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U.S. intelligence officials are sounding alarms that foreign cyber intrusions are accelerating at the same time artificial intelligence is making hacking operations faster and easier to scale.

AI firm Anthropic recently disclosed that it shut down what researchers described as a Chinese-linked operation that used an AI system to help automate and direct hacking activity. While that effort was relatively limited and targeted roughly 30 individuals, experts warned that the pace at which AI-assisted cyber capabilities are advancing is deeply concerning.

Against that backdrop, warnings are growing that Chinese intelligence has not been expelled from U.S. telecommunications infrastructure. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said Chinese operatives remain embedded in American telecom systems as part of an operation known as “Salt Typhoon,” which he said has been underway for at least two years.

Speaking at a Defense Writers Group event, Warner said Chinese intelligence is “still inside” U.S. networks, enabling access to vast amounts of American communications. He cautioned that without encryption, hackers could effectively “pick any one of us,” tapping into unprotected phone traffic. He pointed to comments from national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who previously described the breach as notable for its “sheer scale of access,” according to the Financial Times.

Warner said a recent classified briefing only deepened his concerns. He described the session as “really frustrating,” saying it left him puzzled by sharply conflicting assessments from federal agencies. According to Warner, the FBI portrayed telecom systems as “pretty clean,” while other intelligence bodies, citing multiple internal documents, insisted the intrusions are ongoing.

Those warnings echo earlier alerts from U.S. intelligence agencies. In September, the National Security Agency cautioned that Chinese cyber operations linked to Salt Typhoon continued to penetrate virtually all internet-connected systems and devices.

Warner argued that the depth of the problem is rooted in years of regulatory complacency and aggressive cost-cutting by telecom companies. He said the result is a fragmented network built for speed and profit rather than security, leaving consumers to bear the consequences. In his view, U.S. systems are more exposed than those in Canada or Europe.

To address the risks, Warner has advocated for legislation that would require telecom providers to comply with baseline cybersecurity standards. But he acknowledged that the effort faces stiff opposition, largely because upgrading networks could cost billions of dollars, including the expense of ripping out and replacing outdated equipment.

The senator also warned that failure to act invites other adversaries to follow China’s lead. He said Russia is already probing the same weaknesses exposed by Salt Typhoon, calling it an expected move when enemies see vulnerabilities that Washington and industry have not decisively addressed.

While assigning blame across party lines for slow progress, Warner criticized what he described as a damaging shift in federal priorities. He said the FBI redirected significant manpower away from counterespionage and counterterrorism toward immigration enforcement.

Former CIA China analyst Dennis Wilder echoed those concerns, telling the Financial Times that staff reductions at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have undermined the government’s ability to respond effectively, even as threats to U.S. telecommunications continue to grow.

China has repeatedly denied that its Ministry of State Security is responsible for hacking U.S. telecom networks, according to the report.

{Matzav.com}

TRAGEDY: Chaimi Erlanger, a volunteer EMT with United Hatzalah from the city of Netanya, was killed in a traffic accident near Harish while on his way to respond to an emergency call and save lives.

LINDSEY GRAHAM: Every Western government who’s recognized a Palestinian state you’re rewarding killing jews.

TRUMP: We’ll soon have a good head of the Fed who’s going to want to see interest rates go down…

HaGaon HaRav Meir Tzvi Bergman, Zakein Chevrei Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah in Eretz Yisroel on the first night of Chanukah.

Statement from Agudath Israel of America on the Deadly Antisemitic Terror Attack in Australia  

Australian police raid Bondi Beach terrorist Naveed Akram’s home, residents are seen exiting with their hands raised.

TRUMP: In Australia, as you know, there was a terrible attack… that was an anti Semitic attack obviously…

Since the beginning of October, the IDF has eliminated about 40 Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon, adding to more than 380 terrorists eliminated since the ceasefire, during which Hezbollah has violated the agreement over 1,900 times.

Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy reported Sunday that he spoke with President Trump regarding the deadly terrorist attack in Australia, as Jewish communities around the world reel from the violence. According to Doocy, President Trump delivered a message directed at Jewish Americans preparing to celebrate Chanukah, urging resilience and pride in the face […]

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the passing of Rav Yitzchok Dovid Gurwicz z”l. He was 90.

Rav Gurwicz was born in England and was the eldest son of Rav Aryeh Leib Gurwicz zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Bais Yosef in Gateshead, and his mother, Mrs. Chana Liba a”h, daughter of the renowned mashgiach Rav Eliyahu Lopian zt”l.

He was a brother of Hagaon Rav Avraham Gurwicz shlit”a.

His father, Rav Aryeh Leib, served as rosh yeshiva of Gateshead for more than three decades and authored the sefarim Arza D’bei Rav, Roshei She’arim, and Me’orei She’arim. Rav Gurwicz’s mother passed away in 1978 following a stroke and was buried on Har HaZeisim.

Rav Yitzchok Dovid resided in Gateshead near his brother, the current rosh yeshiva, one of the gedolei hador, Rav Avraham Gurwicz, with whom he shared a deep and enduring bond of closeness and affection throughout their lives.

Alongside his professional responsibilities, Rav Gurwicz was exceptional in his dedication to kevius ittim laTorah.

At the levayah of his wife, who passed away approximately seven years ago, Rav Avraham Gurwicz testified that “the nifteres merited to be an eishes chaver, for my brother Rav Yitzchok Dovid made Torah his occupation and it was the center of his life.”

Each year, during the European vacation period toward the end of the civil year, Rav Gurwicz traveled to participate in the Yarchei Kallah of Agudas Yisroel of Europe. He maintained a close relationship with the Ponovezh rosh yeshiva Rav Berel Povarsky.

Rav Yitzchok Dovid leaves behind a wonderful family, including sons and sons-in-law who are distinguished talmidei chachamim.

The levayah is taking place today from the main shul of the Gateshead community in England, after which the aron will be brought to Eretz Yisroel for burial.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Hagaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, lighting Menorah on the first night of Chanukah.

A public recognition ceremony was held in Yerushalayim honoring three yungeleit who were arrested, declared draft evaders, and incarcerated for extended periods in an Israeli military prison.

At the event, the three received cash grants calculated at 1,000 shekels for each day they spent in custody.

The gathering took place at the Beis Medrash Shaarei Tuvia, the bais medrash formerly led by the late Gaavad of Yerushalayim, Rav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss.

The case dates back to Tammuz, when the three were arrested during protests in the city of Yehud against alleged desecration of graves. After their arrest by police, they were transferred to military police custody due to their failure to report to draft offices.

The three detainees were identified as Elazar Tzadok Kaufman, Aryeh Mordechai Rabinowitz, and Dovid Menachem Mintzberg. All three were incarcerated in a military prison for significant periods of time.

Associates of the detainees said that throughout their imprisonment, the three were held in complete isolation after refusing to wear military uniforms, a stance they said reflected unwavering adherence to their principles.

The last of the three, Elazar Tzadok Kaufman, was released approximately two weeks ago after spending more than 130 days in prison. Prior to his release, Aryeh Mordechai Rabinowitz was freed after more than 90 days of incarceration, while Dovid Menachem Mintzberg was released after more than 30 days in custody.

At the center of the ceremony, the three received what organizers described as significant financial presents, presented “as an expression of appreciation for their steadfast resolve and inner strength.” Donors from around the world contributed to the effort, pledging 1,000 shekels for each day an individual spent in military detention.

As a result, Kaufman received 130,000 shekels, Rabinowitz received 90,000 shekels, and Mintzberg received 30,000 shekels. The funds were distributed in cash, in U.S. dollar bills.

Among the rabbonim who attended and addressed the gathering were Rav Yehoshua Dovid Turtchin; the Rebbe of Mishkenos HaRo’im; Rav Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Satmar Yerushalayim; the Krechnif-Sigheter Rebbe; Rav Nesanel Peretz Meirzan, rosh yeshiva of Chochmas HaTorah; Rav Shlomo Zalman Weiss, rav of the Shaarei Tuvia Beis Medrash, and others.

{Matzav.com}

Jewish activist and attorney Arsen Ostrovsky, who is a senior and well-known figure in the local and international Jewish community, was among the dozens of victims wounded in the massacre at the Chanukah celebration in Bondi Beach, Sydney. Ostrovsky recently moved back to Australia from Israel to serve as the chairman of the Australia/Israel & […]

As he readies himself to leave City Hall, outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams is warning that the city could be headed in a troubling direction under Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, telling the New York Post that residents should be deeply concerned about what may come next.

Looking back on the tight mayoral race, Adams argued that the election was far from a blowout, despite how it has been portrayed. He said he believes the outcome might have been different under other circumstances. “I think I would have won if they would have dropped out. Remember 49% of New Yorkers did not vote for Zohran – 49%. But people want to make it seem like there was some landslide. No, it was not. In fact, it was to the contrary. This was a very close race.” Adams ultimately withdrew from the contest after running as an independent and later endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Adams also pushed back strongly against claims that allegations of corruption overshadowed his administration. “I don’t think I was treated fairly. In fact, I was treated unfairly. And despite all the noise that we received and all we went through, we did not stop delivering for New Yorkers,” he said.

Turning to public safety and mental health, Adams said he fears progress made during his tenure could be undone. Asked whether he still believed difficult times lay ahead, he responded bluntly. “Yes I do,” Adams said when asked if he still believed “dark days” were ahead. “I think we should be concerned and we are seeing some early indicators. Look, a large number of people who live on our streets deal with mental health illness. We should not be allowing them to live on our streets. We want to bring on 5,000 new police officers to make sure [cop retirements] don’t hurt our law enforcement. We have figured out a successful methodology of making our cities safe. We should not tamper with that at all. Looking to disband [the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group]. That’s the same unit that [responded to a deadly mass shooting in July at NFL HQ in Manhattan].”

He expanded on those concerns by urging Mamdani to reconsider policies associated with the Democratic Socialist Party, warning they could have serious consequences for neighborhoods across the city. “I think New Yorkers need to be alarmed, and I’m hoping that when the mayor-elect becomes mayor he will rethink some of the Democratic Socialist Party’s ideas and policies and see that they’re harmful to New Yorkers. Removing 3,000 inmates from Rikers Island – that is a real issue because they’re going to go back into the communities that they exploited and they preyed on.”

Adams also weighed in on Mamdani’s ability to govern a politically divided city and stressed the importance of cooperation with President Trump following the mayor-elect’s recent visit to the White House. “Let’s be clear: almost half New Yorkers did not vote for Zohran. We’re not going to be able to function in the city if those 49% everyday walk around and say, ‘He’s not [my] mayor.’ That mindset is not helpful to the city, and that’s the same for those who didn’t vote for President Trump. You cannot have four more years of saying the president is not their president. It’s time for us to be politically mature enough and respect our democratic process. So I’m hoping they can work together. There’s some real challenges in front of us. Zohran is going to be able to use all the money in his budget and not deal with asylum seekers because President Trump secured our border, so he should be thankful for that. But I think that it is imperative for him to know that just as he wants people to respect him as a mayor, he has to respect the president as the president.”

Addressing anxiety within the Jewish community, Adams said strong and unambiguous leadership will be required from the next mayor. “There needs to be a clear denouncement of ‘globalize the intifada.’ There needs to be a clear denouncement of people standing in front of a house of worship and calling for harm to a particular group. A mayor must not only lead based on what they say, but what they do. He has to send a very clear message that antisemitism and hate of any faith will not have a place in the city.”

Reflecting on his own departure from office, Adams said he feels no nostalgia for the role, describing the job as relentless. “Actually, I’m not going to miss it (laughing). This is a hard job. I’ve been doing 12-hour days, almost seven days a week. You know, the constant critique and criticism. I would love to have finished the things we’ve done for four more years, but trust me, it’s time for me do something else with my life and use experiences that I had as a police officer, as a lawmaker, as the [borough president] in Brooklyn, and now as the mayor to go and help the city more. There’s more I want to do in the city, particularly going after some of the hate we’re seeing, but also, there are other cities across the country and the globe that I could use my expertise in. And so I don’t look in the rearview mirror. I look in the front windshield.”

Despite stepping away, Adams made clear he is not ruling out future roles in public life. “Never say never. Don’t close the door because then it’s difficult when you have to walk through it again.” Asked specifically about serving in a presidential administration, he added, “Again, you never say never. I am looking forward to all the opportunities that are in front of me.”

Finally, Adams dismissed second-guessing about bypassing the Democratic primary, saying he stands by his decision. “I have no regrets at all. I said I would sit out the Democratic primary and I would run head to head with Zohran Mamdani [as an independent]. You can’t really look back and cry over spilt milk. There’s a whole lot of milk cartons waiting for me to open.”

{Matzav.com}

Controversy is mounting at the University of Arkansas after allegations surfaced that a senior professor used official university letterhead to defend an Iranian regime figure convicted of mass executions and publicly praised Iran’s Supreme Leader while denouncing Israel, according to a report by The New York Post.

The professor, Shirin Saeidi, who until recently headed the university’s Middle East Studies program, was removed from her role as director on Friday. University officials confirmed she remains on staff as a professor while an internal review continues.

The accusations stem in part from a letter Saeidi allegedly wrote on official university stationery calling for the release of Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian official convicted by a Swedish court in 2022 for ordering the execution of thousands of political prisoners at Tehran’s Gohardasht Prison in 1988. The document was obtained by the US-based Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists, which shared it with The Post.

Nouri, who served as assistant deputy prosecutor at Karaj Prison near Tehran, was freed last year as part of a prisoner exchange between Iran and Sweden.

Saeidi has also drawn scrutiny for her social media activity. In posts shared on X in November, she praised Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, writing prayers for his safety and describing him as “the leader who kept Iran intact during the Israeli attack, May god protect you,” in reference to the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. She has additionally referred to Israel as a “terrorist state” and a “genocidal state” in other posts.

The controversy has prompted strong reactions from public officials and advocacy groups. On Friday, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sharply criticized Saeidi in a statement to The Post, condemning what he called her “hate-filled antisemitic venom.”

“Whether Shirin Saeidi should be fired is a decision for the administration and the UA board. But praising the Iranian leader — who calls not only for the slaughter of Jews but also calls for the destruction of America — makes me think this deranged professor would probably be better suited to being given a one-way ticket to Tehran and taking a job of teaching in their hate-infested schools,” Huckabee said.

A university spokesman told The Post that Saeidi is no longer affiliated with the Middle East Studies department and that the school is investigating her apparent use of official letterhead “in accordance with university policies.”

Pressure on the university has been building for months. Prior to her removal as director, AAIRIA activists gathered 3,782 signatures on a Change.org petition demanding disciplinary action.

“For forty-six years, Iranians have resisted this erasure of their memories, their testimonies, and their courage,” said Lawdan Bazargan, a former Iranian political prisoner and human rights activist. “That is why the regime relies on ideologues and useful idiots in Western institutions to launder its image.

“Dr. Saeidi’s work is part of that machinery, an academic façade built on falsified narratives to soften the truth about Iran’s prisons and the resistance that takes place inside them.”

Bazargan also told The Post that the FBI contacted her in May regarding the allegations, prompting her and AAIRIA to take a closer look at Saeidi’s activities.

Elected officials have also weighed in. Arkansas State Rep. Mary Bentley said she was “deeply disturbed” by the claims.

“I can assure you that my constituents do not want their tax dollars being used to support unethical and antisemitic behavior from professors at our public universities,” Bentley said.

The controversy has drawn attention beyond Arkansas. Masih Alinejad, an Iranian dissident based in Brooklyn who was targeted by the Iranian regime in 2021, urged President Trump to intervene and halt what she described as the spread of regime sympathizers in the West.

“She regularly attacks me and other human rights activists who dare to stand up to the same dictator,” Alinejad wrote on X, referring to Saeidi.

According to AAIRIA, Saeidi also endorsed two anti-Israel petitions in 2023 and 2025.

“You can’t get any more antisemitic that,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. “Only a week after the horrors on Oct 7, Saeidi chose to whitewash the terrorist crimes of Hamas.”

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Democracy Institute on Sunday published the 2025 Statistical Yearbook of Chareidi Society, marking the tenth annual edition of the comprehensive report. The yearbook was edited by Dr. Gilad Malach and Dr. Lee Cahaner, research fellows in the Institute’s Program on Chareidi Society in Israel, which operates under the Jacobs Center for a Shared Society headed by attorney Shlomit Ravitzky Tur-Paz.

The report presents an updated snapshot of chareidi society in 2025, alongside an in-depth review of trends over the past decade and, in some areas, the decade preceding it. Long-term analysis points to a widening gap between chareidi women and men: while women continue to advance in education, employment, and professional training, chareidi men have experienced near-complete stagnation in employment rates and integration into a broader range of occupations.

Demographics: A Remarkably Young Population

Israel’s chareidi population now numbers approximately 1,452,350 people, accounting for about 14.3% of the country’s population. It is among the youngest populations in the world, with 57% aged 19 or younger. While only about 4% of chareidim are over age 65, roughly 22% of Israel’s entire population under 19 is chareidi.

This age structure places sustained and growing pressure on the education system, labor market, and welfare services—pressures expected to intensify in the coming decades. Fertility rates remain exceptionally high, averaging 6.5 children per woman, with no significant change over the past decade, helping to explain the community’s rapid demographic growth.

Education System: Continued Expansion

Over the past decade, the chareidi education system has expanded at an average annual rate of 3.7%. In the 2024–2025 school year, approximately 420,000 students were enrolled, representing 21% of all students in Israel and 27% of those in the Hebrew education system. About 31% of first-grade students in Hebrew education are enrolled in chareidi schools.

A decade ago, chareidi enrollment stood at around 290,000 students, comprising 24% of Hebrew education. Today, 62.5% of chareidi students attend network schools, 8.5% are in recognized but unofficial institutions, 21% in exempt institutions, and 7.5% in state-chareidi schools.

Eligibility for matriculation certificates among chareidi students has risen from 10% a decade ago to 16% today, though this remains far below the 85% eligibility rate in state and state-religious education.

Yeshivos and Kollelim: Rapid Growth, Statistical Gaps

In 2023, the number of unmarried yeshiva students and married kollel yungeleit over age 18 stood at 169,366. This figure has nearly doubled over a decade, rising from about 92,500 in 2013, an increase of 83%, with annual growth exceeding 6%, faster than overall chareidi population growth.

In 2024, however, official figures showed a sharp decline in registered yeshiva students and kollel scholars. The report explains that roughly 70,000 yeshiva bochurim and avreichim aged 18–27 who are liable for military service are no longer state-funded and therefore do not appear in Ministry of Education records. The official 2024 figure of 109,601 students, more than half of whom are over age 31, is thus considered incomplete.

Military and National Service: Numbers Mask Reality

Over the past decade, the number of chareidim entering military or civilian service has largely stagnated. In 2024, 3,060 graduates of the chareidi education system entered service, only slightly fewer than the 3,710 recorded in 2014. Given rapid population growth, this represents a real decline of about 25%.

At the same time, 2024 saw a 51% increase in enlistment compared to the previous year, likely influenced by the war and expanded draft obligations. Of those entering service, 2,560 joined the IDF and 500 entered national civilian service.

Notably, 55% of those enlisting in the IDF were placed in general, non-chareidi frameworks, while only 45% joined chareidi-adapted tracks, suggesting that many recruits classified as chareidi are in fact formerly chareidi. Combat placement rates were 40% in general tracks compared to 30% in chareidi tracks. Most civilian service participants begin only after age 24, a pattern unchanged for a decade.

Higher Education and Professional Training

In the 2024–2025 academic year, 18,953 chareidi students were enrolled in higher education, accounting for 5.5% of all students in Israel. Growth in recent years has slowed to about 4% annually, with most increases seen in advanced degree programs.

One notable bright spot is technological vocational training through the National Institute for Technological Training (MAHAT). By 2024, 9,600 chareidim were enrolled in these programs—three times the number in 2014. Growth has accelerated to about 17% annually over the past five years, a rate unmatched in other areas of chareidi higher education.

Employment in 2025

Employment rates in 2025 stood at 53% for chareidi men and 81% for chareidi women. Chareidi men work an average of 36.5 hours per week, compared to 45 hours for non-chareidi Jewish men, while chareidi women average 32 hours, compared to 38.5 hours among non-chareidi Jewish women.

About 30% of chareidi men work in education, while only 3.5% are employed in high-tech, reflecting little change over the past decade. Among women, 42.5% work in education, similar to levels ten years ago.

Wage gaps remain stark. The average monthly salary for a chareidi man is 9,929 shekels, roughly 49% of that earned by a non-chareidi Jewish man. Chareidi women earn an average of 8,617 shekels, about 67% of their non-chareidi counterparts.

Living Standards and Poverty

About 33% of chareidi families and 45% of chareidi children live below the poverty line, compared to 14% and 13%, respectively, among non-chareidi Jewish families. Still, this marks an improvement from 2015, when 39% of chareidi families were below the poverty line.

Average monthly household income among chareidim is 14,816 shekels, compared to 24,466 shekels for non-chareidi Jewish households. The relative income gap has widened slightly over the past decade.

Despite lower incomes, 75% of chareidim own their homes, slightly higher than the 72% rate among non-chareidi Jews. However, only 50% own a car, compared to 82% of non-chareidi Jews, reflecting ongoing disparities in mobility and access to employment.

Financial Behavior and Preparedness

The report highlights significant differences in financial behavior. Chareidim are more likely to carry mortgages and loans, save less, and rely on low-yield savings vehicles. They are also less prepared for financial emergencies and retirement, with lower rates of private insurance coverage and pension planning.

Reliance on family support networks is higher, with 59% of chareidim turning to family during financial distress, compared to 37% of non-chareidi Jews. Use of interest-free community loan funds is also far more common.

Researchers’ Conclusions

Dr. Malach and Dr. Cahaner concluded that the data reflect a decade of stagnation and even regression in the integration of chareidi men, following a previous decade of progress. Employment rates, income levels, occupational diversity, and enlistment figures have all failed to advance, even as the number of yeshiva students and avreichim has grown rapidly.

By contrast, chareidi women continue to show steady integration into education and employment, though income levels remain low. The researchers point to expanding technological training, higher education, and increased internet use as potential foundations for future integration, if leveraged effectively.

{Matzav.com}

Last night’s Powerball drawing failed to produce a jackpot winner, sending the prize soaring to an estimated $1.1 billion after the $1 billion payout went unclaimed.

The numbers drawn for the massive jackpot were 1, 28, 31, 57, and 58, with the Powerball number set at 16.

While no one hit the top prize, several players still walked away with major winnings. Two ticket holders in North Carolina and Pennsylvania earned $2 million each by matching all five white balls and adding the Power Play option.

Five additional tickets sold in California, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia matched the five white numbers, earning their holders $1 million apiece.

The drawing had drawn significant attention as it marked the seventh-largest jackpot in Powerball history, narrowly trailing the $1.08 billion prize claimed on July 19, 2023, in downtown Los Angeles.

The most recent jackpot winners before this drawing were players in Missouri and Texas, who split a record-setting $1.787 billion prize on Sept. 6, the second-largest lottery jackpot ever awarded.

{Matzav.com}

A social media post by conservative commentator Candace Owens has ignited widespread controversy and speculation online after resurfacing in the days following today’s deadly attack in Asutralia.

In the post, shared on X on November 27, Owens wrote that unnamed forces had been “signaling that a 9/11-style attack is coming the second week of December,” adding, “Save this tweet. It will age well.”

The post amassed hundreds of thousands of views.

Following today’s terror attack in Australia, screenshots of Owens’ message began spreading rapidly, with users questioning whether the commentator had advance knowledge of an impending act of terrorism or whether her statement was a vague prediction rooted in online speculation.

Some commentators accused Owens of irresponsibly fueling fear.

Many are demanding clarification from Owens regarding the basis for her claim. As of this writing, Owens has not provided details explaining what intelligence, indicators, or sources she was referencing, nor has she issued a retraction or apology.

{Matzav.com}

New York City mayoral-elect Zohran Mamdani issued a statement today responding to the deadly antisemitic terror attack at a Chanukah celebration in Sydney, Australia, but his wording has drawn sharp criticism for downplaying the nature of the assault.

In a post published on X, Mamdani described the attack as “a vile act of antisemitic terror” and said he was mourning those murdered and praying for their families, the Jewish community, and the Chabad movement. He cited reports indicating that at least 11 people were killed and dozens injured, including Rabbi Eli Schlangler.

However, critics quickly seized on Mamdani’s later characterization of the attackers. Rather than referring to them as terrorists, Mamdani wrote that “men with long guns targeted innocents” on Bondi Beach, language that many say minimizes the ideological nature of the attack and echoes phrasing commonly used to avoid labeling antisemitic violence as terrorism.

Mamdani’s statement went on to draw parallels between the Sydney attack and fears held by Jewish communities worldwide, writing that many Jews no longer feel safe worshiping publicly or entering synagogues without armed security. He added that what happened in Bondi is what many Jewish communities fear could happen in their own neighborhoods.

In the final portion of his post, Mamdani referenced a bystander who reportedly ran toward the gunfire and disarmed one of the attackers, urging New Yorkers to confront hatred with urgency and action. He pledged that, once in office, he would work daily to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe “on our streets, our subways, at shul, in every moment of every day.”

Despite those assurances, Mamdani’s response was met with skepticism from Jewish activists and communal figures, many of whom pointed to his longstanding record of hostility toward Israel and repeated refusal to clearly condemn antisemitic actors when they align with causes he supports. Several critics argued that his choice of words — particularly the decision to describe the attackers as “men with long guns” — reflects a broader pattern of rhetorical sanitization when Jewish victims are targeted.

During the New York City mayoral campaign, Mamdani was repeatedly asked about the slogan “Globalize the Intifada.” When asked on a podcast in June whether he would condemn it, he declined to do so and instead described it as language that “means very different things to different people,” and emphasized that the mayor shouldn’t “police language.”

“This was not a random act of violence or generic gun crime,” one Jewish community leader said. “It was terrorism, carried out against Jews celebrating Chanukah. Language matters, especially from someone about to become mayor of the largest Jewish city in the world.”

{Matzav.com}