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It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the untimely petirah of Mordechai (Mordy) Klughaupt z”l, a beloved photographer and cherished member of the Lakewood community, who suffered a sudden medical episode earlier today.

Mordy was widely known throughout Lakewood and beyond for his warm personality and talent behind the camera. Through his company, Crystal Photography, he captured countless simchos, family milestones, communal events, and treasured moments, preserving memories for thousands of families over the years. His professionalism was matched only by his kind nature, and he was admired by clients, friends, and colleagues alike. He also provided waitering services utilized by many in the community.

He was the son of Rav Michel Klughaupt, a revered talmid chacham and longtime Rosh Mesivta at Mesivta of Lakewood, who is recognized as one of Lakewood’s senior and respected talmidei chachamim, and Rebbetzin Ciporah Klughaupt.

Those who knew Mordy describe him as a warm-hearted individual who brought joy wherever he went. Whether at a wedding, bar mitzvah, or community gathering, he had a unique ability to make people feel good. His genuine smile left a lasting impression on all who encountered him.

Mordy leaves behind his wife, Miriam (nee Weinschneider), and their three young children.

The levayah is tentatively scheduled to take place tonight at 11:30 p.m. at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, followed by kevurah at the adjacent Mt. Sinai Cemetery. The levayah will be broadcast on Zoom HERE.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

The final stretch of this year’s yeshiva registration season is underway as entrance examinations have begun at Yeshivas Ponevezh, with a record number of applicants seeking admission for the coming academic year. The unprecedented volume of candidates has prompted the yeshiva’s leadership to move the testing schedule forward in order to complete the process on time.

Examinations officially began on Wednesday, weeks after most major yeshivos had already completed their testing, finalized registration, and issued acceptance decisions. Traditionally, Ponevezh begins its entrance exams on the seventh of Tammuz, but this year the schedule was advanced following a dramatic surge in applicants. For the first time, more than 600 bochurim have registered to be tested for admission. In response, Yeshiva Nosi Rav Eliezer Kahaneman directed that the process begin earlier so that every candidate could be evaluated before the end of Tammuz.

At Ponevezh, the admissions process is centered primarily on rigorous testing. Each applicant undergoes a series of evaluations, including an initial examination with Rav Eliezer Kahaneman, followed by additional testing conducted by members of the yeshiva’s distinguished faculty, including Rav Chaim Peretz Berman, Rav Dovid Levy, Rav Dovid Miller, Rav Yehuda Shmuel Meller, Rav Yosef Kahaneman, Rav Rafael Shmulevitz, and Rav Yaakov Epstein. Candidates also meet for an interview with one of the yeshiva’s mashgichim, Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Klarman or Rav Ezra Rothschild.

The examinations take place in the homes of the yeshiva’s rabbanim in the Ponevezh neighborhood of Bnei Brak. Overseeing the registration process and coordinating examination schedules are Rabbi Menachem Eschayek, a longtime close aide to Rav Eliezer Kahaneman, and Rabbi Zelig Diskin, the spiritual director of Yeshivas Meshech Chochmah and a close associate of Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l.

One member of the testing panel, Rav Chaim Peretz Berman, is currently in the United States together with other leading Torah figures on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah. He is expected to rejoin the admissions process upon his return to Eretz Yisroel in the middle of next week.

As in every year, one of the most closely watched questions is how many applicants will ultimately be accepted. Based on recent trends, insiders do not expect a major increase in enrollment. However, projections indicate that the incoming class could be approximately 20 to 30 students larger than last year’s, bringing the total number of accepted bochurim to roughly 450. Those students will be divided among three separate first-year shiurim.

Once all candidates have completed their examinations, the decisive stage of the admissions process will take place. Toward the end of the month, the yeshiva’s rabbanim will gather for the annual admissions meeting, during which they will review every applicant individually. The deliberations, held at the home of Rav Eliezer Kahaneman and led by Rosh Yeshiva Rav Berel Povarsky, often continue late into the night as the rabbanim carefully determine which candidates will be offered a place in the upcoming first-year class.

Anticipation throughout the yeshiva world remains extraordinarily high. For many bochurim, admission to Ponevezh represents a lifelong aspiration. Yet even those who are not accepted rarely remain without options for long, as other leading yeshivos closely monitor the results and quickly recruit talented applicants who do not secure a place at Ponevezh. As a result, the conclusion of the Ponevezh admissions process often serves as the final piece that shapes the broader yeshiva registration landscape for the coming year.

{Matzav.com}

As demonstrations over the military draft issue continue, MK Yaakov Tessler of United Torah Judaism delivered a blistering condemnation of police conduct following clashes Wednesday between protesters and law enforcement officers.

The Chareidi lawmaker accused police of using excessive force against demonstrators and claimed that officers crossed the line from law enforcement into outright abuse.

“The brutal cruelty we witnessed today—police throwing grenades, striking people with batons, tearing protesters’ clothing, and abusing them mercilessly—is not law enforcement,” Tessler said. “It is a dark outburst of rage born from systematic brainwashing against Chareidim. Chareidi blood has become cheap.”

Tessler argued that the confrontations were the predictable outcome of what he described as ongoing incitement against the Chareidi community by political leaders and media figures.

“The shocking scenes are the direct result of the wild and ongoing incitement against the Chareidi public,” he said. “When an entire media establishment and irresponsible politicians portray Chareidim as the enemy, police officers on the ground get the message, and the result is a complete loss of control.”

According to Tessler, the protests reflect deep frustration within the Chareidi community over the treatment of Torah students and the continued efforts to draft yeshiva students into military service.

“Yeshiva students are not criminals, and Torah study is not a crime,” he declared. “This protest stems from profound pain over the systematic persecution of Torah learners in Eretz Yisroel. The Torah world will not surrender to violence driven by hatred.”

His comments came after widely circulated footage from demonstrations near Bnei Brak showed confrontations between protesters and police, sparking a fierce public debate over the conduct of both demonstrators and law enforcement authorities.

{Matzav.com}

The heads of Israel’s Chareidi Hesder Yeshivas have issued a public appeal to Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, calling for an immediate one-year suspension of the arrests of yeshiva students while the government works toward a long-term solution to the military draft dispute.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth, the yeshiva leaders urged the government to enact a temporary one-year measure that would halt the arrests and create an opportunity to formulate a lasting arrangement regarding military service and Torah study.

Unlike several proposals raised in recent days that focused exclusively on stopping the arrests of yeshiva students—and were quickly rejected by both coalition and opposition figures—the yeshiva leaders outlined a broader framework. Their proposal combines a one-year freeze on arrests with a significant expansion of military and national service tracks tailored to the Chareidi community, along with an increase in enlistment to those programs. According to the authors, the combination of these elements would give the plan a much stronger legal foundation.

The letter argues that blaming the Chareidi leadership alone for the ongoing crisis does not accurately reflect reality. The rabbis wrote that repeated efforts over the past decade to regulate the status of yeshiva students have failed due to shortcomings on multiple fronts, including the judicial system, political leadership, the Israel Defense Forces, and the broader security establishment.

The yeshiva leaders also warned that the current wave of arrests is actually harming efforts to encourage greater Chareidi participation in military service. They contend that trust cannot be built while yeshiva students continue to face detention and legal action.

As part of their proposal, they are calling for a nationwide initiative to expand service opportunities during the one-year suspension period. Among their recommendations is a goal of tripling enrollment in Chareidi Hesder Yeshivas within a year, supported by dedicated government funding.

They also propose significantly expanding service tracks designed for Chareidim within the military, police, emergency services, and local defense organizations. In addition, they advocate creating accelerated enlistment programs for older men who never previously served, integrating them into reserve-duty frameworks, and launching a broad public campaign encouraging participation in service options compatible with the Chareidi way of life.

According to the letter, the objective of the proposed year-long pause is to create practical conditions that would allow a Chareidi young man who wishes to do so to combine serious Torah study with contributing to Israel’s security needs, without being forced to choose one over the other.

The rabbis also called on lawmakers to use the temporary period to finalize a broadly accepted draft law that would both protect the status of full-time Torah scholars and establish clear pathways for those seeking to combine Torah study with military or national service.

The letter concludes with an appeal for national unity and swift action.

“The Jewish people need unity, responsibility, the preservation of the Torah world, and the safeguarding of Israel’s security at this time—not another division within the camp,” the rabbis wrote.

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli police officer has been suspended from operational duty after footage surfaced appearing to show him kicking a protester during demonstrations on Route 4 near Bnei Brak, an incident that sparked widespread outrage and prompted a formal review by police leadership.

The controversy erupted after videos from the protest circulated widely on social media, showing heated confrontations between police officers and demonstrators. In response, police announced that the officer seen in the footage was immediately removed from operational responsibilities pending a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The suspension was ordered by Tel Aviv District Commander Chaim Sargarof following the publication of videos from the protest organized by members of the Peleg Yerushalmi movement against the arrest of yeshiva students.

Police Commissioner Danny Levy also addressed the incident, stating that all available footage and evidence would be thoroughly reviewed.

“If, after reviewing the videos from the protest at the Bnei Brak junction, we determine that commanders or officers acted contrary to police procedures, we will not hesitate to deal with it severely and suspend them from operational activity,” the commissioner said.

Levy added that senior police commanders were present at the scene and emphasized that he expects them to maintain control of such situations.

“There were senior commanders at the protest, and my expectation is that they control the event,” he said.

The demonstration took place Wednesday morning on Route 4 near the entrance to Bnei Brak, where hundreds of protesters blocked traffic to protest the detention of yeshiva students. Large numbers of police officers were deployed to clear the roadway and restore the flow of traffic.

During the operation, several confrontations broke out between officers and demonstrators, producing scenes that quickly became the focus of intense public criticism.

Videos circulated throughout the day showed police using force against protesters. In one of the most widely shared clips, an officer appeared to kick a demonstrator who was lying on the ground.

Senior Israeli officials are sharply criticizing the agreement being finalized between the United States and Iran, arguing that it weakens the leverage that had been built against Tehran and removes the military threat that had forced the regime to the negotiating table.

According to a report broadcast Wednesday evening by Kan News, Israeli sources described the proposed accord as a deeply flawed arrangement that “releases the pressure too early and removes the military threat that had until now remained on the table.”

The officials also expressed concern over provisions linking developments in Iran with the situation in Lebanon, contending that those clauses run counter to Israeli interests and may not even serve Lebanon’s interests.

According to the sources, “they are contrary not only to what Israel wants, but also to what Lebanon is interested in.”

Israeli officials further raised alarms about President Donald Trump’s proposal to address restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program through a broader regional framework involving Gulf states. Officials in Yerushalayim fear that such an approach would fail to impose meaningful limits on the missile arsenal that poses a direct threat to Israel.

Earlier in the evening, Trump addressed the developing agreement during a press conference, expressing confidence that the negotiations had achieved Washington’s primary objectives.

“We reached an agreement that achieves everything we wanted to achieve,” Trump said. “It will open the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

Asked about Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, Trump suggested that completely eliminating the country’s missile program was unrealistic.

Referring to the issue, he said Iran should be allowed to have “some missiles,” explaining, “Others have them too. There are those who say they shouldn’t have missiles at all. That’s not how it works.”

The president also defended his decision to halt military operations and pursue a negotiated settlement with Tehran, rejecting criticism from those who favored continued military action.

“There is not a single country that asked us to continue bombing Iran. Only fools say that,” Trump added.

The reported disagreements underscore growing tensions between Washington and Yerushalayim as details of the proposed agreement emerge, with Israeli officials warning that key provisions may leave Iran with significant military capabilities while reducing international pressure on the regime.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee forcefully rejected Iranian demands that Israel pull its forces out of Lebanon and halt military operations against Hezbollah, proposing instead that members of Hezbollah and Hamas be expelled to Iran if Tehran truly wants peace in the region.

Responding Wednesday on the social platform X, Huckabee mocked Iran’s position and suggested a dramatic solution to eliminate the threat posed by its proxy groups.

“Iran demands @Israel cease defense of border against Hezbollah,” Huckabee wrote on the social platform X. “Gaza peace plan depends on Hamas disarming. Idea: EVERY member of Hezbollah & Hamas DEPORT to ‘Mothership’ in Iran. Result? Lebanon & Israel free from Iran terror proxies. Give PEACE a chance!”

Huckabee has previously argued that Hezbollah is not covered by the 14-point memorandum of understanding intended to formalize the end of the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. While the agreement makes no direct mention of the Iranian-backed terrorist organization, it does contain language that “declare[s] the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”

Iranian officials, however, have interpreted the agreement as directly applying to the situation in Lebanon.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the ceasefire arrangement carries “particular emphasis on Lebanon.”

“Any continued occupation of Lebanese territory will be regarded by us as a violation of the memorandum of understanding,” Araghchi told diplomats in remarks played on Iranian state media Tuesday, according to CBS News.

Tehran’s military establishment echoed that warning. The Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which serves as the operational command center of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, cautioned Israel against continuing military activities in Lebanon.

The command warned Israel to stop “repeated ceasefire violations in Lebanon or face a harsh response from Iran’s Armed Forces,” according to a report published Tuesday by the state-run Fars News Agency.

Huckabee has consistently maintained that Israel retains the right to defend itself regardless of Iranian objections, previously stating that Israel “does not need Iran permission to defend itself.”

President Trump also expressed confidence this week that the broader agreement would remain intact despite ongoing Israeli military actions in Lebanon. Speaking Tuesday, he dismissed Hezbollah as “that little pinprick out there that constantly rears its head.”

At the same time, Trump suggested that the conflict with Hezbollah has dragged on too long and criticized tactics that have resulted in significant civilian casualties.

“Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed,” the president added while at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. “And you don‘t have to knock down an apartment house every time you‘re looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they‘re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you.”

Israeli leaders have made clear they do not intend to comply with demands for a withdrawal from territory captured during recent fighting. Officials stated Monday that Israeli forces will remain in strategic areas of Lebanon.

Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said Israeli troops will continue operating in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza until all remaining “terrorist infrastructure” has been eliminated.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also rejected any suggestion that Israel is obligated to follow terms negotiated by Washington.

“Trump’s agreement does not bind us,” Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote Monday on the social platform X in a post translated from Hebrew. “Israel is not subject to the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign nation!”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) sharply criticized President Trump’s newly announced agreement with Iran on Wednesday, arguing that the proposed deal could leave Tehran in a stronger position and provide the regime with additional resources to expand its military capabilities.

During an appearance on MS NOW’s “Money, Power, Politics,” Kelly expressed concern that the agreement may ultimately benefit Iran rather than constrain it.

“Well, I think it emboldens the Iranians and makes them more powerful, it gives them resources to build more ballistic missiles and may leave them with the ability to develop a nuclear weapon,” Kelly told Stephanie Ruhle.

The criticism comes just days after Trump revealed that Washington and Tehran had reached an accord aimed at ending a conflict that had dragged on for three months. The fighting caused extensive destruction throughout the region, rattled global financial markets, and contributed to rising energy prices worldwide.

Kelly suggested that the framework being discussed bears little resemblance to the type of agreement critics of previous administrations would have accepted.

“What I’m hearing and seeing so far in this plan, this is like total capitulation. Imagine if Joe Biden or Barack Obama signed this deal, what Donald Trump would say about it, and so if this is his plan, I think at least if Congress gets a say, this thing’s a nonstarter,” Kelly said.

Trump has maintained that the final details of the agreement will remain private until U.S. and Iranian representatives formally sign the document later this week. Nevertheless, several media organizations have reported obtaining what they describe as a 14-point memorandum of understanding outlining the proposed terms.

The White House disputed those reports Wednesday. Communications Director Steve Cheung said the document circulating publicly was inaccurate and insisted that the reported version “does not reflect the language of the actual MOU.”

According to reports about the alleged framework, the agreement would require an end to military operations on “all fronts,” including in Lebanon, where Israel has been engaged in efforts to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.

The reported terms also call for the restoration of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides committing to return maritime traffic to prewar levels within 30 days after the agreement is signed.

As debate over the proposal intensifies, critics and supporters alike are awaiting the release of the final text to determine whether the agreement represents a diplomatic breakthrough or a concession that could reshape the balance of power in the Middle East.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}