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Thousands Attend Satmar-Led Anti-Israel Protest Outside Israeli Consulate in Manhattan (Photos)
In a show of solidarity with the olam haTorah in Eretz Yisroel, thousands gathered Sunday afternoon outside the Israeli Consulate in Manhattan to protest the arrest of yeshiva bochurim for refusing military conscription.
The asifah was led by the Satmar Rebbes, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum and his brother, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum.
The Satmar Rebbes each called for participation in the event but did not appear together.
Crowds filled Second Avenue for blocks, with throngs of chassidim arriving by bus and even by ferry from across New York and neighboring states.
Because Manhattan authorities prohibited full street closures, participants lined the sidewalks stretching over a wide area.
There was no fixed stage. Instead, speakers addressed the crowd from a raised construction lift that hoisted them above the masses before being lowered after each address.
The opening remarks were delivered by Rav Yehoshua Nachman Berger, rosh yeshiva of Ohel Torah in Boro Park.
Rav Dovid Hershler of Eretz Yisroel conveyed the anguish of the detained bochurim.
Rav Anshil Ashkenazi, av beis din of Chavas Daas, voiced a passionate protest.
Rav Yaakov Horowitz, rosh yeshiva of Beis Meir, also spoke, and closing words were delivered by Rav Shlomo Shabsi Kestenbaum, dayan of Binyan Bracha of Kiryas Yoel.
The Rebbe of Bobov-45 led kabbolas ol malchus Shamayim at the conclusion.
Throughout the rally, the speakers decried the arrests of bnei yeshivos, who since the founding of the State had always been granted exemption from army service. They warned that today, bnei yeshiva are being imprisoned simply for learning Torah — “snatched,” as one speaker said, “for the crime of serving Hashem.”
{Matzav.com}
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Full Recap: Tens of Thousands Gather for “Amudei Olam” Torah Event at Yerushalayim Arena (Photos)
A historic evening unfolded in Yerushalayim as tens of thousands of bnei yeshiva from across Eretz Yisroel filled the Pais Arena for the monumental Amudei Olam gathering, an unprecedented display of kavod haTorah and achdus, organized by Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos.
Under the leadership of gedolei Yisroel — including Rav Dov Landau, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, and Rav Don Segal — the massive crowd of bochurim heard fiery words of chizuk about their role as those who uphold the world through Torah, particularly in these challenging times.
The evening began with words of inspiration from Rav Dovid Breuer, followed by a thunderous joint rendition of “Vise’arev” and “Visein Chelkeinu Besorasecha,” accompanied by maestro Yehuda Galili, Benzi Stein, Beri Weber, and the Neshama and Malchus choirs.
A dramatic Rischa DeOraisa session then followed, with leading roshei yeshiva engaging in a spirited Torah debate, leaving the crowd inspired by the depth of ahavas haTorah.
As the gedolim — Rav Dov Landau, Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, and Rav Don Segal — entered the entire arena rose to its feet, singing “Yomim al yemei melech tosif” and “Ashrei ha’am,” as the walls of the arena shook.
Rav Dov Landau addressed the growing battle against the yeshiva world, declaring, “מי שנגד עולם הישיבות השם יפר עצתם במהרה.” He urged strengthening Torah learning in the face of external pressures. “They are fighting the world of Torah,” he said, “but the strength of bnei hayeshivos is to increase Torah and yiras Shamayim. In their merit, the world stands, and Klal Yisroel will be redeemed.”
Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch delivered the central address, expressing anguish over the challenges to Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel. “It is a great tragedy that we do not have the right to learn Torah freely in Eretz Yisroel,” he exclaimed, referencing the draft issue and arrests of bochurim. “They are throwing bochurim into prison — perhaps because they are not learning enough? We must strengthen ourselves, eliminate divisive groups, and stand proudly and purely against those who oppose us.”
Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman followed with an impassioned call: “כולנו חייבים למסור נפש כנגד הגזירה הנוראה של הגיוס.” He praised the self-sacrifice of the bnei yeshiva for their Torah learning, saying, “Your mesirus nefesh is not only for yourselves but for so many others who might falter. We must all stand strong.”
The mashgiach, Rav Don Segal, urged the crowd to elevate their own esteem for Torah. “Disrespect for bnei Torah begins with us,” he said. “If we honor the learners and value Torah, Heaven will help us, and the entire world will recognize its greatness.” He concluded with a heartfelt rendition of his niggun “Tatte’le,” with the entire arena joining in song.
Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh yeshivas Chevron and nosi of the Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos, also spoke, calling for renewed hasmadah and concluding with kabbalas ol Malchus Shamayim together with the multitudes.
Additional remarks were delivered by Rav Aviezer Piltz and Rav Shimon Galai.
Public officials including MK Moshe Gafni, Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Eliezer Rauchberger, and Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor Menachem Shapira also spoke.
The event featured stirring musical interludes celebrating the “pillars of the world” — the bnei yeshiva — and continued late into the night in an atmosphere of unity and kiddush Hashem.
A planned kumzitz featuring Mordechai Ben David was canceled due to police restrictions.
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{Matzav.com}
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Levin Rebukes Netanyahu: “Amit Is Not the Chief Justice — That’s Not Right”
Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin lashed out at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday evening after Netanyahu publicly referred to Supreme Court Justice Yitzchak Amit as the president of the Supreme Court.
Following Netanyahu’s remarks from the Knesset podium, Levin reportedly confronted him, saying, “Amit is not the president of the Supreme Court. It’s not right that you recognized him,” according to Channel 12’s Amit Segal.
Sources close to Levin told Kan News that the minister’s office shared similar criticism, stating, “We haven’t heard that he was chosen as president.”
A senior Likud official said that Netanyahu had thus far refrained from recognizing Amit as the Supreme Court president but decided to do so tonight because of the uproar in the Knesset plenum after Speaker Amir Ochana refused to acknowledge him. The move was made despite the opposition of Levin and several other ministers.
During his address marking the opening of the Knesset’s winter session, Netanyahu turned to President Yitzchak Herzog and said, “Yitzhak Amit is the president of the Supreme Court, that’s a fact. But I said and added — I am the prime minister of Israel, these are the ministers of Israel’s government. That’s a fact. These facts must be recognized from all sides, not just one.”
The dispute erupted after Knesset Speaker Amir Ochana referred to Amit merely as a “Supreme Court judge,” prompting angry reactions from opposition MKs, several of whom were removed from the chamber. President Herzog deviated from his prepared remarks to pointedly call Amit “the president of the Supreme Court,” responding to Ochana, “I will not accept a lack of basic respect.”
{Matzav.com}
Knesset Freezes Draft Law Talks Amid Sharp Tensions with Chareidi Representatives
All meetings in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the proposed Draft Law were abruptly called off Monday evening, as disputes and delays over the bill’s formulation intensified friction between the government and chareidi lawmakers.
In the wake of the cancellations, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called an urgent meeting with the committee’s chairman, MK Boaz Bismuth, summoning him to his office for immediate discussions.
The postponement stems from the legal department’s inability to complete the bill’s language on schedule, pushing the timeline for its presentation even further. Bismuth had anticipated that the draft would be ready by Tuesday, but legal advisors informed him that additional time was necessary to finalize the text.
Tension between Netanyahu and the chareidi parties has risen sharply since his remarks at the opening of the Knesset’s winter session, when he declared, “We will recruit 10,000 yeshiva students over two years.” The comment drew a fierce reaction from Torah representatives who viewed it as deeply insensitive and tone-deaf.
MK Moshe Gafni, head of the Degel HaTorah faction, blasted the Prime Minister’s wording, exclaiming, “How can he say ‘we’ll recruit yeshiva students’? We don’t recruit yeshiva students – we recruit chareidim.” Following the uproar, Netanyahu returned to the podium to clarify that his intention had been to refer broadly to the enlistment of “chareidim,” not yeshiva bochurim specifically.
A statement issued later by Bismuth’s office emphasized that his meeting with Netanyahu had been arranged in advance and covered several matters on the committee’s agenda — among them, the Draft Law.
Bismuth reportedly plans to bring the legislation before the committee at its next meeting, in keeping with requests from chareidi MKs, in the hope of moving the process forward more efficiently and with greater sensitivity to the Torah community’s concerns.
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BATTLING HATE: NYC Business Leaders Drop $3 Million Over 2 Days Into Mayoral Race In Bid To Stop Anti-Semite Mamdani
A wave of major financial contributions from New York’s business elite has surged into newly created super PACs determined to derail Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor. In the past several days alone, over $3 million has been funneled into these committees, according to the latest financial disclosures, as anxiety grows among the city’s power brokers over the possibility of a democratic socialist taking control of City Hall.
The massive last-minute infusion comes just as the Democratic frontrunner continues to lead decisively, with polling showing Mamdani maintaining a comfortable double-digit advantage over independent contender Andrew Cuomo. The timing of the cash dump, only days before early voting begins on November 4, highlights the growing desperation among business interests to stop Mamdani’s rise before it’s too late.
For many corporate leaders, Mamdani’s platform represents a direct threat to their financial interests. He has repeatedly pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and on large corporations to pay for sweeping social programs — including universal free child care and expanded housing affordability measures. Those proposals have left Wall Street and real estate circles deeply uneasy.
Financial records reveal that the men behind the sudden burst of spending — Eminence Capital founder Ricky Sandler, real estate investor Richard Mack, and developer Marty Berger — transferred a total of $3.26 million into three new PACs through a shared corporate vehicle known as Put NYC First Inc.
The bulk of the money, roughly $2 million, was wired Friday to a super PAC called For Our City. Over the weekend, that PAC reportedly spent $1.5 million on a new “media buy,” which sources suggest will fund a wave of negative ads against Mamdani. Details about the ads have not yet been disclosed.
Neither the treasurer of For Our City nor any of the three donors immediately responded to requests for comment. The same trio’s entity, Put NYC First, also directed just over $1 million toward another new group called Stop the Socialists, though no spending by that PAC had been reported as of Monday morning.
Earlier this month, the businessmen’s consortium made a smaller contribution — nearly $255,000 — to a third PAC named Good Growth NYC. That group has already used $200,000 for on-the-ground canvassing in support of Cuomo and another $13,000 on campaign literature boosting his candidacy, according to recent filings.
Cuomo’s campaign, which by law is barred from coordinating with any of the independent PACs supporting him, declined to comment on the outside spending activity.
Mamdani’s campaign, meanwhile, dismissed the onslaught of billionaire-funded opposition as meaningless. “Another day, another ineffective billionaire-backed PAC that won’t make a dent in the movement Zohran Mamdani is building to make New York City more affordable,” said campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec.
Unlike traditional campaign committees, super PACs face no limits on how much money they can raise or spend, giving them immense power to flood the airwaves and influence voters. This year’s mayoral race has shattered records for outside spending, with wealthy donors pouring tens of millions of dollars into efforts — most aimed squarely at derailing Mamdani’s bid.
Before this latest round of contributions, the Sandler-Mack-Berger network had already given $750,000 to other political committees, including $250,000 to New Yorkers for a Better Future Mayor 25, a group aligned with Cuomo’s campaign. That PAC, in turn, is coordinating with Fix the City — the largest pro-Cuomo, anti-Mamdani operation in the race.
Fix the City, which also supported Cuomo’s losing effort against Mamdani in the Democratic primary, has already pulled in more than $30 million in total funding. Its recent backers include Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, who added a $1 million donation just last week.
Despite the massive sums being spent, polls suggest the deluge of outside money has done little to sway voters. Surveys continue to show Mamdani maintaining a commanding lead over Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who trails far behind. A new poll released Monday did indicate, however, that Cuomo could pose a greater challenge to Mamdani if Sliwa were to bow out of the race.
{Matzav.com}Carney Says Canada Will Arrest Netanyahu If He Visits, In Keeping With ICC Warrant
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that he would enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, stating that Netanyahu would be detained if he entered Canadian territory.
When pressed in an interview on Bloomberg Podcasts about whether his government would actually apprehend Netanyahu, Carney gave a clear and unhesitating answer: “yes.” He declined to provide further explanation or details about how such an arrest would be carried out.
Carney also emphasized that one of his central foreign policy goals had been to recognize a Palestinian state, but he insisted that this recognition was merely a step toward a broader objective.
“The end is a free and viable Palestinian state living side by side, peace and security, the State of Israel,” he said.
Carney noted that Canada has officially supported the two-state framework since 1947 but claimed his government chose this moment to move forward with recognition because “the actions of Netanyahu’s government were explicitly designed to end any possibility of a Palestinian state in violation of the UN Charter and going against Canadian government policy of any political stripe since 1947.”
He further explained that the decision was not symbolic or intended to create immediate results but rather a necessary response to prevent the total collapse of prospects for peace. “We did this because the prospect was receding as opposed to viewing it as any sort of panacea, game changer, fundamentally immediately leading to the outcome that we and others want,” he said.
Addressing criticism from Washington, Carney acknowledged American disapproval of similar moves by other nations but argued that all sides ultimately sought the same outcome. “Common objective is the same,” he maintained.
Responding to Carney’s remarks, Netanyahu’s political advisor Ophir Falk strongly rebuked the Canadian leader in comments to The Globe and Mail on Saturday. Falk said he “had hoped that after Canada endorsed [US] President Trump’s Middle East 20-Point Peace Plan [for Gaza], Prime Minister Carney would retract his policy of appeasing terrorism and betraying Canada’s traditional ally.”
Falk urged Carney to instead “welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu, the leader of the lone Jewish state and only democracy in the Middle East, to Canada.”
Both Netanyahu and Israel’s former defense minister Yoav Gallant are facing ICC charges accusing them of “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the war against Hamas in Gaza.
{Matzav.com}
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