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Colombian authorities detained members of a remnant Lev Tahor radical group this week and removed 17 minors from their custody, according to local reports. Officials say the families involved were attempting to re-form the cult after its collapse in recent months — but were discovered and stopped by law enforcement.

The operation took place in Yarumal, Antioquia, and was led by Colombia’s immigration authority. Local media said the raid included military support after officials received reports of foreign minors present in the area under “possible risk conditions.”

In total, authorities located 26 foreign nationals connected to Lev Tahor — nine adults and seventeen children. Five of the minors had active Interpol yellow notices, meaning they were flagged as being at risk for human trafficking, kidnapping, or exploitation. Immigration officials said those five children held Canadian, American, and Guatemalan citizenship.

The group had reportedly traveled into Colombia on October 22 and 23 from New York. Their attempt to establish a new communal enclave followed the recent dismantling of Lev Tahor operations in Guatemala, where most families had dispersed to the United States, Canada, and Israel.

Officials say about seven families were involved in the new effort to rebuild the cult. Representatives from the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) participated in the intervention, and the group has since been transferred to an immigration services center. Authorities have not yet determined whether they will be deported to the United States or Guatemala.

Despite being incarcerated in New York on a long prison term for multiple crimes, cult leader Nachman Helbrans — son of the group’s late founder — is believed to still be directing its remaining members from behind bars, attempting to revive the organization.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick: The president wants the American people to understand how great tariffs are for them.

A severe and deeply troubling security breach occurred at Ben Gurion Airport over the weekend, when a man wanted for police questioning managed to flee the country by impersonating his twin brother — all while officers from the Population and Immigration Authority were actively pursuing him.

According to an i24NEWS report by Lee Ayash, the suspect, in his 40s, successfully passed through border control and even the biometric verification system using his brother’s passport. Despite using a document that was not his, he was not flagged at any checkpoint and boarded a flight to Bulgaria, where he is currently located.

The suspect is wanted on allegations that he assaulted his wife.

Meanwhile, the twin brother who remained in Israel was detained. He initially told police he had no knowledge of the escape plan, but investigators say evidence they uncovered indicates otherwise. His arrest has been extended. The Population and Immigration Authority stated that the incident will undergo a thorough internal review.

This alarming breach is not the only major security failure at Ben Gurion Airport in recent months. Approximately two months ago, a 13-year-old boy managed to infiltrate an El Al aircraft without passing security screening, passport control, or supervised boarding procedures. The boy was only discovered by flight attendants moments before takeoff, preventing what officials described as a potentially catastrophic situation.

Initial questioning in that case revealed that the teenager entered the airport’s secure area by tailgating another passenger. His infiltration triggered serious concern among airport authorities and the airline. He was immediately transferred to security forces and police for further investigation, while El Al and the Israel Airports Authority launched an urgent inquiry into the incident.

{Matzav.com}

One day before Hamas unleashed its devastating assault on October 7, a highly unusual intelligence alert quietly arrived at the Yarkon base of Unit 8200, according to a new report. Channel 12 News reports that the message referenced the activation of a significant weapons-related system in the northern Gaza region—an activity that, under normal conditions, should have set off loud alarms across the broader operational arena.

Security personnel had tracked Hamas members clearing out storage structures and maneuvering in a way that did not match their standard patterns. Such behavior typically demands immediate dissemination of warnings through direct communication. Instead, the information was sent solely through email, bypassing the urgent channels routinely used for time-sensitive threats.

Because this message landed just hours before the onset of Simchas Torah, no one in the Gaza Division logged into the system to read it. As a result, the warning effectively vanished into an unopened inbox, leaving the field unaware of the potentially explosive shift taking place on the other side of the border.

The alert had come in late Friday afternoon into the night. As Shabbos progressed, more unusual movements appeared in the region, but without that initial warning, the emerging pattern failed to register as an imminent danger. The dots were never connected.

Earlier in the week—from Tuesday through Thursday—intelligence officers had collected other pieces of information related to Hamas’ weapons deployments. These findings were assessed as routine at the time, insufficient to push the sector into a higher level of readiness, yet in hindsight, they formed part of a chain pointing toward escalation.

Lt. Col. A., the intelligence officer for the Gaza Division who was later relieved of his post by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, did receive the alert but judged the developments as nothing more than a Hamas “show of force.” The evaluation was never brought to the situational briefing, leaving senior commanders unaware that anything had changed on the ground.

Responding to the revelations, the IDF stated: “The IDF has conducted and presented a wide range of in-depth investigations into the events of the morning of October 7 and the night preceding it. The findings were presented to the families, the injured, relevant decision-makers, the media, and the public. The investigations included lessons and insights, and the IDF in general – and Unit 8200 in particular – are working to implement them.”

{Matzav.com}

Myanmar’s military government has begun broadcasting extensive video on state television of its crackdown on online scam centers, showing buildings being bulldozed and over 1,000 foreigners detained. Myanmar is notorious for hosting cyberscam operations that target people all over the world. They usually involve gaining a person’s confidence with romantic ploys and luring them into […]

Lebanese media report Israeli drones flying over Beirut’s southern suburbs during the funeral of Hezbollah military leader Haytham Ali Tabatabai.

A short time ago, a bus lost control and crashed into a wall on Bialik Street in Holon. MDA EMTs and paramedics treated roughly 10 people who were lightly injured.

A volcano in Ethiopia’s northeastern region erupted, sending thick plumes of smoke up to 14 kilometres (nine miles) into the sky.

Al Jazeera reported on Monday that the remains of an Israeli hostage were recovered in the northern area of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. According to the report, the body had been held by the Islamic Jihad terror group. The Hamas or Islamic Jihad terror groups have not issued any official announcements […]

Two men who missed their Wizz Air flight to Bucharest on Friday smashed an emergency switch, broke through a secure door, and ran onto the tarmac at Cologne/Bonn Airport, prompting police to file trespassing charges and investigate a possible Air Security Act violation.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced on Monday morning that he has ordered a new review of the conclusion of the external Turgeman Committee on the IDF’s failures on October 7. His statement followed the disciplinary steps against IDF commanders found responsible for the October 7 failures announced by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir on […]

it is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yisroel Eliezer Hager zt”l, Av Beis Din of Seret Vizhnitz in Yerushalayim, who was niftar at the age of 74.

Rav Hager was born in Haifa to his father, Rav Moshe Hager, Rosh Yeshivas Seret Vizhnitz and mechaber of Birchas Moshe, and his mother, Rebbetzin Alte Perl, daughter of Rav Chaim Menachem Dovid Horowitz, the last Rebbe of the Dzhikov dynasty.

As a child he was raised under the illuminating presence of his saintly grandfather, the Mekor Baruch, who showered him with love and warmth and formed the foundation of his avodas Hashem. At his bar mitzvah, his uncle, the Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz, placed tefillin on him for the first time while in Tzfas.

Rav Yisroel Eliezer later married his rebbetzin, shetichyeh, the daughter of Rav Shmuel Shmelke Rubin, the Solitza Rebbe in the United States.

After living for a time in Haifa, he eventually settled in Yerushalayim, where he established the Seret Vizhnitz beis medrash on Grossberg Street. There he delivered shiurim, uplifted mispalleli, and published sefarim drawn from the Torah of his holy forebears.

Despite his illustrious yichus—his brother and cousins all serving as Rebbes—Rav Yisroel Eliezer consistently declined any form of leadership or public position. Even as prominent Rebbes became his mechutanim, he continued to avoid the spotlight, choosing instead to live with sincerity, tznius, and quietness.

In recent years, despite enduring harsh yissurim, he accepted everything with love and unwavering emunah. On Rosh Hashanah, as in previous years, he stayed by the Vizhnitz Rebbe, his mechutan and shvogger, where he was accorded great kavod and honored with aliyos and other kibbudim.

Only two weeks ago, on Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Vayeira, he was still zocheh to participate in the tenaim of his grandson, the son of Rav Menachem Mendel Hager.

In the last days, his condition suddenly deteriorated. After being hospitalized in critical condition, surrounded by his family, he was niftar as they stood at his side.

Rav Yisroel Eliezer leaves behind a distinguished dor of bnei Torah. His rebbetzin survives him, as does his only brother, the Shatz Vizhnitz Rebbe. His sons are Rav Menachem Mendel, a son-in-law of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe; Rav Baruch, a son-in-law of the Kretchnifer Rebbe; Rav Yaakov, a son-in-law of the Pittsburgh Rebbe zt”l and the mashgiach ruchani of Yeshivas Vizhnitz in Ashdod; and Rav Meir Emanuel, Rav of the Ratzfert kehillah in Beit Shemesh. His sons-in-law include Rav Yehuda Aryeh Halberstam, son of the Gorlitzer Rebbe; Rav Yisroel Tzvi Lemberger, son of the Makover Rav of Ashdod; and Rav Yechiel Yehoshua Rabinowitz, son of the Biala-Yashri Lev Rebbe. He is also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The levayah will take place today at 4 PM from the Seret Vizhnitz Beis Medrash in Yerushalayim, proceed to the main Seret Vizhnitz beis medrash in Ramat Vizhnitz, Haifa, and from there continue to the ancient beis hachaim in Tzefas for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

A major public outcry erupted in Yerushalayim after shocking internal documents were found on municipal servers, containing degrading and racist descriptions of students attending frum girls’ high schools in the city. The Movement for Quality Government sent a sharply worded letter on Thursday to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, demanding immediate disciplinary action against Chaya Mashaan, […]

A new survey shows that 27% of Israelis are considering emigrating, even though most of them believe mass emigration would endanger the state’s future. The findings come after 18 months of war on multiple fronts and at a time when Israel is still recovering from conflict with Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah. The study, released Sunday […]

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived in the Bedouin town of Lakiya overnight together with a massive police force, as part of an intensified campaign aimed at restoring governance and cracking down on crime across the Negev. Hundreds of Southern District officers, special units, and dozens of patrol vehicles took part in the operation, launched under the government’s “New Order” initiative.

Ben Gvir reached the area between Sunday night and Monday morning to oversee the activity firsthand and to meet with the forces deployed on the ground. He was accompanied by Southern District commander Maj.-Gen. Chaim Bublil, Deputy Police Commissioner Maj.-Gen. Avshi Peled, and additional senior commanders involved in the effort.

As the convoy entered Lakiya, tensions flared when MK Walid Al-Hawashla and the head of the Lakiya Regional Council attempted to create a confrontation. Ben Gvir responded sharply, telling them, “Governance is returning — and we are the ones in charge here.”

Throughout the tour, small-scale clashes broke out in several areas, but police continued the operation as planned. The sweep is part of a broader push to reestablish law and order in Negev communities, an issue the minister has repeatedly placed at the top of his agenda.

Ben Gvir said during the visit, “We will not back down. We are doing what hasn’t been done for 30 years. Those who behave properly — we will be good to them, and those who don’t — will be dealt with harshly. I understand that some residents find this difficult — they’ll have to overcome it. We came to remind everyone who is the boss in the State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

A man driving a stolen car struck 11 people in Tokyo on Monday, killing one and seriously injuring a woman, Japanese media reported. The driver was arrested after fleeing. Police didn’t immediately comment. Kyodo News reported that a seriously injured man in his 80s was confirmed dead. A woman in her 20s was seriously injured […]

The targeted killing of Hezbollah’s military chief, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, on Sunday surprised not only the terror organization but also officials in Washington, who were not told in advance whom Israel planned to strike, when it would happen, or where the operation would take place. According to a Channel 12 News report, the Trump administration learned the key details only after the mission had already concluded.

U.S. officials had received earlier indications from Israel that the northern front was sliding toward a security escalation due to delays in Hezbollah’s disarmament. Still, while they understood the direction Israel was heading, they had no knowledge of how that would translate into specific military action.

Even so, the lack of advance warning did not dampen Washington’s approval. Senior figures in the Trump administration — described as the most supportive Israel has ever had — openly welcomed the outcome of the strike. One top American official said, “We are pleased with the elimination of Hezbollah’s number two. We think it’s an excellent development. Congratulations. Mabrouk. Mazel tov.”

Officials also noted that in conversations held after the strike between U.S. representatives and the Lebanese government, Beirut did not voice sharp objections and did not ask Washington to pressure Israel in response.

{Matzav.com}

A special peter chamor ceremony drew thousands of participants on Motzaei Shabbos in the Givat HaAntenna community of Bayit Vegan, with leading rabbonim, dayanim, and roshei yeshiva joining the event.

The ceremony, held under the leadership of Rav Shimon Zafrani and Rav Avraham Dayan, was sponsored by Reb Yitzchak Kafif of Brazil. The gathering attracted prominent Torah figures from across Eretz Yisroel and abroad.

Among those in attendance were Rav David Attiya, member of the Bais Din Hagadol and son of Chacham Ezra Attiya zt”l; Rav Nissim Harari of Yeshivas Chida; Rav David Berdugo of the Bais Din Hagadol; Dayan Rav Yisroel Zar; Rav Moshe Vaknin of Orchos Meir; Rav Shalom Pinhasi of Darkei David; Rav Yosef Ades of Maalos Yosef; Rav Avraham Nochum Vig of Torah Ohr; Rav Asher Wiener, mara d’asra of Kiryat Yovel; as well as Rav Eli Mansour, rav in the Syrian community in NY, and Rav Chaim Dishi of Brazil.

The evening opened with remarks from Rav Yosef Shushan, Av Beis Din of Mishpetei HaTorah, who spoke about the significance of the mitzvah. Rav Avraham Dayan then addressed the crowd, elaborating on the halachic foundations and principles of acquisition related to the ceremony.

Rav Zafrani led Kabbalas Ol Malchus Shamayim, with the massive crowd responding.

The actual pidyon was then performed by the kohen, Rav Yitzchak Cohen, mara d’asra of the Shmuel HaNavi neighborhood and rosh yeshiva of Torah Vodaas. Before the main ceremony, a special Avos U’Banim learning session took place in the community’s beis medrash, drawing hundreds of fathers and children.

Rav Yosef Niyazoff served as the evening’s master of ceremonies.

Photographer Yaakov Cohen captured the scenes from this uplifting gathering:

European officials said Monday they were comforted by the outcome of discussions on U.S. peace proposals for Ukraine that they had viewed as tilted in Russia’s favor, but they didn’t disclose details of the weekend talks and warned of a long road to peace in Ukraine. “The negotiations were a step forward, but there are still major […]