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Shas chairman Aryeh Deri clarified Thursday that his party will not return to the government until the draft law is passed in its final readings in the Knesset plenum, pushing back against claims within the coalition that he is seeking an immediate return.

Amid renewed political maneuvering following MK Yinon Azoulay’s return to his role as chairman of the Knesset Health Committee, coalition officials had speculated that Deri was aiming to reenter the government quickly in order to regain control of key ministries, including the Interior Ministry, the Religious Services Ministry, and the Health Ministry.

Sources in Degel HaTorah reportedly told senior coalition figures this week that Deri intended to bring Shas back into the government immediately after the draft law is approved by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, without waiting for final passage in the plenum.

However, it was learned that in a conversation Thursday with close associates, Deri made clear that Shas would not settle for committee approval alone. “Shas will not return to the government until the draft law passes second and third readings in the Knesset plenum; we will not suffice with approval of the law in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.”

As previously reported, during a discussion with rabbonim in Tiveriah, where Deri spent last Shabbos, the Shas chairman expressed his assessment that national elections are likely to take place in the middle of the month of Elul.

In the Knesset, coalition members are said to prefer scheduling elections at least a week before Rosh Hashanah in order to allow the thousands of voters who travel to the kever of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman to cast their ballots.

The date being discussed within the coalition, and one Deri himself is said to view as likely, is Tuesday, the 19th of Elul, which falls about a week and a half before Rosh Hashanah, corresponding this year to September 1.

{Matzav.com}

Federal immigration authorities arrested a Columbia University student early Thursday, triggering protests on campus along with allegations that agents had entered the university-owned residence under false pretenses. Just hours after detaining student Ellie Aghayeva, though, the federal government abruptly reversed course, permitting her to walk free after the apparent intervention by President Donald Trump. In […]

Rav Moshe Sternbuch, leading senior posek, issued a sharp and emotional protest after extremist youths in Yerushalayim’s Meah Shearim neighborhood hung effigies bearing the names of gedolei hador. The act was seen as a shocking humiliation of revered gedolei Torah, and Rav Sternbuch declared that he could not remain silent in the face of such disgrace.

The incident involved fringe youths who hung dolls labeled with the names of senior rabbonim, apparently distorting the Purim custom of hanging figures symbolizing Haman. Community leaders described the act as crossing every red line and constituting a grave insult to the honor of gedolei hador.

Because of the seriousness of the matter and the importance Rav Sternbuch placed on issuing a clear and forceful protest, unusual footage was released from inside his private study. The video shows him carefully dictating the exact wording of his condemnation, word by word.

In the rare recording, Rav Sternbuch is seen instructing his longtime chavrusa to prepare a strongly worded public statement condemning what he described as a disgraceful act carried out by irresponsible youths on the fringes of Meah Shearim.

The footage captures his chavrusa, his grandson Rav Eliyahu Sternbuch, head of the Teshuvos V’Hanhagos kollel in Modi’in Illit, seated beside him at the end of their regular learning session, writing down each sentence precisely as dictated by his grandfather for publication in his name.

Observers noted how Rav Sternbuch carefully weighed every word before speaking, following closely as each line was written to ensure that the statement accurately reflected his position.

In his recorded remarks, Rav Sternbuch said: “I hereby strongly protest the mockery in Meah Shearim that was done to disgrace talmidei chachomim. There is no limit to the severity and gravity of this sin, R”l. The wrongdoing is terrible and frightening, and I cannot remain silent over such a desecration even for a single moment.”

Rav Sternbuch concluded his remarks with stirring words: “What more can we do other than cry out to Hakadosh Boruch Hu that He should not punish us, that He should pour upon us a spirit of purity from above, and that He should hasten our redemption speedily.”

{Matzav.com}

When a new venture begins, it often does so on a smaller scale — through a “soft opening” before a broader public debut. Just over a year ago, a small group of like-minded men embarked on such a beginning, launching an initiative to address a long-standing and deeply felt gap within our community . Baruch […]

A two-year-old child who was found wandering alone Thursday afternoon on Rechov Malchei Yisrael in Yerushalayim’s Geula neighborhood was safely returned to his mother after a swift police response and community search effort.

The incident began when a concerned woman noticed the toddler walking by himself without adult supervision and immediately contacted police. Officers from the Lev HaBira station were dispatched to the scene, met with the caller, and quickly launched efforts to locate the child’s family.

During the search, police made public announcements in both Hebrew and Yiddish in the surrounding area, circulated the child’s photograph in community groups, and alerted the local community policing commander in an attempt to identify his parents as quickly as possible.

The toddler was brought to the police station, where officers cared for him, offered comfort, and ensured his well-being while attempts continued to locate his family. A short time later, the boy’s mother arrived at the station and reported that her son was missing. The shift commander conducted a rapid cross-check of the details, confirmed the identification, and the child was reunited with his mother in good health.

Police urged parents to exercise heightened awareness and careful supervision of young children in order to prevent similar incidents.

{Matzav.com}

A suspect was arrested by the NYPD with the assistance of Boro Park Shomrim volunteers at Fort Hamilton Parkway and 44th Street, following a series of shoplifting incidents at a local store over the past several days.

A Chinese CEO laid out 180M yuan ($26 million in cash) on 800 tables and invited all 7,000 of his employees to take what they could, explaining that young people are overwhelmed by mortgages, car loans, and rising costs and need real help, not empty words.

A woman on probation for stowing away on an international flight has been arrested again after sneaking onto a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Milan, Italy, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Svetlana Dali, convicted in 2024 for flying to Paris without a passport or ticket, was taken into custody […]

Sen. Tim Kaine slamming Trump administration on possibly engaging with Iran: “An optional war, at the whim of the president, ordering troops here and there…puts our kids at risk in a completely unacceptable way ”

A newly opened Gail’s Bakery in London’s Archway neighborhood was vandalized for the second time in less than a week, as pro-Palestinian protesters accused the company of supporting Israel’s military operations in Gaza. London’s Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the Junction Road branch early Wednesday after reports that several windows had been smashed […]

“The majority of drugs that we approve are for rare diseases,” Dr. Makary said, as he outlined the FDA’s new framework for rare disease treatments.

The Pentagon’s first kamikaze drone unit, Task Force Scorpion, is now operational and ready to participate if President Trump orders strikes on Iran, according to U.S. officials. •⁠ ⁠The unit evolved from an experimental U.S. military drone program and is now part of the broader U.S. military buildup in the region aimed at pressuring Iran […]

Secretary Doug Burgum: The president’s AI and energy agenda will help “make sure that we keep prices affordable for Americans and we have the power to win the AI arms race.

Rep. Mike Haridopolos: It’s shocking to me still today that 14 states don’t allow a situation where they can get away with actually not having voter ID. It’s comical. You can’t buy a beer, you need an ID to board a plane.

A Yerushalayim Magistrate’s Court judge on Thursday extended by one day the detention of an 18-year-old bochur arrested during a protest against the arrest of a ben yeshiva on Highway 1 in Yerushalayim. Police have announced their intention to file an indictment against him in expedited proceedings.

According to police suspicions, the young man threw a stick toward a garbage bin that had been set on fire by demonstrators, thereby fueling the blaze. Officers also said that a stone was found in his possession, which they believe he intended to hurl at police. While investigators acknowledged that there was no concern he would interfere with the investigation if released, they requested that his detention be extended due to what they described as the dangerous nature of his alleged actions. Police stated they plan to move quickly in filing charges, as reported by i24news.

His attorney, Daniel Shimshilashvili, opposed the request and sharply criticized the decision to seek continued detention. “Why are you penalizing him? In more serious incidents you request release under conditions. In a more severe case of throwing a torch at a mounted police officer, the court released the suspect. He did not ignite the dumpster, and the stick he added did not burn.”

Judge Ariel Ehrlich rejected the defense’s arguments and addressed the broader issue of protest rights in his ruling. “Counsel for the suspect argued regarding the right to protest, and that this right has received primacy in court rulings, to the point that courts have shown tolerance even for violent actions within a protest. I do not share this view. The right to protest, which is among the foremost expressions of political free speech, does not include the right to protest violently.”

The judge further wrote that “Setting objects on fire during a protest, while confronting police forces, is an action that carries significant danger.” He added that although the investigative steps presented thus far were limited, police have made clear their intention to pursue full legal action in such cases and to file an indictment promptly.

{Matzav.com}

The Vizhnitzer kehilla in London is mourning the petirah of Rav Meshulam Zusha Fuchs zt”l, who was niftar at the age of 75.

Rav Meshulam Zusha was born to his father, Rav Shabsai Zev Fuchs, a descendant of the renowned chassid Rav Mordechai Chuna Fuchs.

He married the daughter of Rav Shimon Lorenz and together they built a home of Torah.

For many years, Rav Meshulam Zusha served as a melamed in the Machnovka Belz Talmud Torah in London. He was widely recognized as a talmid chacham muflag and also devoted himself to serving as a madrich chassanim, guiding young men as they established their own batei ne’emanim.

His tefillos were filled with hislahavus and stirred hearts, and his derashos left a lasting imprint on those who heard them. He was mechanech and guided countless families in the path of Torah and yiras Shamayim, and many benefited from his wise counsel and deep understanding. He was deeply mekushar to the Rebbes of Vizhnitz and stood among the central pillars of the Vizhnitzer kehilla in London.

He leaves behind a dor yasharim mevorach. Among his sons are Rav Chaim Meir, menahel of the Vizhnitzer Talmud Torah in Williamsburg; Rav Mordechai Chuna, menahel of the Vizhnitzer Talmud Torah in Kiryas Yoel; Rav Shmuel; Rav Avraham, a melamed in the Sanzer Talmud Torah in Monsey; and Rav Mendel, who serves as a meshamesh bakodesh to the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Boro Park. He is also survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, all continuing in the path of Torah and chassidus.

His brother is Rav Menachem Mendel Fuchs, av beis din of Kiryat Shomrei HaChomos in the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

His aron will arrive in Eretz Yisroel, and the levayah will take place Friday morning, erev Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh–Zachor, at 9:30 a.m. from the Vizhnitzer beis medrash at the corner of Givat Pinchas Street in Bnei Brak. He will be laid to rest in the new Vizhnitzer beis hachaim.

Yehi zichro baruch. 

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the latest round of negotiations with the United States marked the most substantive discussions to date, describing the third session held in Geneva as “one of the most serious” so far. Speaking to Iranian state television, Araghchi confirmed that the talks focused on both Iran’s nuclear activities and the […]

A federal judge on Thursday rejected a preservationist group’s request to block the Trump administration from continuing construction of a $400 million ballroom where it demolished the East Wing of the White House. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that The National Trust for Historic Preservation was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its […]

A press conference intended to spotlight San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s proposal to overhaul the city’s tax structure was interrupted Wednesday by protesters who began with anti-wealth slogans and then erupted into antisemitic chants, according to officials and witnesses who attended the event.

The gathering, held outside a construction site to promote joint legislation by Lurie and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood aimed at reshaping San Francisco’s real estate transfer taxes to encourage housing development and investment, drew demonstrators affiliated with the San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Initially, protesters shouted “Tax the rich” from outside the venue.

According to those present, the rhetoric soon turned from criticism of wealth to chants focused on Israel, with at least one person yelling “Tax the Jews.” Sources said the antisemitic shouting continued for more than a minute without interruption.

“Suggesting that Jews are wealthy is a tired trope, and targeting our community at an event focused on creating economic opportunity for San Franciscans is decidedly antisemitic,” Lurie, who is Jewish, posted on X.

“I will never accept hate directed at the Jewish community or any community in our city. Those are not San Francisco values—we’re better than that.”

One shaken attendee told The Post that the chants referencing Jews and Israel lasted for approximately two minutes before “petering out,” adding that no one among the demonstrators intervened to stop the offensive remarks.

Video obtained by The Post shows a woman periodically shouting “tax Israel” and “Tax the Jews” while labor representatives were addressing the crowd from a podium.

“It was an, ‘are you hearing what I’m hearing?’ moment,” the source said.

Rudy Gonzalez, who leads the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, criticized the disruption in a post on Instagram, specifically naming the Democratic Socialists of America.

“During today’s press conference, individuals identifying themselves with the Democratic Socialists of America disrupted the event with antisemitic chants,” he wrote.

“As a father and a husband in an interfaith home, I found what was shouted today deeply disturbing. Hate directed at any community is wrong. It undermines the solidarity that working people depend on.”

The San Francisco branch of the DSA rejected claims that the woman who shouted “tax the Jews” was acting on its behalf, saying she was not part of the group and that members told her to stop.

“DSA SF members at the protest were similarly disgusted and horrified by this woman’s rhetoric, and want to make clear her words came from her alone. While we disagree on policy, we join you in condemning antisemitism.”

The disruption overshadowed what had been intended as a policy rollout by city officials and labor leaders advocating for reduced transfer tax rates on residential developments and downtown property transactions, a move they argue would help accelerate the city’s economic rebound.

Supporters of the proposal, including Lurie, Mahmood, the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council and the Chamber of Commerce, contend that adjusting the tax structure would generate employment and lower construction expenses by $32,850 per housing unit.

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes Thursday on eight Hezbollah military sites in the Baalbek region of Lebanon, targeting facilities used by the group’s elite Radwan Force, the military announced.

According to the IDF, the compounds housed a significant cache of weapons belonging to Hezbollah, including firearms and rockets. The military said the sites served as storage and operational hubs for the terror organization.

The IDF stated that the Radwan Force had been using the facilities to conduct training in preparation for potential emergency scenarios. The compounds were also allegedly used to plan and execute attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.

سلسلة غارات اسرائيلية جديدة تستهدف محيط بلدة بوداي pic.twitter.com/XgWPJpuKZD

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) February 26, 2026

As part of the activities conducted there, operatives reportedly participated in live-fire exercises and other drills designed to improve their proficiency with a range of weaponry.

The military emphasized that such activity, along with Hezbollah’s broader efforts to rebuild and strengthen its arsenal, breaches the ceasefire arrangements between Israel and Lebanon and represents a direct danger to Israel’s security.

“The IDF will not allow Hezbollah to expand its capabilities and rearm itself, and will continue to operate to remove any threat to the state of Israel,” the military stated.

{Matzav.com}