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In a dramatic development, Rav Dov Landau has instructed that the start of the school year for ninth-grade classes in Yerushalayim high schools be postponed. The decision follows growing outrage over the situation of many girls from across different backgrounds and communities who were denied acceptance to local high schools.

According to an announcement from Rav Landau’s home, “After extensive discussions held in his residence, Rav Landau ruled that the school year will not begin until all the girls are properly placed in suitable high schools.”

The crisis erupted after the Yerushalayim municipality placed several Sephardic students into Ashkenazi high schools. The school administrators protested, claiming these placements were inappropriate, leading to a standoff between school heads and local authorities.

A letter released by the Yerushalayim Rabbinical Committee, signed by Rav Landau, stated: “With the full support and guidance of our Gedolei Yisroel, since dozens of outstanding girls from exceptional homes are still without proper placement, the ninth-grade school year in high schools will not open on Monday until all the girls are accommodated in appropriate institutions.”

The letter also instructed school administrators to expand class sizes to fifty students per class as a temporary solution to help resolve the shortage.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch responded sharply to the ongoing dispute, declaring: “There will be no discrimination in the education system based on ethnicity or origin! After intensive efforts by the Ministry of Education, the overwhelming majority of girls were successfully placed in high schools by the end of June — an unprecedented achievement.”

Kisch added that a small number of high schools in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh are refusing to comply with state guidelines: “This shameful and racist discrimination will end — either through disciplinary hearings, cutting off government funding, and legal measures to close the institutions, or by their immediate compliance in accepting students according to Ministry of Education procedures.”

A similar standoff is unfolding in Beit Shemesh, where, under the direction of the city’s Mara D’asra, Rav Mordechai Goldstein, the start of the school year for incoming high school students has also been delayed due to unresolved placement disputes.

During a ceremony inaugurating the Beis Yaakov Derech Emunah school in the Ramat Beit Shemesh Gimmel neighborhood, MK Moshe Gafni, chairman of Degel HaTorah, addressed the ongoing controversy. However, rather than criticizing Rav Landau’s directive or Rav Goldstein’s local ruling, Gafni turned his criticism toward the Shas party, saying: “I know there are significant problems with the city’s high schools, and therefore I call from this distinguished platform to the leaders of Shas — open new educational institutions, as is appropriate for a quality community.”

Gafni further emphasized: “We need to ensure that your daughters have proper places to study comfortably, without being forced into overcrowded classrooms within our institutions, which are already expanding beyond their capacity.”

The Shas party quickly issued a response, defending its record and objectives: “Shas’ lifelong mission is to establish outstanding educational institutions for the Sephardic community, and for decades we have been doing so successfully throughout the country.”

The statement concluded by thanking Gafni for underscoring Shas’ critical role: “We appreciate Moshe Gafni’s acknowledgment of the importance of a strong and independent Shas, and we agree that the Sephardic community cannot rely on any other party to safeguard its educational needs.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Opposition leader Yair Lapid declared Sunday night that another electoral victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition would spell “the end of Zionism.” Speaking before activists at a Yesh Atid party gathering in Tel Aviv, Lapid said the coming election as Israel’s decisive moment. “If we don’t save the country now, in two years there will be nothing left to save. The window of opportunity will close,” he said. Lapid described Israelis as facing two starkly opposed futures: “a successful, sophisticated, world-renowned first-world country, with liberal values and love for Jewish tradition — or a violent and backward third-world country, which turns Judaism into racism and wants to eliminate our democracy.” The opposition leader called for sweeping reforms, including passing a constitution, strengthening the education system, and safeguarding the independence of the police and courts. He also sought to distinguish his leadership from rivals, noting that while figures from Gadi Eisenkot to Naftali Bennett were positioning themselves for top posts, “somebody also needs to know how to take all these forces and build a government from them.” With elections mandated by October 2026, Lapid insisted only Yesh Atid has the strength and organizational capacity to lead the opposition to victory. “If you really want us to win the elections and form a government, Yesh Atid must be big, must be strong, must lead the camp,” he told supporters. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A yeshiva bochur from Or Yehuda, who has recently been targeted by the military police, came urgently to the room of Rav Moshe Shternbuch in his yeshiva in Beit Shemesh. The young man had been arrested late at night for dedicating his time to Torah study instead of serving in the IDF.

The bochur had been held in custody at Tel HaShomer, and during a court hearing several days later, he declared his intent to enlist, which led to his temporary release. However, in recent days, military authorities have once again launched an active pursuit to detain him.

Because of the mounting pressure, the bochur was brought to Rav Shternbuch’s private room to seek encouragement and hear the daas Torah regarding his obligation in this situation.

Rav Shternbuch offered him strong words of support, saying: “Ashrecha! This requires real mesirus nefesh. They corrupt people there immediately.”

Rav Shternbuch continued, issuing a sharp warning about IDF recruitment efforts: “They promise that everything is good and that they supposedly accommodate chareidi boys, but it’s all lies and deception. They are wicked liars, accursed resha’im. Hold yourself strong, and Hashem will hold you strong.”

One of the attendees asked Rav Shternbuch if the bochur should be afraid, explaining that the army had summoned him urgently and was threatening severe consequences if he failed to appear.

Rav Shternbuch responded firmly: “Nothing at all.” He added: “Tell them to speak to Rav Shternbuch, who forbade you from going to the army.”

Before the meeting concluded, Rav Shternbuch blessed the bochur warmly: “May you have the strength to stand against them, much bracha and hatzlacha, and above all, may you remain full of simcha.”

Another young man who had narrowly escaped capture by the military police also arrived. Rav Shternbuch praised him and gave him a bracha as well: “He is already holding a bracha and will receive another. Fortunate is he and his portion. He has stood in the nisayon and will continue to stand in the nisayon.”

Finally, Rav Shternbuch urged the bochurim to remain steadfast and unafraid, concluding: “Be strong. Don’t think that only you fear them — they are also afraid of you.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

In an unprecedented move within the Belzer Chassidus, the Belzer Rebbe has issued special instructions to hold Rosh Hashanah davening in Belzer batei medrash across the country due to severe overcrowding in the main Beis Medrash in Yerushalayim.

The directive, conveyed in a letter sent to all Belzer kehillos, marks a historic change in the chassidus’ long-standing Rosh Hashanah traditions.

As the Rebbe of Belz continues to recover b’chasdei Shamayim from surgery performed on Sunday, the chassidus is in full preparation mode for the Yamim Noraim. Each year, tens of thousands of chassidim from across Eretz Yisroel and around the world traditionally gather at the central Beis Medrash in the Belzer Kiryah in Yerushalayim to daven with the Rebbe on Rosh Hashanah.

However, due to the extraordinary growth of the Belzer community, the massive complex — including all its galleries and side halls — has become too small to safely accommodate the crowds.

According to sources, months of extensive discussions were held among community leaders, askanim, and members of the Vaad Mishmeres HaChinuch, led by the Rebbe’s son, Rav Aharon Mordechai Rokeach. The meetings focused on possible solutions to alleviate the dangerous levels of congestion, which some described as bordering on pikuach nefesh.

The Rebbe’s son, together with Rav Yirmiyahu Yechezkel Damen, CEO of the central Beis Medrash, met personally with the Rebbe to review the challenges and explore alternatives.

Following these consultations, the Rebbe sent out a special letter last week addressed to gabbaim, rabbonim, and mashpi’im across all Belzer communities. In the letter, the Rebbe instructed that, due to overcrowding, organized Rosh Hashanah davening should be held in every Belz beis medrash that also has an ezras nashim.

The Rebbe wrote: “In light of the blessed growth of the community and the pressing need, it is necessary to organize and hold minyanim for Rosh Hashanah in every city and in every Belzer beis medrash that includes an ezras nashim.”

He concluded the letter with a heartfelt bracha: “May the Almighty grant that the tefillos and tekiyos be accepted with mercy and favor among all of Klal Yisroel, and may we all merit to be inscribed and sealed for a good and blessed year, filled with abundant spiritual and material blessings, long life, healthy children, and generous sustenance. Amen.”

Despite this new arrangement, Yerushalayim’s central BelzER Beis Medrash remains a focal point. To better accommodate the crowds, one women’s gallery has been converted into additional seating for men, primarily for younger avreichim and yeshiva bochurim.

This year, seats will not be sold to women without permanent reservations or to seminary students, a significant departure from previous years.

Additionally, a large auxiliary minyan will take place in the “Groyseh Shtib,” intended for chassidim who cannot enter the main Beis Medrash. An ezras nashim there will also be open. Meanwhile, children will daven in the large sukkah rather than in the heichal hatishim to further ease congestion.

{Matzav.com Israel}

At least 53 people were shot — seven fatally — across Chicago over Labor Day weekend, police confirmed, as President Donald Trump escalated threats to send federal agents and National Guard troops into the city over the objections of state and local leaders. The bloodshed unfolded in at least 31 separate shootings between late Friday and early Monday, including a mass shooting in Bronzeville that left seven people wounded in a drive-by attack just hours after Trump blasted Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on social media. “He better straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming!” Trump warned in his Truth Social post. The weekend’s first fatal shooting came Friday night in South Shore, where a 25-year-old woman was killed and another injured inside an apartment complex. Other deadly incidents spanned neighborhoods from East Garfield Park to Pullman, including a 43-year-old woman gunned down in Altgeld Gardens and a 33-year-old man shot in the head in West Inglewood. In Pilsen, a 46-year-old man was killed and two others wounded in a triple shooting. The violence capped with a Monday morning eruption in Oakland, where five people — including a 17-year-old boy left in critical condition — were shot during a street disturbance. In total, Chicago police said seven people were killed and dozens injured in one of the deadliest holiday weekends this year. No suspects were in custody in several of the shootings. The carnage fueled Trump’s push to expand his federal crackdown on crime beyond Washington, D.C., where he recently placed the police under federal control. But both Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson have vowed to fight what they call a dangerous overreach. Pritzker branded Trump’s plan “illegal, unconstitutional, and un-American,” while Johnson signed an executive order on Saturday launching the “Protecting Chicago Initiative” to prepare for what he described as “credible reports” of imminent federal militarized action. “We must take immediate, drastic action to protect our people from federal overreach,” Johnson said. Despite the grim weekend, official city data shows shootings in Chicago down 37% and homicides down 32% compared to the first half of last year. But Trump insists Chicago will be his next target. “Do not come to Chicago, you are neither wanted here nor needed here,” Pritzker warned in return. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump on Monday hailed Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for cooperating with his deployment of National Guard troops to curb violent crime in the capital, while blasting Democratic governors in other states for refusing similar partnerships. “Wow! Mayor Muriel Bowser of D.C. has become very popular because she worked with me and my great people in bringing CRIME down to virtually NOTHING in D.C.,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. He contrasted Bowser with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — whom he mockingly labeled “Newscum” — accusing them of “spending all their time justifying violent crime” instead of cooperating with federal enforcement. Bowser, who had long sparred with Trump, struck a markedly different tone last week, acknowledging that the federal troop surge “enhance[d] what MPD has been able to do.” Since the partnership began on Aug. 11, carjackings have fallen by 87% and overall violent crime is down 45%, she reported. The White House claims Bowser’s popularity has surged 25 points since the crackdown, though it has not cited polling data to support the figure. A Washington Post–Schar School survey in May placed her approval at 53%. Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed Monday that 1,599 arrests have been made in Washington since the start of the campaign, with 165 illegal guns seized. National Guard forces have not carried out arrests but have patrolled alongside Metropolitan Police and federal partners including the FBI and U.S. Park Police. Trump pointed to the D.C. results as a model for cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore. “Wouldn’t it be nice to say that about Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and even the Crime Drenched City of Baltimore???” he wrote. “It can happen, and it can happen FAST! Work with us!!!” The president said he is ready to dispatch Guard troops elsewhere if state leaders request it. “I’d love to do it if she’d like,” Trump said of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. “I want to make this, like, friendly.” The cooperation with Bowser comes months after Trump dismantled Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House — a reminder of how sharply the political calculus on crime has shifted in the capital. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl, Rav of the Old City of Yerushalayim, has released an unprecedented public letter forbidding chareidi bochurim from joining the Israeli army, including those who are currently not learning in yeshiva.

Rav Nebenzahl, revered across all sectors of Klal Yisroel and known for decades of deliberate avoidance of public involvement in political and societal debates, has until now refrained from issuing such directives. However, faced with what he describes as growing governmental pressure and targeted recruitment efforts against chareidim, he has chosen to speak out unequivocally.

Rav Nebenzahl opens his letter by expressing deep solidarity with the yeshiva students who were recently arrested for refusing to report to IDF draft offices: “I wish to strengthen the precious bnei Torah who were imprisoned because they fulfilled their true obligation — to learn Torah — and did not enlist in the army. Fortunate is the one who contemplates the blessing of ‘Baruch Asher Yakim Es Divrei HaTorah HaZos.’”

In a rare and emphatic ruling, Rav Nebenzahl went further than ever before, extending his prohibition not only to yeshiva students but even to those currently not engaged in learning: “Additionally, I wish to state my opinion clearly — even a chareidi bochur who, unfortunately, is not learning Torah, must not allow himself to be persuaded to enlist in the army, not even into the special frameworks established there for chareidim, as the Gedolei Yisroel have instructed.”

This sweeping directive highlights the Rav’s concern over what he sees as increasingly aggressive IDF recruitment strategies aimed specifically at young chareidim who are not enrolled in yeshivas.

Rav Nebenzahl’s decision to publish this letter is viewed as highly significant due to his long-established reluctance to issue public positions on contentious matters. In the past, when asked about bochurim not actively learning, he would respond firmly: “A chareidi bochur must sit and learn! How is it possible to have a chareidi bochur who does not learn?!”

At other times, he would explain: “If a bochur is sincerely seeking daas Torah, he must be told to sit and learn. But if he does not listen to daas Torah, what good would it do to prohibit him from going to the army?”

However, given the recent rise in government pressure, intensified targeting of non-learning chareidim, and the growing fear that some may be misled into enlisting, Rav Nebenzahl has now decided to speak out forcefully.

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, has also previously said that no chareidi bochur — whether learning or not — should join the IDF.

{Matzav.com Israel}

WhatsApp is warning millions of iPhone users to update their devices immediately after uncovering a sophisticated spyware campaign that combined a vulnerability in the messaging app with a newly disclosed Apple operating system flaw. In an urgent advisory, the Meta-owned service said the exploit — tracked as CVE-2025-55177 — may have enabled attackers to send malicious messages that compromised users’ devices and data without requiring any clicks. The flaw, paired with a separate iOS weakness identified as CVE-2025-43300, could have allowed hackers to process content from arbitrary URLs, opening the door to spyware installations and theft of private messages. “Our investigation indicates that a malicious message may have been sent to you through WhatsApp and combined with other vulnerabilities in your device’s operating system to compromise your device and the data it contains, including messages,” WhatsApp wrote in notifications to users believed to have been targeted. The zero-click nature of the attack — flagged by Amnesty International researcher Donncha Ó Cearbhaill — means victims could be infected without opening a link or taking any action, a tactic that security experts say mirrors government-grade spyware campaigns. Amnesty warned that civil society activists were among those hit. While WhatsApp initially suggested the attack affected only iOS and macOS, Ó Cearbhaill said early evidence pointed to Android users also being impacted. He urged at-risk individuals to activate iOS “Lockdown Mode” or Android’s “Advanced Protection Mode.” The company is pushing users to install its latest updates — v2.25.21.73 for iOS and v2.25.21.78 for Mac — and in some cases recommended a full factory reset. The episode underscores the growing tempo of advanced cyber operations against consumer platforms. It comes as U.S. officials are tracking a wave of activity by groups like “Scattered Spider,” which the FBI says is expanding from targeting insurers and retailers to airlines by impersonating employees to gain network access. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited an elementary school in the Eshkol Region, near the Gaza border, on Monday morning as the school year began.

During the opening ceremony, the school principal, Eyal Dvori, addressed Huckabee and said: “Yaffa Rudayif, an art teacher here, is still waiting for her partner, Lior, whose body is held in Hamas captivity. Do everything in your power to bring the hostages back and end this war.”

Huckabee spoke to the children, expressing his admiration for their resilience. “Very bad people tried to stop you from starting today, but one of the things that I admire most about Israelis: no matter how many times they try to stop you, you stand right back up and continue.”

When asked by Ynet about Israel’s efforts to deal with Hamas and recover the captives, Huckabee responded, “Israel will decide for itself how to bring back the hostages and defeat Hamas,” emphasizing, “Both of these things must happen.”

Huckabee clarified that the U.S. is not imposing a timetable on Israel and added, “Our place is to stand with our friends. Israel was attacked, and it didn’t attack anyone. Israel doesn’t just have the right to defend itself—it has the right to ensure that Hamas cannot hurt them anymore.”

He also criticized the international community for misdirected pressure: “A lot of people are putting the pressure on Israel. The pressure needs to be directed at Hamas. They created this. They started the suffering, and they’re the ones who continue it.” He went on to say, “I want to know when the world will pressure Hamas to feed the hostages. We’re seeing real images of starvation there. They’re torturing them, and I want the world to know that.”

Later, Huckabee shared his reflections on X, writing: “Witnessing the inspiring rebirth of communities hit by Hamas’ brutal October 7 attack was an incredibly moving and powerful experience. These communities have shown such resilience, and the people such strength and compassion, that it gives me hope for a bright future in Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York says he will not run for reelection next year, according to an interview published Monday night by The New York Times. Nadler told the Times that watching then-President Joe Biden’s truncated reelection campaign last year “really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that.” He suggested a younger Democratic lawmaker in his seat “can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.” Nadler, 78, is serving his 17th term in Congress. He was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2023, then served as ranking member on the panel after Republicans won House leadership. He stepped down from that role late last year. Nadler’s decision to relinquish that spot came a day after fellow Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin announced his bid for the job and quickly amassed support from colleagues. “I am also proud that, under my leadership, some of our caucus’s most talented rising stars have been given a platform to demonstrate their leadership and their abilities,” Nadler wrote then in a letter to Democrats that was obtained by The Associated Press. Without naming names, Nadler suggested to the Times that some of his Democratic colleagues should also consider retirement. “I’m not saying we should change over the entire party,” Nadler said in the interview posted Monday. “But I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of (President Donald) Trump and his incipient fascism.” (AP)

Representative Jerrold Nadler, who chaired the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachments of President Trump, has decided not to run for another term in Congress, the New York Times reports.

Nadler, a Democrat from New York and a prominent liberal voice for more than thirty years, said he will step aside at the end of his current term, embracing the push within his party for a new generation of leadership.

His departure will bring to an end a 34-year tenure in the House, where he played a key role in civil rights debates and in three presidential impeachment proceedings. The decision is also expected to spark a competitive Democratic primary for a rare open seat in Manhattan.

Speaking in his Manhattan office, the 78-year-old lawmaker admitted it was difficult to walk away at a time when, in his view, President Trump continues to endanger democratic institutions. Yet he acknowledged that the moment had come to allow new leaders to take charge.

“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” Mr. Nadler said. He added that a younger figure “can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.”

As the most senior Jewish member of the House and the longest-serving representative from New York, Nadler had already been caught up in internal debates over the party’s aging leadership. Earlier this year, he stepped down from the helm of the Judiciary Committee, conceding that a younger colleague was better positioned to win support. At home, he also faced a challenge from a 26-year-old opponent.

Nadler revealed his decision to The New York Times last week, asking that it be held until Monday. During a lengthy conversation, he reflected on his career, his anxieties, and his evolving stance on the conflict in Gaza, as reminders of his decades in public service filled his office: vintage maps of Manhattan, campaign placards from his years in the State Assembly, and a photograph with Bella Abzug, the congresswoman he once looked up to.

He declined to endorse any particular successor, noting that several allies are likely to enter the race. The district, which runs from Union Square to Central Park, includes a concentration of cultural institutions, corporate headquarters, and affluent residents unmatched in most of the country.

Still, someone close to Nadler said he is inclined to back Micah Lasher, a onetime aide who now represents part of the Upper West Side in the State Assembly, if Lasher decides to pursue the seat.

{Matzav.com}

After opening the new school year at the Begin School in Nof HaGalil, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu met on Monday at the municipality building with northern regional leaders. Joining him were acting Prime Minister’s Office Director-General Drorit Steinmetz and Coalition Whip MK Ofir Katz.

The gathering included several key officials: Nof HaGalil Mayor Ronen Plot, Afula Mayor Avi Elkabetz, Migdal HaEmek Mayor Yaki Ben Chaim, Tiberias Mayor Yossi Nava, Karmiel Mayor Moshe Kuninsky, Nazareth’s appointed municipal head Yaakov Efrati, and Jezreel Valley Regional Council head Shlomit Shichor Reichman.

“I’m here on the first day of the school year at Nof HaGalil. Look at the magnificent view. I went to the first grade, and I was so excited to see the children, the teachers, the assistants, and the principal. They are quite simply doing sacred work. It’s wonderful to see the children. They are coming and starting their life,” Netanyahu stated.

The Prime Minister continued, “We know, however, that we have other important missions. The most important mission, in a sense, has been completed, because on this day, here in the Galilee, where there was a great exodus of people at the beginning of the war, there is now a great return. 95% of the Galilee children have returned for their school studies, including in the communities adjacent to the border. This is a tremendous achievement, just tremendous. And it was accomplished owing also to the resilience of the Galilee residents and the local authority heads. They stood their ground, they received the residents and helped them, and now in fact everything is being restored.”

He concluded: “We talked a lot here about the things that need to be done for the Galilee: adding fast transportation lanes, adding construction, removing bureaucracy, adding infrastructure, and employment. I want young couples to come here; they refer to it as ‘Tuscany,’ but it’s not really Tuscany — it came before Tuscany, it’s the Land of the Bible, the land of our heritage. There are wonderful things here. God willing, we are going to develop the Galilee in leaps and bounds.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lashed out at CBS News on Sunday, accusing the network of doctoring her interview about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man the Trump administration deported to El Salvador earlier this year over alleged ties to the MS-13 gang.

Noem had appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that morning to talk about Abrego Garcia. Later in the day, she claimed on X that CBS edited the segment and omitted a portion of her remarks.

“This individual was a known human smuggler, a MS-13 gang member, an individual who was a wife beater, and someone who was so perverted that he solicited nude photos from minors, and even his fellow human traffickers told him to knock it off, he was so sick in what he was doing and how he was treating small children,” Noem said in the uncut version of her comments.

“So he needs to never be in the United States of America and our administration is making sure we’re doing all that we can to bring him to justice,” she continued.

A spokesperson for CBS defended the broadcast, stating, “Secretary Noem’s ‘Face The Nation’ interview was edited for time and met all CBS News standards. The entire interview is publicly available on YouTube, and the full transcript was posted early Sunday morning at CBSNews.com.”

Noem pushed back in a post on X, writing, “This morning, I joined CBS to report the facts about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Instead, CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety.”

Back in 2019, a U.S. immigration judge blocked Abrego Garcia’s deportation to El Salvador, citing the danger he faced from local gangs. Despite that ruling, the Trump administration sent him to the country earlier this year along with hundreds of other suspected gang members, transferring them into a large maximum-security prison there.

The administration argued that Abrego Garcia was a confirmed member of MS-13 — which the U.S. designates as a foreign terrorist group — based on findings from that 2019 proceeding.

Abrego Garcia and his attorneys have rejected that claim.

Democratic lawmakers took up his cause, visiting him and protesting what they called his “wrongful” deportation. He spent time first in the harsh CECOT prison and then in a less restrictive facility before being flown back to the U.S. in June.

Upon his return, he was indicted for human smuggling. Though briefly released ahead of trial, ICE agents arrested him again on August 25.

He could now be deported to Uganda, after rejecting a plea deal that would have sent him to Costa Rica.

Meanwhile, his lawyers continue to seek asylum for him in the United States. His first request in 2019 was turned down, but if his latest application is successful, it could eventually give him permanent residency and the chance to become a U.S. citizen.

{Matzav.com}

Degel Hatorah Chairman MK Moshe Gafni urged Shas leaders on Monday to establish additional schools for girls in response to severe overcrowding in Degel Hatorah institutions in Beit Shemesh.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new Derech Emuna school in the city, Gafni stated: “I know that there are problems here with city high schools, and therefore I call on Shas leaders from this honorable platform – ‘open new schools, as befits a quality population.’”

Gafni highlighted the strain on Degel Hatorah’s existing network, suggesting that the influx of Sephardi students has intensified the problem. “Our institutions cannot accommodate everyone,” he said, emphasizing that space limitations are affecting the community’s ability to serve all applicants.

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He further explained that while Degel Hatorah schools continue to expand, the current facilities are insufficient to house the growing student body. “Your girls need a place to study comfortably and spaciously, without having to crowd into our institutions,” Gafni stressed.

The Shas party issued a statement in response: “Shas’ mission in life is to establish excellent educational institutions for the Sephardi public, and it has been doing so with great success throughout the country for decades. Kudos to Rabbi Moshe Gafni, who made it clear how important it is that Shas continues to be strong and independent, and how much the Sephardi public cannot rely on any other party to take care of it.”

{Matzav.com}

Global cosmetics retailer Sephora has quietly removed Huda Beauty from its high-profile fall “Experts” campaign, following weeks of backlash over inflammatory comments made by brand founder Huda Kattan, according to a report by Puck. Kattan, who commands 1.7 million followers on TikTok, triggered outrage in July when she posted a video falsely claiming that Israel was behind some of the 20th and 21st century’s deadliest tragedies—including World War I, World War II, the September 11 terrorist attacks, and Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023. “All of the conspiracy theories coming out… that Israel has been behind World War I, World War II, September 11, October 7—they allowed all of this stuff to happen,” Kattan said in the now-deleted video. Jewish groups and watchdogs blasted the remarks as antisemitic incitement. The Anti-Defamation League and StopAntisemitism demanded accountability, and TikTok removed the post for violating its platform rules. Sephora, owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH, initially issued a cautious statement in early August, noting it was reviewing the situation. A later update confirmed an internal investigation and stressed that promoting hatred, harassment, or misinformation runs contrary to the company’s values. The French retailer had now decided to cut Huda Beauty from its fall promotional campaign—a move StopAntisemitism called a “significant first step.” Still, the NGO urged Sephora to go further by severing ties altogether, warning it would continue boycotting the chain until it does. Kattan has since attempted damage control, releasing a lengthy response video in which she insisted her comments were “misinterpreted” and were intended as criticism of Israeli government policies, not Jews. She claimed she personally removed the video after it was “altered” online and accused critics of orchestrating a smear campaign. Founded in 2013, Huda Beauty grew into a $1.2 billion global empire and became heavily reliant on Sephora for its North American distribution. While the brand continues to sell through luxury outlets like Harrods and India’s Nykaa, losing Sephora’s marketing support could deliver a major blow in its most lucrative market. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Officers from the Yerushalayim Yasam, the Israel Police Special Patrol Unit, detained a Palestinian Arab after he drew their suspicion while walking along a street in the capital.

When they searched him, the police discovered a black yarmulka inside his pocket. Since the man failed to provide a satisfactory reason for why he was carrying it, he was brought to the Shalem Station of the Yerushalayim District for further questioning.

Investigators determined that the suspect had entered Israeli territory illegally, crossing the security barrier near a-Ram, located north of Yerushalayim.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed that his intention was to seize a soldier’s weapon and use it to carry out a terror attack. Police officials stressed that the alertness and swift response of the officers successfully prevented the planned assault.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump announced on Monday that Rudy Giuliani will be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, just days after the New York City icon suffered serious injuries in a car crash.

“As President of the United States of America, I am pleased to announce that Rudy Giuliani, the greatest Mayor in the history of New York City, and an equally great American Patriot, will receive THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM, our Country’s highest civilian honor,” Trump shared in a statement posted to Truth Social.

Giuliani, 81, remains in the hospital while recovering from the accident, which occurred on Saturday in New Hampshire.

According to Michael Ragusa, Giuliani’s head of security, the former mayor is “in good spirits and recovering tremendously.”

{Matzav.com}

Illinois Governor Pritzker is incredibly worried that if troops or ICE are deployed to polling stations for the midterms, certain people may be afraid to vote.

Around 20 boats from 44 countries, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, set out from Barcelona on Monday for the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to open a “humanitarian corridor” to Gaza and protest what organizers call the “ongoing genocide” of Palestinians, after high winds briefly forced them back to port; “sumud” means “resilience” in Arabic.