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A fierce dispute erupted Thursday between chareidi parties and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich after he decided at the last minute not to bring a funding package worth more than one billion shekels for new communities in Judea and Samaria to the cabinet for approval. Instead, the proposal will now be discussed at Sunday’s Security Cabinet meeting.

Associates of the finance minister said the decision stemmed from diplomatic concerns and international sensitivity surrounding settlement development. Chareidi political sources, however, argue that moving the matter from the government table to the Security Cabinet was also intended to reduce public scrutiny over both the source of the funds and their distribution.

The controversy follows a letter sent by United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf, who urged Smotrich to include the chareidi cities of Immanuel and Modiin Illit in the funding package. Goldknopf argued that there was no justification for excluding chareidi communities located in Judea and Samaria from the program. According to party sources, Smotrich declined the request.

A senior chareidi official sharply criticized the move, telling local media, “You killed and then inherited. Smotrich took more than a billion shekels for Judea and Samaria, including funds that had been frozen from the chareidi public, and instead of bringing the decision to a government meeting and facing criticism, he transferred it to the Security Cabinet under the pretext of diplomatic pressure.”

The official claimed that the move was designed to avoid a public debate over how the money is being allocated, why chareidi communities were left out, and why funds that had previously been removed from the Torah world and chareidi institutions are now being redirected elsewhere.

“This is an attempt to avoid a public discussion about how the money is being distributed, why the chareidi cities were excluded, and why funds taken away from the Torah world and chareidi institutions are now being directed to other purposes,” the source said.

The anger within the chareidi camp has also focused on a recent increase in funding for hesder yeshivos. According to sources in United Torah Judaism, Smotrich approved an increase in the funding formula for hesder institutions worth approximately 30 million shekels, even as chareidi yeshivos continue to contend with budget freezes and reductions.

Party officials argue that the decision reflects a pattern of favoritism toward institutions associated with Smotrich’s constituency while the chareidi educational system faces growing financial challenges.

“At a time when Gedolei Yisroel are traveling across the globe to raise money to sustain the Torah world, the finance minister is making sure to increase funding for the yeshivos identified with his own community,” the official said. “You cannot demand political partnership from the chareidim while systematically favoring the institutions and communities of one sector over another.”

{Matzav.com}

Shikma Bresler, one of the most prominent leaders of the protests against judicial reform, ignited a fierce backlash on social media Thursday night after sharply criticizing demonstrations by Peleg Yerushalmi activists that brought major roads across central Israel to a standstill.

Bresler took aim at the protests in a post on X, comparing the demonstrators to other groups she views as disregarding the rule of law.

“There is no difference between the chareidi factions of the government on the roads, for whom the law has no meaning, and the factions of the government in Judea and Samaria,” Bresler wrote.

She continued, “There’s no need to get angry. We need to understand who they are, what they want (a dark religious state), and then understand that we are fighting for the soul of the state.”

Her comments quickly drew criticism online, with many users pointing to her own role in organizing and supporting the anti-judicial reform protests, which frequently included major highway blockades, transportation disruptions, and demonstrations that paralyzed key traffic arteries throughout the country.

One commenter responded, “No, can you be any more lacking in self-awareness? You can be foolish, but to this extent? Did you forget Kaplan and what you did here?”

Another social media user wrote sarcastically, “Oh, so the left suddenly discovered the law? The same people who set the country on fire in Balfour and Kaplan are now preaching against blocking roads.”

A third response that gained significant traction online stated: “It’s unbelievable how much chutzpah this takes. Aren’t you the one who personally called for disrupting roads?”

Bresler’s remarks came amid a wave of Peleg Yerushalmi demonstrations held Thursday evening at several major locations throughout Israel. The protests were organized in response to the arrest of yeshiva students and their transfer to military authorities, leading to severe traffic congestion and road closures across the Gush Dan region and other parts of central Israel.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump sharply criticized Iran on Friday after Tehran suggested that key elements of a proposed peace agreement remain unresolved, insisting that Iranian officials are misrepresenting the status of negotiations and warning that the United States will not compromise on its core demands.

Trump’s frustration came after Iran’s foreign ministry stated that the country “had not reached a final conclusion” regarding any agreement. In response, the president described Iranian negotiators as “very dishonorable people to deal with” and cautioned that “they had better get their act together and fast!”

Reports from Iranian state media indicated that Tehran plans to continue discussions with Washington while seeking to preserve its uranium enrichment program. The reports also claimed Iran is unwilling to surrender oversight of the Strait of Hormuz and is demanding the release of $24 billion in frozen assets as “compensation” for losses suffered during the recent military campaign.

The president dismissed those reports outright, saying they were entirely inaccurate.

“What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

Trump said Thursday that negotiations had entered their final phase and asserted that Iran had agreed to terminate its nuclear weapons efforts. According to the president, an agreement could potentially be finalized and signed as soon as this weekend.

Throughout the talks, Trump has maintained that any agreement must permanently prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Iran, however, has presented a different interpretation of the draft accord. Officials in Tehran contend that the current language specifies that “Iran undertakes no new commitments” regarding nuclear weapons and that additional discussions on the issue would take place during a 60-day period after the agreement is signed.

Under the framework initially proposed by negotiators, the peace initiative was structured in two stages, with nuclear-related discussions scheduled for the second phase of the process.

The conflicting descriptions from Washington and Tehran have fueled uncertainty about the agreement, including how close it is to completion and what provisions it ultimately contains.

A senior administration official told The Post that the United States has identified five essential requirements that must be met before any deal is finalized.

According to the official, those conditions include the destruction of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the dismantling of its nuclear infrastructure, withholding frozen Iranian funds until compliance is demonstrated, guaranteeing free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and ending Iranian financial support for terrorist organizations.

“This is what they have agreed to. This is a performance-based deal,” the official said.

A separate White House official told Fox News that negotiations are approaching the finish line and estimated that the agreement is roughly 75% complete.

“While this is tentative, we feel confident that we will be signing this in the next few days,” the official said.

Iran’s foreign ministry acknowledged that most of the agreement’s language has already been completed but argued that unresolved disputes remain.

“Textually, the text has almost been finalized in its major parts. The problem is that the contradictory positions of the United States have always caused turbulence and disruption in this process,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told Iranian state media.

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu issued a forceful statement Friday following reports of an emerging agreement between the United States and Iran, declaring that Israel remains unwavering in its determination to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Speaking amid growing discussion about a US-backed diplomatic framework with Iran, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s position has not changed and that stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains a top national priority.

“As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel – Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he said, adding that he and US President Donald Trump “are in full agreement on this issue.”

Netanyahu pointed to his decades-long campaign against Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that sustained international pressure has delayed Tehran’s efforts to acquire atomic weapons.

“For over 30 years, I have been at the forefront of the international struggle against Iran’s nuclear program. Were it not for this struggle, Iran would have long ago possessed atomic bombs to destroy Israel.”

The prime minister also warned that Iran’s broader objective remains the destruction of Israel and said his personal mission has been to prevent that outcome.

“Iran is working to destroy the Jewish state, and I am dedicating my life to preventing them from doing so.”

“As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, this will not happen.”

Netanyahu’s comments came one day after President Trump revealed that planned US military action against Iran had been suspended following progress toward a diplomatic understanding aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching a new round of nuclear talks.

Trump disclosed the development Thursday evening in a post on Truth Social, announcing that the scheduled strikes had been called off in light of commitments made by Iranian leadership.

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president said the framework had received broad backing from numerous regional and international stakeholders involved in the negotiations.

“Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.”

While signaling optimism about the diplomatic effort, Trump made clear that pressure on Iran would continue until a final agreement is formally completed.

He stressed that “the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect until this transaction is finalized. The time and place of the signing will be announced shortly.”

Following Trump’s announcement, Netanyahu’s office released a statement confirming that the two leaders had spoken regarding the emerging understanding between Washington and Tehran.

“President Trump spoke this evening with Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) currently taking shape with Iran to enter into negotiations.”

The Prime Minister’s Office noted that although Israel is not directly participating in the proposed memorandum, Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s assurances regarding the objectives of any eventual agreement.

“Although Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for President Trump’s commitment that the final agreement concluded at the end of negotiations will include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and the cessation of Iran’s support for its regional terror proxies,” the statement added.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk crossed a historic financial threshold this week as soaring investor demand for SpaceX pushed the entrepreneur’s fortune beyond the trillion-dollar mark, cementing his status as the richest individual in history and underscoring the extraordinary confidence markets continue to place in his vision.

Few modern business figures have achieved the level of public recognition Musk commands. The entrepreneur has become as much a cultural phenomenon as a corporate leader, building a vast following online while transforming industries ranging from electric vehicles to space exploration.

His ascent has come during a period when skepticism toward billionaires and concerns about wealth concentration have intensified. Yet despite possessing a fortune unlike anything previously seen, Musk has maintained a devoted base of supporters, even without cultivating the everyman image associated with business icons such as Warren Buffett.

Supporters praise Musk’s blunt, unscripted style and willingness to challenge conventional thinking. Detractors, however, argue that his influence rivals that of a modern oligarch, pointing to governance concerns within his companies and criticizing his increasingly visible involvement in political debates.

Investor enthusiasm was on full display Thursday when SpaceX completed a blockbuster initial public offering that raised an unprecedented $75 billion. The offering highlighted Wall Street’s continued faith in Musk’s ventures. Before the IPO, Forbes estimated his fortune at approximately $780 billion, placing him far ahead of Alphabet co-founder Larry Page, the next wealthiest person on the list.

“The second richest person has been hovering around $300 billion, so about less than one-third of what Musk can potentially be worth tomorrow,” said Matt Durot, deputy editor at Forbes Wealth. “And only one other person, [Oracle founder] Larry Ellison, has ever been ⁠worth $400 billion.”

The bulk of Musk’s fortune is now tied to SpaceX, where his ownership stake is valued at roughly $866 billion. Combined with his holdings in Tesla and other enterprises, estimates from Forbes and Reuters indicate that his wealth will surpass $1.1 trillion once SpaceX shares begin trading publicly.

Although Tesla and SpaceX established Musk as one of the world’s most recognizable entrepreneurs, his influence expanded dramatically after he purchased Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion. Ownership of the platform provided him with direct access to hundreds of millions of users and amplified his voice on topics including immigration, government policy, free speech, and politics.

His growing political role has proven among the most divisive chapters of his career. Musk’s participation in President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency drew both praise and criticism. At the same time, Tesla faced mounting pressure overseas in 2025, as consumer boycotts and public demonstrations contributed to weakening sales in several markets.

Now 54 years old, Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to a South African father and Canadian mother. After earning a degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997, he embarked on a career that would eventually place him at the forefront of multiple industries.

His leadership at Tesla began in 2008, driven by a belief that electric vehicles could be both technologically advanced and highly desirable. Under his guidance, Tesla helped reshape consumer expectations and accelerate the worldwide transition toward electric transportation.

Industry analysts argue that Tesla’s success—and its trillion-dollar-plus valuation—forced traditional car manufacturers to take electric vehicles seriously. Many investors now believe Musk may be capable of achieving a similar transformation in fields such as artificial intelligence and commercial space travel.

Despite the excitement surrounding SpaceX, the company continues to require substantial capital, and much of its valuation depends on technologies whose long-term commercial potential remains years away from realization.

In addition to Tesla and SpaceX, Musk has launched or co-founded several other ventures, including Neuralink, which develops brain-computer interfaces, and The Boring Company, focused on transportation tunnels.

Throughout his tenure at Tesla, Musk has generated both admiration and controversy. Nevertheless, he is widely credited with turning the company into the most valuable automaker on the planet.

For years, executives at established automobile manufacturers doubted Tesla’s prospects, questioning whether a startup could successfully mass-produce electric vehicles while remaining profitable.

“He renewed the world’s respect for American ingenuity in automotive engineering,” said Bob Lutz, a former General Motors vice chairman.

At the same time, Tesla has periodically faced legal disputes and investor concerns connected to Musk’s leadership, including scrutiny over his 2018 compensation package, which at one point carried a value of $56 billion.

Musk’s far-reaching influence has inspired market observers to coin the term “Muskonomy” to describe the ecosystem of businesses surrounding him. That influence has also contributed to what many investors call the “Elon premium”—a phenomenon in which confidence in Musk himself drives valuations beyond what conventional financial models might justify.

“Much like Tesla, SpaceX is a bet on Elon Musk,” said Matt Kennedy, senior strategist at Renaissance Capital, a provider of IPO-focused research and ETFs.

“A market cap of $1.5 trillion-$2 trillion would certainly throw all traditional valuation methodologies out the window, and is instead best characterized as the ‘Elon Musk premium.'”

As Musk’s reach has expanded, so too have concerns about concentrating enormous influence in the hands of a single individual. Critics have questioned whether companies tied so closely to one personality face heightened governance risks and potential conflicts of interest.

Over the years, Musk has repeatedly found himself in public disputes with regulators, journalists, media organizations, short sellers, and fellow billionaires. Many of those confrontations have played out in real time across social media platforms, further reinforcing his reputation as one of business’s most unpredictable figures.

His partnership with President Trump followed a similar trajectory. After contributing heavily to Trump’s successful return to the White House and serving in a senior advisory capacity through the administration’s DOGE initiative, Musk emerged as one of the president’s most influential allies in the corporate world.

That alliance eventually deteriorated as disagreements over spending priorities and policy decisions escalated into a highly public feud. Although relations between the two have since improved, the episode underscored the increasingly intertwined nature of Musk’s business interests and political ambitions.

Despite those controversies, many investors remain focused on Musk’s record of turning ambitious concepts into highly successful enterprises, viewing his unconventional behavior as secondary to his achievements.

“Elon is the Edison of our time,” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said during a recent conversation with Musk.

Dimon’s praise marked a striking shift from earlier years, when the two were engaged in a lengthy legal dispute. Reflecting on their improved relationship, the banking executive told CNBC that they had “hugged it out,” and praised Musk as “our Einstein.”

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic overnight confrontation in Ashdod ended with police releasing a yeshiva bochur who had been detained as an alleged draft evader, after dozens of chareidi protesters descended on the scene and demanded his immediate release.

The incident unfolded late Thursday night near the Big shopping complex in Ashdod. Police officers conducting a traffic stop pulled over a vehicle carrying several yeshiva students. During the inspection, officers discovered that one of the passengers had been classified by the IDF as a draft evader.

Police detained the bochur and summoned military police to take custody of him.

Within minutes, messages began circulating through chareidi communities under the headline “The kidnappers have arrived,” prompting a rapid mobilization. Dozens of protesters quickly gathered at the location, surrounding the officers and calling for the release of the yeshiva student.

As concerns mounted that the situation could escalate into a larger public disturbance and potentially block a major traffic artery at the entrance to the city, the officer in charge reportedly ordered the immediate release of the bochur and instructed that the checkpoint be dismantled.

Following the release, the protesters broke out into dancing, singing “Utzu Eitzah V’sufar,” celebrating what they viewed as a successful effort to prevent the transfer of the yeshiva student into the custody of the military police.

The crowd subsequently dispersed from the area without further incident.

{Matzav.com}

A remarkable moment of gadlus baTorah unfolded Thursday in a Lakewood, NJ home when Rav Yisroel Bunim Schreiber, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Nesiv Hadaas, demonstrated an astonishing command of Torah by recalling the entirety of Maseches Bava Basra from memory before a captivated audience.

The episode took place during the visit of the gedolim of Keren Olam HaTorah, who are currently traveling throughout America on behalf of the yeshivos and kollelim of Eretz Yisroel. While Rav Chaim Mordechai Ausband, Rosh Yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo, was visiting the home of Yanky Stern, a bochur approached him with a challenging question in learning. The inquiry was anything but simple. The bochur asked for a complete accounting of every machlokes between Rabbah and Rav Yosef found throughout Maseches Bava Basra.

Rather than answer the question himself, Rav Ausband directed it to Rav Schreiber, whose reputation as an exceptional baki is well known in the olam haTorah. What followed left those present in awe.

Rav Schreiber began mentally traversing the masechta, moving through the dafim one by one. As he progressed, he identified each machlokes between Rabbah and Rav Yosef, systematically working his way through the entire masechta without opening a Gemara or consulting any notes.

The extraordinary display of mastery transformed an ordinary visit into an unforgettable lesson in the depth and breadth of true Torah knowledge.

WATCH:

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{Matzav.com}

[Videos below.] LAKEWOOD, NJ — In an extraordinary demonstration of kavod haTorah, approximately 10,000 men, women, and children gathered Thursday evening in Lakewood to welcome some of the foremost gedolei Torah of Eretz Yisroel, who are visiting the United States on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah and its efforts to sustain the yeshivos and kollelim throughout the Holy Land.

The Kabolas Panim and Atzeres Tefillah took place on the grounds of Beth Medrash Govoha between Ninth and Tenth Streets, bounded by Clifton Avenue and Lexington Avenue. The men’s section was situated on the western side of the main event area, while a separate women’s section was located to the north. Entrances were available from both Clifton Avenue and Lexington Avenue, with designated access points for the public and separate entrances for rabbanim. Extensive security measures and road closures surrounded the event perimeter, with attendees directed by event staff and law enforcement personnel. Restroom facilities and emergency medical services stations were positioned throughout the area to accommodate the thousands who attended.

Long before the event began, thousands streamed into the area as organizers completed final preparations for what would become one of the largest public gatherings Lakewood has seen in recent years. Parking lots quickly filled to capacity, while additional attendees continued arriving from throughout the region. Security was highly visible, with heavily armed law enforcement officers stationed around the perimeter of the event.

By the time the maamad was set to begin, the grounds were overflowing. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as the oilam waited to greet the distinguished visitors from Eretz Yisroel.

Harav Dov Landau and Harav Shimon Galai arrived to thunderous singing and heartfelt expressions of respect from the massive crowd.

The emotional high point of the opening moments came shortly after 8:15 p.m., when the visiting gedolim entered the gathering. Tens of thousands rose in unison, singing and welcoming them to Lakewood in a stirring display of reverence for Torah and its leaders.

Opening the formal program, Harav Malkiel Kotler spoke about the vital work of Keren Olam HaTorah and the extraordinary mission undertaken by the gedolei Eretz Yisroel.

Harav Dov Landau then addressed the overflow crowd, delivering words that were received with profound attention and respect by those gathered.

Throughout the evening, the crowd repeatedly broke into spirited singing and dancing lichvod haTorah. As Harav Don Segal prepared to speak, the assembled masses erupted in song, creating an atmosphere that reflected the deep connection between the participants and the gedolei Torah before them.

The gathering also welcomed Harav Yaakov Hillel and Harav Avraham Salim, who are participating in the Keren Olam HaTorah mission across the United States.

One of the evening’s most moving moments came when the visiting gedolim and the roshei yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha joined hands and danced together with the crowd. More than 10,000 participants sang and danced in unison, transforming the event into a powerful celebration of Torah.

Addressing the gathering, Harav Chaim Mordechai Ausband, Rosh Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, urged attendees to undertake a practical commitment on behalf of the avreichim of Eretz Yisroel. He encouraged every member of the community to assume responsibility for supporting at least one month of an avreich’s expenses during the coming year, noting that the amount needed was just $276.

As the program continued, the crowd sang “Ki Orech Yamim” in honor of Harav Yisroel Bunim Schreiber as he rose to address the assembled thousands.

Later, Harav Shimon Galai led the massive gathering in the recitation of Tehillim b’rov am, creating a powerful scene of collective prayer and supplication.

The evening concluded with Harav Avraham Salim leading a stirring Kabolas Ol Malchus Shamayim, bringing the maamad kavod haTorah to a fitting and inspiring close.

Even as temperatures remained high and humidity blanketed the area, the crowd remained energized until the final moments. Thousands continued singing and dancing lichvod haTorah as the gathering drew to an end, capping off a remarkable evening that showcased the enduring bond between the bnei Torah of America and the yeshivos and kollelim of Eretz Yisroel.

VIDEOS:

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{Matzav.com}