Rav Yaakov Jan, the rov of Uman, issued a rare public warning on Sunday calling on Jews in Israel and abroad to avoid traveling to Uman in light of unusually severe winter weather that has made conditions in the area unsafe.
While underscoring the spiritual value of visiting the kever of Rav Nachman of Breslov, Rav Jan said the current situation warrants delaying any trips until circumstances improve, citing heightened dangers both on regional roads and within the city itself.
He explained that temperatures have plunged to extreme sub-zero levels not experienced in years, alongside extended power failures, darkened and icy streets, and dangerously cold conditions inside homes—factors that collectively pose serious risks to visitors and local residents.
Rav Jan further cautioned those already in Uman to avoid using gas heaters indoors, emphasizing the particular hazards they present during outages. He pointed to a tragic incident late last week in which a 28-year-old man was found dead in his home, with carbon monoxide poisoning suspected, and urged the public to act responsibly and minimize exposure to danger.
The rov added that anyone who nevertheless decides to travel to Uman during this period should make certain they carry valid, comprehensive medical insurance before doing so.
{Matzav.com}
The Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) carried out Operation “Red South,” in Gaza about a year ago, the IDF revealed on Sunday. The covert operation recovered the body of fallen hostage, Staff. Sgt. Oron Shaul, and returned it to Israel.
Shaul fell in combat in Shejaiya on July 20, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, and was then abducted by the Hamas terrorist organization.
During interrogations of detainees, initial information was received regarding a civilian property in which the fallen hostage had been held over the years.
Based on additional intelligence, a decision was made to carry out an operation at the site and a key individual residing at that property was apprehended.
During his interrogation by the ISA, precise information was obtained regarding Shaul’s location. The operation to recover his body was carried out by troops of the elite Sayeret Matkal unit.
On Aug. 1, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, Lt. Hadar Goldin was killed near Rafah and his body was taken by Hamas. On Nov. 9, 2025, his body was returned by Hamas as part of the Gaza peace plan.
In addition to recovering the fallen from previous operations, the IDF has been doling out justice for previous attacks.
On Jan. 17, the IDF killed a Hamas terrorist in Gaza responsible for the murder of an Israeli civilian at the Nahal Oz checkpoint in 1995.
Muhammad Hamed Muhammad al-Hawli was a key figure in the terrorist organization for decades, the IDF said.
Al-Hawli directed the terrorists who carried out an attack on Feb. 6, 1995, in which Ashkelon resident and security guard Yevgeny Gromov was murdered. JNS
{Matzav.com}
Dear Matzav Inbox,
There is a certain tactic that has become all too familiar: arrive with a camera and a microphone, present oneself as curious and respectful, provoke just enough friction to spark a reaction, and then disappear into the editing room to manufacture a narrative that was decided long before the first question was ever asked.
That is precisely what blogger Tyler Oliveira has been doing as he deliberately travels to frum neighborhoods. His latest victim was Kiryas Yoel, as you can see in the video below.
He does not come to understand. He does not come to learn. He comes to extract moments — clipped, rearranged, stripped of context — that can later be repackaged to portray Jews in a negative light. A pause becomes hostility. A thoughtful answer becomes evasive. A nuanced explanation becomes a punchline.
Many frum Jews, when approached by someone with a microphone, engage in good faith. They assume, perhaps naively, that the person asking questions is genuinely interested in hearing how they live, what they value, and why their communities function as they do. They speak openly, respectfully, and sincerely. What they do not realize is that their words may later be selectively edited, reframed, or mocked to serve a predetermined storyline. That’s Tyler Oliveira game.
A recurring theme in Oliveira’s content is hostility toward Orthodox Jews for having large families. He repeatedly frames this as “draining the system,” deliberately conflating lawful, government-approved benefits with fraud. That framing is incorrect and deeply misleading. Families across America utilize tax credits, subsidies, and benefits explicitly created by law, yet only Orthodox Jews are singled out and cast as morally suspect for doing so.
This double standard is not accidental. It reinforces an ugly and dangerous narrative that paints religious Jews as parasitic, dishonest, and undeserving, a narrative with a long and troubling history. That’s what Tyler Oliveira is engaged in.
This is not journalism. It is not honest inquiry. It is provocation followed by selective editing, designed to generate clicks by inflaming resentment. And the damage is real. These videos circulate far beyond their original platforms, shaping opinions among viewers who have never set foot in a Jewish neighborhood and who will never meet the people being caricatured on their screens.
The Orthodox Jewish community does not owe Tyler Oliveira — or anyone else — performative explanations of its existence. Nor does it need to submit itself to bad-faith interrogations disguised as curiosity. Awareness is essential. Walking away, declining interviews, and refusing to participate in staged encounters may be the most responsible response.
Truth does not fear questions. But questions asked with an agenda, and answers twisted to fit it, have nothing to do with truth at all.
Tyler Oliveira, go away and target someone else.
Moshe Binem Schwartz
To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com
DON’T MISS OUT! Join the Matzav Status by CLICKING HERE. Join the Matzav WhatsApp Groups by CLICKING HERE.
The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey sharply criticized the federal government’s stepped-up immigration enforcement in his city, describing it as an overreach that could spark confrontations between local police and federal agents, while urging demonstrators to keep protests peaceful.
The Democratic mayor said residents have the right to observe and record ICE activity on city streets and cautioned against escalating tensions as federal operations expand.
“We will not counter Donald Trump’s chaos with our own brand of chaos here,” Frey said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And we’re not going to give them an excuse to do the thing that clearly they’re trying to set up to do right now.”
Reflecting on the scope of the federal presence, Frey added, “I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government.”
The enforcement surge began last year after Minnesota was rocked by a major welfare fraud scandal, prompting the Trump administration to intensify operations across the state.
Since then, roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers have been assigned to Minneapolis, a city with a local police force of about 600 officers. Reuters has reported that the administration is also preparing to send 1,500 military personnel into the city.
Frey said the increased presence has heightened anxiety among residents. He noted that some people have asked police to confront federal agents directly.
“We can’t have that in America,” Frey said Sunday when asked about those concerns. “What we are hopeful for here is the judicial system to do its part to see that necessary check and balance.”
Minnesota and Illinois have filed lawsuits seeking to block the influx of federal personnel, arguing that the deployments overstep federal authority.
President Trump has also suggested he could invoke the Insurrection Act — last used in 1992 — to deploy the National Guard to Minnesota, a move Frey said would “be a shocking step.”
Border czar Tom Homan has said the administration could reduce the federal footprint if local officials agree to “let us in the jail.”
Pressed on that point, Frey pushed back.
“I don’t think Homan understands the basic dynamic as to how stuff works in Minnesota here,” Frey said, insisting that Minneapolis enforces the law and is serious about public safety. “But the bottom line is, as we know, this is not about safety. It’s not about crime.”
“This is about intimidation. And, in Minneapolis, we’re not going to be intimidated.”
Separately, CBS News reported last week that the Justice Department is examining whether Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have worked together to obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
“We haven’t received anything, a subpoena or otherwise,” Frey said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” “And obviously it would be deeply concerning if the federal government is targeting someone for [an action] that is quite literally my job.”
{Matzav.com}
The Defense Department has directed approximately 1,500 active-duty service members to be ready for a potential deployment to Minnesota amid concerns that tensions in the state could intensify, according to defense officials.
Army units have been issued prepare-to-deploy orders, a step meant to ensure they can be mobilized quickly if conditions on the ground deteriorate and violence escalates beyond the control of local authorities.
The heightened military readiness follows warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that he could invoke the Insurrection Act if state leaders fail to prevent protesters from interfering with federal immigration enforcement operations.
“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday.
Officials stressed that the order does not mean troops will automatically be sent into the state, but rather that the military is positioning itself to respond swiftly should the situation worsen.
{Matzav.com}
Last Wednesday, Agudath Israel of America led a New York delegation of advocates from across the state to Washington, D.C. for a full day of high-level federal advocacy. The delegation spent the day meeting with more than a dozen members of Congress to advance issues of critical importance to the Jewish community.
Throughout the day, delegates highlighted key federal priorities, ranging from the new Federal tax Credit Scholarship (FSTC) to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), as well as other issues affecting Jewish families, schools, and institutions.
At the top of the agenda was the issue of rising antisemitism. Just last week a synagogue in Mississippi was destroyed by arson, and in New York protestors gathered in front of a shul and Jewish school, leading antisemitic chants such as, “We support Hamas” and “Intifada revolution.” Delegates thanked the members for speaking out about these incidents and discussed additional steps to better protect Jewish institutions and communities.
As part of its comprehensive approach to communal safety, Agudath Israel emphasized the importance of both the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) and the Pray Safe Act.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides critical federal support to nonprofits facing elevated security risks, helping them obtain the equipment needed to protect their facilities. With shuls, schools, and Jewish organizations in New York relying heavily on this program, Agudath Israel emphasized to lawmakers the need for reliable access and increased funding.
The delegation also discussed the Pray Safe Act, legislation sponsored by Representative Grace Meng, that would direct federal agencies to collect – and help faith-based organizations and houses of worship access – information on best practices, federal grants, and training programs to better safeguard and secure their religious facilities.
On the education front, the group talked about the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC). Starting in 2027, the FSTC allows individual taxpayers to contribute to a nonprofit scholarship granting organization (SGO) and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit worth up to $1700. The SGO then pools the funds and distributes scholarships to eligible students for a wide range of K-12 educational expenses including private school tuition However, in order for SGOs to be approved, the state in which they are located must opt in to the tax credit and include them on a list sent to Treasury. Treasury and the IRS recently requested public input on key issues necessary for implementation. The group urged legislators to do what they can to ensure that New Yorkers can fully benefit from the law and expand educational opportunities for families across the state.
The delegation met with Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02), Laura Gillen (D-NY-04), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY-01), Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23), George Latimer (D-NY-16), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Josh Riley (D-NY-19), Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), as well as staff of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24).
{Matzav.com}
TV presenter and journalist Piers Morgan is recovering in a London hospital after suffering an injury caused by a fall at a hotel restaurant, where he stumbled over a small step.
The 60-year-old host of the YouTube program Piers Morgan Uncensored disclosed that the accident left him with a fractured femur, an injury that required hip replacement surgery. He remains hospitalized and said he expects to rely on crutches for roughly six weeks as he recuperates.
Morgan announced the incident in a lighthearted post on social media, writing: “New Year off to a cracking start! I blame Donald Trump.”
The remark was in keeping with Morgan’s long-running habit of poking fun at Donald Trump, whom he has frequently targeted with jokes and satirical takes, including parodies related to Trump’s presidential campaigns and tariff policies.
{Matzav.com}
Israel’s government has moved closer to opening its roads to app-based ride-hailing services after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill that would legalize companies such as Uber and Lyft and introduce new competition into the transportation market.
The proposed law, submitted by Blue and White MK Eitan Ginsburg together with Likud MK Moshe Passal, would allow shared ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Lyft to operate nationwide by linking private drivers and passengers through mobile apps. The legislation is slated to reach the Knesset floor for a preliminary vote as early as next week.
The initiative follows months of efforts by Transportation Minister Miri Regev to bring Uber into Israel, potentially within the current year. In addition to passenger rides, the company is known internationally for services that include food delivery, logistics, and other on-demand transportation options.
The Transportation Ministry said the bill is designed to establish clear rules for ride-hailing services, addressing passenger safety, vetting of drivers, insurance coverage, and vehicle inspections, while also providing a structured support and compensation framework for Israel’s taxi drivers as new competitors enter the market.
“This reform is about propelling Israel into a new age of smart, convenient, and affordable transportation,” Regev said. “Passing this bill marks a landmark moment that will break long-standing monopolies, ease congestion on our roads, create thousands of jobs, and bring real competition that will help lower the cost of living.”
{Matzav.com}
