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A BBC news team visited Yeshiva Kisei Rachamim as part of a broader report examining the proposed legislation that would formally regulate the status of lomdei Torah in Israel. After touring the batei midrash and observing the intensity of the learning, the journalists sat for an extended conversation with the rosh yeshiva, Rav Tzemach Mazuz, who addressed a wide range of issues dominating the public debate — from the arrests of yeshiva students, to extremist disruptions, to budget cuts for Torah institutions, to chareidi support for the prime minister.

Torah funding cuts: “For two thousand years of exile, did we ever get government money? No — and Torah endured.”

Asked about reductions in funding for yeshivos in the absence of a legal framework, Rav Mazuz responded with confidence rooted in faith. He noted that Chazal assure us that Torah will never be forgotten, and insisted that lomdei Torah would persist regardless of decrees. “Anu mivtachim mipi Hakadosh Boruch Hu shelo sishkach Torah mipi zaro,” he emphasized, explaining that parnassah ultimately does not come from budgets or ministries but from the Ribbono Shel Olam alone.

In a later recording, the rosh yeshiva recounted his exchange with the BBC reporters. They had asked: What will happen if the government cuts off all funding? Rav Mazuz said he answered simply: for two millennia in exile, Torah survived without government assistance. Pointing to ancient manuscripts in his office, he said, “The Torah endured! Even if the state provided nothing, Hakadosh Baruch Hu would provide. One who truly believes that the Almighty controls all forces can remain calm.”

Arrests of yeshiva students: “Even the Ben Ish Chai and the Vilna Gaon sat in prison — and they came through it.”

The BBC journalists also questioned what would happen if the High Court were to mandate jail time for anyone refusing army service. Rav Mazuz told them he laughed. “Baruch Hashem, an Israeli prison is not like a Soviet prison, no. During those twenty days, you receive glatt kosher food under badatz supervision — not Bagatz supervision,” he quipped. He noted that inmates are allowed to daven with a minyan and maintain a Torah lifestyle.

He reminded them that great Torah sages endured imprisonment and emerged unbroken. “The Ben Ish Chai was in prison. The Gaon of Vilna was in prison. They went through it — and so will we. But should that make us despair of Torah learning? Absolutely not. And I hope we never reach that point.”

The value of Torah learning: “This is our army — Torah and tefillah protect the soldiers.”

Rav Mazuz stressed that Torah learning is not merely spiritual practice but national protection. “Come here at one in the morning — half the yeshiva is still learning,” he told the BBC. “Through Torah, we protect the soldiers wherever they are. This is our army.”

He added that this belief has long been accepted by Israeli leaders: Torah and constant prayer are essential to the country’s success, no less than tanks or fighter jets. But, he said, “today, many in government and the Knesset have distanced themselves from religion. They say yeshiva boys are slackers — but in Tel Aviv there are tens of thousands who evade the draft. Why don’t they take them? Why target yeshiva students?”

On rising hostility toward religious Jews: “Hashem directs everything for the best.”

Asked how he views the intensifying hostility toward lomdei Torah, Rav Mazuz shared a broader perspective of emunah. He pointed to the unexpected political trajectory of President Donald Trump as an example of Divine planning. Though many were disappointed when Trump did not win a second consecutive term, Rav Mazuz said, “Hashem knew Hamas’s plans. Hashem wanted Trump in office now. He preserved him for the period in which we would need him most.”

“The world is directed by the Creator, and He runs everything in the best way.”

On extremist violence: “This is not our way — these are fringe elements who will disappear.”

The BBC also raised the recent violent behavior of fringe youths targeting shluchai derabbanan. Rav Mazuz responded firmly: “Violence is not our path. You will not find one student from a yeshiva like ours in those protests.” He described the perpetrators as marginal extremists whose influence will fade. He emphasized that the chareidi public is committed to derech eretz, honoring Torah, and avoiding all forms of aggression.

On support for the prime minister: “He acted with wisdom on seven fronts of war.”

When asked whether it was better to support the current draft-law proposal even if it meant preserving Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government, Rav Mazuz refrained from giving a specific political instruction. But he did praise Netanyahu’s conduct during the war, saying the prime minister managed simultaneous crises with intelligence and clarity.

He added that his family’s relationship with Netanyahu goes back decades: long before his first premiership, Netanyahu visited the office of Rav Mazuz’s late brother, the revered rosh yeshiva Rav Meir Mazuz zt”l, in the very room where the interview took place, to seek his blessing before an election. Rav Meir received him warmly and presented him with a Tehillim.

{Matzav.com}

A new Channel 14 survey released Thursday night paints a shifting political landscape, showing Naftali Bennett’s new party climbing sharply while United Torah Judaism loses strength and Yesh Atid remains stuck at the bottom.

According to the poll, conducted as part of the network’s main newscast, the right-wing bloc anchored by Likud continues to hold firm at 66 seats—unchanged from last week—while Bennett’s rising faction is drawing voters away from the Democrats led by Yair Golan.

Likud maintains its dominant position with 35 seats. The major movement is in second place, where Bennett’s new party, Bennett 2026, jumps by two seats to 12, overtaking several rivals. That gain appears to come largely at the expense of Golan’s Democrats, which fall back to 10 seats and slip into fourth place. Between them sit Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu, each holding steady at 11 seats.

UTJ loses one seat, dropping to 8. The centrist Yashar party remains unchanged with 7 seats, while Otzma Yehudit also rises slightly to 7. Religious Zionism stays stable at 5 seats. Ra’am and Hadash–Ta’al likewise receive 5 seats each. Yesh Atid continues to scrape the bottom with just 4 seats. Both Blue and White and Balad fail to cross the electoral threshold.

When divided into blocs, the overall picture mirrors last week: the right stands at 66 seats, the left at 44, and the Arab parties collectively reach 10.

In the question of who is most suitable to serve as prime minister, Bibi Netanyahu maintains a clear and commanding advantage with 54% support. Bennett follows with 23%, while Gadi Eisenkot polls at 11%. Yair Lapid receives 6%, Avigdor Lieberman 5%, and Benny Gantz trails the field at just 1%.

{Matzav.com}

During a visit to Yerushalayim for the wedding of a grandson of the Gerrer Rebbe, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, rov of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, paid a memorable call to the home of his brother-in-law, Rav Binyomin Dovid Elyashiv, rosh of the Tiferes Bachurim kollelim network, at his residence on Chana Street. The meeting quickly turned into a spirited exchange of Torah, memories, and captivating stories about Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l.

As Rav Zilberstein entered the study, he jokingly pointed to the well-worn shelves. “Who tore all the Gemaras?” he asked with a smile. Rav Binyomin Dovid responded that no one had done so—“they were worn through ameilus baTorah, from years of intense learning.”

He then recounted a visit of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, the Yeshuos Moshe zt”l, to the home of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. As they debated a point from the Minchas Chinuch, a new edition of the sefer was brought to the table. Rav Elyashiv refused to look at it, insisting, “I want to see it in the old Minchas Chinuch, because in the old one it’s written the way it should be.”

The rabbanim exchanged warm greetings, speaking of the longing for the Geulah and the open miracles seen “every minute.” They soon immersed themselves in deep Torah discussion on Parshas Vayeitzei, with Rav Zilberstein remarking, “I am privileged to hear such beautiful insights.”

The conversation turned to the Tiferes Bachurim kollelim. Rav Elyashiv described the network’s growth: “Today Tiferes Bachurim has many branches across Eretz HaKodesh—there’s even one in Tzfas.” Rav Zilberstein asked about the main beis medrash in Meah Shearim, and Rav Elyashiv explained that the central location hosts multiple kollelim throughout the day, from early morning until close to midnight, including programs in halacha, iyun, Zeraim, and Taharos.

Rav Zilberstein then recalled an incident from the beis medrash. He had gone down to the Yeshua’s Yaakov shtiebelach for Mincha, where the chazzan davened with such speed that he accidentally skipped Kedusha. Confusion broke out. The question was brought to Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who ruled, “Close your siddurim and go home.” When asked whether the tzibbur needed to repeat the tefillah or hear chazaras hashatz, Rav Elyashiv answered that they did not, adding the startling statement: “One who davens such a tefillah is exempt from tefillah.” Rav Zilberstein emphasized the clarity and force of Rav Elyashiv’s psak: “Everything he said was a jewel.”

During the visit, Rav Zilberstein greeted Rebbetzin Elyashiv, who had recently returned home after surgery. She thanked Hashem for His kindness and noted that a granddaughter’s wedding was approaching. She also offered mazal tov to Rav Zilberstein on his own recent simchos. Rav Zilberstein responded warmly, “We are all children of one father,” and blessed the kallah when she was brought in for a brachah.

He shared a remarkable episode illustrating Rav Elyashiv’s fierce protection of the Rebbetzin’s honor. A doctor who had treated one of the children made an insensitive remark to her as he left the house. Rav Elyashiv overheard it, turned to the doctor, and said firmly, “You will not enter my home again. You have offended the Rebbetzin.” Realizing the gravity of his mistake, the doctor removed his shoes, sat on the floor, and accepted a form of self-imposed niddui. Seeing his sincere remorse, Rav Elyashiv immediately forgave him. After the doctor left, Rav Elyashiv instructed his son-in-law: “Go buy the most beautiful esrog in Bnei Brak and bring it to the doctor as a gift of reconciliation.” When the seller heard why it was being purchased, he insisted on giving the esrog for free. Rav Zilberstein explained that Rav Elyashiv would not accept gifts for himself without payment, “but this was for the doctor.” In the end, the doctor received both a magnificent esrog and permission to continue entering the Elyashiv home—along with a lifelong lesson in respectful speech.

Later in the visit, a participant asked Rav Zilberstein for a blessing that his daughter find a shidduch. Upon hearing that she was 23, the Rav smiled and replied, “In Ramat Elchanan, at that age they’re still jumping rope. No need for panic.” He then gave a heartfelt brachah.

Rav Zilberstein went on to recount the well-known story of Rebbetzin Chaya Musha a”h, mother of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who remained childless for many years. After a renowned physician in Vienna told her she would not have more children, she wept bitterly in the cellar so as not to distress her father, the Leshem. He nevertheless heard her crying and understood why. In response, he declared that in the merit of her sensitivity, “Next year you will hold a son who will illuminate the world”—a prophecy fulfilled with the birth of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv.

The conversation turned to the name Yosef Shalom itself. Rav Zilberstein asked whether the name hinted to the Ben Ish Chai and the Rashash. Rav Elyashiv noted that many people ask this question, and that Rav Elyashiv’s great-grandson had once asked him directly, to which he replied, “It’s very nice to say so, but if that is truly the reason, I do not know.” Rav Zilberstein observed that “the world says it,” and Rav Elyashiv added that the Ben Ish Chai himself tells a story of a chassid who named his son Yosef Shalom so that he should always bring peace. Rav Zilberstein suggested that in this sense, the name makes peace between Ashkenazim and Sephardim as well.

Before departing, Rav Zilberstein offered warm brachos that the household continue to bring honor to Torah and that the Rebbetzin merit much nachas. As he rose to leave, he began singing the niggun “Yehi hachodesh hazeh,” playfully changing the words to bless the home itself. Pausing by a picture of Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l, he remarked with a smile, “I see Reb Michel Yehuda telling me to stop singing and run home to learn Torah.”

As the visit concluded, Rav Elyashiv noted, “They say about my father-in-law that on Shabbos he looked like a different person—his face shone with the light of Shabbos.” Rav Zilberstein responded, “Certainly—everyone knew it.” The two then left together to daven Maariv at Tiferes Bachurim.

{Matzav.com}

Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk, widow of conservative leader and free-speech advocate Charlie Kirk, pushed back forcefully on claims that “gun violence” was the central cause of her husband’s assassination. She insisted that the tragedy points to something far deeper at work in American society. It’s “not a gun problem,” she emphasized, describing the underlying issue as “a deeply human” and “soul” problem.

During the closing segment of the New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday, journalist Andrew Sorkin broached the topic gently, asking, “I’m curious how you think, today, about gun violence in America, given what happened” to her husband. Erika Kirk responded with quiet resolve. “It’s a thoughtful question, and I wouldn’t wish upon anyone what I have been through, and I support the Second Amendment, as well. I do,” she said. “But there’s a bigger and much deeper conversation to all of that.”

She pointed to what counselors on college campuses repeatedly identify as the top struggles among students today. “If you go on a campus and you ask a counselor, ‘What is the number one or number two thing that these students are facing?’ They will always say, ‘Mental health, anxiety, depression.’ Those are usually the top three,” she explained.

According to Kirk, her husband spent years trying to help young people understand the central role of brain health in overall well-being. “What Charlie knew — and he was trying to explain to students on campus — was that you have to understand that brain health is so important,” she said, underscoring how he encouraged students to pay attention to daily habits. “How you eat, how you take care of yourself, how you nourish yourself, how you rest. And, to him, it was much more deeper and intricate.”

Reflecting on the broader implications of his death, she observed, “What I’ve realized through all of this is that you can have individuals that will always resort to violence.” She warned that the cultural climate has shifted in a dangerous direction. “And what I’m afraid of, is that we are living in a day and age where they think violence is the solution to them not wanting to hear a different point of view,” she said.

That tendency, she argued, has nothing to do with firearms themselves. “That’s not a gun problem. That’s that’s a deeply human problem. That is a soul problem. That is a mental, that is a very deeper issue,” she stated.

Her remarks come as many on the political left struggle with the implications of Kirk’s assassination. Despite years spent labeling him a “fascist” or “Nazi,” they have been reluctant to acknowledge that someone aligned with their worldview carried out the killing. In the wake of the murder, critics who normally reduce every tragedy to “gun violence” — often as a pretext to erode constitutional rights — openly celebrated the use of a firearm simply because the victim held conservative beliefs.

That reaction, observers noted, laid bare a moment of cultural and moral unraveling. It served as a sobering demonstration of what happens when political dehumanization mutates into justification for brutality.

Even more ironic were the examples of educators celebrating Charlie Kirk’s death — an alarming confirmation of the very problem he spent his career warning about: the rise of ideological radicalism throughout the American education system and the corrosive impact it has on students at every level.

{Matzav.com}

FDNY Fire Marshals have arrested 21-year-old Dominick Sacchetti in connection with a fire at a Staten Island ShopRite on November 26th. According to the criminal complaint, he now faces multiple charges, including arson, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief.

BREAKING: U.S. forces struck another drug boat in the Eastern Pacific on Thursday 4 male narco-terrorists dead, officials say.

Hagaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway on Thursday afternoon. Many other local Yeshivas joined, to seize the opportunity on giving Kavod Hatorah to such a Gadol.

BREAKING: The Supreme Court allows Texas to use its Trump-backed congressional map in next year’s midterms overruling a lower-court decision that found the map likely unconstitutional due to racial-gerrymandering concerns. • The court issued a brief unsigned opinion granting Texas’s request. • The map was previously blocked by a federal court after judges concluded the […]

BREAKING: A grand jury has declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James after prosecutors brought the mortgage-fraud case to them a second time, just 10 days after a judge threw out the initial charges. • A source warned there should be no premature celebration, as DOJ could still seek a third attempt. • […]

Two NYPD officers involved in the deadly shooting of Win Rozario in March 2024 will not face criminal charges.

New York Times sues Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth over restrictive Pentagon media rules • The New York Times Co. sued the Defense Department and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the Pentagon’s new press policy. • The policy, which requires reporters to seek approval before publishing information, violates free press protections enshrined by the 1st Amendment […]

Appeals court lets Trump keep National Guard troops in DC for now National Guard troops deployed to Washington, DC, can remain there for now, after a federal appeals court on Thursday temporarily froze a judge’s ruling that would have soon required them to leave the city’s streets. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals said it was […]

WATCH: SpaceX just launched another batch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

FBI Director Kash Patel says Biden’s FBI will be fully exposed in court for allegedly covering up the truth about the J6 pipe bomber.

British budget airline easyJet announced Wednesday that it will restart flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport beginning March 29, 2026, marking the carrier’s first return to Israel since suspending service amid regional instability. In a statement emailed to reporters, an airline spokesperson said easyJet will initially relaunch routes connecting London Luton, Amsterdam, […]

Over the past day, the IDF and the Border Police carried out a wide counterterrorism operation in Qalqilya. Troops searched hundreds of sites, seizing an M16, and dozens of rounds of ammunition. During the operation, soldiers neutralized a terrorist who posed a threat to them and hurled a suspicious object towards them.

President Trump: “Today, the United States is also signing our own bilateral agreements with the Congo and Rwanda that will unlock new opportunities for the United States to access critical minerals and provide economic benefits for everybody.”

President Donald Trump presided over a momentous diplomatic breakthrough on Thursday as he joined Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in signing a comprehensive peace pact known as the Washington Accords. The agreement, finalized at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, formally brings an end to one of the bloodiest and longest-running regional conflicts on the globe.

During the ceremony, Trump framed the moment as both historic and deeply significant, noting the timing amid the holiday season. “In this holy season we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, we have come to the U.S. Institute of Peace, to sign a historic agreement that will end one of the longest-running conflicts anywhere in the world, with far more than ten million people killed,” he said. He continued by declaring, “Today, we commit to stopping decades of violence and bloodshed and to begin a new era of harmony and cooperation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. I want to thank the two courageous leaders. They are courageous leaders.”

Prior to the formal signing, Trump met privately with Tshisekedi and Kagame in the Oval Office. He later described their discussion as focused on the implementation and durability of the deal. “We discussed the importance of upholding this new agreement — very detailed, powerful agreement,” he said.

A host of regional and international dignitaries were present for the ceremony, and Trump offered warm thanks to each. These included Angolan President João Lourenço, Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Kenyan President William Ruto, Togo’s President of the Council of Ministers Faure Gnassingbé, Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo, and senior diplomats from Qatar. He also expressed appreciation to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos, adding, “All of these people, every one of them, were indispensable in forging this agreement.”

Trump emphasized that the Washington Accords go far beyond a cessation of fighting. They mandate a “permanent ceasefire, the disarmament of non-state forces, provisions for refugees to return to their homes, and justice and accountability for those who have committed illegal atrocities,” but they also establish a long-term economic partnership. According to Trump, “Very importantly, this agreement also creates a new framework for economic prosperity. There’s tremendous wealth in that beautiful earth… but it was stained badly with blood, tremendous amounts of blood. But in the region that will support a lasting peace.”

He went on to note that the two nations have agreed to integrate their economies more closely. “The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have agreed to more closely integrate their economies with each other rather than fighting, and they’ll be doing that,” he said.

Trump added that the United States would soon deepen economic ties with both nations. “We’ll be involved with sending some of our biggest and greatest companies over to the two countries, and we’re going to take out some of the rare earth, and take out some of the assets and pay, and everybody’s going to make a lot of money,” he said.

Following Trump’s remarks, Kagame addressed the audience, offering a pointed tribute to the president’s leadership. “The biggest word of thanks goes to President Donald Trump. No one was asking President Trump to take up this task. Our region is far from the headlines, but when the President saw the opportunity to contribute to peace, he immediately took it,” Kagame said. He noted that previous attempts at mediation had repeatedly failed over three decades, but Trump’s style created meaningful traction, explaining that his “forward-looking approach,” “even-handed” posture, and “pragmatic” involvement enabled “breakthroughs.” Kagame also acknowledged Rubio and Boulos for their roles.

Tshisekedi echoed those sentiments, offering his “deep thanks” to Trump and extending gratitude to the administration and the American people. Through a real-time translation, he stated that the Washington Accords “provide to the peoples of the region a new perspective, a new outlook, namely, to finally overcome the cycle of violence, of forced displacements, of mistrust, defiance, in order to begin a new era of friendship, cooperation, and prosperity, all shared together.”

With the signing of the Washington Accords, the Congo–Rwanda conflict — responsible for staggering loss of life and decades of instability — enters a new chapter, anchored by commitments to peace, accountability, regional integration, and economic revival.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Over the last few weeks, as the remaining living hostages returned home after two unbearable years in captivity, something became clearer than ever before. Healing isn’t one emotion or one chapter. It’s a journey made up of contrasts – grief and gratitude, darkness and unexpected moments of light, pain and the quiet reappearance of joy.

Listening to the stories these hostages have begun sharing has shown us how much can coexist at once. We heard how Omer Shem Tov made Kiddush every Friday night from a single bottle of grape juice that somehow never ran out. How Yosef Chaim Ohana and others managed to say Selichos in Elul and fast on Yom Kippur. How Matan Angrest and Gali Berman spent their days reviewing Chumash until they knew it by heart. And when those hostages were finally reunited with their families, the relief was overwhelming – a moment touched by joy, even as the horror that preceded it still lingers.

That mix of truth and emotion is something we see every day at Amudim as well. When someone comes to us facing abuse, addiction, trauma, or a mental health crisis, the beginning is often filled with pain. But that’s never the whole story. Over time, new chapters begin to unfold – chapters where strength appears, where hope starts winning, where the possibility of joy becomes real again. 

We see it in the father in recovery who tells his sponsor he spent two uninterrupted hours playing ball with his son, and didn’t once think about drinking.

We see it in the survivor who walks into our office after years of sorrow and, for the first time in a long time, laughs – really laughs – as their smile fills the room. 

These moments don’t erase what came before. They honor it. They remind us that healing is not the absence of pain – it is the emergence of life on the other side of it. And they remind us of something profound: we’ve become a community that doesn’t only respond to crisis. We build towards hope. We create space for people to rediscover joy. We help rewrite endings. 

This year’s Unite to Heal embraces that truth. It is informative, impactful, and yes – uplifting. It highlights the light that can break through even the hardest chapters, and celebrates the resilience of those who are still writing their own stories. Join the thousands of people who will be taking part in Unite to Heal on December 7th and 8th to support those whose stories are still being written, giving them the opportunity to really start living again, knowing that now more than ever, they are never alone, and that happy endings don’t just happen in storybooks. 

Zvi Gluck is the CEO of Amudim, an organization dedicated to helping abuse victims and those suffering with addiction within the Jewish community and has been heavily involved in crisis intervention and management for the past 24 years. Click HERE for more information.

The administration is moving ahead with plans for a sprawling new White House ballroom, and officials are preparing to deliver the project details to federal planners before the end of the month. Will Scharf, who leads the National Capital Planning Commission, told attendees at Thursday’s meeting that his panel expects to review the proposal soon. “Once plans are submitted, that’s really when the role of this commission, and its professional staff, will begin,” Scharf explained.

The proposed structure — a 90,000-square-foot event hall — would be nearly twice the size of the historic White House itself. President Donald Trump has already described the space as capable of hosting 999 people, a capacity far larger than any current venue on the grounds. The estimated budget for the project has climbed to roughly $300 million, exceeding early cost assessments.

Trump addressed financing questions directly on social media, insisting the massive expansion will not fall on taxpayers. He said the ballroom is being paid for entirely through private contributions from “many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”

{Matzav.com}