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[Video and photos below.] Thousands of Chabad shluchim representing 111 countries and more than 6,000 communities around the world gathered outside 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights on Sunday morning for the traditional group photograph of the annual International Kinus Hashluchim.

The massive gathering brought together Chabad emissaries from across the globe, assembling in front of the world headquarters of Chabad-Lubavitch for one of the most recognizable moments of the annual convention.

The annual Kinus Hashluchim brings together Chabad emissaries for several days of gatherings, workshops, shiurim and programs devoted to strengthening their work on behalf of Jewish communities worldwide.

For many participants, the convention provides an opportunity to reconnect with fellow shluchim whom they rarely encounter during the year, as their responsibilities often keep them far from established Jewish population centers.

The group photograph has become an enduring symbol of the Kinus, bringing thousands of emissaries together at the same location before they return to their respective communities and continue their activities.

The 43rd International Kinus Hashluchim began Wednesday, November 4, and has featured sessions addressing the challenges facing Jewish communities, including rising antisemitism, security concerns, Jewish education and the responsibilities of shlichus in an increasingly uncertain world.

The conference is scheduled to conclude TODAY with a major banquet at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison, where nearly 7,000 shluchim, supporters and communal leaders are expected to gather. The program will include addresses, presentations and the traditional international roll call recognizing Chabad representatives serving throughout the world.

The annual group photograph, a Kinus tradition dating back to 1984, was taken Sunday by photographers documenting the gathering, including Shalom Ross of COLlive.

VIDEOS AND PHOTOS [COLLIVE.COM]:

Kamala Harris suffered a stunning setback in an early test of Democratic presidential preferences, receiving less than 1% support in a straw poll of progressive activists while Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff emerged as the overwhelming favorite for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination.

The survey, conducted during this weekend’s Crooked Con gathering, placed Ossoff far ahead of other potential Democratic candidates with 38% of the vote. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York finished second with 17%, followed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 14%.

Harris, who headed the Democratic presidential ticket in 2024 and had previously dominated numerous early surveys of potential 2028 candidates, received just 0.6% of the vote. She finished in 16th place, tied with Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, in a striking result that suggests considerable enthusiasm among some progressive activists for a new generation of Democratic leadership.

Approximately 1,000 votes were cast in the straw poll, which took place at a convention organized by Crooked Media, the progressive media company founded by veterans of the Obama administration. The event brought together Democratic activists, commentators and political figures to discuss the party’s direction following the 2026 midterm elections.

Although the survey was not conducted using scientific polling methods and does not represent Democratic voters nationally, its results offer a glimpse into the preferences of politically engaged progressives who could play an influential role in the next presidential primary.

Several prominent Democrats finished far behind the leading candidates. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro each received 4% support. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore each attracted 3%, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom received just 2.3%.

The results were particularly surprising because Harris had entered the midterm election season with substantial leads in many national Democratic primary polls. Newsom had also regularly appeared near the top of surveys measuring potential candidates for the party’s next presidential nomination.

Ossoff’s sudden emergence as the favorite among Crooked Con participants follows his decisive reelection victory in Georgia, where he defeated Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a race that had initially been considered one of the Democrats’ most vulnerable Senate contests.

His victory in a politically competitive state, combined with his reputation as an effective public speaker, has fueled speculation that he could become a serious contender for the White House in 2028.

There is, however, one major complication: Ossoff has explicitly ruled out seeking the presidency in the next election.

During a Senate debate last month, he was asked whether he would commit to serving the full six-year term if reelected.

“Yes, I will,” Ossoff replied. “I have zero interest in running for president. I’m running for Senate.”

Despite that declaration, his strong performance in Georgia has increased attention on his national political prospects, particularly among Democrats searching for candidates capable of winning competitive states.

The latest national polling, however, presents a substantially different picture from the convention results. In the RealClearPolitics average of potential 2028 Democratic primary candidates, Harris remains in first place with 21.8% support, followed by Newsom at 13.5%. Ossoff ranks fifth nationally with 10.8%.

The Georgia senator also differs from the Democratic Party’s progressive wing on several major policy questions. He has opposed Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and proposals to eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has also rejected efforts to expand the number of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Political analyst Nate Silver added to the growing attention surrounding Ossoff during an appearance at Crooked Con, describing him as his “slam dunk” leading choice for the 2028 Democratic nomination.

“He seems like the uniformly ‘compromise candidate’ between the progressive and the more centrist factions of the party,” Silver said. “And he seems very talented.”

Additional results released by Crooked Media showed that Ossoff also led the convention’s second-choice preferences, receiving 22.6% support, compared with 16.4% for Buttigieg and 13.5% for Ocasio-Cortez.

The convention’s 990 participants delivered a particularly sharp rejection of Harris, who received just six votes despite remaining the national polling leader.

This afternoon, nearly 7,000 Jewish leaders will gather for the New York area’s largest sit-down dinner. The closing gala of the International Conference of Shluchim reflects on the inspiring lessons of the past year, honors those on the front lines, and serves as a springboard for impactful global initiatives. Today, nearly 7,000 leaders will come together at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison for the closing gala of the international conference of Shluchim-Kinus. This year’s Kinus is the largest yet and the gala will be streamed live to viewers around the world. “Most of the conference is closed to the public, but this evening lets people see what inspires the shluchim,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of the conference of Shluchim. “We want everyone who watches to see themselves in that mission and become a shliach in their own right, the Rebbe’s call to be an ambassador of light wherever you are.” The banquet has become the annual centerpiece event for Jewish communities worldwide. It features personal stories, tributes and the iconic International Roll Call. This year’s program will focus on the mission of shlichus, or emissary service, today, with stories of loss, resilience, Jewish identity and continued commitment. It comes at a moment of heightened tensions and renewed Jewish engagement. One central segment will honor Rabbi Eli Schlanger OB”M, who was killed less than a year ago in a terror attack at the Chanukah celebration he led on Bondi Beach in Sydney. His son, Nosson Schlanger, and father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman of Sydney, will present “The Mission Lives On,” a tribute to him. Schlanger served as assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi for 18 years. On the first night of Chanukah last December, two gunmen opened fire on the celebration and killed him and 14 others. The evening will draw inspiration from his life’s mission and message of radical positivity and unapologetic Jewish pride. Rabbi Alex Kaller of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, will present “His Mission Lives On: From Moscow to Miami.” Kaller grew up in Moscow knowing little about Judaism. As a teenager, he lit a menorah there while the Rebbe watched by satellite. He will share what he learned decades later about that night. Gabriel Sonnino of Rome survived the Nazis after being rescued inside a building that today houses a Chabad House. He will tell his story in “A Flame Rekindled, a true embodiment of historic Jewish resilience. Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, will deliver the keynote address, “Across Israel. For Every Jew.” Leiter’s son Moshe Yedidya was killed in Gaza in 2023. Another son, Neria, was critically wounded in a terror attack in September. Leiter has asked people to pray for Neria Dov ben Chana. The event is where Chabad makes its annual resolutions, known as hachlatas. These commitments set the direction of Jewish life worldwide for the year ahead. Past galas have turned those resolutions into new institutions. In 2021, organizers pledged 360 new Jewish libraries and 120 new mikvahs. In 2022, the gala announced Zambia as the 110th country with a Chabad emissary and a $2.5 million overnight camping initiative. Last year, it announced a fund to send children to Jewish overnight camps. The gala closes a weekend of important meetings, forums and strategy talks in New York. The weekend also includes a moving visit to the Ohel and the iconic group photo. The evening will end with the International Roll Call, when representatives from around the world rise as their countries are named. From Paris and Sydney to countries where a single family sustains Jewish life, bringing to life the global Jewish community that is Chabad. WATCH LIVE:

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rebbetzin Brocha Spiegel a”h of Lakewood, wife of the Ostrove-Kalushiner Rebbe, Rav Moshe Spiegel zt”l. She was 95 years old.

A Holocaust survivor who endured the horrors of Europe and went on to build a beautiful family rooted in Torah and yiras Shomayim, Rebbetzin Spiegel represented a generation whose extraordinary resilience, unwavering emunah, and devotion to the mesorah helped preserve the traditions of prewar European Jewry on American shores.

For nearly two decades, Rebbetzin Spiegel resided in Lakewood’s Pine River Village, where she was known as the rebbetzin of the local Ostrove-Kalushiner shtiebel. Together with her husband, she helped sustain an atmosphere of Torah, tefillah, and chassidus, continuing the legacy of a distinguished rabbinic family whose roots extended back through generations of great tzaddikim.

Her husband, Rav Moshe Spiegel, previously served as the Ostrove-Kalushiner Rebbe in Long Beach, New York, following in the footsteps of his illustrious father, Rav Pinchus Eliyahu Spiegel, the Ostrove-Kalushiner Rebbe of the Bronx.

Rav Moshe was the eldest of seven children born to Rav Pinchus Eliyahu and his Rebbetzin, Basha, née Burstein. The family descended from a distinguished line of Torah and chassidus, tracing its heritage to the Chozeh of Lublin. Rav Moshe’s grandfather, Rav Naftali Aryeh Spiegel, was a son-in-law of Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Unger and a grandson of Rav Avrohom Elchonon Unger. He arrived in America during the late 1920s and was joined in the early 1930s by his three sons, Rav Moshe, Rav Elchonon Yochonon, and Rav Pinchus Eliyahu.

At a time when many Jewish immigrants were struggling to maintain their religious traditions amid the pressures of American society, the Spiegel family remained steadfastly committed to the mesorah they had inherited from their illustrious ancestors.

Rav Naftali Aryeh maintained a small shul on Faile Street in the Bronx and was renowned for his extraordinary detachment from worldly concerns. So completely was he immersed in Torah and avodas Hashem that he was said to have been unfamiliar even with the appearance of his own home.

On one occasion, his shammas dropped him off outside his residence, assuming that the Rebbe would simply walk inside. Instead, absorbed in thought, Rav Naftali Aryeh continued walking a short distance before realizing that he had lost his bearings. When the shammas returned approximately an hour later, he discovered the Rebbe standing nearby, uncertain which house was his.

That spirit of complete dedication to Torah was transmitted to the next generation.

Rav Pinchus Eliyahu Spiegel was known for his uncompromising adherence to every detail of halacha and minhag. Despite living in an environment where traditional standards were increasingly being abandoned, he refused to compromise on even the smallest chumrah. He was known never to have eaten meat in America. Together with his Rebbetzin, he raised his children with extraordinary care, ensuring that they attended outstanding yeshivos and received an upbringing steeped in authentic Torah values.

The family’s greatness was recognized by Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l, who maintained a close relationship with the Spiegels and held Rav Pinchus Eliyahu in exceptionally high regard. Rav Aharon would apply to him the words of the Gemara, “I have seen bnei aliyah and they are very few, and Rav Pinchus Eliyahu is one of them.” With a smile, Rav Aharon would add, “Ah Litvishe rebbe vos ken gut lernin,” describing him as a Litvishe Rebbe who knew how to learn.

The admiration was mutual.

On one occasion, Rav Pinchus Eliyahu accompanied another chassidishe rebbe to a shiur delivered by Rav Aharon at a gathering of the Agudas Harabbanim. During the presentation, Rav Aharon discussed a disagreement between the Vilna Gaon and the Rambam.

Afterward, the other Rebbe expressed surprise at the manner in which Rav Aharon had presented the disagreement, commenting sarcastically about the suggestion of a machlokes between the Gra and the Rambam.

Rav Pinchus Eliyahu immediately objected.

“Gedenkt! Dos iz Rav Aharon!” he declared. Remember, you are speaking about Rav Aharon!

It was within this remarkable atmosphere of reverence for Torah, uncompromising Yiddishkeit, and profound respect for gedolei Torah that Rav Moshe Spiegel was raised.

Throughout his life, Rav Moshe carried forward the ideals of his ancestors, distinguished by his pashtus, bitachon, emunah, and steadfast commitment to Torah and avodah.

His father eventually relocated from the Bronx to Long Beach, where he established the Ostrove-Kalushiner bais medrash. Following Rav Pinchus Eliyahu’s petirah, Rav Moshe assumed leadership of the bais medrash, continuing the family’s distinguished tradition.

In his later years, Rav Moshe moved to Lakewood, settling in Pine River Village, where he established the Ostrove-Kalushiner shtiebel in his home.

Throughout these years, Rebbetzin Spiegel stood alongside her husband, sharing in the responsibility of preserving the family’s cherished heritage and maintaining a home reflecting the values of the generations that preceded them.

For the residents of Pine River Village, Rebbetzin Spiegel was a familiar and beloved presence.

Rebbetzin Spiegel was predeceased by her husband, Rav Moshe, who was niftar at the age of 83.

She is survived by her children, Rav Naftoli Spiegel, Rav Shmuel Spiegel, Mrs. Wechsler, and Mrs. Frenkel, as well as grandchildren and further descendants who continue the family’s legacy.

The levayah was held today at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, followed by kevurah in Woodbridge, New Jersey.

Yehi zichrah baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance could face a far more competitive battle for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination than previously anticipated, as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas weigh potential campaigns following the GOP’s disappointing performance in last week’s midterm elections.

The Republican losses have prompted fresh questions about the party’s political direction and whether Vance, widely considered the leading contender to succeed President Donald Trump, can maintain his front-runner status. According to a report published Sunday by The Washington Post, several prominent Republicans are increasingly considering entering the race rather than allowing the vice president an uncontested path to the nomination.

DeSantis has stepped up his media appearances in recent days as he evaluates another presidential campaign, according to three individuals familiar with his preparations. Kemp is also weighing a run, while Cruz has reportedly discussed working with veteran Republican strategist Jeff Roe of Axiom Strategies if he decides to enter the contest.

Bob Vander Plaats, who heads the influential Iowa evangelical organization The Family Leader, suggested that the Republican Party’s electoral setbacks have created an opening for ambitious candidates who believe they can offer a more effective political message.

Vander Plaats said that for any Republican convinced he can articulate the party’s future direction, “this would be your time.”

Vance, meanwhile, has sought to explain the Republican defeats by pointing directly to the administration’s military campaign against Iran, a position that has exposed differences between the vice president and Trump.

“The reason we lost is the war,” Vance wrote Wednesday on X, referring to the ongoing conflict with Iran. He also argued that Republicans had lost support among voters who backed Trump previously but were increasingly concerned about everyday expenses and the rising cost of living.

Trump responded favorably to Vance’s assessment, describing the post as “good,” although the president continued to defend his administration’s military decisions.

The president also appeared unwilling to assume that Vance would necessarily seek the Republican nomination in 2028. Asked about his vice president’s political future, Trump told reporters, “Maybe he won’t run.”

Vance had previously indicated that he would make a decision about a presidential campaign after the midterm elections. Despite the renewed speculation surrounding possible challengers, he continues to lead early Republican primary polling.

DeSantis has been particularly outspoken about the election results, portraying the Republican setbacks across much of the country as a serious warning for the party while arguing that Florida has demonstrated a more successful approach to governing and winning elections.

The Florida governor, who challenged Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination, finished well behind him in the Iowa caucuses that year. Trump received approximately 51 percent of the vote, compared with 21 percent for DeSantis, who subsequently withdrew before the New Hampshire primary.

Although DeSantis is reportedly considering another campaign, an individual close to him said he has not yet assembled a presidential organization or begun meeting with potential financial supporters. In a social media statement Friday, DeSantis also denied having contacted anyone about launching a campaign.

Kemp would bring a different political background to the contest. The Georgia governor established his independence from Trump during their earlier political disagreements and defeated Trump-backed challenger David Perdue in the state’s 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary, capturing approximately 73 percent of the vote.

Cruz, who previously sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, is another potential contender with national campaign experience. His possible partnership with Roe, a veteran political consultant, suggests that he is at least examining what would be required to mount another serious campaign.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also attracted interest from Republican donors who would like to see him enter the race. Rubio, however, has indicated that he intends to support Vance if the vice president decides to run.

Other Republicans being discussed as possible 2028 candidates include Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and former Vice President Mike Pence. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.

The midterm results have already prompted unusually harsh assessments from prominent Republicans. Cruz characterized the party’s defeat as a “Watergate-level repudiation,” while DeSantis described the outcome as a “close to an extinction-level event” for Republicans in many parts of the country.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also suggested that the election had substantially weakened Vance’s presumed claim to the nomination. “The scale of the Republican defeat is so great that it makes the race for the GOP presidential nomination wide open,” Gingrich wrote.

The fallout has raised broader concerns among Republican strategists about whether the party can rebuild its coalition while addressing voter dissatisfaction over the Iran war, inflation and economic conditions. Those issues are expected to feature prominently in the early presidential campaign.

According to a Republican strategist working with one prospective candidate, serious contenders are likely to begin formally entering the presidential race between January and April 2027, setting up what could become a crowded contest for the Republican nomination.

A New York City education administrator is collecting nearly $200,000 annually in principal-level compensation despite the cancellation of the school he was appointed to lead, raising questions about taxpayer spending and personnel decisions within the city’s Department of Education.

Caleb Haraguchi-Combs, 33, receives an annual salary of $192,374 after being selected in January to oversee the development of Next Generation Technology High School, a proposed Manhattan institution specializing in artificial intelligence and computer technology. The school, however, never received final approval and was abandoned in April, according to a report published Sunday by the New York Post.

Haraguchi-Combs previously worked as an assistant principal at Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics in East Harlem, earning $141,960 annually. His appointment as project director for the proposed school came with a salary increase of approximately $50,000, placing him at the compensation level ordinarily reserved for school principals.

Under the city’s education system, administrators appointed to develop new schools typically assume the principal’s position once those institutions open. In this case, however, the school was canceled before it could welcome a single student, leaving Haraguchi-Combs with the higher salary but without a school to administer.

The proposed technology-focused high school was intended to open in Manhattan’s Financial District, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence and computer science. Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels withdrew the proposal in April amid opposition to its merit-based admissions requirements and concerns about the growing role of artificial intelligence in education.

Despite the cancellation, Haraguchi-Combs remained on the Department of Education payroll at his increased salary. An official at Manhattan Center confirmed that he no longer works at his previous school.

When approached by a New York Post reporter outside his Brooklyn apartment building and questioned about his current assignment, Haraguchi-Combs declined to identify where he was working.

“You came to my house? Outrageous,” he told the reporter.

The Department of Education defended his continued employment, saying Haraguchi-Combs is currently “developing new proposals and supporting in-progress proposals,” describing such responsibilities as customary for project directors whose proposed schools do not ultimately open.

But an individual familiar with the department’s internal procedures challenged that explanation, arguing that administrators whose schools are canceled should ordinarily return to their previous positions unless they have already secured tenure as principals.

“Unless a principal has tenure, they get bumped back to AP if their schools don’t open,” the source said. Officials “never should have named a principal before the school was approved.”

Because Haraguchi-Combs never actually served as principal of the proposed institution, he would not have had an opportunity to obtain tenure in that position.

The arrangement has angered education department insiders who question why the administrator was not reassigned to an existing school, particularly when numerous city schools continue to face staffing and leadership challenges.

“What was the plan? There’s a lot of schools that could use a principal, there’s opportunities to appoint principals since then, it’s a huge waste of resources,” the DOE source said.

The controversy surfaced publicly after a group of anonymous Manhattan high school principals submitted a letter to senior education officials in October calling for an investigation into Superintendent Gary Beidleman.

Their complaints included concerns about administrative disorganization, questionable hiring practices, failures to comply with class-size requirements and the continued employment arrangement involving Haraguchi-Combs.

Haraguchi-Combs also has a second career as a hip-hop performer, releasing music under the stage name Cal Combs. He has produced two rap albums and describes himself as “half hip-hop artist, half English teacher.”

His 2017 album, “Carmel,” takes its name from the Indiana community where he previously lived. One track describes a drug transaction that turns violent, with lyrics referring to a concealed firearm and an encounter involving gunfire.

“So now I got a nine hidden in my backpack/I took all the things I learned and put them on backtrack . . . They said that they would meet us at the spot at seven thirty/we packed a bag and arrived five minutes early.”

Another song, “Roundabouts,” contains references to cocaine use, drinking and emotional distress.

“One more bump on that key/one more drink and I’m free/one more shot to forget/ how much I hate me.”

The lyrics have attracted attention amid the controversy over his education department position, although there is no indication that the songs describe actual criminal conduct by Haraguchi-Combs.

Zilvinas Silenas, president of the Empire Center for Public Policy, a nonprofit organization that monitors government spending and accountability in New York, criticized the salary arrangement as an affront to taxpayers.

“This is a new level for New York, when you are getting paid nearly $200,000 for a job you’re not doing, most taxpayers have never even dreamed of making that kind of money,” Silenas said.

According to his professional profile, Haraguchi-Combs began working in education in 2015 as an English teacher in Tokyo. He later adopted his wife’s surname and eventually moved into school administration in New York City.

The Department of Education has not publicly identified a specific school to which Haraguchi-Combs has been assigned or announced whether his salary or responsibilities will be reconsidered following the complaints.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that another major American military offensive against Iran is increasingly unlikely, expressing confidence that ongoing negotiations could produce a nuclear agreement while warning that the United States retains the ability to deliver devastating additional strikes if diplomacy fails.

In a telephone interview with CNN, Trump indicated that the decision to resume large-scale military operations would depend on whether Tehran agrees to a sufficiently strong deal addressing its nuclear program. He suggested that Iran’s deteriorating economy and the damage already inflicted by American forces have placed the regime under enormous pressure to reach an agreement.

“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” Trump said. “The answer is highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary. They’re a failing nation. It just came out, you saw this year, 301% inflation. Highly unlikely it will be necessary.”

The president emphasized that Iran has been weakened both economically and militarily, arguing that Washington could inflict far greater damage if the regime refuses to negotiate acceptable terms.

“So it’s highly unlikely I’ll have to,” he continued. “They’re withering away financially. We’ve hit them militarily. We could finish them off.”

Trump’s comments represent a notably more optimistic assessment of the diplomatic situation than his earlier warnings about the possibility of renewed military action following last Tuesday’s midterm elections. Although the president had previously left open the prospect of another major offensive, he now appears increasingly hopeful that negotiations can achieve American objectives without a broader resumption of hostilities.

The administration has nevertheless maintained its maritime blockade against Iran, seeking to intensify economic pressure on Tehran while diplomatic discussions continue. The restrictions are intended to limit Iranian trade and further weaken the regime’s financial resources.

The continuing blockade has also contributed to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, where American and Iranian forces have reported additional incidents involving commercial vessels in recent days.

Qatar has been leading indirect discussions between Washington and Tehran, with mediators circulating proposals intended to establish confidence-building measures before broader negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. One framework under consideration would involve easing the American blockade and releasing some frozen Iranian funds in exchange for allowing international nuclear inspectors access to damaged facilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has demanded sanctions relief, access to frozen assets, compensation for wartime destruction and an end to regional hostilities. Washington has insisted that any agreement must address Tehran’s nuclear activities, including its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

The diplomatic developments follow limited American strikes against Iranian air-defense installations near Qeshm Island last week. Trump has maintained that the United States remains militarily prepared to respond if Iran threatens American forces or refuses an acceptable agreement.

The president’s comments also come as Democrats prepare to assume control of Congress in January following their midterm victories. Democratic lawmakers have indicated that they intend to pursue legislation limiting Trump’s authority to conduct additional military operations against Iran without congressional approval.

For now, the administration is continuing its combination of military deterrence, economic restrictions and diplomatic negotiations, with Trump making clear that he believes a negotiated agreement could eliminate the need for another major American attack.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog formally entrusted Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party and former IDF chief of staff, with forming Israel’s next government on Sunday, November 8, after 67 members of the newly elected Knesset recommended him for the premiership, giving him a significant advantage over Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The decision, announced during a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim, marks a major turning point in Israeli politics following the elections for the 26th Knesset. Although Netanyahu’s Likud emerged as the largest individual party, Herzog determined that Eisenkot had the strongest parliamentary backing and the best prospect of assembling a governing coalition.

Herzog explained that his decision followed consultations with representatives of every party elected to the Knesset, as required under Israel’s Basic Law: The Government. He described the meetings as candid discussions that reflected the country’s political divisions and the competing priorities of its citizens.

“Upon receiving the official results of the elections for the 26th Knesset, I set about fulfilling the task assigned to me by Section 7 of Basic Law: The Government, and held consultations with the representatives of all the factions elected to the Knesset,” Herzog began. “These conversations were conducted with openness, candor, and transparency, and they represented the essential nature of the democratic process.”

“They also brought to the surface the disputes, the painful points, and of course, the multitude of voices within Israeli society and politics. They were frank and pointed conversations, addressing the most important issues of this time. And they reminded us all that every citizen of Israel has an equal voice, from every side, every view, every way of life, and every faith. I once again thank all the faction representatives who took part in the consultations.”

The president then detailed the recommendations he received, highlighting the decisive numerical advantage enjoyed by Eisenkot.

He added, “As I noted at the conclusion of the consultations on Thursday evening, the representatives of factions totaling sixty-seven members elected to the 26th Knesset recommended Yashar Leader Gadi Eisenkot to receive the mandate, while the representatives of factions totaling forty-six members of Knesset recommended the Prime Minister and Likud Leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. The representatives of one faction of seven members of Knesset chose to refrain from recommending any candidate.”

The seven lawmakers who declined to endorse either candidate belong to United Torah Judaism, whose decision to remain uncommitted has placed the chareidi party in a potentially influential position as coalition negotiations begin.

Although Eisenkot received recommendations from a majority of Knesset members, those endorsements do not automatically guarantee that all 67 lawmakers will join his government. The incoming prime ministerial candidate must still negotiate coalition agreements and secure the parliamentary support necessary to establish a functioning government.

“In light of this, and following talks I have held with various figures in recent days, it is therefore evident that Mr. Eisenkot has received the clear and unequivocal support of a majority of Members of Knesset on the most central question: who has the better chance of forming the next government that will win the confidence of the Knesset.

“Therefore, by virtue of my authority under Basic Law: The Government, I have decided to task the Leader of the Yashar party, Lieutenant General (res.) Gadi Eisenkot, with forming a government.”

Herzog also addressed the fact that Netanyahu’s Likud received more seats than any other individual faction, emphasizing that Israeli constitutional practice does not require the president to select the leader of the largest party.

Herzog emphasized, “I am well aware that Likud is the largest faction in the incoming Knesset. I noted this during the consultations as well. However, both on the basis of the facts I have set out, and on the basis of clear precedents set by my predecessors, who in several cases tasked the leader of a party that was not the largest with forming the government, I have decided, as I said, to task Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government.”

The announcement sets the stage for difficult negotiations involving parties with sharply differing positions on military conscription, religion and state, and Israel’s security policies. One of the most sensitive questions concerns the future of yeshiva bochurim and whether Eisenkot can secure support from chareidi lawmakers while satisfying parties demanding expanded military enlistment.

United Torah Judaism has indicated that its decisions will be guided by the instructions of the Gedolei Yisroel and by guarantees concerning the status of yeshiva students, Shabbos, kashrus and other religious matters. Those conditions could complicate negotiations with secular parties in Eisenkot’s prospective coalition.

In his remarks, Herzog emphasized the enormous security, diplomatic and domestic challenges facing Israel, beginning with the continuing threat from Iran and the need to shape regional arrangements following the war.

“The challenges facing the State of Israel are immense. Some demand urgent and immediate attention. Iran does not pause for a moment in its schemes and threats. We must work to build a diplomatic horizon in the region and for the day after the war. We must move forward with the Board of Peace and President Trump’s twenty-point plan for Gaza, and with negotiations with Lebanon and our other neighbors.

“All this, of course, while waging a determined and resolute fight against terror and the empire of evil on every front. We must push back against sanctions and diplomatic threats, and also contend with a new political situation in the United States.

“We must make progress in resolving the question of military service and the needs of the IDF. We must try to define the boundaries of, and the relations between, the branches of government, and fortify our democracy. We must fight with all our strength against crime and the terrible violence, especially the violence consuming Arab society. We must protect and strengthen our economy. And we must focus on healing the wound of October 7th, which remains open in our flesh.

“All these immense challenges, and many more, stand before us. The State of Israel needs a stable government that can meet them over time. This is the time to reach out a hand, to do everything for the unity of our people, and to strive for the best and most stable government possible for the people of Israel, which yearns for it.”

Herzog then turned directly to Eisenkot, urging him to approach the negotiations with a commitment to representing the entire Israeli public, including citizens who opposed his candidacy.

“Yashar Leader Gadi Eisenkot, I expect you to do everything in your power to establish a government that will serve the entire people, those who supported it and those who did not, and that will be a responsible and decent address for all sectors, faiths, ways of life, and worldviews.”

The president also spoke personally about Eisenkot’s decades of military service and the devastating losses his family suffered during the war.

“And on a personal note: dear Gadi, I have known you for decades, since you completed your command of the Golani Brigade. You bring with you outstanding qualities of leadership. You have commanded soldiers from every part of the Israeli people and Israeli society. Your face bears the scars of bullets from decades of command and combat, from your days as a combat soldier to your service as the 21st Chief of the General Staff of the IDF. And your soul bears the most terrible scar of all: the heaviest price of all, paid by you and your family with the fall of your beloved son Gal and your two nephews in the war.”

“In the coming days, Gadi, as you and your counterparts enter the negotiating rooms, I ask that you remember that the eyes of the entire nation, with all its pain, hopes, prayers, and fears, are upon you. Please act with wisdom, sensitivity, and care. I hope with all my heart that any government that is formed will lead to togetherness, connection, and healing among all parts of our people, for our very lives depend on it. We have only one country. I will be ready to help at any time toward this goal.”

Herzog concluded the ceremony by formally presenting Eisenkot with the appointment letter.

“Gadi Eisenkot, I hereby task you with forming the government, and I am therefore honored to present you with the letter of appointment for forming a government in Israel. I wish you great success in your mission. Thank you very much.”

Under Israeli law, Eisenkot now has 28 days, until December 6, to establish a coalition. Herzog may grant an additional 14 days, extending the deadline to December 20. If Eisenkot fails, another Knesset member, potentially Netanyahu, could be given an opportunity to form a government.

In remarks following the ceremony, Eisenkot appealed to Likud and Religious Zionism lawmakers to consider joining a government under his leadership, provided they accepted his governing principles. His party has called for a broad national emergency government while maintaining that Eisenkot must serve as prime minister.

The political arithmetic remains complicated. Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats, Eisenkot’s Jewish-led opposition bloc has 48, and the two Arab parties control 19. Although the Arab parties recommended Eisenkot, several potential coalition partners oppose relying on their support.

United Torah Judaism’s seven seats could therefore become particularly important. Meanwhile, Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman has signaled a willingness to reconsider his longstanding opposition to joining a government with chareidi parties, potentially opening another avenue for negotiations.

Until a new coalition receives the Knesset’s confidence and takes office, Netanyahu will remain prime minister at the head of the outgoing government.

Fresh explosions in southern Iran and reports of multiple vessels being struck near the Strait of Hormuz have heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, even as Iranian officials suggested that last night’s blasts may have resulted from their own military operations rather than a new American offensive.

Iranian state television reported that authorities had not verified claims of missile attacks on Iranian territory following explosions heard in several southern locations, including Qeshm Island, a strategically important island in the Strait of Hormuz.

The developments came amid speculation about whether President Donald Trump would order another major round of strikes against Iran following last week’s U.S. midterm elections. Although Trump had previously suggested that additional military action was possible, there was no indication of a broad new American offensive. Tehran has warned that renewed attacks would trigger retaliation against American and Israeli targets.

The latest incidents instead appeared concentrated around the Strait of Hormuz and the neighboring Gulf of Oman, where the United States and Iran have continued targeting maritime traffic amid their wider military confrontation. The disruptions have severely affected the movement of oil, energy supplies and other essential commodities through one of the world’s most important shipping corridors.

Iranian state television suggested that the explosions heard last night could have been connected to Iranian military operations in the waterway. Iranian authorities reported that two vessels had struck mines, while a third ship had caught fire.

The United States separately announced that American aircraft had disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman, east of the Strait of Hormuz, after the ship allegedly attempted to evade the American blockade of Iranian maritime traffic.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that two missiles had struck Qeshm Island, although it provided no official information about casualties or damage. Neither Washington nor Tehran immediately confirmed that account.

The island had previously been targeted by American forces on November 2, when Washington described a limited defensive strike against Iranian surface-to-air missile positions that posed a threat to U.S. military assets.

The latest maritime incidents are part of a continuing struggle over control of regional shipping routes. Since the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran in February, Tehran has attempted to disrupt Gulf energy exports by attacking vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. American forces responded in April by imposing a blockade on maritime movements to and from Iranian ports.

Last night, the U.S. military said American aircraft fired on the rear section of a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman, leaving it disabled after it allegedly attempted to pass through the blockade.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, meanwhile, announced that two oil tankers had caught fire after striking mines while traveling through what it described as an “unauthorized route” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency subsequently reported that a third tanker had suffered an explosion and caught fire.

The competing accounts could not be independently verified, and the circumstances surrounding the incidents remained unclear.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitoring agency separately reported an incident involving a bulk carrier and military forces approximately 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, a port city in the United Arab Emirates.

The agency did not immediately establish the extent of the vessel’s damage, and it remained uncertain whether the incident was connected to the American military action reported in the Gulf of Oman.

The U.S. military provided additional details about the vessel it disabled, identifying it as a St. Kitts-flagged commercial ship. U.S. Central Command said the crew disregarded repeated instructions to stop and made several attempts to circumvent the blockade. “The ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times,” CENTCOM said.

The American blockade was initially imposed in April, temporarily suspended in June and reinstated in July. Washington has maintained that the restrictions are intended to limit Iran’s ability to sustain its military operations and conduct international trade through its ports.

The conflict has also intensified beyond Iran’s borders, particularly in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, where fighting involving the Iran-backed Houthi movement has expanded in recent weeks.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry reported that falling debris from an attempted attack had damaged an administrative building belonging to Saudi Aramco in Riyadh. Officials said there were no deaths or injuries, although the incident raised further concerns about the vulnerability of the kingdom’s energy infrastructure.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end remain underway. Qatar, which has been serving as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, rejected reports that negotiations had collapsed. Qatari officials said the country’s prime minister had confirmed that both sides were continuing to pursue a possible agreement.

An Iranian official disclosed Thursday that Tehran had delivered a new nuclear proposal to Washington through Qatari mediators. The United States was reviewing the proposal, according to the official, but Iran was insisting that seven conditions be satisfied before substantive negotiations could proceed.

Among Tehran’s demands are the removal of American sanctions, the release of Iranian assets frozen overseas and financial compensation for damage sustained during the war. Washington, however, has insisted that Iran’s nuclear program must be addressed at the outset of any negotiations.

Iranian national security official Mohsen Rezaei reinforced Tehran’s position last week, declaring, “As long as they do not execute our seven conditions, we will neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor have negotiations.”

President Trump, speaking Thursday about the possibility of additional military operations, said American forces remained “locked and loaded” and insisted that Iran would not be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons. Referring to Tehran’s proposed agreement, Trump said, “They’re not doing anything without our approval,” adding, “They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.”

In a separate development, the Pentagon announced plans for a new task force aimed at intercepting advanced weapons and other prohibited materials being transported into Iran through its land borders and across the Caspian Sea. The initiative is intended to broaden American economic and military pressure beyond the existing maritime blockade.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards dismissed the American initiative as “wordplay,” arguing that Tehran had already prepared for such measures and maintained close coordination with neighboring countries to protect its supply routes.

A new Israeli television report has revealed that associates of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman allegedly conducted months of discreet negotiations with senior chareidi figures during the election campaign, exploring the possibility of securing chareidi support for Lieberman to become prime minister even as his party publicly campaigned against military service exemptions for yeshiva bochurim.

According to Channel 13 political correspondent Yoeli Brim, the behind-the-scenes discussions took place while Yisrael Beiteinu was promoting its election slogan, “100% for those who serve, zero for draft dodgers,” raising questions about the extent to which Lieberman’s public campaign rhetoric reflected his private political calculations.

The reported contacts were conducted through a group of Lieberman associates that included Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion, Lieberman’s chareidi adviser Avi Abuchatzeira and several businessmen. The discussions reportedly focused primarily on senior figures within United Torah Judaism, although no binding political agreements were reached.

At the center of the negotiations was a possible arrangement under which the chareidi parties would support Lieberman’s candidacy for prime minister in exchange for immediate action to halt the arrests of yeshiva students and legislation addressing their military service status.

The proposed framework was reportedly based on a draft law Lieberman advanced in 2018, when he served as Israel’s defense minister. The discussions explored whether that earlier proposal could serve as the foundation for a new agreement acceptable to the chareidi leadership.

The revelations come at a particularly sensitive moment in Israeli politics, following last week’s elections, which left neither the Netanyahu bloc nor the emerging opposition alliance with a straightforward path to forming a government.

Lieberman publicly signaled a significant change in his position on Friday, announcing that he was prepared to consider compromises even on the contentious issue of chareidi military conscription.

“On all other issues, it is permissible and desirable to show flexibility and compromise,” Lieberman wrote. “That includes the draft law.”

His remarks immediately attracted attention within the chareidi political establishment, where Lieberman has long been viewed as one of the most outspoken opponents of arrangements allowing yeshiva students to continue learning rather than enlist in the military.

Chareidi political figures responding to the development suggested that Lieberman’s willingness to retreat from a position central to his political identity represented a substantial concession.

“Lieberman paid in cash. He burned himself on the very issue on which he built his identity in recent years. That cannot be ignored,” chareidi sources said.

The report suggests that the contacts were not merely exploratory conversations but part of a deliberate effort by Lieberman’s associates to position him as a potential prime minister with chareidi backing.

Channel 13 reported that the intermediaries reminded chareidi officials of Lieberman’s earlier political relationship with their parties, before years of bitter disputes over the draft issue and other religious matters turned him into one of their most prominent adversaries.

The possibility of cooperation has taken on new importance since the elections left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats, short of the 61 required to form a government.

According to the report, Netanyahu responded by personally contacting senior UTJ figures in an effort to prevent them from entering an agreement with Lieberman. His wife, Sara Netanyahu, was also reportedly involved in the telephone conversations, which continued until shortly before Shabbos.

UTJ has not established a formal negotiating team, and party officials emphasize that any proposed arrangement would require approval from the Gedolei Yisroel.

Some figures within UTJ believe that if the party ultimately agrees to support a government involving Lieberman, Shas could face considerable pressure to join as well, despite its current commitment to Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc.

There are, however, important obstacles to such an arrangement. President Isaac Herzog is preparing to give Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form a government, meaning that any plan to install Lieberman as prime minister would likely require additional negotiations and potentially a power-sharing arrangement.

Separate reporting by Channel 12 has indicated that Lieberman has already lifted his longstanding political veto against cooperating with the chareidi parties and authorized other members of the change bloc to negotiate with them. A possible rotation agreement involving Eisenkot and Lieberman has also been discussed.

The allegations concerning the secret negotiating channel have been disputed. Emess reported that Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion had strongly denied the claims when questioned earlier in the week. Yisrael Beiteinu also rejected Channel 13’s account, declaring that it was false and contained not a single word of truth. Channel 13 correspondent Yoeli Brim stood by his reporting.

Emess further reported that Lion and Abuchatzeira were both in New York at the time of publication, although there was no confirmation that their presence there was connected to coalition negotiations.

For now, the discussions remain informal, with no confirmed agreement between Lieberman’s representatives and the chareidi parties. The question of whether the reported contacts can develop into an actual coalition arrangement will depend heavily on the positions adopted by the Gedolei Yisroel and the outcome of Eisenkot’s efforts to form the next government.

{Matzav.com}

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe, who has been enduring a prolonged period of serious illness and painful medical treatments, has demonstrated extraordinary emunah and bitachon throughout his ordeal, according to a deeply moving account shared by his son, Rav Yaakov Mordechai Hager, Av Bais Din of the Vizhnitz communities in Elad.

Speaking during Ravah D’Ravin this past Shabbos, Parshas Chayei Sarah, at the Imrei Chaim bais medrash in Elad, Rav Yaakov Mordechai offered a rare glimpse into his father’s daily struggles, describing both the intense suffering he continues to experience and the remarkable serenity with which he accepts his circumstances.

The address, delivered before a gathering of young yungeleit, included several personal incidents illustrating the Rebbe’s unwavering trust in Hashem, including his refusal to accept an ancient amulet believed to possess special healing powers.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai related that shortly before Shabbos, he visited his father to receive his brachah. During their conversation, the Rebbe asked him to convey a message of chizuk to the yungeleit, drawing upon a teaching from the week’s parsha.

The Torah describes the years of Sarah Imeinu’s life with the words, “Vayihyu chayei Sarah me’ah shanah v’esrim shanah v’sheva shanim,” and Rashi explains, “Kulan shavin l’tovah,” meaning that all her years were equally good.

The Rebbe raised an obvious difficulty with this explanation. Sarah Imeinu experienced considerable suffering and hardship throughout her life. How, then, could Rashi describe every one of her years as equally good?

The answer, the Rebbe explained, lies in Sarah Imeinu’s complete acceptance of the will of Hashem. She lived with the absolute conviction that everything that occurs in this world is directed by the Ribbono Shel Olam and that “Kol d’avid Rachmana l’tav avid,” everything Hashem does is for the good.

Because she had internalized this belief so completely, even the painful experiences of her life were understood through the perspective of Divine goodness. It was this unwavering emunah that made all her years truly equal in goodness.

Expanding upon his father’s message, Rav Yaakov Mordechai discussed the central place of emunah and bitachon in the Rebbe’s teachings, explaining that the Avos Hakedoshim lived with complete submission to the will of Hashem and an abiding awareness that every occurrence is governed by hashgachah pratis.

He then described how those principles have become especially apparent during his father’s illness.

In recent days, the Rebbe’s sister, Rebbetzin Ernster, wife of Vizhnitz Rosh Yeshiva Rav Menachem Ernster, visited her brother. Upon seeing how physically weakened he had become, and noticing the visible effects of his medical treatments on his face and beard, she was overcome with emotion and began to cry.

The Rebbe, however, remained entirely composed.

Rather than express distress over his appearance, he gently reassured his sister that this was how Hashem wanted him to look at that moment. Since it was the will of Hashem, he explained, his outward appearance was of no consequence.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai also shared an account he had heard from one of the Rebbe’s personal attendants concerning a particularly painful medical procedure.

During the treatment, which reportedly caused the Rebbe excruciating pain, those present heard him quietly singing the words of the posuk in Tehillim, “Avarchah es Hashem b’chol eis, tamid tehilaso b’fi” — “I will bless Hashem at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Despite the intense physical suffering, the Rebbe continued singing with calmness and deveikus, seemingly absorbed in his connection to Hashem rather than the medical procedure taking place around him.

His son explained that even the smallest physical movement now causes the Rebbe considerable pain. When he appears before the chassidim in the bais medrash, greeting the assembled community with a warm smile, those watching cannot appreciate the enormous physical and emotional effort required simply to rise from his place, walk across the room and emerge before the public.

Another incident involved a distinguished individual from outside the Vizhnitz community who came to visit the Rebbe and presented him with an ancient kameia, an amulet that he said had been received from prominent mekubalim and was reputed to bring healing even in particularly difficult medical circumstances.

The Rebbe firmly declined to accept it.

Explaining his decision, the Rebbe said that he places his trust entirely in the salvation of Hashem and does not wish to depend upon any object or external means of spiritual protection. He was particularly concerned that if he recovered after accepting the amulet, people might mistakenly attribute his recovery to the kameia rather than recognize it as a yeshuah from Hashem.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai explained that this response reflected the central mission of his father’s life: strengthening emunah in the hearts of Yidden and teaching them to recognize the hand of Hashem in every circumstance.

Toward the conclusion of his address, Rav Yaakov Mordechai became emotional as he spoke about the severity of his father’s suffering.

He said that the Rebbe has been enduring serious physical difficulties for approximately two years, with his condition becoming especially challenging in recent times.

At the same time, he cautioned the public against accepting the many rumors circulating about the Rebbe’s medical condition, emphasizing that much of what is being repeated is inaccurate and without foundation.

While refraining from providing specific medical details, he stressed that his father remains in great need of rachamei Shomayim and urged the chassidim to intensify their tefillos on his behalf.

He expressed confidence in the power of the tefillos of Klal Yisroel to bring healing and salvation, calling upon the community to continue pleading with Hashem for the Rebbe’s complete recovery.

Rav Yaakov Mordechai concluded with a heartfelt appeal that Hashem restore his father’s strength, renew his vitality and grant him a refuah sheleimah u’meheirah, enabling him to continue inspiring Klal Yisroel with his teachings of emunah and bitachon for many years to come.

{Matzav.com}

Efforts to establish a new Israeli government headed by Gadi Eisenkot are facing a significant obstacle after Democrats Party chairman Yair Golan declared that any coalition agreement with the chareidi parties must include concessions on military conscription and religious issues, including permitting public transportation on Shabbos.

Golan’s demands, issued in a lengthy statement, come as Eisenkot explores the possibility of securing support from United Torah Judaism to form a government following last week’s elections. The chareidi party has indicated that it is willing to negotiate with any political bloc prepared to reach an acceptable agreement protecting the status of yeshiva bochurim, but has explicitly ruled out compromises affecting Shabbos, kashrus or conversion.

The conflicting positions threaten to complicate negotiations before they have produced any substantive agreement, raising questions about whether Eisenkot can assemble a coalition that includes both UTJ and Golan’s left-wing Democrats Party.

In his statement on X, Golan said that replacing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu remains his overriding political objective, but insisted that cooperation with chareidi parties cannot come at the expense of his party’s fundamental positions.

“Netanyahu’s government must be replaced, and a government of rescue and change must be established that will guarantee democratic Israel, its security and its future. We are committed to making every effort to make that happen,” Golan wrote.

He maintained that he was not seeking to punish the chareidi community, but argued that any political partnership would require concessions from both sides.

“We are not looking to punish the chareidim. We want a partnership with the chareidi community, but a genuine partnership requires mutual responsibility,” he said.

Golan then delivered a pointed message to UTJ and other chareidi representatives, making clear that he would not support an arrangement in which his party abandoned its positions simply to secure their participation.

“Unlike Netanyahu, we will not go all the way to Bnei Brak or Meah Shearim. Anyone who wants a partnership with us will have to meet us in Ramat Gan,” he declared.

The remarks appeared directed at the chareidi parties’ newly strengthened negotiating position, which has emerged following an election that left Eisenkot seeking additional political partners to establish a governing majority.

Golan, who has expressed willingness to cooperate with Arab parties in a governing coalition, indicated that his readiness to work with chareidi factions would depend on their acceptance of significant policy changes.

Central to his demands is the issue of military service for chareidi men, which has dominated Israeli political debate and coalition negotiations.

“Chareidim must be drafted,” Golan wrote. “We must expand integration into employment and ensure that every child in Israel receives the tools to earn a respectable living. The middle class cannot continue to bear the economic and security burden alone.”

Although Golan’s latest statement did not repeat his earlier insistence that everyone must enlist, it offered no indication that he would accept the broad protections for yeshiva students being sought by UTJ.

The most immediate point of conflict, however, concerns Shabbos.

Golan insisted that municipalities whose residents support a more secular public environment must be permitted to operate accordingly, including allowing public transportation on Shabbos.

“Just as we respect the chareidi way of life, we expect them to respect ours,” he wrote.

“In our municipalities, it must be possible to go out and enjoy ourselves on Shabbos, drink coffee, and, Heaven forbid, even get there by public transportation.”

The demand directly conflicts with the position outlined by a senior UTJ official, who said the party has received instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel to negotiate over the status of yeshiva students but will not accept changes to the religious status quo.

The official emphasized that an agreement on the draft issue would not justify concessions on Shabbos observance, the country’s kashrus arrangements or conversion standards.

Golan concluded his statement by warning that his willingness to participate in negotiations should not be interpreted as unconditional support for any coalition Eisenkot might assemble.

“We are extending a hand out of a genuine desire to establish a government of change. Under no circumstances are we giving a blank check. Anyone who wants to work with us will have to be prepared for changes,” he wrote.

The statement comes at a sensitive moment in Israel’s coalition negotiations. President Isaac Herzog is expected to formally assign Eisenkot the task of forming a government on Sunday after 67 Knesset members recommended him for prime minister.

UTJ, which declined to recommend either Eisenkot or Netanyahu, has emerged as a potentially decisive political player, with chairman MK Yaakov Asher signaling a willingness to consider cooperation beyond the party’s traditional alliance with Netanyahu.

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman has also indicated that he is prepared to discuss compromises on the draft issue, creating an opening for negotiations that would have been difficult to envision before the election.

However, Golan’s insistence on Shabbos transportation and chareidi military service highlights the substantial ideological differences separating Eisenkot’s prospective coalition partners.

Senior UTJ figures have already expressed doubts that a comprehensive agreement can be reached during Eisenkot’s initial mandate to form a government, and Golan’s latest demands appear likely to reinforce those concerns.

{Matzav.com}

In an extraordinary operation carried out on the streets of Manhattan, Bat Yam Mayor Tzvika Brot personally confronted a senior Iranian diplomat and served him with a 250 million shekel lawsuit, approximately $80 million, demanding compensation for the devastating destruction caused by Iranian ballistic missiles during Operation Rising Lion.

The encounter, which took place near United Nations headquarters in New York, marked the culmination of four months of secret preparations by Israeli legal experts, municipal officials and security personnel seeking to hold the Iranian regime financially accountable for its attacks on Israeli civilians.

The lawsuit, filed in the Yerushalayim District Court, seeks damages from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the destruction inflicted on Bat Yam during the military confrontation between Israel and Iran.

תיעוד של צביקה ברוט ראש עיריית בת ים נותן לדיפלומט האירני את כתב התביעה בניו יורק. "פגעתם באזרחים בכוונה"https://t.co/2IIbEkNLxC pic.twitter.com/pF8gs6FjFm

— إليشع بن كيمون. Elisha Ben Kimon. אלישע בן קימון (@elishabenkimon) November 8, 2026

According to details published Sunday by Yedioth Ahronoth, the operation involved surveillance of Iranian diplomats, intelligence gathering on their movements and careful planning to ensure that an official representative of the Iranian government would be confronted with the legal documents.

The operation, dubbed “Open Account,” was organized after Brot determined that his city should pursue financial compensation directly from the Iranian government.

Bat Yam suffered some of the worst destruction during the Iranian missile attacks. According to municipal figures, 160 buildings were damaged, including 22 structures that required immediate demolition. Nine residents were killed and another 178 were wounded, while thousands were displaced from their homes.

The municipality subsequently arranged alternative housing for displaced residents and began extensive reconstruction efforts. At the same time, Brot assembled a team of international legal experts to pursue the Iranian government through the courts.

The legal effort was led by Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, headed by attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, an organization known for pursuing legal action against terrorist organizations and their financial supporters.

Under Israeli legal procedures, the plaintiffs needed to establish that an official representative of the defendants had received the lawsuit or had been given an opportunity to review its contents.

That requirement presented a challenge because Iranian diplomats are generally inaccessible to Israeli officials, and the mayor could not simply enter Iran’s diplomatic premises in New York.

Instead, the team devised an elaborate plan to locate and approach a senior Iranian representative on neutral ground.

Investigators reportedly prepared identifying images of senior Iranian diplomats assigned to the United Nations, gathered information about their movements and mapped the routes they regularly traveled through Manhattan.

On Monday, Brot and members of his team positioned themselves inside an office building near United Nations headquarters, while observers monitored the surrounding streets.

When the target, identified as the first secretary of Iran’s mission to the United Nations, emerged from a nearby building, the team moved into position.

The Iranian diplomat stopped at a traffic light, where Brot approached him, introduced himself and attempted to present the lawsuit.

According to the account, the diplomat responded that he was a diplomatic official and was prohibited from engaging with the Israelis. He then attempted to avoid the group and continued walking.

Brot and his associates followed him through Manhattan for several minutes, reading aloud the contents of the lawsuit to ensure that the Iranian representative was made aware of the legal proceedings.

The documents had been prepared in Hebrew and translated into Persian.

Brot said the confrontation was intended to send an unmistakable message that Iran would be pursued for the damage it had inflicted on his city.

“Bat Yam has an open account with Iran, and that is why we called the operation by that name,” Brot said. “They sent us missiles, and we sent them a bill. Their representative could try to evade us on the streets of New York, but they will not evade responsibility for what they did to my city.”

The initiative reportedly received approval from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and was coordinated with the Foreign Ministry, National Security Council, Justice Ministry and security officials.

With the lawsuit now served, Iran has 60 days to respond to the proceedings. If the Iranian government fails to submit a defense, as Israeli officials expect, the municipality could seek a default judgment.

Even if the court rules in Bat Yam’s favor, however, collecting the money would present a separate legal and financial challenge.

Municipal officials believe they may have identified a potential source of compensation involving a longstanding financial dispute between Israel and Iran dating back to the reign of the Shah.

An international arbitration ruling determined that Israel owed Iran approximately $1.1 billion in connection with Iran’s former stake in the Eilat-Ashkelon oil pipeline.

Israel has refused to transfer the money to the Islamic Republic because of restrictions on financial dealings with an enemy state.

Bat Yam officials hope that if their lawsuit succeeds, they may be able to obtain a portion of those funds to compensate the city for the missile damage.

According to the report, Israeli legal authorities had previously opposed efforts to seize money connected to the pipeline dispute, but officials familiar with the matter indicated that the objections have now been withdrawn.

Darshan-Leitner, who is leading the legal effort, said the lawsuit represents an attempt to make Iran pay directly for its actions.

“It is time for the Iranians to pay for their actions,” she said. “We will continue fighting on behalf of victims of terrorism until we economically bring down the ayatollahs’ regime.”

The legal effort could face significant procedural and enforcement hurdles, including questions concerning sovereign immunity and the ability to collect on any judgment against Iran. No court has yet ruled on the merits of Bat Yam’s claim.

For Brot, however, the lawsuit represents an attempt to extend the battle over Iran’s missile attacks from the military arena into the courtroom, with the mayor insisting that the Iranian government should bear the financial consequences of the destruction it caused in Bat Yam.

{Matzav.com}

 

“Mommy, if I beat cancer once, why did it come back?” 

 

Chaim Rubin is only 7 years old.

 

A year ago, after more than a year of difficult treatments, his parents finally heard the words they had been praying for: Chaim had beaten cancer.

 

He went back to school, back to his friends, and back to simply being a child.

 

But at the beginning of Av, everything changed again.  

The seizures returned, and then came the devastating news:

 

The medulloblastoma was back.

 

Chaim has already started treatment to help control the disease, but to give him the chance he desperately needs, his family must now get him to the United States for advanced treatment.

 

The hospital requires a significant deposit upfront, and after already using their savings and everything they had available, the family simply cannot do this alone.

 

They need our help now.

 

Every donation can bring Chaim one step closer to the treatment he needs and another chance to fight.

 

 Please open your heart for Chaim ben Yael.

Donate today!

 

 

Israeli comedian and actor Guri Alfi has revealed that studying Gemara in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks became a source of profound personal strength, describing the experience as life-changing and encouraging other Jews to rediscover the spiritual richness of their heritage.

In an interview with journalist Rotem Izak published in Yediot Achronot, Alfi spoke about the unexpected connection he developed with Torah learning during the difficult period following the attacks and the impact it had on his emotional and spiritual well-being.

“I studied Talmud after October 7, and it saved me,” Alfi said.

The popular entertainer went further, urging Jews, including those who do not consider themselves religious, to explore the traditions and teachings that have shaped Jewish life for generations.

“I have nothing to say other than to recommend that everyone reclaim their Judaism, take this thing that is wonderful, enormous and rich, and embrace it as part of their lives, because it opened up all the chakras in the world for me,” he said.

Alfi’s remarks represent another chapter in a longstanding personal journey toward a deeper appreciation of Yiddishkeit, one that began years before the October 7 attacks.

Although widely identified with Israel’s secular entertainment industry, Alfi has previously spoken about his decision to stop working on Shabbos following the birth of his eldest daughter, Emma, in 2003.

In an earlier interview for the Israeli project “Shabbat for All Reasons,” he explained that becoming a father prompted him to reconsider how he wanted to spend the seventh day of the week.

“I chose for Shabbos to be something I do with my family,” he said.

“From the moment I became a father, I stopped working on Shabbos… from the moment Emma was born.”

The decision was not always understood by colleagues in the entertainment industry, where weekend performances and productions are often an important part of an entertainer’s professional schedule.

Alfi recalled being questioned about his willingness to turn down opportunities because of his commitment to keeping Shabbos free from work.

“I remember people saying, ‘Wait a minute, but what about the performances? What about this?’… They said to me, ‘Wait, but do you travel on Shabbos?'”

His response, he explained, was straightforward.

“Yes… I chose this.”

Alfi emphasized that his decision was not motivated by religious coercion or an attempt to impose observance on others. Rather, he viewed Shabbos as a deeply rooted Jewish institution that offered him something valuable for his personal and family life.

“I’m taking advantage of the fact that there is something within our Jewish DNA that says that on Shabbos I can do this,” he explained.

Over the years, that commitment sometimes required him to decline significant professional opportunities.

In a separate 2021 interview with Yediot Achronot, Alfi discussed his practice of making Kiddush every week and his decision to stop officiating at alternative wedding ceremonies.

He also described how spending a year living in the United States changed his relationship with Jewish tradition and made him increasingly aware of how much he did not know about his own heritage.

“The year I lived in the United States caused me to grow closer to my roots,” he said.

“That’s when I began to regret that I didn’t know Judaism the way American Jews know it. Why don’t I know what the weekly Torah portion is? Because in Israel, I feel that it’s religious coercion, and as a secular person, you’re constantly looking to make sure nobody touches your secular identity.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli authorities are moving to deport 14 foreign nationals arrested during disturbances in Yehuda and Shomron on Shabbos, after police investigators determined that the group allegedly entered the area to provoke confrontations and generate anti-Israel publicity abroad.

The suspects, who were detained along with three Palestinians near the village of Ras Karkar, were questioned by officers from the Shomron and Yehuda Police District. Following their interrogation, the foreign nationals were referred to Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority for hearings that could result in their removal from the country.

According to a police statement issued Sunday morning, November 8, the incident began when security forces received reports of a public disturbance in the area. IDF soldiers and Border Police officers responded and detained the 17 individuals on suspicion of involvement in the disturbance and violating lawful instructions issued by security personnel.

Officers from the Modiin Illit police station were subsequently called to the scene, and the suspects were transferred to the station for questioning.

Investigators from the district’s central investigative unit, working alongside its specialized foreign nationals desk, examined the circumstances surrounding the group’s activities and their reasons for being in the area.

Police said the investigation produced evidence suggesting that the foreign activists had deliberately traveled to the region to instigate confrontations, create disturbances and generate footage or other material that could be used in international campaigns portraying Israel negatively.

Authorities further alleged that several of those detained were affiliated with or supportive of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, commonly known as BDS, which advocates international economic, academic and cultural boycotts of Israel.

According to investigators, some of the suspects also expressed support for anti-Israel organizations and sought to portray those groups as legitimate political movements.

The police did not immediately release the identities or nationalities of the 14 foreign detainees, nor did they specify the precise activities attributed to each individual.

Following the interrogations, investigators worked with the Foreign Ministry and Interior Ministry officials to compile the evidence collected against the foreign nationals.

The investigative materials were then transferred to the Population and Immigration Authority, which will conduct hearings and determine whether the individuals should be expelled from Israel.

The deportations have not yet been finalized, and the suspects are expected to have their cases reviewed through the appropriate administrative procedures.

Police said the investigation involving the remaining suspects, including the three Palestinians detained during the incident, is continuing.

The arrests come amid ongoing tensions in Yehuda and Shomron during the annual olive harvest season, when confrontations involving Palestinian residents, Israeli security personnel, Jewish residents and foreign activists have periodically required police intervention.

Israeli authorities have expressed concern that some foreign activists deliberately seek out volatile locations to provoke incidents that can subsequently be circulated internationally as part of organized anti-Israel campaigns.

The latest investigation reflects increased coordination between the police, security agencies, the Foreign Ministry and immigration authorities in responding to suspected foreign involvement in disturbances throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

In its statement Sunday, the Shomron and Yehuda Police District emphasized that it intends to continue using its enforcement powers against individuals suspected of deliberately creating confrontations or encouraging violence.

“The Israel Police in the Shomron and Yehuda District will continue to act decisively, exercising all of its authority and cooperating with security agencies and law enforcement authorities, in order to prevent and thwart incidents of friction and violence, including during the harvest season, and to act against manifestations of incitement, agitation and identification with terrorist organizations that could lead to public disturbances and harm public security and the image of the State of Israel,” police said.

Authorities have not announced when the deportation hearings will take place or whether additional arrests are expected.

{Matzav.com}

United Torah Judaism has emerged as one of the most influential players in Israel’s post-election political landscape, with party chairman MK Yaakov Asher’s decision to break from the traditional alliance with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu placing the chareidi faction in a pivotal position in negotiations over the formation of the next government.

For the first time in approximately two decades, UTJ is no longer automatically aligned with Netanyahu’s political bloc, a development that could give the party unprecedented leverage in its efforts to secure legislation protecting the status of yeshiva bochurim.

The dramatic shift was examined by Israeli political analyst Yishai Cohen, who described the election results as creating an entirely new political reality for the chareidi parties and their representatives in the Knesset.

According to Cohen’s analysis, Asher’s decision to pursue an independent political course has effectively transformed UTJ into a potential kingmaker, with its support capable of influencing which political bloc ultimately succeeds in forming a government.

The move represents a significant departure from the party’s longstanding political alignment with Netanyahu and gives its leadership greater flexibility to negotiate with competing factions rather than remain committed to a single political camp.

At the center of the new political calculations is the issue that has dominated chareidi politics for years: securing the legal status of yeshiva students and establishing a stable arrangement that would allow them to continue their Torah studies without the threat of military conscription.

The question now confronting UTJ’s leadership is whether its newly strengthened bargaining position can produce an agreement on the draft issue that previous coalition arrangements failed to deliver.

The party’s willingness to consider negotiations with Gadi Eisenkot’s emerging political bloc has already altered the calculations of other parties, particularly as the various factions assess their prospects of assembling a governing majority.

The development also comes amid indications that Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman, previously one of the most outspoken opponents of special draft arrangements for yeshiva students, may be prepared to consider compromises on the issue.

Such a shift could create opportunities for negotiations that would have been politically unthinkable in previous years, although substantial disagreements remain over the details of any proposed legislation.

Cohen’s analysis also examined the increasingly complicated position of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, whose party has taken a different approach from UTJ in the aftermath of the elections.

While Asher has moved to establish UTJ as an independent political force capable of negotiating across party lines, Deri must decide whether to maintain Shas’s traditional alignment with Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc or consider alternative political arrangements.

The differing approaches have introduced a new element of uncertainty into relations between the two chareidi parties, which have frequently coordinated their positions on matters affecting the Torah community.

For UTJ, the immediate challenge will be translating its political leverage into concrete achievements. Its decision to remain outside the traditional Netanyahu bloc has increased its negotiating power, but the ultimate measure of the strategy will be whether it produces a durable legislative solution for yeshiva students.

Meanwhile, Deri’s next steps could prove equally consequential, particularly if Shas chooses to preserve its existing political commitments while UTJ continues exploring negotiations with other factions.

{Matzav.com}

A senior United Torah Judaism official says the party has received explicit instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel to negotiate with any political faction willing to secure the status of yeshiva bochurim, opening the possibility of cooperation with the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot as Israel enters a critical period of coalition negotiations following last week’s elections.

However, the official emphasized that any agreement on the draft issue must be accompanied by firm guarantees protecting the religious status quo, including existing arrangements governing Shabbos, kashrus and conversion. UTJ will not accept concessions on religious matters in exchange for legislation addressing the status of yeshiva students.

Speaking to Kikar HaShabbat, the senior official described the coming week as a crucial test of whether the parties in the emerging coalition are genuinely prepared to reach an agreement on the draft issue.

“We have a significant week ahead of us regarding cooperation with the change bloc,” the official said. “This is the week that will show us just how far the bloc is truly willing to compromise on the draft issue.”

The official stressed that UTJ’s willingness to enter discussions is not an independent political decision but follows instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel.

“We have unequivocal instructions from the Gedolei Yisroel to negotiate with anyone who agrees to regulate the status of yeshiva students, and that is exactly what we will do,” he said.

At the same time, the official made clear that resolving the draft crisis would not provide other coalition partners with an opportunity to change Israel’s longstanding religious arrangements.

“Clearly, the draft law is the central issue,” he explained. “But there is no question that any cooperation with any political party will require full preservation of the status quo on all matters of religion and state. Anyone who thinks we will obtain a draft law and agree to compromise on other issues is mistaken and misleading others. We will not agree to any changes in these matters, from the observance of Shabbos to the kashrus system and the issue of conversion.”

The comments follow a significant shift in the position of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman, who indicated that he is prepared to consider compromises even on the contentious draft legislation.

“On all other issues, it is permissible and desirable to show flexibility and compromise,” Lieberman wrote. “That includes the draft law.”

Lieberman’s remarks have attracted considerable attention in the chareidi political establishment, where his longstanding opposition to exemptions for yeshiva students has made him one of the most prominent political adversaries of the chareidi parties.

UTJ chairman MK Yaakov Asher welcomed the apparent change in tone, suggesting that greater flexibility could have prevented years of political hostility and division.

“It is encouraging to discover the flexibility of all the political players on the draft issue,” Asher said. “It is painful to think how much incitement and hatred between brothers could have been avoided had that same flexibility been demonstrated in recent years.”

Asher also emphasized that any proposed agreement would be submitted to the Gedolei Yisroel before the party makes a final decision.

“Of course, every proposal will first be brought for the decision of the ‘mechutanim’ — the Gedolei HaDor, shlita,” he said.

The remarks come as President Isaac Herzog prepares to formally entrust Eisenkot with forming Israel’s next government on Sunday at 5 p.m., following consultations in which 67 Knesset members recommended the Yashar party chairman for prime minister, compared with 46 who supported Netanyahu.

UTJ’s seven lawmakers declined to recommend either candidate, a decision that has dramatically increased the party’s potential influence over the coalition negotiations.

Eisenkot will initially have 28 days to assemble a government, with the possibility of a 14-day extension. However, the 67 recommendations he received do not represent a unified governing coalition, since 19 came from Arab parties that several of his prospective coalition partners refuse to join.

The possibility of cooperation with UTJ has therefore become an important alternative, particularly after Lieberman signaled that he was prepared to reconsider his longstanding refusal to sit in a government alongside chareidi parties.

Nevertheless, significant disagreements remain. Eisenkot has reiterated his demand for mandatory military, national or civilian service, while Democrats chairman Yair Golan has called for drafting chareidi young men and allowing public transportation on Shabbos in municipalities that support it.

Those positions directly conflict with the conditions outlined by UTJ, raising questions about whether a coalition agreement can be reached even if the parties find common ground on the draft legislation.

Senior UTJ figures are cautioning against expectations of an immediate breakthrough.

“This will take time, perhaps a great deal of time,” the senior official told Kikar HaShabbat, adding that he doubts any comprehensive agreement will be reached while Eisenkot holds the mandate to form a government.

Meanwhile, Shas has firmly rejected reports suggesting that it might join an Eisenkot-led coalition alongside UTJ.

“Contrary to the false reports being spread this evening by various journalists regarding Shas supposedly joining an Eisenkot government, this is complete fake news,” the party declared.

“As instructed by the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, Shas is part of the right-wing bloc, those who love the Torah and Jewish tradition.”

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has ordered the owner of an Oakland, California, coffee shop accused of refusing service to Jewish customers to pay $59,000 after repeatedly violating court orders in a discrimination lawsuit brought by a Jewish man who says he was harassed and forcibly expelled from the establishment because of his Jewish identity.

The ruling against Fathi Abdulrahim Harara, owner of Jerusalem Coffee House, was issued October 29 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson in the Northern District of California. The financial penalty stems from the owner’s repeated failure to comply with court directives requiring him to provide evidence during the litigation.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Michael Radice, a Jewish nonprofit executive who alleges that he was targeted after entering the cafe wearing a baseball cap displaying a Magen Dovid and the Hebrew words “Am Yisrael Chai.”

According to the complaint, Radice initially visited the establishment in July 2024, when a man outside confronted him about his Jewish identity and accused him of responsibility for Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Believing the business owner had intervened on his behalf, Radice returned the following month to purchase a cookie.

Instead, he alleges, an employee recognized him and declared that he was unwelcome because he was Jewish and a Zionist.

The employee allegedly told him, “You’re the guy with the hat. You’re the Jew. You’re the Zionist. We don’t want you in our coffee shop. Get out.”

Radice maintains that Harara and another employee joined the confrontation, physically forcing him out of the establishment before following him onto the street and continuing to shout at him. He says he became so frightened that he stepped into the roadway to escape the men pursuing him.

The lawsuit, filed in February 2025 with assistance from the Anti-Defamation League and the law firm Benesch, accuses the business of violating federal and California civil rights protections prohibiting discrimination in establishments open to the public.

In his latest ruling, Judge Hixson determined that Harara had disregarded at least six court orders during the discovery process, including directives requiring the production of documents and electronic communications.

The judge found that evidence had been submitted late or incompletely and that certain emails had not been produced at all, despite repeated instructions from the court.

Addressing the owner’s failure to cooperate, Hixson wrote that “he has no good excuse” and declared, “He needs to pay for what he did.”

The $59,000 sanction is intended to compensate Radice for legal expenses caused by the violations. It is not a damages award for antisemitic discrimination, and the court has not yet ruled on the underlying allegations. Hixson gave Harara 30 days to make the payment.

The judge also reduced the amount sought by Radice’s attorneys, criticizing aspects of their litigation strategy and the expenses they had incurred. He declined to recommend an automatic judgment against Harara, finding that the case could still proceed to a fair trial.

Jerusalem Coffee House has previously attracted widespread criticism over its treatment of Jewish patrons and its promotion of beverages bearing names associated with Palestinian terrorism.

Among the products advertised by the establishment were drinks called “Sweet Sinwar,” an apparent tribute to slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and “Iced In Tea Fada,” a play on the word intifada.

The cafe also faces a separate lawsuit filed by Jonathan Hirsch, another Jewish customer who says he and his five-year-old son were expelled in October 2024 after Harara objected to a Magen Dovid displayed on Hirsch’s baseball cap.

Video footage of that confrontation circulated widely, showing the owner demanding that Hirsch leave and describing his headwear as a “violent hat.”

The controversy eventually prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to file its own civil rights lawsuit against Harara and Native Grounds LLC, the company operating the establishment.

Federal prosecutors allege that the business engaged in discriminatory practices against Jewish customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, color or national origin in places of public accommodation.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, condemned the alleged conduct when the federal lawsuit was announced.

“It is illegal, intolerable, and reprehensible for any American business open to the public to refuse to serve Jewish customers,” Dhillon said.

Jerusalem Coffee House suspended operations in August as its legal difficulties mounted, announcing that its owners would concentrate on defending themselves against the three pending lawsuits.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance is facing growing uncertainty over his political future following the Republican Party’s devastating midterm election losses, with influential donors beginning to explore alternative presidential candidates for 2028 and the administration’s increasingly unpopular war with Iran threatening to derail his White House ambitions.

According to a new Wall Street Journal report based on conversations with six people close to the vice president, Vance has told associates both before and after Tuesday’s elections that he has not decided whether to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. Some political allies have privately warned him that the party’s losses may make it extraordinarily difficult for any Republican to win the presidency two years from now.

The concerns follow a sweeping Democratic victory in which Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress, surrendered seven Senate seats, including Vance’s former seat in Ohio, and suffered unexpected gubernatorial defeats in traditionally Republican states, including Texas and Georgia.

The results have raised serious questions about the durability of President Donald Trump’s political coalition and whether Vance, widely regarded as a leading potential successor to the president, can successfully inherit the movement without also inheriting the political backlash against the administration.

Within a day of the election, a veteran Republican fundraiser in New York reportedly began receiving calls from wealthy donors expressing reservations about supporting Vance in 2028. Some suggested Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other Republicans as possible alternatives, arguing that a candidate closely associated with the current administration could struggle to distance himself from its unpopular policies.

The loss of Vance’s former Senate seat in Ohio was particularly troubling to some donors, who questioned why the vice president had been unable to help Republicans retain a seat in his home state.

Vance’s allies, however, argue that the election results reflected a broader political backlash against the war with Iran rather than any personal failure by the vice president. They contend that Republicans could rebuild their electoral coalition once the conflict ends and its economic consequences begin to subside.

Vance himself offered a strikingly candid assessment of the election in a lengthy social media statement Wednesday, directly blaming the Iran war for the Republican defeat.

“The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance wrote. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”

The vice president argued that Republicans had misunderstood the reasons voters were abandoning the party. He maintained that many Americans who supported Trump and Vance in 2024 returned to the polls this year but voted for Democrats because of their opposition to the war, frustration over inflation and living costs, and dissatisfaction with the administration’s foreign policy.

Among the changes he urged Republicans to consider was a reassessment of America’s relationship with Israel, a position that immediately attracted attention because of the traditionally strong support for Israel among Republican elected officials.

“Our voters showed up,” Vance wrote. “And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats.”

His remarks were widely interpreted in Republican political circles as an early effort to establish some distance between himself and the administration’s most controversial policies while preserving his standing among Trump’s supporters.

Donald Trump Jr., who remains an influential figure within the Republican Party, publicly supported Vance’s post-election assessment, providing an important indication that the vice president continues to enjoy backing from prominent members of the Trump political movement.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that Vance had privately attempted to discourage Trump from launching a major military campaign against Iran earlier this year.

As the administration considered military action in January, Vance reportedly urged the president to continue diplomatic efforts and quietly sought polling data examining how Americans might react to a prolonged conflict.

According to people familiar with the discussions, Vance personally contacted Mark Mitchell, then the head pollster at Rasmussen Reports, to request questions addressing a possible war with Iran.

The vice president’s office reportedly provided input on the subjects to be examined, including public support for military action intended to bring about regime change, the number of American military casualties voters would consider acceptable, and whether Trump should obtain congressional authorization before ordering strikes.

The results reinforced Vance’s concerns. Americans were almost evenly divided on the prospect of war, with 44 percent supporting military action and 43 percent opposing it. Another 65 percent believed congressional approval should be required, while 62 percent said an acceptable level of American military deaths would be fewer than 100.

Despite Vance’s reported objections, Trump proceeded with military action in late February. The conflict has now continued for more than eight months, driving up gasoline prices and contributing to widespread voter frustration.

Trump has acknowledged that the war played a role in the Republican losses but has remained adamant that his decision was necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

“I don’t think about it. I did the right thing,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal on election night. “I would do it again.”

DeSantis, meanwhile, has increasingly criticized the economic consequences of the conflict, positioning himself as a potential alternative for Republicans frustrated by the administration’s foreign policy.

“We have to be honest. Gas is more expensive. That’s hurting people, working-class people, and it’s more expensive because of this conflict. That’s just a fact,” DeSantis said during a SiriusXM interview Monday.

The Florida governor, who challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, also described the midterm results as “a rebuke of the president and Congress” during an appearance on Fox News.

According to the Journal, Vance has watched clips of DeSantis’s recent interviews and considered the possibility of facing him in a Republican presidential primary. People familiar with his thinking say the vice president recognizes that separating himself from the Iran war and its economic consequences could prove especially difficult after serving as one of the administration’s most prominent representatives.

Trump has also declined to designate Vance as his preferred successor.

“Maybe he won’t run,” the president said Wednesday when asked about his vice president’s political future. “I don’t know who’s going to run.”

Despite the growing uncertainty, Vance retains substantial advantages over other potential Republican candidates. He remains a leading figure in early presidential primary polling, enjoys national recognition through his position as vice president, and maintains close relationships with influential conservative activists and donors.

He also serves as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, a position that provides regular contact with major party contributors who could become essential supporters of a future presidential campaign.

In addition, Vance has assumed a prominent role in the administration’s efforts to combat government fraud, giving him a domestic policy portfolio that could help establish his political identity beyond foreign affairs.

Those close to Vance say he has never regarded a 2028 presidential campaign as inevitable. A decision not to run would spare his wife and four children the demands of a national campaign, although associates acknowledge that the ambitious vice president could find it difficult to walk away from a potential opportunity to become president.

During a CBS News question-and-answer event in October, Vance acknowledged that there was “a chance” he would never seek the presidency.

“The way I think about life, big life decisions, my wife will tell you this, I’m a procrastinator,” he said.

For now, associates say Vance intends to make his decision on his own timetable, even as donors, potential rivals and Republican strategists begin positioning themselves for what could become a fiercely contested battle over the party’s future.