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In a move aimed at encouraging additional shidduchim for older bochurim, the Satmar community in Williamsburg has announced a temporary 50 percent increase in the financial incentive awarded to successful shadchanim.

Under the new initiative, anyone who successfully arranges a shidduch for an older bochur will receive a $7,500 bonus, up from the longstanding $5,000 payment. The enhanced incentive will remain in effect through Sukkos, after which the reward will return to its regular amount of $5,000.

The announcement was made during a special trip to Kerestir, where a group of bochurim traveled under the leadership of Rav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum, the Sigheter Rav of Boro Park and a son of the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum. The initiative was shared with participants during the visit as part of the community’s ongoing efforts to strengthen and encourage shidduchim.

The incentive is being funded by noted Satmar philanthropist R’ Lipa Friedman, who also sponsors the community’s year-round shadchan bonus program. By temporarily increasing the award during this period, community leaders hope to inspire even greater efforts on behalf of older bochurim who are still awaiting their zivug.

The expanded incentive reflects the continued emphasis placed within the Satmar community on assisting older singles and recognizing the tireless work of shadchanim, whose efforts often require countless hours of dedication behind the scenes. Community members expressed hope that the increased reward will lead to many more simchos in the weeks leading up to Sukkos.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. military has reportedly depleted nearly all of its inventory of long-range precision surface-to-surface missiles during the five-month conflict with Iran, raising concerns inside the Trump administration about America’s ability to respond to future military crises involving adversaries such as China or Russia.

According to three people familiar with internal military data, the Army has used “virtually all” of its stockpile of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and the newer Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). The extent of the depletion has not previously been reported.

Both weapons are among the Army’s most important long-range precision munitions, allowing forces to strike distant targets with high accuracy while remaining outside the range of enemy defenses. Each missile costs more than $1 million. ATACMS has also been widely used by Ukraine against Russian targets, while the newer PrSM is gradually replacing the older missile because of its greater range and more advanced capabilities.

The sharp reduction in these weapons could leave President Donald Trump with fewer long-range strike options if the United States launches another major offensive against Iran, potentially increasing reliance on manned aircraft and bombing missions that carry greater risks for American pilots.

The sources declined to disclose exactly how many ATACMS or PrSM missiles remain in the U.S. arsenal.

President Trump launched the military campaign against Iran alongside Israel in February, initially predicting the conflict would be brief. However, as fighting has stretched into its fifth month, officials familiar with the matter have reportedly become increasingly concerned that dwindling missile inventories could weaken America’s deterrence against other global rivals.

A fourth source familiar with the situation said U.S. Central Command had nearly exhausted the land-based missile inventory it possessed at the start of the conflict but has replenished supplies by drawing weapons from stockpiles stationed elsewhere around the world.

All four sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the classified information publicly.

Asked about the reported stockpile levels, the White House released a statement from President Trump dismissing concerns over America’s military readiness.

The president said the United States possesses “far more munitions than anyone in the world” and “far more than we need.”

“Our defense companies are, at this moment, making more munitions than they have ever made before, in addition to expanding their plants and equipment at record levels,” Trump said.

Defense analysts generally agree that U.S. production of artillery shells and several classes of missiles has reached record levels. However, many caution that manufacturing may still be insufficient to sustain a lengthy, high-intensity conflict.

Lockheed Martin, which manufactures both ATACMS and PrSM missiles as well as the THAAD missile defense system, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Raytheon, which produces Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot missile interceptors, also declined to comment on reported inventory levels.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell rejected suggestions that the military’s readiness has been compromised.

“America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing. We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests.”

According to the report, internal figures detailing the missile inventories have circulated throughout the federal government over the past week, fueling discussions within the Trump administration about how long military operations against Iran can continue before the shrinking stockpiles begin affecting the nation’s ability to respond to emergencies elsewhere.

One source said the heavy use of ATACMS and PrSM missiles reflected a deliberate strategy by the Trump administration to reduce the risks associated with sending manned aircraft into heavily defended Iranian airspace.

Military experts note that these long-range precision weapons would also play a critical role in any future conflict involving an adversary with sophisticated air defenses, such as China. A March report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the missiles have already been used to strike targets inside Iran.

The CSIS report also noted that PrSM inventories were relatively limited even before the war because the missile is still entering service. However, the Army has placed substantial orders for additional missiles scheduled for delivery beginning in 2027, while ATACMS production is being phased out in favor of the newer system.

According to two sources, senior military officials have spent weeks warning President Trump that supplies of defensive weapons—including Patriot missile interceptors used against ballistic missiles—have also fallen significantly. Several media reports last week suggested Trump decided against launching another major attack on Iran after advisers raised concerns about the remaining stockpiles.

A U.S. official disputed that account, saying the president’s decision was instead influenced by pressure from Gulf nations.

The conflict has also renewed debate over President Trump’s authority to conduct sustained military operations against Iran without congressional approval. Congress has not received either a declaration of war or a formal authorization for the use of military force.

Last week, CSIS estimated that approximately 65% of America’s Patriot interceptor inventory had been used between February and July, while the nation’s stockpile of THAAD interceptors had declined by at least 38% since the conflict began. Both systems are designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles and are considered among the most advanced missile defense platforms in the U.S. arsenal.

Although Reuters was unable to independently review the classified inventory figures, two sources said the CSIS estimates closely matched internal government assessments.

One source also said the United States has expended just under half of its worldwide inventory of Tomahawk cruise missiles since the start of the war. The sea-launched weapon, fired from Navy destroyers, cruisers, and submarines, has long served as one of America’s primary options for striking heavily defended targets without placing pilots in danger.

As the Pentagon seeks to rebuild its inventories, Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX, has reached a tentative multi-year agreement with the Defense Department to significantly increase production of Tomahawk missiles alongside several other critical munitions.

[COMMUNICATED]

There’s a remarkable new initiative making waves across the Jewish world.

The Power of a Million is an unprecedented initiative launched by Keren Tosafos Yom Tov to strengthen Kedushas HaTefillah throughout Klal Yisroel.

The goal is to inspire one million kabbalos, creating one million more focused, heartfelt tefillos. Yidden are committing not to speak during davening and taking on additional kabbalos that bring greater focus, respect, and meaning to every tefillah.

Every participant who accepts a kabbalah is also eligible for the largest prize ever offered in a campaign—a historic $1,000,000 prize toward their shul. The prize can be used for renovations, a new Sefer Torah, a mikvah, or other projects that enhance the beauty and kavod of the Makom HaTefillah.

Thousands of Yidden from every background and community have already joined this powerful movement and taken on Kabbalos to strengthen their tefillah.

Inspired by the powerful Mi Shebeirach of the Tosafos Yom Tov, which describes the extraordinary brachos promised to those who are careful not to speak during davening, this global initiative is bringing renewed respect to our batei medrash and elevating the power of tefillah throughout Klal Yisroel.

There is extraordinary power when Yidden unite in tefillah. Every individual kabbalah becomes part of something far greater, bringing together communities, shuls, and Yidden across the world through one shared commitment.

One million kabbalos means one million opportunities to strengthen our connection to Hashem and create an unprecedented collective zechus for all of Klal Yisroel.

A noted philanthropist funded the historic prize with one goal in mind: to help Yidden strengthen their tefillah and deepen their respect for the shul. At a time when so many are searching for zechusim and brachos, there is perhaps no greater zechus than honoring the Makom HaTefillah and protecting the sanctity of davening.

Be Part of Something Historic

Join thousands of fellow Yidden. Make a kabbalah not to speak during davening, strengthen your tefillah, and help bring Klal Yisroel closer to one million pure tefillos.

Visit KTYT.org and make your kabbalah today.

Likud MK Chanoch Milwidsky issued a stark warning to the Chareidi parties against abandoning their alliance with the right-wing bloc, arguing that a left-wing government would pose a far greater threat to the Torah world. In a wide-ranging interview with Kikar HaShabbat, he also defended the release of coalition funds during the Knesset recess, weighed in on the draft law controversy, blasted Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the opposition, and acknowledged that the coalition had failed to advance judicial reform during its current term.

Addressing Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana’s decision to convene the Finance Committee during the parliamentary recess to approve budget transfers, Milwidsky said the move was necessary to prevent essential funding from being delayed.

“We, together with the Knesset Speaker, are not prepared to allow funding needed for security, settlement projects, Chareidi education, and local authorities to be held up,” he said. “Only the opposition wants things to be bad in the State of Israel over the next three months because they think it will help them in the elections. We will not let that happen.”

Turning to the ongoing debate over military service for bnei yeshivah, Milwidsky rejected suggestions that the Chareidi parties have become a political burden for Likud.

“I don’t think anyone in Likud believes the Chareidim are a burden. The DNA of Likud is rooted in faith,” he said. “There is no disagreement, at least not with us, that someone who is learning Torah should continue learning. But someone who is not learning—why should he receive special treatment over anyone else? Especially today, when the army has created frameworks that allow a Chareidi young man to enter the military as a Chareidi and leave as a Chareidi, with enhanced kashrus, no women, and a lifestyle tailored to his needs.”

Asked why the IDF had not developed such programs before the October 7 attack, Milwidsky said the military’s priorities had changed dramatically.

“A Chareidi soldier in the Hashmonaim Brigade costs the army much more than a non-Chareidi soldier. Before the disaster, the IDF was dominated by the progressive concept of a ‘small and smart army.’ After the massacre, they realized Israel needs a large army. Commanders like Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa understand today that if you want more Chareidim to enlist, you have to show them they can return home as Chareidim and preserve their way of life.”

Milwidsky also launched a blistering attack on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and opposition leaders, accusing them of using the legal system to undermine the government.

“The attorney general turned 80,000 to 90,000 completely law-abiding people into criminals overnight,” he said. “This is a group fighting for its own political survival because it knows it is losing the demographic and ideological battle.”

He reserved particularly harsh criticism for opposition politicians.

“People like Yair Golan have turned hatred into a political ideology. These are very dangerous people with whom no partnership is possible. This entire group that proudly calls itself ‘The Democrats’ is planning the exact opposite of democracy.”

Milwidsky then added, “Even Ahmad Tibi and Ayman Odeh have more respect for Torah than these people.”

Responding to reports that some figures within United Torah Judaism, including representatives of the Gur chassidus, are exploring alternative political alliances, Milwidsky urged the Chareidi public not to believe that the left would protect the Torah world.

“All the talk that the left will allow Jews to sit and learn Torah is an illusion and a fantasy,” he said. “Their coalition partners will never permit it. MK Gilad Kariv talks about nationalizing Chinuch Atzmai, making arrests, and shutting down media outlets. The old mentality that says, ‘Give the ruler what he wants and we’ll manage with him,’ is a mistake. That ruler will come back and persecute you afterward. They will not leave you alone.”

He insisted that the Chareidim’s natural political partners remain the parties of the national and religious camp.

“We will never harm the Torah world. We will protect it to the best of our ability.”

Milwidsky concluded the interview by candidly admitting that the coalition had failed to achieve one of its central goals—judicial reform.

“We’re not really in control. The entire judicial reform effort didn’t work, and we failed,” he said. “The public now understands that the body sabotaging and blocking everything is the judicial system, which has no meaningful oversight or restraint.”

He ended with a warning to right-wing voters ahead of the next election.

“It’s clear to me, as a Likud member of Knesset who spends time with the public, that if we don’t make this change in the next term, we won’t be able to ask for the public’s trust—because they won’t give it to us. This is our last chance. It’s like soccer: if you had a good season, they’ll extend your contract. If you don’t produce results, they’ll fire you. That’s exactly what they’ll do to us if we don’t deliver results.”

In a major boost for Chareidi education, the Knesset Finance Committee on Tuesday approved sweeping budget transfers totaling nearly NIS 250 million, with the funds designated for a wide range of educational and family support programs. The package includes long-awaited salary parity for Chareidi kindergarten teachers, transportation funding for major school networks, after-school program subsidies, assistance for at-risk youth, and expanded teacher training initiatives.

The broad funding package is designed to strengthen the Chareidi educational system at every level while addressing longstanding disparities in funding for schools, educators, and student support services. Many of the approved measures have been the subject of extensive debate in the Knesset over recent legislative sessions.

One of the most significant provisions provides, for the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel, full recognition of seniority for all Chareidi kindergarten teachers. Under the new funding, their salaries will fully reflect their years of professional experience, bringing them into line with the pay scale of kindergarten teachers in the general public education system and ending a decades-long disparity.

The approved budget also includes substantial funding for student transportation in the Chinuch Atzmai and Bnei Yosef school networks. Transportation has long presented financial and logistical challenges for both parents and school administrators, and the additional funding is expected to ensure safe and reliable transportation for thousands of students.

Additional allocations were approved to subsidize after-school programs in Chareidi schools operating under the exempt and recognized-but-unofficial educational frameworks. The funding is intended to expand access to these programs while reducing the financial burden on families.

Another portion of the budget will strengthen social and educational services, including programs supporting at-risk youth and students who have left the traditional educational framework. Funding was also approved for Jewish cultural programming and for expanding teacher training programs in Chareidi seminaries to help prepare the next generation of educators.

The budget initiative was led by Finance Committee Chairman and Degel HaTorah leader MK Moshe Gafni, who has long championed increased government support for Chareidi education in negotiations with the Finance Ministry and other government agencies.

Commenting on the approval, Gafni said, “Even during these challenging times, when the world of Torah and education is facing significant challenges, it is our duty to continue caring for the children of Israel and for the Chareidi educational system. The budgets approved today are important news for kindergarten teachers, male and female educators, students, and educational institutions, and they will help correct longstanding inequities and close funding gaps that have existed for years.

“I thank everyone who helped advance this initiative. With Hashem’s help, we will continue working tirelessly on behalf of the world of Torah and education, and we will not rest until the Chareidi educational system receives the full rights and resources it deserves.”

{Matzav.com}

Two 17-year-old Jewish teenagers who were arrested in Greece after sheltering Israeli tourists fleeing an anti-Israel mob have been released and allowed to return home. However, despite their release, Greek authorities have ordered them to return to Greece in November as legal proceedings against them continue, according to a report by Mako.

The two teenagers, identified as Liam and Yonatan, were vacationing in the resort town of Malia about two weeks ago when violence erupted after a group of Israelis left a local nightclub and became involved in a confrontation with individuals who reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” at them. According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants chased the Israelis and followed them into their hotel.

As the chaos unfolded, Liam and Yonatan were awakened by Israeli tourists calling for help in the hallway. They opened the door to their hotel room and allowed the fleeing Israelis inside. The attackers then allegedly attempted to force their way into the room and threw objects at the door but were unable to break in. During the incident, cries of “They’re killing us, help us” could be heard, while a lone security guard was unable to bring the situation under control. Local police reportedly arrived only after a delay.

The following morning, the two teenagers were arrested after a hotel housekeeper discovered an axe inside their room. The teens maintain that one of the Israelis they had sheltered brought the axe into the room after taking it from the hotel corridor, intending to use it for self-defense if necessary.

Attorney Nir Yasselovich, who specializes in criminal and international law, later appealed to Israel’s Foreign Ministry to intervene in the case. He argued that continuing the prosecution of the two teenagers could embolden those responsible for the attack and encourage further violence against Israelis and Jews.

According to the attorney, the teenagers were questioned without a translator despite requesting Hebrew interpretation and were required to sign a document written entirely in Greek. In addition, Yonatan reportedly complained during questioning that he was feeling unwell and requested medical treatment, but said his request was ignored.

The teenagers were ultimately released after investigators found no fingerprints belonging to either of them on the axe, concluding that they had no direct or indirect connection to the weapon. Nevertheless, Greek authorities have instructed them to return to the country in November for the next stage of the legal proceedings.

{Matzav.com}

In a ruling expected to significantly reshape election-day campaigning in Israel, Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Solberg ruled Tuesday that party representatives and observers stationed at polling places may no longer report, in real time, which voters have already cast their ballots. The decision is expected to have the greatest impact on the Chareidi parties, which have long relied on such updates to identify supporters who have not yet voted and encourage them to head to the polls.

Justice Solberg ruled that transmitting information about whether a person has voted—as well as details surrounding the vote, such as the time it was cast or the type of polling station involved, including hospital polling stations or those designated for voters with limited mobility—constitutes a violation of personal privacy under Israel’s Privacy Protection Law.

He further determined that while party representatives are permitted to observe the voting process as part of their official duties, Israel’s election laws do not authorize them to relay that information to their political parties for campaign purposes. In the absence of explicit legal authorization, he ruled, such reporting is prohibited.

The decision came in response to a petition filed by attorney Shachar Ben Meir, which was supported by the Privacy Protection Clinic at Tel Aviv University. The petition argued that the widespread practice of party representatives using smartphone apps to instantly report which voters had already cast ballots enabled parties to identify those who had not yet voted and target them with election-day turnout efforts, violating both voters’ privacy and the principle of ballot secrecy.

As part of the proceedings, the Knesset factions were invited to present their positions. Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism argued that the longstanding practice did not violate the law, while the Religious Zionism Party joined Likud’s position. The remaining parties did not take a substantive position on the legal question.

In his written decision, Solberg emphasized that information regarding whether someone has voted is private information. He noted that party representatives gain access to that information solely because of their official role at polling stations and may not use it for unrelated political purposes, such as locating supporters who have yet to vote and mobilizing them to the polls. Doing so, he ruled, is inconsistent with the purpose for which the information is made available and therefore violates Israel’s privacy laws.

Justice Solberg stressed that his ruling reflects the current state of Israeli law and should not be viewed as an opinion on what the law ought to be in the future. He also called for a broader legislative review of the relationship between election law and privacy protections, particularly in light of rapid technological advances in recent years.

The ruling does not prevent political parties from using voter information they legally receive from the official voter registry to contact eligible voters. However, that registry does not contain information about whether a person has actually voted on Election Day, meaning parties will no longer be able to rely on live updates from polling stations to identify and contact supporters who have yet to cast their ballots.