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Ex-MAG Hospitalized After “Feeling Unwell;” Police Seek To Confiscate Her Passport: “Obstruction Concern Has Increased”

Yeshiva World News -

MDA teams were called early Sunday morning to the home of disgraced former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who is under house arrest and was “feeling unwell.” She was found conscious and in good condition after reportedly swallowing a handful of sleeping pills and was evacuated from her home in Ramat Hasharon to Ichilov Hospital. […]

IRAN ON THE BRINK: Authorities Prepare To Evacuate Tehran as Water Runs Out Amid Unrelenting Drought

Yeshiva World News -

Iran’s government is preparing for rolling water cuts across Tehran as the capital faces its most severe drought in living memory, with rainfall levels plummeting to their lowest point in a century and reservoirs nearing collapse. Officials warned Saturday that without immediate rainfall, parts of Tehran — home to more than 10 million people — […]

Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman: “Every Father Must Protect His Children From Being Taken to the Army”

Matzav -

At a yahrtzeit gathering marking the passing of his father-in-law, Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, Rashbi rosh yeshiva Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman delivered an impassioned address urging bnei Torah and their parents to remain steadfast in safeguarding the Torah world amid the growing draft crisis.

Speaking at Yeshivas Rashbi in Bnei Brak before ascending to the kever at the Ponovezh Beis HaChaim, Rav Bergman shared emotional words of warning and faith, drawing upon the teachings he had personally heard from Rav Shach decades earlier.

“It is necessary to remind ourselves,” said Rav Bergman, “that for a long time now, the precious bnei yeshivos have been under attack. Many years ago, I heard from Rav Shach that a time would come when every father would have to guard his children himself, lest chas veshalom they be taken to the army. One would have to give up his very life for this. And woe to us that such a time has come in our days, when we have no one to rely on.”

Visibly moved, Rav Bergman called upon the merit of his father-in-law to intercede on behalf of the olam haTorah: “We beg our great rebbe, zt”l, to stand before the Kisei HaKavod and plead for mercy on behalf of the Torah world, that this harsh decree be annulled.”

{Matzav.com}

IDF Went To War With Hamas Without A Plan, General Says

Matzav -

During a recent closed forum attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and senior military leaders, a high-ranking reserve officer revealed that when war erupted on October 7, Israel’s Southern Command had no relevant operational plans in place, Ynet reports. Officers were left scrambling to draft entirely new strategies in the chaotic weeks that followed the Hamas onslaught.

The shocking admission comes just ahead of the anticipated publication of the Turgeman Committee’s findings, which reviewed the army’s internal probes into the lapses that allowed Hamas to carry out its devastating attack on southern Israel.

The reservist, a brigadier general currently serving in the Southern Command’s firepower division, said bluntly that the command “opened the war unprepared” and was forced to “create plans from scratch” during the first three weeks of the conflict, before Israel’s ground invasion commenced.

A veteran combat soldier, the officer had personally fought off terrorists in his Gaza-border community as a civilian before reporting for duty. In his address, he described a command hollowed by years of complacency and bureaucratic neglect. Despite multiple internal reviews calling for improved readiness, he said, successive commanders failed to act, leaving the division effectively blind when war erupted.

He took particular aim at Maj. Gen. Eliezer Toledano’s tenure from March 2021 to July 2023, calling it a time of “severe neglect and a lack of operational planning.” Speaking before hundreds of fellow officers, he mocked the irony of a slogan Toledano had hung across headquarters reading “Victory loves preparation,” remarking that “the opposite happened.”

Other participants at the event acknowledged that contingency plans that did exist—such as Operation Damocles, which envisioned massive strikes on Hamas’ tunnel network—proved useless once the fighting began and reality diverged from the models on paper.

“I ask for a full, transparent and honest war investigation so we can truly learn,” the brigadier general urged Lt. Gen. Zamir, while adding that both Zamir and current Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor had instituted “the best changes the command has seen in a year.”

Led by retired Maj. Gen. Sami Turgeman, the committee’s report is expected to expose grave deficiencies within the IDF’s self-assessments, particularly in Military Intelligence and the Operations Directorate, and to criticize Israel’s long-standing policy of containment toward Hamas rather than its elimination.

The IDF, asked about the officer’s remarks, refused to address them directly. “The army holds learning conferences that enable open, critical and professional dialogue,” it said in a statement, adding that it does not comment on “discussions held in closed operational forums.”

{Matzav.com}

Washington Post Editorial Says Mamdani ‘Drops The Mask’ After Election Win, Offers ‘Seething’ Victory Speech

Matzav -

The Washington Post editorial board issued a blistering critique of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, declaring that “a new era of class warfare has begun” following his landslide victory last week. The paper accused him of revealing his “true colors” in a bitter and divisive victory speech that sharply contrasted with the cheerful tone of his campaign.

In an editorial published Saturday titled “Zohran Mamdani Drops the Mask,” the board charged that Mamdani “abandoned his cool disposition” during what it called a “seething” 23-minute address. According to the piece, the speech unveiled a worldview rooted not in unity or growth, but in resentment and ideological combat.

“Across 23 angry minutes laced with identity politics and seething with resentment, Mamdani abandoned his cool disposition and made clear that his view of politics isn’t about unity. It isn’t about letting people build better lives for themselves. It is about identifying class enemies — from landlords who take advantage of tenants to ‘the bosses’ who exploit workers — and then crushing them,” the editorial board wrote. “His goal is not to increase wealth but to dole it out to favored groups. The word ‘growth’ didn’t appear in the speech, but President Donald Trump garnered eight mentions.”

The Post accused Mamdani of running a misleadingly positive campaign that masked what it called a “long history of divisive and demagogic statements.” For casual observers, the board said, it would have been easy to believe that Mamdani’s goal was simply to make the city more affordable and unified. “That interpretation became much harder,” it added, after Tuesday’s fiery speech.

Fox News Digital contacted representatives of Mamdani for comment but received no immediate response.

The editorial took particular issue with Mamdani’s vision of an all-powerful government as the solution to every societal problem. It cited one of his remarks as proof: “We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.” The Post responded sharply: “The crowd cheered, of course, but a thinking person might wonder whether it’s good for the institution that has a monopoly on violence to insist that nothing is beyond its purview.”

The board also targeted Mamdani’s plan to freeze rents on two million housing units, warning that the proposal would “inevitably lead to less investment, driving up costs in the long run.”

Since his victory, the Post said, the mayor-elect has become fond of using the word “mandate.” “He won decisively and now wants to pursue his agenda, from the rent freeze to ‘free’ child care and buses. Yet as mayor of New York, his control over taxes and transportation is limited. He needs approval from the state to raise taxes,” the paper noted. It added that his transition team is a mix of experienced political hands and “diehard ideologues such as Lina Khan, the former Federal Trade Commission chair.”

Drawing a historical comparison, the Post likened Mamdani’s electoral triumph to that of John Lindsay, the last candidate to surpass one million votes in a New York City mayoral race. But it warned that the same state-imposed financial restrictions that followed Lindsay’s troubled tenure would likely constrain Mamdani’s ambitions.

“One reason [Mamdani] will be so constrained is that Lindsay’s mayoralty was such a disaster for the city’s finances that the state imposed these financial controls to make sure it wouldn’t happen again,” the editorial explained.

Turning to public safety and education, the board questioned how Mamdani would apply his “class struggle” approach to areas where his power is greatest. “[Mamdani] says he wants to keep Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, who is respected by officers and competent at fighting crime. Will he give her deference? Will he order that prostitution laws stop being enforced, as he has suggested? Will subway stations become dangerous social experiments where vagrants are welcomed in to receive services?”

On education, the Post charged that Mamdani “has done nothing to suggest he’ll take the side of children over union bosses when their interests conflict,” pointing to his stated desire to phase out the city’s gifted education programs.

In closing, the editorial warned that New Yorkers don’t need advanced degrees to understand what Mamdani’s leadership might bring — just a memory of the city’s past. “Exit polls showed that the New Yorkers most skeptical of these utopian promises are those who were born in the city and don’t have college degrees. Mamdani fared best among newcomers and people with advanced degrees. Apparently, living in New York for decades — and witnessing what does and doesn’t work when it comes to running a city — offers more wisdom than grad school,” the piece concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Russian Strikes Hit an Apartment Building and Energy Sites in Ukraine, Killing 4

Yeshiva World News -

A Russian drone slammed into an apartment building in eastern Ukraine early Saturday while many were sleeping, killing three people and wounding 12 others, Ukrainian authorities reported. The attack in Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, was part of a large Russian missile and drone barrage across the country that targeted power infrastructure. It also killed a […]

Candace Owens Fires Back at Ben Shapiro Over “Completely Made-Up” Accusation

Matzav -

A heated feud has erupted within conservative media circles after Ben Shapiro accused Candace Owens of suggesting that Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, was behind his assassination — a charge Owens angrily denies.

In a scathing post on X, Owens wrote, “He said that I accused Erika Kirk of murdering Charlie Kirk. This quite literally is made up out of thin air.” She went on to say that she was looking forward to hearing Shapiro’s response on her own show, adding later, “He tried to pressure Megyn Kelly to make a statement about me by lying through his teeth and EXPLICITLY stating that I accused Erika Kirk of killing her husband. And then saying it was an evil that Megyn had to condemn. He is completely deranged.”

Owens’ frustration followed Shapiro’s remarks on The Megyn Kelly Show, where he criticized her conduct and urged Kelly to denounce it. “I think you and I differ on our angle with regard to, for example, Candace Owens. I think that what Candace Owens is doing right now is evil. It is evil what she is doing right now, OK? And I say that, again,” Shapiro said. He then added, “…if this were on the left and somebody were accusing Charlie Kirk of his wife having murdered him, I assume that you would be talking about it.”

Owens, a onetime member of Turning Point USA, fired back that Shapiro “lied through his teeth” during his appearance with Kelly. She also appeared to endorse a supporter’s claim that Shapiro’s only talent was to “smear and misrepresent” people’s reputations, saying his actions went far beyond that.

Although Owens never directly accused Erika Kirk of involvement in her husband’s murder, she fueled controversy by promoting multiple conspiracy theories following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. She hinted that Turning Point USA had engaged in a cover-up and suggested Israeli involvement — claims for which she offered no evidence.

Meanwhile, Erika Kirk, who now serves as CEO of Turning Point USA, addressed the growing storm during an interview with Jesse Watters on Fox News. Speaking publicly for the first time since the killing, she urged people to act with compassion online, saying, “Please pray and consider and think about whatever you put online, because it’ll impact their kids in the future.” She added softly, “Some grace would be nice.”

Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while attending an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah, charging him with murder. Prosecutors have indicated that if convicted, Robinson could face the death penalty.

{Matzav.com}

Reb Tzvi Aryeh (Hersh Leib) Weinberger z”l, Elder of the Tosh Chassidus 

Matzav -

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing, on Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Vayeira, of the elderly Tosher chossid, Reb Tzvi Aryeh (Hersh Leib) Weinberger z”l. He was 102 years old.

Reb Hersh Leib was among the last living individuals to have merited putting on tefillin from the holy hands of the Minchas Elazar of Munkatch zt”l. He received his tefillin during the final year of the Minchas Elazar’s life, the week of Parshas Vayeira — the same year the Rebbe ceased the practice of placing tefillin on children after Parshas Mikeitz.

In his youth, Reb Hersh Leib studied at Yeshivas Darkei Teshuvah, under the leadership of the Munkatcher Rebbe, Rav Boruch’l.

He later settled in Canada, where he became one of the founders of Chalav Mehadrin in Montreal, at a time when obtaining strictly kosher milk was difficult. Throughout his long life, he remained deeply devoted to the Tosher rebbeim, serving as a baal tefillah during the Yamim Nora’im in the Tosher beis medrash.

His levayah took place on Friday in Kiryas Tosh, where he was laid to rest before Shabbos.

Reb Hersh Leib is survived by a distinguished family of bnei Torah and bnos chayil, including five daughters: the wife of Reb Chaim Pinchas Zweibel of Kiryas Tosh, the wife of Reb Avrohom Yosef Drummer of Montreal, the wife of Reb Aharon Krois of Kiryas Tosh, the wife of Reb Leib Marmelstein of Kiryas Tosh, and the wife of Reb Ephraim Fishel Felberbaum of Kiryas Tosh.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Senate Could Take Test Vote On New Spending Bill As Early As Sunday Afternoon

Matzav -

A Senate showdown could come as soon as tomorrow, with a procedural vote expected on a reworked Republican measure aimed at reopening the government and keeping key agencies funded for the remainder of the fiscal year.

The finalized text, anticipated tonight or early tomorrow, is expected to keep the government running through late January while securing full-year appropriations for the Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs, military construction projects, and Congress through September 30, 2026.

Sources say that once the bill text drops, momentum will build quickly. The proposal is described as a straightforward spending package, notably excluding any renewal of Obamacare subsidies.

To move forward, the test vote will require 60 senators to vote yes—meaning at least some Democratic support is essential. Fox reports that several Senate Democrats and independents aligned with them are being closely watched to see if they will help Republicans overcome a filibuster. Among them: Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Jon Ossoff of Georgia, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Gary Peters of Michigan, Angus King of Maine, and Patty Murray of Washington. Murray, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, reportedly secured favorable provisions in the delicate bipartisan deal.

But the coalition is tenuous. Any wavering could collapse the effort before it reaches the floor. Should the filibuster be broken, however, the path toward reopening the government becomes significantly easier, and a final vote could happen as early as Sunday night—provided senators can strike a time agreement.

Once debate formally begins, Senate rules allow for extensive discussion. Progressive Democrats, frustrated that no healthcare-related provisions were included and feeling sidelined by their leadership, may try to prolong the process. That could push a final vote to Tuesday or later. Still, with SNAP benefits frozen during the shutdown, some Democrats may ultimately agree to speed up proceedings to restore aid.

Across the Capitol, the House has been placed on 48-hour notice to reconvene. It could return midweek, though leadership might summon members back earlier if the Senate acts quickly. The bill’s fate in the House remains uncertain, though most Republicans are expected to back it.

Moderate Democrats may also be key to its passage. Representatives Tom Suozzi of New York, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, and Jared Golden of Maine—who previously supported a GOP spending bill in September—are seen as potential yes votes if Republican support slips. Golden, who has since announced his retirement, is again being watched closely.

Another potential complication involves Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona. Lawmakers are questioning whether she will be sworn in before or after the House vote, with Democrats likely to protest if Speaker Johnson delays the oath.

Once seated, Grijalva would bring the House count to 433 members, leaving two vacancies. That would give Republicans a narrow 219-214 edge—meaning they can afford to lose only two votes without needing Democratic help.

Behind the scenes, Democrats are bracing for internal conflict. Should some of their members vote with Republicans to break the filibuster, tensions are expected to flare between progressives demanding Obamacare subsidies and moderates eager to end the shutdown.

In the end, the biggest divide may not be between parties, but within the Democratic ranks themselves—particularly between the House and Senate wings. And as one insider put it, the ultimate irony may be that a group of Senate Democrats ends up “throwing their colleagues under the bus” to reopen the government, walking away from the standoff empty-handed on healthcare funding despite the political risk.

{Matzav.com}

Goldin’s Return Could Give Netanyahu “More Political Room,” Says U.S. Official

Matzav -

As Israel awaits the possible return of the body of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, Hy”d, which has been held by Hamas since 2014, a senior American official suggested that such a move could help break the deadlock surrounding Hamas operatives trapped in Rafah.

According to the official, if Hamas agrees to return Goldin’s remains, it would “give Netanyahu more political room to end the crisis with the 200 Hamas members in the Rafah tunnels.” The official told Israel’s N12 that public opinion would likely shift in Netanyahu’s favor if the soldier’s body were returned, giving him greater flexibility to reach an agreement.

Currently, around 200 Hamas terrorists remain entrenched in tunnels in southern Gaza, and Israel has yet to decide whether to allow them to leave alive. The American source said that under the U.S. proposal, Hamas would first return Goldin’s body, after which the terrorists in Rafah would surrender and lay down their weapons. They would then either be transferred safely to Hamas-controlled territory or deported to a third country.

However, the official acknowledged that no country has yet agreed to take in the terrorists. Once they are removed, the tunnels where they were hiding would be destroyed, the source added. “This way, we can present a model for disarming Hamas peacefully,” the senior American official emphasized.

For Israel, the potential recovery of Goldin’s body carries both deep emotional significance and strategic implications. His family has long called for his return, and any progress on that front could have wide-reaching political consequences.

{Matzav.com}

Opposition Leaders Declare: “We Will Fight the Draft Law in the Knesset and in the Streets”

Matzav -

At the conclusion of a high-level meeting on Motzaei Shabbos, the heads of Israel’s opposition parties — Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan — announced a unified front ahead of the upcoming elections, vowing to combat the Giyus (draft) law and the government’s judicial reform efforts both in the Knesset and through public protest.

In a joint statement, the opposition leaders emphasized their commitment to “unity of action and striving for victory in the coming elections.” They said the meeting focused on shaping a joint electoral strategy and on advancing efforts to secure the release of all hostages still held by Hamas.

The statement read: “We welcome progress in the efforts to bring all the hostages home, but stress that we must not stop until every last hostage returns.”

Turning to the issue of the Giyus law, the leaders pledged, “We will fight against the draft-dodging law on all fronts — in the Knesset, in the streets, and in the courts.” They added, “In light of the heavy burden placed on soldiers and reservists, we demand that the IDF act according to the law and increase efforts to enlist chareidim. The overwhelming majority of the people of Israel want equal service for all, and we will fight to make that happen.”

They also warned against renewed attempts to undermine Israel’s judicial system and free press, saying, “The continued efforts to damage the judiciary and media laws represent a full return to the regime coup and an attempt to interfere in the election process during an election year. We will not allow this and will fight it with all our strength.”

The leaders concluded that their main goal remains forcing early elections. “We will continue to act with all our might to bring about elections as soon as possible,” the statement said, “out of the firm belief that restoring trust and establishing a national commission of inquiry are the only ways to rebuild confidence between the citizens of Israel and its institutions.”

{Matzav.com}

170 Israeli Mothers Seek Healing in Historic US Mission

Matzav -

[COMMUNICATED]

170 Israeli mothers and children who lost loved ones in the war are coming to America for a historic healing journey-and you can meet them Deal, NJ.

This week marks a historic moment in Jewish solidarity: approximately 170 bereaved Israeli mothers and their children – survivors of the ongoing war – are arriving in the United States for an extraordinary healing mission unlike any before it.

Led by Rabbi Mendy Kenig, founder of the organization Menucha V’Yeshua, this represents the single largest gathering of Israeli war-bereaved families ever to travel together for such an extensive program of comfort and community.

These are the mothers, widows, and children of soldiers and civilians who gave their lives defending the Jewish State. Their sacrifice is permanent. Their pain doesn’t end when the news cycle moves on. And their greatest fear, as Rabbi Kenig puts it, is simple but profound: “Being forgotten.”

A Journey of Healing Across America

The families’ itinerary spans multiple cities and includes a healing weekend in Orlando, community visits throughout the region, and a centerpiece event: a special Shabbaton in Deal, New Jersey, featuring renowned speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson, journalist Sivan Rahav-Meir, a ceremony to dedicate a new Torah scroll, and a bar mitzvah celebration – all in honor of these bereaved families.

“My only goal,” Rabbi Kenig says, “is to give them – the widows, children, mothers, fathers – a hug and to feel loved. That’s it.”

From Personal Pain to National Mission

Rabbi Kenig, a Breslov Chassid from Modiin Illit and father of five, knows trauma intimately. Six years ago, when his wife was severely injured, he faced the overwhelming challenge of managing a medical crisis while caring for special needs children. That experience revealed his calling: helping families in crisis find moments of peace.

Since October 7th, Menucha V’Yeshua has pivoted to focus almost exclusively on bereaved families, hosting multiple Shabbatonim and creating bonds of understanding during their darkest hours.

At his events, Rabbi Kenig breaks down barriers by sharing his own story first. “People see me in my black-and-white garb with a fur hat and assume I’m here to make them religious,” he explains with characteristic warmth. “The message is simple: All I care about is listening and offering support. Nothing more, nothing less.”

You’re Invited: An Exclusive Shabbos Experience

This Shabbos in Deal, New Jersey, donors and supporters have a rare opportunity to meet these heroic families face-to-face to hear their stories of courage, to offer tangible comfort, and to demonstrate that Am Yisrael truly stands with its heroes.

The Shabbaton features:

  • Rabbi YY Jacobson – Renowned speaker and Torah educator

  • Sivan Rahav – Meir – Acclaimed journalist and inspirational voice

  • Hachnosas Sefer Torah – A deeply moving ceremony

  • Bar Mitzvah celebration – Sharing in simcha as one community

This isn’t simply a fundraising event. It’s a chance to be part of Jewish history – to look these mothers in the eye and tell them: You are not forgotten.

REGISTER FOR THE SHABBATON IN DEAL, NJ

Why This Matters Now

These 170 families represent the living legacy of Israel’s defense. They carry a burden the rest of us cannot fully understand – and they deserve to know that their sacrifice is recognized, honored, and forever etched in our collective memory.

As Rabbi Kenig puts it: “You are not alone. You are not forgotten. Am Yisrael embraces you.”

Your support makes this mission possible. Every contribution helps fund programming, Shabbatonim, and moments of respite for families who have given everything.

How to Get Involved

Am Yisrael Chai. We Remember. We Stand Together.

As told by Arutz Sheva

Syrian Interior Ministry: “We Dismantled Several ISIS Terror Cells Across Multiple Provinces”

Matzav -

The Syrian Interior Ministry announced tonight that its security forces, working in coordination with the country’s General Intelligence Directorate, carried out a large-scale counterterrorism operation targeting ISIS-affiliated terror cells in several provinces.

According to the ministry’s statement, the operation was launched based on “precise intelligence information and close surveillance of these elements over the past several weeks.”

“This operation,” the ministry said, “comes as part of ongoing national efforts to combat terrorism and thwart plots aimed at undermining the security of the homeland and the safety of its citizens.”

Authorities reported that the campaign resulted in the dismantling of multiple ISIS cells, the arrest of numerous wanted suspects, and the seizure of materials and evidence linking them to terrorist activity. These findings, the statement said, are currently under examination, and investigations are being completed by the relevant authorities.

The ministry further noted that “this operation reflects the high level of coordination between the various security services and their effectiveness in proactively addressing threats, thereby reinforcing the firm commitment to safeguarding the nation’s security and stability.”

ISIS, which once controlled large swaths of Syria and Iraq in 2014, suffered a major defeat by 2017, with its military capabilities sharply diminished. However, remnants of the group remain active in parts of the Syrian desert and certain remote regions of Iraq.

{Matzav.com}

Pakistan Says Peace Talks With Afghanistan Are Deadlocked Despite Mediation

Yeshiva World News -

Peace talks in Istanbul between Pakistan and Afghanistan were at a deadlock on Friday, a day after both sides accused each other of mounting border clashes that risked breaching a ceasefire brokered by Qatar. The update on the talks by Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar came after an Afghan official said four Afghan civilians were […]

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