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Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday after a four-month absence, revealing for the first time that he had been hospitalized and treated for depression. His explanation ended months of speculation surrounding his disappearance from Congress, during which he missed more than 100 House votes.

Addressing fellow lawmakers from the House floor, Kean said he felt an obligation to explain what had kept him away from Washington and why his return had taken far longer than anyone expected.

“Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay,” Kean said. “I was given the diagnosis of depression.”

He explained that physicians urged him to remain hospitalized so he could receive intensive treatment, even though he initially struggled to accept that recommendation.

“The doctors recommended that I remain in the hospital to address my illness,” Kean said. “They explained to me that this would be the fastest way to recovery, and to be honest, I was hesitant. I didn’t think that I had time for it …. Like many people, I believed that I could simply push through.”

“But I agreed to follow my doctor’s recommendations again, not believing that it would result in a long-term stay,” Kean said.

Until Tuesday’s remarks, the congressman had disclosed almost nothing about his condition. In April, he issued only a brief statement saying he was dealing with a “personal medical issue,” offering no additional details.

Looking back on that announcement, Kean said he himself did not yet fully understand what he was facing.

“When I first informed the public that I was dealing with a medical issue, I was still trying to understand what was happening myself, when I said I hoped to return in a matter of weeks, I believed it,” Kean said on the House floor on Tuesday.

He noted that recovery from depression does not follow a predictable schedule.

“But as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better one day at a time,” Kean said.

Kean said his treatment has been successful and that he is ready to resume serving his district, telling colleagues he is now “healthier, stronger, and excited to return to the work that I love.”

At the beginning of his speech, Kean acknowledged that speaking about his personal life did not come easily, but said he believed he owed “an explanation to the people of New Jersey’s seventh district, the colleagues in this chamber, and to the American people for my absence.”

His extended disappearance from Washington had prompted widespread questions about his health and when—or whether—he would return. At one point, when questioned by The New York Times, his chief of staff replied, “There’s no cameras where Tom is.”

The prolonged absence also became a political issue as Kean prepares to seek another term representing New Jersey’s competitive 7th Congressional District, a seat widely viewed as one of the nation’s key battlegrounds.

During his remarks, Kean expressed gratitude to the residents of his district for standing by him, thanking them for their patience, understanding, and prayers throughout his recovery.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday that he had encouraged Kean to be more forthcoming about his condition.

“If it were me I would have been more specific about that. … It’s not an uncommon kind of condition and ailment that he’s been fighting, and I think people resonate with that. I think he’ll get a lot of empathy, because it’s something that’s very, very common,” he said.

Kean’s absence also complicated Republican leadership’s efforts in the narrowly divided House, where even a handful of missing GOP votes can determine the fate of party-line legislation.

Earlier this month, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) publicly criticized Kean’s absence.

“Where is he? No, seriously. It’s embarrassing,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) told TMZ earlier this month. “We’re supposed to be the party that is against campaigning from the basement.”

Despite his extended leave, President Trump endorsed Kean’s reelection campaign. Kean also told the New Jersey Globe that his illness has not affected his cognitive abilities.

Concluding his remarks, Kean said the experience gave him a greater understanding of the millions of Americans living with depression and encouraged others not to suffer in silence.

“This experience has given me a deeper appreciation for the millions of Americans who face these challenges each and every day. Many do so quietly. Many do so alone. Many do so like carrying burdens that the rest of us never see,” Kean said in his speech. “To them, I would say asking for help is not a weakness, it is a strength.”

{Matzav.com}

Tens of thousands of Sephardic yeshiva students and supporters gathered Monday evening in Bnei Brak for a massive protest against the continued arrest of yeshiva students, as leading Torah authorities vowed to intensify the fight against efforts to draft full-time Torah learners into the military.

Held under the theme, “A Gathering Honoring Torah to Strengthen Yeshiva Students and the Torah World,” the rally filled Eshel Avraham and Harav Rabinov streets, which were closed to traffic for the event. Leading rabbonim, members of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, community leaders, and public officials joined the crowd in denouncing what they described as the persecution of those whose lives are devoted to Torah study.

The gathering opened with remarks from Rav Shabsai Levi, mara d’asra of Ramat Aharon and head of the Halichos Moshe institutions, who bemoaned the growing number of yeshiva students being imprisoned.

Rav Nissim Ben Shimon spoke about the persecution of lomdei Torah, quoting the Talmudic teaching that one who disgraces Torah scholars has no remedy for his affliction. He lamented that yeshiva students are now being arrested simply because they are learning Torah.

Rav Aryeh Yazdi of Kollel Torah Chaim warned of the spiritual dangers associated with military service, arguing that the army promotes behavior fundamentally at odds with Torah values. He sharply criticized the military leadership, referring to the imprisonment of a soldier over a note relating to Moshiach, and condemned what he described as the moral atmosphere within the army.

Rav Shlomo Machpud, head of the Yoreh Deah rabbinical court and a member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, declared that neither threats nor economic sanctions would deter the Torah community. He stressed that no government has authority over Torah study or the spiritual lives of yeshiva students and called for unity under the guidance of the leading Torah sages.

Rav Zamir Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Avnei Nezer, cited the Torah’s promise that devotion to Torah brings Divine protection and victory. He said that the very act of gathering together to proclaim “Moshe is true and his Torah is true,” while affirming that the Torah is “our life and the length of our days,” carries the power to overturn harsh decrees.

Rav Levi Pinchasi, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Or Avraham, argued that the military has no genuine interest in drafting yeshiva students and instead seeks to secularize them. Referring to testimony allegedly given by a senior military commander in court, he said the army “doesn’t need them; it only wants to secularize them.” He added that just as Haman failed in his attempt to destroy the Jewish people, these efforts would likewise fail.

The keynote address was delivered by the former Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, president of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, who urged yeshiva students not to fear imprisonment if they remain faithful to Torah.

“When Torah scholars sit and learn, they are the chosen people. If they arrest you, go to prison with your heads held high and a sefer in your hand. I have spoken with many of those who were imprisoned. Ninety-five percent of those arrested are Sephardim. We are living in a racist country. You are the emissaries of the Jewish people.”

Following the speeches, the assembled Torah leaders signed a formal declaration outlining the rally’s resolutions.

The first resolution called on Israel’s government, military authorities, and judicial system to stop interfering with Torah scholars through arrests and other measures intended to compel military service. The declaration stated that yeshiva students and kollel members are the pillars upon which the world stands and warned that without Torah and those who devote themselves to it, there is no right to existence—either generally or in the Land of Israel. It concluded by declaring that Torah is the nation’s protection and salvation.

The second resolution pledged that if, G-d forbid, another yeshiva student or kollel member from Bnei Brak is arrested, all of the city’s rabbonim will unite and travel to Prison 10 to protest, pray for the annulment of the decree, and undertake whatever additional actions the leading Torah sages direct. The statement also declared that the entire chareidi community, both in Israel and throughout the world, stands firmly behind the Torah learners.

The third resolution urged rabbonim in every city to organize similar efforts, standing behind their local yeshiva students and kollel members, protecting the honor of Torah, and strengthening them so that no one would be tempted to abandon the path of Torah.

An additional statement from the senior member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, Rav Moshe Maya, was appended to the declaration. Citing the Torah’s promise that those who toil in Torah are blessed with prosperity, security, and peace, he warned that mistreating Torah scholars brings severe punishment and is the source of the nation’s suffering, wars, and persecution. He also cited the Talmud’s account of Rabi Akiva publicly teaching Torah despite the mortal danger involved, explaining that public Torah study is what protects and sustains the Jewish people.

The rally concluded with an emotionally charged recitation of the Yud Gimmel Middos and Kabbolas Ohl Malchus Shomayim, led by the renowned mekubal Rav Yaakov Ades.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump suffered another major legal defeat Tuesday after the Supreme Court invalidated his executive order seeking to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants and foreign visitors, ruling that the policy conflicts with the Constitution.

The executive order, signed on Trump’s first day back in office, had been tied up in the courts for months amid arguments over whether it violated the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which provides: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

In a narrow 5-4 decision, the justices concluded that the constitutional guarantee extends to children “born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present,” meaning the policy cannot be changed through executive action and would instead require a constitutional amendment.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts stated, “If Congress intended to limit American citizenship to the children of those domiciled in the United States, nothing in the succinct language of the Citizenship Clause conveyed that design.” He continued, “Words appearing frequently in the Executive Order—’mother,’ ‘father,’ ‘lawful,’ ‘temporary’— are absent from the Clause. For a simple reason: they did not matter.”

Earlier this year, Trump made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend oral arguments before the Supreme Court when the justices heard the case on April 1.

Legal observers had largely predicted that the administration faced an uphill battle, with many constitutional scholars questioning whether a president has the authority to redefine birthright citizenship through executive order alone.

A central issue throughout the case was the Supreme Court’s landmark 1898 decision in US v. Wong Kim Ark, which involved a man born in the United States to Chinese immigrant parents who were legally residing in the country but were barred from obtaining citizenship themselves under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

In that ruling, the Court held that nearly everyone born on American soil automatically acquires U.S. citizenship, with only limited exceptions, including children of hostile occupying forces, foreign diplomats and rulers, or births aboard foreign vessels in U.S. waters.

During the oral arguments, Solicitor General John Sauer argued that Wong Kim Ark involved immigrants who were lawfully present and permanently domiciled in the United States, making it distinguishable from today’s immigration landscape. He also contended that the dramatically higher levels of illegal immigration today transform the issue into one involving national security, placing it within the president’s constitutional authority.

The latest ruling follows another Supreme Court decision last year that curtailed the ability of lower federal courts to issue nationwide injunctions blocking presidential policies. Although that ruling involved litigation related to the birthright citizenship order, the justices made clear that nationwide relief could still be granted in properly certified class-action lawsuits.

The case, Trump v. Barbara, was brought on behalf of three families who argued that Trump’s executive order unlawfully denied citizenship to their American-born children.

One of the plaintiffs, identified only as Barbara, is a Honduran asylum seeker whose child was born in October of last year. Another plaintiff, Susan, is a Taiwanese citizen studying in the United States whose daughter was born in April 2025 while her passport application was pending. The third plaintiff, Mark, is a Brazilian permanent residency applicant whose son, born in March 2025, had initially been issued a U.S. passport.

Proceeding under pseudonyms, the plaintiffs argued that the executive order illegally stripped their children of American citizenship and the legal rights and government benefits that accompany it, including eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, and food assistance.

A federal judge in New Hampshire previously granted a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the order and certified the plaintiffs’ children, along with others in similar circumstances, as members of a nationwide class.

The ruling marks the second time in six months that the Supreme Court has rejected one of Trump’s signature policy initiatives. In February, the Court also ruled that the administration could not rely on the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to impose customized tariffs on foreign countries at the president’s discretion.

{Matzav.com}

Steve Bannon, a leading MAGA commentator and longtime ally of FBI Director Kash Patel, publicly criticized Patel on Monday, urging him to stop highlighting falling crime rates and instead focus on arresting what Bannon described as “deep state” figures, including Democratic megadonor George Soros.

Speaking on his podcast, Bannon argued that radical political activists are responsible for many of the nation’s problems and singled out Soros for his political spending.

“The reason the country’s in the shape it’s in is because of these radicals, Marxist jihadis who want to destroy this country,” Bannon said. “Soros has put in, what, $100 million in this midterm already? He and that freak son of his.”

WATCH:

BANNON: Kash, I love you, brother, but I don’t want to hear any more crime statistics.

Nobody believes them anyway. I’m sorry.

Knock it off. No more stats. I want to see perp walks of the Deep State. I want to see the Soroses perp walked. Then you can give me crime stats. pic.twitter.com/LLznIuHwWX

— Grace Chong, MBI (@gc22gc) June 29, 2026

Bannon then questioned why Soros had not been arrested, while pressing the Justice Department and FBI to move more aggressively against individuals he believes have engaged in wrongdoing.

“Why he’s not been perp walked somewhere, I don’t know. People have other things, have more important things to do, more important things. We need a sense of urgency in the Justice Department! We need a sense of urgency in the FBI, and, Kash [Patel], I love you, brother, but I don’t want to hear any more statistics about how crime’s coming down, crime’s coming down, all that. We want to see perp walks of the Deep State!

“We want to see perp walks of who stole 2020. We want to see — get on with it, while we can still get on with it. Nobody believes the crime statistics, anyway. I’m sorry, they still don’t feel comfortable walking down a street in Memphis, these other places, unless they see the National Guard that President Trump will put in.

“So, knock it off! No more stats. I don’t want to hear any more crime stats. I want to see perp walks, I want to see the Soroses perp-walked. That’s what we want to see. Perp walk George Soros, all good.”

Bannon went on to argue that crime statistics are unlikely to influence voters, saying the public is looking for action rather than government reports.

Bannon added that crime stats are “not going to move the needle. It’s not going to matter in any voting.”

He concluded by calling on federal officials to accelerate investigations into alleged foreign interference and quickly release any evidence they possess.

“Let’s have some urgency! Let’s light a fire,” he continued. “Where is the task force? Show me the foreign interference? It’s there, it’s in the files. You got the documents, let’s get it out, and then you pass SAVE America and sign an executive order. Let’s do it all.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said Monday that the political direction of New York City has become so concerning that he is now considering entering politics himself, even floating the possibility of challenging New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani—though he questioned whether he could actually win.

Portnoy made the remarks during an appearance on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, where the discussion centered on Mamdani and several candidates he endorsed who emerged victorious in last week’s Democratic primaries.

Among those primary winners were former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who defeated Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th Congressional District; labor organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who unseated Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District; and state Rep. Claire Valdez, who defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the 7th District. Because all three districts are heavily Democratic, the Mamdani-backed nominees are widely expected to prevail in the general election.

After host Jesse Watters asked, “What would you do about it?”—as an on-screen graphic read, “Commie wave hits New York City”—Portnoy said the current political climate has caused him to rethink his long-held reluctance to seek public office.

“So I’ve always thought I would never get involved in politics, but I think you can do more in the private sector,” Portnoy replied. “What is going on has actually made me pause that thought. I was saying to you that old Plato quote, if you don’t do your public service and run for office, you’re doomed to be run by basically dummies. And right now I feel like that’s what’s happening. Now, not everyone’s getting out to vote. I think what the Democrats have done is they’ve let the fox into the henhouse.”

Portnoy described the current moment as unsettling and suggested he now feels a responsibility to become more directly involved.

He said it is “a scary time” to live in New York and added, “I do feel like it’s my duty. I can’t turn away. I feel like I could make a change, maybe a do run in politics. So I don’t know.”

Watters then asked whether he would consider taking on Mamdani in an election.

“You might run against Mamdani?” Watters asked.

“If I was going to run, it would be here,” he responded. “Can I win here? I have no idea. I don’t the demographics, whether I’d get enough votes. There’s a lot of people who like me in New York City. I know that. I’ve done a lot of good in New York City when I wasn’t thinking about politics, whether it was the Barstool Fund, pizza places. So, it wasn’t for show. I’ve had a real job. I’ve done real things unlike these clown politicians who have never had a job and never been in the real world for a day. But the people voting for these people that just won are these young, white, like, Ivy League-ish, elite-ish, women. It’s like, who are they? Like, they’ll never vote for me. They’ll never believe in common sense.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has ruled that the Transportation Department unlawfully suspended $16 billion in funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project, clearing the way for federal support to resume and dealing a setback to the Trump administration’s effort to halt the massive infrastructure project.

In a decision issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York invalidated the funding freeze, concluding that the Transportation Department had failed to follow the legal procedures required to suspend federal grant money.

The 59-page ruling found that the department’s September 2025 decision to freeze the funds violated federal regulations governing grant suspensions. While the administration remains free to pursue another suspension or terminate funding through the proper legal process—or challenge the ruling on appeal—the existing freeze can no longer stand.

Responding to the decision, a Department of Transportation spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that the agency remains “committed to ensuring hardworking taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly.”

The Trump administration announced last year that it would withhold the funding while reviewing whether the tunnel project complied with federal nondiscrimination rules and whether it incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

In her opinion, however, Vargas pointed to statements made by President Donald Trump suggesting that political considerations also played a role in the administration’s decision. She cited remarks Trump made in October regarding the project, which has long been championed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“We’re cutting a $20 billion project that Schumer fought for 15 years to get, and I’m cutting the project,” Vargas quoted Trump as saying in October. “The project is gonna be dead. It’s just pretty much dead right now.”

The Hudson Tunnel Project is designed to add two new rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey, supplementing the existing pair of single-track tunnels that have been in service for 116 years. Schumer has repeatedly described it as the nation’s most important infrastructure project.

Earlier this year, the Gateway Development Commission, which oversees construction of the tunnel, warned that work would have to stop if the federal funding remained frozen. Of the project’s federal support, approximately $12 billion consists of grants, while another $4 billion is provided through federal loans that will be repaid by New York, New Jersey, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The states of New York and New Jersey subsequently filed suit in federal court in Manhattan, seeking emergency relief to restore the funding.

On Feb. 6—the day construction was expected to be suspended—Vargas issued a temporary restraining order preventing the freeze from taking effect. Although the Trump administration challenged that order and argued the court lacked jurisdiction, Vargas wrote that the government largely focused on procedural jurisdictional issues instead of defending the legality of the funding suspension itself.

In Monday’s ruling, Vargas concluded that the administration had failed to demonstrate that its actions complied with governing federal law.

“Defendants make no attempt to justify their actions as consistent with the governing federal regulations,” Vargas said.

While the ruling blocks the Transportation Department from relying on the September 2025 funding freeze, it does not prevent the department from attempting to suspend the funding again if it follows the procedures required under federal law.

In a joint statement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York Attorney General Letitia James, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport praised the court’s decision.

“We are grateful that a federal court has once again agreed that the Trump Administration’s decision to freeze billions of dollars in grants for the Gateway Tunnel Project is flagrantly unlawful,” they said. “This is the most important infrastructure project in the nation, and thanks to our litigation, 1,000 people are back on the job and construction continues every day. This victory sends a clear message: The Trump Administration’s attempt to halt Gateway funding will not stand.”

{Matzav.com}

Pope Leo XIV delivered one of his strongest denunciations yet of the recent conflict with Iran, declaring that war “is never blessed by God” and signaling continued opposition to arguments advanced by President Donald Trump and other Republicans defending the military campaign.

The remarks are the latest in a series of public disagreements between the first American pope and the Trump administration. Leo has repeatedly criticized armed conflicts around the world, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and, more recently, the U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran. Trump, in turn, has sharply criticized the pontiff over his positions.

Before ascending to the papacy, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost frequently challenged the Trump administration on immigration policy, disputed Vice President JD Vance’s interpretation of the theological principle of ordo amoris, and declined Trump’s invitation to serve on his newly created “Board of Peace.”

Since the outbreak of the Iran conflict, Leo has intensified his appeals against war. In March, he urged Christian political leaders who initiate wars to examine their “conscience” and “go to confession.” He followed those remarks in April with several social media posts urging “peace” and calling on the world to “reject the logic of violence and war.”

Last week, Leo convened the College of Cardinals at the Vatican, where he devoted part of his Friday homily to the subject of war. Vatican News highlighted the message with the headline: “Pope at Consistory Opening Mass: War is never blessed by God.”

According to Vatican News, the pope urged the cardinals to seek “the gift of peace in unity” while emphasizing the moral obligation to reject warfare.

“Reflecting on the many conflicts affecting humanity, he stressed that “war is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God, because, even if we are equipped with high-tech weapons, the Creator has endowed us with intelligence and free will to resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts.”

“The Pope then added that “peace is a duty of justice because we are one human family, a magnifica humanitas…”

Christopher Hale, who writes about the papacy in his Letters from Leo Substack, argued that the pope’s comments could have far-reaching theological implications. Hale suggested the homily “signaled the Vatican may rewrite the just war doctrine itself,” which Republicans including Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson have cited in defense of the strikes against Iran.

Pointing to the timing of Leo’s remarks, Hale wrote that it “escaped no one.” “As Leo gathered the cardinals to plead for peace, the United States was bombing Iran for the second straight day,” while the “week-old ceasefire already lies in ruins.”

Hale further reported that Vatican officials have indicated Leo intends to “formally revisit” the Church’s longstanding “just war” doctrine.

According to Hale, Leo had already questioned that doctrine in his May encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas—the same phrase referenced during Friday’s homily—arguing that it is “now outdated” and “has all too often been used to justify any kind of war.”

“Humanity possesses far more effective and capable tools for promoting human life and resolving conflicts, such as dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness,” wrote Leo. “The use of force, violence and weapons reflects a relational poverty that always has disastrous consequences for civilian populations.”

Hale also noted that Leo’s latest comments followed public defenses of the Iran operation by what he described as “two of the most powerful Catholics in the United States government.” He cited Vance, who argued during a Turning Point USA event that a “more than 1,000-year tradition of just war theory” justified military action against Iran, and Johnson, who similarly defended the strikes and praised Trump and Vance for their understanding of the conflict.

Rejecting those arguments, Hale wrote, “The just war tradition Vance reached for was never written as a permission slip,” contending that Leo’s teaching means the Trump administration’s reliance on just war theory “collapses, and it collapses on the Church’s own terms,” because “[a] doctrine meant to restrain that impulse [to war] cannot be turned into the instrument that excuses it.”

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of bnei Torah gathered Monday evening in Bnei Brak for a massive protest and prayer rally against the arrest of bnei yeshivah and the ongoing draft decree, as the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, delivered a fiery address declaring that attempts to interfere with Torah study are bringing tragedy upon the Jewish people.

The rally, attended by thousands of bnei Torah, rabbonim, and public figures, was held against the backdrop of intensified enforcement efforts targeting bnei yeshivah, particularly members of the Sephardic Torah community.

Before the event began, organizers prepared for the possibility that participants might chant against Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, following similar incidents at previous gatherings. Organizer Chanan Levy announced that clear instructions had been given to prevent such demonstrations. Nevertheless, several participants displayed signs criticizing Shas lawmakers, including one reading, “Enough of the betrayal of Maran.” The event’s moderator halted the proceedings and warned that the rally would be dispersed unless the signs were removed. Following heated verbal exchanges among attendees, the signs were taken down and the program resumed.

When Rav Yitzchok Yosef arrived, he was greeted by thunderous singing from the crowd. In his keynote address, he called for a forceful public response whenever a ben yeshivah is arrested.

“We will not remain silent. If they arrest one bochur, his entire yeshivah should go to the entrance of the prison and recite Selichos there for a full hour,” he declared.

Quoting the Gemara in Makkos, Rav Yosef said that the protection of Yerushalayim comes through the Torah learned by its scholars, not through military technology.

“They think it is because of Iron Dome. No. It is because of the Torah, because of the bochurim and avreichim who are immersed in Torah. It is because of you that we are victorious. It is because of this that the soldiers are protected.”

He then made his strongest statement of the evening, linking battlefield casualties to government policies directed against Torah learners.

“If soldiers are being killed, it is apparently because of the decrees of the authorities who are trying to restrict those who learn Torah. Instead of honoring Torah scholars with gold and silver, they impose decrees upon them, and afterward they wonder why decrees come upon the Jewish people.”

President Donald Trump on Monday called on gasoline retailers across the country to slash prices without delay, arguing that the recent decline in crude oil prices should already be translating into lower costs for American drivers.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said fuel prices remain unjustifiably high even as crude oil has fallen to roughly $68 per barrel.

“Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY!” Trump wrote. “They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south.”

The president urged gas stations to reduce prices for consumers and cautioned retailers against what he characterized as unlawful price gouging.

“DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE!” Trump wrote. He also warned there would be “no gauging [sic], which is totally illegal.”

Trump added another warning to retailers, writing, “If Retailers don’t do this, big problems lie ahead!”

He said gasoline should be selling for approximately $2.50 per gallon and singled out California over its fuel tax policies.

“California should stop charging such heavy Taxes on their Gasoline,” Trump wrote. “Soon the Tax will be higher than the Product itself, and the United States will not stand for it, nor will the People of California, who are being abused by these ridiculous Taxes, and by their own Government.”

Trump’s remarks came less than a week after he directed the Justice Department to examine whether gasoline retailers have engaged in price gouging, contending that prices at the pump have failed to fall as rapidly as crude oil prices following the recent retreat in energy markets.

Energy analysts note that retail gasoline prices often take longer to decline because stations and refiners are frequently selling fuel purchased when crude oil prices were higher. Refining expenses, transportation costs, seasonal fuel requirements, and state taxes also play significant roles in determining the price consumers ultimately pay.

Economists commonly refer to this pricing pattern as “rockets and feathers,” meaning gasoline prices typically surge quickly when crude oil rises but drift downward more slowly after oil prices decline.

Trump has consistently argued that reducing energy costs is one of the most effective ways to curb inflation and lower everyday expenses for American families. He concluded Monday’s message by again pressing retailers to lower prices promptly.

“The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right,” Trump wrote.

{Matzav.com}

Israel is dispatching a joint emergency delegation to Venezuela to assist in the aftermath of last week’s catastrophic earthquakes, following instructions from Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The mission was approved after an assessment conducted by the National Security Council.

The delegation will consist of personnel from both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Home Front Command. Ambassador Yoed Magen, who was raised in Venezuela, will head the Foreign Ministry contingent, while Brigadier General Elad Edri, Chief of Staff of the Home Front Command, will lead the military component of the mission.

Among those traveling are Home Front Command engineering specialists and Foreign Ministry officials. Additional experts from the Home Front Command and Israel’s National Emergency Management Authority are expected to join the operation at a later stage.

Israeli personnel will coordinate closely with Venezuelan authorities, providing assistance based on the evolving needs and conditions on the ground.

The humanitarian mission comes as Venezuela continues to grapple with the massive destruction caused by the earthquakes. More than 1,700 people have been confirmed dead, while National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said Monday that at least 22,619 people have been affected by the disaster. Of those, 5,034 were injured, and 189 of the 855 damaged buildings collapsed entirely.

{Matzav.com}

A bitter dispute erupted within Israel’s coalition Monday after legislation to prohibit Red Cross visits to imprisoned Nukhba terrorists was voted down in the Knesset. Shas accused National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir of violating coalition agreements by forcing the bill to a vote before it had enough support, while Ben Gvir blasted Shas for helping doom the measure.

Following the bill’s defeat, Shas insisted it strongly backed the legislation but argued that Ben Gvir ignored an agreed-upon strategy that would have given it a better chance of passing.

“Shas fully supports the bill to block Red Cross visits to Nukhba terrorists. We suggested to Minister Ben Gvir that the bill be brought forward on Wednesday so that we could vote in favor immediately following the passage of the Basic Law: Torah Study, as agreed upon with the Coalition Chairman. Regrettably, Ben Gvir insisted on bringing it to the floor today. It appears that pulling a political stunt is more important to him than actually passing this vital legislation,” Shas said in a statement.

Ben Gvir forcefully rejected the accusations, maintaining that Monday was the only realistic opportunity to bring the legislation before the Knesset and blaming Shas for delaying the measure the previous week.

“The bill to prevent Red Cross visits to imprisoned terrorists is coming to a vote today after Shas requested to delay it last week. Contrary to Shas’s claims, the bill cannot be brought to a vote on Wednesday due to opposition from the minority bloc – meaning it would subsequently become irrelevant.”

The minister then launched a scathing attack on Shas, accusing the party of undermining Israel’s security interests and reviving political cooperation with Arab lawmakers.

“Regrettably, Shas is choosing to compromise Israel’s security and allow an antisemitic organization to visit Nukhba terrorists, spreading a ‘Sde Teiman-style’ blood libel against our heroic prison guards and the State of Israel. It seems the Deri-Tibi deal is back in full force. A complete disgrace,” Ben Gvir stated.

{Matzav.com}

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is facing intense backlash after a video showing her chanting “Free Palestine” during the city’s Pride Parade on Sunday spread across social media, prompting critics to accuse her of further alienating Toronto’s Jewish community amid a surge in antisemitic incidents.

The footage was widely circulated online, including by Canadian attorney and author Warren Kinsella, who has frequently spoken out against antisemitism.

Here's Olivia Chow, who claims to be the mayor of every person in Toronto, saying "free Palestine."

Jews are a minority in Toronto. They feel unwanted and unsafe.

Chow is one of the reasons why. #topoli pic.twitter.com/jnuBFGEvEQ

— Warren Kinsella (@kinsellawarren) June 29, 2026

“Here’s Olivia Chow, who claims to be the mayor of every person in Toronto, saying ‘free Palestine,'” wrote Kinsella.

“Jews are a minority in Toronto. They feel unwanted and unsafe. Chow is one of the reasons why,” he added.

Canadian journalist Dahlia Kurtz also shared the video, criticizing the mayor’s remarks during the event.

“Mayor Olivia Chow screams ‘Free Palestine’ at Toronto Pride parade.”

“You know, the same two words terrorists have screamed before murdering and butchering their victims,” added Kurtz.

The latest controversy adds to previous criticism of Chow’s handling of issues involving the Jewish community and Israel. Last year, she declined to attend a Jewish community memorial marking the first anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 massacre. Chow later attributed her absence to what she described as a “miscommunication,” saying her office never received the invitation by email.

She also drew criticism when she chose not to participate in a City Hall ceremony commemorating Israel’s Independence Day, during which the Israeli flag was to be raised. At the time, Chow argued that attending the event would be “divisive” because of the ongoing war in Gaza.

The controversy comes as Toronto and its surrounding communities continue to experience a sharp increase in antisemitic attacks following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, with incidents escalating even further in recent months.

In early March, two synagogues in the Toronto area were targeted in separate shootings within hours of one another. Police have since arrested multiple suspects in connection with those attacks.

That same month, Temple Emanu-El in North York was struck by gunfire while congregants were celebrating Purim. No one was injured, although the synagogue sustained damage.

In late April, a man allegedly attempted to force his way into an Orthodox shul in Thornhill, just north of Toronto, assaulting one individual before escaping.

The following day, a rock was thrown through the window of a Toronto Judaica store, marking the third attack on the same business.

{Matzav.com}

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As the arrests of yeshiva bochurim continue to fuel political tensions in Israel, Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur says he is proud to visit detained bnei Torah in Military Prison 10, insisting they are not fugitives or draft evaders but talmidei yeshiva who have been jailed for their commitment to Torah study.

In an interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Ben Tzur discussed the proposed law to halt the arrests of yeshiva students, the stalled draft law, the proposed Basic Law recognizing Torah study, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s commitments, the decision by the chareidi parties to freeze coalition legislation until Torah-related legislation is advanced, the recent demonstrations and police conduct, and the political landscape following the upcoming elections.

Ben Tzur focused heavily on legislation being promoted by Shas chairman Aryeh Deri that would suspend the arrests of yeshiva students, expressing confidence that Netanyahu intends to move the measure forward.

“I believe Netanyahu,” Ben Tzur said. “I’ll explain why. Anyone with common sense understands that these arrests do not advance military recruitment—they simply throw entire systems into chaos.”

He rejected claims that Netanyahu lacked the political support to pass the draft law, arguing instead that the legislation was ready for a Knesset vote before senior gedolei Torah instructed that it should not be advanced at this time.

“I want to remind everyone,” he said. “Netanyahu never said he lacked a majority for the draft law. It was ready for a vote, but at the last moment the gedolei Torah decided that this was not the right time to pass it. We accept their guidance. In my assessment, had it depended solely on Netanyahu, the draft law would have passed. When Netanyahu truly commits himself to something, he commits.”

Ben Tzur argued that the proposed anti-arrest legislation enjoys broader political support because many lawmakers recognize that the arrests accomplish little.

“Regarding the arrests law, it is easier,” he explained. “People understand that these arrests serve no purpose. They simply create chaos. Even members of the opposition recognize that this is not the right course at this time, so I hope there will be a willingness to pass the law.”

He emphasized, however, that the legislation would only halt the arrests and would not eliminate the sanctions currently imposed on yeshiva students. Addressing those sanctions, he said, would remain a goal for the next Knesset term.

Ben Tzur also expressed confidence that the legislation would survive a challenge before Israel’s High Court of Justice.

“I believe the High Court also understands that the chaos on the roads and the protests resulting from these arrests serve no useful purpose,” he said. “I do not believe the Court will intervene in this law, especially not on the eve of elections.”

Turning to the proposed Basic Law recognizing Torah study, Ben Tzur described it as primarily declarative rather than a mechanism for bypassing the principle of equality.

“The purpose of the law is for the State of Israel to recognize Torah study as a national value,” he said. “That alone is an important step forward. On the basis of that law, we will be able in the future to advance the draft law.”

According to Ben Tzur, the immediate goal is to stop the arrests through Deri’s proposed legislation.

The Shas lawmaker also spoke emotionally about visits he and other chareidi members of the Knesset have made to Military Prison 10, where they meet yeshiva students who have been detained.

“We do not view them as ‘deserters’ or ‘draft dodgers,’” he said. “We view them as talmidei yeshiva who should have been sitting and learning and who were arrested for the ‘crime’ of learning Torah.”

“Anyone who calls them deserters is wrong. These are yeshiva students who were arrested because they chose Torah study. We appreciate these bochurim, and we want to encourage them. These prison visits provide that encouragement.”

Ben Tzur recalled a conversation with one of the detainees.

“One of the bochurim told me it was his second arrest,” he said. “During his first imprisonment he completed Maseches Gittin. These are young men who continue learning diligently even while in prison. We must appreciate them. I am proud to visit someone who was arrested for the ‘crime’ of learning Torah. He deserves the highest respect.”

Ben Tzur also sharply criticized police conduct during recent protests in the chareidi community, describing scenes that he said were deeply disturbing.

“What happened was simply horrific,” he said. “It reminded us of very dark periods in the past. This is how Jews were treated in other countries. If this had happened to Jews in Europe or the United States, we would all have cried out. But when it happens here? It is inconceivable. I cannot understand such cruelty—kicking a bochur in the head while he is lying on the ground, tearing people’s clothing.”

Addressing police officers directly, he added, “My brothers in the police force, I do not understand where this evil comes from. Where does this cruelty come from? Some of you come from our own community. How do you reach such a level of hatred toward bnei Torah? I am deeply astonished, and I hope those responsible will be held accountable.”

Looking ahead to the political landscape after the elections, Ben Tzur predicted that Netanyahu would ultimately secure enough seats to form a governing coalition.

“In my assessment, Netanyahu will ultimately obtain the number of mandates he needs to establish a government,” he said. “If he seeks to form a national unity government, we have supported such governments in the past. Shas has done so before, and if it enables us to work together and restore stability, that is something we can discuss.”

{Matzav.com}

A Knesset committee discussion on the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study erupted into a fiery political confrontation Monday as Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni lashed out at Israel’s legal establishment, clashed with opposition lawmakers, and unexpectedly took aim at Shas during the contentious proceedings.

The explosive exchange came against the backdrop of the ongoing dispute over the military draft of yeshiva students, chareidi legislation, and the crisis surrounding government funding for daycare centers serving chareidi families.

Opening his remarks, Gafni said the chareidi public had been unfairly targeted throughout the current Knesset term.

“What has happened to the chareidi community during this term is simply unbelievable,” he said.

He pointed to the daycare funding crisis, arguing that government policies were harming young families and the broader economy.

“The daycare issue affects children, babies, and mothers who go out to work,” Gafni said. “When you undermine that system, you prevent women from working and damage the economy.”

Gafni then turned his criticism toward the Attorney General’s Office, accusing it of consistently opposing the interests of the chareidi community.

“I could go through issue after issue,” he said. “There is not a single aspect of our lives in which the Attorney General is with us. She is against us. Period. Our lives are in the garbage as far as this is concerned.”

His remarks immediately sparked an uproar in the committee room.

MK Naor Shiri of Yesh Atid fired back, accusing Gafni of being detached from reality.

“Your lives are in the garbage?” Shiri responded. “You’re disconnected. The lives that are in the garbage are those of the reservists and the bereaved families. What you’re saying is absurd.”

Lawmakers repeatedly shouted over one another as the session briefly descended into chaos.

The confrontation reflected the widening divide over legislation concerning yeshiva students and Torah study, with the chareidi parties continuing to insist that their legislative priorities be advanced before they support other coalition initiatives.

Later in the debate, Shiri accused the chareidi education system of ethnic discrimination in admissions to seminaries, prompting Gafni to reject the allegation.

“My granddaughter studies in Bnei Brak,” Gafni said. “Sixty percent of the girls there are from Sephardic backgrounds. I’ve never even made such calculations.”

However, Gafni then unexpectedly directed criticism toward his own coalition partners in Shas.

Referring to schools established for Sephardic families, he remarked, “I don’t really understand. They opened schools for Sephardic communities that follow Sephardic customs—so why don’t they themselves send their children there? But that’s not something I ask.”

The comment was widely interpreted as a pointed jab at Shas supporters and leadership, suggesting that those advocating separate educational institutions often choose not to enroll their own children in them.

The confrontation came amid mounting pressure from the chareidi parties over stalled legislation and an escalating daycare funding crisis. Hundreds of daycare workers face possible layoffs, and dozens of daycare centers in Modi’in Illit and Beitar Illit have warned they may be unable to open for the upcoming school year without an immediate government solution.

The political tensions have also intensified following a recent meeting between Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, Gafni, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, during which the chareidi leaders reportedly demanded swift advancement of both the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study and legislation aimed at ending the arrests of yeshiva students. Monday’s committee debate underscored the growing strains not only between the chareidi parties and Israel’s legal establishment, but also within the governing coalition itself.

A heated Knesset committee debate over the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study erupted Monday as MK Yaakov Asher of United Torah Judaism launched a scathing attack on Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky, accusing the government’s legal establishment of hypocrisy and applying a double standard to legislation supported by the chareidi parties.

“This document is not a legal opinion—it is a document of hypocrisy,” Asher declared. “You’re spitting on us and telling us it’s rain.”

Speaking during a discussion on the proposed Basic Law, which seeks to formally recognize the status of Torah study, Asher sharply criticized the legal opinion submitted by Sompolinsky, arguing that it contained internal contradictions and unfairly dismissed the legislation.

He focused on what he described as inconsistencies in the opinion’s criticism of the bill’s wording.

“The introduction discusses the legislative process, Basic Laws, a constitution, and points to numerous flaws of ambiguity,” Asher said. “It claims it is unclear what the law means and to what it applies.”

Asher argued that such criticism ignored how previous Basic Laws were enacted, particularly those advanced during the judicial era associated with former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak.

He cited Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty and Basic Law: Freedom of Occupation, saying those laws also contained intentionally broad language.

“At that time, these laws were passed without detailed definitions,” he said. “On the contrary, many of the provisions were deliberately left vague in order to achieve broad agreement.”

According to Asher, those landmark Basic Laws passed the Knesset by relatively narrow margins toward the end of a legislative session.

“That was the method then,” he said. “Pass them while leaving them intentionally ambiguous because they dealt with values.”

He then challenged what he viewed as an inconsistency within Sompolinsky’s own legal analysis.

“You write that the difficulty with this Basic Law stems from the gap between its language and its stated purpose,” Asher said. “Then you say there is great ambiguity and it is unclear what it means. Isn’t that the opposite?”

The sharpest exchange came when Asher objected to language in the legal opinion describing Torah and Torah study as part of the Jewish people’s “heritage” and “collective memory.”

Reading from the opinion, he quoted its reference to “Torah and Torah study as part of the heritage of the Jewish people,” along with its reliance on Israel’s Declaration of Independence and the vision of the biblical prophets.

“I will say one thing,” Asher responded. “We did not inherit this land because of collective memory or because of the vision of the prophets. We inherited this land because of explicit verses in the Torah, in which the Holy One, Blessed be He, promised this land to Avraham Avinu.”

He continued by rejecting other historical justifications for Israel’s existence.

“We did not inherit this land solely because of the War of Independence or the IDF, nor because of those who remained in Europe and did not come here. Thanks to them we inherited the land? Enough with this nonsense.”

The remarks prompted immediate protests from other members of the committee.

Asher later clarified what he called the central principle behind the legislation.

“Our right to this land is not based on collective memory or on folklore that we need to preserve,” he said. “Our right comes from the Torah and from Torah study every single day. That is what sustains us here. That is what sustained the Jewish people throughout Europe and during all the persecutions.”

The committee session was repeatedly interrupted by shouting and exchanges among lawmakers, forcing Asher to ask several times to finish his remarks.

“I ask that I not be interrupted,” he said at one point before adding moments later, “May I continue speaking? Thank you very much.”

Committee Chairman Yaakov Asher also reminded participants that numerous organizations were still waiting to present their views before the meeting concluded.

The debate over the proposed Basic Law comes amid the ongoing national dispute over the military draft of yeshiva students. Chareidi lawmakers are seeking to anchor the value and status of Torah study in a Basic Law, while tensions between the chareidi parties and Israel’s legal establishment continue to intensify over issues including yeshiva funding and the treatment of bnei Torah.

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic video that spread rapidly across social media over the weekend appears to show Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello in a heated confrontation with a member of an American search-and-rescue team after Cabello allegedly prevented the group from assisting victims of last week’s catastrophic earthquakes.

Cabello, who is wanted by U.S. authorities on multiple narcotics-related terrorism charges, remains one of the most influential figures in Venezuela’s socialist government and oversees much of the regime’s internal security and enforcement apparatus.

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American search and rescue teams continue to work day and night alongside our partners in Venezuela to save lives, reunite families, and bring hope and support where it’s needed most. pic.twitter.com/sV5AbI8hBs

— Department of State (@StateDept) June 28, 2026

Presidenta (E) Delcy Rodríguez lideró encuentro con brigadas de rescatistas internacionales pic.twitter.com/Z97ND2LXVr

— Miraflores Al Momento (@AlMomento_M) June 28, 2026

In his role as interior minister, Cabello has been deeply involved in the government’s response to the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday. The disaster has claimed the lives of at least 1,400 people, while thousands more remain injured or unaccounted for.

The hardest-hit region was the northern state of La Guaira, where most of the nearly 800 buildings that suffered partial or total collapse were located.

According to La Estrella de Panama, footage widely shared online shows Cabello engaged in an argument with a man identified as a member of the U.S. rescue delegation. During the exchange, the American is heard pleading, “There is somebody right over there that we’re trying to help,” while Cabello continues to dispute the situation.

A second video published by the Miami-based outlet El Venezolano TV appears to capture the same incident from another perspective. Near the conclusion of the recording, the American official remarks, “I’m not happy with this situation.”

Venezuelan journalist and Breitbart News contributor Emmanuel Rincón said unnamed sources told him the confrontation lasted several minutes and that Cabello allegedly “even hitting a vehicle” during the dispute.

As of press time, the Venezuelan government has not issued any public statement addressing the viral videos or the reported confrontation.

The incident comes as the government, now headed by “acting President” Delcy Rodríguez, faces mounting criticism over its handling of the earthquake disaster. Critics argue that years of corruption and economic mismanagement have left Venezuela incapable of responding effectively to a catastrophe of this magnitude, forcing residents to conduct rescue efforts with limited equipment and resources.

Even the left-leaning New York Times reported Sunday that Rodríguez has faced accusations of politicizing the disaster response and attempting to use the tragedy for political advantage. Reports published last week alleged that government officials have obstructed civilian-led humanitarian efforts, insisting that only local socialist authorities and members of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) are “authorized” to accept and distribute relief supplies.

State-controlled media have portrayed Rodríguez as leading the country’s emergency response. At the same time, however, the United States, along with several other countries—including El Salvador and Mexico—has dispatched rescue teams and humanitarian assistance to search for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings, particularly in La Guaira.

On Saturday evening, Rodríguez reportedly called international search-and-rescue teams away from their operations to attend an official government ceremony.

Venezuelan media reported that Rodríguez acknowledged during the event that rescue personnel were being temporarily pulled from lifesaving work, telling them, “We wanted to briefly step you away from your tasks, which we know are vital, to thank you on behalf of the Venezuelan people. We are in the critical hours for saving lives.”

The ceremony quickly drew criticism from many Venezuelans, who questioned the decision to interrupt rescue operations during the crucial window when survivors are most likely to be found alive.

The region now known as La Guaira was formerly called Vargas until Venezuela’s socialist government renamed it as part of what it described as a decolonization effort, replacing the name that honored José María Vargas, the nation’s first civilian president.

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey lawmakers have restored a $2 million state security grant for Beth Medrash Govoha after the funding was removed from Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s proposed budget earlier this year, marking a significant victory for the Lakewood Yeshivah.

The final budget package also includes $1 million in municipal aid for Lakewood Township.

The restoration comes after months of concern following the governor’s initial budget proposal, which eliminated the long-standing security allocation for BMG while also reducing funding for the state’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The proposed cuts drew widespread criticism from community leaders, particularly amid the continuing rise in antisemitic threats targeting Jewish institutions.

The $2 million appropriation will continue supporting security and anti-terrorism measures at Beth Medrash Govoha, one of the world’s largest yeshivos. The funding is administered through New Jersey’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program and is intended to help finance permanent and temporary security personnel, along with other protective measures designed to safeguard institutions considered at heightened risk of terrorist attacks or other acts of violence.

In addition to the BMG funding, lawmakers approved a separate $1 million allocation for Lakewood Township in the final state budget.

The security grant has been included in New Jersey budgets for several years and had previously received bipartisan support. Earlier this year, State Sen. Robert Singer spearheaded efforts to restore the funding, arguing that the security needs of Beth Medrash Govoha have only grown more urgent in light of increasing threats against Jewish schools and institutions.

The restored funding was included as lawmakers finalized New Jersey’s record-setting state budget ahead of the June 30 deadline to avoid a government shutdown.