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United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher sharply criticized Israel’s High Court of Justice and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Wednesday over the cancellation of a major government-sponsored conference commemorating Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, accusing them of showing disregard for the legacy of one of the most influential Torah leaders in modern Israeli history.

Asher’s statement came after the High Court proceedings surrounding the event ended without a ruling on the underlying legal dispute. The three-day conference, which had been scheduled for October 6-8 at Binyanei Ha’Uma in Yerushalayim, had already been canceled after the Religious Services Ministry concluded that there was no longer enough time to organize it. The attorney general had objected to holding the government-funded gathering so close to the October 27 Knesset elections because of Rav Ovadia’s historic association with Shas.

“The decision of the High Court and the position of the attorney general prove once again just how disconnected they are from the public,” Asher said. “Approximately one million people walked behind the bier of Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, and very many continue to follow the light of his rulings and his legacy, without any connection to one political affiliation or another.”

Asher added, “Unfortunately, the legacy of Maran Rav Ovadia is not among their priorities. Had the High Court justices accorded his personality and accomplishments the respect they deserve, it would have been possible to find a balanced and satisfactory arrangement rather than crudely canceling the event intended to perpetuate his memory.”

The statement was particularly notable because Asher, who recently became chairman of United Torah Judaism amid changes in Degel HaTorah’s Knesset representation, was publicly weighing in on the controversy surrounding the legacy of Rav Ovadia, the longtime Sephardic posek and spiritual leader most closely identified politically with Shas.

At Wednesday morning’s High Court hearing, the judges did not issue a substantive ruling on whether the attorney general’s original position was legally justified. Instead, after Religious Services Ministry Director-General Yehuda Avidan informed the court that the event could no longer practically be held on its scheduled dates, the dispute was deemed effectively theoretical. The court indicated that a similar dispute arising in the future could still be brought before it.

The distinction became a central point in the aftermath of the hearing. While Shas officials strongly condemned the outcome, the court did not rule on the merits that Baharav-Miara’s position regarding the conference was correct. Rather, the cancellation of the event meant that there was no longer a practical remedy for the court to grant concerning the October 6-8 gathering.

The controversy began after the attorney general opposed holding the large, government-funded conference in the weeks immediately preceding the Knesset election. Her position was that because Rav Ovadia founded Shas and his image and legacy remain closely associated with the party, such an event during the election period could raise concerns regarding prohibited election activity. She proposed that the conference instead be held after the election.

The state stressed that the position did not bar commemorations of Rav Ovadia generally. According to the state’s position presented in the proceedings, there was no objection to the annual memorial itself, official ceremonies, or privately funded commemorative events; the dispute concerned the timing of the large government-funded conference.

Shas rejected that distinction, arguing that the conference was intended to honor Rav Ovadia’s Torah legacy rather than promote the party he founded. The party also alleged selective treatment, pointing to other state memorial events held near elections and arguing that Rav Ovadia’s identification with Shas should not transform a gathering devoted to his Torah and legacy into a political event.

MK Erez Malul of Shas similarly accused the court of using the event’s cancellation to avoid addressing the underlying dispute.

“If you had removed the attorney general’s directive from the outset, a nonpolitical heritage conference for all of Am Yisrael would have taken place,” Malul said.

He questioned the distinction between the Rav Ovadia event and other state commemorations, asking, “With all due distinction, is a memorial for the Rabin assassination not political? Rabin was purely political.”

Malul charged that “the High Court and the attorney general are working together against Shas and the right,” adding that “it pains the heart to see the harm being done to millions of believers.” His allegations represented his characterization of the dispute; the state maintained that its objection was specifically tied to election-law concerns surrounding the timing and government funding of the conference.

Shas MK Moshe Abutbul also expressed deep disappointment, saying that he had anticipated the outcome.

“I was very, very disappointed, but it was expected. A few minutes earlier I was interviewed and said clearly: the answer will be negative, because we know the High Court,” Abutbul said.

The controversy also drew a forceful response from Rishon LeTzion Rav Yitzchak Yosef, Rav Ovadia’s son, who called for communities throughout Eretz Yisroel to organize their own gatherings in his father’s memory.

“We are approaching the day of the hillula of Maran, my father, zecher tzaddik v’kadosh livracha, in less than a month,” Rav Yitzchak Yosef said. “Unfortunately, the power of the left has grown stronger. The attorney general has made a final decision not to hold a hillula for Maran.”

Rav Yitzchak Yosef urged shuls and communities across the country to respond by dramatically expanding local commemorations.

“I call from here to hold hillulas — at least a thousand hillulas! In every corner of the country, in every shul, everywhere. Therefore, there is no need to take them into consideration; we will hold hillulas in shuls, in halls, in every city and every moshav.”

The dispute centers on legislation enacted in 2025 establishing an official framework for commemorating Rav Ovadia Yosef. The law requires the Religious Services Ministry to conduct an educational conference dealing with subjects connected to his teachings and vision on the anniversary of his petirah or at a date close to it. This year, Rav Ovadia’s yahrtzeit falls on October 14, less than two weeks before the October 27 Knesset election.

The government conference had initially been moved to October 6-8, but the attorney general concluded that even those earlier dates remained too close to Election Day. The Religious Services Ministry formally canceled the event after its producer advised that, given the continuing legal proceedings and the remaining preparation time, it was no longer technically possible to stage the gathering as planned.

The legal proceedings may have ended without a ruling on the broader question, but the controversy over the cancellation — and over how Rav Ovadia’s Torah legacy should be treated when it intersects with an election campaign — continued to draw fierce reactions across the chareidi political spectrum Wednesday.

{Matzav.com}

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates Wednesday for the first time in more than three years, reversing the direction of monetary policy as officials moved to confront inflation that has remained stubbornly above the central bank’s target.

The Fed increased its benchmark federal funds rate by one-quarter of a percentage point, bringing its target range to 3.75% to 4%. The decision was unanimous. More significantly, new projections released Wednesday showed that Fed officials see rates ending 2026 at a median 4.1%, suggesting another quarter-point increase could come before the end of the year.

For ordinary Americans, the simplest explanation is this: borrowing money is becoming more expensive again.

That does not mean every mortgage, car loan or credit card rate will immediately rise by exactly one-quarter of a percentage point. But the Fed’s move pushes upward on borrowing costs throughout the financial system, particularly loans carrying variable interest rates. Major U.S. banks began raising their prime lending rates following Wednesday’s decision.

For households already struggling with elevated prices, the timing is particularly significant. The Fed is effectively accepting some additional financial pressure on borrowers in an effort to prevent inflation from becoming more deeply entrenched.

Why Did the Fed Raise Rates?

The central bank’s explanation was straightforward: inflation is still too high.

“Inflation remains elevated,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in its statement Wednesday. “Today’s policy action will support a timelier return to the Committee’s 2 percent goal. The Committee will deliver price stability.”

The Fed’s latest projections underscore the problem. Officials now expect their preferred measure of inflation, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, to rise 3.7% in 2026, while core PCE inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is projected at 3.4%. Both remain well above the Fed’s 2% objective.

At the same time, the economy has remained strong enough to give the Fed room to act. The central bank said economic activity continues to expand “at a solid pace,” domestic spending remains resilient, capital investment is robust, and unemployment has changed little.

That combination — persistent inflation alongside a relatively solid economy — is crucial. If unemployment were soaring or the economy were contracting sharply, the Fed would have much more reason to worry that higher rates could deepen a downturn. Instead, policymakers concluded that inflation currently represents the greater concern.

What Does It Mean for Mortgages?

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of a Fed rate move.

The Fed does not directly set mortgage rates.

Thirty-year fixed mortgage rates are influenced much more heavily by longer-term Treasury yields and investors’ expectations about future inflation, economic growth and Fed policy. As a result, mortgage rates do not necessarily increase by a quarter point simply because the Fed raised its overnight rate by a quarter point.

But Wednesday’s decision matters nonetheless. If financial markets conclude that inflation will remain elevated and the Fed will have to keep rates higher for longer, longer-term borrowing costs can remain elevated as well.

That means prospective homebuyers should not assume Wednesday’s decision automatically adds exactly 0.25 percentage point to a 30-year mortgage — but it does make the prospect of substantially cheaper mortgages in the near term less certain.

Homeowners with existing fixed-rate mortgages are largely insulated. If someone already has a 30-year fixed mortgage at a set rate, Wednesday’s Fed decision does not change that rate or monthly principal-and-interest payment.

Borrowers with adjustable-rate mortgages, however, may eventually face higher payments depending on the particular benchmark and adjustment schedule attached to their loan.

What About Credit Cards?

This is where consumers are more likely to feel the effects directly.

Most credit cards have variable interest rates tied, directly or indirectly, to the prime rate. When the Fed raises rates and banks raise their prime rates, credit-card APRs typically follow.

Someone who pays the full balance every month may notice little difference.

Someone carrying thousands of dollars in revolving credit-card debt could end up paying more interest, particularly if additional Fed increases follow Wednesday’s move.

The same basic principle can affect home-equity lines of credit and other variable-rate debt.

Will Car Loans Get More Expensive?

Potentially, yes.

Auto-loan rates are not mechanically dictated by the federal funds rate, but lenders’ financing costs and broader market rates influence what consumers are offered.

The effect of a quarter-point Fed increase on any single monthly car payment may be relatively modest, particularly compared with the vehicle’s price, down payment, credit score and loan term. But if Wednesday marks the beginning of several increases rather than a one-time adjustment, financing conditions could become noticeably tighter.

That is why the Fed’s outlook may ultimately matter more than Wednesday’s quarter-point move itself.

There Is Some Good News: Savers Could Benefit

Higher interest rates are not universally bad.

People keeping money in high-yield savings accounts, money-market accounts and certificates of deposit may benefit if banks pass higher rates along to depositors.

Treasury securities and other short-term fixed-income investments can also offer higher yields when market rates rise.

Banks do not necessarily increase savings rates immediately or by the full amount of a Fed increase, however. Consumers generally have to compare rates because institutions compete differently for deposits.

In other words, Wednesday’s decision creates a familiar divide: borrowers generally dislike higher rates; savers can benefit from them.

Why Raise Rates When Everything Already Costs So Much?

It sounds counterintuitive.

If groceries, housing and other necessities are already expensive, why would policymakers deliberately make borrowing more expensive too?

Because the Fed is trying to slow the rate at which prices continue rising.

Higher interest rates discourage borrowing and encourage saving. A family may postpone buying a car. A business may reconsider an expansion financed with borrowed money. A prospective homeowner may decide that a particular house is unaffordable.

Multiply those decisions across millions of households and businesses, and overall demand cools.

Businesses then have less ability or incentive to continually raise prices, hiring can moderate, wage pressures can ease, and inflation can gradually decline.

The Fed is not attempting to make today’s prices go back to where they were several years ago. Its 2% inflation objective is aimed at getting prices to rise much more slowly going forward.

Could Higher Rates Hurt the Economy?

Yes — and that is the central risk.

Interest-rate policy works partly by deliberately restraining economic activity. Push rates too little, and inflation can persist. Push them too far, and businesses can cut investment and hiring, consumers can reduce spending, housing can weaken, unemployment can rise and the economy can potentially enter a recession.

The Fed currently believes the economy has enough underlying strength to withstand tighter policy. Its September projections put 2026 GDP growth at 2.3% and unemployment at 4.1%. Notably, officials actually lowered their unemployment projection from the 4.3% they forecast in June.

That helps explain why officials were willing to raise rates now: they see an economy that remains relatively resilient while inflation continues running too hot.

Is This Just One Rate Hike?

This may be the most consequential part of Wednesday’s announcement.

The Fed’s new projections suggest policymakers do not currently view this as necessarily a one-and-done move.

The median projection for the federal funds rate at the end of 2026 is now 4.1%, compared with 3.8% in the Fed’s June projections. The median remains 4.1% for the end of 2027 before declining to 3.9% in 2028 and 3.6% in 2029.

Those projections are not promises. Inflation could cool unexpectedly, the economy could weaken, unemployment could rise, or another shock could force officials to change course.

But Wednesday’s message was nevertheless significant: the Fed is currently contemplating tighter monetary policy, not a quick return to rate cuts.

The Bottom Line

For most Americans, Wednesday’s increase by itself will probably not dramatically change their finances overnight.

The bigger issue is what it signals.

After years in which consumers and financial markets increasingly looked toward lower borrowing costs, the Federal Reserve has changed direction. Inflation remains sufficiently persistent that officials are willing to make money more expensive again — and they are signaling that another increase may be necessary.

For someone with a fixed-rate mortgage and no major borrowing plans, the immediate effect could be minimal. For someone carrying credit-card debt, using a home-equity line, buying a car, purchasing a home or taking out a business loan, higher rates can matter considerably. For someone with substantial cash savings, the development could actually produce better returns.

And that is what Wednesday’s decision really means: the Fed believes inflation remains a serious enough problem that it is prepared to keep pressure on the economy — and on borrowers — until price increases move convincingly closer to its 2% goal.

{Matzav.com}

The American Airlines passenger whose alleged midair outburst became so uncontrollable that fellow travelers restrained him with duct tape and zip ties told a Maryland court that he had no memory of the episode — and appeared stunned as the allegations against him were read aloud.

Layne Lundeen, 67, made the claim during court proceedings in Annapolis, Maryland, following his arrest in connection with the incident, which forced the Newark-bound flight to divert to Baltimore.

“I don’t remember any of what happened,” Lundeen said, according to The Banner, which obtained audio of the proceeding.

As he attempted to understand the allegations against him, Lundeen appeared surprised to learn that he was accused of assaulting a law enforcement officer.

“I assaulted a police officer? Is that what it says?” he reportedly said. “I don’t have my glasses.”

District Court Commissioner George Haag then went through the accusations facing Lundeen, prompting another expression of disbelief from the Arizona man.

“Oh my God. What a mess. I don’t remember any of it.”

The charges followed a chaotic incident aboard an American Airlines flight during which Lundeen allegedly launched into a racist tirade and became so disruptive that other passengers intervened. He was ultimately restrained with duct tape and zip ties as the flight crew diverted the aircraft to Baltimore for an emergency landing.

During the court proceeding, Haag asked Lundeen why he had come to Maryland.

“What brings you to Maryland?” Haag asked.

Lundeen responded that Maryland had never been part of his travel plans.

“I came to New York City. I don’t know how I got to Maryland. I was supposed to land in New Jersey.”

Lundeen, a realtor from Arizona, had reportedly been traveling east to assist one of his daughters as she moved into a new apartment. The trip also coincided with her birthday.

The fallout from the incident extended beyond his arrest. Long Realty Company, the Tucson-based real estate firm where Lundeen worked, terminated his employment after footage and accounts of the episode circulated widely.

Referring to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding what was supposed to have been a family trip, Lundeen told the commissioner, “I got a double whammy for my trip. Well, now it’s a triple whammy.”

Near the end of the hearing, Lundeen appeared focused on figuring out how to resume his interrupted journey, asking Haag how far he was from New York City.

“That depends on mode of transportation and traffic,” the commissioner responded, “but at least a few hours.”

Authorities charged Lundeen with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident.

Police said witnesses aboard the aircraft described Lundeen as having “became increasingly unruly” as the flight progressed.

Jonathan Cahn, a controversial author and Messianic rabbi who was seated beside Lundeen, previously provided his account of what he said triggered the dramatic change in his seatmate’s behavior.

According to Cahn, the two men initially had a friendly conversation, but the atmosphere abruptly changed after their discussion turned to spirituality. Lundeen reportedly told the court that his conversation with the passenger seated beside him was essentially the last thing he remembered before the incident.

“I have never seen someone change in a split second from light to dark as I saw then, as if something had taken him over,” Cahn previously said. “He went from the friendliest guy in the world to this dark person.”

Cahn said that during the conversation, he spoke about “the reality of the real power of god on Earth and in our lives.”

The disturbance escalated from there, according to witnesses, eventually requiring passengers to physically restrain Lundeen. Images and video showing him secured to his seat with duct tape and zip ties subsequently spread online.

Following the flight’s diversion, Lundeen was taken into custody shortly after the aircraft landed in Baltimore.

Despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the case, Lundeen was released on his own recognizance after his court appearance. As a condition of his release, he was instructed to refrain from consuming alcohol or drugs, with the exception of prescribed medications, according to The Banner.

Lundeen is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 19 in the District Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County in Glen Burnie.

A Chabad shliach in Milan was assaulted Wednesday evening while waiting at a bus stop near the city’s Jewish neighborhood, in an attack that reportedly included verbal abuse, kicks and punches, the removal of his hat, and spitting. Three suspects were located by Italian police shortly afterward and taken into custody for questioning.

The victim was identified by Chabad sources as Rabbi Tzemach Mizrachi, 51, an Israeli citizen who has served as a shliach in Milan for approximately three decades and is a rov at the city’s Central Chabad House. Rabbi Mizrachi had reportedly been on his way to pick up his children from school when the incident occurred.

The attack took place Wednesday afternoon in Piazzale Bande Nere, in western Milan, near the city’s Jewish neighborhood. Italian media reported that Rabbi Mizrachi was waiting for a bus when three individuals approached and surrounded him.

Rabbi Mizrachi described the confrontation as beginning with harassment before escalating into violence.

“The three began provoking me and grabbed my hat. When I asked them to give it back, one of the attackers kicked me hard, knocking me into the street. Thankfully, I did not require medical treatment,” he said.

Italian reports provided additional details about the assault. Corriere della Sera reported that the incident began with insults — possibly in Arabic — followed by shoving that caused the rov to fall to the ground. Other Italian reports said he was struck with kicks and punches.

Walker Meghnagi, president of Milan’s Jewish community, described the assault in particularly disturbing terms.

“An act of such violence has never happened before. They kicked and punched him, knocked off his hat, trampled on it, and spat on him. From what I have been told, the three individuals are of Arab origin,” Meghnagi told the Italian news agency ANSA.

Despite the assault, Rabbi Mizrachi was able to follow the suspects after getting back to his feet and managed to photograph and film them with his cellphone, according to Corriere della Sera. He then contacted police.

Police patrols responding to the scene located three individuals a short distance away and brought them to police headquarters for identification and questioning. Some Italian reports said the suspects were subsequently detained at a nearby Metro station.

There were differing descriptions Wednesday night of the suspects’ precise legal status. Israel National News reported that all three had been arrested and were being held overnight, while initial Italian reports described them as having been located, identified, detained or brought to police headquarters as investigators determined their status.

Rabbi Mizrachi spent several hours with police providing his account of the attack and formally filing a complaint.

“I spent several hours at the police station providing statements for the investigation,” he said. “The police took this very seriously, arrested the attackers immediately, and are holding them overnight.”

Despite the violence, Rabbi Mizrachi did not require hospitalization or medical treatment, according to both his own account and Italian reports.

Authorities were investigating the circumstances and motive behind the attack. Italian reporting noted that Rabbi Mizrachi was visibly identifiable as a Jew by his clothing, while the head of Milan’s Jewish community characterized the assault as antisemitic. Police had not yet publicly announced a final determination regarding motive as of Wednesday night.

Meghnagi said the incident had deeply shaken the local Jewish community.

“Mi vergogno del mio Paese se posso dirlo. Mi vergogno per quello che sta succedendo,” he told ANSA — “I am ashamed of my country, if I may say so. I am ashamed of what is happening.”

Rabbi Mizrachi also spoke of an increasingly uncomfortable atmosphere for visibly Jewish residents of Milan.

“Lately, you can feel their presence in the streets more and more,” he said.

At the same time, he expressed gratitude for the rapid police response and voiced hope that the immediate detention of the suspects would send a message that attacks against Jews in the city would have consequences.

The incident drew condemnation in Italy as news of the attack spread Wednesday evening. Italian Senate President Ignazio La Russa called the assault “very serious” and “disturbing,” expressed solidarity with the rov and Milan’s Jewish community, and said investigators must establish the facts and determine responsibility.

The assault occurred in broad daylight at an ordinary public transit stop, a detail that heightened alarm within Milan’s Jewish community. Meghnagi noted that Rabbi Mizrachi had simply been waiting for a bus when he was apparently recognized as Jewish from his appearance and targeted.

The investigation remained underway Wednesday night as police worked to establish the precise sequence of events, the identities of the suspects, and whether the assault would formally be treated as an antisemitic hate crime.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF on Wednesday released dramatic new footage from inside Hezbollah’s underground tunnel network beneath the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon, revealing extensive infrastructure that Israeli forces said had been built over a period of years for use by the terror organization.

The newly released footage showed underground passages discovered by IDF forces during operations in the area. The routes were investigated and mapped before troops moved to destroy them.

According to the IDF, forces operating along the ridge uncovered a range of Hezbollah infrastructure, including a tunnel that the military described as a strategic asset belonging to the terror organization.

The commander of the Commando Brigade, Col. M., said Israeli forces have been carrying out operations in the region for approximately six months.

“Over the past six months, the unit’s forces, under Division 36 and together with the division’s brigades, have been locating, investigating, mapping, and destroying Hezbollah enemy infrastructure in the Beaufort Ridge and Ali al-Taher Ridge areas, with determination and ingenuity,” he said.

Speaking while standing inside one of the underground passages discovered by Israeli forces, the commander described the tunnel and the preparations underway to demolish it.

“We are currently inside a tunnel in the Ali al-Taher Ridge that served as strategic Hezbollah infrastructure. The unit’s forces, together with the Commando Brigade, located and investigated it and are now preparing to destroy it.”

He said the IDF’s specialized combat engineering forces would continue operating against threats both underground and on the surface.

“The Yahalom Unit will continue to operate above and below ground, wherever necessary, in order to remove threats to the residents of the State of Israel.”

Col. A., commander of the Yahalom Unit, also provided details about the Commando Brigade’s recent operations against Hezbollah positions along the ridge.

“In recent weeks, troops from the Commando Brigade’s Egoz and Maglan units, together with the Yahalom Unit, have operated here in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area,” he said.

According to Col. A., Israeli troops first established control over the terrain above the tunnel network, effectively cutting off Hezbollah terrorists who were positioned underground.

“The troops seized the territory and established operational control over the area above ground, while surrounding and trapping the terrorists inside the underground routes.”

The fighting included direct confrontations between IDF soldiers and Hezbollah terrorists who attempted to emerge from the tunnels, the commander said.

“In some cases, when terrorists attempted to escape from the underground routes, they encountered our troops and were eliminated in face-to-face combat,” he said.

Once Israeli forces entered the tunnel system itself, they encountered extensive underground infrastructure that, according to the IDF commander, had taken Hezbollah years to construct.

“When we entered these underground routes, we found infrastructure that had been built over many years by the Iranian terrorist arm for Hezbollah, with the aim of harming Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” he said.

Col. A. said Israeli forces would remain in the area until the weapons and underground facilities uncovered during the operation had been eliminated.

“We will leave here only after we have destroyed all of the weapons and infrastructure that we found,” he continued.

The commander concluded with a warning that the IDF would pursue threats against Israel even when enemy forces attempt to conceal themselves deep underground.

“All of Israel’s enemies should know that the long arm of the IDF will reach every last one of them, even when they hide inside caves and tunnels, as we found here, so that we can complete our mission of protecting the citizens of the State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Three kedoshei elyon had one common concept when it came to learning Torah – they were the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar 1696-1743) when he came to Eretz Yisroel; the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto 1707-1746) when he lived in Padua, Italy;  and Hagaon, Harav Chaim Volozhiner, (1749-1821) the famous talmid of the Gaon of Vilna.

They each had a yeshiva with ‘around-the-clock’ Torah learning, 24-hours a day, so that there would be no minute when the sound of Torah learning would not be heard in this world. The 24-hour period would be divided into shifts, and as one ended the next would begin.

Torah-24

A “Torah-24” Center has been opened in Yerushalayim and the Nasi is Maran Sar Hatorah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l.

• The first “Torah-24” center is in Yerushalayim

• 11 Kollelim with 163 avreichim will be learning at “Torah-24” every day

• Nigleh, Nistar, Chumash and Halacha – All under ONE ROOF

• Talmud Bavli / Yerushalmi – Kabbalah & Zohar – Rambam, Shulchan Aruch & Poskim, Zeraim – Taharos 

• The following SIX kollelim – Kollel Hashkomas Haboker, Kollel Yerushalmi, Kollel Bavli, Kollel Choshen Mishpat/Even Haezer, Kollel Erev Shabbos, Kollel Kabbalah B’Chatzos (Tikun Chatzot, Etz Chaim, Zohar, Tehillim) – are fully operational

• 24 hour תורה learning cycle – 6:00 am to 6:00 am – is divided into different shifts

• Each kollel shift has its own program, Rosh Kollel and avreichim

• Detailed monthly and annual tests – written and oral – for all avreichim 

• Already there are 77 avreichim metzuyonim, and a large number of candidates are vying for the remaining slots in the kollelim. All the avreichim are required to take rigorous monthly tests.

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

“Torah-24 תורה” – where the voice of Torah is not absent from within the walls of the kollelim, not even for a minute…

“The idea … of day and night shifts of non-stop kollelim… the full range of subjects of the Torah… the derech of the Ramchal, the Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh and Hagaon Reb Chaim of Volozhin.”

– Nasi Maran Sar Hatorah, Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l

“All who donate to and support “Torah-24 תורה” will merit all the brochos of the Torah, including those for refuos, yeshuos, parnossa tova and nachas from all their descendants, Amen”

– Maran Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez, Hagaon Harav Gershon Edelstein, zt”l

At “Torah-24 תורה”, exceptional avreichim do not pause for a moment while studying all the areas of the holy Torah, with a shift of remarkable scholars studying the holy Zohar and the recitation of Tikun Chatzos at midnight. 

All who donate and support this holy endeavor of “Torah-24 תורה” should see brocha and success … children and grandchildren immersed in Torah and mitzvos… fulfillment of all the hopes of their hearts for good and with brocha. 

– Maran Hagaon Harav Moishe Sternbuch, shlit”a 

I join the esteemed Rabbanim and Gaonim, shlit”a, in endorsing the illustrious “Kollel Kabbalah b’Chatzos” designated for outstanding talmidei chachomim, masters of Torah and yiras Shomayim, who spend their nights in Beis Hashem, engaging deeply in the concealed dimensions of Torah during this auspicious time of Divine Favor…

I hereby call upon my generous brethren to support this endeavor with significant sums, for through this they will attain the great merit of the hidden Torah studied at night. May you all be blessed by Hashem with many blessings in accordance with the greatness of the endeavor that you are supporting!

– Maran Hagaon Hamekubal, Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter, shlit”a

“Support ‘Torah-24 תורה’ where the sound of Torah – nigleh and nistar – all hours of the day and night; and be blessed from shamayim that the Torah should never cease from your mouth; children bnei Torah; abundant parnassa and good health”

– Maran Hagaon Harav Shimon Badani, zt”l
Rosh Kollel Torah V’Chaim, Member Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah

“Torah-24 תורה” – groups of talmidei chachomim geonim in different shifts, delve in the subjects of Torah learning without interruption – Bavli, Yerushalmi, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Rambam, Kabbala, Midrash, Tana”ch and more.  “Torah-24 תורה” is in actuality a wonderful continuation of the heichalei hakodesh and battei midrash of our holy Rabbonim – the Ramchal, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh and the Nefesh Hachaim, zy”o. Who would not want to be part of this historical and amazing project “Torah-24 תורה”, and the greatness of its holy impact in both the supernal and lower realms?  “My brocha to all who support “Torah-24 תורה” – You should merit great abundance in both the spiritual and the material – supernal light, peace of mind, tranquility of the soul and bodily health. Only goodness and kindness should pursue you all the days of your lives, and you should dwell securely for your length of days.

– Maran Hamashpia Hagadol, ‘Reb Meilech’ Biderman, shlit”a

“Your kesher with ‘Torah-24 תורה’ will be a true ובהם נהגה יומם ולילה – and we will delve in them by day and by night”

– Maran Hagaon Harav Shraga Steinman, shlit”a – Orchos Torah

 

“Talmidei Chachomim of ‘Torah-24 תורה’ delve into all sectors of Torah – Bavli and Yerushalmi, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Rambam, Kabbalah – Nistar”

– Maran Hagaon Harav Shimon Gallai, shlit”a – Bnei Brak

 

Kollel Kabbalah b’Chatzos” is a precious link in the golden chain of the glorious Torah empire “Torah-24”… bringing tremendous delight to the Ribbono shel Olam. Fortunate are all those who take part in this great and holy endeavor.

– Maran HaMekubal Rav Abish Zehnwirth, shlit”a

 

For more “Torah-24” information click on: www.torah-24.com or call 718-766-5022

United Torah Judaism’s three constituent factions have agreed to conduct their main election campaign under a single, unified framework, a change from the previous election in which the factions ran separate campaigns.

UTJ chairman MK Yaakov Asher reached the agreement in recent days with representatives of Degel HaTorah, Agudas Yisrael and Chomas Toras Yisrael, the three factions comprising the joint UTJ list for the upcoming election.

Under the agreement, the party’s primary election campaign will be coordinated through one central campaign headquarters, with representatives of all three factions participating in the operation. The arrangement is intended to present a unified message and emphasize cooperation among the different components of the chareidi party.

The move marks a departure from the previous election campaign, when the various factions conducted separate campaigns rather than operating through a single central apparatus.

Despite the unified national campaign, each faction will retain some room to address its own constituencies. Smaller, targeted campaigns are expected to operate alongside the central effort, with messaging tailored specifically to individual chassidic courts and other communities.

The agreement comes shortly after UTJ submitted its candidate list for the 26th Knesset, following significant changes within the party. The joint list is headed by Asher, with Agudas Yisrael chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf in the second slot and Degel HaTorah’s Yitzchok Pindrus in third.

The current UTJ framework includes three separate political factions: Degel HaTorah, Agudas Yisrael and the newly established Chomas Toras Yisrael, which represents Shlomei Emunim and Belz. Despite their separate organizational structures, all three are contesting the election together on the United Torah Judaism slate.

The newly agreed-upon campaign structure will now bring those three groups together under one central election operation, while allowing more narrowly focused outreach to continue within their respective communities.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran is eager to reach an agreement with the United States, offering an increasingly optimistic assessment of the possibility of ending the months-long conflict and revealing that Washington has been in direct communication with Tehran.

“Hopefully we’re toward the end of the war. Iran is very much wanting to make a deal,” Trump told reporters Wednesday.

Pressed on whether Iranian officials had recently communicated with his administration — and whether those contacts had taken place directly or through intermediaries — Trump said the communication was direct.

“No, directly,” he said.

.@POTUS: "Iran is very much wanting to make a deal. We'll see how that works out." pic.twitter.com/z1SiXiiVlH

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 16, 2026

The remarks represented the latest indication from Trump that he believes a negotiated end to the conflict may be possible, though no agreement has been announced and significant differences between Washington and Tehran remain. Recent Iranian statements have also attached conditions to any renewed negotiations.

Trump’s comments came days after he suggested that the war could continue until around the November midterm elections, while arguing that Iran was increasingly unable to sustain the conflict.

“They’re desperate to try and affect the election so that we could get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.”

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Tehran is attempting to prolong the conflict in hopes that political developments in the United States will ultimately produce more favorable conditions for Iran. Iranian officials have disputed the administration’s broader characterization of Tehran’s position and have publicly insisted that conditions would have to be met before negotiations could proceed.

Wednesday’s comments followed a statement from Trump on Monday in which he publicly opened the door to renewed negotiations while maintaining that the ultimate decision on whether Washington enters talks would be his.

“The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I will determine whether or not the U.S.A. will choose to engage – the concept of which we are open to.”

The statement marked a notable shift in tone after Trump had expressed deep skepticism earlier in September about whether any agreement with Tehran could be trusted. On Sept. 1, he said an agreement with Iran might not be worth the paper on which it was written, while later saying he would consider an agreement if it were the “right deal.”

Iran, meanwhile, has sent mixed signals about the possibility of diplomacy. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated that Tehran was prepared to discuss its nuclear program if Washington lifted sanctions and stopped negotiating through military pressure, while other Iranian officials have said negotiations would not resume until Tehran’s conditions were satisfied.

The diplomatic maneuvering comes as the conflict continues to affect the broader region, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz. China on Wednesday urged both Washington and Tehran to exercise restraint and resume substantive negotiations, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi calling for steps to restore safe navigation through the strategically critical waterway.

Despite Trump’s increasingly hopeful language, neither Washington nor Tehran has announced formal negotiations or disclosed the substance of the direct communications referenced by the President.

Trump’s assertion Wednesday that the United States may be “toward the end of the war,” however, was his clearest recent suggestion that he sees the direct contacts with Tehran as potentially opening a path toward ending the conflict.

{Matzav.com}

The New York Times came under intense criticism Wednesday over a passage in a report about Israel that stated that Israelis “still largely view themselves as the victims of Oct. 7,” language that critics said appeared to cast their status as victims of the Hamas massacre as a matter of perception rather than fact.

Following the backlash, the Times removed the sentence and appended an editor’s note acknowledging that the wording had “inadvertently suggested that Israelis’ experience as terror victims was a matter of perception.”

The controversy stemmed from a Sept. 14 article by longtime Times Jerusalem correspondent Isabel Kershner about “NAZA,” an Israeli documentary focused on Palestinian civilian deaths during the Gaza war. The film, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, recently received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and has generated a fierce debate in Israel over its allegations concerning IDF operations in Gaza.

In discussing the reaction to the documentary, the original Times article noted that Israelis remain deeply divided over responsibility for the political, military and intelligence failures preceding the Hamas-led assault of Oct. 7, 2023.

The report then included the sentence that ignited the controversy:

“But Israelis still largely view themselves as the victims of Oct. 7.”

The article itself went on to acknowledge that approximately 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led attack and some 250 people were abducted into Gaza, describing Oct. 7 as “the deadliest day in Israel’s history.”

Critics quickly seized on the juxtaposition, arguing that the sentence appeared to frame Israelis’ victimhood in the Oct. 7 attack as a subjective Israeli belief.

Journalist Eitan Fischberger, who previously served in the IDF, sharply criticized the wording.

“What’s so grotesque about this sentence is that it portrays an objective fact as some sort of Israeli victimhood mentality. Imagine the Times writing that Americans ‘still largely view themselves as the victims of 9/11,’ or that Americans ‘still largely view themselves as the victims of Pearl Harbor,’” Fischberger told Fox News Digital.

“Whatever one thinks about the war that followed, Israelis were absolutely the victims of horrific atrocities on October 7,” he continued. “Just like Americans were the victims of 9/11 and the attack on Pearl Harbor.”

CNN commentator Scott Jennings also condemned the passage, posting a screenshot of the Times article on social media and writing, “No words for this abomination.”

Other critics similarly drew comparisons to the Sept. 11 attacks, with one sarcastically writing, “Yes, and equally curiously, Americans overwhelmingly still see themselves as the victim of 9/11. The nerve!” Another asked, “If Israel wasn’t the Oct 7 victim, who does the NYTimes propose is?”

Hours after the criticism spread online, the Times removed the disputed sentence and published an editor’s note explaining what it said had gone wrong.

“Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article included a statement that was intended to convey Israelis’ perception of the government’s military response to the Oct. 7 terror attack in relation to the attacks, but inadvertently suggested that Israelis’ experience as terror victims was a matter of perception. It has been removed from the article.”

The Times’ explanation indicated that the intended point concerned how Israelis perceive the country’s subsequent military response to Oct. 7, rather than whether Israelis were themselves victims of the Hamas-led attack.

The original article centered on the growing controversy surrounding “NAZA,” an 80-minute documentary that examines Israeli military operations in Gaza and includes interviews with 24 purported Israeli intelligence personnel and soldiers who spoke anonymously. Israeli officials and military figures have strongly disputed the film’s allegations and condemned its portrayal of the IDF.

The Guardian, which co-produced the documentary, defended the filmmakers amid the Israeli backlash, saying it was “disturbed to see the authoritarian response to ‘NAZA’ in Israel” and pledging to “robustly defend” the filmmakers and others involved against “any attacks or attempts at censorship.”

The Times controversy comes just days after the publication of a peer-reviewed academic study examining the newspaper’s coverage during the early months of the Gaza war. The study, authored by Yale School of Management professor Edieal Pinker and published in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, analyzed 1,559 Times articles published between Oct. 7, 2023, and June 7, 2024.

Pinker argued that the newspaper’s coverage frequently emphasized Palestinian suffering while giving comparatively less attention to Israeli military casualties, Hamas casualties and Palestinian violence following Oct. 7. The study concluded that the coverage tended to assign disproportionate agency and responsibility to Israel while minimizing Hamas’ continuing role in the conflict.

The New York Times rejected that characterization when responding to the study, saying it “has covered this war with more rigor than virtually any other US news organization, reporting on the conflict from all angles.”

“Our editors make careful and deliberate choices about every story we publish to ensure our language, framing, prominence and tone remain true to our mission of independent journalism,” a Times spokesperson said. “We remain open to good-faith disagreement but will not change our coverage to buttress entrenched perspectives. Our commitment is to independent reporting that our readers can trust.”

The newspaper has faced criticism from both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists over its coverage of the war, with the two sides accusing it of bias in opposite directions.

In the latest controversy, however, the Times itself acknowledged that the original wording conveyed something it had not intended to say. By Wednesday afternoon, the disputed sentence was gone, replaced by the editor’s note conceding that the language had mistakenly made Israelis’ status as victims of the Oct. 7 terror attack appear to be a question of perception.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

A child doesn’t understand exchange rates. He doesn’t know that the dollar has weakened against the shekel, cutting the value of the money his family depends on. He doesn’t understand government budgets, disappearing subsidies, or the inflation that has sent the cost of groceries and clothing soaring.

He only knows that Sukkos is coming.

He sees the excitement building around him. He hears other children discussing new clothing and Yom Tov treats. He watches his parents calculating what they can afford—and what will have to wait.

His father is an avreich who has chosen a life devoted to Torah. His mother stands beside him, carrying the financial sacrifices that make that learning possible. But before Yom Tov, even the most carefully managed budget can begin to collapse.

This year, the pressure is greater than ever.

Across Eretz Yisroel, many kollel families are facing a painful gap between their income and the basic cost of making Yom Tov. Regular stipends have not kept pace with the changing financial reality, and Roshei Kollel who usually distribute special Yom Tov bonuses are struggling to raise the necessary funds.

Adopt-a-Kollel’s Mind the Gap campaign was created to ensure that these children—and their parents—are not left behind.

Adopt-a-Kollel has transformed Torah support by pairing kehillos throughout the world with specific kollelim in Eretz Yisroel. It has turned support for Torah from a distant concept into a personal relationship. Kehillos know the yungerleit they assist, share in their accomplishments, and provide dependable monthly funding that allows them to continue learning.

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Help a kollel family make Yom Tov: https://contentapmedia.com/adoptakollelmatzavarticle
To donate by phone, call: 732-314-7866

There has been a serious deterioration in the condition of Rav Mordechai Auerbach, rov of Kehillas Abir Yaakov in Tel Aviv and one of the city’s senior rabbonim.

Rav Auerbach was urgently transferred to the intensive care unit at Ichilov Hospital after his medical condition worsened significantly over the past several hours.

Rav Auerbach, a son of the renowned posek Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, was hospitalized shortly before Rosh Hashanah after suffering from a severe case of pneumonia. His family, talmidim and members of his kehillah have been closely monitoring his condition in recent days.

During the past several hours, however, there was a further decline in his medical indicators, prompting doctors to transfer him to intensive care for advanced treatment.

Earlier today, a special tefillah gathering was held at the kever of his father, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, as concern mounted over his condition.

An additional atzteres tefillah is scheduled for midnight tonight, when Rav Auerbach’s talmidim are expected to gather together ahead of the recitation of Selichos and “Zechor Bris.”

His name for tefillah is Rav Mordechai ben Chaya Rivka.

{Matzav.com}

An extraordinary story involving a Brazilian philanthropist, a Rosh Hashanah dream about Rav Nachman of Breslov, and an unexpected half-million-dollar donation to Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo has been generating considerable attention in South America following Rosh Hashanah.

The episode unfolded in the aftermath of the unprecedented Rosh Hashanah visit to Uman by Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo. According to sources, Rav Sorotzkin unexpectedly changed his travel plans just hours after Yom Tov and flew to Brazil at the urgent request of one of the major philanthropists supporting the Ateres Shlomo network.

Rav Sorotzkin had spent Rosh Hashanah near the kever of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman after a group of major donors pledged a substantial sum for the thousands of avreichim and talmidim in the Ateres Shlomo network. Their commitment was made on the condition that the rosh yeshiva join them for Rosh Hashanah in Uman and participate in the special minyanim organized for the philanthropists there.

One prominent donor in the group, a wealthy Jewish businessman from Brazil, ultimately was unable to travel to Uman himself.

Shortly after Yom Tov ended, however, the Brazilian philanthropist contacted Rav Sorotzkin with an urgent request: “Come to me immediately.”

At the time, Rav Sorotzkin was at the airport in Istanbul, Turkey, preparing to continue to New York for the next leg of his fundraising trip. In response to the unexpected call, the rosh yeshiva changed his itinerary and boarded the first available flight to Brazil.

Upon arriving at the philanthropist’s office, Rav Sorotzkin was greeted with great honor. The visibly emotional donor then gathered the Jewish employees in his office and related the remarkable dream he said he had experienced on the first night of Rosh Hashanah.

“You know,” the philanthropist began, “that I took upon myself, as part of a group of donors, an enormous sum of millions of dollars for the benefit of the avreichim and yeshivah students, on condition that the rosh yeshiva travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah. As is known, I personally ultimately did not make it to Uman because of circumstances.”

He then described what happened that night.

“On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, I had a dream in which I saw the rosh yeshiva standing beside the kever of Rav Nachman, with a Tehillim open before him, davening with tears.”

In the dream, the philanthropist said, he approached Rav Sorotzkin and asked why he was crying.

The rosh yeshiva responded, according to the donor’s account: “I am far from my yeshiva and my talmidim, far from my family. This is not the natural place where I am accustomed to being on Rosh Hashanah. I came here only because several good Jews undertook a large sum for the avreichim, but I feel out of place. This is not my place.”

Rav Sorotzkin then added painfully in the dream: “It is difficult for me to travel around so much.”

At that point, the philanthropist related, the dream took an extraordinary turn. Rav Nachman of Breslov suddenly appeared.

According to the donor, Rav Nachman turned toward Rav Sorotzkin and said just a few words: “Hakadosh Boruch Hu runs the world.”

Rav Nachman then turned to the Brazilian philanthropist and told him: “You make sure to make him especially happy.”

The dream ended immediately afterward.

The philanthropist told those gathered in his office that the experience had deeply shaken him and that he had been unable to regain his composure since having the dream.

He then announced what he believed his response should be.

In light of the dream and the message he understood from it, the philanthropist said he was adding another $500,000 of his own money to his original commitment to Ateres Shlomo. He reportedly stressed that the additional contribution was beyond what he would ordinarily consider within his financial capacity, but that he nevertheless wanted the money dedicated to supporting the Torah learning of Ateres Shlomo’s avreichim.

The additional half-million-dollar commitment represented a dramatic conclusion to Rav Sorotzkin’s unusual Rosh Hashanah journey, which had itself attracted considerable attention.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

There’s nothing quite like giving your children what they need and seeing how happy it makes them.

The new dress your daughter can’t stop looking at. The suit that makes your son stand a little taller. The simple relief of knowing your children have what they need for school, Shabbos and Yom Tov.

Every parent wants to be able to give their children that feeling. But for thousands of families, the cost of providing clothing to their growing children has become increasingly out of reach.

That’s where Bobbie’s Place comes in.

Every year, Bobbie’s Place provides brand-new clothing to over 12,000 children and teens. Families receive full wardrobes for Yom Tov and beyond, along with coats, pajamas and accessories. With a full selection of beautiful new clothing, parents can choose the dress their daughter loves or the suit their son is proud to wear — without an overwhelming bill standing in the way.

The children leave with new clothing, confidence and the ability to look and feel like everyone else. But something else happens at Bobbie’s Place, too.

Their parents get to be the ones who give it to them.

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Today, Bobbie’s Place operates in eight communities — Brooklyn, Monsey, Passaic, Chicago, Toronto, Baltimore, Queens and Cleveland — and is entirely volunteer-run, with no salaries or payroll.

As Yom Tov approaches, Bobbie’s Place is raising $750,000 to continue providing for the thousands of families who rely on it.

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Help Bobbie’s Place reach its $750,000 goal

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives is leaving Washington earlier than planned after just seven working days since lawmakers returned from their summer recess, canceling votes scheduled for Thursday and beginning a break that is expected to last until after the November midterm elections.

The decision also delays consideration of Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s newly introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and leaves aside a Democratic effort to keep lawmakers in Washington to address concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment Tuesday, including allegations involving the Trump administration’s military operations in Iran.

“We’re going to modify the House schedule by a day,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) simply told reporters.

The abbreviated schedule comes after House members returned from their August recess for only four working days before breaking for Labor Day. They then returned for three additional days this week, bringing the House’s total number of workdays since the summer recess to seven.

Republican leaders had already removed two additional weeks of House session that had originally been scheduled for later in September. With those weeks eliminated and Thursday’s session now canceled, House members are not expected back in Washington until after voters go to the polls in November, giving lawmakers additional time to campaign in their districts.

The schedule became more complicated Tuesday when Massie, the Kentucky Republican who has repeatedly clashed with his party’s leadership, unexpectedly went to the House floor and introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth. The resolution accuses Hegseth of a series of offenses, including alleged violations of the War Powers Resolution related to U.S. military operations against Iran. The Pentagon has rejected Massie’s allegations and defended Hegseth’s record.

Massie deliberately kept Republican leaders in the dark about his plans before taking to the floor, later explaining that he feared they might take procedural steps to prevent him from introducing the measure if they knew what he intended to do.

Because Massie introduced his impeachment resolution as a privileged matter, House rules require lawmakers to address it within two legislative days. Republican leaders could respond by moving to table the resolution or by taking other procedural action rather than holding a direct vote on impeachment.

Canceling Thursday’s scheduled House session effectively postpones that deadline. The requirement to deal with Massie’s resolution will therefore not arise again until the chamber reconvenes after the midterm elections.

House Democrats, meanwhile, had been pressing for Congress to remain in session to take up concerns related to the rapid development of artificial intelligence, but Thursday’s cancellation means that effort will not be considered before lawmakers leave Washington.

The Senate, unlike the House, is currently scheduled to continue meeting into early October.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s official aircraft, the “Wing of Zion,” is expected to bypass John F. Kennedy International Airport when he travels to New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, amid Israeli security concerns that Mayor Zohran Mamdani could attempt to interfere with the plane remaining at JFK for the duration of the visit.

Israeli security officials have decided that the state aircraft should not use JFK for the trip, according to a report Tuesday by Ynet. Officials are instead examining Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and a nearby military airfield as possible alternatives.

The concern, according to the report, centers specifically on whether Mamdani could seek to prevent the “Wing of Zion” from remaining parked at JFK throughout Netanyahu’s stay. In previous years, Israel’s official aircraft has been permitted to remain at the airport while the prime minister was in New York, an accommodation that has also been extended to Iran’s leadership.

The development comes against the backdrop of months of friction between Mamdani and Netanyahu. During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani said he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest if the Israeli leader came to New York, citing the International Criminal Court warrant issued against him. After taking office, however, Mamdani acknowledged in July that New York City does not possess “independent legal authority” to enforce the ICC warrant and instead called on the federal government to act.

President Donald Trump has said Netanyahu will not be arrested while visiting the United States “in any way, shape, or form.” The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has said that the U.N. headquarters agreement provides protections to visiting leaders and that “federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes.”

Netanyahu’s upcoming visit is nevertheless expected to take place under heightened security. According to the Israeli report, the U.S. Secret Service has substantially increased its involvement in preparations and is expected to accompany Netanyahu from the time he lands until he departs the United States.

The prime minister is currently scheduled to arrive in the United States on Wednesday, September 23. He is expected to address the U.N. General Assembly the following afternoon, September 24, at approximately 2 p.m. New York time, and then depart for Israel that night. Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, has separately confirmed the general timing of Netanyahu’s arrival, speech and departure.

Security preparations are also being made for demonstrations surrounding Netanyahu’s visit. Protests are expected near his hotel and outside the United Nations during his address, while pro-Israel Jewish groups are planning demonstrations in support of the prime minister.

Mamdani said Wednesday that he does not plan to personally participate in protests during Netanyahu’s visit, telling reporters, “I do not have any plans to attend any protests at the U.N. General Assembly.” He said his focus during the gathering would be on security and preparing New York City for the arrival of world leaders.

Israeli officials are additionally preparing for the possibility of protests inside the General Assembly hall itself, including delegations walking out during Netanyahu’s address or attempting to interrupt his speech.

The decision to avoid JFK creates an unusual logistical challenge for the Israeli delegation. Newark would place Netanyahu’s aircraft outside New York City in neighboring New Jersey, while the military-airfield option could provide an even more tightly controlled environment. Either alternative would allow the “Wing of Zion” to remain on the ground throughout Netanyahu’s short visit, according to the Israeli report.

Netanyahu is not currently expected to meet President Trump during the trip because Trump is scheduled to leave New York before Netanyahu arrives. Meetings with other international leaders remain possible on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Ted Cruz said Republicans should expect a wide-open fight over the party’s direction and its 2028 presidential nomination, arguing that there is “no Donald Trump on the horizon” who can simply inherit President Trump’s political mantle.

Cruz, who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 and has acknowledged that he remains interested in the presidency, made the comments during the latest episode of the “Pod Force One” podcast with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine. He said he expects Republican voters, rather than party leaders, to determine who emerges as the GOP’s next standard-bearer.

“I think we are going to have a full and vigorous primary and discussion,” the Texas Republican said, when asked about the possibility of Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio being anointed to take the mantle from Trump.

Cruz argued that the contest will involve broader questions about what the Republican Party represents after Trump.

“I think the voters are going to decide who are we and what do we believe, and that matters,” Cruz continued. “And President Trump is a unique historical figure. I’m going to say right now, there is no Donald Trump on the horizon to succeed [him].”

Cruz, who could potentially be part of the 2028 Republican field himself, repeatedly declined to discuss the prospect of facing Vance, Rubio or other possible contenders, saying those conversations should wait until after the 2026 midterm elections.

“There will be plenty of time to have these conversations,” he told Devine. “We are less than two months out from the midterm election. This is the most consequential midterm I’ve ever seen in my life.”

While Cruz avoided delving deeply into the possible Republican field, he did discuss the Democratic side, warning that he believes the party could nominate a candidate significantly to the left of the political center.

“I think the Democrat Party has gotten radical and extreme, but what’s dangerous is radical and extreme can win,” Cruz said.

He went further, expressing concern that a candidate he considers far-left could capture the White House in 2028.

“I don’t want to wake up in two years and find a radical, left-wing zealot in the White House, and I think there’s a very real danger of that,” he warned, while adding that someone like Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat who is often described as a centrist, has no shot at winning the party’s nomination.

Turning back to Republicans, Cruz said the post-Trump debate will require GOP voters to determine what qualities and policies they want in the party’s next leader.

“As a party, we’re going to have a discussion … I think voters are going to say, ‘All right, who’s got the backbone, who has the strength, who has the record to continue this?’”

Cruz stressed that he does not believe any Republican will be able to simply replicate Trump’s political role within the party.

“And no one’s going to step into [Trump’s] shoes, but we’ve got to keep winning … and who can produce it?”

According to Cruz, the coming Republican debate will extend well beyond personalities and will center on major disagreements over both domestic economic policy and America’s role overseas.

“Economically, are we a small government, free market conservative party? Or are we a big government nanny state party?” he said.

Cruz said Republicans will face a similarly consequential argument over foreign policy and the extent to which the United States should remain engaged internationally.

“And related to that, on foreign policy, are we an isolationist party? Do we want to just withdraw from the world? Or do we believe in American leadership in the world?”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said in an interview that aired on Tuesday that America cannot allow its Middle East foreign policy to be “subservient” to the State of Israel.

Speaking on the “All-In Podcast,” Vance compared Washington’s relationship with Jerusalem to U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to America’s “important partnerships” with NATO countries. “That doesn’t mean that we’re going to completely make our European foreign policy subservient to NATO,” he said.

“We’re going to work with people when we work with them. We’re going to disagree when we disagree. And we’re going to pursue America’s interest,” he continued. “That’s the only way to have a rational foreign policy.”

The Jewish state “has been an important partner when it comes to military technology, when it comes to intelligence sharing,” he said, but “the United States doesn’t always agree with Israel.”

Trump, more than “any president in the last 40 years,” he continued, has shown that he is willing to break with Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu.

“Rooting this relationship like all relationships in America’s interest is the way to actually have a rational conversation here,” Vance said.

That, he continued, “allows us to rationally focus and force ourselves to have a conversation about when something that maybe sounded good or maybe has become a cliche or a slogan for the past 20 or 30 years,” adding, “Well, maybe we have to do something different now.”

Vance also said in the interview that an American pullback from the Middle East would cause a worldwide energy crisis as long as Iran keeps attacking shipping.

While Trump returned to office wanting to keep the United States “out of foreign entanglements,” he was also “committed to Iran not having a nuclear weapon,” he said.

“Wanting to keep the United States out of foreign entanglements does not mean that you can never use the military in order to accomplish the American people’s objectives,” he added.

The alternative to Trump’s approach is that “the United States effectively says to the Middle East: you’re on your own,” he said.

That would mean an energy crisis “so long as the Iranians keep on shooting at shipping, which we know that’s exactly what they would do,” the vice president said, adding that the attacks have continued “even in the midst of peace negotiations.”

“So, I think the president is taking the responsible course of action. He’s protecting America’s assets in the region while also ensuring that world energy markets continue to get a supply of oil and natural gas” despite “Iranian terrorism,” he continued.

The United States had achieved “a substantial destruction, not just of their nuclear program, but also of the Iranian conventional military,” according to Vance. JNS

A Gaza terrorist who U.S. prosecutors allege joined the Hamas assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, can be heard in intercepted telephone calls laughing and discussing weapons and ammunition as the attack was underway, according to newly filed federal court exhibits.

One of the transcripts, filed on Tuesday by prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, records an 8:55 a.m. call involving Mahmud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, who entered the United States in September 2024 and was arrested in Louisiana in 2025 on immigration-fraud charges.

The Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel began at 6:30 a.m.

“How is the situation?” an interlocutor identified in the transcript as Abu Haytham asks al-Muhtadi.

“Ok, what type of things do you have?” al-Muhtadi replies.

Abu Haytham responds that he had rifles but “no ammunitions.”

“Ok, are you ready?” al-Muhtadi asks.

“Yes, ready!” Abu Haytham answers.

“Ok, bring the rifles, and whatever you have,” al-Muhtadi instructs.

“Ok, bring ammunitions,” Abu Haytham says, with the transcript indicating laughter.

“What?” al-Muhtadi replies.

“Man! That is not what I meant,” says Abu Haytham. “You are not normal.”

In a separate intercepted call from 9:33 a.m. filed by prosecutors, Al-Muhtadi laughed as he stated, “Ah, no, I went inside,” and told an unidentified caller to join him “at Malaka’s, inside.”

During the exchange, Al-Muhtadi repeatedly told those around him, “Be careful, don’t mention Al-Qassam! No one mentions Al-Qassam, boys,” and ordered, “Turn your phones off, boys.”

When the caller asked if he had “extra—ammunition and things,” Al-Muhtadi responded, “Yes, yes man. Yes. Yes.”

After the caller said, “So, I will come to you empty. I have nothing,” Al-Muhtadi instructed: “Just come, but if you can, secure a motorcycle to use it, in order to come inside?”

Prosecutors submitted the transcripts as an exhibit to a motion in limine seeking to compel the defense to provide transcripts of material it intends to use at trial. Prosecutors say the calls support their allegation that al-Muhtadi directly participated in the Hamas-led assault.

Court exhibits also include a Sept. 18, 2024, online exchange after al-Muhtadi arrived in the United States. An associate advised him not to contact “the resistance guys,” warning that he was “under surveillance for everything” and urging him not to publish anything.

“Um Amin, there is democracy here,” al-Muhtadi replied. “If you post Al-Sinwar’s picture, no one will tell you anything,” in an apparent reference to Yahya Sinwar, who was the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the primary mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel, before he was killed by Israeli forces in October 2024. JNS

After approximately 11 years behind bars in Iraqi Kurdistan — including years under a death sentence that could have ended with his execution by hanging — Binyamin Chasin, Binyamin ben Limor, has been released from prison and is making his way to Eretz Yisroel.

The dramatic development marks the culmination of an extraordinary international pidyon shvuyim effort involving rabbonim, askonim, attorneys and thousands of Jews who contributed funds and tefillos toward saving Chasin’s life and ultimately securing his freedom.

Chasin’s ordeal stretches back more than a decade. Born in Iraqi Kurdistan before later living in Israel and Canada, he returned to Kurdistan in 2014 to visit his elderly grandparents, at a time when ISIS was expanding rapidly across the region. Reports from those involved in his case say that Chasin joined local Kurdish efforts to defend communities against the terror organization.

The following year, Chasin became involved in an altercation with a local taxi driver. Accounts circulated by those advocating on his behalf say that the driver heard Chasin speaking Hebrew, became hostile and threatened to turn him over to ISIS. A physical confrontation followed, during which the driver was seriously injured and later died. Chasin was arrested in 2015 and remained incarcerated from that point forward.

Those who worked on Chasin’s case have also alleged that he was subjected to severe mistreatment during his imprisonment and interrogations. Attorney and askan Avraham “Allen” Lowy, who became deeply involved in the effort and traveled to Iraq, previously described finding Chasin in severely deteriorated physical condition.

The case took an even more frightening turn in August 2020, when a Kurdish court sentenced Chasin to death by hanging. From that point onward, efforts to save his life intensified, with activists attempting both to protect him inside the Iraqi Kurdish prison system and to find a legal mechanism through which the death sentence could be overturned.

At one point, those working on his behalf succeeded in having him transferred from a prison in Sulaymaniyah, an area where activists feared Iranian influence posed an additional danger, to a facility in Erbil. The transfer improved his immediate security situation but did not remove the death sentence hanging over him.

A major public campaign titled “Zachreinu L’Chaim” was eventually launched to raise the money needed for a sulcha, a traditional reconciliation agreement with the family of the deceased. Under the arrangement being pursued, the family would withdraw its demand for Chasin’s execution in exchange for financial compensation, allowing the court to reconsider the death penalty.

More than 6,000 people reportedly participated in the fundraising effort, which sought $250,000 for the settlement.

The effort involved numerous askonim and legal advocates. A delegation including Lowy, Meyer Tzvi Tauber and Gershon Tzvi West traveled to Iraq in November 2025 to finalize the arrangement and ensure that the settlement funds reached their intended destination. Attorney Alan Dershowitz was also involved in advocacy surrounding the case.

Dayan Chaim Yosef Dovid Weiss of Antwerp also traveled to Kurdistan during the critical period and met personally with Chasin. According to reports from those involved, the sulcha was carried out according to local tribal customs in the presence of local elders.

The breakthrough finally came on November 13, 2025. After the deceased driver’s family formally granted forgiveness and the reconciliation agreement was submitted to the Kurdish court, a judge annulled Chasin’s death sentence. His punishment was reduced to a significantly shorter prison term, opening the door to his eventual release.

Following the annulment of his death sentence, an emotional Chasin was visited in prison by Dayan Weiss. According to a report at the time, Chasin recited the brachah of Hatov Vehameitiv and expressed his determination to enter yeshivah and embrace a fully frum life upon his release.

But although the immediate threat of execution had been lifted, Chasin was not yet free. He remained imprisoned for another 10 months as activists continued working through the legal and bureaucratic obstacles necessary to secure his release and permission to leave Iraq.

Recently, a renewed appeal was issued for Jews around the world to say Tehillim for Binyamin ben Limor. At that point, sources involved in the effort said they were cautiously optimistic that the final stages of the process could be completed within days or weeks.

Those hopes have now been realized.

Sources confirmed today that Chasin had finally left the Iraqi prison after more than a decade in captivity and had been granted permission to leave Iraq.

His arrival in Eretz Yisroel will also mark the beginning of an entirely new stage in his life.

Askonim involved in the case have arranged for Chasin to join the Foundations Program at Aish HaTorah in Yerushalayim. The yeshivah has already sent him a formal acceptance letter informing him that he has been admitted to the program and expressing its anticipation of welcoming him to Yerushalayim.

The plan is intended to provide Chasin with both a Torah environment and a framework as he begins rebuilding his life after 11 years of incarceration. Reports say preparations are also underway to help him obtain clothing, tefillin and other basic necessities and to assist him with the extensive process of readjusting to ordinary life after so many years in prison.

A targeted fundraising effort has also reportedly been opened to help cover his travel expenses and immediate rehabilitation needs following his release.

Israeli authorities had not publicly commented on the release as of Wednesday afternoon, and much of the information about the case has come from the activists and organizations who spent years working to secure Chasin’s freedom.

For the thousands who followed the case, donated to the pidyon shvuyim campaign and repeatedly davened for Binyamin ben Limor, Wednesday’s news brought an extraordinary saga full circle: a Jewish prisoner who once faced the gallows in Iraq is now free and preparing to begin a new life in Eretz Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}