdrew his party from the race for the 26th Knesset following efforts by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and former Sephardic Chief Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar to persuade him not to run.

Rav Abergel subsequently announced on Sunday evening that he would support Otzma Yehudit, the party headed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

His decision removes another small party from the ballot and eliminates the possibility that votes cast for Achi Yisrael would fail to count toward Knesset representation because the party did not reach the electoral threshold.

The withdrawal represents a significant development in the final days of the campaign, as political leaders continue efforts to consolidate votes among parties that are more likely to secure parliamentary representation.

At the same time, Bavel reported receiving internal information suggesting that extremist factions opposed to the established chareidi parties are preparing a broader campaign to disrupt election-day activity.

According to the report, the planned efforts involve two parallel tracks.

The first centers on encouraging protest votes for smaller parties that are not expected to reach the electoral threshold, including Chaim Miller’s Black Color party and Leitner’s Chareidi Public party.

The reported objective is to draw votes away from the established chareidi parties, thereby reducing their potential representation in the next Knesset.

The second track reportedly involves efforts to interfere with normal election-day activity and discourage chareidi participation in voting.

The report did not provide specific operational details about the anticipated disruptions, and the allegations concerning the plans have not been independently confirmed.

The developments come amid an election campaign marked by deep divisions within the chareidi community over military recruitment, political representation, and the effectiveness of participation in Israel’s governing institutions.

While the established chareidi parties are working to preserve their electoral support, rival movements are attempting to capitalize on dissatisfaction with the political leadership, and groups ideologically opposed to Knesset participation continue to campaign for abstention.

With Tuesday’s election approaching, the competing campaigns have moved beyond political speeches and advertisements, drawing senior rabbonim into the debate and prompting police involvement following the Bnei Brak poster incident.

The final days of the campaign are expected to bring continued efforts by the various factions to influence voters, as the question of chareidi political representation remains one of the major issues surrounding the election.

{Matzav.com}