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In an unusual halachic ruling, Gerer rabbanim permitted live music last night, on Motzoei Tishah B’Av, for a festive reception celebrating the release of Yisroel Yehuda Fein, a talmid of Yeshivas Sefas Emes, who was freed from Military Prison 10 approximately one hour before the fast concluded. The special dispensation was granted on the grounds of kavod haTorah.

Hundreds of Gerer bochurim and chassidim welcomed Fein with spirited singing and dancing following his release. His imprisonment had become a major cause within the Gerer community and prompted widespread demonstrations over the past week.

Earlier in the week, thousands of Gerer chassidim, led by the Gerrer Rebbe, assembled outside the gates of Military Prison 10 to demand Fein’s release. After the rally concluded, a group of participants continued to the home of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, where they held an additional protest.

Upon Fein’s return to Yerushalayim, a festive reception was held at Yeshivas Sfas Emes. Although the accepted custom is to refrain from listening to music until midday on the day after Tishah B’Av, leaders of the Gerer chassidus said the chassidus’ rabbanim ruled that live music could accompany the celebration because of kavod haTorah.

Music for the event was provided by the Narnenah Choir, whose members are Gerer chassidim, together with singer Sandy Dinkel. Throughout the gathering, participants sang and danced as they celebrated Fein’s release from military prison.

Following the reception, hundreds of bochurim marched from Yeshivas Sefas Emes in the Machaneh Yehudah neighborhood to Fein’s home on Rechov Minchas Yitzchak. The procession wound through the streets of Yerushalayim with singing and dancing.

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{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Avraham Menachem zt”l, the longtime Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek and the founder of the Ner HaTzafon network of Torah institutions.

Born in Morocco, Rav Menachem immigrated to Eretz Yisroel as a teenager, arriving at approximately 15 years of age. Soon after settling in Migdal HaEmek in the Jezreel Valley, he distinguished himself through his exceptional diligence in Torah study and unwavering commitment to Torah and mitzvos. At the time, the young city was still in its formative years, and he dedicated himself to fostering Torah learning and preserving Jewish tradition, particularly among immigrants from Morocco.

For many decades, Rav Menachem served as the city’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi, earning the admiration and respect of residents from every segment of the community. Together with his longtime colleague, the Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Migdal HaEmek, Rav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, he helped spearhead a Torah renaissance throughout northern Israel, transforming Migdal HaEmek into a flourishing center of Torah, chessed, and Jewish education.

Rav Menachem founded and led the Ner HaTzafon educational network, which grew to include Talmudei Torah, preschools, the Nezer HaTorah yeshiva ketanah, kollelim for avreichim, and the Ohr HaEmek shul. Thousands of talmidim passed through these institutions, establishing Torah-observant homes and continuing the values instilled by their revered Rosh HaMosdos.

He was widely known for his extraordinary humility, warm countenance, and genuine concern for every individual. Despite his stature as one of the country’s senior rabbanim, he lived with remarkable simplicity. His home was always open to anyone seeking guidance or assistance, while the Torah classes and Daf Yomi shiurim he delivered in local shuls drew large numbers of participants from across the region.

Rav Menachem is survived by a distinguished family of children, grandchildren, and descendants who continue to walk in his path, dedicating themselves to Torah and mitzvos.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

The United States has already recorded more measles cases in 2026 than it did during all of 2025, setting a new three-decade high with nearly five months still remaining in the year and raising fresh concerns among public health officials about declining vaccination rates and expanding outbreaks.

According to updated figures released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,318 measles infections had been confirmed nationwide as of Thursday.

That total has already surpassed the 2,289 cases reported during all of 2025, which had previously been the country’s worst measles year in more than 30 years. With large outbreaks continuing in South Carolina, Utah, and Arizona, along with smaller clusters in several other states, 2026 has now become the nation’s worst measles year since 1991.

International health authorities are expected to meet in November to determine whether the United States and Mexico should retain their measles-free status. The U.S. achieved elimination of endemic measles transmission in 2000 through consistently high vaccination rates, but immunization levels have since fallen below the 95% threshold experts say is needed to prevent sustained outbreaks.

Health officials also caution that the true number of infections is likely much higher than official statistics indicate. Public health researchers have long acknowledged that reported case counts underestimate the spread because many infected individuals never seek medical care or receive a confirmed diagnosis.

Experts say the gap between reported and actual infections may be especially significant because measles is among the most contagious viruses known, while vaccination rates have continued to decline nationwide. Although national coverage for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine among kindergarten students stood at 92.5% during the 2024-25 school year, down from 95.2% in 2019-20, some communities have substantially lower vaccination rates.

Utah offers one example of the challenge. Public health officials there have battled measles for more than a year, with more than 700 confirmed cases reported during that period. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen said mathematical models and genetic analyses suggest the outbreak along the Utah-Arizona border could ultimately prove to be three to four times larger than current official figures indicate.

Officials in South Carolina have reached similar conclusions. Although the state has confirmed 997 measles cases during what has become its largest outbreak in 35 years, health authorities believe the true number is likely higher, though they cannot determine by how much.

Dr. Brannon Traxler, acting director of South Carolina’s Department of Health, said the size of the undercount remains uncertain.

“The undercount is ‘impossible to know and may vary during the course of an outbreak.’”

Researchers say incomplete reporting makes it difficult to accurately measure the full scope of an outbreak. While hospitalization rates can provide useful clues, measles-related hospitalizations are not required to be reported uniformly across all states.

“If we really had some kind of solid gold standard for the percentage of all cases that have hospitalization or some measure of severity, then that would be another way of estimating the outbreak size that we could see if it’s consistent with these other methods,” said Damon Toth, an applied mathematician at the University of Utah’s medical school who is working on one of the Utah outbreak analyses.

Scientists are also reexamining last year’s outbreak in Texas. Early analyses suggest the epidemic may have infected nearly twice as many people as the 762 officially confirmed cases.

Rémy Pasco, a mathematical epidemiologist at the University of Colorado Boulder who is helping conduct that research, said such discrepancies are not unexpected. He noted that once vaccination rates fall below the recommended 95% level, containing measles becomes extremely difficult.

In discussing how outbreaks are identified, Pasco noted that the CDC defines an outbreak as three or more connected cases, but warned that by the time those cases are recognized in communities with low vaccination rates and limited surveillance, transmission is often already widespread.

“Either you missed the previous ones or you’re going to have a lot more,” he added.

Texas Chief State Epidemiologist Dr. Varun Shetty said investigators have encountered situations in which infected individuals tested positive for measles but officials were unable to determine who else in the household had been exposed or whether additional family members had also become ill.

“What we’re able to count and report is almost always an underestimate of what actually occurred, because it relies on people being willing to be able to get tested, to share information with healthcare providers and with public health,” Shetty said. “Sometimes that just doesn’t happen.”

Earlier reports from the Texas Department of State Health Services indicated that 182 probable measles infections among minors in Gaines County—the center of the 2025 outbreak—could not be officially confirmed because investigators lacked sufficient information. During the entire outbreak, the county recorded 414 confirmed cases.

Shetty said he expects measles outbreaks to continue as long as large numbers of people remain unvaccinated.

“It’s really critical, not only for individual people, but for communities, to have high vaccination coverage,” he said.

Dr. Mark Roberts, the retired director of the Public Health Dynamics Lab at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, expressed particular concern for individuals who cannot receive the vaccine.

Research conducted by Roberts and his colleagues indicates that infants, immunocompromised individuals, and the small percentage of vaccinated people who do not develop strong immunity often face the greatest risk during outbreaks.

Roberts compared vaccine refusal to removing a car’s most important safety feature, emphasizing that the consequences extend beyond the individual making the decision.

“Not vaccinating your kid is like saying, ‘I don’t want my car to have brakes,’” he said. “Because it’s other people that you can hit. It’s not just you in your car. It’s other people.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is expected to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House on Tuesday, according to a White House official, setting up a closely watched meeting as the two leaders prepare to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and broader security issues.

A Ukrainian source said Zelenskyy is planning to travel to the United States but was awaiting final confirmation from the White House regarding Trump’s schedule before finalizing the visit.

Representatives for the Ukrainian president did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the anticipated meeting.

Earlier Friday, conservative activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer said she had spoken directly with Zelenskyy, who indicated that he expected to be in the United States next week for meetings that would include talks with Trump.

In a post on X, Loomer also said Zelenskyy told her he plans to attend the funeral of the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who passed away earlier this month.

Graham was among the strongest supporters of Ukraine in the U.S. Senate. Since Russia’s invasion, he traveled to Ukraine 10 times, consistently advocating for increased American assistance to Kyiv while pressing for tougher sanctions against Moscow.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is set to travel to Washington on Monday at the invitation of President Donald Trump for a closely watched White House meeting expected to center on Iran, as the administration weighs whether to broaden military operations against the Islamic Republic.

The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, will mark Netanyahu’s first official visit to the U.S. capital since the outbreak of the war with Iran and comes at a pivotal moment in the regional conflict.

During his trip, Netanyahu is also expected to attend the funeral of the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, whom the Prime Minister’s Office described as “a friend of Israel.”

The visit coincides with ongoing deliberations inside the White House over whether to resume large-scale military action against Iran following Operation Epic Fury. Discussions are taking place amid continued concerns over Tehran’s nuclear program and its attacks on commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Axios, Netanyahu has now met with Trump six times since the president returned to office a year and a half ago—more than any other foreign leader.

Tuesday’s discussions could carry enormous strategic significance, with reports indicating that Trump is evaluating options that include a renewed joint American-Israeli military campaign targeting Iranian assets.

The announcement of Netanyahu’s visit has prompted widespread speculation that Washington and Jerusalem are coordinating their next moves in confronting Iran.

Some analysts believe the timing suggests any major military escalation is unlikely before the leaders meet. However, Axios noted that in previous instances, publicly announced visits by senior officials have sometimes served as part of broader deception efforts preceding military operations.

Trump told Axios on Thursday that he would meet with Netanyahu should the Israeli leader travel to Washington for Graham’s funeral.

Netanyahu had initially intended to make the trip last week, but postponed his plans after the funeral schedule for Graham was changed.

Axios also reported that Netanyahu had been seeking an Oval Office meeting before one was officially confirmed, although White House officials initially maintained that no appointment had yet been finalized.

The meeting also unfolds against a complicated political backdrop. Axios reported that although Netanyahu remains one of Trump’s closest international allies, the Israeli leader has become increasingly unpopular among Democrats, some members of Trump’s inner circle, and segments of the MAGA movement amid disagreements over the direction of the Middle East conflict.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the Prime Minister’s Office has informed reporters that journalists will not be permitted to fly aboard the official government aircraft, Wing of Zion. Members of the media traveling separately, however, may apply for press credentials to cover the visit.

In addition to bilateral relations, the White House talks are expected to address Iran’s continued regional aggression, U.S.-Israel security cooperation, efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, and broader initiatives aimed at restoring stability across the Middle East as Tehran continues to reject terms for a comprehensive diplomatic agreement.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is set to address the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner tonight after the annual event was postponed nearly three months ago when a gunman opened fire outside the original venue, forcing organizers to cancel the gala.

The April 25 dinner at the Washington Hilton was abruptly called off after an armed man attempted to breach a security checkpoint before firing a shotgun outside the ballroom, where Trump and members of his Cabinet had just begun taking their seats.

The accused gunman, Cole Allen, entered a not guilty plea in May to multiple charges, including attempting to assassinate the president.

This year’s rescheduled dinner will be held at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington under significantly heightened security.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran said Wednesday that federal agents have developed an extensive security operation for the event.

“We do expect bad people to show up,” Curran said. “It’s just a reality of where we are, but we’re treating it no differently than any other site that the president goes to.”

Following the April attack, Trump argued that the incident underscored the importance of constructing the planned $400 million ballroom at the White House, saying events of this nature could be held more safely on the White House grounds.

Friday night’s program will also recognize Secret Service officer Victor Gonzales, who was shot while protecting the security perimeter outside the ballroom during the April attack. Wearing body armor, Gonzales was the only individual wounded and is widely credited with preventing the assailant from reaching the event. The White House Correspondents’ Association also announced that employees of the Washington Hilton who helped guests during the emergency will be honored.

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been a fixture in the nation’s capital for well over a century, raising scholarship funds for aspiring journalists while celebrating the First Amendment’s guarantees of free speech and a free press. Trump is expected to deliver remarks during the evening, and renowned mentalist Oz Pearlman will provide the entertainment.

WHCA President Weijia Jiang said the dinner is intended to demonstrate that the attack in April will not intimidate either journalists or the broader American public.

“It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence.”

{Matzav.com}

Member nations of the International Criminal Court voted Friday to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office, ending his tenure amid a widening misconduct scandal. The decision was welcomed by Israeli leaders, who have long accused Khan of pursuing a politically motivated campaign against Israel after he sought arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

According to Reuters, citing two diplomatic sources familiar with the vote, 82 of the ICC’s 125 member states supported Khan’s removal. The sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the proceedings.

Khan, a 56-year-old British lawyer, has been accused of misconduct involving a staff member. He has repeatedly denied all of the allegations.

The controversy surrounding Khan has hung over the Hague-based court for more than two years, contributing to growing turmoil within the tribunal during a period of mounting international criticism. Earlier this month, the United States intensified that pressure by launching an initiative aimed at dismantling the 24-year-old court.

In June, Khan was suspended from his duties after the executive committee overseeing the ICC concluded that he had committed a “serious breach of duty and serious misconduct”.

He also entered Friday’s vote while suspended from practicing law in the United Kingdom, where the British Bar Standards Board is conducting its own investigation into the allegations.

Khan drew international condemnation in 2024 after leading the effort to obtain ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant on allegations of crimes against humanity. The move sparked fierce opposition from Israel and its allies and led the Trump administration to impose multiple rounds of financial and travel sanctions against Khan and other ICC officials.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, hailed Friday’s vote as a long-overdue rebuke of Khan’s conduct.

“Today at UN Headquarters, ICC member states voted to remove Prosecutor Karim Khan. Khan thought his political witch hunt against Israel and outrageous arrest warrants would distract from serious … misconduct allegations. He was wrong.”

Danon also took aim at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has repeatedly targeted Israel and called for Netanyahu’s arrest.

“Mayor Mamdani, take note: using Israel as a political weapon will not shield you from accountability.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar likewise praised Khan’s removal, arguing that it exposed the motivations behind the prosecutor’s actions against Israel.

“The long-delayed removal of Karim Khan from the ICC for serious misconduct has exposed the moral bankruptcy of a corrupt Prosecutor who rushed to file scandalous arrest warrants against Israel’s PM and former DM, in an attempt to deflect from the serious misconduct he feared would be revealed.”

Sa’ar further asserted that the warrants never should have been pursued and called for them to be withdrawn without delay.

“These were politicized and outrageous arrest warrants against elected leaders of a democracy with an independent legal system defending its citizens against terror. These warrants, issued against a country that is not even a member of the ICC, should never have been sought in the first place and should be revoked immediately.”

{Matzav.com}

Bahrain and Kuwait reportedly carried out covert airstrikes against targets inside Iran earlier this month, marking the first time either Gulf nation has directly attacked the Islamic Republic in retaliation for Tehran’s actions, according to a report published Friday by The Wall Street Journal.

People familiar with the operation told the newspaper that fighter jets from the two countries struck facilities believed to be housing Iranian drones and missile stockpiles.

The report also states that the United Arab Emirates played a key supporting role in the mission. According to The Wall Street Journal, the UAE supplied intelligence and provided defensive air cover after previously conducting multiple strikes of its own against Iran during the early stages of the conflict.

Officials representing the governments of Bahrain and Kuwait declined to comment on the report.

The reported operation comes as hostilities between the United States and Iran continue to intensify. Early Friday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had carried out a 13th straight night of strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure.

According to CENTCOM, the latest wave of attacks focused on military command centers, drone storage locations, communications networks, coastal surveillance installations, and maritime assets in an effort to further reduce the threat Iran poses to civilian shipping and commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, meanwhile, continued its own military response, launching missiles toward Bahrain and setting off air raid sirens in the Gulf kingdom.

Separately, Jordan’s military announced Friday afternoon that its air defense systems intercepted seven Iranian missiles and six drones before they could reach their intended targets.

President Donald Trump declared Friday that both China and Russia have assured him they will not provide weapons to Iran, while cautioning that any reversal of those commitments would carry serious consequences.

In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping personally pledged during a recent meeting in Beijing that neither China nor Chinese companies would supply arms to the Islamic Republic.

“President Xi, at our recent meeting in Beijing, China, told me that he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran – And that statement included Chinese Companies.”

Trump said he believes Xi will honor that commitment, pointing to what he described as the strong relationship between the two leaders and noting that the United States has extended significant assistance to China.

“Considering our relationship, I take him at his word and, besides, l am doing him very big favors, also. Likewise, President Putin, despite the horrible War going on in Ukraine (The relationship remains, as it does with President Zelenskyy), told me that he would not sell Weapons to Iran.”

The president also addressed U.S. military assistance connected to the war in Ukraine, emphasizing that Washington’s weapons sales are made to NATO allies rather than directly to Kyiv.

“He understands that I do not sell Weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO Countries. They pay full price, and how those Weapons are distributed, I have no idea.”

Trump concluded by arguing that two of the countries most frequently mentioned as potential military suppliers to Iran are, in his view, staying out of the conflict. He warned, however, that any decision by either nation to arm Tehran would be a serious mistake.

“Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating. If they did, it would be very bad for them – Certainly not in their best interests. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

{Matzav.com}

Dr. Anthony Fauci is scheduled to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee next Wednesday after being subpoenaed by Committee Chairman Sen. Rand Paul, who said he intends to question the former government health official about the origins of COVID-19 and U.S.-funded research in China.

Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has spent years accusing Fauci of concealing the United States’ involvement in research conducted at a laboratory in Wuhan, China. The senator has argued that the work contributed to the creation of the virus that ultimately sparked the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking Thursday during an appearance on Fox Business, Paul said he has little confidence that Fauci will provide truthful testimony.

“I expect he will not tell the truth,” Paul said. “I don’t expect him to be honest, he hasn’t been honest in the last six years.”

The upcoming hearing follows years of public confrontations between the two men during Senate hearings held while Fauci was leading the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic during the Biden administration.

Fauci stepped down from government service in 2022 and has consistently rejected allegations made by Paul and other Republican lawmakers regarding his role in funding virus research or misleading the public.

Paul has maintained, without presenting conclusive evidence, that COVID-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory before escaping into the public. He has also accused Fauci and other senior officials of working to convince Americans that the lab-leak theory was merely a conspiracy theory. The Kentucky senator has further argued that Fauci bears responsibility for the tens of millions of deaths attributed to COVID-19 worldwide.

Before leaving office, President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Fauci and several other senior officials, citing concerns that they could face investigations or prosecution by the Trump administration.

Paul has also repeatedly called for Fauci to be indicted, alleging that he lied to Congress under oath regarding gain-of-function research funded by the U.S. government.

Many infectious disease experts, however, have disputed those claims, saying the research supported by the National Institutes of Health was not capable of causing the COVID-19 pandemic.

{Matzav.com}