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There was widespread joy and excitement among the Jewish communities of Zurich this past Shabbos, as residents observed their first Shabbos following the completion of a fully halachic eruv encircling the city’s Jewish neighborhoods.

With the eruv now in effect, Zurich joins the growing list of cities in Eretz Yisroel and around the world where carrying on Shabbos is permitted under halachah. The development is expected to significantly ease Shabbos life, allowing families to move about more freely, visit relatives, and enjoy the long Shabbos afternoons in a more relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

The project was carried out as a joint initiative of Zurich’s two central kehillos: Agudas Achim, led by the city’s gaavad, Rav Tzvi Elimelech Padwa, and Adas Yeshurun, under the leadership of Rav Chaim Moshe Levi. From the earliest stages, the rabbonim were closely involved, overseeing every halachic detail and working in consultation with leading experts in the complex laws of eruvin.

Alongside the rabbinic oversight, community askanim worked extensively with municipal authorities to address all administrative and legal requirements. The project, which spanned approximately five years, progressed steadily and methodically, reflecting a high level of care and perseverance.

In recent weeks, as construction was completed, the rabbonim conducted comprehensive inspections throughout the city, carefully examining the mechitzos and tzuras hapesach. Several final adjustments were made to ensure that the eruv meets the highest halachic standards. In addition, special supervisors were appointed to conduct weekly inspections and ensure the ongoing integrity of the eruv.

In the final stage, the customary sechiras reshus with city authorities was carried out in accordance with halachah, completing all necessary preparations.

Following these steps, a public notice was issued announcing that carrying is now permitted in Zurich as of last Shabbos.

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Binyomin Kluger, a longtime writer for Hamodia, concluded his regular work with the newspaper this past Friday, bringing to a close a writing career there that spanned five decades.

He marked the occasion with a special farewell column addressed to the paper’s readers.

Kluger, 77, a Chassid of Sanz and a resident of Yerushalayim’s Givat Shaul neighborhood, has been a familiar and respected voice in Hamodia since its early years. Alongside his journalism, he has long been active in the Torah world, serving as an inspector for the monthly examinations held in batei midrash across the country, a role connected to the Mifal HaShas initiative founded by his rebbe, the Sanzer Rebbe, the Shefa Chaim zt”l.

Writing under the pen name “K. Binyamin,” Kluger authored weekly columns for decades and published dozens of seforim in parallel to his newspaper work. His final column appeared on Friday, when he formally took leave of his readership.

In his farewell essay, Kluger reflected on his lifelong commitment to the printed word, writing that throughout his years of journalism he chose to remain loyal to print media, believing that “when words are written in black and white, their power is intensified.”

Looking back on more than fifty years of writing, he described Hamodia as a home for his words and recounted the countless hours and settings in which articles were produced — in the early hours of the morning, under blazing sun, in the depths of night, and in every conceivable environment. He noted that at the moment of writing, a journalist never truly knows who will read the words, how they will be received, or whether the intended emotion will fully carry through.

Kluger also wrote about the discipline he maintained over the years, explaining that he never skipped a weekly column or took time off, out of a sense of responsibility and gratitude for the privilege of having a regular platform. In recent years, he added, his “Past and Present” column became firmly woven into the contemporary pages of Hamodia.

Expressing thanks, Kluger wrote that he is deeply grateful to Hashem for the merit of being counted among the newspaper’s writers, and he extended appreciation to the editorial staff and management, whom he praised for their sense of mission and shared purpose. As he departs, he offered a blessing to those who continue the work, invoking words of peace, unity, and goodwill.

While stepping away from his official role, Kluger emphasized that he is not abandoning journalism. He plans to devote himself to writing future books in a quieter setting, describing his departure not as a full goodbye, but as “only a half-farewell.”

{Matzav.com}

The man accused of placing two pipe bombs in Washington on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol told investigators after his arrest that he believed someone needed to “speak up” for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen and that he wanted to target the country’s political parties […]

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s problems are growing after decades-old video resurfaced showing him addressing a radical pro-Palestine rally while standing just feet from a Hezbollah flag, reigniting questions about his past activism and complicating his government’s calls for national unity following the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. The footage captures a younger Albanese speaking through […]

A new public opinion poll released following a high-profile interview on Kan 11 indicates notable shifts across Israel’s political landscape, including the first-ever Knesset entry of a party widely identified with opposition to the chareidi community.

The changes come in the wake of an interview given by Eli Feldstein on Kan 11’s investigative program hosted by Omri Asenheim, which appears to have influenced voter sentiment across multiple blocs.

According to a special survey conducted by Kan News in cooperation with the Kantar Institute, Likud, led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, has weakened, losing two seats compared to the previous poll. Parties led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid also each dropped by two seats, while the Democrats party headed by Yair Golan lost one mandate.

Kan News reported that the most dramatic development was recorded in the center-right segment of the political map. For the first time since its establishment, the reservists’ party led by Yoaz Hendel crossed the electoral threshold and entered the Knesset with four seats, largely at the expense of centrist parties. At the same time, Benny Gantz continued to lose ground and fell further below the threshold required to enter the Knesset.

Under the poll’s breakdown, Likud stands at 25 seats, down from 27 in the previous survey. Bennett’s party dropped to 20 seats from 22. Shas, led by Aryeh Deri, strengthened slightly, gaining one seat to reach a total of 10 mandates. Yisrael Beiteinu, Otzma Yehudit, and the Democrats party each received nine seats.

Yesh Atid, led by Lapid, fell to eight seats, down from 10. Hadash–Ta’al and Ra’am each secured five mandates, while Hendel’s party entered the Knesset with four seats. Blue and White, Religious Zionism, and Balad did not cross the electoral threshold.

In the overall bloc calculation, the Netanyahu-led coalition stands at 51 seats, short of a Knesset majority.

The poll also examined public attitudes following Feldstein’s interview. A relative plurality of respondents said they were more inclined to believe Feldstein’s version of events than that of Prime Minister Netanyahu, though a large portion of the public remains undecided. According to the survey, 36 percent said they believe Feldstein, 24 percent said they believe Netanyahu, and 40 percent said they are unsure whom to believe.

Public skepticism was also evident regarding the establishment of a government commission of inquiry. A majority of respondents said they do not believe the commission being formed by the government will conduct a thorough, optimal, and objective investigation into the events that led to the October 7 massacre. Fifty-three percent expressed distrust in the commission’s ability to do so, 29 percent said they believe it will, and 18 percent said they do not know.

{Matzav.com}

As deliberations over the proposed draft law continue in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, an emergency gathering of leading Chassidic admorim, mashpi’im, and Sephardic gedolei Torah was held Sunday evening at the Vizhnitz Beis Medrash on Nechemia Street in Yerushalayim. The asifah was convened under the leadership of the HaRav Moshe Tzadka shlit”a. […]

Security personnel at Ben Gurion Airport once again intercepted a passenger who had been caught last week attempting to board a flight with concealed ammunition and a firearm, Israeli media reported.

According to the report, airport security staff recognized the individual upon his arrival at Terminal 3 on Sunday. The man was stopped for questioning immediately after entering the terminal. During the inquiry, security officials learned that he had arrived at the airport without a flight ticket and was attempting to purchase one on site. Following the questioning, he was escorted out of the terminal and barred from continuing further at the airport.

The incident comes just days after the same passenger was detained during a routine security screening prior to a flight. As previously reported, security officers discovered handgun bullets hidden inside the man’s walking cane. A subsequent, more thorough inspection of his luggage led to the discovery of a handgun frame concealed in his suitcase.

Once the items were found, the security screening was halted immediately and the passenger was transferred to questioning by security authorities. He was not permitted to board the flight.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF Home Front Command is preparing to impose stricter construction standards for bomb shelters in Israeli homes, following lessons learned from the recent war and past terror attacks that exposed dangerous weaknesses in civilian protection. The updated regulations, expected to take effect next year, are aimed at addressing the evolving threats facing Israel’s home […]

President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal as he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort, but he acknowledged that negotiations could still break down and leave the war dragging on for years. The president’s statements came after the two leaders met for a […]

Hamas is moving toward selecting a new leader, with a decision expected in the coming days or weeks, according to a report by the Saudi outlet Asharq that cited sources close to the terror group’s senior leadership.

The report said the vote will be conducted by Hamas’s general Shura council, a body of roughly 50 members drawn from the organization’s three regional politburos: Gaza, the West Bank, and the Palestinian diaspora. Hamas traditionally holds leadership elections every four years. While the most recent vote took place in March 2021, the next round — initially planned for early 2025 — was postponed due to the war in Gaza.

According to Asharq, the two leading contenders are Khaled Mashaal, a former head of Hamas, and Khalil al-Hayya, who currently leads the group’s politburo in Gaza.

Sources cited in the report said that while leadership elections are imminent, they have “ruled out holding general elections before the war comes to a complete end.”

The same sources described a sharp contrast between the candidates’ policy outlooks, particularly regarding Israel’s presence in Gaza. Hayya, who is viewed as closely aligned with Iran, was said to favor continuing “armed conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip until the war ends and the Israeli army withdraws from the Strip entirely.” Mashaal, by contrast, is described as supporting “negotiated compromises to end the occupation of Gaza.”

Mashaal is also said to advocate “trying to move Hamas away from Iran” and “closer to the moderate Arab states,” according to the Asharq report.

Despite those differences, the sources assessed that Hayya is the frontrunner, citing his backing from senior Hamas figures in both Gaza and the West Bank, including Zaher Jabarin, the group’s West Bank politburo chief.

The leadership shakeup follows a series of assassinations that decimated Hamas’s top ranks. Ismail Haniyeh, who was elected leader in 2021, was killed by Israel in Tehran in July 2024. His successor, Yahya Sinwar, was later killed by Israeli forces in Rafah in October of the same year.

Since then, the organization has been overseen by an interim leadership council led by general Shura council head Muhammad Ismail Darwish. The provisional body also includes Hayya, Mashaal, Jabarin, and Gaza politburo member Nizar Awadallah.

Observers quoted by Asharq said Hamas’s push to proceed with elections now reflects both the current ceasefire with Israel and growing friction within the interim leadership over key questions, including “the fate of the movement’s rule in Gaza and regional alliances.”

Under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire framework, Hamas is required to relinquish control of Gaza to international forces. However, senior Hamas figures — including both Hayya and Mashaal — have said such forces should function only as a buffer between Israel and Gaza, rather than replacing Hamas’s authority outright.

{Matzav.com}

TRUMP: “The working group is going to be composed of Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, General “Razin” Caine, Marco Rubio, and a few other people… I think Pete Hegseth should be on that working group.”

[Video below.] As diplomatic talks over ending the Russia-Ukraine war unfolded at Mar-a-Lago, a brief and unscripted exchange involving food and the press drew attention before the formal discussions began.

Moments before sitting down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Donald Trump paused the proceedings on Sunday to address a reporter in the room, joking about whether offering lunch could be considered an improper inducement.

“Would you like to have food, or would you consider that a bribe?” Trump asked. “And therefore you could not write honestly, or therefore you have to write a bad story.”

The exchange took place as Trump was seated alongside senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. A Fox News broadcast captured the moment as Trump, smiling, pressed the reporter further.

“Would you like something to eat at this time? Yes or no? You can speak,” Trump said.

“Yes sir,” the reporter replied.

The answer prompted visible reactions around the table. Hegseth broke into a wide grin, while Trump gestured to communications adviser Margo Martin “to take him outside and tell them to serve him a little lunch.” Cameras also caught Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, appearing amused, while White House adviser Stephen Miller looked on stone-faced as the scene played out.

As members of the press were escorted from the room, Trump continued the banter. “That should guarantee good stories, but it won’t. They’ll only get worse,” he said. Turning back toward Zelensky, seated across from him, Trump made a passing remark referencing a hamburger.

The lighthearted moment came against the backdrop of serious negotiations. Trump and Zelensky were meeting to discuss pathways toward ending the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking to reporters outside Mar-a-Lago earlier Sunday, Trump said there was “nothing more important” to him than bringing the conflict to a close, and he bristled at what he described as a “dumb question” regarding security guarantees.

The talks followed Zelensky’s release this week of a 20-point peace proposal that includes security assurances and a plan to transform disputed territories into a demilitarized free economic zone.

Ahead of Zelensky’s arrival, Trump also held a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump told reporters he intended to speak with Putin again after concluding his meeting with the Ukrainian leader, describing the discussions as “pretty complex, but not that complex.”
WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

POTUS on his call with Putin: “I saw a very interesting President Putin today… I think we’re going to get there… I was on the phone with him for almost two-and-a-half hours. We discussed a lot of things. We didn’t talk about the weather.”

POTUS on the possibility of traveling to Ukraine: “I’m not sure that it would be really necessary, but if it would help save 25,000 lives a month… I would certainly be willing to do that.”

Q: “What are the thorniest issues still unresolved?” POTUS: “The land. Some of that land has been taken… You’re better off making a deal now.”

POTUS: “Everybody wants [the war] ended… I want it ended because I don’t want to see so many people dying.”

POTUS on Russia-Ukraine peace talks: “We could be very close. There are one or two very thorny issues… but I think we’re doing very well. We made a lot of progress today.”

President Trump delivers remarks upon meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago: “We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin… and I do think we’re getting a lot closer.”

The Wing of Zion aircraft carrying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has landed in Palm Beach, Florida. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Trump tomorrow.

The Yerushalayim District Court has ruled that the Hamas terror organization must pay close to one billion shekels in damages to hundreds of people harmed in the October 7 massacre, issuing the decision after Hamas failed to submit a defense.

The default judgment was delivered by Eran Shila following petitions filed by hundreds of plaintiffs — including survivors of the attack and heirs of those murdered — who were represented by attorney David Simana. The court acted after Hamas did not respond to the lawsuit.

The claims were brought under Israel’s Terror Victims Compensation Law, which took effect in 2024 and authorizes punitive damages against perpetrators of terror attacks and those deemed responsible. While the ruling targets Hamas, enforcement is expected to be challenging. Separate proceedings against the Palestinian Authority are continuing; that authority did file a defense, and the present ruling does not address those pending claims.

According to the lawsuits, the plaintiffs include people wounded in the October 7, 2023 assault as well as dependents and heirs of victims who were killed. Many live in kibbutzim and communities near the Gaza border. The filings assert that all plaintiffs suffered physical and/or psychological harm as a direct result of the attack.

Under the law cited by the plaintiffs, punitive damages are set at 10 million shekels for heirs when a terror attack results in death, and 5 million shekels for victims who sustained permanent disabilities.

One survivor who was at Zikim Beach during the attack described the impact of the ruling, saying: “On October 7 we were at Zikim Beach. We arrived the day before to fish. We saw them with our own eyes. I tried to help others. Since that day I have been traumatized. Saying post-trauma minimizes the reality. I am not post. Illnesses erupted in me because of the event. The decision is very important for our rehabilitation. I want to thank the court and the law office that accompanied and continue to accompany us and are doing sacred work. It is time that the victims receive what we deserve. Hopefully we will get a new horizon. I sincerely hope we receive the money for our rehabilitation now and not in 20 years. The state must step in and ensure this.”

The mother of a young man who was murdered while returning home from the Nova music festival also reacted to the verdict. “I am in total shock from the ruling. I did not expect it. It is unprecedented. The judge sees the families and the victims. For me, this ruling is about being seen, when in our country responsibility was not taken and a state commission of inquiry was not established. It was important for us to be recognized. We raised our children here, and our son did not move to Tel Aviv but grew up here. My son knew this area as paradise. We never imagined October 7, or that our paradise would turn into hell in seconds. My son and his friends who were murdered trusted this area so much. What is happening now is closure.”

In some of the cases, plaintiffs are additionally represented by attorney Maayan Yohai of the Yohai Atzofi law firm.

Attorney David Simana welcomed the outcome, saying: “I welcome the court’s decision, which gives justice to the victims and their families. We are aware of the difficulties in collecting the compensation awarded from Hamas, but we will examine all options available to us. It is important to emphasize that this is only a partial ruling.”

He added: “I hope that in the proceedings against the Palestinian Authority, after more than 5 billion shekels have already been seized for the benefit of about 2,000 of our clients, the court will accept our arguments, recognize the Palestinian Authority’s responsibility for the events of October 7, and order it to compensate the victims. My team and I will continue to act on behalf of our clients and stand up for their rights in all the lawsuits being conducted in their name, in Israel and in the United States.”

{Matzav.com}