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There’s a remarkable new initiative making waves across the Jewish world.

The Power of a Million is an unprecedented initiative launched by Keren Tosafos Yom Tov to strengthen Kedushas HaTefillah throughout Klal Yisroel.

The goal is to inspire one million kabbalos, creating one million more focused, heartfelt tefillos. Yidden are committing not to speak during davening and taking on additional kabbalos that bring greater focus, respect, and meaning to every tefillah.

Every participant who accepts a kabbalah is also eligible for the largest prize ever offered in a campaign—a historic $1,000,000 prize toward their shul. The prize can be used for renovations, a new Sefer Torah, a mikvah, or other projects that enhance the beauty and kavod of the Makom HaTefillah.

Thousands of Yidden from every background and community have already joined this powerful movement and taken on Kabbalos to strengthen their tefillah.

Inspired by the powerful Mi Shebeirach of the Tosafos Yom Tov, which describes the extraordinary brachos promised to those who are careful not to speak during davening, this global initiative is bringing renewed respect to our batei medrash and elevating the power of tefillah throughout Klal Yisroel.

There is extraordinary power when Yidden unite in tefillah. Every individual kabbalah becomes part of something far greater, bringing together communities, shuls, and Yidden across the world through one shared commitment.

One million kabbalos means one million opportunities to strengthen our connection to Hashem and create an unprecedented collective zechus for all of Klal Yisroel.

A noted philanthropist funded the historic prize with one goal in mind: to help Yidden strengthen their tefillah and deepen their respect for the shul. At a time when so many are searching for zechusim and brachos, there is perhaps no greater zechus than honoring the Makom HaTefillah and protecting the sanctity of davening.

Be Part of Something Historic

Join thousands of fellow Yidden. Make a kabbalah not to speak during davening, strengthen your tefillah, and help bring Klal Yisroel closer to one million pure tefillos.

Visit KTYT.org and make your kabbalah today.

A massive fire tore through the Agri Star meat processing facility in Postville early Tuesday, sending towering plumes of smoke into the sky as firefighters from across northeast Iowa rushed to contain the fast-moving blaze. Officials have urged the public to stay away from the area while emergency crews battle the fire.

Numerous fire departments responded to the scene and are working together to bring the flames under control at the sprawling processing plant.

The blaze erupted during the early morning hours at the Agri Star Meat and Poultry Plant, the largest employer in Allamakee County, triggering a major emergency response.

As the fire continues to burn, smoke has been carried toward neighboring Fayette County, where authorities warn it may reduce visibility, particularly in and around the Clermont area.

Officials are asking both motorists and local residents to avoid the vicinity if possible and to exercise caution as firefighters and other emergency personnel remain on the scene.

Authorities have not reported any injuries, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined or released.

Agri Star is among the world’s largest kosher meat processing facilities. The company was purchased by Mr. Hershey Friedman in 2009 from the Rubashkin family and serves as a major employer for many Orthodox Jewish residents of the Postville community.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli authorities have launched an investigation after Channel 12’s headquarters in Tel Aviv was targeted for the second time in less than a month, with vandals leaving behind a chilling letter threatening to continue the attacks and warning that “someone will die.” Police are also investigating a similar act of vandalism at the offices of the Haaretz newspaper to determine whether the two incidents are connected.

Employees arriving at Channel 12’s offices Tuesday morning discovered that the glass entrance door to the building had once again been smashed. Around the same time, officials reported nearly identical damage at the Haaretz headquarters elsewhere in Tel Aviv, prompting investigators to examine whether both attacks were carried out by the same suspect.

After the latest attack, a handwritten letter addressed to Channel 12 journalists was found at the scene containing explicit threats. It stated, “Until you ask for forgiveness for the Sde Teiman case, I won’t stop. Next time, the brick will be aimed at one of your heads.”

The letter escalated its warning with an even more ominous message: “Even an apology without meaning it is fine. Take this letter seriously, it’s too bad, because in the end, someone will die.” It also listed the names of current and former Israeli defense officials, branding them “dangerous traitors,” before ending with the declaration: “G-d’s judgment will be upon all of you.”

In response to the attack and the death threats, President Isaac Herzog spoke directly with Police Commissioner Danny Levi, emphasizing the seriousness of repeated acts of violence against Channel 12 as well as the growing threats directed at journalists and media organizations. Herzog stressed that violence and intimidation cannot be permitted to silence voices in Israel’s public discourse.

Levi assured the president that the police view the matter with the utmost seriousness and said he would convene an urgent meeting to address the escalating situation and determine the next steps in the investigation.

The Israel Police confirmed that detectives have opened a criminal investigation into the vandalism.

“Officers from the South Tel Aviv Police Station have opened an investigation into an incident involving damage to the entrance door of an office building in southern Tel Aviv. A short while ago, during a routine patrol, officers identified damage to the entrance door of a building on Haskalah Street in southern Tel Aviv.”

Police said investigators are already working to identify those responsible for the attack.

“Officers have begun collecting evidence and investigating the incident in an effort to identify those responsible.”

Channel 12 strongly condemned the latest assault, warning that the repeated attacks represent a dangerous escalation against the Israeli press and calling on both the government and law enforcement authorities to act decisively.

“We are waking up to another morning-the second in less than a month, in which dangerous violence has struck and smashed the entrance to our newsroom. This is a real alarm bell. The blood of Channel 12 journalists is not expendable. The Government of Israel and the communications minister must stop their inflammatory and unrestrained attacks on the free press, which also lead to serious acts. The Israel Police must act immediately to prevent this dangerous violence. We will not be deterred by the legislation, the incitement, or the violence.”

Just four days after the deadly terrorist attack near Havat Gilad that claimed the lives of Maj. Yuval Ezra and Master Sgt. (Res.) Binyahu Melet, the Israel Defense Forces announced that Palestinian laborers will once again be permitted to enter Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria beginning Tuesday.

According to the IDF, the decision was made following a new security assessment and will allow Palestinian workers to resume entering communities in the region under existing security procedures governing employment in industrial zones and residential areas.

The announcement marks a sharp reversal from the military’s position just one day earlier, when Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth ordered a halt to the entry of Palestinian workers into Israeli communities throughout Judea and Samaria in the wake of the terrorist attack.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sharply criticized the decision, warning that it endangers Israeli lives.

“The retreat by the commander of Central Command in allowing the return of ‘Palestinian’ workers to communities in Judea and Samaria is a grave mistake that could cost us precious Jewish blood,” Ben Gvir said.

He called on Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu to intervene immediately and reverse the decision.

“I call on the Prime Minister to instruct the Chief of Staff to immediately cancel Maj. Gen. Bluth’s decision, which sends a message of surrender to terrorism,” Ben Gvir said.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s High Court of Justice on Tuesday temporarily blocked the implementation of the law that freezes the arrest of bnei Torah who have not reported for military service, issuing an interim order while signaling that a final ruling on the legislation is expected in the near future.

The temporary injunction was issued shortly after an expanded panel of nine Supreme Court justices, led by Deputy Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg, concluded a lengthy hearing on a series of petitions seeking to strike down the law.

Those challenging the legislation include the Israel Hofsheet (Be Free Israel) movement, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, the Brothers and Sisters in Arms organization, along with MKs Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman. The petitioners argued that the law was enacted through an improper legislative process and unlawfully violates the constitutional principle of equality in a manner that fails to satisfy the standards required under Israel’s Limitation Clause.

The proceedings took an unusual turn because the government declined to send anyone to defend the very law it had passed. Instead, the Knesset was represented by its legal adviser, attorney Yitzhak Bart, who told the Court that “there is no choice but to strike down the law,” maintaining that the legislation was approved through a process that did not comply with the requirements of Basic Law: The Knesset or the Knesset’s own procedural rules.

Justice Gila Canfy-Steinitz questioned how the Court should handle a situation in which the Knesset declines to defend legislation it enacted. Bart replied that this was “a unique and highly unusual situation,” explaining that the Knesset’s legal advisers are obligated to defend legislation only when it has been passed in accordance with the law. He added that throughout the legislative process, the legal advisers repeatedly warned lawmakers about serious flaws in the bill.

Representing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, attorney Aner Helman argued that the legislation is “defective and harmful,” insisting that it does not satisfy “even a single requirement of the Limitation Clause.”

Helman contended that the law effectively bars criminal enforcement against those who fail to report for military service and could even halt prosecutions that are already underway. He argued that, particularly at a time when the IDF says it needs thousands of additional soldiers, there is no basis for allowing the law to remain in effect.

Several members of the Court also pressed the state’s legal representatives during the hearing. Justice Yael Wilner questioned why so much emphasis was being placed on the current wartime situation, asking whether the same concerns about discrimination would not exist during peacetime as well. Justice Daphne Barak-Erez observed that the legal dispute is not about the enlistment of yeshivah bochurim itself, but rather about whether criminal sanctions may be imposed.

In a rare development, the justices later permitted attorney Natan Rosenblatt, who was not one of the parties to the case, to address the Court on behalf of the Chareidi community. Rosenblatt argued that the Chareidi public has endured a series of hardships in recent months and asserted that it has repeatedly been treated unfairly by the judicial system.

“We have never, not even once, received a favorable ruling from the High Court.”

Rosenblatt went on to ask the Court: “In a Jewish and democratic state, is it appropriate to place a person before the dilemma of whether to obey the Torah or obey the law?”

Justice David Mintz sharply challenged that assertion.

“Sir, with all due respect, I am restraining myself. I am listening to what you’re saying, and I simply cannot believe what I am hearing. Is there a Torah prohibition against military service?”

Rosenblatt answered that there is, replying: “Your Honor, as a religious man, knows that there is such a prohibition. All the leading Torah sages say so.”

Justice Mintz rejected that characterization, responding: “That itself is apparently subject to very serious dispute. Not all the leading Torah sages. You are speaking from a sectarian perspective. What kind of statement is that?”

{Matzav.com}

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is openly questioning whether he is still welcome in the Democratic Party, expressing growing frustration over what he views as the party’s increasingly anti-Israel direction while Republicans continue encouraging him to switch sides.

In an interview with NBC News, Fetterman suggested that some members of his own party appear eager to push him out because of his outspoken support for Israel and his willingness to break with Democratic leadership on key issues.

“If the Democratic caucus doesn’t want me, they could just let me know,” Fetterman said, adding that he is troubled by “the very anti-Israel party that we’re becoming.”

The Pennsylvania Democrat has become one of the most vocal pro-Israel voices in his party, repeatedly condemning Hamas, defending Israel’s military campaign, and criticizing progressive Democrats who have called for cutting off U.S. military aid to the Jewish state. His positions have increasingly placed him at odds with the party’s activist base.

His latest remarks come as Republican lawmakers continue making public and private appeals for him to leave the Democratic Party. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans would welcome Fetterman into the GOP, while other Republican senators have likewise praised his willingness to challenge his own party on issues such as Israel, immigration, and energy policy.

Despite the overtures, Fetterman has stopped short of saying he intends to switch parties. Instead, he has made clear that his continued membership in the Democratic Party hinges on one issue above all others: Israel.

Earlier this month, Fetterman warned that he would leave if Democrats formally embraced an anti-Israel platform.

“If our party ever becomes, and just makes it official, the anti-Israel party, that’s when I would leave because that’s been a moral clarity for me,” he said.

Fetterman has pointed to a growing shift within the Democratic Party following votes by more than 100 House Democrats to block billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, saying he believes support for America’s closest Middle East ally should remain a core Democratic principle.

His willingness to challenge progressive orthodoxy has also made him a target on the left. Progressive activists and candidates have sharply criticized his positions on Israel, while some have accused him of abandoning the movement that helped elect him.

For now, however, Fetterman insists he has not made any decision to leave the Democratic Party. Even as Republicans continue to court him, he has maintained that his immediate focus remains representing Pennsylvania, while warning that the party’s trajectory on Israel could ultimately determine whether he stays.

{Matzav.com}

A coalition of prominent Jewish legal organizations is sharply criticizing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after he failed to appoint a single Jewish member to an influential committee that helps recommend judicial nominees, accusing his administration of continuing a pattern that has left many Jewish New Yorkers feeling excluded and ignored.

In a joint letter, the Queens Brandeis Association, the Jewish Lawyers Guild, the Brooklyn Brandeis Society, and the Bronx County Jewish Bar Association expressed outrage over the makeup of the 18-member Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary.

“Your recent announcement of appointees to the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary has left us deeply disappointed,” the organizations wrote.

The groups noted that, despite City Hall’s pledge that the panel would represent the diversity of New York City, none of the appointees were Jewish attorneys, judges, or legal professionals.

“Not a single Jewish attorney, former judge or legal professional was appointed to a committee your administration described as one that would be ‘truly reflective of New York City,’” the letter continued.

According to the organizations, the latest decision is not an isolated incident but part of a broader trend that has increasingly alienated the city’s Jewish community. They pointed to Mamdani’s refusal to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, as well as the omission of Jewish neighborhoods from a city map highlighting immigrant communities, as additional examples of what they view as a troubling pattern.

The organizations also emphasized that the controversy comes at an especially sensitive time, just days after a violent antisemitic attack outside an Upper West Side synagogue heightened concerns about the safety and security of Jewish residents throughout the city.

Calling on the mayor to reverse course, the groups urged him to add qualified Jewish representatives to the committee and reaffirm that the Jewish community deserves equal treatment.

“We urge you to correct this exclusion by appointing qualified Jewish members to the Advisory Committee and to reaffirm that Jewish New Yorkers are entitled to the same representation, respect and protection as every other community.”

The letter was signed by Elizabeth Forspan, Benjamin Kaufman, Jeffrey Miller, and Matthew Kluger, who also voiced particular frustration over the administration’s decision not to appoint retired Appellate Division Justice John Leventhal.

City Hall rejected allegations that religion played any role in Leventhal’s exclusion. Instead, Mamdani’s office said the decision stemmed from Leventhal’s previous legal work involving convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

“To date, Mayor Mamdani has had the privilege of appointing a dozen qualified judges from a range of backgrounds, including Jewish judges,” Mamdani press secretary Joe Calvello told Politico.

“When informed that Mr. Leventhal served on [Ghislaine] Maxwell’s legal team, the Mamdani administration chose not to move forward with his appointment. Any suggestion that the decision around MACJ was motivated by religion is false.”

The advisory committee is led by attorney Ali Najmi, a close confidant of Mamdani who has publicly referred to the mayor as his “brother.” Najmi played a significant role in Mamdani’s rapid rise within New York City’s Democratic socialist movement and now oversees the panel responsible for evaluating judicial candidates before they are nominated by the mayor.

The dispute adds to growing tensions between Mamdani and many leaders in New York’s Jewish community, who have repeatedly accused him of using anti-Israel rhetoric that they believe has contributed to a hostile atmosphere for Jewish residents.

Last week, Mamdani released a video message on social media in which he described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and declared that he is “not welcome” in New York City ahead of Netanyahu’s expected appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

The mayor also acknowledged that New York City has no legal authority to arrest Netanyahu based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, since the United States is not a member of the court.

Just two days after those remarks, Raul Morales allegedly carried out a stabbing attack on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, injuring an Asian man and a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke while reportedly shouting “Allahu Akbar.”

Morales has been charged with attempted murder and hate crimes and could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

The day after the attack, Jewish leaders gathered outside the synagogue where the assault occurred and blamed the mayor’s rhetoric for helping create an increasingly dangerous environment.

“Mayor Mamdani, stop fanning the flames of hatred and division. The consequences are not abstract, they are playing out on our streets,” said UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein.

Apple briefly crossed the historic $5 trillion market valuation threshold Tuesday, becoming only the second company ever to reach the milestone and reclaiming its position as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company after a sharp rally in its stock price.

The iPhone maker’s shares climbed as much as 1.8% during early trading, reaching $342.89 per share and pushing the company’s market capitalization above the $5 trillion mark for the first time. Although the stock later surrendered much of those gains, the milestone underscored Apple’s remarkable resurgence in recent weeks.

With its latest surge, Apple overtook Nvidia to become the world’s most valuable company. Apple now holds an estimated market value of roughly $5 trillion, compared with Nvidia’s approximately $4.7 trillion. Alphabet follows with a valuation near $3.9 trillion, while Microsoft stands at about $2.9 trillion.

Apple’s stock has significantly outperformed Nvidia this year despite the latter’s dominance in artificial intelligence. Shares of Apple have climbed nearly 25% since the start of the year, while Nvidia’s stock has gained just 2.6% over the same period. Nvidia shares slipped about 1.4% in Tuesday trading.

The achievement highlights how rapidly the largest technology companies have expanded over the past several years. Apple became the first publicly traded company to reach a $1 trillion valuation in 2018, doubled that figure to $2 trillion in 2020, and crossed the $3 trillion mark in 2022. Nvidia later became the first company to surpass both $4 trillion and $5 trillion as investor enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence sent its valuation soaring.

The milestone came on the same day Apple unveiled a new financing program designed to make iPhones more affordable for consumers. Beginning soon, U.S. customers will be able to lease an iPhone for up to two years through a new program called Upgrade, with monthly payments starting at $17.99. The initiative is being launched in partnership with buy-now, pay-later provider Klarna and will be available through both Apple’s retail stores and online platform.

The announcement follows recent price increases across several Apple product lines. The company recently raised the starting prices of iPads and Mac computers by at least $100, with some premium models increasing by more than $1,000, citing a worldwide shortage of memory components.

For much of the past decade, Apple held the title of the world’s most valuable company after surpassing Exxon in market capitalization in 2011. The company later alternated with Microsoft for the top position before Nvidia overtook both amid the explosive growth of AI-related investments.

Like its largest competitors, Apple has been increasing investments in artificial intelligence, though at a far more measured pace. The company spent approximately $12.7 billion on capital expenditures during fiscal 2025, well below the massive spending plans announced by its rivals. Alphabet has projected about $205 billion in AI-related investments this year, while Microsoft and Amazon have each outlined plans to spend up to roughly $190 billion and $145 billion, respectively, as the race to dominate artificial intelligence intensifies.

The Shwekey family has a new voice. Radio host Menachem Toker revealed this week that the mystery singer who recently released a debut song under a veil of secrecy is none other than Rabbi Moshe Dovid Shwekey, the eldest brother of renowned Jewish music stars Yaakov Shwekey and Yosef Chaim Shwekey.

Toker made the announcement during his Bein Hazmanim program on Kol Chai, ending days of speculation over the identity of the previously unknown performer. The revelation came after Toker challenged listeners during his previous broadcast to identify which famous singer’s brother was behind the anonymously released track.

One listener, Chaggai from Netanya, correctly guessed that the singer was a member of the Shwekey family and won a dinner for two at a Yerushalayim restaurant.

A noted talmid chochom and marbitz Torah, Reb Moshe Dovid has long been active behind the scenes in Jewish music, earning recognition as a composer rather than a performer. Among the songs he has written are “Lech Ami” and “Tefillas HaShelah,” along with other well-known compositions. Despite his years of musical involvement, he had never pursued a public singing career, leaving the spotlight to his younger brothers.

“The oldest brother in the Shwekey family never sang publicly and never stepped into the limelight,” Toker said. “He left the stage to his younger brother Yaakov and his even younger brother Yosef Chaim—and now, perhaps, he’s beginning a career.”

Toker explained that the debut song was initially released without identifying the performer by name, but the singer’s identity was disclosed during the radio program. The audience was then treated to the new recording.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump signaled Tuesday that he is still pursuing a diplomatic resolution with Iran rather than another round of military action, even as he emphasized that the United States retains the ability to inflict devastating damage on the Islamic Republic if necessary. His comments, delivered just hours before meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, also included a pointed remark suggesting he does not need updates from the Israeli leader about developments inside Iran.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News before his White House meeting with Netanyahu, Trump addressed concerns surrounding the Iranian nuclear facility known as “Pickaxe Mountain,” where Israeli intelligence reportedly believes Tehran has transferred uranium enrichment centrifuges. The president dismissed the importance of the site, saying, “It’s not a big deal.”

Asked whether Netanyahu had informed him about Iranian activity at the facility, Trump brushed aside the suggestion with a sharp response directed at the prime minister.

“I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. I know exactly what’s going on there.”

Trump went on to underscore America’s overwhelming military capabilities, saying the United States could rapidly cripple Iran’s infrastructure by targeting bridges, electrical facilities, and other key assets. Despite that, he stressed that military action is not his preferred course.

“I want to avoid that. I’m not interested in doing it,” he said.

The president also asserted that Tehran is once again interested in negotiations with Washington following the recent conflict.

“Iran wants to talk. There’s a chance we’ll make a deal,” Trump said, adding that Iranian officials sought a halt to U.S. military operations and expressed interest in returning to the negotiating table after the latest fighting.

Trump’s remarks came only hours before Netanyahu was scheduled to present updated intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program and the regime’s efforts to restore its military capabilities. The Israeli leader is expected to urge the president not to place too much confidence in diplomacy alone as Tehran works to rebuild.

Still, Trump’s public comments indicate that, at least for the moment, he remains focused on pursuing negotiations and maintaining diplomatic pressure rather than launching another large-scale military campaign against Iran, while continuing to emphasize that the military option remains available if circumstances change.