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A 14-year-old Jewish boy traveling to Shacharis at his Orthodox Jewish school in London was slapped in the face by a man who allegedly told him, “I hate you and I hate people like you,” in the latest of several antisemitic incidents involving students near the school.

The attack occurred Thursday morning as the boy and two friends were riding a bus to Hasmonean High School in Hendon. The three boys were visibly Jewish, wearing yarmulkes and their school uniforms.

According to an account provided by the boy’s mother, a man believed to be in his 40s approached the three students, directed abusive language toward them and suddenly slapped one of the boys across the face.

When the stunned 14-year-old asked why he had struck him, the man responded, “I hate you and I hate people like you.”

The boy immediately went downstairs on the double-decker bus and informed the driver of what had happened. The driver stopped the bus and contacted police.

Several passengers who had witnessed the incident came forward on their own, telling the driver that they had seen the assault and providing their telephone numbers so they could give statements to investigators.

The boy also called his mother and received assistance from a member of the school administration who happened to be nearby.

London police are investigating the assault as a hate crime, but the suspect had not been arrested as of the latest report.

The incident has caused particular concern because it follows another attack involving students leaving the same Jewish school just last week. Police are investigating both incidents and have said that antisemitic behavior will not be tolerated and that authorities remain committed to confronting hate crimes.

The boy’s mother filed a police complaint and told B’Chadrei Chareidim that officers had handled the matter sensitively. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by her son’s school.

“We were in shock, because nothing like this has ever happened to us,” the mother said. “I am someone who never hides my Judaism. I always say that everything will be okay, and this is the first time something like this has happened to us. They still haven’t arrested the person, so I don’t yet know exactly who he is, and therefore I don’t want to put any labels on him.”

Shomrim appealed to members of the public who may have witnessed the assault to provide information that could help investigators identify the attacker.

“Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the police. The suspect is described as a man believed to be in his 40s. Police are currently reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing the victims and witnesses in order to identify the suspect,” Shomrim said.

The attack comes amid heightened concern within Britain’s Jewish community over antisemitism and communal security, concerns that have intensified following the British government’s decision to impose new measures targeting Israeli communities in Yehudah and Shomron.

Earlier this week, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband rejected a warning from Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, that the government’s decision could further increase the dangers facing British Jews.

Miliband, describing himself as a “proud British Jew,” said he disagreed with Rabbi Mirvis, who had characterized the government’s move as a “particularly dark day.”

Rabbi Mirvis strongly condemned the British decision, warning that measures directed against Israel can have consequences for Jewish communities far beyond the political arena.

“Gesture politics of this kind feeds an increasingly hostile discourse about Israel, and the cumulative impact of such punitive policies is to further embolden those, at home and abroad, who weaponise hatred against Jews,” Rabbi Mirvis said.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews also expressed alarm over the timing of the announcement immediately before Rosh Hashanah, saying it had landed at a particularly sensitive moment for British Jewry.

The organization said the decision comes as “concerns for the security of the community are at the highest levels and are being felt with particular intensity among British Jews.”

{Matzav.com}

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[Video below.] Hillary Clinton declared Thursday that while she remains strongly supportive of both the United States and Israel, she “hates” the governments and policies of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, while calling for Washington to take a tougher approach toward Israel if Israeli voters return Netanyahu to power.

The former secretary of state made the remarks during an appearance on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe,” where the discussion turned to Israel, the Middle East and the prospects for a different relationship between Washington and a future Israeli government.

“I have said repeatedly I love Israel and I hate Netanyahu’s government and his policies. I love America, and I hate Trump’s government and policies. I think it’s bad, in the first case for Israel, what’s happening, and I think it’s really bad for the United States, what’s happening,” Clinton told MS NOW’s “Morning Joe.”

Clinton then addressed a controversial report published this week by Haaretz alleging that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed had personally warned Netanyahu shortly before the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre that Hamas was preparing a major attack. Netanyahu has emphatically denied the allegation, while the UAE has declined to confirm or deny that such a conversation took place.

“I think we’ve got to be very clear, the messages we send, hopefully the Israeli people, especially after this bombshell that came out in the Israeli press, where Netanyahu had been literally called by Sheikh Mohammed, MBZ, from UAE, and warned that Hamas was planning something,” Clinton said.

“And either he didn’t believe it or he, it’s horrible to say, he wanted to see what they could plan so that then he could come down hard, and it would enhance his position.”

Clinton acknowledged that she did not know what Netanyahu was thinking at the time, but argued that the allegation, if accurate, represented a major leadership failure.

“I don’t know what his thinking was, but the bottom line, talk about a failure of imagination. This was a failure of leadership,” she continued. “This was a failure of protecting the people of Israel. He’s been told what was going to happen. So, if the Israelis want to vote for that again, then I think the United States has to take a very tough position.”

The White House pushed back against Clinton’s criticism by emphasizing the close working relationship between President Trump and Netanyahu and pointing to the military cooperation between the United States and Israel.

“President Trump has a strong relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Israel has always been a great ally to the United States. The Israel Defense Forces were incredible partners throughout Operation Epic Fury, which decimated the Iranian regime’s military capabilities in 38 short days,” a White House official told Fox News Digital.

The controversy cited by Clinton stems from reporting that bin Zayed warned Netanyahu approximately 10 days before the October 7 attack that Hamas was preparing a significant operation. The report has become a major political issue in Israel, but Netanyahu’s office has categorically rejected its central allegation.

“The press reports are false. No warning was given to the Prime Minister from the United Arab Emirates before October 7th. If there was any relevant information, it was passed through intelligence channels between the two countries,” the prime minister’s office posted to X.

The UAE Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, has said it does not comment on reports or speculation concerning conversations between government leaders, while noting that relevant intelligence is shared through established channels.

Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a separate request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Clinton went on to say she believes Washington could establish a productive relationship with a different Israeli government and prime minister. She specifically called for stronger action against violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

“I would hope that a new prime minister would crack down on settler violence in the West Bank,” she said. “There should be no impunity for that kind of violence. It is not just about the death and destruction of the Palestinians, their property and all the rest of it. Anytime you let people have that level of violence in a society that you don’t stop, that creeps into the whole society.”

Clinton argued that such violence poses dangers not only to Palestinians but to Israeli society itself, and suggested that the United States reconsider its approach depending on the outcome of Israel’s elections.

“So, it’s unfair, bad and wrong for the Palestinians,” Clinton added. “And it’s also very dangerous to Israel. So, yeah, I think let’s see what they vote for and see whether we can’t, you know, figure out how to have a new approach with a new government.”

The interview also turned to divisions within the Democratic Party and the growing influence of socialist ideas among some Democrats. Clinton argued that politicians advocating those positions should be required to explain and defend them rather than rely on political catchphrases.

“Let people defend the positions they’ve taken. And I think that would be good for the Democratic Party. It would be good for the country.

“Let them get out of the sloganeering and into the legislating and results-oriented impact.”

[Video below.] Vice President JD Vance cast the November midterm elections as a fight over the future being handed to America’s children, telling Republicans gathered in Dallas Thursday night that affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, strong families and economic opportunity constitute a national “birthright” that voters must protect.

Delivering a prime-time address at the Republican midterm convention, Vance built much of his message around the future he envisions for his infant son, Alec, who was born in July. The Vice President repeatedly broadened that personal theme to include children across the country, arguing that Americans should inherit the benefits and opportunities that previous generations enjoyed.

“I believe that our founders built this nation on a promise that echoes our creator, that every American child is born an heir, is born with a birthright,” Vance said in the keynote address at the Republican midterm convention.

“Born with the right to inherit the blessings of the greatest country on earth. Not because of who their parents are. Not because of what they look like or where they come from, but because they are Americans.

“And that birthright, ladies and gentlemen, is what this November is all about,” he said.

Vance’s “birthright” theme served as the framework for a wide-ranging speech touching on the cost of living, housing, education, health, crime, family life and cultural issues. He portrayed the election as a choice between the Trump administration’s agenda and policies advocated by Democrats.

Much of the address was personal, with Vance repeatedly returning to his newborn son as he described what he believes American parents should be able to expect for their children.

“I want my son to grow up healthy and strong,” Vance said. “I want him to have access to clean water and real food. I want him to live in a country where you don’t need a Ph.D. in chemistry to understand the ingredient list in the grocery store.”

Turning to health care, Vance said he wants his son’s doctors to “answer to parents and to the Hippocratic Oath, not to a bunch of far-left bureaucrats.”

He offered a similar vision for education, saying he wants his son to attend a school that teaches him “to read, to write,” arithmetic and “to love his country and his fellow citizens.”

The Vice President told the convention audience that he views his responsibility in government through the same lens, saying his job is to fight for Americans in the hall and watching from home “as if they were my own family, as if they were my own kid.”

Housing affordability featured prominently in the address, with Vance arguing that younger Americans should have a realistic opportunity to purchase homes and establish families.

“I want them to be able to afford a home where they can raise their children in peace and prosperity and comfort,” Vance said.

He then took aim at institutional investors competing for residential properties, portraying Wall Street’s involvement in the housing market as an obstacle for ordinary families trying to purchase homes.

“I want them to know the pride of saving up for something, of buying something big and real that they’re proud of, without being outbid by Wall Street tycoons. I want them to keep what they’ve earned when they work hard. And that is the birthright that I’m talking about.”

Vance charged that the political left “is working right now to make sure that your children never see that birthright.”

He also used the speech to revisit one of the most contentious cultural issues dividing Republicans and Democrats, arguing against transgender women and girls competing in female athletics.

Vance said he wants “our daughters to compete on a fair field where no politician tells the little girl she’s got to surrender her trophy, her scholarship or her locker room to a man.”

The Vice President then shifted to public safety, saying children should be “safe on their streets, safe in their schools, living peacefully in neighborhoods where the law protects the innocent and throws the violent criminals in prison.”

Family life emerged as another major theme. Vance cited comments he attributed to a Democratic candidate in Michigan concerning the nuclear family, saying such sentiments reflected “from a very deep emptiness in the soul.”

“To the radicals who wish to abolish my family and the thousands and millions of other families all across our country, we have a simple message for them: Stay the hell away from our kids,” he said.

Vance also discussed his role overseeing the administration’s efforts to combat fraud in federal programs. President Donald Trump appointed Vance to lead that initiative in April, and Vance told the convention that investigators had uncovered $250 billion in fraud since then.

He accused Democrats of failing to adequately confront such abuses, saying the Democratic Party in 2026 is “not about you” but “about foreign fraudsters” and “about who they hate.”

The address also carried a somber element, falling exactly one year after the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

The convention paused for a memorial tribute to Kirk, who was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. Vance, who was personally close to Kirk, recalled looking into the audience during his speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention and seeing Kirk sitting in the front row offering encouragement.

Vance addressed Kirk’s two young children directly during his remarks.

“History will record that your father was a great man. … He was a good man.”

Republicans throughout the arena also participated in a tribute to Kirk, including a memorial video, as chants of his name broke out among delegates and attendees.

Vance’s speech came as Republicans seek to retain control of both chambers of Congress in the Nov. 3 elections. The Dallas gathering was organized specifically to energize Republican voters and promote the party’s candidates and agenda ahead of the midterms.

The Vice President ended where he began, returning to his contention that the election will determine whether the next generation receives what he described as America’s national inheritance.

“The country does not belong to the radicals. It does not belong to the bureaucrats. It does not belong to the highest bidder,” Vance said in closing. “We received this national birthright, and we are going to fight for it by electing Republicans this November.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he has no regrets about launching the war against Iran and would make the same decision again, arguing that military action was necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Speaking with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, Trump defended his handling of the conflict even as the war has stretched into its seventh month, driven up energy prices and become an increasingly prominent issue ahead of the November midterm elections.

“I don’t believe in the word regret. You can always question yourself a little bit. A few people have asked me that. If I had it to do again, I’d do exactly as I did. I took out their nuclear capability.”

.@POTUS: "I don't believe in the word 'regret.'" pic.twitter.com/l1ayOV09oO

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 10, 2026

Trump said he believed the consequences of allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon would have been far more dangerous than those resulting from the war, contending that Tehran would have been willing to use such a weapon against Israel, other countries in the Middle East and potentially the United States.

“Supposing we were cruising and all of a sudden Iran has a nuclear weapon. They would use it. They’re crazy. I deal with them. They’re crazy. And they would use it,” he said. “They would have wiped out Israel. They would have wiped out the Middle East. And they would have started hitting a couple of our cities.”

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes and that it is not seeking a nuclear weapon. The United States and Israel have disputed Tehran’s assurances and have cited Iran’s nuclear activities as a central justification for military action.

Trump also pointed to Wall Street as evidence that the American economy has remained resilient despite the conflict, even as oil prices have climbed amid continued fighting and disruptions surrounding critical Middle Eastern shipping routes.

“The stock market right now is at the all-time high….during this whole little conflict, we call it a conflict, the stock market’s at an all-time high. The highest it’s ever been. Much higher than when I started. You know, when I started it was at 49,000. Now it’s at 53. It’s going to be 54 pretty soon. It’s going up. Continues to go up. Oil went up.”

Energy prices have nevertheless emerged as one of the most visible economic consequences of the conflict. Brent crude rose above $100 a barrel this week amid escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities and renewed concerns about shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

During the interview, Trump also accused Iran of attempting to influence the upcoming American midterm elections because Tehran believes a change in political control in Washington could produce a more favorable U.S. policy.

“They’re trying to do anything possible to get me out, because they think the Democrats will let them essentially have a nuclear weapon. They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump has increasingly connected the course of the Iran war with the November elections. He said earlier this week that he expects the conflict to end after the midterms, while maintaining that Iran is trying to hold out in hopes of a change in the political environment in Washington.

The President’s declaration that he would make the same decision again came as tensions have intensified over Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain complex near Natanz.

Trump warned Tehran about the site during his appearance Wednesday at the Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas, saying American officials had detected activity there.

“We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute, because we will have to hit them very hard,” Trump said.

Pickaxe Mountain is located near Iran’s badly damaged Natanz uranium enrichment facility and contains two deeply buried tunnel complexes. Unlike several other Iranian nuclear facilities, the underground complex has not been struck during the current war.

Trump has been publicly threatening possible military action against Pickaxe Mountain since at least July, repeatedly warning that the United States will not permit Iran to use the site to preserve or rebuild its nuclear capabilities.

Those concerns received additional attention Thursday when International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that the U.N. nuclear watchdog has observed signs of new activity around the complex.

“There are some indications that there is movement around this construction site,” Grossi said. “We don’t have any concrete information as to activities that may be taking place there.”

The IAEA has not inspected the underground facility directly and is instead relying on remote imagery to assess developments there.

A separate satellite-imagery analysis released this week by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found a significant increase in construction at Pickaxe Mountain during 2026. Researchers reported reinforcement of tunnel entrances, road paving and other work around the sprawling underground facility.

Trump issued a similar warning about the facility last week.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he told reporters at the Oval Office, adding, “We may hit Pickaxe very soon…if there was anything going on with Pickaxe.”

The President’s comments Thursday made clear that, despite the length and cost of the conflict and questions about its effect on the approaching midterm elections, he continues to stand behind his original decision to launch military action against Iran.

“If I had it to do again, I’d do exactly as I did,” Trump said.

WATCH:

President Donald Trump defended his proposal to send $5,000 payments to every adult American citizen, arguing that the plan would be made possible by the nation’s economic performance and tariff revenues — but only if Republicans maintain control of both chambers of Congress in November’s midterm elections.

In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump explained why he has tied the proposed “Trump dividend” to Republican victories in both the House and Senate, contending that Democrats would be unable to produce the economic growth needed to support the payments.

“Because – they can’t – I’ll tell you what, because the Democrats can’t do it,” Trump told host Laura Ingraham. “Because with them, it’s negative growth. with us, it’s so positive.”

“We’re taking in $21 trillion. No country has ever taken in anywhere near that,” the president added. “That’s four-five times more than the next. That’s all because of that beautiful word you and love more than most others – tariffs.”

Trump first unveiled the proposal Wednesday night during the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, where he told supporters that Americans would receive the $5,000 payment if the GOP emerges from the November elections with control of both the House and Senate.

“I can make this promise to you, and here is my promise,” he said. “If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic — tremendous economic success like in history, we’ve never had anything like what’s happening.”

Trump compared the proposed payments to a company distributing profits to its shareholders.

“But because of our tremendous strength and success economically — I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000. Very much like a successful company will do a cash distribution to its shareholders,” Trump added.

The President said recipients would be required to spend the money inside the United States and has pointed to revenue generated by his tariff policies as a source of funding. The proposal, however, would require congressional approval, and independent estimates put its potential price tag at roughly $1.2 trillion. Reuters reported that the Congressional Budget Office says tariff collections during the current fiscal year totaled about $167 billion, substantially less than the estimated cost of the proposed payments.

Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in the House, making the fight for control of Congress a central focus of the party’s Dallas gathering.

Trump again highlighted the amount of investment and revenue he says his economic policies have generated while speaking with Ingraham.

“So, we’re taking in $21 trillion. Nobody – no country has ever taken in anywhere near that. It’s four or five times higher than the next one,” Trump said.

“All because of that beautiful word that you and I love more than most others: Tariffs,” he added.

The proposed dividend has already generated debate in Washington over its cost and economic impact. Some Republican lawmakers have expressed reservations about adding more than $1 trillion in federal spending, while others have embraced the idea and are considering legislation that could put the proposal into effect. Democrats have criticized the election-linked pledge.

During his address in Dallas, Trump also acknowledged the longstanding difficulty presidents face in midterm elections, when the party controlling the White House has historically tended to lose congressional seats. After telling the audience that he’s “doing a great job,” Trump questioned why strong presidential performance does not necessarily translate into midterm victories.

“But I say, why is it that, no matter how well you’re doing, we see not a president — Democrat or Republican — almost never wins the midterms?” Trump said.

He then urged Republican voters to approach November’s congressional races as though his own name were appearing on their ballots.

“We’ve got to change that because we have something going that’s so good we can’t let that string be broken. So, I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot, just one more time.”

Any $5,000 payment program would ultimately need congressional authorization. Questions also remain about how the government would finance a program costing more than $1 trillion at a time when the federal deficit is projected to exceed $2 trillion. Supporters have pointed to tariff revenue and economic growth, while critics — including some Republicans — have raised concerns about the potential effect on the national debt and inflation.

The White House also promoted the proposal Thursday, portraying it as a way for Americans to share directly in the administration’s economic policies.

“Last night, President Donald J. Trump unveiled the Trump Dividend — a historic $5,000 cash payment to every adult American citizen, made possible by the strength of the American economy under his leadership. The announcement is the latest proof that President Trump does what the so-called ‘experts’ say cannot be done: he delivers for the American people.”

“The Trump Dividend depends on President Trump and Republicans. Democrat control means America loses — and working people pay the price,” they added.

A person who recently returned to Israel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been hospitalized in isolation after developing a fever, prompting health authorities to investigate a possible case of Ebola, the Health Ministry announced Thursday.

Officials stressed that the case remains only a suspected infection and that Ebola has not been confirmed. The patient will undergo a series of laboratory tests, with results expected in the coming days.

The individual is being treated under strict isolation protocols established for highly infectious diseases and is being transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Yerushalayim, one of the hospitals designated to handle suspected cases of this type.

The Health Ministry said an epidemiological investigation has already been completed to identify individuals who may have had relevant contact with the patient. Anyone who is not contacted directly by the ministry does not need to take any action at this stage.

Officials also emphasized that Ebola is not transmitted through the air. The virus spreads through direct contact with a symptomatic infected person or through contact with blood, bodily fluids or secretions.

The Health Ministry stressed that there has been no confirmed case of Ebola in Israel to date.

The latest scare comes after another suspected case involving a traveler returning from Congo in mid-August. That individual was also placed in isolation and tested for Ebola, but laboratory results ultimately came back negative.

The latest suspected case comes amid a major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has prompted Israeli health authorities to step up preparations.

According to figures published at the end of August, the outbreak had surpassed 6,000 confirmed infections, with 6,041 cases and 2,911 deaths reported. The outbreak, described as the largest in Congo’s history, has been attributed to the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no approved specific vaccine or treatment.

In response, Israel’s Health Ministry has been monitoring the outbreak and preparing the healthcare system for the possibility of imported cases. Authorities have distributed professional guidelines to medical personnel and relevant hospitals, obtained protective gear and specialized equipment, established procedures for identifying travelers returning from affected regions, and developed a laboratory system capable of detecting Ebola infections.

The ministry is advising Israelis to avoid nonessential travel to areas experiencing active Ebola transmission, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those who must travel to affected areas are urged to obtain individualized guidance from a travelers’ clinic before departure.

Travelers returning from Congo who develop a fever or other unusual symptoms within 21 days of their stay are being instructed to remain at home, avoid contact with other people and telephone the Health Ministry’s Kol Habriut hotline at *5400. Callers should immediately inform health officials that they recently returned from an area affected by Ebola.

{Matzav.com}

A baby girl was delivered safely early Thursday morning near the gravesite of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman, Ukraine, as tens of thousands of visitors continued arriving in the city ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

United Hatzalah received an emergency call reporting that a woman had gone into active labor near the gravesite. United Hatzalah medics Dana Weber and Shulamit Tzarfati rushed to the scene and found that the delivery was already progressing rapidly.

The medics assisted the mother through the delivery, and a healthy baby girl was born a short time later.

“I was called to a childbirth near the gravesite of Rav Nachman of Breslov, and I saw that the labor was progressing quickly,” Weber said. “I began providing her with the necessary assistance to ensure her safety and that of the baby on the way. Within a short time, and thank G-d, a healthy baby girl was born.”

The mother and newborn were subsequently transported by a United Hatzalah ambulance to a local hospital for further examination and observation. Both were reported to be in good and stable condition.

The birth came amid the annual Rosh Hashanah gathering of Breslover chassidim in Uman. Tens of thousands of chassidim and other visitors travel to the Ukrainian city each year to spend Rosh Hashanah near the gravesite of Rav Nachman of Breslov.

Thursday morning’s delivery was the second birth reported in Uman in recent days. Several days earlier, a baby boy was born in the city.

Israeli police personnel are also operating in Uman as part of a special deployment established to assist the large number of Israelis visiting the city. Teams have been responding to a range of incidents involving the visiting public, including medical emergencies.

A 7-year-old Israeli boy who became separated from his family amid the massive Rosh Hashanah gathering in Uman was safely reunited with his parents Thursday following a search by Israel Police officers stationed in the Ukrainian city.

The incident unfolded while Israeli police personnel were conducting operations in Uman. An Israeli man approached a team of officers with the young boy and told them that he had found the child after he apparently lost contact with his parents.

Police said the boy was extremely confused and frightened when officers began speaking with him in an effort to determine his identity and locate his family.

Officers questioned the child extensively and spoke with people in the area while carrying out additional efforts to track down his parents. Their search ultimately succeeded, and the boy was safely returned to his family.

The relieved family expressed their gratitude to the Israel Police personnel in Uman for their assistance.

The incident occurred as tens of thousands of Breslover chassidim and other visitors were arriving in Uman for the annual Rosh Hashanah kibbutz at the tziyun of Rav Nachman of Breslov.

Israel Police personnel have been deployed in Uman as part of special preparations for the large influx of Israeli visitors. Officers are assisting with a variety of incidents during the gathering, including missing-person cases and other emergencies, while also helping maintain public safety and order.

Police operations in Uman are continuing throughout the Rosh Hashanah period.

Rav Yitzchak Yosef sharply criticized Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday, warning against the possibility of an Eisenkot-led government and accusing the former IDF chief of staff of having promoted policies that weakened religious standards in the Israeli military.

Speaking at a gathering in Ashdod, the Rishon LeTzion recalled his opposition to the integration of male and female soldiers in IDF tank crews during Eisenkot’s tenure as chief of staff. Contemporary reports confirm that Rav Yosef made the remarks at an Ashdod gathering Thursday.

“We saved the Talmudei Torah. If the left, Eisenkot and his friends ever come to power, oy vey. He was chief of staff; he instituted a rule in the army that a male soldier and a female soldier would be together in a tank. Oy vey,” Rav Yosef said.

Rav Yosef said that while he was serving as Israel’s Sephardic chief rabbi, he personally approached Eisenkot about the matter and sought to explain the severity with which he viewed the policy.

“I was chief rabbi at the time. I explained to him the severity of the matter. Is this how you deal with the issue? He didn’t even answer me. Friends, a little respect. You’re the chief of staff, a chief rabbi reaches out to you, and you don’t even answer.”

Rav Yosef went further, accusing Eisenkot of contributing to the secularization of the IDF and questioning whether he could be trusted to lead the country. Reports of the speech quoted him asking, “Can he be trusted?” while warning against an Eisenkot-led government.

The remarks represented a striking change in tone from comments attributed to Rav Yosef regarding Eisenkot just two months ago.

During his weekly shiur at the time, Rav Yosef said that he did not believe Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu would do teshuvah, but added, “Eisenkot might do teshuvah.”

A day later, Army Radio correspondent Mordechai Halperin reported comments allegedly made by Rav Yosef in a private conversation in which he purportedly raised the possibility of supporting Eisenkot for prime minister.

According to that report, Rav Yosef said, “Gadi Eisenkot is a good person, a warm Jew, he loves those who study Torah,” and added, “It is possible that we will go with him in the upcoming elections, it is possible to support him to be the next prime minister.”

Rav Yosef’s office subsequently categorically denied that those remarks had been made.

“The content of the report is completely denied; it is regrettable that someone chose to distort and publish things that were not said,” his office said at the time.

Thursday’s remarks, delivered at an Ashdod gathering ahead of the Yomim Noraim, put Rav Yosef’s criticism of Eisenkot squarely on the record, focusing in particular on his experience dealing with the former chief of staff over religious concerns within the IDF. The gathering featuring Rav Yosef had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Ashdod.

As New York prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks on Friday, an unusual calendar convergence is creating logistical challenges for Yidden in Lower Manhattan: the massive security operation surrounding the commemorations will take place just hours before the onset of Rosh Hashanah.

The NYPD plans to close much of the west side of Lower Manhattan to vehicular traffic beginning at 6 a.m. Friday, with streets expected to reopen at approximately 3 p.m. The closures will encompass the area surrounding the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial, where thousands are expected to participate in commemorations marking a quarter-century since the attacks.

For shuls in the area, that means much of the final Erev Yom Tov preparation will have to take place amid road closures, checkpoints and an enormous police presence — with only several hours separating the reopening of the streets from the onset of Rosh Hashanah.

Rabbi Jonathan Glass realized the potential difficulty when he learned that the traffic restrictions would encompass the area surrounding the Tribeca Synagogue, where he serves as rav.

The shul is preparing to host a large Rosh Hashanah seudah on Friday night, along with meals throughout the two-day Yom Tov on Shabbos and Sunday. The road closures immediately raised a practical concern: whether food and other deliveries would be able to reach the shul through the police perimeter.

“I’m going to have to let people know about this as soon as possible,” he told JNS. “It could be a problem.”

Rabbi Glass said he hopes the security checkpoints will be easier to navigate than they were in the months immediately following the September 11 attacks 25 years ago.

At that time, police checkpoints were ubiquitous around the former World Trade Center site. According to Rabbi Glass, some officers stationed at the checkpoints were unfamiliar with the Tribeca Synagogue and mistakenly informed people attempting to reach it that the shul was closed, even when it was operating.

September 11, 2001, was the only time the Tribeca Synagogue closed its doors since 1938.

Although no member of the kehillah was killed in the attacks, many congregants lived close to the World Trade Center and were forced to evacuate their homes. Some were unable to return for three to six months, Rabbi Glass said.

The neighborhood itself was transformed in the aftermath of the attacks. Clouds of toxic white ash and debris blanketed the World Trade Center area and spread through Lower Manhattan and into portions of Brooklyn, remaining an environmental and health concern long after the Twin Towers collapsed.

Friday’s ceremonies will commemorate 25 years since 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger planes on September 11, 2001, murdering 2,977 people. Two aircraft were flown into the World Trade Center towers, causing both buildings to collapse. Another struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, while the fourth crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers attempted to retake control of the plane.

The main ceremony Friday morning at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum will initially be limited to relatives of those who were killed, with admission by invitation. As has been done annually, the names of every victim will be read aloud. The memorial is scheduled to open to the general public later in the day.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday that the security operation surrounding this year’s commemoration will be particularly extensive. The 25th anniversary, combined with Rosh Hashanah and the broader international security environment, has prompted the NYPD to increase its deployment.

“There will be layers of security that are highly visible and others that the public will not see,” Tisch said at the press conference. “New Yorkers can expect to see uniformed officers throughout the area, along with members of our counterterrorism bureau, heavy weapons teams and other specialized resources deployed as part of the operation.”

Officials said the affected streets are expected to reopen at 3 p.m.

For Yidden rushing to complete their final Yom Tov preparations, however, that does not leave much breathing room. Rosh Hashanah begins in New York shortly before 7 p.m. Friday, meaning the neighborhood will have only a few hours between the lifting of the security restrictions and the beginning of Yom Tov.

At Chabad of FiDi in Manhattan’s Financial District, Rabbi Nissi Eber is taking the situation in stride — although there is at least one important Yom Tov concern.

“It may be a little harder to get our brisket order from the butcher with the street closures,” Rabbi Eber told JNS.

Fortunately, most of the approximately 100 people Rabbi Eber expects for davening and the Rosh Hashanah seudah live within walking distance of the Chabad center, limiting the impact of the traffic restrictions on the mispallelim themselves.

Rabbi Eber and his wife, Chaya, arrived in the Financial District nine years ago to establish a permanent Jewish presence in the neighborhood. Two years ago, they began holding regular tefillos at their center.

Last Rosh Hashanah, the young kehillah celebrated another milestone when it welcomed its first Sefer Torah.

The hachnosas Sefer Torah captured an unusual scene: Rabbi Eber and members of his kehillah carrying the Sefer Torah through Fulton Street, with One World Trade Center — the Freedom Tower — rising behind them.

The 1,776-foot skyscraper, whose height including its spire intentionally commemorates the year of American independence, was constructed on part of the World Trade Center complex.

“We walked through the streets proud of our heritage, with the Freedom Tower in the background,” Eber told JNS.

This year, the same streets will once again become the setting for a powerful convergence of remembrance and Jewish life.

On Sunday, the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Eber and his kehillah plan to blow the shofar and walk to the South Street Seaport for tashlich.

“We’ll have apples and honey, so that even the synagogue-averse can enjoy a taste of the holiday,” he said.

For Rabbi Eber, having the 25th anniversary of September 11 fall immediately before Rosh Hashanah brings an added emotional dimension to this year’s Yom Tov.

The anniversary naturally carries painful memories for New Yorkers, while Rosh Hashanah brings its own profound period of tefillah, reflection and teshuvah.

The convergence, Rabbi Eber said, produces “mixed feelings.”

“Rosh Hashanah is a holiday of introspection and reflection,” he told JNS. “Which is also how we New Yorkers view 9/11.”