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Dear Matzav Inbox,

I have a question that I honestly can’t understand: Why do day camps close at midday on Erev Tishah B’Av?

Yes, I understand ending camp a little earlier. Counselors need time to get home and prepare for the fast, and families need time to get organized. Nobody is arguing with that. But noon? Seriously?

There is no issur for children to play on Erev Tishah B’Av. You can’t learn Torah, but kids can play ball, do activities, and have a perfectly appropriate camp day until a reasonable hour.

Instead, camps send thousands of children home before lunchtime while charging parents full tuition. Day camp tuition has become astronomical. Every year, the prices go up. Parents are paying premium rates, yet somehow they’re getting less and less.

What makes this especially frustrating is that the day camps aren’t the only ones affected by this decision. They’re forcing everyone else to deal with it too.

When camp closes at noon, thousands of parents suddenly have to leave work early. Offices lose employees for the afternoon. Businesses have to close early. People burn vacation days. Others scramble to find babysitters at the last minute. Some simply can’t leave work and are put in an impossible situation.

Why should day camp owners get to decide that the entire local workforce has to shut down early?

If there’s a real halachic reason that camps can’t operate past noon, then explain it. But if there isn’t—and I’ve yet to hear one—then this policy makes absolutely no sense.

It feels like the attitude is, “We’re closing, so everyone else can figure it out.”

That’s not fair to the families who are paying the bills.

Parents are not asking camps to stay open until six o’clock. But 12:00? That’s ridiculous.

For years, parents have accepted endless fees, shortened schedules, and more days off. At some point, enough is enough.

The day camps seem to forget that they’re providing a service that families depend on, not just entertainment for children. Working parents build their schedules around camp. Pulling the plug halfway through the day creates unnecessary headaches for thousands of families.

The community deserves an explanation and frankly it deserves better.

A Very Frustrated Parent

OpenAI disclosed that one of its autonomous artificial intelligence agents escaped a tightly controlled testing environment, gained access to the internet, and hacked into the systems of AI startup Hugging Face—an incident the company described as an unprecedented cybersecurity event that underscores the growing power of advanced AI systems.

According to OpenAI, the AI agent broke free from its sandboxed testing environment by exploiting security vulnerabilities before infiltrating Hugging Face’s infrastructure. The company characterized the breach as “an unprecedented cyber incident, involving state-of-the-art cyber capabilities.” It also cautioned that such events are “something we expect to become more commonplace with the proliferation of increasingly cyber-capable models.”

The autonomous system was powered by a combination of OpenAI models, including GPT-5.6 Sol and an even more advanced unreleased model. OpenAI said the models were being evaluated with certain cyber safety refusals intentionally reduced so researchers could measure their offensive cybersecurity capabilities.

Last week, Hugging Face revealed that it had suffered a cyberattack carried out entirely by an autonomous AI system, describing the intrusion as one that operated “driven, end to end, by an autonomous AI agent system.”

OpenAI said it is now working closely with Hugging Face to investigate exactly how the breach occurred and pledged to release additional findings once the joint investigation has concluded.

Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI alongside Sam Altman before leaving the organization and later unsuccessfully suing it, reacted briefly to the news on X. “Troubling …” he said.

{Matzav.com}

In this episode, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Reinman discusses the decline of Jewish society, the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and the beginning of the diaspora.

WATCH:

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Second Destruction

As we move into the first century of the common era, our reliance on the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus takes on a different character. Until this point, his works were based on sources and oral traditions. From this point on, he writes about contemporary events, either things he heard directly from his elders, in whose memories they were still fresh, or events in which he participated. Therefore, it is important to take a closer look at the man and his works.

The primary source for Jewish history during the period between the arrival of the Greeks three centuries before the common era and the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash almost four centuries later is the work of Josephus. There are other sources for Persian, Greek and Roman history. Authoritative Jewish sources, however, end with the completion of the Tanach and don’t resume until the recording of the Talmud and the Midrash. Even then, it is important to discern history from allegory.

Into this gap stepped one of the most important historians of the ancient world. His name was Yosef ben Gorion, otherwise known as Josephus. He was a member of the priestly Gorion family, a staunch Pharisee who was also fluent in Greek and familiar with secular culture. He lived during the first century of the common era and fought as a general in the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire. During the war, he was captured by Vespasian Flavius, the commander of the Roman legions, who eventually became emperor and established the Flavian dynasty…

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

{Matzav.com}

A large police presence descended on Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ today after reports of possible gunfire sparked fears of an active threat, but the situation was quickly resolved when investigators determined the sounds came from maintenance work on the building’s roof.

The alarm was raised after several people called authorities to report what they believed were gunshots in the area, prompting an immediate and extensive response from the Lakewood Police Department and multiple emergency agencies.

Acting out of caution, law enforcement deployed dozens of armed officers to the campus, supported by K-9 teams and drones, while conducting a comprehensive search of the buildings to ensure there was no ongoing danger.

After completing the sweep, police confirmed that the loud noises were caused by an HVAC crew performing work on the roof. Authorities said there was never any threat to anyone.

{Matzav.com}

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Project Inspire is proud to announce the release of “The Unlikely Village,” an original film by Mint Media premiering on Tisha B’av 5786, exclusively on ProjectInspire.com in the USA and Canada.

The film tells the story of how Boro Park, a neighborhood built on generations of tradition, became something far bigger than its own streets: a source of inspiration for Jews of every background, from every walk of life, looking for connection, meaning, and a way back in.

At its core, “The Unlikely Village” is a story of friendship and mentorship. It follows the relationships that form when people from vastly different worlds find themselves walking the same sidewalk, literally and spiritually, and discover that transformation often begins in the most unexpected places.

“This film captures something we’ve felt for a long time but never quite put into words,” said a Project Inspire representative. “Boro Park isn’t just a neighborhood. For so many people searching for their place in Yiddishkeit, it has become a village in the truest sense, a place where someone always has a hand out to help.”

The premiere comes at a poignant time. Tisha B’av, a day associated with mourning and loss, has long been reframed by Project Inspire as a day of meaning and connection. “The Unlikely Village” continues that mission, using the day to tell a story of unity built from the ground up.

The project was made possible with the support of corporate sponsors Haas & Zaltz LLP, Kosher Palace, Fasten Halberstam, Daily Giving, Relation, and Saul N. Friedman & Co.

“The Unlikely Village” streams Tisha B’av 5786 at ProjectInspire.com.

Hundreds of talmidim from Yeshivas Brisk gathered Tuesday night at the Kosel to daven for the release and well-being of an American yeshiva bochur who has been jailed for several weeks on suspicion of setting fire to equipment used in the construction of Yerushalayim’s light rail. The bochur’s attorney insists he has been falsely accused, while his family claims he has been subjected to mistreatment during his incarceration.

The special tefillah gathering was led by the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas HaGRM”D, Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik. In keeping with the longstanding Brisk custom, Rav Soloveitchik was seen davening at a distance from the stones of the Kosel rather than directly beside them.

The bochur, a talmid of Yeshivas Brisk in Yerushalayim who holds American citizenship, was arrested approximately three weeks ago. According to reports, police officers arrived at his apartment shortly after midnight, forced their way inside, and arrested him while he was still wearing his pajamas.

Authorities allege that he set fire to construction equipment on Bar-Ilan Street in Yerushalayim that was being used for work on the city’s light rail project.

The bochur has denied any involvement throughout his interrogations. Friends from the yeshiva say he was not even in the area when the incident occurred and insist the police have arrested the wrong person.

Police, however, say they possess video footage showing a yeshiva bochur setting a tractor on fire during the night and maintain that the individual seen in the recording is the suspect currently in custody.

His attorney continues to deny any connection between his client and the alleged arson. According to the lawyer, police have wrongly identified the bochur because many members of the Chareidi community dress similarly, including wearing traditional suspenders, making mistaken identification more likely.

The attorney further argued that authorities have been too quick to build a case against an innocent yeshiva student based on his appearance, claiming that similar misidentifications have occurred in previous cases.

The bochur’s family has also accused prison authorities of mistreating him because he is a foreign resident. They allege that for a week and a half after his arrest, he was not permitted to receive his tefillin or a change of clothing, forcing him to remain in the same pajamas in which he was arrested for nearly two weeks.

Last week, police filed an indictment against the bochur and asked the court to keep him in custody until the conclusion of the legal proceedings, formally charging him with the alleged offense.

In response, hundreds of his friends and fellow talmidim gathered at the Kosel under the leadership of Rav Soloveitchik to daven on his behalf. At the same time, supporters warned that if police do not withdraw what they describe as false accusations against the bochur, they intend to launch a major public campaign demanding his release.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Amir Krispel, who served for many years as the personal secretary to Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, says the late Sephardic Torah leader underwent a significant shift in his views on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process following the Oslo Accords. In a new episode of “Yossi’s Podcast,” Rav Krispel also discusses Rav Ovadia’s ruling on the Hebron agreement, his views on military service for Chareidim who are not learning Torah full time, and offers a glimpse into the Rav’s private life.

Rav Krispel explained that during the Oslo era, Rav Ovadia believed that if a peace agreement could genuinely save Jewish lives, halacha would permit territorial concessions under the principle of pikuach nefesh.

“The value of preserving life takes precedence over the Land of Israel,” Rav Krispel said. “If it were truly possible to save Jewish lives, it would be preferable even at the cost of territorial concessions.”

According to Rav Krispel, however, Rav Ovadia’s outlook changed after witnessing developments following the Oslo Accords.

“After Oslo, he was deeply disappointed,” Rav Krispel said. “He saw that the problem was the Palestinian education system, which teaches hatred.”

Rav Krispel recounted that during one meeting with a Palestinian leader, Rav Ovadia remarked that as long as Palestinian children were being raised to hate Jews, genuine peace would remain unattainable.

He added that those experiences fundamentally altered Rav Ovadia’s approach to future diplomatic initiatives.

“Since Oslo, he was no longer willing to hear about any peace agreement or arrangement with the Palestinians,” Rav Krispel said. “He was fiercely protective of Jewish lives.”

Rav Krispel emphasized that Rav Ovadia based his decisions on careful analysis rather than slogans or political rhetoric.

“He listened to generals, requested maps, asked questions, and examined every detail before reaching a decision,” he said.

One of the most notable accounts shared during the interview concerned the Hebron agreement. Rav Krispel recalled that after meeting with right-wing representatives, Rav Ovadia instructed him to drive him in his private vehicle, with Aryeh Deri joining the trip. During the drive, Rav Ovadia ruled that Hebron should not be relinquished and instructed that if the city were divided, Shas should leave the governing coalition. Rav Krispel said the party ultimately acted accordingly.

Turning to current issues, Rav Krispel said he believes that if Rav Ovadia were alive today, he would rule that a Chareidi man who is not engaged in Torah study should serve in the Israel Defense Forces.

Rav Krispel also addressed the current composition of Shas’ Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, saying that “Aryeh Deri is in a difficult position,” referring to his claim that the Shas chairman has not appointed Rishon L’Tzion Rav Yitzchak Yosef as president of the council.

{Matzav.com}

A routine cash purchase of a vehicle in Israel took an unexpected turn after the sellers discovered handwritten messages on several of the banknotes they had received. The inscriptions, which referenced the controversy surrounding the military draft of bnei yeshivos, quickly drew widespread attention after the story was reported by Israeli media.

According to an N12 report, the buyers were a family from Bnei Brak. It was only after the sale had been completed and the sellers counted the cash that they noticed several bills bearing handwritten slogans. Among the messages were “We will die and not enlist” and “Through the merit of the Torah and those who study it, the world will be saved.”

The sellers said they were surprised by the discovery and described the inscriptions as unsettling.

However, it remains unclear who wrote the messages or when they were added to the bills. The banknotes may have circulated through numerous hands before reaching the family that purchased the vehicle, and there is no evidence that the buyers themselves were responsible for writing the slogans.

The incident comes as tensions continue to mount in Israel over the issue of drafting bnei yeshivos into the military.

{Matzav.com}

Were the Batei Mikdash truly destroyed on Tishah B’Av itself? The pesukim and Chazal appear to point to different dates: the seventh of Av, the tenth of Av, or the days surrounding them. Yet Chazal fixed Tishah B’Av as the single date upon which the churbanos of both Batei Mikdash converge, together with the decree upon the Dor HaMidbar, the fall of Beitar, and the plowing of Yerushalayim. Was this merely a date on the calendar, or did Chazal reveal a deeper pattern woven through Jewish history? At the heart of the shiur stands the unforgettable image of Rabbi Akiva traveling with his chaverim to Rome, seeing what they saw, yet understanding what they could not. In the very place where others heard only the footsteps of destruction, Rabbi Akiva discerned the first sounds of geulah. “Akiva, nichamtanu” was not simply a response to one comforting insight; it was the recognition of a unique Torah vision—the ability to look into the darkest moments of history and perceive, with absolute emunah, the light already forming at the end of the tunnel.

WATCH:

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By Jamie Geller

I did not expect to hear the word joy so many times while making a film about grief.

In 2025, twenty Jews were murdered in antisemitic attacks outside of Israel. More than 800 severe antisemitic incidents were documented around the world. It was the deadliest year for Jews living outside Israel this century, and so I started working on a film to document it. When I began, I assumed I already understood the shape of that year. I did not. It took sitting across from the people who lived through it to see the pattern that had been there all along. They did not come for us at random moments. They came for us on our holidays.

A terrorist attacked Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, while worshippers prayed and fasted. Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were murdered that morning. Melvin was the first Jewish man killed in the United Kingdom for being Jewish in 80 years. Gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, killing fifteen people, among them a girl who had just turned ten, a Holocaust survivor, and a rabbi. And during the war between Israel and Iran, a ballistic missile struck a residential building in Haifa on the fourth day of Passover, killing four members of the Gershovitz family.

Yom Kippur. Hanukkah. Passover. While we were praying. While we were lighting candles. While we were celebrating. This has been something that has happened in Israel several times: the Yom Kippur War, October 7th, now it is spreading to the Diaspora.

As the person behind Aish’s Tisha B’Av documentary While We Were Celebrating, I traveled to three continents this year to sit with the people who lived through each of these attacks, and with the families they left behind. I went in bracing myself for grief. I have made enough films and sat with enough loss to know what to expect. What I found instead has not left me since.

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Karen Cravitz told me she was the one who encouraged her husband Melvin to leave for synagogue early that Yom Kippur morning, because that is simply what you do on the holiest day of the year. She has spent every day since turning that decision over in her head, a decision made entirely out of love and faith. Yoni Finlay was holding the synagogue doors shut to keep the terrorist out when a police bullet struck him in the chest and passed through his body into his friend Adrian, who was standing right behind him. And Rabbi Daniel Walker described his congregation to me as a reserved, quiet English crowd that does not usually dance on Friday nights. That next Friday, they danced.

In Sydney, Sheina Gutnik told me about her father, Reuven Morrison, who ran toward the gunmen at Bondi Beach and used his own body as a shield, saving dozens of lives before losing his.

Through the grief, through the funeral, through the memorial service that followed, Sheina lit Hanukkah candles. All eight nights. She told me she was not going to be the one to let the light go out. That message really moved me in ways I cannot explain.

Chavi Israel recounted how she threw herself over her baby, Meir, the moment the shooting started, trying to protect him and trying somehow not to suffocate him at the same time. She told me it was Reuven who saved both their lives. 

Yonatan Frank, a soldier who had come to Australia from Gaza days earlier, and wanted to go to the beach, found himself unarmed in the middle of a massacre and ran toward it anyway. Yonatan helped Chavi’s sister-in-law and her baby reach a waiting car that had arrived to rescue them. Eleven people ended up crammed into a car built for five. Chavi, Meir, Yonatan, and eight strangers who were suddenly not strangers at all. Once they were safe, they lit Hanukkah candles to keep the light alive.

In Haifa, Professor Lena Sagi told me about her neighbors, the Gershovitz family, who were found after an eighteen-hour search through what had been their home. Lena had lost everything but her life that night, the Gershovitz family weren’t as lucky. Lena told me that she later danced at her daughter’s bat mitzvah. Alex Gershovitz, Vladimir’s brother, still cannot speak about his family without his voice catching. In the same moment that he described himself to me as a secular Jew, he looked me in the eye and said that he believes God has a plan.

I sat with each of these people separately. Different continents, different languages, different circumstances. None of them knew what the others had said, yet every single one of them told me the same thing, completely unprompted.

They did not want to talk to me about their pain. They wanted to talk to me about joy. Not in spite of what happened to them, but because of it.

They chose to speak now, ahead of Tisha B’Av, because they understand what that day means to the Jewish world. It is our most reflective moment, the day we sit with our losses across history. None of these people are asking to be pitied. They are asking to be heard; they are asking us to understand our mission to live.  

This is nothing new for us. It runs through our history like a current, from the Inquisition to the pogroms to the Holocaust to October 7th, to Manchester, to Bondi, to Haifa. Our enemies have tried to extinguish our flame in every generation, and in every generation, the answer has been the same.

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Live more Jewishly. Live more joyously. Celebrate again. That will be the ultimate victory over our enemies.

This Tisha B’Av, as we sit on the floor and mourn what we have lost, I am sure that I will keep hearing Karen, Sheina, Chavi, and Lena in my head, asking this of me. I did not write their message. I am only carrying it, but now I am not making simple assumptions; I too am listening.

———————–

While We Were Celebrating, the Aish Original Tisha B’Av documentary film, premieres worldwide on July 22. It is free to watch. Register at aish.com/9av. To arrange a community screening, visit 9av.aish.com/groupscreening. For more information email 9avfilm@aish.com

A chance visit to a restaurant in northern Israel led to an emotional reunion for a Chabad emissary, who discovered that years after encouraging the owner to close on Shabbos and become kosher, the business had undergone a dramatic transformation. According to the franchise owner, the move not only brought financial success but was followed by what he described as a deeply personal miracle after more than a decade of waiting for another child.

Rabbi Bentzi Friedman, who today serves as a Chabad emissary working with youth in Beit Shean, recently returned to Rosh Pina for the first time in years. The unexpected visit brought back memories of his days as a yeshiva student in Tzfas, when every Friday he traveled through the Rosh Pina area participating in Chabad’s Mivtza Tefillin, visiting local businesses, helping Jewish men put on tefillin, and encouraging them to strengthen their observance of Torah and mitzvos.

For nearly three years, from the beginning of his yeshiva studies onward, Rabbi Friedman followed the same weekly route. One of the regular stops was a BBB restaurant that, at the time, was neither kosher nor closed on Shabbos. There he developed a warm relationship with Nissim, one of the franchise operators. Each Friday, the two would put on tefillin together and spend time discussing Yiddishkeit. During nearly every conversation, Rabbi Friedman urged him to consider closing the restaurant on Shabbos.

Looking back, Rabbi Friedman recalled that their conversations were always respectful and sincere.

“Every week I spoke to him about keeping Shabbos,” he said. “I told him, ‘Nissim, close the business on Shabbos. Hashem does not bring blessing through work on Shabbos.’”

Nissim never rejected the message. Instead, he explained that he wanted to stop operating on Shabbos but faced resistance from others connected to the business.

“I’m constantly pushing for it, but they won’t agree,” he would tell Rabbi Friedman. Despite hearing the same response week after week, the young yeshiva student continued returning every Friday, putting on tefillin with him and speaking about the importance of Shabbos, never knowing whether those conversations would ultimately make a difference.

Before leaving for a year of study at Chabad’s central yeshiva in New York, Rabbi Friedman witnessed an encouraging development elsewhere in Rosh Pina. Another dairy restaurant he regularly visited during his Friday outreach decided to become kosher and stop operating on Shabbos.

When he entered one Friday, a waiter approached him and said, “You know this happened because of you. Every week you came here and spoke with the management about keeping Shabbos.”

The comment caught him completely by surprise. He had barely interacted with the restaurant’s owners and had no idea his conversations had made such an impression. Inspired by the news, he shared the story with Nissim, hoping it would encourage him.

“You see? That restaurant became kosher and started closing on Shabbos. You can do the same,” he told him.

Nissim again explained that the decision was not entirely his to make.

Not long afterward, Rabbi Friedman left for New York. In the years that followed, he married, established his family, and later accepted a Chabad shlichus in Beit Shean. His weekly visits to the BBB restaurant gradually became a distant memory from his yeshiva years.

Recently, while traveling through the Rosh Pina area with his family, Rabbi Friedman suggested stopping by to see some of the people he had met years earlier. As he approached the BBB location, he was stunned. The restaurant prominently displayed kosher certification, and its posted hours showed that it closed three hours before the start of Shabbos each Friday.

Filled with emotion, he entered the restaurant and asked employees whether Nissim was there. They directed him to the office.

“Nissim, do you remember me?” Rabbi Friedman asked as he walked in.

The owner recognized him immediately, and the two warmly embraced. Rabbi Friedman then asked the question that had been on his mind ever since seeing the new signs.

“What happened here? How did the restaurant become kosher and start closing on Shabbos?”

Rather than answer immediately, Nissim opened a business application on his phone and showed Rabbi Friedman the restaurant’s financial figures. Before the change, he explained, monthly revenue averaged between 300,000 and 350,000 shekels. After becoming kosher and closing on Shabbos, some months produced nearly double that amount.

Nissim explained that the transformation had not come easily.

“You have no idea what battles took place here,” he told Rabbi Friedman.

According to Nissim, the restaurant chain strongly opposed shutting down a successful location on Shabbos. About three months ago, after repeated unsuccessful attempts to persuade management, he decided to issue an ultimatum. He placed the restaurant keys on the table and told senior executives, “I’m leaving. I’m done working on Shabbos. If you’re not willing to close the business on Shabbos, take the keys and find someone else.”

Surprised by the determination of a successful franchise operator willing to walk away, company officials asked for two weeks to consider the matter. They eventually agreed to allow the restaurant to become kosher and close on Shabbos, provided it underwent an extensive renovation.

Nissim accepted the condition, investing approximately 700,000 shekels to bring the restaurant into compliance with kosher standards while hoping the business would remain financially stable.

But the financial success, he said, was only part of the story.

Nissim shared that he and his wife had one daughter and had spent 12 years hoping and praying for another child. During that time, they underwent lengthy and expensive fertility treatments, but nothing had succeeded.

Then, looking directly at Rabbi Friedman, he said, “The moment we started closing the business on Shabbos, my wife became pregnant.”

He once again reached for his phone, this time showing Rabbi Friedman a photograph of his five-month-old baby boy.

“This is because of you. You have no idea what you accomplished here,” he said emotionally.

Rabbi Friedman said he was left speechless by the revelation.

“I was just a simple yeshiva student who went out every Friday to do what needed to be done,” he recalled. “I put tefillin on with another Jew and spoke with him, never realizing what those conversations would eventually accomplish. Seven years later, I was privileged to see the results.”

According to Rabbi Friedman, the impact extended beyond a single restaurant. After the Rosh Pina location became the first in the chain to adopt kashrus and close on Shabbos, additional franchises followed suit. Today, he said, tens of thousands of customers dine at kosher, Shabbos-observant locations throughout the network. For the Chabad emissary, the unexpected reunion served as a powerful reminder that even the smallest act of outreach—a conversation, a pair of tefillin, or a few words about holiness—can bear fruit years later.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump dramatically escalated his warnings to Iran on Wednesday, declaring that the United States will begin destroying Iranian bridges and power plants if Tehran continues attacking commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced a new policy tying every Iranian strike on shipping in the strategic waterway to a direct American attack on key Iranian infrastructure.

“From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Earlier Wednesday, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported a powerful explosion on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it occurred after the launch of a U.S. missile.

The latest warning came after U.S. Central Command announced that American forces had completed an eleventh consecutive night of military strikes against Iranian targets.

According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted military command centers, naval assets, aircraft hangars, drone storage sites, and logistical infrastructure in an effort to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten international shipping passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Over the past three months, Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the international waterway, which is vital to regional and global trade. These unjustified attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent sailors and violated freedom of navigation,” the Central Command said.

CENTCOM added that commercial traffic continues to move through the strategic waterway despite the conflict.

“Despite Iranian aggression, the Strait of Hormuz remains open to the passage of commercial vessels. Since the beginning of May, CENTCOM forces have helped secure the passage of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil.”

Iranian media reported that the latest American strikes struck numerous locations across the country, including Bahman, Mahshahr, Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, Bushehr, and Parchin. Reports also indicated that Iranian air defense systems were activated in the Sohank neighborhood of northeastern Tehran, west of Tabriz, and in the city of Sirik.

The United States and Iran have now been engaged in open military conflict for nearly two weeks, following Iran’s refusal to honor its agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping and its continued attacks on vessels using the vital trade route. During the conflict, Iran has launched missiles and drones at targets across the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, striking desalination facilities, energy infrastructure, and American military bases. Iranian attacks have also claimed the lives of three U.S. servicemen in Jordan.

{Matzav.com}

A growing internal disagreement has surfaced within the Gerer chassidus over how aggressively to respond to the arrest of yeshiva students in the ongoing draft controversy, with reports indicating a widening divide between the movement’s political leadership and a group of activists pushing for more confrontational protests.

According to Hebrew media reports, the Gerer political leadership worked behind the scenes to prevent Monday night’s demonstration outside the Tel Aviv home of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The protest came one day after thousands of Gerer chassidim gathered outside Military Prison 10 to demonstrate against the detention of a Gerer yeshiva student classified by the military as a draft evader.

While senior Gerer political figure Motty Babchik reportedly sought to calm tensions, the protest outside the attorney general’s residence was organized by an independent group of avreichim.

Channel 13 correspondent Yoeli Brim reported that the Gerer Rebbe himself instructed followers to intensify the demonstrations with the goal of “wearing down the police.”

The latest protest is said to reflect a broader internal struggle within the chassidus. According to the report, the Gerer political leadership has increasingly found itself at odds with large groups of avreichim who favor a far more forceful campaign and reject any discussion of compromise on the issue of the military draft for bnei yeshivos.

In a separate report, Kan News correspondent Daniel Groveis said the demonstration outside Baharav-Miara’s home took place despite the wishes of Gerer’s official leadership. According to the report, the protest was spearheaded by what was described as a “militant opposition” faction within the chassidus that is said to have ties to the Peleg Yerushalmi.

A Salvadoran illegal immigrant who entered the United States during the Biden administration and was later released into the country is now accused of gunning down a 71-year-old military veteran in what investigators believe was a random attack. Federal officials are also pointing to California’s sanctuary policies, arguing they prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from taking the suspect into custody before the deadly shooting.

ICE placed a detainer on Axel Eduardo Chavez-Marroquin, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who crossed the southern border into California in 2021 and was released into the United States by the Biden administration.

“This illegal alien should’ve never been allowed on our streets, and James Witten should still be alive today,” Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Lauren Bis said. “ICE is now asking officials in Utah to commit to not releasing this criminal from jail and to work with ICE so that we can remove him from our country. Reckless sanctuary policies in states like California are putting American lives at risk.”

Authorities in West Point, Utah, say the fatal shooting took place on May 30 as Randy Witten was decorating the porch of his home with his back turned toward the street. Investigators allege that Chavez-Marroquin drove up, exited his vehicle, and fired 10 shots at the unsuspecting veteran before fleeing the scene.

Police say Witten died from the gunfire. Investigators allege the suspect immediately drove to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was ultimately arrested on June 16 and charged in connection with the killing.

Detectives say the entire shooting was captured by Witten’s doorbell camera. Despite the video evidence, investigators have not yet determined a motive and remain uncertain whether the victim was deliberately targeted.

Witten is survived by his wife, Maria, along with their children. According to his obituary, he devoted two decades to military service in the U.S. Air Force and served during the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and the invasion of Grenada.

“His Military decorations include; Meritorious Service Medal; AF Commendation Medal with one device; AF outstanding Unit Award with two devices; AF Organizational Excellence Award with one device; AF Good Conduct Medal with five devices; National Defense Service Medal with one device; NCO Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon with two devices; Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with one device; and AF Training Ribbon,” Witten’s obituary reads.

Chavez-Marroquin has been charged with murder with a dangerous weapon, discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, dangerous weapon conduct by a restricted person, and obstruction of justice. He remains jailed in Davis County, Utah, awaiting further legal proceedings.

Federal officials contend the suspect could have been deported before the killing if California authorities had cooperated with ICE. Chavez-Marroquin had previously been arrested in Santa Ana in 2024 on domestic violence allegations and again in Laguna Niguel in 2025 on another domestic violence charge.

Because of California’s sanctuary state policies, ICE says it was never notified after either of those arrests, preventing agents from taking him into immigration custody.

“This monster is charged with murdering a 71-year-old Army and Air Force veteran in Utah. California sanctuary politicians released this criminal from jail twice after arrests for domestic violence,” Bis said. “Following his release, he went on to commit this heinous murder.”

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

More than 70 speakers, 35 live programs, and multiple specialized channels will unite Jews around the world on July 22–23, 2026.

This Tisha B’Av, Jews across the globe will have an extraordinary opportunity to experience a full day of meaningful Torah, kinnos, inspiration, and reflection through TorahAnytime’s annual Tisha B’Av Live Streaming Event.

Taking place on July 22–23, 2026, the completely free program will feature 25 hours of continuous content, with more than 70 renowned rabbanim, speakers, and educators participating in over 35 live events and specialized programs.

The event is designed to help every participant connect with the meaning of Tisha B’Av in a way that speaks personally to them.

Viewers and listeners will be able to select from a wide variety of simultaneous programming, including TorahAnytime’s main broadcast, JewishAnytime, TorahAnytime Español, Daily Dose, StoryAnytime, Chazak, Torah Connections, dedicated women’s programming, children’s programming, kinnos, and much more.

Something Meaningful for Everyone

Tisha B’Av can be a long and emotionally challenging day. TorahAnytime’s goal is to transform those hours into an opportunity for deeper understanding, spiritual growth, and connection to Klal Yisrael.

The diverse lineup enables participants to choose the speakers, styles, languages, and topics that resonate most with them.

The program includes leading rabbanim and speakers from across the Jewish world, representing a broad range of communities and audiences.

Among the many featured speakers are Rabbi YY Jacobson, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, Rabbi Zev Leff, Rabbi Moshe Meiselman, Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz, Rabbi Daniel Glatstein, Rabbi Fischel Schachter, Rabbi David Ashear, Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro, Rabbi Joey Haber, Rabbi Benzion Klatzko, Mr. Charlie Harary, Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Rabbi Mordechai Becher, Rabbi Shlomo Farhi, Rabbi Chanan Gordon, Rabbi Yaakov Rahimi, Rabbi Pinchas Landis, Rabbi Don Jarashow, and many others.

A special live program featuring Rabbi Joey Haber is also scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Live Kinnos From Communities Around the World

In addition to inspirational lectures and presentations, TorahAnytime will offer access to live kinnos programs from prominent rabbanim, shuls, and communities.

Participants will be able to join kinnos led by speakers including Rabbi Daniel Glatstein, Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro, Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, Rabbi Aharon Lopiansky, Rabbi Yosef Ginsberg, Rabbi Eliezer Abish, and others.

Programs will also connect listeners with communities in locations including Har Nof, Manchester, and additional Jewish communities around the world.

No Internet or Smartphone Required

One of the most important features of the event is its accessibility.

Those with internet access can watch or listen through:
TorahAnytime.com/TishaBav

Anyone without internet access or a smartphone can participate by calling the TorahAnytime Tisha B’Av hotline: 605-605-2220

Dedicated international dial-in numbers are also available for Israel, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Callers can select the extension for the program they would like to hear, allowing families and individuals to participate even without a computer or smart device.

A Worldwide Tisha B’Av Experience

TorahAnytime’s Tisha B’Av programming has grown into a major global event, reaching participants in more than 130 cities and attracting more than 750,000 viewers and listeners.

Despite the many different programs, communities, and speakers, the event carries one central message:

On Tisha B’Av, Jews everywhere can come together to mourn, learn, reflect, and strengthen their connection to Hashem and to one another.

Whether someone is looking for an in-depth Torah lecture, a moving personal story, a family-friendly program, a presentation in Spanish, a women’s program, a children’s program, or live kinnos, TorahAnytime is creating an accessible entry point for every Jew.

Join From Anywhere — Completely Free

The entire 25-hour event is being offered 100% free of charge.

Speakers and program times may be updated as the event approaches.

The latest schedule, streaming links, and dial-in information will be available at:
TorahAnytime.com/TishaBav

On July 22–23, Jews around the world are invited to choose a program, invite family and friends, and become part of one of the largest shared Tisha B’Av learning experiences in the world.

A new Channel 13 News poll released Tuesday night shows Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s Likud party running even with Gadi Eisenkot’s newly formed Yashar! party, while the anti-Netanyahu camp would hold a parliamentary advantage if elections were held today.

According to the survey, Likud and Yashar! would each capture 21 Knesset seats, placing the two parties in a statistical tie.

The Together party, headed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, continues to lose ground and is projected to win 14 seats. The Democrats follow with 11 seats, while Yisrael Beytenu is forecast to receive 10. Shas and United Torah Judaism would each secure 8 seats.

The poll projects 7 seats for Otzma Yehudit, 6 for Hadash-Ta’al, and 5 apiece for the Religious Zionist Party and Ra’am. A joint list led by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel would narrowly clear the electoral threshold with 4 seats.

Meanwhile, both Blue and White and Balad are projected to fall below the threshold required to enter the Knesset.

Based on the poll’s seat distribution, the right-wing bloc would control 49 seats, while parties opposed to Netanyahu would command 60 seats without relying on support from the Arab parties.

The survey also measured public preferences for prime minister. In a direct matchup, Gadi Eisenkot leads Netanyahu by a margin of 47% to 35%. When matched against Naftali Bennett, Netanyahu trails by a narrower margin, with Bennett receiving 43% support compared to Netanyahu’s 40%.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced that he is ending a decades-long prohibition on direct commercial flights between the United States and Lebanon, ordering his administration to allow American airlines to resume service following talks at the White House with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Trump revealed the decision in a Truth Social post after meeting with Aoun, praising the Lebanese leader’s efforts to reshape his country and announcing that U.S. carriers will once again be permitted to fly directly to Lebanon.

“After meeting with the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, who has done a remarkable job working to transform his Country, I am hereby directing my Administration to allow all U.S. airline carriers to fly directly to Lebanon so that Americans can easily visit this beautiful land,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The President also applauded Aoun for what he described as a “remarkable job” advancing reforms in Lebanon and urged other nations to reopen direct commercial air service to the country.

Direct flights between the United States and Lebanon have been suspended since 1985, when the U.S. halted commercial service in the aftermath of the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 and amid continuing security concerns during Lebanon’s civil war.

The decision followed discussions between Trump and Aoun centered on expanding cooperation between the two countries, maintaining American support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, and advancing implementation of a recently negotiated framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel that was brokered in Washington.

That agreement, however, is contingent on the complete disarmament of Hezbollah. The Iran-backed terrorist organization has rejected both the framework agreement and the broader peace negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s military issued a stark warning Tuesday that any American strike on its nuclear facilities would trigger a powerful military response against U.S. forces and their allies across the region, following President Donald Trump’s pledge to destroy any Iranian nuclear site under development.

The warning came from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the operational command of the country’s armed forces, which cautioned Washington against carrying out attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

“It is made clear that should the invading and terrorist forces of that nation take such a step, it will be regarded as an escalation of conflict across the region,” the headquarters said in a statement carried by Iran’s IRNA news agency.

“In that event, all US assets, along with those of its allies and backers, will be subject to a decisive strike by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces,” the statement added.

The Iranian threat followed remarks by President Trump at the White House, where he vowed that the United States would strike any location where Iran attempts to revive its nuclear program.

“How about these people? They’re in this because of nuclear weapons, and they’re trying to possibly reconstitute a site? We’ll hit that site. Any site where they’re even thinking about nuclear – we’ll be hitting it very, very powerfully,” Trump said during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Trump’s comments came after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence believes Iran secretly transferred thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges last autumn to a heavily fortified underground complex inside Pickaxe Mountain.

According to the report, Israel shared the intelligence assessment with the United States. The relocation is believed to have taken place after the June 2025 war, when Israeli and American forces carried out strikes against Iran’s three principal nuclear facilities.

{Matzav.com}

22The Dutch government will begin enforcing a ban on imports from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria on September 22, according to a senior Dutch diplomat, making the Netherlands the latest European Union member state to adopt such restrictions.

The official told Haaretz on Tuesday that the new policy is intended to bring the Netherlands’ trade practices into line with international legal positions that view Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria as unlawful.

Under the new rules, businesses and individuals will be prohibited from importing, buying, or selling products manufactured in Israeli communities throughout Judea and Samaria. The regulations also outlaw brokerage and intermediary services related to those goods and impose penalties on anyone attempting to evade the restrictions.

The diplomat said the measure was officially published Tuesday in the Dutch government’s official gazette. Israel’s embassy was informed of the decision before it was publicly announced. Additional diplomatic meetings are expected to take place in The Hague to discuss implementation and could pave the way for broader international sanctions.

The Netherlands now joins Spain and Belgium as the third European Union country to impose an import ban on products originating from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

According to Haaretz, Luxembourg is also expected to adopt similar restrictions in the near future. Because the country relies on the Port of Rotterdam for maritime shipping, its trade policy is closely linked to that of the Netherlands and Belgium.

Ireland has approved similar legislation as well, although it has not yet taken effect because it still requires formal approval from President Catherine Connolly.

The issue was recently discussed by the European Union’s foreign ministers, who considered imposing a bloc-wide ban on goods produced in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. However, the ministers were unable to reach a consensus on implementing such a measure.

Last year, nine EU member states urged the European Commission to draft proposals that would end trade between the European Union and Israeli communities located in Judea and Samaria.

That request was outlined in a letter sent to European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and signed by the foreign ministers of Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

In their letter, the ministers cited a July 2024 advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which declared “Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the settlements within them as illegal”. The opinion also said that countries should take steps to prevent trade and investment activities that help sustain that situation.

{Matzav.com}

A bipartisan group of Brooklyn elected officials is demanding that the New York City Department of Transportation immediately halt the implementation of a controversial bike network expansion in Brooklyn Community Board 14, arguing that the project was advanced without the legally required notice and public process.

In a sharply worded letter dated July 21, Councilmember Simcha Felder, Assemblymembers Simcha Eichenstein and Kalman Yeger, and Councilmember Inna Vernikov called on DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn to “cease and desist” from moving forward with the project south of Avenue H.

The lawmakers contend that the bike lane expansion is being carried out despite widespread opposition from residents and local officials and accuse the department of implementing the project “in the dead of night” without proper notification.

“We write as a group of bipartisan, duly elected New York City and New York State elected officials to demand that the Department of Transportation cease and desist the implementation of the Bike Network expansion within Brooklyn Community Board 14 (CB14), south of Avenue H,” the letter states.

The officials acknowledge that the proposal had previously received approval under two earlier mayoral administrations but argue that the current implementation violates Section 19-101.2 of the New York City Administrative Code because required notifications were not provided.

“Despite our and our constituents’ overwhelming opposition to this project, opposition assented to by two prior Mayoral administrations, we believe the Department’s implementation of this project in the dead of night—without proper notification—violates section 19-101.2 of the New York City Administrative Code,” they wrote.

According to the letter, none of the elected officials’ offices received advance notice before work on the project began. They also allege that the DOT failed to honor Community Board 14’s request to meet with the community within the timeframe required by law.

“Failure to follow the requirements of this section include but are not limited to the notification requirements to City & State elected officials. To the best of our knowledge our respective offices did not receive notification in advance of the implementation of this project. Additionally, upon information and belief, there was a Departmental failure to honor CB14’s request to meet with the community within the time prescribed by the Administrative Code,” the letter states.

The lawmakers argue that bypassing the required procedures undermines both the authority of local elected officials and the community board.

“Lawlessness is not how an agency is intended to operate. Continuing this project would be an attempt to usurp the rights of the Community Board, City Councilmembers, and State representatives that the Administrative Code establishes,” they wrote.

The letter concludes by urging the DOT to stop the project immediately, characterizing the agency’s actions as an attack on representative government.

“To wit, this is not governance but an attempt to undermine representative democracy. We demand the DOT end this project with all deliberate speed.”

Copies of the letter were also sent to the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services and the New York City Law Department.

The Department of Transportation has not yet publicly responded to the lawmakers’ allegations.

{Matzav.com}