At the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, conservative icon Mark Levin unleashed a powerful, emotionally charged speech defending Israel, Judeo-Christian values, and the moral backbone of America. “If you’re a Jew hater, you’re a Christian hater,” Levin declared, setting the tone for a blistering address that drew roaring applause from the packed ballroom.
The nationally syndicated radio host and bestselling author didn’t hold back as he railed against what he called the “poison” of antisemitism creeping into both liberal circles and certain corners of the right. Levin accused public figures such as Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes of betraying the very ideals of freedom and faith that conservatives claim to uphold.
“For six months, I’ve been fighting these bastards,” Levin thundered. “And I’ve been looking over my shoulder for help — and found nothing. Nothing.”
He denounced the rise of isolationist rhetoric and those who flirt with neo-Nazi sympathies, accusing them of twisting patriotism into something dark and hateful. “They wrap their psychotic, unhinged Nazi-clan jihadism around American patriotism,” Levin warned. “You don’t get to claim you’re ‘America first’ while you line up with the Marxists, the Islamists, and Hamas. That’s not America first. That’s sick.”
Levin went on to condemn members of the conservative media world who, in his view, have lacked moral courage in confronting antisemitism. “We’re surrounded by cowards who have microphones, cameras, websites, and columns,” he said, adding that silence in the face of hate is complicity.
He urged conservatives to reject and “cancel” those who glorify tyrants or justify hatred. “We canceled David Duke. We canceled the Klan. We canceled Joseph Goebbels. And we’ll damn well cancel Hitler admirers, Stalin admirers, and Jew haters,” he proclaimed, his words met with a standing ovation.
Levin drew a direct link between antisemitism and hostility toward Christianity, saying both stem from the same rejection of faith and Western morality. “If you reject Judaism, you reject Christianity,” he said. “If you reject both, then you reject the American founding based on Judeo-Christian values.”
He turned his focus to the Middle East, praising Israel for defending religious freedom and safeguarding holy sites. “Who protects the Church of the Holy Sepulchre? The Israelis,” he said. “Who protects the Al-Aqsa Mosque? The Israelis. Who protects the Jewish and Christian sites in Israel? The Israelis.”
Levin dismissed accusations of apartheid against Israel as absurd. “Don’t tell me Israel is apartheid,” he snapped. “There are more Arabs in the Knesset than Jews in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Celebrating what he called an “extraordinary” partnership between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Levin likened their alliance to the historic relationships between Reagan and Thatcher, or Roosevelt and Churchill. “Trump and Netanyahu — stand up!” he exclaimed as the audience erupted in cheers. “These two men have accomplished extraordinary things for freedom and security.”
In his closing remarks, Levin warned that those who target Jews and Christians are ultimately attacking the very essence of the United States. “To the people attacking America by attacking Jews and Christians — you’re not going to get what you want,” he vowed. “We’re not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.”
He concluded with a note of defiant optimism. “Ironically, you little [] have done more to unite us — Jews, Christians, believers in freedom — than anything else. Because Americans love liberty, the Bible, and the golden rule. We’re hooked at the hip — Jew and Christian — and nothing will come between us.”
{Matzav.com}
Democrats are bracing for a major shift as Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California is widely expected to step away from Congress at the end of her current term, concluding nearly four decades representing San Francisco. Multiple Democratic officials told NBC News that her retirement will likely be announced shortly after Tuesday’s elections, marking the end of one of the longest and most consequential careers in congressional leadership.
Pelosi, who at 85 has led her party through triumphs and turmoil alike, served twice as Speaker of the House — the first woman ever to hold that gavel — and became an enduring figure of the Democratic establishment. Her exit would leave a void that reshapes the balance of power within the party, as Democrats prepare for a generational transition.
Adding to speculation, Pelosi has quietly allowed potential successors to mobilize. She has not discouraged state Sen. Scott Wiener or tech entrepreneur Saikat Chakrabarti from preparing for primary bids, even as her campaign committee still holds millions of dollars.
Close associates say she has all but acknowledged the coming change. In a recent lighthearted comment, she quipped that she hopes to be around to witness Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries “sworn in as the first Black House speaker ‘if she’s still allowed on the floor.’”
Her communications team has refused to confirm the reports. Spokesman Ian Krager said only that Pelosi remains “fully focused” on advancing Proposition 50 — the Democratic-backed ballot initiative on redistricting that the party sees as vital to reclaiming control of the House.
Speaking with the San Francisco Examiner, Pelosi emphasized that the measure remains her primary goal. “The best antidote to poison,” she said, referencing Republican-led redistricting efforts in states like Texas and their attempts to block President Donald Trump’s agenda.
{Matzav.com}
The revelations surrounding the leak of classified security footage from the Sde Teiman detention facility have snowballed into one of the most dramatic and politically explosive sagas in recent Israeli history. What began as a probe into alleged abuse by IDF reservists has spiraled into a national controversy involving high-ranking officials, criminal investigations, and accusations of systemic deceit at the highest levels of power.
When Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Israel’s former military advocate general, finally admitted on October 31, 2025, that she authorized the release of the footage, the admission detonated like a bombshell. The video—leaked to Channel 12 journalist Guy Peleg in 2024—appeared to depict severe mistreatment of a Palestinian detainee by soldiers at Sde Teiman. Tomer-Yerushalmi claimed her intent had been to push back against mounting right-wing criticism that she was persecuting soldiers during wartime. Her confession, however, now has her facing grave criminal allegations, including obstruction of justice, breach of trust, and abuse of office.
The story stretches back more than a year, beginning in July 2024, when a Palestinian prisoner at Sde Teiman was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, including broken ribs and internal trauma. The incident sparked an investigation by the Military Police, leading to the arrest of ten reservists from “Force 100,” the unit responsible for guarding detainees. Their detention triggered an uproar among right-wing activists and politicians, who stormed the base in protest. Several Knesset members, including Amichay Eliyahu of Otzma Yehudit, joined the rioters, denouncing what they saw as an unjust crackdown on Israeli heroes.
The footage that later surfaced in August 2024 was shocking. It seemed to confirm brutal conduct by the soldiers, though the prosecution’s later indictment stopped short of alleging rape, instead citing stabbing injuries near the rectum. Even so, the release of the footage—later revealed to be unauthorized—would eventually become the scandal’s focal point. At the time, the leak was viewed as mysterious, and speculation ran wild about who inside the IDF had dared to release such sensitive evidence.
Bereaved families from the group Baharnu B’Hayim petitioned the High Court of Justice in September 2024, demanding a criminal investigation into the leak. They argued that the footage was confidential evidence in an active military case, and that any internal probe by the same institutions under suspicion would be meaningless. Yet by early 2025, the court dismissed their claims after the Attorney General’s Office assured justices that an internal review—led by Deputy State Attorney Alon Altman and Col. Gal Asael—was underway.
In February 2025, indictments were filed against five of the reservists accused in the assault, but the question of who had leaked the tape lingered. That summer, Baharnu B’Hayim returned to court, urging that the Shin Bet take over the investigation. In September, the Attorney General’s Office declared the matter closed, insisting that “all leads were exhausted” and that “no viable investigative actions remained.” Critics now call that declaration fraudulent, claiming it was meant to shield the real culprit—Tomer-Yerushalmi herself.
The walls began closing in by late October 2025. During a Shin Bet polygraph examination of a communications officer from the Military Advocate General’s Office, the officer reportedly revealed that Tomer-Yerushalmi had personally ordered her to transmit the classified footage to the media. The revelation forced Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to open a formal criminal investigation. Within days, Tomer-Yerushalmi took leave from her post and submitted her resignation, acknowledging that she had authorized the leak “to counter false propaganda against the military justice system.” She wrote, “I take full responsibility for any material released from within my office.”
The fallout was immediate. Justice Minister Yariv Levin declared that Baharav-Miara could not oversee the case because of her prior involvement in the internal investigation. Baharav-Miara rejected his demand, calling it an illegal interference in judicial authority. Their standoff has since escalated into a fierce institutional battle, with some analysts warning of a brewing constitutional crisis.
Just when the public thought the scandal had reached its peak, the story took a bizarre turn. On November 2, 2025, Tomer-Yerushalmi disappeared for several hours, prompting a massive police and military search before she was located unharmed. Investigators now believe she may have used the disappearance to discard her cell phone—potentially containing incriminating evidence—into the sea. She allegedly left a note suggesting suicidal intent, though police sources now suspect the note was staged as a ruse.
The next day, police arrested both Tomer-Yerushalmi and her onetime deputy, Col. Matan Solomosh, who is accused of helping conceal her actions. Both were arraigned TODAY before the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court on charges of obstruction of justice, fraud, and abuse of office. Their remand was extended as police investigate whether evidence was destroyed during the hours Tomer-Yerushalmi was missing.
As the legal drama unfolds, questions about accountability reverberate through Israel’s defense and justice systems. Once a respected figure in military law, Tomer-Yerushalmi now stands accused of the very misconduct she was sworn to prevent. Her downfall has not only upended Israel’s legal establishment. It has shaken public trust in the delicate balance between military discipline, justice, and politics.
{mATZAV.COM}In a landmark announcement, Yad Vashem revealed that it has now identified the names of five million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust — an achievement the institution called both “historic” and deeply personal, representing decades of painstaking work to restore the identities of the six million who perished.
“Reaching five million names is both a milestone and a reminder of our unfinished obligation,” said Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan. “Behind each name is a life that mattered — a child who never grew up, a parent who never came home, a voice that was silenced forever. It is our moral duty to ensure that every victim is remembered so that no one will be left behind in the darkness of anonymity.”
The revelation comes at a poignant moment. As Yad Vashem noted, the number of living Holocaust survivors continues to decline rapidly, leaving fewer eyewitnesses able to share their stories firsthand. Approximately 200,000 survivors are alive today, but the Claims Conference has estimated that within seven years, roughly half of them will have passed away.
Yad Vashem’s effort to recover these identities has spanned continents, drawing upon Jewish communities, archives, universities, genealogical organizations, and individuals worldwide. The cornerstone of the initiative remains its renowned Pages of Testimony project — simple one-page memorials completed by family and friends of victims. Written in over 20 languages, these pages account for 2.8 million names and were recognized by UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2013.
Researchers have also uncovered victims’ identities through a vast range of sources: Nazi documentation, transport lists, census records, and even private letters and diaries. They have turned to unconventional methods as well — examining old tombstones, synagogue plaques, and other local memorials to piece together fragments of forgotten lives.
“The Pages of Testimony are symbolic headstones,” said Dr. Alexander Avram, Director of the Hall of Names and the Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names, who has guided the initiative for nearly four decades. “Most of the victims of the Holocaust were left without graves, without traces — remembered now only through the Pages of Testimony that bear their names. By identifying five million names, we are restoring their human identities and ensuring that their memory endures.”
The collected names are preserved in Yad Vashem’s Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names, available online in six languages. The database uses complex algorithms to track variations in spelling and location, creating hundreds of thousands of detailed personal files that capture both the lives and fates of those who were lost.
While the organization estimates that the names of about one million victims may never be recovered, it remains hopeful that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning could help uncover up to 250,000 additional identities in the coming years.
Over time, the database has reunited families, restored forgotten histories, and provided descendants with long-lost links to their past. Yad Vashem will mark the five-million milestone with a special seminar at its Jerusalem campus on November 6, followed by a commemorative event hosted by the Yad Vashem USA Foundation in New York on November 9.
{Matzav.com}
The relatives of soldier Efi Feldbaum made an emotional public appeal after reports circulated about the possible movement of Hamas fighters in the Rafah area. In a message directed at the country’s leadership, they warned that any leniency toward terrorists would betray the memory of those who fell and imperil soldiers still in harm’s way.
“Today, you are facing a test,” they said. “Are you aiming to dismantle and eliminate Hamas, or to seek arrangements and containment? At this moment, you are about to make a decision that will have a decisive impact on the entire nation of Israel. Are we selling out our security to mediators, or ensuring the safety of our nation and the welfare of our soldiers?”
In a follow-up statement the family demanded clarity and resolution, insisting that the government choose decisive action over compromise and refusing to accept concessions that they see as rewarding murderers.
“Stop the rumors and declare now that Hamas terrorists will not receive a prize for killing IDF soldiers. There are only two options: Either they surrender or they are eliminated. We will stand as a fortified wall to stop this madness and ensure that the people of Israel receive the bare minimum required: the elimination and defeat of Hamas, not its strengthening through the return of terrorists as heroes from the battlefield. Enough with the excuses.”
Separately, a senior political official moved to quash circulating accounts suggesting Israel would permit the transfer of hundreds of Hamas operatives from Rafah into territory controlled by Gaza’s leadership. The official flatly rejected those reports and insisted such a passage would not be approved.
“The Prime Minister is not allowing the safe passage of 200 Hamas terrorists,” the official stressed. “The Prime Minister continues to stand firmly by his position of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, while thwarting terror threats against our forces.”
Military and security sources explained that any discussion of moving militants is weighed against battlefield realities: commanders consider whether moving fighters would reduce risks to troops working in the area and whether it would create safer conditions for searching for possible additional casualties.
Reports from Al Jazeera have claimed some of the militants are sheltered within subterranean tunnel systems and that a number of those individuals are suspected of involvement in the killings of at least three IDF soldiers since the start of the ceasefire.
{Matzav.com}It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Ephraim Avigdor ben Moshe Menachem Wicentowsky z”l, known affectionately to all simply as “Whiskey.”
For decades, Whiskey was a fixture in the world of Torah chinuch, serving as the beloved bus driver for Camp Agudah, Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, and Yeshiva Chasan Sofer. But to those who knew him, he was far more than a driver. He was a friend, a steady presence, and a man whose warmth, humor, and devotion left an indelible mark on so many.
Whiskey lived for many years in Torah Vodaas, where he became part of the very fabric of the yeshiva. He was a ben bayis in the homes of the roshei yeshiva, Rav Avrohom Pam and Rav Yisroel Belsky. Both recognized in him a sincere and loyal friend whose ahavas Yisroel radiated in quiet acts of kindness and respect for all.
He was a friend to everyone—from the young bochurim who eagerly greeted him each morning to the seasoned rabbeim who cherished his good heart and unwavering positivity. Whiskey carried himself with an ever-present smile and trademark laugh, brightening the days of all who crossed his path.
The levayah will take place today at Shomrei Hadaas in Brooklyn, with kevurah to follow in Lakewood.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com / Photo: Tesmach Glenn-Holy Shots}
WATCH:
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir launched a scathing attack against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara during his remarks at the Otzma Yehudit faction meeting, tying her to what he described as a growing web of corruption surrounding the Sde Teiman affair and the arrest of former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi.
Ben-Gvir made a series of stunning allegations concerning Tomer-Yerushalmi’s missing cell phone, which vanished after her unexplained disappearance for several hours at a Tel Aviv beach on Sunday. According to the minister, “As I speak, a lady is sitting at the Justice Ministry and shaking from fear; she’s afraid that the phone will be found. It is clear to all that it has evidence on it that implicates her in serious crimes. This lady is named Gali Baharav-Miara.”
He charged that Baharav-Miara had acted to obstruct justice and protect the former MAG from facing consequences. “Why is she afraid? Because last night, the police arrested the MAG. This happened after the Attorney General, who is neck-deep in this affair, did everything she could to protect the MAG, and so the Deep State’s status won’t be harmed,” Ben-Gvir declared.
Turning to the missing phone, the minister said its disappearance was no coincidence. “The MAG lost her phone, no for naught. It is clear to all that when the materials on this phone are revealed, there will be an earthquake. And more precisely, the earth under the Deep State will shake.”
Ben-Gvir alleged that the Attorney General herself was directly involved in submitting false information to Israel’s highest court. “The Attorney General is the one who submitted the false affidavit to the Supreme Court together with the Military Advocate General, and she is the one behind the ‘celebrity discounts’ that she received in the investigation into this severe case, especially allowing her the ability to lose the phone,” he said.
Concluding his remarks on the affair, Ben-Gvir expressed hope that the truth would soon come to light despite alleged interference. “I believe and hope that, despite the attempts by the AG to sabotage the investigation, the police will manage to find this telephone. It is clear to all that if they find or restore the things on the phone, it will open a Pandora’s Box, to reveal the entire truth in this very serious affair, which began with an attempt by the head of the IDF’s judicial system to hurt the good names of our heroic soldiers.”
Before ending the meeting, Ben-Gvir also addressed the progress of his bill introducing the death penalty for terrorists. He announced that the legislation had passed in the National Security Committee and would move to its first reading in the Knesset on Wednesday. “Every terrorist should know: when he comes to murder, he has one sentence: death.”
{Matzav.com}With the government shutdown dragging into its fifth week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that chaos in America’s airports is only beginning. Speaking Sunday on CBS News’s “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan, Duffy offered a bleak outlook as unpaid air traffic controllers struggle to keep the nation’s aviation system functioning.
“I think the real consequence is, what kind of rolling delays do you have throughout the system, right?” Duffy said, explaining that the effects are already visible. “We’ve seen problems at L.A., in Dallas, in D.C., Boston, Atlanta. And so I think it’s only going to get worse.”
His warning came as travelers faced mounting frustrations nationwide. The Federal Aviation Administration and NYC Emergency Management reported hours-long holdups at major airports, including nearly four hours of ground delays and a full ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport — one of the busiest in the country.
The FAA said staffing shortages have spread across the system, affecting Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, and other major hubs, many of which were reporting one-hour delays by Sunday evening.
The situation has escalated at a particularly precarious time, with Thanksgiving just weeks away — traditionally one of the heaviest travel periods of the year.
Duffy assured the public that aviation safety remains the government’s top concern, saying that operations would halt entirely if conditions became unsafe due to sick calls or staff shortages. “We’re not going to let that happen,” he promised, even as he acknowledged the mounting strain.
“We don’t have the best equipment in our towers and centers for air traffic control. But we have the safest airspace, we have the most efficient airspace because we have the best controllers in the world that work our skies and keep our people safe. They deserve a paycheck,” Duffy said.
Only weeks earlier, Duffy had hinted that air traffic controllers refusing to report for duty could face termination. On Sunday, however, his tone shifted dramatically as he expressed empathy for their financial hardship.
“They don’t make a lot of money, and they’re now confronted; they haven’t had a paycheck for over a month. They’re confronted with a decision: do I put food on my kids’ table, do I put gas in the car, do I pay my rent, or do I go to work and not get paid?” Duffy said.
“I’m not going to fire air traffic controllers … They need support, they need money, they need a paycheck. They don’t need to be fired,” he continued, underscoring the human cost of the prolonged shutdown.
The standoff in Washington, which began on October 1, has brought vital services to a standstill — disrupting travel, delaying food assistance, and leaving federal workers nationwide without pay as the crisis grinds on.
WATCH:
{Matzav.com}
Dear Matzav Inbox,
A recent post online by Israel Weinberger really struck a chord with me, and I think it deserves our community’s attention. I want to share the message here. He called it “A Community Wake-Up Call,” and that’s exactly what it is.
Lakewood, NJ and the surrounding areas are among the fastest-growing Jewish communities in the world. New developments are everywhere, and opportunities seem endless. But as Weinberger pointed out, there’s a troubling pattern that keeps repeating itself, one that too many of us have witnessed up close.
Retail stores open with huge investments, flashy openings, and beautiful designs — and then, within months, they’re gone. Empty storefronts, dark windows, and another “For Lease” sign.
He listed examples that many of us recognize:
A grocery that invested over ten million dollars — closed.
A luxury restaurant that cost millions to build — gone in less than a year.
A clothing store that put in a million — shut its doors.
Several takeouts opened with hype and heavy debt — didn’t make it through the year.
A high-end restaurant that spent millions on décor — sold before it found its footing.
“This isn’t normal,” Weinberger wrote. “And it’s not sustainable.”
He’s right. Behind the façade of prosperity, the truth is that most families in Lakewood are working hard just to keep up with rising costs. Maybe ten percent are truly affluent. The rest are stretching to cover mortgages, tuition, and groceries.
So when businesses are built on assumptions like “Everyone here spends a lot” or “Luxury always wins,” those aren’t business strategies — they’re what Weinberger called “high-stakes gambling, with people’s futures.”
He urged that real success requires more than excitement. It demands real market research, sound financial modeling, genuine demand validation, realistic break-even timelines, and a plan for the slow months — not just the grand opening.
“This isn’t about blame,” he wrote. “Not owners. Not brokers. Not advisors. It’s about accountability — and smarter decisions that protect families from devastating losses.”
Empty storefronts and unpaid loans don’t just hurt investors; they affect all of us. Broken dreams and wasted resources drain the energy of an entire community. As Weinberger put it, “We owe it to our community to stop, reflect, and do better.”
He’s right again. It’s time we talk about this openly — why it’s happening, what needs to change, and how we can build sustainable growth instead of short-lived hype.
Thank you, Mr. Weinberger, for saying what so many of us have been thinking. Maybe now, we’ll finally start having the honest conversation our community needs.
A Concerned Member of the Community
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{Matzav.com}
