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Yom Kippur 5787 was marked by packed batei medrash and yeshivos across Eretz Yisroel, emotional tefillos by Gedolei Yisroel and Admorim, extraordinary sums paid for coveted kibbudim, and moving scenes involving senior rabbonim who participated despite recent illness and medical treatment.

From Gur and Belz to Ponevezh, Mir, Slabodka and the homes of Gedolei Yisroel, tens of thousands spent the holiest day of the year immersed in tefillah and teshuvah. Among the notable moments were the return of Birchas Kohanim at Ne’ilah in Belz for the first time in more than 30 years, Rav Dov Kook’s return from rehabilitation to his bais medrash in Tiveria, and deeply emotional scenes during the Avodah and Ne’ilah tefillos.

Some of the most remarkable reports involved the traditional bidding for Maftir Yonah and other kibbudim.

At the Sassover Bais Medrash, the mispallelim collectively purchased Maftir Yonah for the Rebbe for 353,000 shekels.

At the Maor Chaim shul in Yerushalayim’s Sanhedria neighborhood, led by Rav Zev Ernster, R’ Luzer Fischer purchased Maftir Yonah for $10,000.

At Rav Yigal Cohen’s Yabia Omer shul in Bnei Brak, Maftir Yonah sold for 32,000 shekels. An even larger sum was raised for the Kohen aliyah, which was given to Rav Cohen himself. Two mispallelim jointly acquired the kibbud, each contributing 40,000 shekels, for a total of 80,000 shekels.

At Tiferes Moshe Karlin in Kiryat Sefer, a lengthy bidding battle for Pesichah at Ne’ilah took place between R’ Ahar’le Zaltzman and R’ Yankel Avrahams. Avrahams ultimately secured the kibbud for 38,000 shekels.

In the Tshenger kehillah in Elad, led by Rav Nosson Moskowitz, attorney Moshe Weisel purchased Maftir Yonah for 4,000 shekels and Pesichah for Ne’ilah for another 2,500 shekels.

At Yeshivas Derech Hashem in Yerushalayim, an alumnus purchased Maftir Yonah for 13,000 shekels. Rosh Yeshiva Rav Boruch Tzvi Greenbaum received the aliyah and in turn honored his close associate, mechanech Rav Itamar Taap, one of the yeshiva’s rabbonim.

At Yeshivas Shaarei Daas in Beit Meir, led by Rav Greenwald, one of the prominent bochurim purchased Pesichah for Ne’ilah for more than 10,000 shekels.

In Gur, the Rebbe participated in all of the Yom Kippur tefillos, briefly returning to his private apartment at several points during the day — once during Shacharis, twice during Mussaf and once during Mincha. At 8:15 p.m., tens of thousands of chassidim joined in singing Hamavdil and receiving the Rebbe’s parting “Gut Yom Tov” in the massive bais medrash.

A historic change took place in Belz, where Kohanim went up to duchan during Ne’ilah for the first time in more than three decades.

The Belzer Rebbe entered for Kol Nidrei according to Belzer time, approximately 50 minutes after sunset, and served as shliach tzibbur for Kol Nidrei and Maariv. On Yom Kippur morning, the Rebbe’s son, Rav Aharon Mordechai Rokeach, led Shacharis, while the Rebbe performed the Torah reading. The Rebbe led Mussaf and Ne’ilah.

After Birchas Kohanim at Ne’ilah, the tefillah concluded at sunset. The Rebbe instructed the chassidim to sing several niggunim, and approximately half an hour later he blew the shofar, followed by Maariv. On Motzoei Yom Kippur, the Rebbe entered the Groise Shtib for the traditional Hamavdil tish.

There were also emotional scenes in Vizhnitz, where the Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s voice was noticeably stronger than it had been on Rosh Hashanah following his recent pacemaker surgery. The Rebbe served as shliach tzibbur and, between Kol Nidrei and Maariv, delivered words of hisorerus urging the chassidim to distance themselves from technological devices. Following Maariv and again after Ne’ilah, the bais medrash erupted in an emotional rendition of “Ashrei Adam Oz Lo Bach.”

The Modzhitzer Rebbe, who underwent a cardiac catheterization during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, led Maariv, Mussaf and Ne’ilah. His eldest son, Rav Aharon Taub, led Shacharis. Longer breaks were arranged between the tefillos to allow the Rebbe to rest.

In Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok in Meah Shearim, Maftir Yonah sold for $16,000, while Pesichah for Ne’ilah brought $10,000.

Before Mussaf, several prominent supporters who have been financing the Rebbe’s medical care approached him with a special kvittel written on parchment. The Rebbe warmly bentched them.

At Mishkenos HaRo’im, the gabbai announced in the name of the Rebbe, the senior Admor of the Eidah Hachareidis, immediately before Ne’ilah that every individual should accept upon himself to study Chofetz Chaim according to the current schedule that began on Rosh Hashanah, and that in this zechus they should merit a gmar chasimah tovah.

The Rebbe later led Maariv on Motzoei Yom Kippur for the yahrtzeit of his mother, Rebbetzin Ruchama Leiba a”h.

Posek Hador Rav Moshe Sternbuch spent Yom Kippur at his yeshiva in Beit Shemesh. On Erev Yom Kippur, while traveling along Route 38, Rav Sternbuch stopped at a spring along the route to perform Tashlich.

The yeshiva was filled beyond capacity for Yom Kippur, and because of the shortage of space, only some alumni were able to secure places in the bais medrash.

Rav Sternbuch served as shliach tzibbur for Kol Nidrei and part of Ne’ilah. He also delivered divrei chizuk before Maariv. In the morning, when the Aron Kodesh was opened before Krias HaTorah, Rav Sternbuch said that, according to Kabbalah, reciting the posuk “L’olam Hashem devarcha nitzav bashamayim” is a segulah for stopping harsh decrees. The entire tzibbur then recited the posuk 12 times with great emotion.

Before Ne’ilah, Rav Sternbuch declared that anyone who sincerely accepted Ol Malchus Shamayim and committed to a change for the better could merit having his tefillah accepted and receiving a good year.

When the fast ended, Rav Sternbuch expressed tremendous joy that, despite his advanced age, he had once again been able to complete the Yom Kippur fast properly.

Rav Dov Landau began his Yom Kippur by davening on behalf of donors to various tzedakah funds before Kol Nidrei, becoming visibly emotional upon seeing the names placed before him.

Kol Nidrei was held in the Slabodka Yeshiva bais medrash, where Rav Landau held a Sefer Torah alongside Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch. He subsequently returned home for Maariv with a smaller minyan consisting of talmidim and family members. His grandson Rav Menachem Landau, a ram in Slabodka Yeshiva Ketana, led the tefillah.

Rav Landau davened Shacharis at sunrise with the special minyan in his home. His talmid Rav Meir Blum, mashgiach at Yeshivas Mishkan HaTorah, served as shliach tzibbur. Rav Landau received the third aliyah, followed by a special Mi Shebeirach for the success of Klal Yisroel.

Rav Moshe Rabinowitz led Mussaf, while Rav Eliezer Fischer led Mincha. For Ne’ilah, Rav Landau returned to the main Slabodka bais medrash. Following the shofar and the singing of “L’shanah Haba’ah” together with hundreds of talmidim, he returned home for Maariv.

Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman spent Yom Kippur in the bais medrash of Yeshivas Rashbi in Bnei Brak. Shortly before leaving for Kol Nidrei, he davened for donors to several tzedakah funds.

One of the most emotional moments came during Shehecheyanu on Yom Kippur night, when Rav Bergman’s voice broke as he cried while reciting the bracha over the kedushah of the day.

Before Maariv, Rav Bergman delivered stirring words of hisorerus, urging his talmidim to take advantage of every moment of Yom Kippur. At Mincha, he received the third aliyah for Maftir Yonah.

During Ne’ilah, Rav Bergman served as shliach tzibbur for Avinu Malkeinu and Kabbalas Ol Malchus Shamayim, creating another deeply emotional scene among the mispallelim.

At Ponevezh Yeshiva, thousands of talmidim were joined by hundreds of alumni and visitors from throughout Eretz Yisroel and abroad. The tefillos began at 6:45 a.m. and continued virtually without interruption until nightfall.

During Kol Nidrei, Rav Boruch Dov Povarsky and yeshiva president Rav Eliezer Kahaneman held the Sifrei Torah alongside the chazzan. As he does each year, Rav Povarsky later served as shliach tzibbur for Shir Hakavod following Maariv.

For the morning Krias HaTorah, Rav Kahaneman received Kohen, Rav Asher Friedman, mashgiach of the yeshiva ketana, received Levi, and Rav Povarsky received the third aliyah. Other aliyos were given to yeshiva director R’ Meir Bulak, Rav Yitzchok Meir Yavetz and Rav Meir Ben Shlomo, rosh yeshiva of Orchos Torah’s yeshiva ketana and the Mincha baal tefillah.

Brothers Rav Moshe and Rav Elimelech Tabak of the United States, talmidim of Rav Povarsky who traveled overseas specifically to spend Yom Kippur in the yeshiva, received Hagbah.

At Mincha, Rav Aryeh Leib Shapiro received Kohen, R’ Mordechai Levin received Levi, and Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dovid Miller received Maftir Yonah.

One of the most powerful scenes in Ponevezh came during the Avodah in Mussaf. Rav Povarsky rose from his seat along the eastern wall and faced the chazzan, trembling and weeping throughout the exalted moments of the Avodah.

This year, Rav Povarsky used a specially designed elevated shtender manufactured for him by Lavi Furniture, providing greater comfort and support during the lengthy standing portions of the Yom Kippur tefillos and Avodah.

Following Maariv on Motzoei Yom Kippur, a special bais din was convened according to the well-known practice associated with Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l for shidduchim and yeshuos on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir donors. Rav Moshe Shmuel Edelstein, Rav of the Ne’ot Yosef neighborhood and a baal tefillah in Ponevezh, participated together with Rav Kahaneman and Rav Chaim Peretz Berman.

Havdalah was then conducted publicly in the yeshiva, and refreshments were distributed to the thousands of mispallelim. Rather than immediately leaving, the talmidim sat down for a special learning seder, instituted by Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, which continued until 10 p.m.

The bochurim then gathered outside for Kiddush Levanah with singing and dancing before departing for their homes at the conclusion of the yeshiva’s elevated Elul zman.

Another extraordinary Maftir Yonah purchase took place at the bais medrash of Rav Dan Segal in Yerushalayim. R’ Reuven Wolf, chairman of Keren Olam HaTorah, spent Yom Kippur there and purchased Maftir Yonah for $30,000. Following the aliyah, he asked Rav Segal to make a Mi Shebeirach for all donors to Keren Olam HaTorah.

At the Mir Yeshiva, four separate minyanim were held, each accommodating hundreds of avreichim, bochurim and alumni.

The main bais medrash minyan was headed by Rosh Yeshiva Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, with Mashgiach Rav Binyamin Finkel serving as shliach tzibbur.

During the Avodah in Mussaf, Rav Binyamin Finkel davened with intense emotion and dveikus in the center of the bais medrash as Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel stood opposite him, surrounded by hundreds of mispallelim watching the Avodah. Before Ne’ilah, the mashgiach delivered an emotional shmuess, weeping as he spoke about the needs of both the klal and the individual.

A number of major supporters of the Torah world joined the Mir for Yom Kippur, including Ralph Herzka, Eli Schron, Baruch Gromias, Tzvi Lichtenstein, Ezra David, Yossi Ostreicher and Yossi Stern.

Rav Yitzchok Yosef, the Rishon LeTzion and president of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, spent Yom Kippur at Yeshivas Chazon Ovadia in Yerushalayim, where he davened all the tefillos together with his son, Rosh Yeshiva Rav Rachamim Yosef.

Chacham Nissim Ben Shimon davened in his Ohr Hachaim bais medrash in Bnei Brak. Before Yom Kippur began and again during Kol Nidrei, he davened on behalf of those in need of yeshuos.

Rav Yehuda Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yekirei Yerushalayim and a member of the Moetzet, arrived at the yeshiva as Yom Kippur began and immediately lit yahrtzeit candles near his place in memory of his parents.

Rav Cohen received the honor of opening the Aron Kodesh for the special parnassah tefillah and received Maftir during the morning Torah reading. Several supporters traveled from abroad specifically to spend Yom Kippur with him.

At one point during davening, Rav Cohen stopped the tefillah and asked the bochurim not to shout. He explained that in Shomayim they seek tefillah that comes from the depths of the heart and with proper kavanah, even when it is not accompanied by shouting.

Before Ne’ilah, he described those final moments of Yom Kippur as being, so to speak, in a yichud room with the Ribbono Shel Olam — a uniquely powerful opportunity for hisorerus.

After the fast, at Rabbeinu Tam, Rav Cohen made Havdalah for the bochurim. They then broke into the singing of “Emes Mah Nehedar Hayah Kohen Gadol B’tzeiso B’Shalom Min Hakodesh.”

Rav Chaim Feinstein, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo, spent Yom Kippur at the yeshiva campus in Rishon LeTzion. Following Kol Nidrei, he addressed the thousands of mispallelim about the unique power and holiness of Yom Kippur itself.

At Mincha, Rav Feinstein received Maftir Yonah, which he has personally read for approximately 60 years with his distinctive and emotional nusach. When he reached the words “Ki yode’a ani ki besheli hasa’ar hagadol hazeh,” his voice broke with tears, sending a palpable tremor through the bais medrash.

Following the longstanding practice regarding the special power of the Mi Shebeirach after Maftir Yonah, Rav Feinstein recited a Mi Shebeirach and mentioned hundreds of names that had been submitted for tefillah.

At Yeshivas Hanegev-Schar Sachir in Netivot, the roshei yeshiva, headed by Rav Avraham Levi, spent Yom Kippur with the yeshiva. During Kol Nidrei, Rav Levi, Rav Dovid Lev and Mashgiach Rav Moshe Kuhn held the Sifrei Torah.

In an unusual move during Krias HaTorah, Rav Levi requested a Mi Shebeirach for Rav Bunim Schreiber, Rav Chaim Berman and his relative Rav Dov Kook. Rav Kuhn made a Mi Shebeirach for the rosh yeshiva, Rav Yaakov Yehuda Leib Aryeh ben Heiga Tzipora, who has recently been unwell.

Mussaf concluded at 3:10 p.m., with Mincha beginning just 20 minutes later at 3:30. After Ne’ilah, the yeshiva’s rabbonim and entire tzibbur danced together for approximately half an hour, singing songs of hisorerus.

Rav Shlomo Tzvi Fruchter, one of the roshei yeshiva, attended the Yom Kippur tefillos despite considerable weakness following medical treatment during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah and led Shacharis.

Rav Yitzchok Hacker, rosh yeshiva of Grodno, davened at home with a small minyan of close talmidim and family members. The tefillos followed the traditional Grodno nusach and melodies established by the longtime baal tefillah R’ Ephraim Piontek.

Rav Yechiel Wilansky led Mussaf, while Rav Avraham Yitzchok Shoymer, a grandson of the late baal tefillah Rav Tzvi Eisenstein zt”l, led Ne’ilah.

Rav Hacker held a Sefer Torah for Kol Nidrei alongside his son Rav Yosef Shlomo, who serves as rosh kibbutz in the yeshiva. During Shacharis, Rav Hacker received the third aliyah and requested a special Mi Shebeirach for his longtime colleague in leading the yeshiva, Rav Tzvi Drabkin.

For Maftir Yonah, Rav Hacker honored his close talmid R’ Shmuel Vanderwalde, who has devoted considerable effort in recent years to registering new talmidim for the yeshiva.

Ne’ilah was filled with emotion, with Rav Hacker’s voice heard clearly throughout the home as he davened for yeshuos for Klal Yisroel. At the conclusion, his son Rav Yosef Shlomo blew the shofar.

One of the most emotional developments of Erev Yom Kippur occurred in Tiveria, where Rav Dov Kook returned directly from rehabilitation to his bais medrash so that he could spend Yom Kippur among his talmidim.

A special enclosed room was constructed for Rav Kook inside the bais medrash, enabling him to remain present for the tefillos while receiving the privacy and medical supervision his condition requires. The public was asked to continue davening for the complete recovery of Rav Chizkiyahu Dov HaKohen Kook ben Shoshana.

At Yeshivas Bais Meir in Bnei Brak, a private caravan was brought to the yeshiva for Rosh Yeshiva Rav Tzvi Rotberg, allowing him to rest there during the breaks between tefillos.

At the Rav Mendel Bais Medrash in Bnei Brak, there was a change from longstanding Yom Kippur practice. Rav Yerachmiel Birenzweig was unable to deliver his traditional address following Kol Nidrei because of his health. Although his condition has been improving, he remains in need of tefillos.

In his place, his son Rav Aharon Birenzweig, rosh bais medrash in the Mir Yeshiva and head of Vaad Mevakshei Hashem, delivered the address.

At Yeshivas Be’er HaTalmud in Yerushalayim, the Yom Kippur atmosphere included a newly installed paroches in honor of the Yemei Hadin and an unusually large turnout of alumni.

Five hundred seats were prepared for bochurim and alumni in the main Yerushalayim bais medrash, in addition to the yeshiva’s branches in Ofakim and Chazon Yechezkel.

After davening, the bochurim passed before Rosh Yeshiva Rav Chanoch Cohen and the yeshiva’s rabbonim to receive wishes for a gmar chasimah tovah. Rav Yehuda Batzri and Rav Eliezer Aharoni served as baalei tefillah. Mussaf concluded at 2:10 p.m., and Mincha began at 3 p.m.

For the first time, Rav Cohen received Maftir during the morning Torah reading rather than the Kohen aliyah, allowing him to recite additional brachos on Yom Kippur. Mashgiach Rav Eliyahu Aharon continued his annual practice of receiving Maftir Yonah at Mincha.

During Unesaneh Tokef, alumnus Rav Dovid Attias led the tefillah. When he reached the words “Mi yichyeh umi yamus,” the bochurim broke down in tears as Attias, who has experienced the loss of his father in recent years, delivered the words with exceptional emotion.

Several new melodies were incorporated into the tefillos this year, including tunes associated with Reb Shlomo Carlebach and other familiar niggunim during the Avodah and concluding portions of the tefillah. Before Ne’ilah, Rav Cohen delivered divrei hisorerus concerning the final sealing of the day.

At Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim, headed by Rav Tzemach Mazuz, large numbers of alumni arrived from across Eretz Yisroel to spend Yom Kippur in the yeshiva. Rav Mazuz led Ne’ilah.

For Kol Nidrei, Rav Mazuz stood together with Rav Y. Haddad and Rav M. Sagron, mashgichim of the yeshiva gedolah and yeshiva ketana.

In the yeshiva ketana, Rav Mazuz gave the honor of taking out the Kol Nidrei Sefer Torah to bochurim who committed themselves not to interrupt Sedarim Alef and Bais with idle conversation through the end of the winter zman. In the yeshiva gedolah, the honor went to bochurim who accepted upon themselves to learn a specified number of blatt Gemara.

An especially painful moment came during the memorial tefillos following Kol Nidrei. Rav Mazuz followed the yeshiva’s custom of mentioning departed Gedolei and Chachmei Yisroel, but this year, for the first time, included his brother, the late rosh yeshiva, and Rav Rachamim Mazuz zt”l. His voice broke as he wept.

For the haftoros, Rav Mazuz honored Rav Yair Mazuz, son of Rav Rachamim Mazuz zt”l, one of the roshei yeshiva who was niftar during the past year.

Before Ne’ilah, Rav Mazuz invoked the familiar expression “I missed the train,” telling the bochurim that this was precisely the situation confronting them: the final moments before the chasimah were arriving, and every remaining moment had to be used for regret, teshuvah and accepting at least one meaningful improvement.

At the conclusion of the fast, Rav Mazuz blew the shofar and made Havdalah. The yeshiva’s bochurim and alumni then passed before him to receive the traditional bracha, “Tizku l’shanim rabbos ne’imos v’tovos.” After a light break-fast, the entire yeshiva returned to the bais medrash for an extended learning seder, as is its annual Motzoei Yom Kippur practice.

At Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim, the Yom Kippur tefillos also proceeded as they do each year, with minyanim held both in the hospital shul and on its terrace.

Rav Yosef Sprung, Rav of the medical center, served as shliach tzibbur. Before Ne’ilah, his father, Rav Zechariah Sprung, delivered divrei hisorerus to the patients, family members and other mispallelim as the final moments of Yom Kippur approached.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge on Monday declined to stop the Trump administration from proceeding with a controversial Texas land exchange that would transfer more than 700 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge to SpaceX, rejecting a request from environmental and tribal groups seeking to halt the deal while their lawsuit moves forward.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. denied the groups’ request for a preliminary injunction, finding that they had not presented sufficient evidence that allowing the transaction to proceed during the litigation would cause the environmental damage they predicted.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the proposed exchange in June. Under the final plan, the federal government would transfer approximately 715 acres of refuge property to SpaceX while receiving about 683 acres currently owned by the company. The Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge encompasses roughly 103,000 acres across four South Texas counties and includes important wildlife habitat and historic resources.

Much of the federal property that SpaceX would receive is located close to the company’s Starbase rocket-launch and manufacturing complex near Boca Chica and the U.S.-Mexico border. Federal environmental documents say future residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure development on some of the transferred property is reasonably foreseeable, although SpaceX has not provided the government with specific development plans for the parcels.

Opponents contend that the transaction effectively hands valuable public property to SpaceX and could allow development to encroach further on environmentally and historically sensitive areas.

Laiken Jordahl, a spokesperson for the Center for Biological Diversity, which joined tribal and other groups in challenging the exchange, described the transaction as “clearing the way for bulldozers to tear into this wildlife refuge as soon as next week and turn a public treasure into a private payday.”

Jordahl said the groups intend to continue pursuing the underlying lawsuit despite Monday’s setback.

“This court order is not the final word. These lands hold incredible spiritual, historical and conservation value for the people and wildlife of South Texas. We won’t stop fighting to keep this irreplaceable public wildlife refuge safe from SpaceX bulldozers,” Jordahl said in a statement.

The lawsuit seeks to overturn or block the exchange altogether. Critics of SpaceX’s growing presence around Boca Chica have previously raised concerns about public access to nearby beaches, the environmental effects of rocket launches and explosions, and the continuing expansion of the Starbase complex.

The Fish and Wildlife Service did not provide immediate comment following Monday’s court decision. The agency has previously said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Federal wildlife officials have defended the exchange on conservation grounds. In a final environmental assessment issued in June, the Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that the transaction would not have a significant environmental impact. The agency said receiving SpaceX’s property would provide a “net conservation benefit” and offer “substantial long-term conservation value and improving landscape-scale habitat connectivity across refuges in South Texas.”

According to the agency, the land it would acquire includes tidal marsh, coastal flats, wetlands, thornscrub and other habitat that would become part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Officials have also argued that the exchange would consolidate fragmented refuge holdings and reduce conflicts created by privately owned parcels located among federally protected lands.

Rodriguez concluded that the challengers had provided “relatively weak” evidence demonstrating that environmental damage would occur while the case remained before the court.

“While they rightfully argue that the preservation of wildlife and historical lands furthers the public interest, they present no evidence demonstrating that the Property will suffer aesthetic, environmental, cultural, or historical degradation during the pendency of this lawsuit,” Rodriguez wrote in his ruling.

The judge also considered the potential consequences for SpaceX if he temporarily blocked the transaction. He said an injunction could force changes to the company’s development timetable, “placing additional hardship on the company’s ability to meet milestones and contractual obligations.”

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision.

The company’s presence in the region dates back more than a decade, when it began acquiring property near Boca Chica for what eventually became its Starbase launch and manufacturing operation. The complex has expanded substantially since then and now serves as SpaceX’s headquarters. In 2025, residents — overwhelmingly connected to SpaceX — voted to incorporate the area as the city of Starbase.

Monday’s ruling does not resolve the environmental groups’ lawsuit or determine the ultimate legality of the exchange. It instead allows the transaction to proceed while the broader legal challenge continues, leaving opponents to pursue their effort to overturn the deal after the land has changed hands.

The United States is preparing to dramatically expand its military footprint in Greenland, with plans to establish a presence at two additional locations on the strategically important Arctic island under a new security agreement with Denmark and Greenland, according to people familiar with the arrangement.

The agreement calls for the United States to return to Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland, where American forces operated the Bluie West One installation during the World War II and Cold War eras, while also establishing a presence at Mestersvig on Greenland’s remote eastern coast.

Narsarsuaq, once an important American military facility, now has a population numbering only a few dozen people. The United States closed its military base there in the 1950s as its defense posture in Greenland evolved.

Mestersvig, meanwhile, is currently a Danish military outpost used by the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, an elite Danish unit responsible for conducting long-range patrols and helping enforce Danish sovereignty across Greenland’s vast and sparsely populated Arctic territory. Two people familiar with the planned agreement identified Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig as the locations where the new American presence is expected to be established.

The United States, Denmark and Greenland are scheduled to formally sign the new agreement Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. EDT on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. President Donald Trump is expected to meet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen for the trilateral signing ceremony.

The full text of the agreement has not yet been released publicly. Three people briefed on the arrangement, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cautioned that its provisions will not be considered final until the agreement is formally signed.

The governments of Denmark and Greenland did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the specific plans for the two military sites. The White House likewise did not immediately provide additional details about the planned expansion.

Denmark has characterized the broader agreement as a way of placing Arctic security more firmly within the NATO framework rather than treating the defense of Greenland primarily as a matter between Washington and Copenhagen. Danish officials have said the agreement will respect Greenland’s sovereignty while addressing growing security concerns in the Arctic.

The new arrangement follows months of negotiations that began amid tensions over President Trump’s repeated statements that the United States should control Greenland. Trump had at times declined to rule out the use of economic or military pressure in seeking American control over the semiautonomous Danish territory.

Those statements produced a significant dispute between NATO allies earlier this year, particularly in January, as Danish and Greenlandic leaders insisted that Greenland was not for sale and that decisions about the island’s future belonged to its people. Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk subsequently entered negotiations aimed at addressing American security concerns without transferring sovereignty over the territory.

The resulting agreement is expected to preserve Danish sovereignty over Greenland while substantially increasing the ability of the United States to operate militarily on the island. Denmark has also said the arrangement broadens responsibility for Arctic security by involving NATO more directly.

The expansion would represent a partial return to the much larger American military presence that existed in Greenland during the Cold War.

At its height, the United States operated 17 military installations across Greenland and stationed more than 10,000 personnel on the island. Greenland’s geographic position between North America and Europe made it particularly important for early warning systems and defense planning during the confrontation between the United States and Soviet Union.

Today, the American military presence is concentrated at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, formerly known as Thule Air Base. Approximately 150 U.S. military personnel are currently stationed there. The installation plays an important role in missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance.

With the addition of Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, the United States would once again maintain a military presence at three separate locations across Greenland, significantly extending its reach across the island as Washington and its NATO allies place increasing emphasis on security in the Arctic.

The five major television networks that make up the White House television pool suspended pooled coverage of President Donald Trump on Monday, declining to replace CNN after the White House barred the network — along with MS NOW and Politico — from the presidential complex.

ABC, CBS, Fox News, NBC and CNN jointly halted their participation in television pool duties. Under the longstanding arrangement, the networks rotate responsibility for providing video of presidential events that is then distributed to other news organizations around the world. CNN had been scheduled to handle the assignment Monday during Trump’s trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,” the five networks said in a joint statement. “No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”

The move came the same day CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed suit against the Trump administration over the revocation of their reporters’ White House credentials. The organizations contend that excluding them because of objections to their coverage violates the First Amendment as well as constitutional due-process protections.

Trump defended the administration’s action Monday, saying the restrictions were directed at reporting he considers false rather than at freedom of the press itself.

“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America.”

Trump announced Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be prohibited from accessing the White House “effective immediately,” accusing the three organizations of repeatedly reporting “FICTION and LIES.”

The ban was implemented the following day. CNN reporter Betsy Klein and MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner were denied entry after their credentials were deactivated, while Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also turned away and had her badge confiscated, according to reports.

Trump said Friday that he continues to support the principle of a free press but believes news organizations also have a responsibility to provide accurate coverage.

“You need a free press. You need a fair press and an honest press,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I dislike dishonest press.”

The effects of the dispute extended to Trump’s Monday visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly. Because CNN had been scheduled to serve as the television pool network and the other networks declined to replace it, the normal pooled television operation did not accompany the President. Other forms of press-pool coverage continued.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico are seeking emergency relief from a federal court that would restore their journalists’ access while the broader lawsuit is litigated.

“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” they said. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”

The confrontation is not the first time a dispute over presidential press access has reached federal court.

During Trump’s first term, CNN went to court after the White House suspended correspondent Jim Acosta’s press credential in 2018. A federal judge ordered the administration to restore Acosta’s credential while the case proceeded.

The Associated Press also sued the Trump administration in 2025 after the White House restricted its access to certain presidential events amid a dispute over the news organization’s continued use of the name “Gulf of Mexico” rather than the administration’s preferred “Gulf of America.”

For now, the television networks said there would be no substitute network assigned to take CNN’s place in the presidential television pool. Congressional coverage, coverage of visiting dignitaries and other pool operations outside the specific presidential assignment are continuing normally.

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met for roughly an hour at Gracie Mansion on Monday, discussing a major housing proposal in Queens and the broader affordability crisis facing New Yorkers as scores of world leaders arrived in the city for the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting marked the third known face-to-face encounter between Trump and Mamdani and their first at the mayor’s official residence. Despite significant political differences, the two leaders emerged together afterward and said they intended to continue working on areas where the federal government and City Hall could cooperate.

Trump arrived at Gracie Mansion shortly before 4 p.m., making the stop as part of a packed New York schedule surrounding his appearance at the U.N. General Assembly. Nearly 130 world leaders were expected in New York for the gathering, with Trump scheduled for a series of meetings with foreign leaders during his visit.

Standing alongside Mamdani following their private discussion, Trump reflected on his own history at Gracie Mansion and the mayors who have occupied it over the years.

“Hopefully you’re going to be a great one,” Trump told Mamdani, patting him on the back. “And you’re off to a start.”

The President said the visit had a distinctly New York feel despite the international diplomacy dominating his schedule.

“I have a lot of meetings right now, very important meetings with heads of different countries, but this is like a little bit of old home week for me,” Trump said, adding, “We’ve done so many things from the beautiful home or house or building standing right behind me.”

Housing emerged as one of the central subjects of Monday’s discussion. Trump and Mamdani said they spoke about plans for a large-scale development in Queens as well as broader efforts to reduce the cost of living for working-class New Yorkers.

More specifically, the discussion included the long-debated proposal to build over Sunnyside Yard in western Queens. The massive rail yard has for years been eyed as a potential site for a new neighborhood, and Trump and Mamdani said Monday that discussions over a plan involving approximately 12,000 homes were moving forward. The project has been estimated to cost roughly $21 billion and would face substantial engineering, financing and approval hurdles before construction could begin.

Housing has been a central focus of Mamdani’s first year at City Hall. His administration says New York City financed the creation or preservation of 12,491 affordable homes during the first six months of 2026, while his first city budget included a planned $22 billion in affordable-housing capital investment over five years.

Monday’s meeting continued a relationship that has attracted attention because of the substantial ideological differences between the Republican President and the democratic socialist mayor.

Their first meeting came at the White House shortly after Mamdani won the 2025 mayoral election. The encounter was considerably more cordial than the public exchanges that had characterized the campaign, during which the two repeatedly criticized each other. At the White House meeting, both emphasized areas where federal and city officials might cooperate on issues affecting New Yorkers.

Mamdani returned to Washington in February for another meeting with Trump. During that visit, he presented the President with a mock New York Daily News front page reading “Trump to City: Let’s Build,” a play on the newspaper’s famous 1975 “Ford to City: Drop Dead” headline. Mamdani used the meeting to press for federal cooperation on housing development in New York.

Both men acknowledged Monday that those cooperative discussions have not erased their significant disagreements on other issues.

One such disagreement surfaced during the post-meeting press conference when Mamdani was asked about Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from White House grounds. Mamdani said he considered it important for those organizations, along with other media outlets, to be permitted to cover Monday’s event at Gracie Mansion.

Trump defended his decision to restrict the outlets’ White House access, arguing that their reporting has been unfair.

“It’s interesting because they said they were gonna boycott me. But they never boycott me,” the president said, before adding, “I think that these outlets have an obligation to be fair.”

CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed suit against the Trump administration Monday over their removal from the White House, arguing that the decision violates their First Amendment and due-process rights. The White House has countered that the First Amendment protects the outlets’ right to publish but does not guarantee reporters physical access to the White House complex.

Trump’s appearance at Gracie Mansion also represented a return to a building he had visited long before entering the White House.

Among his previous appearances there was the 2003 wedding of then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Judith Nathan. Trump also attended a 2007 book event at the mansion for longtime Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel.

After Trump departed, Mamdani returned to the Gracie Mansion lawn and spoke further with reporters. He acknowledged that he and the President remain far apart politically and on numerous policy questions but said he viewed continued communication with Washington as worthwhile when it could produce tangible benefits for New Yorkers.

“I will continue to have conversations with the president, and frankly, anyone who can deliver relief to the people of this city,” Mamdani said.

The meeting took place against an unusually international backdrop in New York, with heads of state, diplomats and security delegations converging on Manhattan for the U.N. General Assembly. Trump is scheduled to address the General Assembly and hold a series of bilateral meetings with foreign leaders during his stay.

The White House on Monday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds, arguing that reporters have no constitutional guarantee of physical access to the presidential complex and pointing to past disputes between Democratic administrations and news organizations. The three outlets filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging the ban on First Amendment and due-process grounds.

Trump announced the removal of the three organizations last week, accusing them of repeatedly publishing false information. The outlets’ reporters were subsequently denied entry to the White House grounds.

In its response Monday, the administration said CNN, MS NOW and Politico remain entitled to report on Trump and his administration, but argued that freedom of the press does not automatically include credentials or physical access to the White House.

“The First Amendment protects their right to publish; it does not entitle them to a hard pass, briefing room seat, or place in the press pool,” the White House said in a statement.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued the administration Monday, asking a federal court to restore their White House access. Their lawsuit argues that the government cannot revoke press credentials because officials object to the content of a news organization’s reporting. The outlets allege violations of both the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment’s due-process protections.

The news organizations maintain that constitutional protections prevent government officials from selectively denying journalists access in retaliation for coverage they dislike. A federal court hearing on their request for emergency relief is scheduled for Wednesday.

In defending its action, the Trump administration argued that disputes over White House press access predate the current controversy and cited several examples involving the administrations of Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Among the cases highlighted by the White House was the Obama administration’s highly publicized 2009 dispute with Fox News. Administration officials sharply criticized the network and sought to distinguish it from other news organizations, while Fox and other media groups objected to efforts to exclude it from certain interviews and pooled coverage.

Then-White House communications director Anita Dunn referred to Fox News as the “communications arm” of the GOP, while other Obama administration officials questioned whether the network should be treated in the same manner as traditional news organizations.

The White House also cited the Obama-era Justice Department investigation involving Fox News correspondent James Rosen. During an investigation into the disclosure of classified information, federal investigators obtained records connected to Rosen’s communications and described him in court documents as a possible “co-conspirator” as they sought to identify his source.

Another example cited by the administration involved the Justice Department’s seizure of telephone records associated with more than 20 Associated Press lines used by reporters and editors. The action, which covered a two-month period, prompted objections from the AP and press-freedom organizations.

The White House statement also pointed to earlier Obama-era conflicts involving the Boston Herald and San Francisco Chronicle as additional examples of tensions between an administration and individual news organizations.

It further noted that during the final stretch of Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, journalists representing three newspapers were removed from the campaign plane after their editorial pages endorsed Republican presidential nominee John McCain. The newspapers disputed the suggestion at the time that the decisions were retaliation for those endorsements.

The administration also cited press-access controversies during the Biden presidency.

In 2023, New York Post reporter Steven Nelson was denied access to an event involving Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nelson had repeatedly questioned Biden about foreign business dealings involving members of his family, and the Post objected publicly to his exclusion.

That same year, the Biden White House introduced revised requirements governing permanent White House press credentials. The changes resulted in hundreds of journalists losing their existing hard passes unless they met the new criteria.

The Trump administration cited those previous disputes to argue that presidential administrations have long exercised discretion over who receives physical access to the White House, rejecting assertions that restrictions on press access originated with Trump. The legality of the current ban, however, is now before a federal court, with CNN, MS NOW and Politico arguing that the administration singled them out because of their reporting.

“No President is required to host a hostile operation on the grounds,” the White House statement read. “Access has always been a privilege — and President Trump is applying that rule.”

A police officer assigned to protect a shul in Belleville, Ontario, was seriously wounded Sunday night when a shotgun-wielding gunman opened fire outside the building as approximately two dozen Jews were inside for Yom Kippur davening, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire that sent congregants scrambling for cover.

The shooting erupted at approximately 7 p.m. outside Sons of Jacob Synagogue, located near Victoria and Bleecker avenues in Belleville, about 110 miles east of Toronto. Authorities said as many as 20 to 30 shots were fired during the confrontation, with bullets striking the shul, nearby homes and vehicles. No congregants inside the building were injured.

Authorities on Monday identified the wounded officer as Const. Jeff Smith, a 13-year veteran of the Belleville Police Service. The suspected gunman was identified as 29-year-old Sean Ward of Quinte West. Smith remained hospitalized in serious but stable condition, while Ward was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

According to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, which is investigating the police shooting, Smith was stationed near the shul when Ward allegedly approached armed with a shotgun and opened fire. Smith returned fire, and a second officer who arrived during the confrontation also discharged his weapon. Both Smith and Ward were struck.

The gunfire broke out as members of the small Jewish community were gathered inside the shul on the opening night of Yom Kippur.

Norman Weddum, president of Sons of Jacob Synagogue, said Smith had been positioned outside the shul in an unmarked police vehicle as a security measure. Weddum recalled suddenly hearing the barrage of gunfire while the congregation was inside.

“It was boom, boom, boom,” Weddum said. “So that’s when we ran back into the auditorium of the synagogue, closed the doors behind us so as to not leave a visible target and we hit the floor.”

Approximately 25 people were reportedly inside at the time. The congregation subsequently canceled its remaining Yom Kippur services following the shooting.

Weddum said he believes the location and circumstances of the attack point to an antisemitic motive.

“When an individual with a firearm approaches a synagogue where Jews are praying, I would call that a hate crime,” he said.

Authorities, however, have not yet established a motive or officially determined that the shul or Jewish community was deliberately targeted. Investigators are examining the possibility of a hate-related motive, but the investigation remained ongoing Monday.

Belleville Police Deputy Chief Sheri Meeks sought to reassure the community that there was no continuing threat while strongly condemning antisemitism and violence.

“We recognize the concern and uncertainty many may be feeling, particularly given that this occurred near the Sons of Jacob Synagogue during one of the holiest days in the Jewish faith,” Meeks said. “Let me be very clear: antisemitism, hate, and violence have no place in our community. Every person deserves to feel safe when attending a place of worship, gathering with loved ones, or participating in community life.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the shooting and emphasized the right of Canadian Jews to practice their religion without fear.

“Jewish people must be able to worship safely. To live free, open, proud Jewish lives. Canada’s government will do everything in our power to support law enforcement in ensuring that the perpetrator is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Carney said.

Carney’s comments came amid heightened concern over antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish institutions in Canada. Police departments in other communities increased their presence around shuls and other houses of worship following the Belleville shooting.

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre also condemned the attack.

“This vile antisemitic violence in Canada must end, and this Liberal government must act now to protect our people,” Poilievre said.

“Jewish Canadians must once again be able to live in their communities and pray in their places of worship without fear of being shot at or attacked,” he added.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was “disgusted” by the violence and expressed solidarity with Jews in Belleville and across the province.

“My thoughts are with the Jewish community in Belleville and across Ontario, who have every right to gather and worship safely and without fear,” Ford said.

“We owe an immense debt of gratitude to this brave officer and to all the first responders who acted so quickly to keep the community safe,” he added.

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit has assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators to the case. The SIU automatically investigates incidents involving police in Ontario that result in serious injury or death. Investigators have appealed to anyone who witnessed the shooting or possesses video or photographs of the incident to come forward.

Police maintained an increased presence around houses of worship in Belleville on Monday as investigators continued processing the scene around Sons of Jacob Synagogue. Authorities said there was no known ongoing danger to the public.

More than 70 yeshiva bochurim and yungeleit are spending Yom Kippur inside Israel’s Prison 10 military detention facility after refusing to enlist in the IDF, according to an organization assisting those imprisoned over the ongoing military draft controversy.

The Notnim Gav organization published a special notice ahead of Yom Kippur containing the Hebrew names of the detainees together with their mothers’ names, allowing members of the public to mention each of them individually in their prayers on Yom Kippur.

The notice was issued under a heading meaning “The Cry of Your Prisoners” and stated that more than 70 bochurim and yungeleit would remain behind bars throughout the holiest day of the Jewish year.

According to the organization, those listed were imprisoned after declining to enlist in the IDF in accordance with instructions from leading Torah authorities.

The publication of the names was intended to encourage Jews around the world to remember the detainees during their Yom Kippur prayers, asking that they be released quickly and emerge “from darkness to light.”

The public was also asked to pray that the prisoners remain strong during their incarceration, continue their dedication to Torah study and resist efforts to persuade them to change their position.

“Dear brothers, please pour out your prayers on their behalf for their speedy release, that they remain steadfast with all their strength against the enticements of the authorities, that the evil decree be annulled, and that they be sealed for a good year,” the notice stated.

The appeal concluded with an emphatic declaration opposing the enlistment of even a single bochur: “No! Not even one!”

{Matzav.com}