Feed aggregator

Dear Matzav Inbox,

The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk has been seared into the public consciousness. It is an act so violent, so brazen, that it forces every decent human being to pause and reflect.

And it got me thinking: Baruch Hashem, in our frum community, we do not see physical assassinations. Guns are not drawn. Shots are not fired.

But let us not fool ourselves. We are not free of blood on our hands. We have our own form of assassination, and it is one that is all too common.

I am talking about character assassination.

It is a plague that has infected certain corners of our community. If we don’t like a person, if their hashkafah doesn’t align neatly with ours, if their psak isn’t the one we’d prefer, if their bais din doesn’t rule in our favor, we don’t simply disagree. We assassinate. We take a scalpel to their reputation. We whisper in the shadows, we spread sly insinuations, we post venom under the cover of anonymity, and we slash apart another Jew’s dignity with the same cruelty as a bullet.

Let us be honest: in some ways, this kind of murder is even more insidious. A physical assassination is obvious, horrific, undeniable. But a character assassination is slow, corrosive, and often justified under the guise of “concern for the community” or “l’sheim Shomayim.” Lashon hara is dressed up as responsibility, rechilus parades as truth-seeking, and before long, good people’s names are lying in tatters on the floor.

I cannot count how many times I have seen this play out. Someone stands for a different approach in chinuch, and suddenly he is a “dangerous innovator.” A rov rules a certain way in halacha, and within hours, the “knowledgeable” chatterers have branded him “ignorant” or “reckless.” A member of a bais din issues an unpopular decision, and people act as though they are now licensed to destroy his reputation for life. We pounce with glee. We circulate half-truths and innuendo until the victim is crushed beneath the weight of communal disdain.

And all of it is done, of course, in the name of frumkeit. Of course.

This, my friends, is nothing less than assassination. The Torah teaches us that malbin pnei chaveiro b’rabim—to shame someone in public—is akin to spilling blood. The comparison is not poetic; it is precise. When you kill a man’s character, when you erase his reputation, you may leave him walking, but you have bled his soul dry.

So no, baruch Hashem, we don’t have assassins lurking with rifles in our shuls. But make no mistake, we have assassinations. We allow it, we tolerate it, and sometimes we allow people in our own communities to even cheer it on. And the damage is no less devastating. Families are shattered. Careers are destroyed. Talmidei chachomim are defamed. Rabbonim, even gedolim, are humiliated. And Klal Yisroel is weakened.

And I must ask: How did we get here? When did our community become so quick to destroy? When did our zeal for the emes morph into a license for cruelty? When did the ruach hatumah of cancel culture seep into our own ranks, turning every minor disagreement into an excuse for major character destruction?

We cry out when outsiders speak against us. We rally when the world mocks our way of life. But inside our own walls, we commit the very violence we decry. The assassination of character has become a national pastime, and it is tearing us apart from within.

It is time to call this out for what it is. It is time for us to stop excusing it, stop cloaking it in noble language, stop pretending it’s anything less than spiritual murder. And it is time for each of us to take responsibility.

Because every time a Yid indulges in character assassination, they desecrate Hashem’s Name. And every time they hold back, every time they protect another Yid’s dignity, they bring kavod Shamayim into this world.

So let us not congratulate ourselves that in our circles, boruch Hashem, there are no assassinations. There are. They just don’t leave bodies in the street. They leave hearts crushed, reputations obliterated, and neshamos broken.

The murder of Charlie Kirk is a reminder of the depths to which society can sink when hatred takes over. But it should also be a mirror for us to look into, honestly and painfully, at the kind of assassination that we have normalized. And perhaps this Elul and these Yomim Noraim, we can commit ourselves to ending this plague, before it claims its next victim.

Signed,

A. S.

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

DON’T MISS OUT! Join the Matzav Status by CLICKING HERE. Join the Matzav WhatsApp Groups by CLICKING HERE.

The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.

{Matzav.com}

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Igud of Yeshivas and Seminaries and Chaim V’Chessed, an important improvement has been introduced to ease the entry of student visa holders into Israel. Until now, all foreign passport holders arriving in Israel were required to stop at passport control, even after using the automatic scanning machines. By contrast, Israeli citizens were able to simply scan their passports at the machines and walk directly out, bypassing the counters. This policy has now changed. Border Control has announced that holders of valid student visas will now be able to enjoy the same streamlined process as Israeli citizens. Upon scanning their passport at the automatic machines, student visa holders will receive a printed slip identifying them as visa holders. If the slip also says “VIP”, they may proceed directly to the exit gates, along with Israeli passport holders, without stopping at the counter. Chaim V’Chessed welcomes this development, which is expected to significantly improve the arrival experience for thousands of yeshiva and seminary students. As with any new policy, there may be some initial confusion about the process. Travelers should check their printed slip carefully upon arrival. If it is marked “VIP,” simply present it to the agent at the exit and proceed via the Israeli passport holder line. This improvement will make arrival in Israel smoother, faster, and far more pleasant for student visa holders. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NOW: Vice President JD Vance is currently hosting the Charlie Kirk Show from the White House.

On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Abraham Accords, President Isaac Herzog welcomed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Yerushalayim today. Rubio arrived in Israel as part of a diplomatic visit, and the two leaders met at the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim.

During their discussions, Herzog emphasized the urgent matter of securing the return of the hostages and highlighted the need to continue striving for stability and peace across the region.

Following their private talks, Herzog and Rubio made short statements to the press before moving on to a broader bilateral session with their teams.

President Herzog expressed his appreciation, telling Rubio: “Mr. Secretary, we’re very happy to have you in Israel. I especially want to mention that today, exactly today is five years to the signing of the Abraham Accords on the White House Lawn. That was a very important historic moment in the history of the Middle East, when agreements that were brokered under the auspices of President Donald Trump, as part of his great legacy to bring peace to the Middle East and to the world, were signed between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Secretary, we bless those agreements every day. They’ve brought enormous change to everybody’s lives in the Middle East, and these allies that signed the agreement, despite all the storms of the Middle East, have kept these agreements going, and it is very important to upgrade and enhance and foster and bring more partners to these agreements.”

He went on to add, “I want to thank all the partners of the agreements and of course, we are most grateful to the United States of America for being there always in times of war and in times of peace, thank you.”

Secretary Rubio, in turn, reflected on the timing of his visit, saying: “Thank you, Mr. President, I think it’s appropriate we’re here on the fifth anniversary of that historic accord. Imagine, despite the difficulties the region has confronted over the last few years, how much more difficult they would have been had the Abraham Accords not been in place, and we’re obviously incredibly grateful as well just from the perspective of the United States to Morocco and Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. They’re also strong partners of ours on a bilateral basis, not to mention as part of this agreement.”

He continued, “As you said, not only does this agreement with these existing partners need to continue to be strengthened and built upon, but it needs to be expanded. There are other countries that have expressed an interest in being a part of this — and one of the great promises of the era is the ability, under President Trump’s second term, to be able to build upon the foundation of the Abraham Accords and expand it to more countries who want to join in something like this. And so it’s also part of our focus. But we are very grateful to our partners and to those who are part of those accords now and grateful to be here today on the fifth anniversary of it to remind us the progress that was made and the opportunities that lie ahead.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) exposed the hypocrisy of senior Hamas officials in Gaza who submitted requests to Israel to leave Gaza while preventing “innocent Gazan civilians” from leaving the Gaza City area, which is currently a war zone. A COGAT spokesperson stated, “While Hamas calls on the residents of Gaza City NOT to move south, its operatives fear for their own lives and are seeking to leave the Gaza Strip. They are using residents of northern Gaza as human shields while looking out for their own interests. “Two weeks ago, a member of the Gaza City Council, Anwar Atallah, fled the Gaza Strip together with his family through the mechanism operated by Israel that allows Gazans to exit via Jordan to a third country. “Many other senior officials have submitted requests for their families to leave the Strip, and some have even asked to leave themselves, but their requests were denied by Israel. “Israel continues to call on residents of northern Gaza to move south for their protection.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump wants to do away with the quarterly earnings report. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said securities regulators should stop requiring companies to issue financial reports every three months and instead switch to a six-month reporting period. The Securities and Exchange Commission has required publicly traded companies to report on a quarterly basis since 1970. “This will save money, and allow managers to focus on properly running their companies,” Trump wrote. Trump asked the SEC to examine the three- versus six-month reporting requirement during his first term. No change was made. Last week, the Long Term Stock Exchange said it planned to petition the SEC to do away with the quarterly requirement. The San Francisco-based exchange lists companies focused on long-term goals. Supporters of the change say quarterly reporting is too costly and time-consuming and discourages companies from wanting to go public. They also say company executives focus too much on hitting quarterly earnings targets and not enough on long-term planning. Those who favor quarterly earnings say the reports provide investors with valuable financial updates and make them aware of any new risks a company is facing. (AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio stood together this afternoon at the Prime Minister’s Office in Yerushalayim, issuing a joint statement after their high-level discussions. Their talks focused on the ongoing war in Gaza, the fate of the hostages, and the continued confrontation with Iran.

Netanyahu began by welcoming Rubio, saying: “Your visit to the eternal capital is a strong demonstration of the strength of the bond between our countries. Iran continues to shout ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel,’ but these threats are neutralized thanks to our joint determination and Trump’s decision to strike its nuclear facilities. It was a message to the entire world that America acts to protect its interests and those of its allies.” He further declared, “Israel has no better ally than America.”

The prime minister went on: “President Trump told me: ‘Remember October 7th,’ and we remember. We remember the hostages, are committed to bringing them all back, and appreciate your help. We remember Hamas and know we must defeat them. They don’t belong there. Your visit is a message that the U.S. stands with Israel, against medieval lies, the rise of antisemitism in the world, and weak governments that increase pressure on us because they crumble under pressure themselves.”

Addressing reports about Israel’s recent actions in Doha, Netanyahu stressed that the move was entirely Israeli-led. “The decision to strike the terrorist leadership there was completely independent. It was made by us, managed by us, and we take full responsibility—because terrorists cannot have safe haven. We did it ourselves. We sent a message to the terrorists: you can flee, but you cannot hide. The strike did not fail; the message was clear: we stripped them of immunity. I do not accept the claim that the operation failed.”

Speaking about the current battles in Gaza, Netanyahu explained: “We do not demolish buildings to frighten people; these are Hamas strongholds. We tell civilians to evacuate, but Hamas shoots them in the legs to keep them there as human shields. The world condemns Israel incorrectly, but we will continue to do everything possible to remove civilians from danger zones, free all the hostages, and ensure Hamas is destroyed.”

Rubio also addressed the Gaza crisis and Qatar’s involvement: “We are focused on the role Qatar can play now to help release the hostages and create a better future for the residents of Gaza, as long as Hamas and the hostages remain there. At the end of the day, Hamas exists, there are 48 hostages, and we remain focused on what can be done next. We have good relations with our partners in the Gulf, and we are talking to them.”

The senator was clear about the hostage issue: “Every hostage needs to be home immediately,” he said, insisting that “Hamas cannot threaten the security of Israel or the world.”

When it came to Iran, Rubio laid out the dangers: “We discussed Iran and its desire to acquire nuclear weapons and missiles, which pose a threat to Israel, the United States, the Gulf states, and Europe. A nuclear Iran with missiles is an unacceptable risk to the entire world. We encourage the snap-back process initiated by the Europeans and urge them to continue; that is what is needed.”

Netanyahu also paused to honor Charlie Kirk, the American activist who was murdered: “Kirk was an extraordinary friend of Israel. He saw our struggle as a partner and believed in freedoms and shared values. There were assassination attempts against Trump, attempts against me—this is a shared problem for America and Israel, challenged by extreme violence.”

Concluding the press event, Netanyahu was asked how Israel would respond if the United Nations were to push forward unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. His answer was straightforward: “If unilateral steps are taken, we will respond with unilateral steps of our own.”

{Matzav.com}

1,500+ tinokos shel bais rabban greet Gedolei Eretz Yisroel in London, as they continue their visit which began yesterday on behalf of Keren Olam Hatorah.

Lebanese media report that an Israeli drone strike on a car in the southern town of Yater has killed one person, while the IDF has not yet commented.

After intelligence investigations, the IDF and Shin Bet have identified 21 “key terrorists” from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad who were among hundreds of operatives killed in Gaza operations over the past six months.

Yisrael Meir Teharani, a talmid at the Shalhevet HaTorah yeshiva, has been in military detention for a week after being arrested during his sheva brachos. His family members expressed distress that all efforts to release the new husband have failed, and he spent his first Shabbos after Sheva Brachos in a military prison. “We feel as if a sharp sword has been plunged into our hearts,” his family members said. “Instead of sitting with his family around the Shabbos table, just a week after his wedding, he sat in solitude behind bars.” According to the Ezram U’Meginim and Notnim Gav organizations, Teharani’s arrest is a grave escalation in the persecution of the Olam HaTorah, as he appeared at the Holon police station to give testimony—at the request of the police. “If the Israeli police are laying traps for bnei yeshivos, it is encouraging crime within the Chareidi sector, and the consequences for the police could be disastrous,” a statement said. Over 20 Chareidim have been arrested on “draft-dodging” charges at Ben-Gurion Airport over the past week on the way to Uman. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Energy Minister Eli Cohen slammed the defeatist propaganda of the left in an interview with Kan News on Monday and explained that the strike on the Hamas leadership in Qatar was not a mistake. “In Arab countries, behind closed doors they are celebrating the strike,” he revealed. “I told the prime minister—we don’t need Qatar as a mediator.” “This decision proves that the State of Israel has no red lines regarding anyone who tries to harm it, regarding anyone who has Jewish blood on their hands.” “I’ve said more than once that, from our perspective, all Hamas leaders are marked for death. Hamas leaders have two options—surrender and release the hostages, or we will pursue them everywhere in the world.” Cohen also slammed Qatar, which is tied to the Muslim Brotherhood. “It can’t play on both sides of the field—presenting itself to Western entities on one hand and, on the other, providing shelter to terrorist elements.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Hamas is reportedly bracing itself for the IDF’s anticipated ground entry into Gaza City, moving some hostages out of underground tunnels and into above-ground locations in an attempt to complicate the battle, Kan Reshet Bet reported Monday morning.

Arab sources inside Gaza indicated that certain captives are being kept inside civilian residences, while others have been placed in makeshift tents.

Additional reports said Hamas has tapped a group of high-ranking operatives to direct the fighting once the IDF pushes deeper. According to those sources, the four men given authority are Az al-Din Haddad, who commands the group’s military wing; Raed Saad, responsible for operations; Mohammed Odeh, overseeing intelligence; and Mahanad Rajab, a key commander in the Gaza Brigade tied to a powerful clan with deep Hamas loyalties in both Shejaiya and Tuffah.

Earlier in the day, Merav, the mother of captive Guy Gilboa-Dalal, told Galei Tzahal (IDF Radio) that her son is currently being kept on the surface in Gaza and is being exploited as a “human shield.”

“I was informed that Guy is being held alone above ground in Gaza, serving as a human shield,” she said. “Don’t try to question me further – there are many things I want to say, but I’m holding back out of concern for my son’s safety. When he comes home, maybe I’ll scream louder, maybe I’ll shake things up more.”

{Matzav.com}

A framework deal has been reached for the ownership of popular social video platform TikTok, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after weekend trade talks between the U.S. and China in Spain. Bessent said in a press conference after the latest round of trade talks between the worlds top two economies concluded in Madrid that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping would speak on Friday to possibly finalize the deal. Bessent said that the objective of the framework deal on the social media platform would be to switch to US ownership. Bessent said that Trump and Xi would speak on Friday to complete the deal. “We are not going to talk about the commercial terms of the deal,” Bessent said. “It’s between two private parties. But the commercial terms have been agreed upon.” Chinese officials have yet to confirm Bessent’s statement and were not present at the press conference. The meeting in Madrid is the fourth round of trade talks between United States and Chinese officials since Trump launched a tariff war on Chinese goods in April. Now, the two governments are planning for a possible summit between Trump and Xi, though nothing has been confirmed. Analysts say there are possible trade bumps that could delay the visit. During Joe Biden’s Democratic presidency, Congress and the White House used national security grounds to approve a U.S. ban on TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its controlling stake. Trump has repeatedly extended the deadline for shutting down TikTok, even though the law allows for just one 90-day reprieve, and only if there’s a deal on the table and a formal notification to Congress. TikTok is one of more than 100 apps developed in the past decade by ByteDance, a technology firm founded in 2012 by Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yiming and headquartered in Beijing’s northwestern Haidian district. In 2016, ByteDance launched a short-form video platform called Douyin in China and followed up with an international version called TikTok. It then bought Musical.ly, a lip-syncing platform popular with teens in the U.S. and Europe, and combined it with TikTok while keeping the app separate from Douyin. Soon after, the app boomed in popularity in the U.S. and many other countries, becoming the first Chinese platform to make serious inroads in the West. Unlike other social media platforms that focused on cultivating connections among users, TikTok tailored content to people’s interests. The often silly videos and music clips content creators posted gave TikTok an image as a sunny corner of the internet where users could find fun and a sense of authenticity. Finding an audience on the platform helped launch the careers of music artists like Lil Nas X. TikTok gained more traction during the shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, when short dances that went viral became a mainstay of the app. To better compete, Instagram and YouTube eventually came out with their own tools for making short-form videos, respectively known as Reels and Shorts. By that point, TikTok was a bona fide hit. Challenges came in tandem with TikTok’s success. U.S. officials expressed concerns about the company’s roots and ownership, pointing to laws in China that require Chinese companies to hand over data requested by the government. Another concern became the proprietary algorithm that populates what users see on […]

SING Entertainment is indicating an unparalleled collection of surprise stars by their flagship Chol Hamoed concert starring Benny Friedman.   SING Entertainment has just announced the second and final show of their highly-anticipated Chol Hamoed concert series starring Benny Friedman.   On Sunday, October 12 “Benny and Friends” will take the stage for an afternoon concert titled “Whee Want To Sing With You” live at the Newark Symphony Hall brought to you by Whee, a product of SR.   Benny has captured the hearts of yidden of all ages and sects over the years with his captivating performances and unique musical style.   His new album “Be Gebentched” that was released in August proved that to be true, with all thirteen songs becoming the top 13 trending songs of the 24Six Jewish music app, a feat that has never been done before.   “Watching how Benny’s popularity has continued to grow over the years, and coupling that with his new album release, he was sort of a no-brainer for this show” Eli Ickowics of SING Entertainment told YWN. “Our October 12 concert will be Benny’s first public concert appearance in the USA since his album release, giving fans the chance to hear his new songs live, along with Benny’s classic hits.”   The highly-anticipated concert, which will feature a top-notch band led by musical director Gershon Freishtat, also has an unbelievable lineup of Benny’s friends planned as star guest singers. “The audience is going to be stunned,” Benny Friedman shared with YWN about the planned surprises.   The concert is not just about music. It will also be in support of Bonei Olam and their priceless mission to help couples that struggle with infertility.   A show like this doesn’t happen too often, so be sure not to miss it. October 12 at the Newark Symphony Hall. Doors open at 2:00, show begins at 3:00.   Tickets are now on sale at https://t.ly/sing.ywn  

MetLife Stadium President Ron VanDerVeen meets with The Siyum Executive Board and askanim to provide an update on stadium upgrades ahead of the Siyum HaShas, scheduled to take place bez”h on June 6, 2027.

The BBC has ruled that one of its presenters violated editorial guidelines by calling Hamas a “terror group” during a June 15 broadcast.

British newspaper The Telegraph reported on Sept. 11 that the corporation’s executive complaints unit (ECU) ruled that it was wrong to use the phrase to describe the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas is responsible for leading the Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border invasion of southern Israel and many other acts of violence against Israeli civilians over decades.

According to the ECU, the British public broadcaster does not brand organizations as “terror” or “terrorist” groups because of “due accuracy and impartiality” and instead reports that they are designated as such by third parties.

BBC external sign, London, England. Photo by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images.
Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organization under U.K. law.

The ECU added that the incident was “reported to the management of BBC News and discussed with the editorial team responsible.”

Less than two weeks after the Oct. 7 attack, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and then-British prime minister Rishi Sunak agreed that the BBC should label Hamas as terrorists.

“We are dealing with one of the worst terrorist organizations in the world,” the president told Sunak in Jerusalem, calling the broadcaster’s policy “a distortion of facts.”

“I know that in modern democracies, like ours and yours, you can’t interfere per se, but since the BBC has a certain linkage and is known as British all over the world, there has to be an outcry for it to be corrected, and that Hamas will be defined as a terrorist organization there as well,” said Herzog. “What else do they need to see to understand that this is an atrocious terror organization?”

Sunak responded that “we should call it what it is—an act of terrorism perpetrated by an evil terrorist organization, Hamas.”

A prominent media watchdog two week ago accused BBC Arabic of being “sloppy, reckless” and lacking in judgment after it platformed a Palestinian pundit who the broadcaster knew had celebrated Adolf Hitler and the killing of Jews.

The Telegraph on Sept. 6 quoted a spokesperson for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) saying this in connection with a July broadcast on BBC Arabic where the journalist, Samer Elzaenen, was quoted as an eyewitness from Gaza.

He is quoted as saying that Israel has a “starvation” policy aimed at “genocide and takeover,” according to the report.

A BBC spokesperson told the Telegraph that the BBC “should not have used” Elzaenen as a source. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Israeli FM Sa’ar in response to rising tensions with Madrid: “The normalization of political violence by Spain’s Prime Minister threatens everything we stand for. It must end now.”