The second day of the visit of Rav Ezriel Auerbach to the United States was marked by receptions and meaningful encounters, with visits to gedolim and various mosdos.
Throughout the day, large kabbalas panim events were held in batei medrash, yeshivos, Talmudei Torah, and even in the streets of Lakewood, as throngs came out to greet the venerated posek.
PHOTOS:Iran’s intelligence minister revealed on Sunday that a collection of confidential Israeli documents recently obtained by Tehran would soon be made public. Speaking on state television, Esmail Khatib called the materials a “treasure trove” that he claimed would boost Iran’s strategic strength.
Over the weekend, Iranian state media claimed that intelligence agencies in Iran had acquired a vast quantity of classified Israeli documents. The reports did not provide any proof to support the assertion. According to Khatib, the documents include details on Israel’s nuclear infrastructure, its relationships with Western nations including the United States and European countries, and information regarding its military defense systems.
It remains uncertain if this alleged intelligence windfall is connected to a previously reported cyberattack on an Israeli nuclear facility last year. Tehran’s disclosure of the incident now comes amid growing international scrutiny of its own nuclear program.
“The transfer of this treasure trove was time-consuming and required security measures. Naturally, the transfer methods will remain confidential but the documents should be unveiled soon,” said Khatib. He added that the quantity of material was so substantial that “talking of thousands of documents would be an understatement.”
This development echoes a 2018 announcement by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, who said Israeli operatives had retrieved a massive “archive” of Iranian nuclear files, claiming the documents proved Iran had conducted more extensive nuclear activities than it had previously admitted.
At the same time, Washington continues to engage in negotiations with Tehran to resolve the long-standing standoff over Iran’s nuclear program. President Donald Trump has warned that if diplomatic efforts fail, military options remain on the table to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear capabilities.
Despite issuing stern warnings, Trump has leaned on diplomacy. In April, he reportedly stepped in to stop a planned Israeli military operation targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure, in order to avoid undermining the ongoing talks.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dismissed any suggestion that Tehran might abandon uranium enrichment. “100 percent” against Iran’s interests, he said on Wednesday, firmly rejecting one of the main conditions sought by the United States in negotiations.
Western governments maintain that Iran is enriching uranium to levels dangerously close to weapons-grade, arguing there is no civilian justification for such high levels of purity. Tehran has consistently denied that it intends to build nuclear weapons.
{Matzav.com}
In a move drawing sharp criticism, the cabinet approved a new resolution on Sunday that permits a ministerial committee—rather than a professional, independent body—to initiate proceedings to dismiss the attorney general. This decision came despite a warning earlier that day from the Attorney General’s Office declaring the proposal illegal. The change sidesteps a procedure that had required the input of a statutory committee of legal experts and public representatives before such a step could be taken.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin wasted no time after the vote, immediately sending a letter to the newly formed committee, urging them to evaluate whether Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara should be removed from her post. He also asked the committee to conduct a formal hearing as part of its deliberation.
Under the revised resolution, which alters a policy from the year 2000, the authority to recommend the attorney general’s dismissal shifts to a five-member panel of ministers appointed by the government. This committee replaces the earlier requirement of consultation with a neutral body consisting of professionals with legal credentials.
Once the committee has reached a conclusion, it can submit its recommendation to the cabinet, which would then require a supermajority—75 percent of ministers—to vote in favor in order to remove the attorney general.
The ministers chosen to serve on the committee are Diaspora Affairs Minister Amihai Chikli, who will serve as chairman; Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich; National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir; Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel; and Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli.
It remains uncertain when the committee will convene, but Ben Gvir called on Chikli to hold a session as early as Monday and to bring Baharav-Miara in for a hearing within the week.
Tensions between the attorney general and the current government have been ongoing since the coalition took office at the end of 2022. Government officials have repeatedly accused her of obstructing their agenda, while Baharav-Miara has maintained that many of the government’s initiatives violate the law or breach constitutional norms.
The resolution approved Sunday is seen as a pivotal and unprecedented development. The attorney general plays a central role in safeguarding legal standards and ensuring the integrity of law enforcement, and the position has historically been filled through a nonpartisan, merit-based process.
In a legal opinion released earlier on Sunday, the Attorney General’s Office warned that the proposed change would erode the independence of the office and subject it to political pressures. It stated the move was designed only because the government faced obstacles in navigating the established legal pathway to remove her and accused the coalition of “changing the rules of the game” midstream.
Civil rights organizations quickly responded with petitions to the High Court of Justice. The Israel Democracy Guard, one of the petitioners, said the resolution stemmed from “ulterior motives” and would seriously “harm the independence of the institution of the Attorney General’s Office.”
The High Court may issue an interim order, as it did regarding the dismissal process for Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, blocking the implementation of this new mechanism until the legal challenges are resolved.
The effort to oust Baharav-Miara began formally in March when the cabinet unanimously passed a no-confidence vote against her. However, Levin was unable to activate the statutory process outlined in the original 2000 resolution, as he could not recruit a past justice minister or attorney general to serve on the committee, and the Knesset failed to appoint a member to the panel.
In response to those setbacks, Levin introduced the new framework, pointing out that the original method had reached a dead end. He also claimed that previous justice officials and attorneys general had made public remarks indicating bias against the government, making them unfit to weigh in on the matter.
In the rationale accompanying the resolution, Levin emphasized that the March vote had shown unanimous cabinet distrust in Baharav-Miara, asserting that productive collaboration with her had become impossible.
“The argumentative actions of the attorney general, which are not in line with legal positions previously presented by the Attorney General’s Office, have paralyzed the government’s work on a number of essential matters,” Levin wrote. He further stressed that the situation was exacerbated by the ongoing war, saying it demanded close and efficient coordination between the attorney general and government officials.
Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon authored a detailed opinion criticizing Levin’s initiative, describing it as “an extreme expression of a series of moves recently promoted whose purpose is to remove limits and oversight over governmental power… while politicizing the public service, and harming the neutrality of [law enforcement] gatekeepers.”
Limon argued that the new procedure would fundamentally alter the nature of the attorney general’s role, which had been “an independent and apolitical position” since the establishment of the state.
“It involves the removal of a central and necessary institutional guarantee to ensure the attorney general’s independent functioning, which is essential to protecting the rule of law,” he wrote.
Limon concluded that the resolution was “unlawful” and could not be implemented legally.
He also questioned the reasoning behind creating a new panel based on supposed bias among previous officials, while stacking the new committee with ministers who had all publicly called for Baharav-Miara’s removal.
Finally, Limon raised concerns about the timing of the move, as the Attorney General’s Office is preparing two significant responses to the High Court. One relates to petitions demanding enforcement of draft laws for chareidi yeshiva students, and the other concerns legal challenges to legislation that dramatically increased political influence over judicial appointments.
{Matzav.com}
A newly released report from The Washington Post describes a fiery confrontation that reportedly took place between Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent inside the White House this past April. The clash is said to have marked a pivotal turning point in Musk’s deteriorating relationship with President Donald Trump.
The alleged incident unfolded after Musk and Bessent each presented competing reform proposals for the Internal Revenue Service directly to President Trump in the Oval Office. As detailed in the report, Trump ultimately threw his support behind Bessent’s plan.
According to former White House advisor Steven Bannon, the tensions spilled over once the two men left the meeting. “Scott said [to Musk], ‘You’re a fraud. You’re a total fraud,'” Bannon stated, describing Bessent’s accusation during the verbal altercation.
Bannon went on to claim that Musk initiated physical contact in response to the insult, driving his shoulder into Bessent’s torso “like a rugby player.” The encounter reportedly triggered a physical reaction from the Treasury Secretary.
The situation escalated to the point where several people had to intervene to separate them, Bannon alleged. Following the scuffle, Musk was reportedly escorted out of the West Wing.
“President Trump heard about it and said, ‘This is too much,'” said Bannon.
The confrontation comes amid growing public animosity between Musk and President Trump, especially after Musk slammed a major budget bill the president backed, branding it a “disgusting abomination.”
In response to Musk’s harsh criticism, President Trump is said to have threatened to pull government contracts from Musk’s ventures, such as SpaceX and Starlink. He also allegedly warned that Musk would face consequences if he aligned with Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections, stating “he will pay the price.”
Musk quickly fired back in a post on X, rejecting Trump’s narrative. He denied having deep prior knowledge of the proposed budget details and said his objections were unrelated to the removal of the electric vehicle tax credit.
Taking things further, Musk claimed that without his support, President Trump and Republican lawmakers wouldn’t have won in 2024. He even polled his followers on whether he should launch a new political party.
Musk also made a bold and explosive claim, suggesting that the President is “in the Epstein files” and alleging that this is the “real reason” the documents have not been made public. Musk deleted the posts shortly afterward and did not provide any evidence to support the accusation.
In another provocative move, Musk liked and reposted a message on X that called for President Trump to be impeached and proposed that Vice President JD Vance replace him.
As of now, neither the White House nor the Treasury Department has issued a response regarding the alleged altercation between Musk and Bessent. Representatives for Musk have also remained silent on the matter.
{Matzav.com}
[COMMUNICATED]
Is there a pain greater than the pain of watching your little daughter bravely fighting for her life, but losing despite all efforts?
Knowing that if only they had the means, they could fly her to a children’s hospital in the USA, where ground-breaking treatments are available and could cure Riki.
But they do not have the funds.
Imagine this young family: mom and dad, hardworking and loving parents to Riki and Moishi, just celebrating the birth of baby Moti. Their world collapsing one cruel day when they discover to their horror that Riki, a happy, sweet tempered and creative seven-year-old, has Leukemia.
They spend days in the hospital, then weeks. Leaving all behind and focusing on supporting their little girl, seeking treatment and hoping for good news. But weeks turn to months, and Riki is only getting worse. Moishi and baby Motti miss them terribly, their jobs are gone, their strength is weakening, and Riki is bravely trying to fight but she knows that her chances are slim.
Then they hear of a possible cure, far away in the USA. With rekindled hope they contact the hospital and find that Riki is a perfect candidate for this treatment. They want to celebrate, to start planning a complicated voyage and stay, but the sums needed are way beyond their waning budget. Can you imagine the agony?
Little Riki is praying for a miracle
With her childish optimism she knows that her devoted parents will find a way.
The way is us
Together, we can be that miracle!
We can give Riki and her parents the most precious gift of all: a cure, a life.
Tzvi-Hirsh (Grisha) Zurgazda, age 32, a father of two and a well-known member of Odessa’s Jewish community, was killed in combat last Thursday while serving near Kherson. He is the third Jewish serviceman to lose his life in Ukraine’s ongoing war effort over the past two weeks.
Zurgazda was a soldier in the 34th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a unit responsible for safeguarding the southern part of the country, including strategic river inlets and coastal zones along the Black Sea.
Having studied at Or Avner – Chabad Jewish School in Odessa, Zurgazda was deeply rooted in Jewish life. He had trained professionally as a chef and dreamed of one day launching Odessa’s first kosher restaurant to earn a Michelin star. The conflict put those ambitions on hold.
“Tzvi-Hirsh was a child of our community,” said Rabbi Abraham Wolf, Chief Rabbi of Odessa and southern Ukraine. “He lived a life of tradition and community. He sacrificed his life to defend his homeland and his people — both as a Ukrainian soldier and as a proud Jew. My heart aches for him.”
Rabbi Wolf continued, “I pray that his bravery and legacy will be a guiding light for his children, his family, and for all of us. The entire community mourns his loss and supports his loved ones during this painful time.”
Yakov Sinyakov, who oversees Jewish military personnel on behalf of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine (FJCU), received official notification of Zurgazda’s passing from the Ukrainian armed forces. He promptly began working to bypass an autopsy and facilitate a Jewish burial in Odessa later this week, which Rabbi Wolf is expected to attend.
Zurgazda is survived by his wife and their two children, Elissa, age four, and Lev, age five.
His passing follows two other recent Jewish military deaths in Ukraine.
One week ago, Andrey Korovetsky, who taught at a Chabad school in Zhytomyr and also served as a soldier, died after suffering a heart attack on active duty. He had previously sustained injuries in battle, returned to serve, and ultimately passed away due to cardiac failure in the line of duty.
Two weeks ago, Maxim Nelipa—a well-known actor and television journalist—was killed while fighting in eastern Ukraine. Nelipa had built a successful media career prior to the invasion but chose to enlist when war erupted. He distinguished himself in combat and had just been promoted to company commander before being fatally struck. His son Artyom, currently serving in Israel’s Golani Brigade, was notified of his father’s death while stationed in Gaza.
Rabbi Meir Stambler, head of the Federation of Jewish Communities, noted that the war has claimed the lives of over 200 Jewish servicemen. “We work closely with Chabad emissaries to arrange Jewish funerals, offer financial support to grieving families, and recite Kaddish in memory of these heroes,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
The violence in Gaza will only come to a halt when Hamas realizes it has no future there, according to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. In a detailed interview with Newsmax Middle East correspondent Zach Anders, which aired on Sunday during “Wake Up America Weekend,” Huckabee laid the blame squarely on Hamas for initiating and continuing the bloodshed.
“This was started by Hamas on October 7,” Huckabee said. “They created this nightmare. They perpetuated the nightmare. They’ve kept it going for over 600 days.”
Huckabee emphasized the brutality of Hamas’ actions during the October 7 attack, which included atrocities committed against hostages, among them American citizens.
“They murdered over 1200 people on the day itself, Oct. 7, taking over 250 hostages, including a lot of Americans, and a lot of Americans tend to forget that Americans were taken hostage,” said Huckabee. “Americans were murdered. Their remains are still being held by Hamas. This all comes down to one thing: the absolute uncivilized savagery of Hamas.”
He explained that both the Israeli and American governments have made it clear they are open to a resolution—if Hamas is willing to step aside.
“The one thing that has been consistent, and President [Donald] Trump has never wavered from this, is that Hamas has no future there,” said Huckabee. “They can’t govern. … Put the blame where it is. It isn’t on Israel. It’s with Hamas solely, and they can fix it as soon as they decide that they are willing to take an exile, which Israel is willing to let them do, but they’re not going to let them stay in Gaza.”
Huckabee also addressed the ongoing issue of civilian deaths in Gaza, attributing much of the destruction to Hamas’s deliberate strategy of putting civilians in danger.
“Who announces in advance they’re going to hit a particular area?” he said. “The Israelis do, because they’re trying to keep from civilian casualties in a war. You don’t always have that luxury. So what did Hamas do? They pushed their people right into the very target that Israel had announced. That’s why so many have been a part of the carnage.”
Despite his strong stance on Hamas, Huckabee made it clear that he harbors no animosity toward the Palestinian people and expressed a desire to see them thrive. He also mentioned his intentions to hold meetings with leaders from the Palestinian Authority.
“I don’t hate anybody,” he said. “I want them to succeed. I want their people to have great opportunities. But I have not only already met with some Palestinian leaders, mostly business leaders, but I plan to meet with Palestinian government leaders to talk about whether there are ways forward.”
Huckabee reminded viewers that his role as ambassador was meant to encompass all regions of Israel.
“That includes Judea, Samara, and all parts of it,” he said. “I want to be faithful to that task.”
When asked about French President Emmanuel Macron’s reported plan to propose the establishment of a Palestinian state at the United Nations, Huckabee offered a pointed critique.
“If you want a Palestinian state so badly, why don’t you host it?” Huckabees said. “You’ve got plenty of land. People don’t understand. Israel has less than a tiny fraction. Muslim-controlled countries have 644 times the amount of real estate that Israel has. So when people say, well, carve out some of Israel, what are they asking them to do? Carve out a bit of a tiny piece of property that’s the size of New Jersey?”
{Matzav.com}
Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist aboard the ship Madleen, which is currently en route to the Gaza Strip as part of a controversial flotilla, claimed on Sunday that their systems have been compromised. According to Ávila, the disruptions are likely the result of Israeli interference as a prelude to an attempt to intercept their mission.
In a video update, Ávila described what he called suspicious developments. “I’ve received some very weird news that according to our tracker, we are no longer 162 nautical miles from Gaza, which is where we are, but according to it, we are in the Jordan airport. We know what that means when they start jamming our communications, when they start messing with our devices, it means that they are preparing for an interception or an attack.”
He continued, warning of possible military action by Israeli forces. “We all heard the Israeli media saying that they confirmed that Unit S (Shayetet) 13 (Israel’s naval commando unit) of IOF (Israel Occupation Forces) special forces are preparing to commit a warcrime, and we need to stop that, we can still stop that. I’m convinced that if we mobilize enough, if we pressure the nation states enough, we can make such pressure in the Zionist entity that they can not afford to attack us, to intercept us.”
Ávila urged viewers to spread his message in hopes of deterring action against the flotilla. “We still have a chance to save this humanitarian aid, to preserve this boat, this mission, and ourselves, and we count on you right now.”
The Madleen is expected to reach the vicinity of Gaza’s shoreline by Monday. The voyage is being spearheaded by far-left demonstrators, including well-known environmental advocate Greta Thunberg.
In anticipation of the flotilla’s approach, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a directive earlier in the day to the IDF, authorizing all necessary measures to block the vessel from arriving in Gaza. The stated rationale is to uphold the blockade that Israel argues is vital for stopping arms from reaching Hamas.
“Israel will not allow anyone to violate the naval blockade on Gaza, which is primarily aimed at preventing the transfer of weapons to Hamas — a murderous terrorist organization that is holding our hostages and committing war crimes,” Katz stated.
He added pointedly, “I have instructed the IDF to ensure that the ‘Madleen’ flotilla does not reach Gaza. To Greta the antisemite and her Hamas propaganda-spouting friends, I say clearly: turn around — you will not reach Gaza. Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organizations — by sea, air, or land.”
{Matzav.com}
A body recovered from a subterranean Hamas site in Khan Younis was recently confirmed to be that of Mohammad Sinwar, who held a senior position in the terror organization’s hierarchy.
The remains were located during an IDF operation in the Khan Younis region, where several corpses were retrieved and transported back to Israel for identification. Authorities have now verified that one of them is Sinwar.
Mohammad Sinwar held a top-tier role in Hamas’s military leadership, serving as chief of operations. He was a principal architect of the October 7 massacre, directing planning and execution as head of the group’s military operations division.
Roughly two weeks ago, Israeli officials announced that Sinwar had been killed in a targeted airstrike on May 13 in Khan Younis. The strike employed approximately 40 specialized bunker-busting munitions, weighing about one ton in total.
That same bombing also eliminated two other senior Hamas operatives: Mohammed Shabana, who led the Rafah Brigade, and Mahdi Khuwara, the commander overseeing southern Khan Younis.
According to the IDF, the strike hit a subterranean Hamas command center located beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, where the terrorists were sheltering.
Following the elimination of Yahya Sinwar, Mohammad assumed leadership of Hamas’s military faction. In this role, he wielded significant influence over the organization’s operational strategy and military decisions.
Earlier in his career, Mohammad Sinwar commanded the Khan Younis brigade and oversaw operations for the group’s military wing. He was also involved in the planning and execution of the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.
Mohammed Shabana played a central role in organizing the October 7 attacks and was responsible for detaining hostages in southern Gaza. Throughout the “Iron Swords” conflict, he orchestrated numerous assaults on IDF troops in the south and directed sustained rocket fire into Israel from the Rafah Brigade.
Mahdi Khuwara’s involvement with Hamas began as a weapons engineer in Khan Younis. He later rose through the ranks to lead the elite “Nukhba” unit and ultimately commanded the southern Khan Younis battalion.
{Matzav.com}
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg described the current atmosphere aboard the vessel Madleen as both peaceful and upbeat, as she and other activists continue their voyage toward Gaza. In a recorded message sent to The Sunday Times, Thunberg said, “I would say it’s fairly calm, but high spirits,” adding, “We are very happy to be actually going, to be sailing.”
Thunberg embarked on the journey from Sicily on June 1 with 11 other activists who support the Palestinian cause. Their goal was to arrive in Gaza by June 7. Although they missed that target, the group now reports that they have passed Egyptian waters and intend to reach Gaza on Monday—unless stopped by the Israeli navy. While the group describes their mission as a humanitarian effort to bring aid to Gaza, Bild, a German publication, reported that some participants are known for extreme anti-Western views, support for terrorist organizations, and calls for the dismantling of Israel.
Explaining her involvement in the voyage, Thunberg said to The Times, “What brought me on this boat? Just being human, seeing the footage from Gaza, hearing the reports and feeling that I need to do something, whatever that is.” She continued, “And for some reason I have a platform, and if I can use that platform, for example, being on this boat and amplifying the Palestinian cause, then of course I have to do that. Because I care about justice and because … I cannot just sit around and watch this genocide happening without doing something.”
Thunberg further argued that climate activism cannot be separated from global injustices. “You cannot be a climate justice activist if you are ignoring all the marginalized people today and their suffering,” she said. “Both the climate crisis, the genocide in Palestine and other humanitarian crises all over the world are results of systems that sacrifice the vast majority of people and … the planet just for a very fortunate few to be able to make profit and to profit out of that exploitation and to be able to keep their geopolitical power at all costs. So I see many parallels. What is happening in Palestine is not only a genocide but also an ecocide.”
In response to criticism that her activism may carry antisemitic undertones, Thunberg rejected the accusation outright. “Every day since I was 15 I have received criticism from every possible angle, no matter what I do. If they can’t find anything, they make something up, for example like antisemitism accusations,” she said. She added: “We are saying that no one should be valued more or less than anyone else because of their background. And that applies to everything, also to the Palestinian cause.”
Despite her vocal support for Gaza, Thunberg has yet to make any statement denouncing the brutal Hamas-led assault on Israelis on October 7, nor has she commented on the civilians who were murdered or taken hostage during that attack.
While the activists describe their journey as a mission of mercy, the roster of participants raises questions. Among them are Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian European Parliament member who is barred from entering Israel; Omar Faiad, a reporter for Al Jazeera; Yasemin Acar, who posted a video of herself dancing as Iranian missiles were fired at Israel; and Thiago Avila, who was present at the funeral of Hezbollah figure Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.
Reva Viard, a French member of the delegation, shared her reflections with The Times. “The more time passes, the closer we get to the point of tension — but the more time passes, the more the international community mobilizes. So we’re all calm on board, and hope grows as we move forward. So the possibility that the Israeli army will attack or board the Madleen obviously exists … but there are also other boats that have reached Palestine. So we’re banking on this scenario more than any other.”
{Matzav.com}
