On the eve of Thursday’s massive atzeres tefillah in Yerushalayim, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, released a special video message explaining the event’s purpose and urging full participation, even at great personal cost.
In his message, Rav Hirsch stressed that attending the demonstration is not optional, declaring that every individual must come “with mesirus nefesh,” even if it means traveling long distances or missing time from learning. “The government must understand that it cannot continue like this,” he warned. “Right now, we are praying — but if this does not succeed, there are other ways.”
Responding to a question about the goal of the rally, Rav Hirsch said, “First, we are gathering to beseech Hakadosh Baruch Hu together as one Klal Yisroel. Such a united tefillah surely has the power to influence Heaven. Secondly, the government must see that we are united and firm — that it is impossible to continue in this way. We are praying now, but they should understand that if prayer does not help, there are other means.”
He emphasized that it is a chiyuv — an obligation — for every avreich and bochur to attend, “even from far, even when it’s difficult — specifically with mesirus nefesh.” When asked whether participation is justified even if it involves missing limud haTorah, Rav Hirsch replied emphatically, “On the contrary — this is the fulfillment of Torah itself.”
The rosh yeshiva concluded that failing to show up would constitute a chillul Hashem: “If, chas veshalom, it’s not one hundred percent participation, it will be a desecration of Hashem’s Name.”
{Matzav.com}
By Stephen M. Flatow
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer has spent years calling himself “the shomer of Yisrael”-the “guardian of Israel,” a play on his last name. It’s a title he’s repeated often, especially when he wanted to reassure Jewish voters and pro-Israel supporters that he stood firmly with the Jewish state.
But when it comes to Zohran Mamdani-New York’s radical state assemblyman who parrots Hamas talking points, demonizes Israel at every turn, and stands a good chance of being elected the next mayor of New York City-Schumer has gone silent.
And silence, in moments like this, is not neutrality. It’s cowardice.
Mamdani has referred to Israel’s war of survival-“Swords of Iron”-as a “war of occupation.” He refuses to call Hamas what it is: a terrorist organization that massacred, raped, kidnapped and burned civilians on Oct. 7, 2023.
When pressed on his views, Mamdani doesn’t answer the question. He pivots. He blames Israel. He frames terror as “resistance.” He wraps Hamas’s barbarity in the language of human rights.
He’s not just another loudmouth on X. He’s an elected official in Schumer’s own state, representing a growing faction of the Democratic Party that openly sides with Israel’s enemies. And while Mamdani spews poison and rallies activists, Schumer is nowhere to be found. No statement. No pushback. Not even a polite rebuke.
That’s not guardianship. That’s political calculation, plain and simple, and Schumer is an expert at it.
Schumer knows that Mamdani represents the progressive activist base that Democrats are afraid of crossing. He also knows that standing up to them takes courage. And that’s exactly what doesn’t have , exactly what he’s avoiding. But leadership isn’t about convenience. It’s about standing up when it matters most.
This isn’t just about Mamdani. It’s about the normalization of anti-Israel rhetoric inside the Democratic Party, including in the state of New York, the geographical area with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. When the party’s most powerful Jewish elected official refuses to confront it, the message to the haters is clear: You have nothing to fear.
It’s also a message to the Jewish community: Don’t count on Schumer when things get uncomfortable.
Schumer cannot claim the mantle of shomer while pretending that Mamdani doesn’t exist. Guardians don’t hide when enemies approach the gate to destroy you. They stand up, speak out and lead.
Right now, Chuck Schumer is failing that test. The question is whether he will find his voice or continue to prove that his self-appointed title was always just a slogan. Time is running out…
Stephen M. Flatow is president of the Religious Zionists of America. He is the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995, and author of A Father’s Story: My Fight for Justice Against Iranian Terror.
In a deeply emotional ceremony attended by the Head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander was elevated to the rank of Sergeant First Class on Monday, marking another chapter in his remarkable journey of courage and resilience.
Alexander, who serves in the elite Golani Brigade, was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during their October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel. His release in May came following intensive efforts led by the Trump administration, ending months of brutal captivity in Gaza.
The 21-year-old made headlines again in September when, during the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Gala in New York, he stunned the audience with a moving declaration that he would return to active service in the IDF.
“I also want to honor the IDF. Serving in the IDF is one of the greatest honors of my life. To the soldiers who continue to defend Israel, and to the families of the fallen – I carry your sacrifice with me always,” Alexander said, addressing a visibly emotional crowd at the gala.
He ended his remarks that night with a powerful vow that has now been fulfilled: “Next month, God willing, I will return to Israel. I will once again put on the IDF uniform, and I will proudly serve alongside my brothers. My story does not end with survival – it continues with service.”
{Matzav.com}
An ISIS supporter from Tunisia is accused of hatching a murderous plot to slaughter Jews in Manchester, boasting to an undercover agent about “poisoning their children” and “executing” them, according to chilling testimony revealed in a British courtroom this week.
Prosecutors said 37-year-old Walid Saadaoui, who once owned a restaurant, spent months plotting a large-scale attack in the summer of 2024, targeting Jewish schools, synagogues, and eateries across the northern English city. His objective, they said, was simple: to kill “as many Jews as possible.”
Authorities said Saadaoui took a covert operative—identified only as “Farouk”—on a tour of Manchester’s heavily Jewish neighborhoods in March 2024. He allegedly pointed out schools where children played, identifying potential targets. “This is Salford, the area has a lot of Jews,” he reportedly told the agent. “After we finish with the Jews, we move on to the crusaders.” Farouk later told jurors that by “crusaders,” Saadaoui meant Christians.
During the disturbing walk through Salford, Cheetham Hill, and Prestwich, prosecutors said the suspect described murdering Jewish children as a holy act. “If you kill children at this age, they go to heaven … They didn’t reach the age of accountability yet,” he allegedly told the agent, calling such killings a “path to heaven.” He also reportedly discussed “putting poison in the water” at a Jewish school.
As they passed the Lubavitch Boys School, King David School, and several synagogues, Saadaoui is said to have remarked, “Look, they are playing football … They look like English people.”
When counterterrorism officers later searched his car in May 2024, investigators allegedly uncovered two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol, and nearly 200 rounds of ammunition. Prosecutors added that Saadaoui was waiting on additional firearms—a sign, they said, that he was on the verge of carrying out a coordinated summer attack.
His associate, Amar Hussein, has been charged with related terrorism offenses. Both men deny the allegations and maintain they were not planning any violent acts.
Saadaoui’s extremist ideology, prosecutors said, was evident throughout his conversations with the undercover agent. “These are the killers of the messengers and prophets … They have big congregations. I just need to know. We will execute,” he reportedly declared.
He also claimed to have tried to infiltrate Jewish social media groups, admitting, “They refused to accept me.” While walking past a supermarket, he allegedly said “all of the money goes to Israel,” and described a plan to conceal weapons inside “bags,” instructing, “If they move to the left, you will kill them on the left.”
The undercover operative testified that he attempted to delay the plot, fearing Saadaoui might open fire immediately. Prosecutors said the suspect later identified a “pro-Israel march” as his “primary target,” boasting, “They are cowardly. The minute they hear ‘boom’ or ‘Allahu Akbar,’ you wouldn’t find them.”
In court, Saadaoui has pleaded not guilty, insisting that he never meant to commit violence and was only pretending in order to alert police.
{Matzav.com}
The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by another quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, marking its second consecutive cut as officials continue to prioritize concerns over employment rather than inflation.
The move, widely anticipated by markets, brings the benchmark rate down to a new target range of 3.75% to 4%, the first time since 2022 that the central bank’s rate has fallen below 4%.
Inside the Fed, opinions were sharply divided. Some policymakers urged restraint, arguing that President Trump’s tariff policies could reignite inflation. Others countered that any price increases would be temporary, and that deeper rate cuts were essential to boost hiring and prevent further softening in the labor market.
Stephen Miran, the newest member of the Federal Reserve Board and one of Trump’s trusted economic advisers, once again voted against the quarter-point reduction, repeating his call for a half-point cut instead.
Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid also dissented—though from the opposite side—preferring to keep rates unchanged out of concern that inflation could rebound.
The internal disagreements have unfolded as Trump continues to hammer Fed Chair Jerome Powell, whose term ends in 2026, accusing him of moving too slowly to ease monetary policy.
During remarks at a summit in South Korea, the president ridiculed the chairman by reviving one of his favorite nicknames: “Too Late Powell,” drawing laughter from a crowd of business executives.
The question now is how aggressively the Fed will proceed for the rest of the year. Earlier projections suggested rate cuts were likely in both October and December, but that outlook has been clouded by the ongoing government shutdown, which has disrupted key economic reporting.
Ordinarily, the Fed relies on data from agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Consumer Price Index. September’s CPI reading came in at 3%, a slightly better-than-expected figure that helped pave the way for this week’s rate cut.
However, with many federal agencies shuttered, data collection has been halted. Although a limited number of staffers returned to publish the September report, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt cautioned that the shutdown would “likely result in no October inflation report.”
Disagreements over the pace and size of cuts have plagued the central bank for months. Miran was the lone opponent of September’s quarter-point reduction, arguing for a steeper half-point cut even then.
Earlier in the summer, Governors Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller dissented from a decision to hold rates steady, instead pushing for a small cut to provide relief to a weakening labor market.
{Matzav.com}
Dear Matzav Inbox,
The upcoming Atzeres Tefillah in Eretz Yisrael has the potential to be a tremendous Kiddush Hashem — a gathering that proclaims to the world the supreme value of limud haTorah, the source of our life and the essence of our existence.(see Rabbeinu Yonah Shaarei Teshuvah 3:148)
But it is delicate. We must remember the message of our gedolim who have called for this gathering: that it be conducted b’darchei noam, with peace, dignity, and compliance with all authorities’ instructions.
Only when Torah and kedushah are accompanied by midos tovos, kavod habriyos, and derech eretz, can such an event truly be a Kiddush Hashem that inspires Klal Yisrael and elevates the world. This is always the only formula for Kiddush Hashem.
The Mesillas Yesharim (perek 11) says this powerfully:
במסילת ישרים (פי”א) כתב: “כי כפי רבות חשיבותו וחכמתו, כן ראוי שירבה זהירותו בדברי העבודה ודקדוקו בה, ואם איננו עושה כן הרי שם שמים מתחלל בו חס וחלילה. כי כבוד התורה הוא שמי שמרבה הלימוד בה ירבה כמו כן ביושר ובתיקון המדות. וכל מה שיחסר מזה למי שמרבה בלימוד גורם ביזיון ללימוד עצמו, וזה חס וחלילה חילול לשמו יתברך, שנתן לנו את תורתו הקדושה וצונו לעסוק בה להשיג על ידה שלמותנו”.
Our gedolim, past and present, have made it clear: any expression of pain or protest must be done with kavod, dignity, and menschlichkeit. We never sacrifice our tzurah as bnei Torah. Only peaceful and organized gatherings under the direction of daas Torah are appropriate.
Therefore, we must praise and promote demonstrations marked by shalom and kavod, and reject behavior that causes sinah and Chillul Hashem. Name-calling, spitting, or other disruptive behaviors harm the dignity of lomdei Torah and obscure the true message of Torah — which is one of rachamim and kavod.
Equally painful is the rhetoric that compares the imprisoned bachurim’s situation to that of the hostages in Gaza— comparisons that are deeply insensitive to others.
The Chillul Hashem that results from inappropriate conduct is not limited to the secular world; many sincere bnei Torah feel heartbroken and disillusioned when seeing such scenes. Can we ever compromise the midos of Hashem or the dignity of a ben Torah?
Our message must always be one of love, sensitivity, and compassion for all of Klal Yisrael — conveying that Torah is the greatest source of protection, closeness, and blessing. “We are here for you, we care for you, and we daven and learn for your good.”
(See the Netziv Haamek Davar, introduction to Bereishis and the Keren Orah on Tanis 20a)
Let us do whatever is in our hands to ensure that this Atzeres Tefillah uplift the kavod of Torah, unite Klal Yisrael, and bring nachas ruach to the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Rabbi Shraga Freedman
Email LivingKiddushHashem@gmail.com for a free file of Sefer Mekadshei Shemecha with a pesicha from Rav Matisyahu Salomon zt”l, who writes:
“כל כך נחוץ שכל אחד יתחזק בקידוש השם ובזהירות מחילול השם, והיא ממש חובת השעה”
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said Wednesday that Iran has not resumed enriching uranium since the outbreak of its war with Israel in June, though he confirmed that movements have been observed near facilities housing Iran’s 60% enriched uranium reserves.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Grossi noted that while the production itself remains halted, “activity was detected near the facilities where Iran’s 60% enriched uranium stocks are stored.” His remarks follow months of uncertainty over the state of Iran’s nuclear program following a series of Israeli and U.S. airstrikes.
Just weeks earlier, on October 18, Grossi told Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung that most of the enriched uranium “remains in the nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Fordow, and some in Natanz.” These three sites were hit during Operation Rising Lion — the Israeli military offensive that triggered the short-lived conflict — and were later bombarded by U.S. forces using deep-penetration bunker-buster munitions.
Grossi confirmed that the targeted facilities sustained significant damage but emphasized that the uranium itself was largely unharmed. “The facilities were massively damaged,” he said, explaining that the stockpile survived the attacks relatively intact.
A confidential IAEA document leaked in September revealed that as of June, Tehran possessed about 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. Grossi now estimates that the figure has dropped to roughly 400 kilograms, suggesting some material may have been relocated or degraded after the strikes.
The agency chief stressed that Iran’s cooperation will determine what happens next. “Will we get access to this uranium? And what will happen to it then? Will Iran want to keep it, will it reduce its enrichment levels again, or will Iran move this uranium abroad?” Grossi told the Swiss daily, adding, “Sitting down together at the table saves us the danger of another round of bombing and attacks.”
Tehran cut off all contact with the IAEA immediately after the Israeli and American attacks, accusing the organization of sharing sensitive data with Western intelligence services. Relations were later restored under a limited arrangement granting inspectors access only when cleared by Iran’s security apparatus.
That fragile arrangement has now collapsed. Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the inspection agreement “is no longer valid,” blaming the decision on European nations’ decision to invoke the UN’s snapback sanctions mechanism.
{Matzav.com}
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani reiterated his nation’s determination to uphold the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, warning that recent flare-ups have placed the fragile truce under significant strain.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Al Thani opened his remarks by referencing Israel’s recent strike on Hamas leaders in Doha — an attack that he said occurred during ongoing mediation efforts. “The concept itself—to feel betrayed, that you are attacking a mediation while it’s ongoing—this has never been thought of,” he said.
The Qatari leader explained that the strike, which coincided with negotiations between Colombia and Rwanda-DRC being held nearby, resulted in the death of a Qatari citizen. He described the event as a “deep shock” to the region and said it has led Gulf Cooperation Council leaders to reconsider their security posture.
Al Thani said President Donald Trump assured Doha that such an incident would not happen again and promised that “necessary assurances would be put in place.” The prime minister noted that Qatar “never anticipated being targeted by a US ally,” calling the strike “a serious breach of trust.”
Turning to the ceasefire, Al Thani said the latest violations appeared to stem from a Palestinian faction, though there were contradictory reports about Hamas’s role. “Some statements mentioned that this group was out of communication, and others claimed they were unrelated to Hamas. It doesn’t matter who did what. What matters is ensuring this event doesn’t collapse the agreement,” he stated.
He stressed that the shared objective of all mediating powers—including the United States, Egypt, and Turkey—was to preserve the ceasefire and prevent another round of escalation. Al Thani said Qatar “worked tirelessly to keep the mediation process intact” and continues to focus on restoring full compliance from both sides.
Addressing the challenges of mediation, Al Thani acknowledged that Israel and Hamas “have never engaged in direct talks.” He described Qatar’s role as serving as an intermediary, “trying to present genuine solutions that satisfy both sides.” Despite tense relations with Israel, he maintained that Doha had always acted with fairness.
“Even though our position with Israel is not the best—because for us, they are still occupying Arab land and denying Palestinians their rights—we never dealt with them unfairly. We’ve always listened to their concerns and proposed solutions that could realistically be implemented,” Al Thani said.
The prime minister also disclosed that Qatar has been urging Hamas to recognize the importance of disarmament. “We are trying to pressure Hamas to acknowledge that disarmament is necessary,” he said, suggesting that the group “appears willing to give up governing Gaza.” His remarks hint at a potential transformation in Hamas’s role within the territory.
{Matzav.com}
