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As diplomats converged in Berlin for high-stakes discussions on ending the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled a willingness to abandon Kyiv’s bid to join NATO—if the West provides binding security guarantees—while firmly rejecting proposals that would hand Ukrainian land to Russia.

Arriving at Germany’s Chancellery, Zelenskyy prepared for meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, part of a broader round of talks involving Ukrainian, American, and European officials.

Ahead of the meetings, Zelenskyy addressed reporters via audio messages shared on a WhatsApp group, explaining that with Washington and several European capitals having blocked Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, Kyiv expects alternative protections comparable to those enjoyed by alliance members. “These security guarantees are an opportunity to prevent another wave of Russian aggression,” he said. “And this is already a compromise on our part.”

He stressed that any such guarantees must be anchored in law and backed by the U.S. Congress, adding that he anticipated updates following a separate meeting between Ukrainian and American military officials in Stuttgart. Zelenskyy also planned to hold one-on-one talks later in the evening with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and possibly other European leaders.

At the same time, Zelenskyy pushed back against U.S. ideas he said involved Ukrainian withdrawals in the east. He disclosed that Washington had raised a plan under which Ukraine would pull back from parts of the Donetsk region to create a demilitarized free economic zone—an approach he flatly rejected. “I do not consider this fair, because who will manage this economic zone?” he said. “If we are talking about some buffer zone along the line of contact, if we are talking about some economic zone and we believe that only a police mission should be there and troops should withdraw, then the question is very simple. If Ukrainian troops withdraw 5-10 kilometers, for example, then why do Russian troops not withdraw deeper into the occupied territories by the same distance?”

Calling the matter “very sensitive,” Zelenskyy argued that the most realistic option would be to freeze positions where they currently stand, saying that “today a fair possible option is we stand where we stand.”

The territorial dispute remains one of the biggest obstacles to a deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukrainian forces leave the remaining areas of Donetsk still under Kyiv’s control—an ultimatum Ukraine has refused. Moscow’s stance was reinforced Sunday by Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who told the business daily Kommersant that Russian police and national guard units would remain in parts of Donetsk even if they were designated a demilitarized zone under a future agreement.

Ushakov also cautioned that compromise would not come quickly, saying U.S. proposals that had reflected Russian demands were later “worsened” by changes suggested by Ukraine and its European allies. In comments aired on Russian state television, he added that “the contribution of Ukrainians and Europeans to these documents is unlikely to be constructive,” warning that Moscow would have “very strong objections.” He noted that territorial questions were discussed in Moscow earlier this month when Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin, adding, “The Americans know and understand our position.”

European leaders, meanwhile, voiced growing unease about the broader implications of the conflict. Chancellor Merz, who has led European backing for Ukraine alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said Saturday that “the decades of the `Pax Americana´ are largely over for us in Europe and for us in Germany as well.” He warned that Putin seeks “a fundamental change to the borders in Europe, the restoration of the old Soviet Union within its borders.” “If Ukraine falls, he won’t stop,” Merz cautioned during a party conference in Munich. Putin has denied any intention to rebuild the Soviet Union or attack NATO allies.

Even as diplomacy intensified, the fighting continued. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched ballistic missiles and 138 attack drones overnight, with 110 intercepted, though impacts were recorded at six locations. Zelenskyy said hundreds of thousands of families remained without electricity across southern, eastern, and northeastern regions, with crews racing to restore power, heat, and water after a major overnight assault.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia has fired more than 1,500 strike drones, nearly 900 guided aerial bombs, and 46 missiles of various types at Ukraine over the past week alone. “Ukraine needs peace on decent terms, and we are ready to work as constructively as possible. These days will be filled with diplomacy. It’s very important that it brings results,” he said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry countered that its air defenses shot down 235 Ukrainian drones late Saturday and early Sunday. In Russia’s Belgorod region, a drone wounded a man and set his home ablaze in the village of Yasnye Zori, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Elsewhere, Ukrainian drones reportedly hit an oil depot in Uryupinsk in the Volgograd region, sparking a fire, according to Governor Andrei Bocharov.

In the Krasnodar region, authorities said Ukrainian drones struck the town of Afipsky, where an oil refinery is located. Officials reported shattered windows in nearby residential buildings but said there was no damage to the refinery itself.

{Matzav.com}

In the months following the sudden death of her husband Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk has kept her public focus on protecting his legacy and the organization he built. As she continues to navigate that loss, she has also found herself confronting a wave of online speculation that has strained personal and professional relationships.

Those tensions came to the surface during recent television appearances, where Kirk spoke emotionally about the impact of rumors circulating online. At a CBS town hall, she cut off a question about the speculation with a blunt response: “Stop. That’s it. That’s all I have to say. Stop.” Days later, appearing on Fox News’ “Outnumbered” on Dec. 10, she expanded on her frustration. “When you go after my family, my Turning Point USA family, my Charlie Kirk Show family, when you go after the people that I love, and you’re making hundreds and thousands of dollars every single episode going after the people that I love because somehow they’re in on this, no,” she said.

Against that backdrop, Kirk announced that she and conservative commentator Candace Owens will meet privately, marking their first in-person conversation after weeks of public disagreement. The two women, who once shared a close working relationship and personal friendship, have found themselves increasingly at odds as online conspiracy theories and commentary escalated.

Kirk shared the development in a short post on X on Sunday, explaining that both sides had agreed to step back from public discourse ahead of the meeting. “Candace Owens and I are meeting for a private, in-person discussion on Monday, December 15,” Erika said. She added that the pause would extend across platforms and formats: “@RealCandaceO and I have agreed that public discussions, livestreams, and tweets are on hold until after this meeting. I look forward to a productive conversation. Thank you.”

Owens, a former Turning Point USA employee, has been at the center of much of the online debate, which has fueled weeks of mounting tension between the two women. The upcoming meeting appears to be an effort to move the conversation out of the public eye and into a more direct, personal setting.

{Matzav.com}

Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. IRobot, which became well known for its robotic vacuums, has struggled of late, dealing with increased competition, layoffs and a declining stock […]

A Chareidi toddler, approximately three years old, was found wandering alone at around 2:00 a.m. in a parking area at the bus terminal near the Kalandiya crossing, south of Ramallah. B’chasdei Hashem, police announced later in the morning that the child’s parents were successfully located and he was returned safely to his family. According to […]

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In the hours after a terrorist attack ripped through a Chanukah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing at least 16 people, a parallel assault erupted online. Across X and Reddit, conspiracy theories insisting the massacre was a “false flag” operation orchestrated by Israel spread rapidly, amplified by accounts with large followings and, in […]

A 4-year-old child died yesterday from complications of influenza at Poriah Medical Center (Galilee Medical Center North), marking another tragic death amid a widening flu outbreak. The child had been hospitalized in intensive care and was not vaccinated. His death comes after additional fatalities in recent months linked to severe flu complications. Poriah Medical Center […]

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A stray comet from another star swings past Earth this week in one last hurrah before racing back toward interstellar space. Discovered over the summer, the comet known as 3I/Atlas will pass within 167 million miles (269 million kilometers) of our planet on Friday, the closest it gets on its grand tour of the solar […]

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​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Rabbi Yehuda Gerami, the Chief Rabbi of Iran, published a letter of condemnation against Sunday’s massacre of Jews in Sydney during a Chanukah celebration. The letter came a day after a spokesperson from the Iranian foreign ministry condemned the attack (without mentioning Jews) in a statement on X, writing, “We condemn the violent attack in […]

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Another victim of the Sydney terror attack was identified on Monday as Marika Pogany, H’yd, in her 80s. According to the Documenting Israel account, Pogany was a major ba’alas chessed and has delivered over 12,000 kosher meals in the past 23 years. Further details about her life have not yet been published. Hashem Yikom Dama. […]

Australia’s domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, began monitoring one of the Bondi Beach terrorists six years ago due to his connections to an Islamic State (ISIS) cell operating in Sydney, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). On Sunday, Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, murdered 15 people at a […]

The youngest murdered victim of the Bondi Beach massacre on Sunday was identified as Matilda Britvan, who attended the Chanukah celebration with her parents, younger sister, and friends. She was shot in the attack. She was rushed to the hospital, where the doctors fought unsuccessfully to save her life. Her aunt Lina wrote on social […]

[Video below.] As news spread of mass shootings at Bondi Beach in Sydney and at Brown University, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer managed to draw outrage for remarks that many viewed as staggeringly misplaced.

Before turning to the deadly attacks, Schumer chose to inject football fandom into his public comments, referencing the Buffalo Bills’ dramatic comeback victory in Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season.

Schumer, a longtime Bills supporter, appeared eager to celebrate the win. But the timing of his remarks immediately drew sharp criticism, as he was preparing to address the carnage in Australia, where at least 15 people were murdered in an antisemitic terror attack, and the separate shooting incident connected to Brown University.

Rather than leading with condolences, Schumer chose to first mention the football result, a decision that many felt showed a profound disconnect from the gravity of the moment.

“Of course, I’m going to say a few words about the terrible shooting in Sydney, Australia, OK?” Schumer said as he began commenting on both the Sydney and Brown University shootings. “So, and first of course, as I always say, no matter what, go Bills! They beat the Patriots today. It’s a big deal.”

The reaction online was swift and brutal. One social media user wrote: “Wow. Bad taste. What an evil, vile waste of space.”

Another commenter expressed disbelief, writing, “I can’t believe this is real. Good Lord, tone deaf isn’t the word!”

Others piled on with even harsher criticism. “He also chose to [complain] about INSTACART before addressing the shootings. What an absolute demonic …. he is,” another added.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Australia’s security establishment is reassessing past intelligence after confirming that one of the Bondi Beach attackers had previously appeared on the radar of the country’s domestic spy agency.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess addressed the issue publicly, saying, “One of these individuals was known to us, but not in an immediate-threat perspective, so we need to look into what happened here.”

Police say the deadly assault unfolded Sunday night during a Chanukah gathering marking the first evening of the Yom Tov, when Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, opened fire, killing 15 people. Naveed Akram was wounded and remains hospitalized under police guard, while his father was killed during a gun battle with responding officers.

In the aftermath, authorities launched Operation Shelter, dispatching 328 police officers to guard synagogues and other religious institutions across the region. Investigators also confirmed that only two perpetrators were involved in the attack.

According to an ABC News report, ASIO had examined Naveed Akram as far back as six years ago due to his links to a Sydney-based ISIS network. That scrutiny intensified following the July 2019 arrest of Isaac El Matari, a convicted ISIS operative now serving a seven-year sentence for plotting an Islamic State insurgency after declaring himself the group’s Australian commander. Officials say Naveed Akram maintained close ties with El Matari and other members of that cell, all of whom were later convicted on terrorism charges.

Investigators from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team — a multi-agency task force that includes ASIO, NSW Police, the Australian Federal Police, and the NSW Crime Commission — believe the attackers had pledged allegiance to ISIS. Two ISIS flags were discovered inside their vehicle at Bondi Beach, with one clearly visible on the bonnet in footage taken at the scene.

As part of the investigation, heavily armed police carried out raids at the Akram family home in Bonnyrigg, in Sydney’s southwest, as well as an AirBnB property in Campsie where the two men had been staying.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon disclosed additional details about the weapons used, stating that Sajid Akram had legally held a firearms license for ten years. “He has six firearms licensed to him. We are satisfied that we have six firearms from the scene yesterday,” he said, emphasizing that the license had been properly regulated.

The revelations have intensified questions about intelligence oversight and threat assessment, as authorities continue piecing together how a known extremist link escalated into one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in Australia’s history.

{Matzav.com}

New York City officials say residents can expect a heightened police presence around shuls, menorah lightings, and Jewish institutions throughout Chanukah, as city leaders respond to a cascade of violent incidents that unfolded over the past day in the United States and abroad.

Mayor Eric Adams said the decision follows what he described as a grim 24-hour period marked by multiple shootings, including a deadly antisemitic terror attack overseas targeting Jews celebrating Chanukah, as well as separate shootings in Rhode Island and Brooklyn.

“The last 24 hours, we’ve witnessed a tragedy that has swept our entire globe,” Adams told reporters. “We went to sleep with the horrific report of a mass shooting at Brown University. We woke up in the middle of the night to the news of a local one: Six individuals, teenagers, young people were shot in Brooklyn.

“We woke up this morning to hear about a devastating terrorist attack in [Australia].”

According to Adams, the overseas attack was a deliberate act of antisemitic violence. He said the assault, which left more than a dozen people dead and dozens injured, underscored the need for vigilance as Jews publicly mark Chanukah.

“That attack in Sydney is exactly what it means to globalize intifada,” Adams said. “We saw the actual application of the globalization of intifada in Sydney because the attacker knew who he was targeting and he knew why.

“It is the first night of Hanukkah, the festival of lights where Jews are obligated to publicize the celebration of their faith. And among the murdered victims of the attack [was] a rabbi who had ties to Crown Heights, as well as a Holocaust survivor. Let me say that again. A rabbi and a Holocaust survivor killed for being Jewish.

“Antisemitism has no place in our city, in our society, and in our world.

“And I will continue to fight for this community and all communities of this city and for fellow brothers and sisters from the Jewish community. For the past four years, this administration has stood by the Jewish community, not just as the mayor, but as an ally, as a father, and as a human being.”

Adams also addressed what he called the dangers of minimizing extremist violence or blurring its ideological roots.

“But this attack did not come out of nowhere. It came out as the consequences of Islamic extremists,” Adams said. “And we have to be clear on that. It’s not an attack on our Muslim brothers and sisters, who carry out their faith every day, but is the hijacking of their religion by Islamic extremists.

“Words have meaning. Words have impact, and words have power. Everyone needs to understand what words mean before they repeat them, before they shout them, before they defend them.”

Without naming him directly at first, Adams appeared to criticize Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani for refusing to condemn calls to “globalize the intifada,” linking that rhetoric to real-world violence.

Turning to policing policy, Adams warned against proposals to scale back specialized law enforcement units tasked with responding to terror threats.

“I do know this: Specialized units play a primary role and function to go and respond to terrorist attacks of this nature,” Adams said. “It is ill-advised to talk about the dismantling of the SRG team, the same team that went into 345 Park Avenue, when we had now a lone gunman that took the lives of innocent New Yorkers.

“It took the courage of a civilian to take down one of the shooters. The country was lucky that the civilian was there. Public safety can’t be luck. Specialized units like SRG are trained for these encounters. And this illustrates the necessity of the strategic response groups who are ready to respond to terror attacks on a mass scale.”

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch provided additional details on the local incidents that contributed to the city’s security escalation. She said the Brooklyn shooting occurred early Sunday morning outside an event venue in Cypress Hills, where two unidentified suspects opened fire on a crowd, striking six teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17. Authorities believe the incident is gang-related, and none of the victims’ injuries are considered life-threatening.

Tisch also confirmed that two people were killed and nine injured in the shooting at Brown University, noting there is no known connection to New York City. Nonetheless, she said patrols have been increased at colleges and universities across the five boroughs as a precaution.

“Our hearts are with the victims, their families, Chabad, and Jewish communities here and around the world,” Tisch said. “Since the attack occurred, the NYPD has been in continuous contact with our law enforcement partners in Australia and we are receiving updates directly from our NYPD liaison officer stationed in Sydney.

“We are closely monitoring developments as more verified information becomes available. This too remains an active investigation.”

Although officials emphasized that there are no specific or credible threats tied to Chanukah events in New York City, the NYPD has dramatically expanded its security posture. Enhanced uniform patrols, counterterrorism officers, heavy weapons teams, bomb squads, and community affairs officers are being deployed citywide, particularly around Jewish sites and holiday gatherings.

Tisch credited the department’s international liaison program with delivering real-time intelligence from Australia, allowing the NYPD to adjust its security plans overnight.

Both Adams and Tisch stressed that the city remains committed to protecting Jewish New Yorkers and ensuring they can celebrate Chanukah openly and safely, urging residents to stay alert and report any suspicious activity as the Yom Tov continues.

{Matzav.com}

Police are investigating an antisemitic incident targeting a Jewish family in Redlands, California, as a potential hate crime after a suspect drove past their home Friday night, shouted slurs, and opened fire with what authorities believe was an airsoft gun. The family had just returned to their residence on the 1300 block of Magnolia Avenue […]

A sharply worded letter issued this past week by one of Europe’s most senior roshei yeshiva and one of the gedolei hador has sparked significant discussion within the yeshiva world, particularly at Yeshiva Beis Yosef in Gateshead.

The letter was authored by Hagaon Rav Avrohom Gurwicz, widely regarded as the elder of Europe’s roshei yeshiva and the longtime rosh yeshiva of Beis Yosef, Gateshead. Written ahead of Yud-Tes Kislev, the traditional Chabad Chaga Hageulah, the letter warned talmidim not to participate in Chabad farbrengens scheduled to take place in the town.

Addressed to talmidim of the yeshiva, Rav Gurwicz’s message was notable for its unusually sharp tone. In the letter, he deliberately avoided mentioning the date of Yud-Tes Kislev explicitly, instead referring to the event by the days of the week and the parsha in which it would occur.

“Since it has become known to us that individuals whose outlook regarding the importance of the study of the holy Torah differs from that which has been transmitted to us from generation to generation are preparing to organize a feast on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday of Parshas Vayeishev,” Rav Gurwicz wrote.

The rosh yeshiva emphasized what he described as a core concern of the Lithuanian yeshiva tradition: bittul Torah. He warned that participation in such gatherings would lead to significant loss of learning time, both during the event itself and in the days that follow.

“A matter that involves much bittul Torah at the time of the feast and in the days afterward,” Rav Gurwicz continued. “I hereby warn, in my name and in the name of all members of the hanhalah, that no student of the holy yeshiva is to participate in this feast.”

The letter has generated particular attention because Yeshiva Beis Yosef Gateshead, while firmly rooted in the classic Litvishe tradition, has long been known for its inclusiveness. For more than a decade, a sizable chassidic contingent—estimated at roughly one-third of the student body—has studied at the yeshiva.

The yeshiva also has a long-standing historical connection to the broader chassidic world. Among its distinguished alumni are prominent chassidic leaders, including the Sadigura Rebbe and other chassidic figures who studied there over the years.

Typically, such farbrengens have been held discreetly in Gateshead, often in shul basements or private venues. About a decade ago, however, an unusual and more public event took place when Rav Boruch Oberlander, the chief rabbi of Hungary, was brought in to lead a farbrengen held in the town’s central hall.

Against that backdrop, the current letter is being viewed as a renewed effort by Rav Gurwicz to draw clearer lines for the yeshiva’s talmidim, signaling that he does not view chassidic farbrengens connected to Yud-Tes Kislev as compatible with the yeshiva’s framework and priorities.

{Matzav.com}