Feed aggregator

An Israeli court has approved a class-action lawsuit seeking 350 million shekels ($116 million) against Anita Gelato Ltd., which operates the Golda and Anita ice cream brands, over claims that products marketed as “sugar-free” contained substantial amounts of sugar.

The Central District Court in Lod found sufficient grounds to examine allegations that consumers could have understood the “sugar-free” labeling to mean that the products contained no sugar, rather than simply no added sugar.

Golda, one of Israel’s largest ice cream chains, has more than 100 locations across the country.

The ruling does not determine whether the company violated the law. That question will be examined in the class-action proceedings.

The case centers on Golda’s hazelnut and coffee flavors. Plaintiff Sol Yarkoni commissioned laboratory testing after purchasing about half a kilogram (1.1 pounds) of the ice cream from a Golda branch in January 2024.

According to test results submitted to the court, the products contained about 6.6 grams of lactose per 100 grams. Lactose is a naturally occurring sugar found in milk. Israeli regulations cited in the case set a maximum of 0.5 grams of sugar per 100 grams for products labeled “sugar-free.”

Yarkoni, who said she avoids sugar for health and dietary reasons, told the court that she suspected after eating the ice cream that it contained sugar. She subsequently sent samples to a Health Ministry-approved laboratory for analysis. The reported lactose content was more than 13 times the threshold cited in the case.

The lawsuit covers consumers who purchased products marketed as “sugar-free” from Golda and Anita over a seven-year period. Yarkoni is seeking refunds for affected customers as well as compensation of up to 300 shekels ($100) per class member.

The claim also alleges that the tested products contained polyol-based sugar substitutes that were not adequately disclosed to consumers.

In its defense, Anita Gelato Ltd. challenged Yarkoni’s credibility and motives, arguing that she appeared to have anticipated legal action when she purchased the ice cream. The company cited, among other things, the fact that she photographed her receipt immediately after the purchase.

The company also argued that consumers understand that milk-based ice cream naturally contains lactose and that “sugar-free” therefore means that no additional sugar has been added.

Judge Iris Rabinovitch-Brun rejected that argument at this stage of the proceedings, finding that there was reason to believe that sugar content would be a material consideration for consumers purchasing ice cream specifically labeled “sugar-free.” The judge also found grounds to conclude that the product may have been purchased and consumed under the impression that it was sugar-free.

The court further questioned why the chain could not have used wording such as “no added sugar” if that was what it intended to communicate.

The class action will examine whether Golda breached consumer-protection and labeling laws, violated applicable standards or statutory duties, or was negligent or unjustly enriched. The court will also consider whether the company was required to provide clearer information about the products’ sugar content and other ingredients.

An expert opinion submitted by Yarkoni said that consuming ice cream containing sugar could pose health concerns for people with diabetes. The opinion further stated that products containing the level of lactose identified in the testing would likely not have met criteria associated with “sugar-free” labeling by the Israel Diabetes Association.

Anita Gelato Ltd. said it had removed the products as a precaution while rejecting the allegations. JNS

As the Elul zeman approaches, Slabodka Rosh Yeshivah Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch delivered a stirring address to tens of thousands of bnei yeshivah gathered in Beit Shemesh for the siyum of the “V’Talmudo B’Yado” program organized by the Ichud Bnei Yeshivos. Calling on bnei Torah to prepare for Elul and Rosh Hashanah with renewed commitment, Rav Hirsch urged them to break free from mediocrity by accepting a concrete and demanding commitment to limud haTorah.

At the beginning of his remarks, the Rosh Yeshivah reflected on the decrees and hardships that the Olam HaTorah has endured over the past year. He said that as the Yom HaDin approaches, every individual must ask himself what genuine change he can make in order to merit a better year.

“We are just days away from Elul. We are returning to the yeshivos and approaching Rosh Hashanah,” he said. “We remember last Rosh Hashanah, and looking back we now understand what was written then. All of the decrees against us, all of the hardships, and all of the hatred directed against us—all of it was decreed by Hashem.”

The Rosh Yeshivah stressed that ordinary resolutions will not be enough given the current circumstances.

“We are approaching another Rosh Hashanah, when our fate will once again be written, and we must think about what we can do to change it. Certainly, if we want things to change, it requires something drastic. General chizuk alone is not enough. If there is not something drastic, there will be no change.”

Rav Hirsch then cited the Sforno on the posuk, “Re’eh Anochi Nosein Lifneichem Hayom Berachah U’Kelalah,” explaining that a person must avoid living an average, mediocre life and instead choose the path that leads to blessing and success.

“We must learn from this not to be mediocre,” Rav Moshe Hillel said. “We need to strive for outstanding success. That is what is demanded of us—to leave mediocrity behind and rise to higher levels.”

Continuing, he quoted the teachings of Rav Yisroel Salanter, explaining that true avodas Hashem cannot be limited to actions that come naturally through habit and routine.

“A person was created to toil, to wage the battle of serving Hashem, and is obligated to work hard in avodas Hashem. It is not enough merely to preserve what his natural tendencies already allow him to do on their own.”

The Rosh Yeshivah observed that many people—including bochurim—simply continue along the path of habit while neglecting areas that require genuine effort.

“They attended cheder, then yeshivah ketanah, then yeshivah gedolah, and later kollel, simply following their natural course. But whatever demands extra effort is often neglected. Rav Yisroel says that in such a case, a person is not serving Hashem at all—it is merely his nature carrying him along.”

Rav Hirsch emphasized that escaping mediocrity means fulfilling the will of the Creator even when it runs contrary to one’s personal inclinations.

“The foundation of serving Hashem is to observe and fulfill even those things that a person’s heart does not naturally desire. That is what it means not to be mediocre: to do what Hashem wants out of obligation and with the understanding that we simply must do it.”

The Rosh Yeshivah also quoted the teaching of his rebbi, Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l, explaining that many people hesitate to accept the ol Torah because of a mistaken assumption. A person fears the burden, when in reality accepting the ol brings with it “true wealth and genuine happiness.”

Rav Hirsch illustrated the point by referring to fasting on Yom Kippur. A person who is hungry and thirsty does not debate whether to eat because he knows with certainty that it is forbidden.

“It is difficult, but it is obvious that this is what we do. There is no argument,” he said.

He explained that the same attitude should apply to the obligation of limud haTorah.

“A person who accepts the ol Torah and realizes there is no alternative but to learn—that he cannot waste time and cannot limit himself only to what comes easily—is like someone on Yom Kippur regarding eating. Then he has no problem at all. On the contrary, he will actually feel that ‘Hashem’s Torah is perfect and restores the soul; Hashem’s commandments are upright and gladden the heart.’”

The Rosh Yeshivah then presented the assembled bnei yeshivah with a practical goal.

“Each person should accept upon himself the obligation of a fixed number of hours. Ten hours is the minimum—but it must be accepted. Some will say this is not for them, only for exceptional older bochurim. A bochur may think, ‘I’m an ordinary bochur. I’ve done all sorts of things. What does this have to do with me?’”

To answer that concern, Rav Hirsch quoted the Chofetz Chaim, who explained that the yetzer hara tries to prevent a person from taking on meaningful commitments by making him feel inadequate.

“When the yetzer hara sees that a person wants to undertake something great, it fills his heart with sadness and causes him to think that this mitzvah is not meant for him, but only for the great people of the generation and the outstanding masmidim. The Chofetz Chaim says that this is the yetzer hara.”

While urging dramatic personal growth, Rav Hirsch stressed that lasting change should be implemented gradually and in a practical manner.

“Each person should accept upon himself several hours each day during which there is absolutely no wasted time—only learning. He should establish those hours and recognize that they represent his ol. From there, he will be able to continue growing further and further.”

The Rosh Yeshivah concluded with a heartfelt tefillah that these practical commitments would arouse Heavenly mercy as the Yom HaDin approaches.

“Perhaps this practical commitment will arouse Heavenly mercy before the Yom HaDin. Then, b’siyata diShmaya, we will truly merit a Rosh Hashanah of being inscribed and sealed for a good year.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel and Venezuela agreed on Tuesday to renew consular relations and establish a coordination mechanism to provide services to citizens of both countries, the two governments jointly announced.

The agreement, reached following talks between Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his Venezuelan counterpart Félix Plasencia González, creates an official channel of coordination between Jerusalem and Caracas, which have not maintained diplomatic relations since 2009.

The two countries also agreed to continue technical cooperation tied to emergency response and reconstruction following Venezuela’s June earthquakes. An Israeli humanitarian delegation led by the Foreign Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command assisted Venezuelan authorities for several weeks after the disaster.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry, IDF Home Front Command and Israeli National Emergency Management Authority sent more than 50 professionals to assist local authorities, and Venezuelan leaders requested that the mission be extended.

At one point, 32 Israeli specialists were operating in La Guaira, near Caracas, helping authorities shift from immediate emergency response to long-term rehabilitation. Israeli personnel aided damage assessments, recovery planning and decision-making after hundreds of coastal buildings were destroyed.

The Israeli deployment was the Home Front Command’s longest humanitarian assistance mission to date.

The joint statement also highlighted Venezuela’s Jewish community as a bridge of “historic friendship” between the two countries.

A top rabbi in Venezuela on Sunday asked the country’s president, Delcy Rodríguez, to restore diplomatic relations with Israel, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said.

Rabbi Isaac Cohen, chief rabbi of the Israelite Association of Venezuela (AIV), delivered a letter addressed to Rodríguez during a meeting with Plasencia at the ministry’s headquarters in Caracas, according to a ministry statement.

The meeting was to “address the needs of the Jewish community in our country,” said Plasencia, according to the ministry.

“Venezuela has historically welcomed, with open arms, a large Jewish community whose contributions have added, and continue to add, to the well-being and development of our nation,” he added.

Plasencia also reiterated the Venezuelan government’s gratitude for assistance Israel provided following two earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.

Venezuela severed diplomatic relations with Israel in January 2009 under then-President Hugo Chávez, who cited Israel’s military campaign that year against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Relations between Venezuela and Israel deteriorated under Chávez, who died in 2013, and did not improve under his successor, Nicolás Maduro. Both developed close ties with Iran, repeatedly denounced Israel and faced accusations of encouraging antisemitism.

For years under Chávez, Venezuelan Jews experienced repeated police raids on communal institutions.

The Jewish population of Venezuela declined significantly during the eras of Chávez and Maduro, who were also vociferously anti-American.

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump launched a military operation in which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken from Caracas to the U.S. to face charges of conspiring to bring cocaine into the United States. They have denied the charges as they await trial. The new government, though led by figures from the Maduro regime, has taken a more pragmatic approach to its relations with the United States, including restoring diplomatic and consular relations with Washington. JNS

Thousands of Vizhnitzer chassidim from across Eretz Yisroel gathered Tuesday night at the main Gerer bais medrash in Yerushalayim for a massive “Mekadshei Shemecha” maamad led by the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, who made a rare public appearance despite his recent weakness. During the gathering, the Rebbe’s directives were presented, including a firm call not to enlist in the army or any military-related framework and to strengthen emunah in the home.

The event also served as a major fundraising campaign on behalf of the Association of Vizhnitzer Institutions. Participants were deeply moved when the Rebbe arrived despite his weakened condition. The gathering had originally been scheduled to take place in Meron, but because of the Rebbe’s health, it was relocated to Yerushalayim near Moshav Ora, where the Rebbe has been staying in recent days.

The central theme of the evening focused on Kiddush Hashem and the current challenges facing the Olam HaTorah. The program opened with an emotional presentation by the children of the American “Yiddish Nachas” group, highlighting mesirus nefesh for limud haTorah. Later, chassidim presented a dramatic reenactment of “Prison 10,” depicting a chossid sitting in chains while continuing to learn Torah.

Moments before the Vizhnitzer Rebbe entered the hall, his brother-in-law, Rav Menachem Ernster, Rosh Yeshivas Vizhnitz, led the crowd in reciting Shma Koleinu using the Yamim Nora’im nusach. Rav Yaakov Mordechai Hager, Av Beis Din of Vizhnitz Elad, then recited Tehillim.

One of the evening’s most stirring moments came with the arrival of the Gerer Rebbe, who attended to express solidarity with the Olam HaTorah and reinforce the resolve to preserve Torah learning. Thousands of Vizhnitzer chassidim greeted the Gerer Rebbe with thunderous singing, while the Vizhnitzer Rebbe personally honored and accompanied him. Rav Chaim Meir Hager, Av Beis Din of Vizhnitz, welcomed the Gerer Rebbe and warmly thanked him for hosting the gathering in the Gur bais medrash.

During the assembly, the Vizhnitzer Av Beis Din read the Rebbe’s message to the assembled crowd. In his remarks, the Rebbe instructed his followers not to enlist in the army or participate in any military track, to strengthen their children with words of emunah and mesirus nefesh, and to contribute kofer nefesh in light of the current situation.

{Matzav.com}

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $975 million after no ticket matched all six winning numbers in Monday night’s drawing, making it the largest lottery prize of 2026 to date. While the advertised jackpot is approaching the $1 billion milestone, the eventual winner would receive substantially less after taxes if opting for a lump-sum payment.

The winning numbers drawn Monday night were 6, 37, 54, 55, 64, with Red Powerball 10.

The winner of Wednesday night’s drawing will be able to choose between receiving the full $975 million jackpot in 30 annual payments or accepting a one-time cash payout of approximately $422.3 million, the option selected by most jackpot winners.

If the cash option is chosen, the federal government’s mandatory 24% withholding would immediately reduce the payment to about $320.9 million.

Depending on the winner’s total taxable income, the federal tax rate could ultimately reach 37%, lowering the after-tax payout to roughly $266 million.

Those who choose the annuity option would receive annual payments of approximately $32.5 million before taxes. After applying the top federal tax rate of 37%, each yearly payment would be reduced to about $20.5 million.

State taxes could further reduce the winnings. Some states, including New York, impose taxes on lottery prizes, with New York’s rate reaching 10.9%, while states such as Texas, Florida, and California do not tax lottery winnings.

Last month, Powerball expanded ticket sales to the United Kingdom for the first time. Officials said the move is expected to increase jackpot growth by adding more ticket sales to the prize pool.

Under the U.K. version of the game, jackpot winners are required to receive their prize through annual installments over 30 years and are not offered a lump-sum cash option. The U.K. National Lottery currently advertises the jackpot at £503 million (approximately $679.5 million), a figure officials say reflects the estimated value of the 30-year payout after accounting for exchange rates and U.K. tax requirements.

The current jackpot surpasses this year’s previous largest lottery prize—an $800 million Mega Millions jackpot won by a ticket holder in Florida last week. Among Powerball winners this year, the largest claimed jackpot had previously been a $250.8 million prize won by a player in Arkansas.

The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Wednesday night. If no one wins, the jackpot is expected to become the first U.S. lottery prize to exceed $1 billion since December 2025.

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot remain 1 in 292.2 million, unchanged despite the addition of U.K. players. Those odds are even longer than Mega Millions, where the chance of winning the top prize is approximately 1 in 290.4 million.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, delivered a forceful defense of Jewish communities in Yehudah and Shomron during a United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday, declaring that Israel’s presence in the region is permanent while accusing the international body of applying a double standard in its treatment of violence.

The Security Council session was convened to discuss recent developments in Yehudah and Shomron.

Speaking before the council, Danon insisted that Jewish communities in the region are an enduring part of the Land of Israel and should not be portrayed as temporary or illegitimate.

“The Security Council must understand a simple truth: we are not going anywhere. Jewish communities will stay in Judea and Samaria. Jewish communities are not temporary outposts, nor obstacles to peace. They are permanent homes, thriving neighborhoods where families live. Judea and Samaria is where our people’s eternal connection to the Land of Israel began,” Danon declared before the council.

Danon also criticized what he described as the UN’s inconsistent approach to reporting violence in the area, arguing that attacks involving Israelis are characterized differently from those committed by Palestinian Arab terrorists.

“When Israelis are involved, this body uses a collective label, ‘settler violence.’ But when Palestinian radicals carry out attacks, you refer only to the ones responsible. That is not justice. that is prejudice,” Danon stated.

{Matzav.com}

Former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind has sharply criticized the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, accusing him of endangering the Jewish community by condemning those who speak out against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Hikind said he believes the Rebbe’s remarks were driven by political considerations rather than purely l’sheim Shamayim motives.

“I wish I could believe that it was lishmah, that it was sincere, that it was all about Torah and it was all about God,” Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, told JNS. “But I don’t believe that for one second.”

Hikind said he was stunned when he first read the Rebbe’s comments.

“I was flabbergasted, shocked and had to take a second look at the statement from Satmar, because I really couldn’t believe it,” Hikind told JNS. “They’ve done a lot of radical crazy stuff, but this goes beyond the pale.”

The controversy stems from remarks delivered Sunday by Rav Zalman Leib during his annual address marking the 47th yahrtzeit of the Satmar Rov, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum. According to Hikind, those comments place New York’s Jewish community at greater risk.

“We know that the police department has itself talked about the incitement that’s going on,” he told JNS. “We know that the Justice Department is looking into it. Everyone has been calling on the mayor to tone down his rhetoric, and what the Satmar Rebbe said this week undermines the Jewish people and endangers the Jewish people in New York.”

Rav Zalman Leib told his chassidim that publicly attacking Mamdani violates the Torah’s approach to Jewish life in golus.

“Recently, we have witnessed a terrible provocation against the nations by heimishe Yidden,” by Jews, “through the incitement against the mayor of New York City,” the Rav said.

“We must remember that we are in exile,” he reportedly said. “The novi Yirmiyahu instructed the Jewish people: ‘Seek the peace of the city to which I have exiled you, and pray to God on its behalf.’”

“An observant Jew must follow the Torah’s path and accept the decree of exile,” he added.

The Satmar Rebbe also argued that labeling Mamdani an antisemite is a mistake.

Mamdani has publicly said that Israel should not exist as a Jewish state and campaigned on arresting Israel’s prime minister should he visit New York. His spokeswoman has also stated that shuls violate international law when they host pro-Israel events.

“To denounce the mayor and brand him an antisemite constitutes a true provocation against the nations,” the Satmar Rebbe reportedly said. “As though the provocation against the nations taking place in Eretz Yisroel,” in Israel, “were not enough, they are now bringing it here to the United States as well.”

Hikind said he believes there may be political calculations behind the Satmar leadership’s position.

“I can’t tell you how many programs they have, but I guarantee you eventually we’re going to find out that they are benefiting from this rhetoric,” he told JNS.

“Instead of protecting the Jewish community, they are protecting Mamdani,” he said. “Mamdani is thrilled with these comments coming out of Satmar and patting them on the back. There are ‘good Jews and bad Jews,’ and now Satmar are the ‘good’ Jews.”

He went even further, arguing that Satmar has aligned itself with those who supported Mamdani politically.

Satmar is “in bed with the radical Jews, the 35% who voted for Mamdani” and who “undermine the Jewish people,” Hikind told JNS. “They’re in bed with those people. They’re on the same page.”

David Myers, professor of Jewish history at UCLA, told JNS that Satmar’s position reflects two longstanding ideological principles that distinguish it from much of the Orthodox community.

According to Myers, Satmar’s anti-Zionist outlook is rooted in its belief that Jews should not hasten the arrival of Moshiach through political action, while its understanding of dina d’malchusa dina requires Jews in golus to respect and obey the governing authorities.

He added that Satmar has also historically maintained a pragmatic approach toward secular government.

“We must add one other key feature of Satmar political behavior: a transactional pragmatism that has always enabled Satmar leaders to engage with and accommodate to secular political leaders in exchange for tangible benefits,” Myers told JNS.

Myers noted that the anniversary of Rav Yoel Teitelbaum’s passing is one of the movement’s most significant annual events, together with the anniversary of his liberation from Bergen-Belsen.

“It is certainly an opportunity to reaffirm Rav Yoelish’s central principles, but the swirling debates around Mayor Mamdani’s views also prompted Rav Zalman Leib to weigh in with his own, decidedly Satmar perspective,” the scholar said.

“Both as a matter of submission to the sovereign and as a reflection of pragmatic accommodation, it is important to honor the city’s leading official,” he said.

While acknowledging Satmar’s anti-Zionist views, Myers said that alone does not fully explain the Rebbe’s comments.

“The fact that they share an anti-Zionist sensibility is interesting but not, ultimately, dispositive, in my view,” Myers told JNS.

“Rav Zalman Leib’s remarks are a reminder that Orthodoxy is hardly a monolithic phenomenon and that there are very sharp differences between competing groups,” he said. “It should serve as a further admonition against those who would ascribe to Jews a single political view or sensibility.”

“Satmar has, for years and years, built up a way of approaching things in which they prefer to try to make deals and try to protect what they can with the ruling authorities,” said Moshe Krakowski, a professor at Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School.

Krakowski also argued that Satmar today is not as aggressively anti-Zionist as it once was.

He described the movement as operating more in a “non-Zionist slash anti-Zionist mode.”

That distinction, he said, makes it easier for Satmar to separate criticism of Israel from attitudes toward Jews.

“If they felt closer to Israel and to the State of Israel, then you could imagine that that stance might be a little bit more difficult,” he told JNS. “It wouldn’t make it impossible, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that they are non-Zionist.”

Hikind insisted that Jews have an obligation to defend themselves in the face of rising antisemitism.

The elder Rav Teitelbaum, he said, “never would have done this,” especially at a time when antisemitism is increasing across New York City.

“I know we’re in exile. I know. I get it,” he told JNS. “But that doesn’t mean that Jews should not defend themselves or that Jews should not protect their communities.”

“The Jewish community is under attack,” Hikind said. “There is such fear. People talk about whether there’s a future in New York and a future in America because of what’s going on, and what does the Satmar Rebbe do on this very important anniversary of the old Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Teitelbaum—who never would have done this, never—they attack those who stand up and speak out.”

“That’s what they’re doing?” Hikind told JNS. “In the name of God? Shame, shame, shame.”

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rebbetzin Esther Paler a”h, wife of Rav Binyomin Paler zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Mekor Chaim.

Rebbetzin Paler was a daughter of Rav Shmuel Ehrenfeld zt”l, the Mattersdorfer Rov, and was raised in a home steeped in Torah, mesorah and devotion to avodas Hashem. Those values would define her own life as she became the devoted eishes chaver of a legendary marbitz Torah, the aim hayeshiva of Mekor Chaim, and the matriarch of a distinguished family of marbitzei Torah.

For decades, Rebbetzin Paler stood faithfully at the side of her husband, enabling him to devote himself to Torah and the transmission of the Brisker mesorah to generations of talmidim. While Rav Binyomin’s extraordinary accomplishments in harbotzas haTorah became known throughout the Torah world, behind them stood a devoted rebbetzin who assumed the responsibilities of their home and family and provided the support that allowed him to give himself fully to his talmidim and his yeshiva.

Rav Binyomin was one of the closest talmidim of Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rov. During World War II, he joined the Mirrer Yeshiva and escaped the horrors engulfing European Jewry together with the yeshiva, ultimately finding refuge in Shanghai.

Following the war, Rav Binyomin joined his chaver from the Mir, Rav Leib Malin, in establishing Yeshivas Bais Hatalmud in Brooklyn. The following year, he was appointed a maggid shiur at Yeshivas Chasan Sofer, headed by his father-in-law, the Mattersdorfer Rov. Rav Binyomin eventually became the rosh yeshiva there.

In 1965, Rav Binyomin established Yeshiva Mekor Chaim. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l gave the yeshiva its name to signify that Rav Binyomin was perpetuating the mesorah of Rav Chaim Brisker. A mesivta was subsequently opened in 1976.

Throughout those years, Rebbetzin Paler was an inseparable part of the story of Mekor Chaim. She was the aim hayeshiva not merely by virtue of being the rosh yeshiva’s wife, but through the role she played in making his life of unrelenting Torah learning and teaching possible. Her home was built around Torah, and the yeshiva and its talmidim occupied a central place in that home.

Rebbetzin Paler possessed the quiet strength and dignity characteristic of the great Torah homes of the previous generation. She was kind and generous, carrying herself with simplicity and refinement, without seeking attention or recognition. Her concern for others, devotion to her family, and deep respect for Torah and its lomdim reflected the chinuch she had received in the home of the Mattersdorfer Rov and Rebbetzin.

She witnessed the rebuilding of the Torah world after the devastation of Europe and devoted her own life to that rebuilding. Through her husband’s harbotzas haTorah, through the yeshiva they built together, and through the generations of their own family, she helped ensure the continuation of the mesorah that had been entrusted to them.

Following Rav Binyomin’s petirah, he was succeeded at Mekor Chaim by his three sons, Rav Yitzchok Paler zt”l and, ybl”c, Rav Zechariah Paler and Rav Simcha Bunim Paler, who continued the yeshiva and the derech established by their father.

In 2012, after nearly 50 years in Brooklyn, Yeshiva Mekor Chaim relocated to Lakewood, establishing its home on Locust Street and continuing there the distinctive mesorah upon which Rav Binyomin had founded the yeshiva.

Rebbetzin Paler endured a profound personal loss in 2020 with the tragic petirah of her son, the rosh yeshiva, Rav Yitzchok zt”l.

She leaves behind a remarkable Torah family and generations of descendants who continue the legacy that she and her husband built over a lifetime.

Rebbetzin Paler is survived by her children, Rav Simcha Bunim Paler and Rav Zechariah Paler, roshei yeshiva of Yeshiva Mekor Chaim; Rebbetzin Olshin, wife of Rav Shmuel Abba Olshin, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah of Hillside; and Rebbetzin Horowitz, wife of Rav Shmuel Simcha Horowitz; as well as many grandchildren.

The levayah will take place today at Yeshiva Mekor Chaim, located at 160 Locust Street in Lakewood, NJ.

Yehi zichrah baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday blamed what he described as a “miscommunication” after the NYPD publicly contradicted City Hall’s claim that his wife, Rama Duwaji, would be accompanied by a taxpayer-funded police security detail during her upcoming trip to Syria and Lebanon.

The dispute unfolded after City Hall reversed course on the planned security arrangements. Mamdani ultimately stated that Duwaji will travel next month without NYPD protection, despite a senior spokesperson for his administration saying just one day earlier that officers would accompany her.

Addressing the controversy, Mamdani acknowledged that the earlier announcement had been incorrect.

“There was a miscommunication. She has not yet taken that trip and when she takes that trip it will be without any NYPD detail,” Mamdani told PIX11 when asked about the New York Post’s report.

The controversy began after a source familiar with the matter said Duwaji—whom Mamdani has repeatedly described as a “private person”—had requested an NYPD security detail for the trip. City Hall had initially confirmed that request.

“Upon the strong recommendation of the NYPD, the first lady’s security detail will be joining her when she travels to visit family in Syria and Lebanon,” mayoral spokeswoman Dora Pekec said.

That statement was quickly contradicted by the NYPD, which made clear that the department does not assign officers to accompany personal overseas travel to countries under the highest US travel warning.

“The NYPD does not send officers to countries with level four travel advisories for discretionary reasons not linked to investigative work,” a department spokesperson insisted.

“This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it.”

The department’s response directly contradicted City Hall’s earlier announcement and amounted to a rare public disagreement between the mayor’s office and the NYPD.

One source familiar with the episode said the confusion resulted from a breakdown in communication.

“They never checked with the commissioner.”

When questioned about the conflicting statements, Pekec referred reporters to Mamdani’s explanation that the issue stemmed from a “miscommunication” and declined further comment.

City Hall also declined to provide additional information about Duwaji’s Sept. 20 trip or clarify whether the purpose of the visit is limited to seeing family.

A source familiar with the plans said the trip has no official government purpose.

“It’s not official business. It’s not doing anything for the city.”

Both Syria and Lebanon are currently listed by the US State Department under its highest-level “Do Not Travel” advisory because of ongoing security concerns.

Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said deploying city police officers to those countries for a personal trip would have been a poor decision.

He described such an assignment as “ill-advised,” adding that it would be costly and require extensive coordination with federal authorities.

“There would be lots of hoops you’d have to go through for that kind of assignment,” he said.

Bratton also said the public contradiction between City Hall and the Police Department should never have occurred.

“You’re going to have to clear up the confusion,” he said.

David Catalfamo, who served as communications director for former New York Gov. George Pataki, said the mayor’s office should defer to law enforcement on security matters and improve communication with the NYPD.

“I suspect communication between the mayor’s office and the police department will be better in the future,” Catalfamo said. “The political folks want to run ahead of the story. It doesn’t work that way when it comes to security.

“The NYPD wants to be there to protect the mayor and his family — but there are limits. Going to Syria and Lebanon is not like buying a ticket on Amtrak.”

Duwaji, a 29-year-old Syrian-American artist, traveled abroad last month without police protection. During that trip, she co-hosted a pro-Palestinian women’s spiritual retreat in Corsica and later served as the “artist-in-residence” at a sold-out “Plants Of The Quran” workshop in Mallorca, Spain. Both events were organized by Women Sanctuary, a travel organization focused on Muslim women.

The episode also highlighted continuing tensions between Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who has not concealed her policy disagreements with the mayor, particularly regarding Israel and public safety.

Tisch entered the administration while openly acknowledging her differences with Mamdani. Within days of his taking office, she reportedly confronted City Hall over what she viewed as the mayor’s slow response to two police shootings.

The two have also publicly diverged on other issues, including Mamdani’s characterization of an incident in which a crowd pelted police officers with snowballs, describing it as simply a “snowball fight that got out of hand.”

Despite those disagreements, Mamdani and Tisch have continued working together, with the mayor frequently highlighting reductions in crime and appearing alongside the police commissioner at public events.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday renewed his criticism of Iran’s leadership, saying he has no trust in the regime while asserting that the United States currently holds a commanding strategic position over Tehran.

Speaking with reporters after returning from an official trip to Ohio, Trump said he believes the situation involving Iran is unfolding in America’s favor.

“Iran is going fine, going just absolutely fine,” Trump remarked to reporters on the tarmac following an official trip to Ohio.

Trump stressed that he remains deeply skeptical of Iran’s intentions and argued that the United States has complete control over one of the world’s most critical waterways.

“I’m the last person to trust Iran. They’ve lied to me constantly. We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now. They don’t have control. We have total control. We own it. And at some point, maybe they’ll do something, and then they get blown away.”

#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, "I don't trust Iran. I'm the last person who trusts Iran. They've lied to me constantly. We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz right now. They don't have control. We have total control. We own it. And at some point, maybe they'll… pic.twitter.com/gzXOYP9dVj

— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2026

He added that Iran has lost the dominant regional influence it once exercised.

“But we right now, we’re in a very good position. We have a country that has been the bully of the Middle East for 50 years. It’s been saying 47 for four years. And they’re no longer the bully of the Middle East.”

Reporters also asked Trump about a Washington Post report published Monday describing a covert security operation during his departure from Turkey last month. According to the report, Trump secretly switched to a different military aircraft while the White House publicly maintained that he was flying aboard Air Force One because of a reported Iranian threat.

Trump said the decision was made entirely by his security team and that he simply followed their guidance.

“Well, it’s only up to Secret Service. I just follow what they’d like to do, so I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, a different plane … but they wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say,” Trump explained.

He added that while he was aware there had been a threat, he did not seek extensive details.

“I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats. I have a lot of threats that you don’t know about,” he added.

Trump’s latest remarks came one day after he was questioned about his earlier warning that the current negotiations with Iran represented its last opportunity before “decapitation.” Asked what would happen if diplomacy failed, the president declined to elaborate.

“You’ll find out.”

When reporters asked whether a significant military escalation remains an option, Trump again emphasized that the United States has that capability.

“Well, we certainly have that ability if we want to do that. You’ll find out.”

Trump also repeated his rejection of Iranian demands for reparations, arguing that if compensation is owed, it is Tehran—not Washington—that should be paying.

“They ask for reparations, you might say, or they ask for money for the damage that we’ve done. And I said, that’s a good idea. Well, we’re going to ask for money for the damage they’ve done over a 50-year period, whether you go USS Cole or whether you go [to] all of the people that were so badly hurt, so badly wounded or killed – many thousands of people. And maybe damages for the 52,000 protesters over the last four months that were killed in Iran. It was at least 52,000 a month and a half ago. So now what is it? If there are damages to be paid, I think Iran should pay those damages.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said he would welcome the opportunity to seek another term in the White House in 2028, while recognizing that the U.S. Constitution presents a significant legal obstacle to any attempt at a third presidency.

Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked whether he was serious about pursuing another campaign after repeatedly referencing the 2028 election in recent months.

“Everybody asks me that question, and you know that the law is very strong on that,” Trump said, according to IANS.

“I’d love to run, but the law is very strong,” he added.

The question came after Trump was asked about a “Trump 2028” advertisement displayed during a recent dinner event, as well as repeated chants from supporters encouraging him to seek another term.

Trump said the issue is raised with him frequently.

“I get asked by everyone… Even tonight, they’re screaming at the event, ‘2028.’”

Despite his remarks, Trump stopped short of saying he intends to challenge the constitutional prohibition on serving more than two elected terms as president.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1951 following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four presidential victories, bars any individual from being elected president more than twice.

Trump has already been elected president on two occasions, first in 2016 and again in 2024, making him ineligible for another elected term under the current Constitution.

Ukrainian strikes have reportedly crippled the air defense and electronic warfare systems protecting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s lavish Black Sea estate, leaving the sprawling compound vulnerable to additional attacks, according to a new report.

The estate, widely known as “Putin’s Palace,” was recently targeted in separate attacks that damaged both its electronic jamming equipment and nearby anti-aircraft missile systems, The Times of Moscow reported.

Military analyst Yan Matveyev said satellite imagery indicates that key defensive assets have been destroyed.

“Satellite imagery shows the destruction of at least one launcher … Now Putin’s ‘palace’ is left unprotected,” military analyst Yan Matveyev told the outlet.

According to the report, the first significant strike occurred on Aug. 7, when Ukrainian weapons hit a Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system positioned near the Black Sea compound.

The system, which reportedly protects an area of more than seven square miles, is designed to disrupt Starlink satellite communications, which Ukrainian forces rely on to coordinate military operations.

After the jamming system was disabled, Ukrainian drones were able to strike nearby S-400 air defense batteries, according to Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.

The Times of Moscow reported that the attack on the S-400 system took place on Aug. 9. The missile launcher reportedly burned for roughly three hours before being destroyed.

Matveyev said the damage has significantly weakened the defenses surrounding the estate and could leave it exposed to future Ukrainian strikes.

The expansive residence, reportedly spanning approximately 190,000 square feet, sits on Cape Idokopas near the Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik, not far from the Crimean Peninsula.

Public attention was first drawn to the property in 2021 through an investigative documentary released by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in a Siberian penal colony in 2024.

According to Navalny’s investigation, the estate includes a casino, theater, hockey rink, vineyard, and even a “hookah lounge” that he alleged functioned as Putin’s private strip club.

Navalny also claimed the compound was protected by extraordinary security measures, including heavily fortified fencing, a private port, its own security force, a no-fly zone, and an independent border checkpoint, effectively making it “a state within a state.”

Putin has consistently denied owning the property. Reports indicate he has rarely visited the estate in recent years as Ukraine has expanded attacks targeting Russian-held Crimea and military assets along the Black Sea coast.

{Matzav.com}

A devastating head-on collision near Beit Shemesh claimed the lives of two men early Wednesday morning, including Rav Meir Turgeman z”l, a 42-year-old father of nine who had celebrated his son’s bar mitzvah just days earlier. A 35-year-old woman was also injured in the crash and was transported to the hospital in moderate condition.

The fatal accident occurred at approximately 2:03 a.m. on Highway 383, south of Zecharyah, when two private vehicles collided head-on. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found extensive destruction, with both vehicles heavily damaged.

Rav Turgeman, a resident of Beit Shemesh, is survived by his wife and nine children. His sudden passing has left family and friends in profound mourning, coming only days after the family’s joyous bar mitzvah celebration.

Large forces from Magen David Adom, United Hatzalah, and ZAKA rushed to the scene, where they encountered two men with no signs of life. One of the victims was trapped inside his vehicle, requiring a lengthy rescue operation.

MDA paramedic Tzuriel Meyers, senior EMT Yehoshua Gottlieb, and EMT Shmuel Arieli described the devastating scene.

“This was a very severe traffic accident involving two vehicles,” they said. “We found a man in his 40s lying on the side of the road unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, suffering from significant injuries. Another man was trapped inside his vehicle, also unconscious.”

The paramedics added, “We conducted medical examinations, but tragically both victims showed no signs of life, and we had no choice but to pronounce them dead at the scene. At the same time, we treated a woman who sustained moderate injuries and evacuated her to the hospital.”

United Hatzalah volunteers Moishy Siruka, Mordechai Dovid Goldman, and Dudi Wertheimer also described the scene.

“This was a difficult accident involving two vehicles,” they said. “We performed resuscitation efforts on two men in their 30s and 40s, but due to the severity of their injuries they were pronounced dead at the scene. We also treated a 35-year-old woman who was moderately injured before she was transported to the hospital for further care.”

Volunteers from ZAKA’s Beit Shemesh unit worked throughout the night to ensure kavod hameis and recover all remains from the scene.

Avremi Kapp, commander of ZAKA Beit Shemesh, together with deputy commander Yosef Chaim Hauzi and volunteers Shlomi Kapp, Shlomi Peretz, and Arel Pintz, said, “This was an extremely difficult accident involving two vehicles. When we arrived, both vehicles were completely wrecked and had come to rest on opposite sides of the roadway.”

They added, “One of the vehicles required a lengthy and complicated extrication by the Fire and Rescue Service. The two men, both around 40 years old, suffered catastrophic multi-system injuries and showed no signs of life. MDA personnel were forced to pronounce them dead at the scene. We are now ensuring kavod hameis and recovering all remaining evidence from the site.”

Israel Police said officers from the Yerushalayim District, Traffic Division, and Border Police responded to the scene near Tel Azekah on Highway 383.

According to the preliminary police investigation, the crash appears to have been a head-on collision between two private vehicles. Authorities confirmed that two people were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third victim was transported to the hospital in moderate condition. Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it will move forward with a new federal rule ending the use of Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funds for gender-transition medical treatments provided to children and adolescents.

President Donald Trump revealed the policy in a Truth Social post, saying he instructed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to halt federal funding for gender-transition hormones and surgeries for minors.

“Today, at my direction, Dr. Mehmet Oz announced that Medicaid will NO LONGER fund gender transition surgeries and hormones for minors,” Trump wrote.

“We are not going to pay for our innocent children to undergo these barbaric surgeries and practices, which result in unthinkable and irreversible harm to their young bodies,” he added.

Trump also said his administration’s efforts over the past year and a half have already prompted numerous hospitals to discontinue what he described as “so-called ‘gender-affirming care'” for minors, adding that he believes additional hospitals will do the same.

“Just think about all of the young, innocent, and perhaps confused children who will be spared!” Trump wrote.

According to CNBC, the regulation is scheduled to take effect on Oct. 13. Under the new rule, federal Medicaid and CHIP dollars could no longer be used to pay for puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or gender-transition surgeries for minors.

Individual states, however, would still have the option of funding such treatments with state money if they choose.

Gender-transition surgeries involving minors remain relatively uncommon.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the new policy follows a review conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services examining both American and international research on medical gender-transition treatments for children.

According to CMS, that review found “significant evidence gaps, documented serious safety concerns, and concluded that the evidence supporting these interventions for children remains insufficient to justify federal taxpayer funding.”

The administration did not release additional details Tuesday regarding the specific studies or evidence underlying those findings.

Gender-transition care may include mental health counseling as well as medical treatments intended to align a person’s physical characteristics with his or her gender identity.

Some of the medications involved in such treatment, including puberty blockers and hormones, are also prescribed to children for unrelated medical conditions.

The new rule does not change federal coverage for mental health services provided to children.

Several major American medical organizations continue to support access to gender-transition treatment when provided in accordance with established clinical guidelines.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has said existing research suggests that access to such care can improve mental health outcomes, including for young people, while denying treatment may worsen mental health symptoms and increase the risk of suicide.

The announcement comes as Republican-led states continue advancing restrictions on gender-transition treatments for minors. According to health policy research organization KFF, 27 states have enacted laws limiting such care for children.

Trump also framed the policy as a key issue ahead of November’s midterm elections, drawing a sharp contrast between Republicans and Democrats.

“While the Dumocrat Party wants your kids to be able to chop off their reproductive organs before they are old enough to vote, President Donald J. Trump (ME!) and the Republican Party say that is ABSURD, and we will protect America’s children,” Trump wrote.

“Please remember this when you are casting your vote in the Midterm Elections in November,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

LISTEN:

A young IDF soldier was injured in a frightening incident in Tiveriah after becoming trapped inside the luggage compartment of an Egged bus when the driver unknowingly drove away with her partially inside the compartment. She was rescued only after bystanders noticed what had happened and stopped the bus before she suffered even more serious injuries.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with HaOlam HaBoker, the soldier described the terrifying moments she endured and said she feared she would lose her leg if the bus continued moving.

The incident occurred after the soldier arrived in Tiveriah on a bus from Hatzor. She asked the driver to open the luggage compartment so she could retrieve her bag, but while she was leaning inside to remove it, the compartment door suddenly closed on her leg, trapping her as the bus pulled away.

“On Thursday I left my base and boarded the bus from Hatzor to Tiveriah. When I got off at the stop, I asked the driver if he could open the luggage compartment, and I saw that my bag was inside. I leaned halfway into the compartment to take out my bag, and he lowered the luggage compartment door.”

She said she immediately realized something had gone terribly wrong.

“When I realized he was closing the luggage compartment, I tried to push it away with my leg, but my leg got stuck. I was sure he had noticed and would stop, but suddenly I realized he was continuing to drive while half of my body was inside and my leg was trapped outside. I realized that if he kept driving, I would lose my leg.”

As the bus continued moving, the soldier called police in an effort to have officers locate and stop the vehicle. At the same time, she repeatedly pounded on the luggage compartment, hoping passengers would hear her and alert the driver.

“I was completely helpless. I watched as my leg started rubbing against the road while the bus was moving,” she recalled.

The bus finally came to a stop after passersby spotted the trapped soldier and alerted the driver. Another soldier at the scene forced open the luggage compartment and freed her.

“I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t breathe. If he had driven another two or three minutes until the central bus station, I truly don’t even want to imagine what would have happened to me.”

The soldier was taken to a hospital for treatment of the injuries she sustained.

In a statement, Egged said: “Egged regrets the incident. An internal review indicates that the driver did not notice the soldier entering the luggage compartment and believed she had already exited the bus and walked away. As soon as he realized what had happened, the driver stopped the bus, rescued her, and asked whether she required medical treatment. Egged wishes her a speedy recovery.”

If it feels like your phone has been ringing nonstop with unfamiliar numbers, you’re far from alone. Americans were bombarded with an estimated 4.4 billion robocalls in July, marking the highest monthly total in a year, according to data compiled by call-blocking service YouMail.

YouMail’s tracking shows that robocall activity had fallen to its lowest level in October 2025 but has steadily climbed in recent months. The company reported that telemarketing pitches and scam calls accounted for the largest share of unwanted calls during July.

Not every automated call is fraudulent. Many are legitimate reminders about appointments, bills, or other services. Still, the sheer number of unknown callers has made it increasingly difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine calls from scams.

According to YouMail, the most common robocall in July involved offers for pre-approved personal loans, often telling recipients they qualified for large loans with affordable monthly payments.

“As with similar campaigns, this appears to be at a minimum, illegal telemarketing at scale. Based on consumer reports and the behavior of the calls, it’s likely to be a scam,” YouMail said in its July report.

Although robocall activity increased across the country, several regions experienced particularly sharp jumps. Data provided to Nexstar showed that phone numbers with area codes in Texas, Georgia, and Indiana saw the largest increases in spam calls.

The area codes recording the biggest month-over-month increases in July were:

• 346 (Houston, Texas): 16.2 million calls, up 19%
• 470 (Atlanta, Georgia): 20.2 million calls, up 13%
• 229 (Albany, Georgia): 32.1 million calls, up 13%
• 765 (Indianapolis, Indiana): 17.3 million calls, up 12%
• 901 (Memphis, Tennessee): 47.4 million calls, up 11%
• 812 (Evansville, Indiana): 25 million calls, up 11%
• 720 (Denver, Colorado): 17.7 million calls, up 11%
• 870 (Jonesboro, Arkansas): 32.2 million calls, up 9%
• 317 (Indianapolis, Indiana): 24.9 million calls, up 9%
• 931 (Clarksville, Tennessee): 22 million calls, up 9%
• 254 (Killeen, Texas): 19.3 million calls, up 9%

YouMail CEO Alex Quilici said that despite new regulations adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in recent years, scammers continue finding ways to place massive numbers of illegal calls.

“We suspect the fraudsters are getting on the telephone networks at scale through a set of carriers that are benefiting from this illegal call traffic,” Quilici told Nexstar. “There are more barriers to that now, but it doesn’t take a lot of bad actors to generate meaningful volumes.”

Lawmakers are also attempting to curb the problem. A bill approved by the Senate would further target robocalls by cracking down on those originating outside the United States.

Promoting the legislation, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said “folks in red and blue states alike are sick and tired of picking up the phone and wondering if they’re being scammed.”

While enrolling your phone number in the National Do Not Call Registry can reduce telemarketing calls, experts caution that it cannot stop every unwanted caller.

Consumer protection specialists recommend ignoring suspicious calls from unfamiliar numbers and allowing them to go to voicemail. If you need to contact your bank, utility provider, health insurer, or another company, they advise calling the official number printed on your card, bill, or account statement rather than returning an unknown call.

MK Avi Maoz, chairman of the Noam L’Yisrael party, says he is committed to remaining in the race through Election Day and is not using his campaign as leverage for political negotiations. In an interview with Kikar HaShabbos, Maoz declared that his goal is to strengthen the right-wing bloc, set his sights on becoming Israel’s next education minister, pledged full and equal funding for chareidi educational institutions regardless of core curriculum studies, and reiterated his position that bnei Torah should not be drafted into the military.

At the outset of the interview, Maoz rejected suggestions that his independent campaign is merely a negotiating tactic designed to secure a merger with another right-wing party before the election.

“No, this time it’s different. Maybe in previous elections people could have viewed our announcement that we were running as part of negotiations to eventually unite with someone else. This time it’s different. We’re raising a great deal of money, we’ve changed our name from ‘Noam’ to ‘Noam L’Yisrael.’ If my goal was simply to unite with another party, I could have kept the name ‘Noam.’ I also wouldn’t have recruited such strong candidates, like Shimon Tobul, deputy mayor of Be’er Sheva, and Eliyahu Libman, a hero of Israel.”

Asked directly whether he intended to stay in the race until the end, Maoz answered unequivocally.

“I am running until the end at the head of the ‘Noam L’Yisrael’ list. There will still be alliances with new and unexpected groups. Just as no one expected me to bring Shimon Tobul, there will be other unexpected figures who will join me on this journey. On a personal note, I’m 70 years old. At 70, you don’t embark on an adventure like this unless you truly believe in it. My entire mission is to save the right-wing bloc.”

When confronted with claims that his party could cost the right-wing bloc seats if it fails to cross the electoral threshold, Maoz dismissed the criticism and argued that his candidacy would actually strengthen the coalition.

“That was the conversation in 1992. It may have been true then, but it’s no longer true today. I want to change the conversation from ‘You’ll waste votes and destroy the right-wing bloc’ to a more accurate one: we’re here to save the right-wing bloc. We’re here to save the right-wing government. Why do I say that? Today the chareidi parties are telling voters, ‘Vote right and you’ll get a left-wing government.’ Netanyahu has declared that he wants a broad unity government. With whom? With the left!”

He continued by explaining why he believes his party fills an important political role.

“The chareidi parties are saying, ‘We’ll be the deciding factor.’ We are saying openly: we are only with the right-wing bloc, because we want to represent the ציבור that places its trust in the right. Right now the bloc is missing several seats. Every poll shows that it still lacks enough mandates to get beyond 60 seats. I’m here so Aryeh Deri can continue serving as a minister. I’m here so Moshe Gafni can continue doing what he’s been doing. I’m here so Smotrich can continue doing what he’s been doing.”

Maoz said his campaign is aimed at three different sectors of Israeli society.

“I’m appealing to three groups that are very dear to me: the chareidi ציבור, the religious Zionist ציבור that I come from, and the traditional ציבור—the people in the periphery, the ordinary people of Israel. I’m speaking to all of you. You love tradition, you love the Torah, you love talmidei chachamim, you love those who learn Torah, and at the same time you deeply appreciate the IDF.”

Asked whether he could work together with groups seeking to represent disillusioned chareidi voters, including parties associated with Moti Leitner, Eli Yishai, or the Achi Party, Maoz said ideological loyalty to the right was his only condition.

“Anyone who joins me must state clearly and unequivocally: we will not be Gadi Eisenkot’s 61st vote. Anyone who joins me—we will be the 61st vote for the right-wing bloc. That’s my condition.”

He said he welcomes support from any group willing to embrace that commitment.

“All of those groups are potential partners as far as I’m concerned. All of them. I invite them to join me on this journey to save the right-wing bloc. And I emphasize this because right now I’m the only one saying openly: I will not be Eisenkot’s 61st vote. I will be the 61st vote of the right-wing bloc, the bloc of faith. And yes, I’m appealing to the chareidi ציבור because I know there is tremendous disappointment there.”

Maoz made no attempt to hide the fact that he hopes to attract voters from Shas and United Torah Judaism.

“I’m here for the ציבור of Shas. I’m here for the ציבור of United Torah Judaism. I’m here for the religious Zionist ציבור, and I’m here for the traditional ציבור that loves Torah, loves IDF soldiers just as much, and loves the Jewish people. We’re here to save the bloc of faith, the right-wing bloc. It’s time that voters on the right vote for the right and actually receive a right-wing government.”

Turning to education policy, Maoz declared that he wants to become Israel’s next education minister and outlined what he said would be one of his signature reforms.

“I want to serve as education minister in the next government, and I will bring full-strength Judaism to the Ministry of Education—for everyone, for every sector. And there will be full funding for every child, equal funding. That means equal opportunity.”

When asked whether that funding would be provided regardless of how much core curriculum a school teaches, Maoz responded without hesitation.

“Without any connection! A religious Zionist child who wants to study according to his worldview should receive exactly what every other child in the education system receives, because we do not play games with children.”

The interviewer noted that even the chareidi parties have generally tied funding levels to the amount of core curriculum instruction.

“Yishai, I once sat in a meeting with the education minister, and his legal adviser said, ‘Listen, we can’t do that because it’s not the ministry’s policy.’ What do you expect an education minister to say? ‘Madam, I determine the ministry’s policy!’ As education minister, I will determine the ministry’s policy: equal funding for every child. Because equal funding means equal opportunity for every child.”

Asked whether such a policy would survive a challenge before Israel’s High Court of Justice, Maoz said he believes it would.

“With G-d’s help, yes, it will stand up in the High Court. Because there is a glaring inequality here. Why are there children today who do not receive equal funding? Why are there children who are being discriminated against?”

Toward the end of the interview, Maoz addressed the ongoing debate over military service and the status of bnei yeshiva, reaffirming his longstanding position on the issue.

“I always tell the truth, and this is my truth: Whoever is learning Torah will not be drafted. Whoever is not learning Torah will receive every possible condition necessary to enlist if he wants to serve. He will enter the army as a chareidi and leave the army as a chareidi. That’s what I fought for, and that’s what I will continue to fight for.”

{Matzav.com}

The Yerushalayim Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday ordered the release of right-wing activist Tal Yinon Dardik after 38 days in detention, rejecting a police request to impose restrictive conditions and criticizing authorities for attempting to link the criminal case against him with a newly issued administrative order.

Judge Amir Shaked ruled that Dardik, who is suspected of involvement in violence against Palestinians, should be released immediately and without restrictions. In his decision, the judge criticized the Judea and Samaria District Police for trying to intertwine the ongoing criminal proceedings with a new administrative order that had recently been issued against him.

Although the court ordered his release, Dardik was informed that a new order signed Monday by the commander of the IDF Central Command remains in force and prohibits him from entering Judea and Samaria.

The criminal case centers on an indictment charging Dardik with violating a lawful military order and interfering with a police officer. According to prosecutors, intelligence information linked him to unlawful and violent activities that endangered lives and property, prompting the commander of IDF forces in Judea and Samaria to issue an order on June 9 barring him from entering the region.

On the same day, military authorities also ordered Dardik to remain at his mother-in-law’s home in the community of Adei Ad in Judea and Samaria. Court documents state that subsequent inspections found he was not staying there and was instead allegedly hiding at the Tirpon Farm outpost.

On July 9, the Magistrate’s Court had previously ruled that Dardik could be released to house arrest at Tirpon Farm under the supervision of his wife, finding that the evidence supporting the charges was relatively weak. The court also pointed out that the indictment was not based on his mere presence in Judea and Samaria and questioned how authorities could simultaneously require him to remain in the area while also prohibiting him from entering it.

The court further found that the allegation Dardik violated the house arrest order was weakened by the fact that his mother-in-law had never agreed to have him confined in her home, despite the order requiring him to remain there.

Prosecutors appealed that decision, and the Jerusalem District Court overturned it. The higher court concluded there was sufficient evidence at this stage to support the charges and found no dispute that Dardik had failed to comply with the military order. However, it ruled that any challenge to the legality of the order itself should be addressed during the criminal proceedings rather than in detention hearings.

An appeals committee later instructed the commander of the Central Command to replace one of the existing conditions with a new one. On Aug. 9, a court upheld that decision, ruling that the committee had acted within its legal authority.

The following day, the commander issued a new administrative order against Dardik. Police then asked the court to release him, but only if his release was made subject to the conditions contained in the new order.

Judge Shaked rejected that request, saying the police had improperly attempted to merge the criminal proceedings with the new administrative restrictions.

“It is impossible to accept such conduct, in which the applicant chose to intertwine the criminal and administrative proceedings. The court cannot make the respondent’s release dependent upon compliance with release conditions whose sole purpose is to prevent a violation that has not yet occurred in light of the issuance of the new order. This is especially so when the respondent is already behind bars. Such a course of action cannot be accepted.”

The judge noted that the new administrative order had been issued while Dardik was already in custody and emphasized that the indictment concerns only the alleged violation of the earlier June 9 order, which has since been replaced.

He further ruled that Dardik could not remain in jail based solely on speculation that he might violate the new order in the future. If such a violation were to occur, authorities could respond at that time, but the possibility alone did not justify keeping him detained.

The court ultimately denied the police request to condition Dardik’s release on compliance with the new administrative order and ordered that he be freed immediately after 38 days in custody. At the same time, the judge made clear that the newly issued order remains legally valid and in force.

Following the ruling, Dardik’s attorney, Nati Rom, welcomed the decision.

“We have now received Judge Amir Shaked’s decision ordering the immediate and unconditional release of Tal Yinon Dardik. We are pleased that the defense’s arguments from the very beginning have been accepted. This order is unenforceable, the military commander issued it without legal authority. The order is therefore effectively void, meaning there was no violation and no justification for his arrest. We are happy that he has been released and hope that this time the judicial decisions will be respected and that he will be able to rebuild his life and support his family.”

After being released, Dardik thanked those who supported him and vowed to continue opposing what he described as government policies targeting settlement activists.

“I want to thank the people of Israel and everyone who worked on my behalf. It is very important for me to say that this struggle is far from over, and we will continue with all our strength to fight the policies of Minister Katz and General Bluth, a policy of persecuting the settlement movement. Administrative orders directed specifically against settlement activists are something that must come to an end.”

Dardik also said he had just completed a lengthy hunger strike while in custody.

“I have now been released after a prolonged 37-day hunger strike. I am physically weak, but my spirit remains strong, and I trust in God to continue this struggle until the very end.”

{Matzav.com}