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Fresh explosions in southern Iran and reports of multiple vessels being struck near the Strait of Hormuz have heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, even as Iranian officials suggested that last night’s blasts may have resulted from their own military operations rather than a new American offensive.

Iranian state television reported that authorities had not verified claims of missile attacks on Iranian territory following explosions heard in several southern locations, including Qeshm Island, a strategically important island in the Strait of Hormuz.

The developments came amid speculation about whether President Donald Trump would order another major round of strikes against Iran following last week’s U.S. midterm elections. Although Trump had previously suggested that additional military action was possible, there was no indication of a broad new American offensive. Tehran has warned that renewed attacks would trigger retaliation against American and Israeli targets.

The latest incidents instead appeared concentrated around the Strait of Hormuz and the neighboring Gulf of Oman, where the United States and Iran have continued targeting maritime traffic amid their wider military confrontation. The disruptions have severely affected the movement of oil, energy supplies and other essential commodities through one of the world’s most important shipping corridors.

Iranian state television suggested that the explosions heard last night could have been connected to Iranian military operations in the waterway. Iranian authorities reported that two vessels had struck mines, while a third ship had caught fire.

The United States separately announced that American aircraft had disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman, east of the Strait of Hormuz, after the ship allegedly attempted to evade the American blockade of Iranian maritime traffic.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that two missiles had struck Qeshm Island, although it provided no official information about casualties or damage. Neither Washington nor Tehran immediately confirmed that account.

The island had previously been targeted by American forces on November 2, when Washington described a limited defensive strike against Iranian surface-to-air missile positions that posed a threat to U.S. military assets.

The latest maritime incidents are part of a continuing struggle over control of regional shipping routes. Since the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran in February, Tehran has attempted to disrupt Gulf energy exports by attacking vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. American forces responded in April by imposing a blockade on maritime movements to and from Iranian ports.

Last night, the U.S. military said American aircraft fired on the rear section of a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman, leaving it disabled after it allegedly attempted to pass through the blockade.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, meanwhile, announced that two oil tankers had caught fire after striking mines while traveling through what it described as an “unauthorized route” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency subsequently reported that a third tanker had suffered an explosion and caught fire.

The competing accounts could not be independently verified, and the circumstances surrounding the incidents remained unclear.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitoring agency separately reported an incident involving a bulk carrier and military forces approximately 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, a port city in the United Arab Emirates.

The agency did not immediately establish the extent of the vessel’s damage, and it remained uncertain whether the incident was connected to the American military action reported in the Gulf of Oman.

The U.S. military provided additional details about the vessel it disabled, identifying it as a St. Kitts-flagged commercial ship. U.S. Central Command said the crew disregarded repeated instructions to stop and made several attempts to circumvent the blockade. “The ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times,” CENTCOM said.

The American blockade was initially imposed in April, temporarily suspended in June and reinstated in July. Washington has maintained that the restrictions are intended to limit Iran’s ability to sustain its military operations and conduct international trade through its ports.

The conflict has also intensified beyond Iran’s borders, particularly in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, where fighting involving the Iran-backed Houthi movement has expanded in recent weeks.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry reported that falling debris from an attempted attack had damaged an administrative building belonging to Saudi Aramco in Riyadh. Officials said there were no deaths or injuries, although the incident raised further concerns about the vulnerability of the kingdom’s energy infrastructure.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end remain underway. Qatar, which has been serving as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, rejected reports that negotiations had collapsed. Qatari officials said the country’s prime minister had confirmed that both sides were continuing to pursue a possible agreement.

An Iranian official disclosed Thursday that Tehran had delivered a new nuclear proposal to Washington through Qatari mediators. The United States was reviewing the proposal, according to the official, but Iran was insisting that seven conditions be satisfied before substantive negotiations could proceed.

Among Tehran’s demands are the removal of American sanctions, the release of Iranian assets frozen overseas and financial compensation for damage sustained during the war. Washington, however, has insisted that Iran’s nuclear program must be addressed at the outset of any negotiations.

Iranian national security official Mohsen Rezaei reinforced Tehran’s position last week, declaring, “As long as they do not execute our seven conditions, we will neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor have negotiations.”

President Trump, speaking Thursday about the possibility of additional military operations, said American forces remained “locked and loaded” and insisted that Iran would not be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons. Referring to Tehran’s proposed agreement, Trump said, “They’re not doing anything without our approval,” adding, “They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.”

In a separate development, the Pentagon announced plans for a new task force aimed at intercepting advanced weapons and other prohibited materials being transported into Iran through its land borders and across the Caspian Sea. The initiative is intended to broaden American economic and military pressure beyond the existing maritime blockade.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards dismissed the American initiative as “wordplay,” arguing that Tehran had already prepared for such measures and maintained close coordination with neighboring countries to protect its supply routes.

A new Israeli television report has revealed that associates of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman allegedly conducted months of discreet negotiations with senior chareidi figures during the election campaign, exploring the possibility of securing chareidi support for Lieberman to become prime minister even as his party publicly campaigned against military service exemptions for yeshiva bochurim.

According to Channel 13 political correspondent Yoeli Brim, the behind-the-scenes discussions took place while Yisrael Beiteinu was promoting its election slogan, “100% for those who serve, zero for draft dodgers,” raising questions about the extent to which Lieberman’s public campaign rhetoric reflected his private political calculations.

The reported contacts were conducted through a group of Lieberman associates that included Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion, Lieberman’s chareidi adviser Avi Abuchatzeira and several businessmen. The discussions reportedly focused primarily on senior figures within United Torah Judaism, although no binding political agreements were reached.

At the center of the negotiations was a possible arrangement under which the chareidi parties would support Lieberman’s candidacy for prime minister in exchange for immediate action to halt the arrests of yeshiva students and legislation addressing their military service status.

The proposed framework was reportedly based on a draft law Lieberman advanced in 2018, when he served as Israel’s defense minister. The discussions explored whether that earlier proposal could serve as the foundation for a new agreement acceptable to the chareidi leadership.

The revelations come at a particularly sensitive moment in Israeli politics, following last week’s elections, which left neither the Netanyahu bloc nor the emerging opposition alliance with a straightforward path to forming a government.

Lieberman publicly signaled a significant change in his position on Friday, announcing that he was prepared to consider compromises even on the contentious issue of chareidi military conscription.

“On all other issues, it is permissible and desirable to show flexibility and compromise,” Lieberman wrote. “That includes the draft law.”

His remarks immediately attracted attention within the chareidi political establishment, where Lieberman has long been viewed as one of the most outspoken opponents of arrangements allowing yeshiva students to continue learning rather than enlist in the military.

Chareidi political figures responding to the development suggested that Lieberman’s willingness to retreat from a position central to his political identity represented a substantial concession.

“Lieberman paid in cash. He burned himself on the very issue on which he built his identity in recent years. That cannot be ignored,” chareidi sources said.

The report suggests that the contacts were not merely exploratory conversations but part of a deliberate effort by Lieberman’s associates to position him as a potential prime minister with chareidi backing.

Channel 13 reported that the intermediaries reminded chareidi officials of Lieberman’s earlier political relationship with their parties, before years of bitter disputes over the draft issue and other religious matters turned him into one of their most prominent adversaries.

The possibility of cooperation has taken on new importance since the elections left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats, short of the 61 required to form a government.

According to the report, Netanyahu responded by personally contacting senior UTJ figures in an effort to prevent them from entering an agreement with Lieberman. His wife, Sara Netanyahu, was also reportedly involved in the telephone conversations, which continued until shortly before Shabbos.

UTJ has not established a formal negotiating team, and party officials emphasize that any proposed arrangement would require approval from the Gedolei Yisroel.

Some figures within UTJ believe that if the party ultimately agrees to support a government involving Lieberman, Shas could face considerable pressure to join as well, despite its current commitment to Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc.

There are, however, important obstacles to such an arrangement. President Isaac Herzog is preparing to give Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form a government, meaning that any plan to install Lieberman as prime minister would likely require additional negotiations and potentially a power-sharing arrangement.

Separate reporting by Channel 12 has indicated that Lieberman has already lifted his longstanding political veto against cooperating with the chareidi parties and authorized other members of the change bloc to negotiate with them. A possible rotation agreement involving Eisenkot and Lieberman has also been discussed.

The allegations concerning the secret negotiating channel have been disputed. Emess reported that Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion had strongly denied the claims when questioned earlier in the week. Yisrael Beiteinu also rejected Channel 13’s account, declaring that it was false and contained not a single word of truth. Channel 13 correspondent Yoeli Brim stood by his reporting.

Emess further reported that Lion and Abuchatzeira were both in New York at the time of publication, although there was no confirmation that their presence there was connected to coalition negotiations.

For now, the discussions remain informal, with no confirmed agreement between Lieberman’s representatives and the chareidi parties. The question of whether the reported contacts can develop into an actual coalition arrangement will depend heavily on the positions adopted by the Gedolei Yisroel and the outcome of Eisenkot’s efforts to form the next government.

{Matzav.com}

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe, who has been enduring a prolonged period of serious illness and painful medical treatments, has demonstrated extraordinary emunah and bitachon throughout his ordeal, according to a deeply moving account shared by his son, Rav Yaakov Mordechai Hager, Av Bais Din of the Vizhnitz communities in Elad.

Speaking during Ravah D’Ravin this past Shabbos, Parshas Chayei Sarah, at the Imrei Chaim bais medrash in Elad, Rav Yaakov Mordechai offered a rare glimpse into his father’s daily struggles, describing both the intense suffering he continues to experience and the remarkable serenity with which he accepts his circumstances.

The address, delivered before a gathering of young yungeleit, included several personal incidents illustrating the Rebbe’s unwavering trust in Hashem, including his refusal to accept an ancient amulet believed to possess special healing powers.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai related that shortly before Shabbos, he visited his father to receive his brachah. During their conversation, the Rebbe asked him to convey a message of chizuk to the yungeleit, drawing upon a teaching from the week’s parsha.

The Torah describes the years of Sarah Imeinu’s life with the words, “Vayihyu chayei Sarah me’ah shanah v’esrim shanah v’sheva shanim,” and Rashi explains, “Kulan shavin l’tovah,” meaning that all her years were equally good.

The Rebbe raised an obvious difficulty with this explanation. Sarah Imeinu experienced considerable suffering and hardship throughout her life. How, then, could Rashi describe every one of her years as equally good?

The answer, the Rebbe explained, lies in Sarah Imeinu’s complete acceptance of the will of Hashem. She lived with the absolute conviction that everything that occurs in this world is directed by the Ribbono Shel Olam and that “Kol d’avid Rachmana l’tav avid,” everything Hashem does is for the good.

Because she had internalized this belief so completely, even the painful experiences of her life were understood through the perspective of Divine goodness. It was this unwavering emunah that made all her years truly equal in goodness.

Expanding upon his father’s message, Rav Yaakov Mordechai discussed the central place of emunah and bitachon in the Rebbe’s teachings, explaining that the Avos Hakedoshim lived with complete submission to the will of Hashem and an abiding awareness that every occurrence is governed by hashgachah pratis.

He then described how those principles have become especially apparent during his father’s illness.

In recent days, the Rebbe’s sister, Rebbetzin Ernster, wife of Vizhnitz Rosh Yeshiva Rav Menachem Ernster, visited her brother. Upon seeing how physically weakened he had become, and noticing the visible effects of his medical treatments on his face and beard, she was overcome with emotion and began to cry.

The Rebbe, however, remained entirely composed.

Rather than express distress over his appearance, he gently reassured his sister that this was how Hashem wanted him to look at that moment. Since it was the will of Hashem, he explained, his outward appearance was of no consequence.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai also shared an account he had heard from one of the Rebbe’s personal attendants concerning a particularly painful medical procedure.

During the treatment, which reportedly caused the Rebbe excruciating pain, those present heard him quietly singing the words of the posuk in Tehillim, “Avarchah es Hashem b’chol eis, tamid tehilaso b’fi” — “I will bless Hashem at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Despite the intense physical suffering, the Rebbe continued singing with calmness and deveikus, seemingly absorbed in his connection to Hashem rather than the medical procedure taking place around him.

His son explained that even the smallest physical movement now causes the Rebbe considerable pain. When he appears before the chassidim in the bais medrash, greeting the assembled community with a warm smile, those watching cannot appreciate the enormous physical and emotional effort required simply to rise from his place, walk across the room and emerge before the public.

Another incident involved a distinguished individual from outside the Vizhnitz community who came to visit the Rebbe and presented him with an ancient kameia, an amulet that he said had been received from prominent mekubalim and was reputed to bring healing even in particularly difficult medical circumstances.

The Rebbe firmly declined to accept it.

Explaining his decision, the Rebbe said that he places his trust entirely in the salvation of Hashem and does not wish to depend upon any object or external means of spiritual protection. He was particularly concerned that if he recovered after accepting the amulet, people might mistakenly attribute his recovery to the kameia rather than recognize it as a yeshuah from Hashem.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai explained that this response reflected the central mission of his father’s life: strengthening emunah in the hearts of Yidden and teaching them to recognize the hand of Hashem in every circumstance.

Toward the conclusion of his address, Rav Yaakov Mordechai became emotional as he spoke about the severity of his father’s suffering.

He said that the Rebbe has been enduring serious physical difficulties for approximately two years, with his condition becoming especially challenging in recent times.

At the same time, he cautioned the public against accepting the many rumors circulating about the Rebbe’s medical condition, emphasizing that much of what is being repeated is inaccurate and without foundation.

While refraining from providing specific medical details, he stressed that his father remains in great need of rachamei Shomayim and urged the chassidim to intensify their tefillos on his behalf.

He expressed confidence in the power of the tefillos of Klal Yisroel to bring healing and salvation, calling upon the community to continue pleading with Hashem for the Rebbe’s complete recovery.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai concluded with a heartfelt appeal that Hashem restore his father’s strength, renew his vitality and grant him a refuah sheleimah u’meheirah, enabling him to continue inspiring Klal Yisroel with his teachings of emunah and bitachon for many years to come.

{Matzav.com}

Efforts to establish a new Israeli government headed by Gadi Eisenkot are facing a significant obstacle after Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan declared that any coalition agreement with the chareidi parties must include concessions on military conscription and religious issues, including permitting public transportation on Shabbos.

Golan’s demands, issued in a lengthy statement, come as Eisenkot explores the possibility of securing support from United Torah Judaism to form a government following last week’s elections. The chareidi party has indicated that it is willing to negotiate with any political bloc prepared to reach an acceptable agreement protecting the status of yeshiva bochurim, but has explicitly ruled out compromises affecting Shabbos, kashrus or conversion.

The conflicting positions threaten to complicate negotiations before they have produced any substantive agreement, raising questions about whether Eisenkot can assemble a coalition that includes both UTJ and Golan’s left-wing Democrats Party.

In his statement on X, Golan said that replacing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu remains his overriding political objective, but insisted that cooperation with chareidi parties cannot come at the expense of his party’s fundamental positions.

“Netanyahu’s government must be replaced, and a government of rescue and change must be established that will guarantee democratic Israel, its security and its future. We are committed to making every effort to make that happen,” Golan wrote.

He maintained that he was not seeking to punish the chareidi community, but argued that any political partnership would require concessions from both sides.

“We are not looking to punish the chareidim. We want a partnership with the chareidi community, but a genuine partnership requires mutual responsibility,” he said.

Golan then delivered a pointed message to UTJ and other chareidi representatives, making clear that he would not support an arrangement in which his party abandoned its positions simply to secure their participation.

“Unlike Netanyahu, we will not go all the way to Bnei Brak or Meah Shearim. Anyone who wants a partnership with us will have to meet us in Ramat Gan,” he declared.

The remarks appeared directed at the chareidi parties’ newly strengthened negotiating position, which has emerged following an election that left Eisenkot seeking additional political partners to establish a governing majority.

Golan, who has expressed willingness to cooperate with Arab parties in a governing coalition, indicated that his readiness to work with chareidi factions would depend on their acceptance of significant policy changes.

Central to his demands is the issue of military service for chareidi men, which has dominated Israeli political debate and coalition negotiations.

“Chareidim must be drafted,” Golan wrote. “We must expand integration into employment and ensure that every child in Israel receives the tools to earn a respectable living. The middle class cannot continue to bear the economic and security burden alone.”

Although Golan’s latest statement did not repeat his earlier insistence that everyone must enlist, it offered no indication that he would accept the broad protections for yeshiva students being sought by UTJ.

The most immediate point of conflict, however, concerns Shabbos.

Golan insisted that municipalities whose residents support a more secular public environment must be permitted to operate accordingly, including allowing public transportation on Shabbos.

“Just as we respect the chareidi way of life, we expect them to respect ours,” he wrote.

“In our municipalities, it must be possible to go out and enjoy ourselves on Shabbos, drink coffee, and, Heaven forbid, even get there by public transportation.”

The demand directly conflicts with the position outlined by a senior UTJ official, who said the party has received instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel to negotiate over the status of yeshiva students but will not accept changes to the religious status quo.

The official emphasized that an agreement on the draft issue would not justify concessions on Shabbos observance, the country’s kashrus arrangements or conversion standards.

Golan concluded his statement by warning that his willingness to participate in negotiations should not be interpreted as unconditional support for any coalition Eisenkot might assemble.

“We are extending a hand out of a genuine desire to establish a government of change. Under no circumstances are we giving a blank check. Anyone who wants to work with us will have to be prepared for changes,” he wrote.

The statement comes at a sensitive moment in Israel’s coalition negotiations. President Isaac Herzog is expected to formally assign Eisenkot the task of forming a government on Sunday after 67 Knesset members recommended him for prime minister.

UTJ, which declined to recommend either Eisenkot or Netanyahu, has emerged as a potentially decisive political player, with chairman MK Yaakov Asher signaling a willingness to consider cooperation beyond the party’s traditional alliance with Netanyahu.

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman has also indicated that he is prepared to discuss compromises on the draft issue, creating an opening for negotiations that would have been difficult to envision before the election.

However, Golan’s insistence on Shabbos transportation and chareidi military service highlights the substantial ideological differences separating Eisenkot’s prospective coalition partners.

Senior UTJ figures have already expressed doubts that a comprehensive agreement can be reached during Eisenkot’s initial mandate to form a government, and Golan’s latest demands appear likely to reinforce those concerns.

{Matzav.com}

In an extraordinary operation carried out on the streets of Manhattan, Bat Yam Mayor Tzvika Brot personally confronted a senior Iranian diplomat and served him with a 250 million shekel lawsuit, approximately $80 million, demanding compensation for the devastating destruction caused by Iranian ballistic missiles during Operation Rising Lion.

The encounter, which took place near United Nations headquarters in New York, marked the culmination of four months of secret preparations by Israeli legal experts, municipal officials and security personnel seeking to hold the Iranian regime financially accountable for its attacks on Israeli civilians.

The lawsuit, filed in the Yerushalayim District Court, seeks damages from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the destruction inflicted on Bat Yam during the military confrontation between Israel and Iran.

תיעוד של צביקה ברוט ראש עיריית בת ים נותן לדיפלומט האירני את כתב התביעה בניו יורק. "פגעתם באזרחים בכוונה"https://t.co/2IIbEkNLxC pic.twitter.com/pF8gs6FjFm

— إليشع بن كيمون. Elisha Ben Kimon. אלישע בן קימון (@elishabenkimon) November 8, 2026

According to details published Sunday by Yedioth Ahronoth, the operation involved surveillance of Iranian diplomats, intelligence gathering on their movements and careful planning to ensure that an official representative of the Iranian government would be confronted with the legal documents.

The operation, dubbed “Open Account,” was organized after Brot determined that his city should pursue financial compensation directly from the Iranian government.

Bat Yam suffered some of the worst destruction during the Iranian missile attacks. According to municipal figures, 160 buildings were damaged, including 22 structures that required immediate demolition. Nine residents were killed and another 178 were wounded, while thousands were displaced from their homes.

The municipality subsequently arranged alternative housing for displaced residents and began extensive reconstruction efforts. At the same time, Brot assembled a team of international legal experts to pursue the Iranian government through the courts.

The legal effort was led by Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, headed by attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, an organization known for pursuing legal action against terrorist organizations and their financial supporters.

Under Israeli legal procedures, the plaintiffs needed to establish that an official representative of the defendants had received the lawsuit or had been given an opportunity to review its contents.

That requirement presented a challenge because Iranian diplomats are generally inaccessible to Israeli officials, and the mayor could not simply enter Iran’s diplomatic premises in New York.

Instead, the team devised an elaborate plan to locate and approach a senior Iranian representative on neutral ground.

Investigators reportedly prepared identifying images of senior Iranian diplomats assigned to the United Nations, gathered information about their movements and mapped the routes they regularly traveled through Manhattan.

On Monday, Brot and members of his team positioned themselves inside an office building near United Nations headquarters, while observers monitored the surrounding streets.

When the target, identified as the first secretary of Iran’s mission to the United Nations, emerged from a nearby building, the team moved into position.

The Iranian diplomat stopped at a traffic light, where Brot approached him, introduced himself and attempted to present the lawsuit.

According to the account, the diplomat responded that he was a diplomatic official and was prohibited from engaging with the Israelis. He then attempted to avoid the group and continued walking.

Brot and his associates followed him through Manhattan for several minutes, reading aloud the contents of the lawsuit to ensure that the Iranian representative was made aware of the legal proceedings.

The documents had been prepared in Hebrew and translated into Persian.

Brot said the confrontation was intended to send an unmistakable message that Iran would be pursued for the damage it had inflicted on his city.

“Bat Yam has an open account with Iran, and that is why we called the operation by that name,” Brot said. “They sent us missiles, and we sent them a bill. Their representative could try to evade us on the streets of New York, but they will not evade responsibility for what they did to my city.”

The initiative reportedly received approval from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and was coordinated with the Foreign Ministry, National Security Council, Justice Ministry and security officials.

With the lawsuit now served, Iran has 60 days to respond to the proceedings. If the Iranian government fails to submit a defense, as Israeli officials expect, the municipality could seek a default judgment.

Even if the court rules in Bat Yam’s favor, however, collecting the money would present a separate legal and financial challenge.

Municipal officials believe they may have identified a potential source of compensation involving a longstanding financial dispute between Israel and Iran dating back to the reign of the Shah.

An international arbitration ruling determined that Israel owed Iran approximately $1.1 billion in connection with Iran’s former stake in the Eilat-Ashkelon oil pipeline.

Israel has refused to transfer the money to the Islamic Republic because of restrictions on financial dealings with an enemy state.

Bat Yam officials hope that if their lawsuit succeeds, they may be able to obtain a portion of those funds to compensate the city for the missile damage.

According to the report, Israeli legal authorities had previously opposed efforts to seize money connected to the pipeline dispute, but officials familiar with the matter indicated that the objections have now been withdrawn.

Darshan-Leitner, who is leading the legal effort, said the lawsuit represents an attempt to make Iran pay directly for its actions.

“It is time for the Iranians to pay for their actions,” she said. “We will continue fighting on behalf of victims of terrorism until we economically bring down the ayatollahs’ regime.”

The legal effort could face significant procedural and enforcement hurdles, including questions concerning sovereign immunity and the ability to collect on any judgment against Iran. No court has yet ruled on the merits of Bat Yam’s claim.

For Brot, however, the lawsuit represents an attempt to extend the battle over Iran’s missile attacks from the military arena into the courtroom, with the mayor insisting that the Iranian government should bear the financial consequences of the destruction it caused in Bat Yam.

{Matzav.com}

“Mommy, if I beat cancer once, why did it come back?” 

Chaim Rubin is only 7 years old.

A year ago, after more than a year of difficult treatments, his parents finally heard the words they had been praying for: Chaim had beaten cancer.

He went back to school, back to his friends, and back to simply being a child.

But at the beginning of Av, everything changed again.  

The seizures returned, and then came the devastating news:

The medulloblastoma was back.

Chaim has already started treatment to help control the disease, but to give him the chance he desperately needs, his family must now get him to the United States for advanced treatment.

The hospital requires a significant deposit upfront, and after already using their savings and everything they had available, the family simply cannot do this alone.

They need our help now.

Every donation can bring Chaim one step closer to the treatment he needs and another chance to fight.

 Please open your heart for Chaim ben Yael.

Donate today!

Israeli comedian and actor Guri Alfi has revealed that studying Gemara in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks became a source of profound personal strength, describing the experience as life-changing and encouraging other Jews to rediscover the spiritual richness of their heritage.

In an interview with journalist Rotem Izak published in Yediot Achronot, Alfi spoke about the unexpected connection he developed with Torah learning during the difficult period following the attacks and the impact it had on his emotional and spiritual well-being.

“I studied Talmud after October 7, and it saved me,” Alfi said.

The popular entertainer went further, urging Jews, including those who do not consider themselves religious, to explore the traditions and teachings that have shaped Jewish life for generations.

“I have nothing to say other than to recommend that everyone reclaim their Judaism, take this thing that is wonderful, enormous and rich, and embrace it as part of their lives, because it opened up all the chakras in the world for me,” he said.

Alfi’s remarks represent another chapter in a longstanding personal journey toward a deeper appreciation of Yiddishkeit, one that began years before the October 7 attacks.

Although widely identified with Israel’s secular entertainment industry, Alfi has previously spoken about his decision to stop working on Shabbos following the birth of his eldest daughter, Emma, in 2003.

In an earlier interview for the Israeli project “Shabbat for All Reasons,” he explained that becoming a father prompted him to reconsider how he wanted to spend the seventh day of the week.

“I chose for Shabbos to be something I do with my family,” he said.

“From the moment I became a father, I stopped working on Shabbos… from the moment Emma was born.”

The decision was not always understood by colleagues in the entertainment industry, where weekend performances and productions are often an important part of an entertainer’s professional schedule.

Alfi recalled being questioned about his willingness to turn down opportunities because of his commitment to keeping Shabbos free from work.

“I remember people saying, ‘Wait a minute, but what about the performances? What about this?’… They said to me, ‘Wait, but do you travel on Shabbos?'”

His response, he explained, was straightforward.

“Yes… I chose this.”

Alfi emphasized that his decision was not motivated by religious coercion or an attempt to impose observance on others. Rather, he viewed Shabbos as a deeply rooted Jewish institution that offered him something valuable for his personal and family life.

“I’m taking advantage of the fact that there is something within our Jewish DNA that says that on Shabbos I can do this,” he explained.

Over the years, that commitment sometimes required him to decline significant professional opportunities.

In a separate 2021 interview with Yediot Achronot, Alfi discussed his practice of making Kiddush every week and his decision to stop officiating at alternative wedding ceremonies.

He also described how spending a year living in the United States changed his relationship with Jewish tradition and made him increasingly aware of how much he did not know about his own heritage.

“The year I lived in the United States caused me to grow closer to my roots,” he said.

“That’s when I began to regret that I didn’t know Judaism the way American Jews know it. Why don’t I know what the weekly Torah portion is? Because in Israel, I feel that it’s religious coercion, and as a secular person, you’re constantly looking to make sure nobody touches your secular identity.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli authorities are moving to deport 14 foreign nationals arrested during disturbances in Yehuda and Shomron on Shabbos, after police investigators determined that the group allegedly entered the area to provoke confrontations and generate anti-Israel publicity abroad.

The suspects, who were detained along with three Palestinians near the village of Ras Karkar, were questioned by officers from the Shomron and Yehuda Police District. Following their interrogation, the foreign nationals were referred to Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority for hearings that could result in their removal from the country.

According to a police statement issued Sunday morning, November 8, the incident began when security forces received reports of a public disturbance in the area. IDF soldiers and Border Police officers responded and detained the 17 individuals on suspicion of involvement in the disturbance and violating lawful instructions issued by security personnel.

Officers from the Modiin Illit police station were subsequently called to the scene, and the suspects were transferred to the station for questioning.

Investigators from the district’s central investigative unit, working alongside its specialized foreign nationals desk, examined the circumstances surrounding the group’s activities and their reasons for being in the area.

Police said the investigation produced evidence suggesting that the foreign activists had deliberately traveled to the region to instigate confrontations, create disturbances and generate footage or other material that could be used in international campaigns portraying Israel negatively.

Authorities further alleged that several of those detained were affiliated with or supportive of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, commonly known as BDS, which advocates international economic, academic and cultural boycotts of Israel.

According to investigators, some of the suspects also expressed support for anti-Israel organizations and sought to portray those groups as legitimate political movements.

The police did not immediately release the identities or nationalities of the 14 foreign detainees, nor did they specify the precise activities attributed to each individual.

Following the interrogations, investigators worked with the Foreign Ministry and Interior Ministry officials to compile the evidence collected against the foreign nationals.

The investigative materials were then transferred to the Population and Immigration Authority, which will conduct hearings and determine whether the individuals should be expelled from Israel.

The deportations have not yet been finalized, and the suspects are expected to have their cases reviewed through the appropriate administrative procedures.

Police said the investigation involving the remaining suspects, including the three Palestinians detained during the incident, is continuing.

The arrests come amid ongoing tensions in Yehuda and Shomron during the annual olive harvest season, when confrontations involving Palestinian residents, Israeli security personnel, Jewish residents and foreign activists have periodically required police intervention.

Israeli authorities have expressed concern that some foreign activists deliberately seek out volatile locations to provoke incidents that can subsequently be circulated internationally as part of organized anti-Israel campaigns.

The latest investigation reflects increased coordination between the police, security agencies, the Foreign Ministry and immigration authorities in responding to suspected foreign involvement in disturbances throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

In its statement Sunday, the Shomron and Yehuda Police District emphasized that it intends to continue using its enforcement powers against individuals suspected of deliberately creating confrontations or encouraging violence.

“The Israel Police in the Shomron and Yehuda District will continue to act decisively, exercising all of its authority and cooperating with security agencies and law enforcement authorities, in order to prevent and thwart incidents of friction and violence, including during the harvest season, and to act against manifestations of incitement, agitation and identification with terrorist organizations that could lead to public disturbances and harm public security and the image of the State of Israel,” police said.

Authorities have not announced when the deportation hearings will take place or whether additional arrests are expected.

{Matzav.com}

United Torah Judaism has emerged as one of the most influential players in Israel’s post-election political landscape, with party chairman MK Yaakov Asher’s decision to break from the traditional alliance with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu placing the chareidi faction in a pivotal position in negotiations over the formation of the next government.

For the first time in approximately two decades, UTJ is no longer automatically aligned with Netanyahu’s political bloc, a development that could give the party unprecedented leverage in its efforts to secure legislation protecting the status of yeshiva bochurim.

The dramatic shift was examined by Israeli political analyst Yishai Cohen, who described the election results as creating an entirely new political reality for the chareidi parties and their representatives in the Knesset.

According to Cohen’s analysis, Asher’s decision to pursue an independent political course has effectively transformed UTJ into a potential kingmaker, with its support capable of influencing which political bloc ultimately succeeds in forming a government.

The move represents a significant departure from the party’s longstanding political alignment with Netanyahu and gives its leadership greater flexibility to negotiate with competing factions rather than remain committed to a single political camp.

At the center of the new political calculations is the issue that has dominated chareidi politics for years: securing the legal status of yeshiva students and establishing a stable arrangement that would allow them to continue their Torah studies without the threat of military conscription.

The question now confronting UTJ’s leadership is whether its newly strengthened bargaining position can produce an agreement on the draft issue that previous coalition arrangements failed to deliver.

The party’s willingness to consider negotiations with Gadi Eisenkot’s emerging political bloc has already altered the calculations of other parties, particularly as the various factions assess their prospects of assembling a governing majority.

The development also comes amid indications that Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman, previously one of the most outspoken opponents of special draft arrangements for yeshiva students, may be prepared to consider compromises on the issue.

Such a shift could create opportunities for negotiations that would have been politically unthinkable in previous years, although substantial disagreements remain over the details of any proposed legislation.

Cohen’s analysis also examined the increasingly complicated position of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, whose party has taken a different approach from UTJ in the aftermath of the elections.

While Asher has moved to establish UTJ as an independent political force capable of negotiating across party lines, Deri must decide whether to maintain Shas’s traditional alignment with Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc or consider alternative political arrangements.

The differing approaches have introduced a new element of uncertainty into relations between the two chareidi parties, which have frequently coordinated their positions on matters affecting the Torah community.

For UTJ, the immediate challenge will be translating its political leverage into concrete achievements. Its decision to remain outside the traditional Netanyahu bloc has increased its negotiating power, but the ultimate measure of the strategy will be whether it produces a durable legislative solution for yeshiva students.

Meanwhile, Deri’s next steps could prove equally consequential, particularly if Shas chooses to preserve its existing political commitments while UTJ continues exploring negotiations with other factions.

{Matzav.com}

A senior United Torah Judaism official says the party has received explicit instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel to negotiate with any political faction willing to secure the status of yeshiva bochurim, opening the possibility of cooperation with the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot as Israel enters a critical period of coalition negotiations following last week’s elections.

However, the official emphasized that any agreement on the draft issue must be accompanied by firm guarantees protecting the religious status quo, including existing arrangements governing Shabbos, kashrus and conversion. UTJ will not accept concessions on religious matters in exchange for legislation addressing the status of yeshiva students.

Speaking to Kikar HaShabbat, the senior official described the coming week as a crucial test of whether the parties in the emerging coalition are genuinely prepared to reach an agreement on the draft issue.

“We have a significant week ahead of us regarding cooperation with the change bloc,” the official said. “This is the week that will show us just how far the bloc is truly willing to compromise on the draft issue.”

The official stressed that UTJ’s willingness to enter discussions is not an independent political decision but follows instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel.

“We have unequivocal instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel to negotiate with anyone who agrees to regulate the status of yeshiva students, and that is exactly what we will do,” he said.

At the same time, the official made clear that resolving the draft crisis would not provide other coalition partners with an opportunity to change Israel’s longstanding religious arrangements.

“Clearly, the draft law is the central issue,” he explained. “But there is no question that any cooperation with any political party will require full preservation of the status quo on all matters of religion and state. Anyone who thinks we will obtain a draft law and agree to compromise on other issues is mistaken and misleading others. We will not agree to any changes in these matters, from the observance of Shabbos to the kashrus system and the issue of conversion.”

The comments follow a significant shift in the position of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman, who indicated that he is prepared to consider compromises even on the contentious draft legislation.

“On all other issues, it is permissible and desirable to show flexibility and compromise,” Lieberman wrote. “That includes the draft law.”

Lieberman’s remarks have attracted considerable attention in the chareidi political establishment, where his longstanding opposition to exemptions for yeshiva students has made him one of the most prominent political adversaries of the chareidi parties.

UTJ chairman MK Yaakov Asher welcomed the apparent change in tone, suggesting that greater flexibility could have prevented years of political hostility and division.

“It is encouraging to discover the flexibility of all the political players on the draft issue,” Asher said. “It is painful to think how much incitement and hatred between brothers could have been avoided had that same flexibility been demonstrated in recent years.”

Asher also emphasized that any proposed agreement would be submitted to the Gedolei Yisroel before the party makes a final decision.

“Of course, every proposal will first be brought for the decision of the ‘mechutanim’ — the Gedolei HaDor, shlita,” he said.

The remarks come as President Isaac Herzog prepares to formally entrust Eisenkot with forming Israel’s next government on Sunday at 5 p.m., following consultations in which 67 Knesset members recommended the Yashar party chairman for prime minister, compared with 46 who supported Netanyahu.

UTJ’s seven lawmakers declined to recommend either candidate, a decision that has dramatically increased the party’s potential influence over the coalition negotiations.

Eisenkot will initially have 28 days to assemble a government, with the possibility of a 14-day extension. However, the 67 recommendations he received do not represent a unified governing coalition, since 19 came from Arab parties that several of his prospective coalition partners refuse to join.

The possibility of cooperation with UTJ has therefore become an important alternative, particularly after Lieberman signaled that he was prepared to reconsider his longstanding refusal to sit in a government alongside chareidi parties.

Nevertheless, significant disagreements remain. Eisenkot has reiterated his demand for mandatory military, national or civilian service, while Democrats chairman Yair Golan has called for drafting chareidi young men and allowing public transportation on Shabbos in municipalities that support it.

Those positions directly conflict with the conditions outlined by UTJ, raising questions about whether a coalition agreement can be reached even if the parties find common ground on the draft legislation.

Senior UTJ figures are cautioning against expectations of an immediate breakthrough.

“This will take time, perhaps a great deal of time,” the senior official told Kikar HaShabbat, adding that he doubts any comprehensive agreement will be reached while Eisenkot holds the mandate to form a government.

Meanwhile, Shas has firmly rejected reports suggesting that it might join an Eisenkot-led coalition alongside UTJ.

“Contrary to the false reports being spread this evening by various journalists regarding Shas supposedly joining an Eisenkot government, this is complete fake news,” the party declared.

“As instructed by the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, Shas is part of the right-wing bloc, those who love the Torah and Jewish tradition.”

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has ordered the owner of an Oakland, California, coffee shop accused of refusing service to Jewish customers to pay $59,000 after repeatedly violating court orders in a discrimination lawsuit brought by a Jewish man who says he was harassed and forcibly expelled from the establishment because of his Jewish identity.

The ruling against Fathi Abdulrahim Harara, owner of Jerusalem Coffee House, was issued October 29 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson in the Northern District of California. The financial penalty stems from the owner’s repeated failure to comply with court directives requiring him to provide evidence during the litigation.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Michael Radice, a Jewish nonprofit executive who alleges that he was targeted after entering the cafe wearing a baseball cap displaying a Magen Dovid and the Hebrew words “Am Yisrael Chai.”

According to the complaint, Radice initially visited the establishment in July 2024, when a man outside confronted him about his Jewish identity and accused him of responsibility for Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Believing the business owner had intervened on his behalf, Radice returned the following month to purchase a cookie.

Instead, he alleges, an employee recognized him and declared that he was unwelcome because he was Jewish and a Zionist.

The employee allegedly told him, “You’re the guy with the hat. You’re the Jew. You’re the Zionist. We don’t want you in our coffee shop. Get out.”

Radice maintains that Harara and another employee joined the confrontation, physically forcing him out of the establishment before following him onto the street and continuing to shout at him. He says he became so frightened that he stepped into the roadway to escape the men pursuing him.

The lawsuit, filed in February 2025 with assistance from the Anti-Defamation League and the law firm Benesch, accuses the business of violating federal and California civil rights protections prohibiting discrimination in establishments open to the public.

In his latest ruling, Judge Hixson determined that Harara had disregarded at least six court orders during the discovery process, including directives requiring the production of documents and electronic communications.

The judge found that evidence had been submitted late or incompletely and that certain emails had not been produced at all, despite repeated instructions from the court.

Addressing the owner’s failure to cooperate, Hixson wrote that “he has no good excuse” and declared, “He needs to pay for what he did.”

The $59,000 sanction is intended to compensate Radice for legal expenses caused by the violations. It is not a damages award for antisemitic discrimination, and the court has not yet ruled on the underlying allegations. Hixson gave Harara 30 days to make the payment.

The judge also reduced the amount sought by Radice’s attorneys, criticizing aspects of their litigation strategy and the expenses they had incurred. He declined to recommend an automatic judgment against Harara, finding that the case could still proceed to a fair trial.

Jerusalem Coffee House has previously attracted widespread criticism over its treatment of Jewish patrons and its promotion of beverages bearing names associated with Palestinian terrorism.

Among the products advertised by the establishment were drinks called “Sweet Sinwar,” an apparent tribute to slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and “Iced In Tea Fada,” a play on the word intifada.

The cafe also faces a separate lawsuit filed by Jonathan Hirsch, another Jewish customer who says he and his five-year-old son were expelled in October 2024 after Harara objected to a Magen Dovid displayed on Hirsch’s baseball cap.

Video footage of that confrontation circulated widely, showing the owner demanding that Hirsch leave and describing his headwear as a “violent hat.”

The controversy eventually prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to file its own civil rights lawsuit against Harara and Native Grounds LLC, the company operating the establishment.

Federal prosecutors allege that the business engaged in discriminatory practices against Jewish customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, color or national origin in places of public accommodation.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, condemned the alleged conduct when the federal lawsuit was announced.

“It is illegal, intolerable, and reprehensible for any American business open to the public to refuse to serve Jewish customers,” Dhillon said.

Jerusalem Coffee House suspended operations in August as its legal difficulties mounted, announcing that its owners would concentrate on defending themselves against the three pending lawsuits.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance is facing growing uncertainty over his political future following the Republican Party’s devastating midterm election losses, with influential donors beginning to explore alternative presidential candidates for 2028 and the administration’s increasingly unpopular war with Iran threatening to derail his White House ambitions.

According to a new Wall Street Journal report based on conversations with six people close to the vice president, Vance has told associates both before and after Tuesday’s elections that he has not decided whether to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. Some political allies have privately warned him that the party’s losses may make it extraordinarily difficult for any Republican to win the presidency two years from now.

The concerns follow a sweeping Democratic victory in which Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress, surrendered seven Senate seats, including Vance’s former seat in Ohio, and suffered unexpected gubernatorial defeats in traditionally Republican states, including Texas and Georgia.

The results have raised serious questions about the durability of President Donald Trump’s political coalition and whether Vance, widely regarded as a leading potential successor to the president, can successfully inherit the movement without also inheriting the political backlash against the administration.

Within a day of the election, a veteran Republican fundraiser in New York reportedly began receiving calls from wealthy donors expressing reservations about supporting Vance in 2028. Some suggested Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other Republicans as possible alternatives, arguing that a candidate closely associated with the current administration could struggle to distance himself from its unpopular policies.

The loss of Vance’s former Senate seat in Ohio was particularly troubling to some donors, who questioned why the vice president had been unable to help Republicans retain a seat in his home state.

Vance’s allies, however, argue that the election results reflected a broader political backlash against the war with Iran rather than any personal failure by the vice president. They contend that Republicans could rebuild their electoral coalition once the conflict ends and its economic consequences begin to subside.

Vance himself offered a strikingly candid assessment of the election in a lengthy social media statement Wednesday, directly blaming the Iran war for the Republican defeat.

“The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance wrote. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”

The vice president argued that Republicans had misunderstood the reasons voters were abandoning the party. He maintained that many Americans who supported Trump and Vance in 2024 returned to the polls this year but voted for Democrats because of their opposition to the war, frustration over inflation and living costs, and dissatisfaction with the administration’s foreign policy.

Among the changes he urged Republicans to consider was a reassessment of America’s relationship with Israel, a position that immediately attracted attention because of the traditionally strong support for Israel among Republican elected officials.

“Our voters showed up,” Vance wrote. “And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats.”

His remarks were widely interpreted in Republican political circles as an early effort to establish some distance between himself and the administration’s most controversial policies while preserving his standing among Trump’s supporters.

Donald Trump Jr., who remains an influential figure within the Republican Party, publicly supported Vance’s post-election assessment, providing an important indication that the vice president continues to enjoy backing from prominent members of the Trump political movement.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that Vance had privately attempted to discourage Trump from launching a major military campaign against Iran earlier this year.

As the administration considered military action in January, Vance reportedly urged the president to continue diplomatic efforts and quietly sought polling data examining how Americans might react to a prolonged conflict.

According to people familiar with the discussions, Vance personally contacted Mark Mitchell, then the head pollster at Rasmussen Reports, to request questions addressing a possible war with Iran.

The vice president’s office reportedly provided input on the subjects to be examined, including public support for military action intended to bring about regime change, the number of American military casualties voters would consider acceptable, and whether Trump should obtain congressional authorization before ordering strikes.

The results reinforced Vance’s concerns. Americans were almost evenly divided on the prospect of war, with 44 percent supporting military action and 43 percent opposing it. Another 65 percent believed congressional approval should be required, while 62 percent said an acceptable level of American military deaths would be fewer than 100.

Despite Vance’s reported objections, Trump proceeded with military action in late February. The conflict has now continued for more than eight months, driving up gasoline prices and contributing to widespread voter frustration.

Trump has acknowledged that the war played a role in the Republican losses but has remained adamant that his decision was necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

“I don’t think about it. I did the right thing,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal on election night. “I would do it again.”

DeSantis, meanwhile, has increasingly criticized the economic consequences of the conflict, positioning himself as a potential alternative for Republicans frustrated by the administration’s foreign policy.

“We have to be honest. Gas is more expensive. That’s hurting people, working-class people, and it’s more expensive because of this conflict. That’s just a fact,” DeSantis said during a SiriusXM interview Monday.

The Florida governor, who challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, also described the midterm results as “a rebuke of the president and Congress” during an appearance on Fox News.

According to the Journal, Vance has watched clips of DeSantis’s recent interviews and considered the possibility of facing him in a Republican presidential primary. People familiar with his thinking say the vice president recognizes that separating himself from the Iran war and its economic consequences could prove especially difficult after serving as one of the administration’s most prominent representatives.

Trump has also declined to designate Vance as his preferred successor.

“Maybe he won’t run,” the president said Wednesday when asked about his vice president’s political future. “I don’t know who’s going to run.”

Despite the growing uncertainty, Vance retains substantial advantages over other potential Republican candidates. He remains a leading figure in early presidential primary polling, enjoys national recognition through his position as vice president, and maintains close relationships with influential conservative activists and donors.

He also serves as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, a position that provides regular contact with major party contributors who could become essential supporters of a future presidential campaign.

In addition, Vance has assumed a prominent role in the administration’s efforts to combat government fraud, giving him a domestic policy portfolio that could help establish his political identity beyond foreign affairs.

Those close to Vance say he has never regarded a 2028 presidential campaign as inevitable. A decision not to run would spare his wife and four children the demands of a national campaign, although associates acknowledge that the ambitious vice president could find it difficult to walk away from a potential opportunity to become president.

During a CBS News question-and-answer event in October, Vance acknowledged that there was “a chance” he would never seek the presidency.

“The way I think about life, big life decisions, my wife will tell you this, I’m a procrastinator,” he said.

For now, associates say Vance intends to make his decision on his own timetable, even as donors, potential rivals and Republican strategists begin positioning themselves for what could become a fiercely contested battle over the party’s future.

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The Trump administration is preparing to transform the way Americans interact with the federal government by introducing an artificial intelligence assistant capable of carrying out government-related tasks on behalf of individual citizens, according to Amy Gleason, acting administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Speaking Thursday at an event organized by the Digital Services Coalition, Gleason outlined plans to expand America.gov, the administration’s new centralized government services website, beyond its current role as an information portal. The long-term objective is to allow Americans to use AI to navigate federal agencies, complete administrative processes and monitor the progress of their requests through a personalized online dashboard.

“Right now, [America.gov] doesn’t give you any data that comes from outside the government. But the next step is an authenticated experience,” Gleason said.

“Then, the next step is an artificial intelligence agent [that is] actually going to do work for you, and you’ll have a dashboard, so you actually know what’s happening.”

The initiative stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on September 29, directing the General Services Administration, the National Design Studio and the Office of Management and Budget to establish a single digital gateway for federal government services.

America.gov currently operates primarily as an AI-powered chatbot, allowing visitors to ask questions and obtain answers drawn from information published across tens of thousands of federal government websites.

Unlike the more ambitious system envisioned by DOGE, the existing website does not require users to establish accounts and cannot submit applications, process transactions or independently complete government paperwork.

The administration’s development plan calls for integrating the platform with Login.gov, the federal government’s existing secure authentication system, allowing individuals to access personalized services after verifying their identities.

Federal agencies that operate services reaching more than 100,000 people annually are also expected to begin connecting those systems to the new portal, potentially allowing Americans to interact with multiple government departments through a single website.

Gleason acknowledged, however, that the administration faces significant obstacles in implementing the technology, particularly because many federal agencies continue to rely on outdated computer systems and lack sufficient technical personnel.

Gleason, who previously served with the U.S. Digital Service during the Obama administration, compared the current challenges to those encountered following the troubled rollout of HealthCare.gov in 2013, when federal officials discovered widespread weaknesses in government technology.

“USDS made healthcare.gov better and we realized that most government services were actually quite bad, and we needed to modernize them. We needed modern tech. We needed modern processes,” she said. “But now it’s starting to feel like 2014 again.”

She warned that agencies are finding it difficult to acquire modern technology, hire qualified specialists and establish appropriate security protections as artificial intelligence develops at a rapid pace.

“The agencies are really struggling to implement. They don’t have enough tech talent; they’re trying to procure things; and they’re trying to figure out, how do they adapt, make it secure, just how do they make this work,” Gleason said.

Those difficulties have been compounded by the departure of thousands of federal technology employees during DOGE’s government-wide workforce reduction campaign last year, leaving some departments with fewer experienced personnel to manage major modernization projects.

“Tools are hard to get in government. Agencies need partners that are thinking ahead,” Gleason said, cautioning that officials “can’t just chase every shiny object that comes around.”

The General Services Administration says America.gov already draws information from more than 29,000 government websites, providing a centralized way for Americans to locate federal programs and obtain guidance on matters such as Social Security, Medicare and passport renewals.

The White House has identified passport renewals and Medicare enrollment among the transactions it intends to make available directly through the portal. However, the administration has not announced a firm date for introducing the more advanced AI agent described by Gleason.

The executive order also establishes limits on which services must be incorporated. IRS tax filing, along with services operated by the Department of War and intelligence agencies, is excluded from the integration requirement. Existing methods of accessing government services are to remain available.

The push comes as Americans report declining satisfaction with federal services. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s latest annual government study, overall satisfaction dropped 2.6 percent over the past year, with the Department of Health and Human Services recording a 4 percent decline, the largest among the agencies surveyed.

Other officials participating in Thursday’s discussion emphasized that technology alone will not resolve the government’s difficulties. Erica Evans, director of operations at the U.S. Digital Service, pointed to outdated development practices, while Commerce Department official Andi Fisher-Colwill called for changes to federal purchasing and budgeting procedures that would allow agencies to improve their systems continuously.

Gleason said individual agencies may ultimately require different approaches, with some developing their own technology and others relying on outside providers. She cited the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ creation of an Office of Health Technology and Products as one example of an agency establishing specialized technical leadership to oversee modernization.

For now, America.gov remains primarily an information service, while the administration works toward introducing secure account access and eventually AI systems capable of completing authorized government transactions for users.

President Donald Trump has announced plans to establish a massive international aviation and space exhibition in Florida, promising that the new American event will surpass the world’s leading air shows and become the largest gathering of its kind.

The proposed exhibition, named CapeWeek, is expected to make its debut in 2028 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, bringing together major aerospace manufacturers, commercial space companies, military aviation leaders and international industry representatives.

Trump unveiled the initiative Friday, November 6, as part of a broader effort to strengthen America’s position in the global aerospace industry and attract major international business opportunities to the United States.

The event is being developed with NASA and is intended to compete directly with established international aviation exhibitions, including the Paris Air Show in France, the Farnborough International Airshow in Britain and the Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates.

Those events regularly attract thousands of aerospace executives, engineers, military officials and government representatives, serving as major venues for aircraft demonstrations, commercial negotiations, defense contracts and announcements of new aviation technologies.

By establishing a comparable event on American soil, the Trump administration hopes to give U.S. aerospace companies a prominent international platform while showcasing the country’s technological capabilities in both aviation and space exploration.

Kennedy Space Center, located on Florida’s Space Coast, has played a central role in America’s space program for decades and continues to serve as a major launch site for NASA missions and commercial space operations.

The selection of the facility would allow organizers to highlight the increasingly close relationship between traditional aerospace manufacturing and the rapidly expanding commercial space industry.

Organizers have now confirmed that CapeWeek is scheduled for March 27 through April 2, 2028, with plans to make it an annual event capable of eventually attracting more than 500,000 visitors.

The exhibition will be staged around Kennedy Space Center’s historic 15,001-foot former space shuttle landing runway, which previously served as the return destination for NASA’s reusable orbiters.

The planned program will combine an international aerospace industry conference, commercial exhibitions, aircraft demonstrations and public events showcasing emerging technologies. Organizers also envision opportunities for manufacturers to introduce new products, negotiate business agreements and meet potential customers and investors.

CapeWeek is being developed through a public-private partnership involving NASA, the state of Florida, Space Florida and the event’s organizers.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman welcomed the initiative, saying Kennedy Space Center offers an appropriate setting to bring together the people developing the next generation of aviation and space technology with the public.

The announcement also comes amid tensions between Washington and Paris over international aerospace gatherings. In September, the White House urged American space companies to avoid a major global space summit in France organized by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Trump’s announcement coincided with NASA’s MAX POWER aerospace exhibition, held November 7 and 8 at Kennedy Space Center as part of celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary.

That event features demonstrations by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, displays of military and NASA aircraft, astronaut appearances and presentations highlighting advanced aerospace technology, including NASA’s experimental X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft.

CapeWeek is intended to build on that foundation on a much larger scale, establishing a permanent American competitor to the world’s most prominent international aviation and space exhibitions.

A federal judge has ordered New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration to comply with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement subpoena seeking information about homeless shelter residents who may be in the United States illegally and have criminal histories, rejecting the city’s objections that the request violates its sanctuary policies.

In a 12-page ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan directed the city to cooperate with federal immigration authorities seeking identifying information, including names and dates of birth, of certain men residing at a Bronx homeless shelter.

The decision represents a significant legal setback for the Mamdani administration, which has opposed the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and argued that federal authorities were improperly attempting to use subpoena powers to obtain information protected by New York City’s sanctuary laws.

Federal officials told the court that they are investigating whether individuals staying at the shelter are unlawfully present in the country and subject to removal. ICE agreed to narrow its request to residents accused of specified violent offenses rather than seek information about the shelter’s entire population.

As part of that arrangement, federal authorities consented to having a court-appointed special master review the relevant records and determine which individuals fall within the subpoena’s permitted scope.

“In light of the agency’s consent to the use of a special master, and deferring to the agency’s assessment that the records are relevant to its legitimate investigation, the Court thus concludes the subpoena concerns a matter which is material and relevant to the enforcement of the federal immigration laws,” Kaplan wrote.

The judge instructed the city and federal government to develop a plan for implementing the ruling within two weeks.

City Hall has not announced whether it intends to challenge the decision. Mamdani spokesperson Ivonne Rodriguez said the administration is “evaluating next steps” when asked about a possible appeal.

New York Attorney General Letitia James also indicated that her office was examining the ruling and considering whether to pursue further legal action.

“I’m familiar with the ruling and we’re reviewing the possibility of an appeal,” James said while attending the annual Somos conference in Puerto Rico.

The legal dispute began in August 2025, when ICE initially demanded identifying information for male residents at two city-operated shelters. New York officials refused, arguing that the request was excessively broad and lacked a legitimate investigative basis.

Federal authorities subsequently revised the subpoena several times, eventually concentrating on the Bruckner shelter at 825 East 141st Street in the Bronx. The facility, located in the Mott Haven neighborhood, was established to accommodate approximately 2,200 men and generated opposition from neighborhood residents and local elected officials when it opened.

During the court proceedings, the city maintained that ICE was conducting a “fishing expedition” and attempting to “leverage the federal administrative subpoena power to circumvent and undermine the City’s sanctuary city laws.” City attorneys also characterized the federal demand as “more political than investigatory.”

Kaplan rejected those arguments, finding that ICE had demonstrated a legitimate immigration enforcement purpose and that the city had failed to establish that producing the requested information would impose an unreasonable burden.

The ruling does not authorize ICE to obtain the names of every shelter resident. Instead, an independent special master will screen the records and restrict the information released to individuals with serious criminal histories.

Immigrant advocacy organizations have urged Mamdani to appeal, warning that compliance could establish a precedent for federal immigration authorities to obtain sensitive information from municipal agencies.

Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition and a political ally of Mamdani, condemned the federal government’s original demands.

“ICE’s opening demand was the name and date of birth of every man sleeping in city shelters. That is a dragnet, not an investigation,” he said. “The City must appeal, and City Hall and Albany must limit what shelters collect and keep about the people they serve. ICE cannot subpoena a record that does not exist.”

Mamdani has repeatedly criticized ICE operations in New York City and pledged to defend the city’s sanctuary policies, which restrict cooperation between municipal agencies and federal immigration enforcement.

Speaking at a rally in Puerto Rico earlier in the week, the mayor accused immigration authorities of conducting what he called a campaign of intimidation and violence, arguing that the midterm election results demonstrated growing public opposition to federal enforcement tactics.

“We have seen firsthand in New York City the devastation that ICE causes — bullets fired in our streets, family members disappeared, parents abducted, the life of a 5-year-old child placed into danger,” Mamdani said. “Our country must move forward from a chapter of terror and start with a chapter of humanity.”

His comments followed a controversial immigration enforcement operation in New York during which federal agents fired shots on a busy street at a minivan containing a young child.

The Mamdani administration has not announced whether it will appeal Kaplan’s decision. Under Friday’s order, the city and federal government have 14 days to submit their proposal for appointing and compensating the special master who will oversee the release of records.

Thousands of Chabad shluchim from across the globe gathered in Brooklyn on Thursday evening for a major session of the International Kinus Hashluchim, focusing on the growing security threats facing Jewish communities, the challenges of maintaining Jewish pride amid rising antisemitism, and the determination required to sustain Jewish outreach in difficult circumstances.

The gathering, held at the Major R. Owens Community Center, brought together shluchim serving communities around the world for an evening of personal accounts, practical guidance and encouragement. The closed-door session provided an opportunity for participants to discuss the challenges they encounter in their work, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks in Eretz Yisroel.

The program began with the recitation of Tehillim, led by Rabbi Mendel Rubin of Albany, New York, and Rabbi Mendel Lipskier of Sherman Oaks, California.

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of the Kinus, opened the proceedings by emphasizing the importance of mutual support among shluchim, urging participants to recognize that their responsibilities extend beyond their own communities to helping colleagues facing difficulties.

“Look for a friend, look for someone who you can do a favor for, a fellow shliach in your area that needs a hug, that needs you to be there to support them,” Rabbi Kotlarsky told the gathering.

He also encouraged the participants to translate the inspiration of the convention into lasting improvements in their daily lives, particularly by strengthening their personal Torah learning and establishing regular chavrusas.

“What are we going to take home with us? What are the important ideas?” he asked.

Rabbi Baruch Hertz of Chicago subsequently addressed the gathering on behalf of the Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch, sharing reflections on his father’s six decades of shlichus in London and the commitment that characterized his lifelong work.

One of the evening’s central presentations came from Rabbi Gil Yosef Leeds of Berkeley, California, who described the difficulties confronting Jewish students at the University of California, Berkeley, following October 7. Amid widespread anti-Israel demonstrations and incidents of intimidation, some students had become reluctant to publicly identify themselves as Jewish.

Rather than retreat in the face of hostility, Rabbi Leeds encouraged students to respond by strengthening their Jewish identity.

“Now is your time to be the proudest Jew,” Rabbi Leeds recalled telling students.

That approach, he explained, helped generate a wave of increased Jewish participation on campus, including a mezuzah campaign, daily opportunities to put on tefillin, expanded Torah learning programs and a large Shabbos gathering attended by approximately 500 students.

Other shluchim shared accounts of perseverance in building Jewish communities despite financial difficulties, bureaucratic obstacles and years of seemingly unsuccessful outreach.

Rabbi Yoav Arkish of Chadera, Eretz Yisroel, described his repeated efforts to secure appropriate facilities for his expanding community. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, he eventually obtained access to a 1,500-square-meter property for a nominal annual payment of just one shekel.

Rabbi Zelig Ashkenazi of Ekaterinburg, Russia, recounted his longstanding efforts to maintain contact with a young Jewish man, even after communication between them had broken down for an extended period. That individual, Rabbi Elijahu Shmorgun, ultimately established a Jewish family and became a Chabad shliach in Tallinn, Estonia.

Rabbi Shmorgun then addressed the gathering, offering a firsthand account of the lasting impact that even seemingly unsuccessful outreach efforts can have.

“Every message you send to a Jew, every phone call, every invitation, every act of kindness, it makes a difference,” he said. “Even if that person doesn’t answer, even if he drifts away, even if years go by and you don’t hear from him, it doesn’t disappear.”

He added, “Just as we never give up on another Jew, we must never give up on ourselves.”

Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor of Bangkok, Thailand, who has served as a shliach for more than 30 years, spoke about periods of uncertainty during his years of communal leadership and the importance of renewing his commitment to the Rebbe’s mission.

Security was another major subject of the evening, as Chabad centers around the world confront heightened threats while seeking to preserve the welcoming atmosphere that has long characterized their activities.

A video presentation by the Chabad World Association addressed measures that shluchim can implement to strengthen protection at their institutions without compromising their accessibility to Jewish visitors and community members.

Rabbi Yossi Groner of Charlotte, North Carolina, emphasized that security planning must now be regarded as an essential responsibility rather than an optional precaution.

“This is no longer a luxury,” Rabbi Groner said. “Rather, it’s a necessity which obligates us to act and to be proactive in the best of our ability.”

The security discussions followed meetings earlier in the week between Kinus organizers and senior NYPD officials, including representatives of the 71st and 77th Precincts, Brooklyn South and the department’s Counterterrorism Bureau. The meetings addressed police deployments, crowd management and protective arrangements surrounding the conference’s major gatherings in Crown Heights.

The annual Kinus, now in its 43rd year, has brought approximately 6,500 Chabad rabbonim from more than 100 countries to New York for several days of workshops, meetings and communal programs.

The conference is scheduled to reach its centerpiece on Sunday afternoon with a grand banquet expected to draw nearly 7,000 participants, bringing together shluchim and supporters from around the world.

PHOTOS (COLLIVE.com):

{Matzav.com}

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has issued a stern warning to Muslim immigrants who refuse to recognize Germany’s responsibility for the Holocaust, declaring that anyone unwilling to accept that fundamental principle has no place in the country.

Speaking Friday at a reception in Berlin honoring Jewish athletes associated with the Maccabiah Games, Merz addressed the growing threat of antisemitism in Germany and emphasized that the country’s obligation to confront its Nazi past applies to immigrants as well as native-born Germans.

“This historical responsibility of our country applies just as much to those who come here to Germany from Islamic countries,” Merz stated, as quoted by the dpa news agency. “And anyone who fails to abide by this must leave our country.”

The chancellor’s remarks followed an account from a basketball coach who described how Jewish athletes have become frightened to wear their red Maccabi training jackets in public. The jackets prominently display the Star of David, and the coach said players feared they could be targeted for violence simply because they were visibly Jewish.

Merz responded by invoking a historic 1985 speech delivered to the German parliament by then-President Richard von Weizsäcker on the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II. The address became a defining statement about Germany’s moral responsibility to remember the Nazi era and the murder of six million Jews.

“The young people are not responsible for what happened back then. But they are responsible for what becomes of it in history.”

Merz said that message remains relevant more than four decades later, particularly as Germany confronts antisemitic hostility among segments of its immigrant population.

“And that applies to German society as a whole. And I would add, given the current circumstances: that also applies to immigrants who come to Germany,” he said, referring to antisemitic offenses committed by Muslim migrants.

The chancellor’s warning comes amid alarming levels of antisemitism across Germany, where Jewish organizations have repeatedly expressed concern about the growing danger facing visibly Jewish residents.

Figures released by the German antisemitism monitoring organization RIAS show that 8,725 antisemitic incidents were recorded nationwide in 2025, an average of nearly 24 incidents every day. The total remained close to the previous year’s elevated level and was more than three times the number documented in 2022.

The report identified 178 physical assaults and 257 threats against Jews during 2025, along with four incidents classified as extreme violence. Approximately 68 percent of all recorded incidents involved antisemitism connected to Israel.

The figures also documented 1,744 gatherings at which antisemitic incidents occurred, reflecting the extent to which anti-Jewish hostility has appeared at public demonstrations and other events.

Among the incidents highlighted by researchers were Jewish community members being insulted and spat at outside a prayer room in Kehl, and a rabbi being shoved in a supermarket in front of his children.

Concerns about threats to Jewish leaders have also intensified following the recent sentencing of two men in Hamburg in connection with an Iranian-directed plot targeting prominent Jewish and pro-Israel figures.

A Danish citizen received an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence for preparing attacks against individuals including Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society, and Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. An Afghan national convicted of participating in the conspiracy was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

During Friday’s reception, Merz also emphasized the importance of allowing Jewish life to remain visible in Germany, saying the government must actively confront antisemitism wherever it appears rather than merely invoke the country’s historical obligations.

His remarks came ahead of commemorations marking the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the November 1938 Nazi pogrom during which synagogues, Jewish businesses and homes were attacked throughout Germany and Austria.

[Video below.] A Jewish man walking to shul for a Shabbos Sheva Brachos in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was assaulted on Shabbos morning, prompting a response from Williamsburg Shomrim, the NYPD and Hatzalah. A suspect was taken into custody, and police are investigating whether the attack was motivated by antisemitism.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:40 a.m. on Shabbos, November 7, at the intersection of Heyward Street and Bedford Avenue, in the heart of Williamsburg’s large chassidishe community.

According to sources, the victim was making his way to shul when he encountered an individual who allegedly initiated a confrontation that escalated into a physical assault.

Surveillance footage reportedly captured the encounter, showing the suspect walking past the Jewish man and apparently spilling something on him. A confrontation followed, during which the victim appeared to defend himself before being assaulted.

Williamsburg Shomrim volunteers and officers from the NYPD’s 90th Precinct responded to the incident and apprehended the suspect. Hatzalah personnel were also dispatched and provided medical assistance to the victim.

The NYPD is examining the circumstances surrounding the confrontation to determine whether the victim was deliberately targeted because of his Jewish identity. Investigators are expected to review available surveillance footage and other evidence as they work to establish the sequence of events and the suspect’s motive.

The assault comes just days after another disturbing antisemitic incident in Williamsburg, where four school buses used to transport Jewish children were defaced with swastikas and hateful anti-Jewish and anti-Israel messages.

That vandalism was discovered Monday morning, November 2, near Bedford Avenue and Williamsburg Street West. The buses, associated with local Jewish educational institutions, were spray-painted with Nazi symbols and slogans including “Free Palestine” and “America First,” along with vulgar statements targeting Jews and Israel.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force opened an investigation into the vandalism, with Williamsburg Shomrim assisting authorities in gathering information and surveillance footage.

The incidents have added to concerns over the safety of visibly Orthodox Jewish residents in Williamsburg, where thousands of families regularly walk to and from shul, yeshiva and other community institutions.

According to NYPD figures released earlier this year, anti-Jewish incidents accounted for approximately 53 percent of confirmed hate crimes in New York City through the end of September, despite Jews representing a much smaller share of the city’s population.

The latest assault is particularly troubling because it occurred on Shabbos morning, when residents were traveling on foot to attend davening and family celebrations.

{Matzav.com}

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