Feed aggregator
Texas Flood Death Toll Hits 46, Including 15 Children, as Search for Missing Girls Intensifies
Trump Claims Iran’s Nuclear Program “Permanently Set Back,” Warns Against Restart
Iran’s Khamenei Makes First Public Appearance in Weeks at Gathering
American Aid Workers Injured in Grenade Attack Near Khan Yunis, Treated in Israel
Have You Always Wanted to Get Smicha? This Is The Program For You
[COMMUNICATED]
Looking for a structured program that will give you the tools and resources you need to get Smicha? Hilchos Shabbos? Dayanus? Chuppah v’Kiddushin? Join Machon Smicha, the premier halachah institute serving the English-speaking Torah community.
Machon Smicha is a unique, online, halacha-learning program that makes learning, getting tested and receiving smicha possible. We offer rigorous and structured learning programs in halachah across a broad spectrum of topics, which enables learners to grow and succeed in their Torah learning, from the novice to the scholar.
Be empowered to learn Shulchan Aruch like never before, from the Mishnah and Gemara all the way to contemporary Poskim and Minhagim.
Our programs include:
-
Smicha: Achieve your dream of finally receiving smicha in a program that will empower you to succeed,
-
Shabbos: Learn and master Hilchos Shabbos, from the original sources down to their practical application
-
Chuppah v’Kiddushin: Become proficient in the halachos of weddings and marriage, and become equipped to be a mesader kiddushin.
-
Dayanus: Dive deep into the halachos of beis din, halachic litigation, business, and interpersonal responsibility.
Machon Smicha offers each student a complete curriculum, consisting of:
-
Online portal with access to all the program content.
-
Flexible schedule.
-
Shiurim.
-
English Study Guide, containing introductions, overviews, translations, and in-depth summaries of every halachah.
-
Access to forums and teachers for questions, discussions, etc.
-
Rabbi and teachers available to answer questions and aid in the learning.
-
Quizzes, review material, and mock tests.
-
Tests with prominent rabbis.
-
Signed certificate for those who successfully complete the program.
Machon Smicha’s next semester begins on July 6th, 2025
To learn more, or to apply, visit onlinemachon.com.
HATE DOWN UNDER: Shul Set On Fire, Israeli Restaurant Attacked In Melbourne
Israeli Delegation Headed To Doha After Hamas Agrees To Ceasefire Proposal
Listen: The Daily “Bitachon 4 Life” Burst of Inspiration on Matzav.com: How Much Longer?
LISTEN:
https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1535-Tocheles-Part-55-Reward.mp3For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.
Listen: Stories4Life Shiur On Matzav.com: How Important Is Simcha?
Dutch Intelligence: Russia Routinely Using Banned Chemical Weapons in Ukraine
Hamas Agrees To Ceasefire Core, Seeks Minor Tweaks
Hamas officially responded on Friday night to the latest offer aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitating a hostage release agreement.
In a public statement, the terrorist faction said, “Hamas has completed its internal consultations and with the Palestinian factions regarding the latest proposal from the mediators to halt the aggression against our people in Gaza.”
The group went on to say, “The organization has delivered its response to the mediating brothers, and it is characterized by positivity. The organization is ready, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework.”
An Israeli source confirmed that the response from Hamas had been received via intermediaries, and that Israeli officials were now reviewing the content of the reply.
Qatar’s Al-Arabi channel was the first to report, based on its own sources, that Hamas’s message to the mediators expressed openness to the latest proposal involving a cessation of fighting and the exchange of hostages.
A top Hamas representative told Reuters that the response to the initiative had been formally submitted and emphasized that it “is positive and could help reach an agreement.”
Earlier in the day, an individual affiliated with Palestinian terror factions had told Al Arabiya that Hamas was anticipated to convey its position Friday night. The source also noted that there was widespread backing among the various terrorist factions for a 60-day pause in fighting, during which discussions would continue regarding a permanent ceasefire and a total pullout of Israeli troops from Gaza.
In a report aired by Kan 11 News, it was noted that Hamas would likely present its reaction as generally favorable but intends to push for changes on three crucial elements.
The first issue is related to reinstating a previous system for humanitarian aid, one that would permit Hamas to oversee some of the supplies entering Gaza.
The second demand is that should negotiations stall or collapse during the 60-day timeframe, the pause in fighting must automatically continue, rather than violence breaking out again.
Finally, Hamas is insisting on changes to the proposed extent of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza, seeking a more comprehensive retreat.
On Thursday, Reuters cited an Israeli source indicating that Israeli leadership is actively preparing to move forward with a formal ceasefire deal in the coming days.
Details of the proposed arrangement between Hamas and Israel emerged earlier this week.
The New York Times, quoting both an Israeli defense contact and an individual linked to Hamas, revealed that the framework includes the release of ten hostages believed to still be alive, along with the transfer of the remains of 18 others held by Hamas. Both sources, who were briefed on the matter, spoke anonymously given the delicate nature of the talks.
One key difference between this outline and an earlier American plan put forward in May is the phased release schedule. Instead of completing the hostage releases within the first week of the truce, this plan envisions five separate handover stages spanning the full 60 days.
In addition, the deal reportedly includes a clause prohibiting Hamas from holding public, televised transfer events, a practice widely criticized during the January truce period.
{Matzav.com Israel}Trump Signs ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Into Law After Saluting B-2 Pilots Who Joined Iran Strikes
President Trump officially enacted his “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” during a festive Independence Day celebration on the White House lawn Friday, punctuated by a powerful military flyover featuring B-2 bombers and fighter jets, marking the recent airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
“After that spectacular display of American power, let me just say God bless the United States military and God bless the USA,” Trump said from the Truman Balcony.
“As we enter our 249th year, America’s winning, winning, winning like never before… The Golden Age of America is upon us.”
At one point during the event, Trump asked the flight crews from Missouri who were involved in the Iran operation to identify themselves. “They don’t want to be in disguise,” he said, referencing their role in halting hostilities from Tehran through military pressure in support of Israel, just moments before signing the comprehensive legislation.
“In a few moments, we’re going to make official the greatest victory yet when I sign the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’,” the 79-year-old president said to an audience that included lawmakers and families of service members.
“It’s really promises made, promises kept — and we’ve kept them. Here’s a triumph of democracy on the birthday of democracy, and I have to say that the people are happy.”
Before finalizing the bill, Trump criticized Joe Biden and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), using the opportunity to contrast their leadership with his own. The legislation itself includes wide-ranging tax relief, such as exemptions on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits, along with new deductions on car loan interest for American-made vehicles and an increase in allowable SALT deductions.
Trump accused Biden of leading “four horrible years of embarrassment,” citing failures on immigration policy and the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan in 2021.
Mocking Jeffries, who delivered an extended speech opposing the bill the previous day, Trump remarked, “had a towel. He’s wiping his face. That’s not too elegant,” and derided Democratic pushback on the legislation. “Democrats opposed to the bill developed a standard line — and we can’t let them get away with it — ‘Oh, it’s dangerous. Oh, everybody’s going to die.’”
“It’s all a con job… just like the con job of ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ and all of the other things they did — the 51 intelligence agents said the laptop from hell came from Russia,” he said.
The president encouraged GOP lawmakers to speak plainly about the bill’s merits, asserting that “just say what it is, because it’s the most popular bill ever signed in the history of our country.” He defended reductions in Medicaid and SNAP, criticized by opponents, by claiming Americans “won’t even notice” because “it’s just waste, fraud and abuse.”
“We have the greatest country in the world and we’re back — we’re back like nobody thought possible this quickly,” the president said.
“I can say very proudly, and I don’t have to quote the polls, that our country is more proud right now than it’s been in many, many years,” Trump added. “We have pride. We have dignity. We have something that has happened miraculously, so fast.”
{Matzav.com}National School Choice Signed into Law by President Trump
Dear Friends,
Just moments ago, on Independence Day, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which includes the first national scholarship tax credit!
Working together, this new opportunity can generate hundreds of millions of dollars for yeshiva tuition and will have a dramatic impact on families across the country.
Today’s victory was the culmination of decades of advocacy by Agudah and its coalition partners to address one of our community’s number one priorities: the ability of parents to afford tuition at the school of their choice.
I am personally indebted to my amazing colleagues at Agudah and to the support of so many of you! Whether you joined the hundreds of thousands of people who sent emails to Congress, joined us on our missions to Washington, or supported our efforts around the country we thank you! We had great coalition partners in state and national school choice groups, nonpublic school advocates, and other faith leaders who trusted us and ensured that we had input in the bill drafting and at every stage of the process. Most importantly, we are grateful to our champions in Congress who worked for the last six months to ensure that school choice was included in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
We will send additional information tomorrow night about the scholarship tax credit and other items in the bill.
Have a Good Shabbos!
AD Motzen
National Director of Government Affairs
Agudath Israel of America
Trump Begins Rolling Out ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs Of Up To 70%: ‘We’re Giving Them A Bargain’
President Trump revealed that starting Friday, his administration will begin issuing notices to multiple nations that haven’t yet secured provisional trade agreements with the United States. These new tariffs are expected to reach up to “60 or 70%,” he stated.
“We’re going to start sending letters out to various countries starting [Friday]. We’ll probably have 10 or 12 go out,” Trump told reporters after midnight upon returning from a campaign event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
“I think by the 9th [of July] they’ll be fully covered, and they will range in value from maybe 60 or 70% tariffs to 10 and 20% tariffs.”
These elevated figures suggest that Trump is willing to go beyond the initial framework he rolled out on April 2, when he announced his “Liberation Day” trade initiative. That plan introduced a base 10% tariff—more than three times higher than previous levels—and imposed harsher rates on countries running large trade surpluses with the U.S.
In that announcement, some of the steepest proposed reciprocal tariffs included 49% on Cambodia, 48% on Laos, and 47% on Madagascar—each selected due to their trade imbalances and reliance on U.S. markets for textile and footwear exports.
“We’ve done the final form, and it’s basically going to explain what the countries are going to be paying in tariffs,” Trump told reporters early Friday.
“It’s a lot of money for the country, but we’re giving them a bargain. … I don’t want to stretch it too much, we want to keep it pretty reasonable.”
Trump mentioned he plans to dispatch roughly a dozen letters per day until the self-imposed deadline of Wednesday, giving countries limited time to finalize deals or face tariffs.
“As we get to the smaller countries, we’re pretty much going to keep the tariffs the same,” he said.
“They’ll start to pay on Aug. 1. The money will start to come into the United States on Aug. 1 in pretty much all cases.”
The administration hasn’t yet confirmed which countries will be subject to the highest rates of 60–70%, but the aggressive trade stance coincides with a string of favorable economic news. Job creation once again exceeded projections in June, inflation held steady at 2.4% in May, and stock markets surged to all-time highs in recent days.
Detractors, however, have cautioned that these sweeping tariffs could raise prices for American consumers, particularly on imported products.
Thus far, Trump has reached tentative trade arrangements with China, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. He’s also negotiated a “roadmap” with India and secured significant trade gestures from both Israel and Taiwan. However, several major trading partners—such as Japan and the European Union—have not yet finalized deals and remain exposed to the looming tariffs.
Trump has voiced skepticism regarding negotiations with Japan, which currently faces a proposed 24% duty. The European Union, meanwhile, may be hit with a 50% tariff, a hike from the initially proposed 20%, in retaliation for the EU’s pending digital tax targeting U.S. tech giants.
Even the agreements that have been outlined thus far only partially reduce the newly announced tariffs.
Under the provisional UK deal, the new 10% baseline tariff will remain on most goods, though certain British exports—like steel, aluminum, and most cars—will be exempted from the more severe 25% rate. In exchange, the UK has reportedly agreed to greater market access for U.S. agricultural products, including meat and ethanol.
The agreement with China resulted in a rollback of retaliatory tariffs while discussions continue on a more far-reaching pact. Trump also said the Chinese government has pledged to increase its imports of American goods.
As for Vietnam, the country will be spared from a proposed 46% tariff, but will still face a 20% rate on its own exports and a 40% rate on goods that originate from third-party countries like China before being routed through Vietnam.
Goods from Mexico and Canada are largely governed under the USMCA framework and are therefore exempt from most of the new levies. However, Trump did apply a 25% tariff in March to specific products not covered by the agreement, a move he said was intended to combat the trafficking of fentanyl and illegal border crossings.
Trump’s note that smaller countries will face similarly structured rates follows a period in which his administration concentrated on securing deals with the top 15 trading partners, even as smaller economies—especially in Asia—continue to export large volumes of inexpensive consumer goods due to their low labor costs.
On May 26, Trump emphasized that his broader tariff agenda was about strengthening the competitiveness of American industries—not about bringing back basic manufacturing jobs like those in the apparel sector.
“We’re not looking to make sneakers and T-shirts. We want to make military equipment. We want to make big things. We want to make, do the AI thing,” Trump said.
“I’m not looking to make T-shirts, to be honest. I’m not looking to make socks. We can do that very well in other locations. We are looking to do chips and computers and lots of other things and tanks and ships,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
North Korean Dashes Across Military Demarcation Line To South Korea In Brave Bid To Escape
Russia Becomes The First Country To Formally Recognize Taliban’s Latest Rule In Afghanistan
A Strike By Air Traffic Controllers Is Disrupting Travel To, From And Over France
Trump Criticized For Using Antisemitic ‘Shylock’ To Describe Bankers
During a speech celebrating the passage of his tax-cut and spending plan, President Donald Trump came under fire for using the term “Shylock” while talking about certain bankers — a word widely recognized as antisemitic.
“Think of that: No death tax. No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker — and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people,” Trump remarked while speaking at an event in Iowa late Thursday.
The term “Shylock” originates from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, where the character is a greedy Jewish moneylender. Over the centuries, the name became synonymous with predatory lending and has been broadly criticized as an antisemitic slur.
In response, the Anti-Defamation League condemned Trump’s comments in strong terms. “The term ‘Shylock’ evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous,” the ADL said. “President Trump’s use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible.”
Representative Dan Goldman of New York, who is Jewish and a member of the Democratic Party, reacted forcefully, stating, “This is blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he’s doing.”
When asked by reporters aboard Air Force One about the term and whether he understood its implications, Trump claimed ignorance. “No, I’ve never heard it that way. To be Shylock is somebody that, say, a money lender at high rates,” he said. “I’ve never heard it that way. You view it differently than me. I’ve never heard that.”
WATCH:
{Matzav.com}
Monticello Police Chief Defends Hatzolah After Bystander Questions Their “Noise For Fun”
Pages
