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A potentially devastating fire was narrowly avoided on Monday night after young children reportedly played with a lit Chanukah menorah, causing a blaze on a residential balcony.

Fire and rescue crews from the Afula district were dispatched to an apartment on Chativat Kfir Street after a woman reported seeing flames coming from the balcony of the apartment opposite hers.

B’chasdei Shomayim, the residents were able to gain control of the fire on their own before firefighters arrived, preventing what officials said could have ended in tragedy.

Fire officer Lahav Kfari Azulai, who took part in the response, described the scene upon arrival. “In the stairwell, we encountered a mother and her two children. The mother was extremely shaken and explained that while she stepped into the bathroom for a few minutes, her children apparently played with the lit candles and caused the fire,” he said.

Azulai stressed that only good fortune prevented serious harm. “A major disaster was narrowly avoided here,” he said, issuing a clear warning to the public. “Do not leave a Chanukah menorah lit without adult supervision. Place menorahs in a safe, stable location and far away from flammable materials.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has made clear to coalition partners that he has no intention of dismissing National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, despite claims by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that the minister violated a prior agreement governing the terms of his service.

According to a report by Kan News, Netanyahu’s remarks come amid a petition currently being heard by Israel’s High Court of Justice challenging Ben Gvir’s continued tenure. The attorney general has argued that Ben Gvir breached understandings reached with her office in the past, raising the possibility that she could demand his removal.

Sources close to the prime minister stressed that even if the High Court were to rule otherwise, the authority to appoint or dismiss cabinet ministers rests solely with the prime minister. For that reason, they said, Ben Gvir will remain in his post.

Against the backdrop of growing expectations that Baharav-Miara may formally call for Ben Gvir’s dismissal, Netanyahu submitted a response on Sunday to the High Court petition. In his filing, the prime minister argued that the court lacks the legal authority to intervene in decisions regarding the appointment or removal of ministers.

The dispute follows an agreement reached last April between the attorney general and Ben Gvir outlining the framework for his continued service. That arrangement addressed, among other issues, the minister’s involvement in senior appointments, the operational and decision-making independence of the police, and the regulation of working relations between the political echelon and law enforcement.

Earlier this year, in February, and prior to Ben Gvir’s return to the government following his resignation over the hostage deal, Kan News reported that Netanyahu had already weighed the possibility of refusing to comply with a High Court ruling concerning the minister’s position. At that time, Netanyahu made clear that he would not accept the attorney general’s stance on the matter.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Rav Yitzchak Abadi zt”l, concluding a lifetime of singular dedication to halacha, clarity in psak, and the shaping of generations of talmidei chachamim who continue to spread his influence throughout the world.

Born on March 12, 1933, in Venezuela, Rav Abadi entered the world far from the major Torah centers of the time. His parents soon brought him to Teverya, then under Mandatory Palestine, setting him on a path of Torah. His childhood was spent in Haifa, and from his earliest years, it was evident that he possessed an uncommon depth, seriousness, and yearning for Torah.

His formative learning took him first to the Yishuv HaChadash in Tel Aviv and then to Yeshivas Chevron in Yerushalayim. The atmosphere of penetrating iyun, coupled with the yiras Shamayim that defined the yeshiva, left an indelible mark on him.

At just 19 years old, his extraordinary gifts were recognized by none other than the Chazon Ish. Sensing his potential, the Chazon Ish sent him to Montreux, Switzerland, for further growth, an unusual and remarkable endorsement for a young bochur. Only a year later, the Chazon Ish guided him once again, this time sending him across the ocean to Lakewood, New Jersey, to study under Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l. With this move, Rav Abadi entered the heart of the great American Torah renaissance.

Under the tutelage of Rav Aharon Kotler, Rav Abadi developed into an outstanding talmid chochom. After Rav Aharon’s passing, he was widely viewed as one of the central poskim for the burgeoning Lakewood kehilla. His ability to analyze, clarify, and decide the most intricate halachic dilemmas set him apart, and his psakim were sought by rabbanim across the globe.

Rav Abadi was known for tackling complex and sensitive questions, often crafting rulings that were both deeply grounded in the mesorah and yet innovative in their application.

In 1980, Rav Abadi charted an independent course, establishing a halacha kollel in Lakewood devoted to cultivating elite talmidei chachomim capable of addressing real-world halachic questions. The kollel quickly drew attention for its rigor and its insistence on producing outstanding poskim.

In 1993, Rav Abadi moved the kollel to Har Nof in Yerushalayim, where it continued to flourish. Students Rav Abadi eventually returned to Lakewood in 2009, continuing to answer shailos and guide seekers of halachic clarity until the final years of his life.

His written works include Ohr Yitzchak and his well-known Birkat Hamazon Hakatzar.

The levayah is scheduled for today at 11:00 AM at the Conrgegation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, NJ. Kevurah will take place in Eretz Yisroel.

Rav Abadi is survived by a wonderful family following in his ways.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

A 20-year-old American yeshiva bochur was critically wounded during the terror attack at a Chanukah celebration in Sydney, Australia, as his family describes a young man devoted to spreading joy and strengthening Jewish life.

Leibel Lazaroff was shot in the abdomen and leg during the attack at the annual “Chanukah by the Sea” event at Bondi Beach on Sunday night. Family members said he suffered significant blood loss and still has shrapnel lodged in his stomach and upper thigh. He is hospitalized in critical but stable condition and is expected to undergo additional surgery.

Leibel’s father, Rabbi Yosef Lazaroff of Texas, shared an emotional message on Monday while flying from Texas to Australia to be at his son’s bedside. He said that his son “spread light” even at the moment he was targeted in the attack at Bondi Beach.

Rabbi Lazaroff said he remains in constant contact with hospital staff as his son fights for his life. He described Leibel as a young man who dedicated his year to volunteer work, strengthening Jewish life, and bringing happiness to others.

Rabbi Lazaroff characterized the shooting as an act driven by antisemitic hatred, calling it a defining moral moment separating good from evil, light from darkness, and violence from goodness.

Leibel, an American citizen who had recently been studying at a yeshiva in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, was wounded when terrorists opened fire at the seaside Chanukah celebration. His family said that despite the severity of his injuries, his condition has stabilized following emergency treatment.

Lazaroff grew up in Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University, where his father serves as a Chabad shliach. About two months ago, during the Yom Tov season, he moved to Sydney to volunteer and assist the local Jewish community. On the night of the attack, he was actively helping organize the Bondi Beach Chanukah event when the shooting began.

At least 15 people were murdered in the attack, and more than 40 others were injured, including children. Authorities have classified the incident as a terrorist attack, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Despite the trauma, the Lazaroff family has urged the Jewish community to respond with strength rather than fear. Leibel’s mother thanked the public for their prayers and called on people to increase the spread of light, joy, and celebration throughout Chanukah, dedicating those efforts to the recovery of all the wounded.

{Matzav.com}

As Australian authorities continue investigating what has been described as the deadliest antisemitic terror attack the country has seen in years, the mother of one of the terrorists has publicly defended her son, insisting he is a “good boy” and denying his involvement in the massacre.

The comments were made by Verna Akram, the mother of 24-year-old Naveed Akram, one of the two attackers who opened fire on Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday evening. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, Akram said she does not believe her son took part in the mass shooting, despite overwhelming evidence presented by law enforcement.

“He doesn’t have a gun. He doesn’t even go out. He doesn’t mix with friends. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t go to bad places,” she claimed. “He goes to work, he comes home, he goes to train, and that’s it.”

According to Akram, her son and his father, Sajid Akram, had recently returned from a trip to the Philippines and told family members they were planning a fishing excursion along Australia’s coast. On Sunday, she said, her son even called her to provide what she described as an alibi.

“He called me and said, ‘Mom, I just went swimming. I went diving. We’re going to eat now,’” she recalled, adding that he told her they planned to remain at the beach due to the heat.

Authorities, however, have painted a starkly different picture. Police say they discovered explosive materials and an ISIS flag inside a vehicle linked to the attackers — findings that directly contradict claims that Naveed Akram had no connection to extremism or violence. Despite this, his mother insisted she does not recognize her son in footage from the attack and continued to proclaim his innocence.

“Anyone would want a son like my son,” she said. “He is a good boy.”

According to police, for between 10 and 20 minutes on Sunday evening, Naveed Akram and his father opened fire on a large crowd of Jews gathered for a public Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach. Dozens of shots were fired into a crowd that included families, children, and elderly attendees. Approximately 1,000 people fled the area, scattering into nearby streets in panic.

Naveed Akram, an unemployed former construction worker, had reportedly been fired from his job two months before the attack. He lived with his parents, his 22-year-old sister, and his 20-year-old brother. He was a graduate of the Al-Morad Institute, where he studied the Quran.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced Monday that his administration is formally designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, a move he said reflects the staggering toll the synthetic opioid has taken on American lives and underscores a broader effort to confront powerful drug networks operating across the Western Hemisphere.

Speaking as he signed an executive order enacting the change, Trump argued that the deadly impact of fentanyl rivals that of the world’s most feared weapons. “No bomb does what this is doing — 200-300,000 people die every year, that we know of,” Trump said, explaining why the substance is being placed in the same category as nuclear, biological, and chemical arms.

The order itself states that “illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic” and warns that it “threatens our national security and fuels lawlessness in our hemisphere and at our borders.” Administration officials say the classification is meant to expand the government’s legal and strategic tools against international drug organizations.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States recorded roughly 80,000 overdose deaths in 2024, with approximately 48,000 linked specifically to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, highlighting the scale of the crisis Trump cited.

The decision dovetails with a wider campaign by the Trump administration against what it describes as “narco-terrorists.” As part of that effort, U.S. forces have carried out strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in recent months, an operation that has resulted in nearly 90 deaths since early September.

Trump has defended the strikes by asserting that each destroyed vessel prevents enormous loss of life at home, contending that eliminating more than 20 intercepted boats saves 25,000 Americans per ship. Critics, however, argue that many of the targeted vessels were likely transporting cocaine rather than fentanyl. They note that fentanyl, which drives the overdose epidemic, is largely trafficked overland through the southern border from Mexico, not by sea from countries like Colombia or Venezuela.

Alongside the maritime operations, the administration has ordered a significant military buildup in the Caribbean. The deployment includes the world’s largest aircraft carrier, multiple warships, and increased aerial activity, with U.S. military aircraft flying repeated missions along Venezuela’s coastline in recent weeks.

While the White House maintains that these actions are aimed squarely at disrupting drug trafficking routes, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused Washington of masking a push for regime change behind anti-narcotics rhetoric.

U.S. officials have sought to tie Venezuela directly to the drug trade, accusing Maduro of heading the so-called “Cartel of the Suns.” The United States formally designated the group a “narco-terrorist” organization last month and announced a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture, linking its fentanyl policy, military posture, and regional strategy into a single front against what it calls a growing transnational threat.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH: Sydney Hatzolah member Yanky Super, who was wounded in the terrorist attack, with a bullet narrowly missing his spine, is interviewed from his hospital bed. He remains in need of tefillos. Please continue to daven for Yaakov Dov ben Penina.

Sydney’s Jewish community gathered at Bondi Beach to light a menorah and sing “Gesher Tzar Meod,” sending a powerful message of courage and hope in the aftermath of the deadly Chanukah attack.

The Trump administration said in a court filing Monday that the president’s White House ballroom construction project must continue for unexplained national security reasons and because a preservationists’ organization that wants it stopped has no standing to sue. The filing was in response to a lawsuit filed last Friday by the National Trust for Historic […]

Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Second Chanukah Candle Lighting with IDF Soldiers at the Kosel: “If the Maccabees had failed, there would be no Huckabees. There would be no Judeo-Christian civilization. There would be no United States.”

Australian security agencies are intensifying their investigation into the backgrounds and overseas connections of Sajid and Naveed Akram, the father and son responsible for the deadly Chanukah attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left 15 people murdered.

According to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, intelligence officials have determined that the two men traveled abroad shortly before the massacre, raising concerns that the assault may have been tied to a wider international terror framework.

Officials briefed on the probe told ABC that the Akrams flew to Manila in early November and later continued on to the southern Philippines. There, investigators believe the pair received what was described as “military-style training” before returning to Australia toward the end of November, just weeks before the attack unfolded.

A senior counter-terrorism source said the overseas trip and training have become a central focus of the inquiry, as authorities work to establish whether the shooters were acting independently or as part of a coordinated jihadist network operating beyond Australia’s borders.

Earlier reporting by ABC revealed that 24-year-old Naveed Akram had longstanding associations with members of Australia’s pro-Islamic State milieu. Among those named were extremist cleric Wisam Haddad and Youssef Uweinat, who was previously convicted for recruiting youth on behalf of ISIS.

Haddad, responding through his legal representative, denied any role in the attack, stating that he “vehemently denies any knowledge of or involvement in the shootings that took place at Bondi Beach.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese previously told ABC that Australia’s domestic intelligence service, ASIO, had conducted a six-month investigation into the Akram family and uncovered “no evidence” that either Sajid or Naveed Akram had been radicalized. Neither individual had appeared on any terrorism watchlists prior to the massacre. Authorities also confirmed that Sajid Akram legally owned firearms and faced no restrictions preventing him from accessing weapons.

While Australian investigators continue their work, international intelligence agencies are also weighing in. The British Telegraph reported that Israeli intelligence officials assess the Sydney massacre to have been the work of a foreign terrorist cell receiving backing from Iran.

The report further stated that the tactics and execution of the attack bear hallmarks associated with a Hezbollah-linked operational unit responsible for carrying out attacks beyond Lebanon’s borders. Israeli officials are additionally examining whether Hamas or other terrorist organizations may have had a role in supporting or directing the perpetrators.

{Matzav.com}

An Arab tried to run over a police officer at the Elazar Junction in Gush Etzion early Tuesday afternoon and then fled the scene. B’Chasdei Hashem, no one was injured in the incident. An initial investigation revealed that the police officer got out of a patrol car and tried to stop the vehicle that swerved […]

A long-delayed effort to construct a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River is moving toward physical construction, with excavation scheduled to begin this spring using newly built tunnel boring machines now en route to New Jersey.

According to the Gateway Development Commission, which is managing the project, the first of the specialized machines is expected to arrive in January. Their arrival marks the transition from years of planning and delay to actual underground work on the long-anticipated tunnel.

“We are on the verge of a new phase of the Hudson Tunnel Project,” GDC commissioners said in a joint statement. “When the two tunnel boring machines that were manufactured this year begin their journey under the Palisades, it will represent a major step forward for the project.”

The machines were manufactured by Herrenknecht in Germany and are a key component of the Gateway program’s New Jersey construction phase. Together, they account for part of the roughly $465 million cost associated with excavating one mile of new rail tunnel on the New Jersey side. Operating at the same time, the two machines will carve out separate, parallel tunnel tubes.

The initial boring work beneath New Jersey is expected to take approximately one year, a spokesperson for the commission said. After that phase is completed, the project will move into the Hudson River itself, where different tunnel boring equipment will be required due to the riverbed’s unique conditions.

Once completed, the new tunnel—part of the broader Gateway program—will carry trains for both Amtrak and New Jersey Transit. It is intended to relieve pressure on the existing Hudson River tunnel, which is more than a century old and serves as a critical rail connection between New Jersey and Manhattan.

{Matzavc.com}

It is with deep regret that we share the petirah of HaRav Yitzchak Abadi zt”l, a towering posek and marbitz Torah from Lakewood’s early years. Rav Abadi zt”l was born on March 12, 1933, in Venezuela. When he was just two years old, his family moved to Teverya in what was then Mandatory Palestine. From […]

The Powerball jackpot has grown to an estimated $1.25 billion for Wednesday night’s drawing after lottery officials said no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Monday night. The U.S. has seen more than a dozen lottery jackpot prizes exceed $1 billion since 2016. Here is a look at the largest U.S. jackpots won and the […]

WATCH:

The U.S. military said Monday that it attacked three boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of eight people as scrutiny over the boat strikes is intensifying in Congress. The military said in a statement on social media that the strikes targeted “designated terrorist organizations,” killing three people in […]

Two more victims of the Sydney massacre on Sunday were identified as a Jewish couple, Boris and Sofia Gurman, H’yd, who were murdered after they heroically confronted one of the terrorists, Sajid Akram, and even briefly disarmed him. Akram, 50, grabbed another rifle and executed Boris, 69, and Sofia, H’yd, at close range. The Gurmans, […]

HY’D: Another victim murdered by the Sydney terrorists on Sunday was identified on Tuesday by Australian media outlets as grandmother Edith Brutman, H’yd. She served as the vice president of an anti-prejudice committee in the B’nai Brith organization.

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