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The family of Charlie Kirk is bracing for an emotionally difficult week as his widow, Erika Kirk, prepares to attend a key court hearing where prosecutors are expected to present graphic evidence in the murder case against accused gunman Tyler Robinson.

A source familiar with the case said the upcoming five-day preliminary hearing in Provo, Utah, is expected to be especially painful for Kirk’s relatives and close friends, many of whom plan to be present in the courtroom.

“It’s going to be a tough week on everybody,” a source familiar with the situation said of Charlie’s family and friends planning to attend Tyler Robinson’s five-day evidence hearing in Provo, Utah.

According to the source, prosecutors are expected to introduce disturbing material during the proceedings, giving family members the option to step outside if they choose.

“There is going to be evidence presented which the family may choose to leave the courtroom for,” the source said. “That’s their prerogative. They are going to make those decisions when in court.”

In Utah, a preliminary hearing allows prosecutors to present the evidence supporting their case so a judge can determine whether sufficient probable cause exists to move forward with a trial. The hearing serves as the state’s alternative to seeking a grand jury indictment.

Among the evidence expected to be presented before Judge Tony Graf are graphic videos of the fatal shooting, along with autopsy-related evidence. The hearing began Monday.

It remains uncertain whether photographs of Kirk’s body will be shown during the proceedings.

Attorneys for both the prosecution and defense have agreed to alert Kirk’s family before especially graphic evidence is displayed, allowing them to leave the courtroom if they wish.

Robinson, 23, is accused of fatally shooting the 31-year-old Kirk from a distance as he addressed a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University in Orem on September 10.

Prosecutors allege Robinson later confessed to the killing in messages exchanged with his transgender partner, Lance Twiggs. Those communications are expected to be introduced as evidence during the hearing.

The prosecution is also expected to present a recorded interview conducted with Twiggs as part of its case.

Twiggs, 22, who previously shared a residence with Robinson, met with prosecutors on April 20 to discuss the defendant and his alleged actions.

Earlier this year, Twiggs was seen staying with relatives in Texas. Prosecutors granted him limited immunity in exchange for his cooperation during the interview.

If Robinson is convicted, he could face the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea to the charges.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu on Monday publicly appealed to President Trump to prevent Turkey from acquiring advanced F-35 fighter jets, arguing that such a move would dramatically shift the military balance in the Middle East and threaten Israel’s strategic advantage.

The request comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to press for his country’s return to the F-35 program during this week’s NATO summit in Ankara, despite bipartisan opposition in Washington.

Speaking during an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” Netanyahu warned that Turkey’s current leadership poses a serious regional threat. “Turkey is a great country, but it’s governed by a man who calls openly for the annihilation of Israel,” Netanyahu said. “He occupies half of Cyprus, a NATO country. He’s threatening Greece, another NATO country. And he talks openly about conquering Jerusalem.”

Netanyahu cautioned that allowing Turkey back into the F-35 program—or supplying it with engines for advanced fighter aircraft—would have serious consequences. “I don’t think they should be given F-35s or the engines for their fighter jets because that’ll upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is ultimately guaranteed by Israeli air superiority and also by America’s posture in the Middle East.”

The F-35 is widely regarded as one of the world’s most advanced multirole fighter aircraft. Israel currently operates a fleet of more than three dozen of the stealth jets.

Turkey was expelled from the multinational F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system. U.S. officials argued that the Russian missile platform could be used to gather sensitive intelligence about the F-35’s capabilities.

Although Turkey fields NATO’s second-largest military after the United States, it has frequently clashed with fellow alliance members, particularly Greece, over longstanding territorial disputes in the Aegean Sea.

In 2019, Erdogan’s government also faced sanctions from the United States and several European nations after launching a major military offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

Turkey’s relationship with Russia has likewise been marked by both cooperation and conflict. In 2015, Turkish forces shot down a Russian Su-24 fighter jet after it entered Turkish airspace, an incident for which Erdogan later apologized.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Erdogan sought to portray Turkey as maintaining ties with both sides, declaring in 2023: “I trust Russia just as much as I trust the West.”

Despite that statement, Turkey has supplied military assistance to Ukraine, supported Kyiv’s aspirations to join NATO, and worked to counter Russian influence in the Black Sea. At the same time, Ankara previously delayed NATO membership bids by Finland and Sweden over Sweden’s handling of Kurdish activists.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated sharply since Israel launched its military campaign against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist massacre.

Netanyahu accused Erdogan’s government of embracing increasingly extreme anti-Israel rhetoric. “His foreign minister, his number two, said that the Jewish state hasn’t a place among humanity,” Netanyahu vented. “Basically, it has to be wiped out. His interior minister, he looks forward to be the government, governor of Jerusalem.”

The prime minister went on to describe the Turkish government as “a regime infected by the Muslim Brotherhood, an extreme movement that hates America and chants ‘Death to America’ from that side of the spectrum.”

Despite Netanyahu’s concerns, President Trump has repeatedly praised Erdogan in the past, describing the Turkish leader as an “extraordinary leader” and a “good friend.”

{Matzav.com}

In honor of its historic 50th anniversary, ArtScroll is celebrating with something truly extraordinary: a once-in-50-years sale featuring 50 sefarim and books each week for 5 weeks at their lowest prices ever! 50% off list price! Plus, FREE SHIPPING in the USA on orders over $79. No gimmicks!

For five weeks only — July 6 through August 9 — ArtScroll will feature a new group of 50 titles on sale each week. That’s 250 books and sefarim over the course of the celebration, all at an unprecedented 50% off list price!

These are not ordinary sale prices. They are the lowest prices ever offered on these titles — and they won’t last. Each weekly sale runs for that week only. Once a title sells out, or once the week ends, those prices are gone.

It’s a rare opportunity to build your library, stock up on gifts, purchase that set or title you have always wanted, and bring more Torah learning into your home — at savings that may never return.

AND THAT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING!

Throughout the five-week celebration, ArtScroll is giving away more than $50,000 in prizes!

Each week, one winner will receive a $10,000 ArtScroll list-price gift card. Thousands of dollars in additional prizes will be awarded weekly as well, including digital libraries, one-of-a-kind book sets, exclusive ArtScroll items, and special prizes that can’t be purchased anywhere.

Best of all, entry is free — no purchase necessary! Enter just once, and your entry counts toward all five weekly giveaways.

Fifty years. Five weeks. Fifty titles each week. Fifty percent off. And more than $50,000 in prizes!

This is ArtScroll’s biggest celebration — and its biggest savings ever.

Shop this week’s 50% off sale today!

Enter the $50,000+ giveaway now!

Don’t delay — this week’s titles are only here for a week!

{Matzav.com}

More than eight decades after vanishing during a dangerous World War II reconnaissance mission, the remains of a young U.S. Army Air Forces pilot have finally been identified, bringing long-awaited closure to a case that remained unsolved for generations.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced on July 1 that 1st Lt. Franklin H. McKinney, who was just 21 years old when he disappeared, was officially identified on May 15 through forensic testing, ending an 80-year search for the missing aviator.

McKinney disappeared on Nov. 5, 1944, while piloting an unarmed F-5E-2-LO Lightning reconnaissance aircraft. Assigned to the 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron of the 14th Air Force, he had departed from Yunnanyi, China, on a mission to photograph targets in Thailand and Burma but never returned.

Following his disappearance, personnel from the American Graves Registration Service searched along the aircraft’s expected route near the Chinese-Thai border. Despite their efforts, they found no trace of the plane or its pilot.

With no evidence of the crash ever discovered, McKinney’s remains were not recovered after the war, and he was officially declared dead in March 1946.

The case was revived in 2010 when Daniel Jackson, then a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy, began researching McKinney’s disappearance.

Jackson joined forces with Sakpinit Promthep of the Royal Thai Air Force Museum and American researcher Richard Hakanson. Their combined research uncovered new clues that pointed investigators toward a possible crash site in Thailand.

Among their discoveries was a wartime report preserved by the Royal Thai Air Force Museum describing an aircraft believed to have been struck by lightning before crashing in what is now Lampang Province. Investigators also located a witness whose recollections helped narrow the search area.

A major breakthrough came in 2017 when 94-year-old Fong Inma told researchers she had personally witnessed the aircraft crash into an area that later became a rice field near Mae Kua village. Her testimony convinced U.S. officials to launch a formal investigation of the site.

Survey teams examined the location in both 2019 and 2021 before a full-scale excavation was carried out in 2022.

During the recovery effort, investigators located aircraft debris along with possible human remains. The materials were transported to a forensic laboratory, where modern scientific testing ultimately confirmed that the remains belonged to McKinney.

Before his return home, McKinney was honored during a repatriation ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand.

He will now receive a burial with full military honors in the United States. A bronze rosette will also be added beside his name on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, marking that he has now been officially accounted for.

Reflecting on the years-long effort, Jackson wrote, “After almost 82 years, Frank McKinney is home again. America has kept its promise.”

McKinney served with the famed 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Redhawks,” whose pilots flew hazardous, unarmed reconnaissance missions over Japanese-controlled territory, gathering aerial intelligence that enabled Allied commanders to monitor enemy movements and plan operations across China, Burma, and Thailand.

Military historians have long credited the squadron’s intelligence-gathering missions with making an important contribution to the Allied war effort in the China theater.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues its worldwide mission to locate and identify missing American service members through archival research, archaeological excavations, DNA analysis, and other advanced forensic methods.

According to the agency, more than 81,000 Americans who went missing during World War II have still not been accounted for.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz warned Monday that any Iranian leader who seeks to destroy the Jewish state would be eliminated, as the funeral procession for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei got underway in Tehran.

“Khamenei, whose funeral is taking place now, was eliminated by Israel because he initiated and led the plan to destroy Israel in Iran and across the region,” Katz said in a Hebrew-language statement.

“The destroyer has been destroyed. Any Iranian leader who again tries to advance plans for Israel’s destruction will likewise be eliminated,” he vowed.

Katz said chants of “Death to Trump” during the funeral reflected “the true nature of the ayatollahs’ regime, beyond its campaign of smiles and deception.

“The powerful attack on Iran, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, removed the immediate existential threats hanging over Israel and severely damaged Iran’s strategic capabilities,” he continued. “Israel is prepared to once again defend itself, by its own forces, at any time and against any threat.”

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid Party) told JNS on Monday that Israel reserves the right to act independently.

“Israel has always said that we’re going to retain the possibility of acting separately if any threat is being held against the security of the people of Israel,” Lapid said, speaking in English after his faction meeting at the Knesset in Yerushalayim.

“The United States is our greatest ally; we work with them, we have conducted this war, we’re engaged in this war with them, but if needs to be, Israel will act on its own in order to protect the people of Israel against this regime that is out for the total destruction and obliteration of the State of Israel,” he added.

A funeral procession for Khamenei kicked off the fourth day of week-long burial ceremonies on Monday morning.

Khamenei’s remains are set to be taken through the streets of Tehran on their way to Mehrabad International Airport in the western part of the capital.

The funeral cortege will last some 10 to 12 hours, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Brig. Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, who is overseeing the event, told state media.

Hassanzadeh said preparations for the procession began at 4 a.m. local time and that the procession would move from east to west.

Regime supporters lined the streets of Tehran early Monday, many carrying red flags symbolizing revenge, the IRGC-linked Fars News Agency reported.

Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies have been marked by repeated calls from Iranian officials, state media and regime supporters for the deaths of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia, spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, said on Monday that Tehran had used the ceasefire with the United States to rebuild its military capabilities, according to Iran International.

“We are fully prepared and have used the ceasefire opportunity to improve our combat capability,” he said, warning that any attack on Iran would be met with a response “more crushing and more regret-inducing than before.”

The funeral ceremonies are scheduled to run through Thursday, when Khamenei is to be buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed as the Islamic Republic’s third supreme leader following his father’s death, had not been seen at the ceremonies.

Three of Ali Khamenei’s other sons—Mostafa, Masoud and Meysam Hosseini Khamenei—appeared in public on Sunday for the first time since the war began on Feb. 28, offering prayers over their father’s body at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla of Tehran mosque, Iran International reported.

The New York Times, citing two members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a source involved in planning the funeral, reported that Mojtaba Khamenei told officials he wants to attend the burial ceremony in Mashhad and lead the traditional prayer for the dead.

The newspaper cited the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the funeral preparations, as saying security officials had rejected the proposal over concerns Israel could attempt to assassinate the supreme leader at the ceremony or use it to track his whereabouts.

The younger Khamenei was injured in the airstrike that killed his father. While it is generally believed that Mojtaba is still alive, he has not appeared in public since the start of the war, and no images or audio recordings of him have been released. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Of the 4,384 offenses in 3,750 hate crime incidents from Jan. 1 until this month, Jews have been targets of 15% of incidents, according to FBI data. The 566 anti-Jewish hate-crime incidents so far this year include 613 offenses—a number that in other circumstances Jews happily note corresponds to the number of commandments in the Torah.

Overall, hate-crime offenses are down 43%, and incidents have decreased 41.5% compared to last year, although the FBI’s 2025 data came from self-reported state statistics covering between 95% and 96% of the U.S. population. At the beginning of this year, the January data covered about 88% of the country. By April, it was about 75%, 55% by May, and by June, it had only covered nearly 19.5% of the nation.

Last year, there were 1,062 anti-Jewish offenses in 957 incidents, according to the bureau’s data.

Jews make up about 2.4% of American adults, according to data from the Pew Research Center. That means that so far this year, Jews are 525% likelier hate crime targets than their population share suggests, according to the FBI data.

The 978 religion-based incidents recorded this year made up 25.1% of all incidents. After the 15% of religion-based incidents targeting Jews, the next most likely targets were Sikhs and Muslims (2% each) and Arabs (1%).

The majority (55%) of anti-Jewish incidents involved destruction, damage or vandalism of property, followed by intimidation (31%), simple assault (8%), and aggravated assault and all other larcenies (2% each).

The largest amount (17%) took place on the highway, a road, alley, street or sidewalk, followed by an elementary or secondary school (16%), home (15%), and college or university (9%).

A smaller number of anti-Jewish incidents have occurred so far this year at a park or playground or house of worship (6% each) or commercial or office building, parking lot or garage, government or public building or online (3% each). And 1% each of incidents have taken place at an air or bus or train terminal, drug store or medical facility, construction site, field or woods, restaurant, grocery or supermarket, shopping mall, specialty store, abandoned or condemned structure or department or discount store.

New York state had only reported 88 anti-Jewish hate crimes to the FBI so far this year, even though New York City alone recorded 26 anti-Jewish hate crimes last month, and there were 178 confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes in the Big Apple from Jan. 1 to June 30, per New York City Police Department data.

The FBI data suggests that the NYPD reported 74 anti-Jewish hate crimes to the bureau so far this year.

California has reported 158 offenses from 142 anti-Jewish hate crime incidents to the FBI so far this year.

Florida has reported 9, Illinois 17 (16 incidents), Maryland 10 (9 incidents), Massachusetts 5, Michigan 29 (26 incidents), Minnesota 6, New Jersey 102 (92 incidents), Pennsylvania 22 (18 incidents), Texas 13, Virginia 24 (23 incidents) and Washington state 15 (12 incidents). JNS

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump marked the launch of the new federal “Trump Accounts” investment program on Monday by ringing the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange from the White House, commemorating the first day of trading under the initiative that provides eligible children with a $1,000 government-funded investment account.

The event took place in the Oval Office, where Trump welcomed executives from both the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq for a joint ceremony and press conference. It marked the first time the two exchanges participated together in opening the trading day and the first occasion the opening bell was rung from the White House.

“Those accounts will begin to grow along with our booming economy,” Trump said. “We’re giving this money to children so they can have a good life.”

Although the accounts bear Trump’s name, the concept of providing children—especially those from lower-income families—with long-term investment accounts has existed for years and has received bipartisan backing. The program was ultimately authorized by Congress as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“I did not ask for it,” Trump claimed of the accounts being named after him. “I have done that in other cases.”

During the ceremony, Trump joked that he hoped to keep the ceremonial exchange bell brought to the Oval Office and place it on display in the new White House ballroom once construction is completed.

Under the program, every child born between January 2025 and December 2028 will automatically receive a $1,000 contribution from the federal government. Parents, relatives, friends, and employers may contribute up to $5,000 annually, with parents or legal guardians managing the account until the child turns 18. At that point, the beneficiary gains full control and may use the funds for purposes such as higher education, purchasing a home, or launching a business.

The money will automatically be invested in a diversified index fund, and parents can establish the accounts through the IRS.

“They can have a lot of money,” Trump said of the accounts. “We should have acted faster. It’s too bad.”

The initiative has also attracted major philanthropic support. Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, and his wife, Susan, pledged $6.25 billion to provide an additional $250 for each of 25 million children under the age of 10 living in lower-income communities. Hedge fund investor Ray Dalio and his wife, Barbara, also contributed funds that will provide an extra $250 to roughly 300,000 children from lower-income areas across Connecticut.

“We’re going to get him that money back one way or another,” Trump said on Monday, encouraging people to buy Dell computers.

SpaceX President and CEO Gwynne Shotwell also announced a major donation Monday morning, committing $350 million to the program. She said the contribution would benefit children living in lower-income communities, with additional emphasis on youngsters residing near SpaceX’s central Texas operations.

“With a bit more emphasis for those that live near our central Texas home”, she wrote in a post on X. “We have been fortunate in our careers and hope this gift encourages the next generation to continue the journey of enabling humanity to live and fly amongst the stars.”

50

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yoel Yaakov Sperka zt”l, an outstanding talmid chochom, tzaddik, and yerei Shomayim whose entire life was defined by limud haTorah, harbotzas haTorah, and unwavering avodas Hashem.

Gentle in demeanor, refined in character, and deeply beloved by all who knew him, Rav Sperka leaves behind a legacy of Torah scholarship, humility, and selfless dedication that spanned decades.

From his earliest years, Rav Sperka devoted himself completely to the pursuit of Torah. Seeking to continue his aliyah, he traveled to Eretz Yisroel and learned at Yeshivas Ponovezh in Bnei Brak. There, he became a close talmid of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, with whom he enjoyed a particularly warm relationship, and grew close to the Ponovezher Rov, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman zt”l. Those formative years helped shape him into the distinguished marbitz Torah he would become.

He merited to learn under Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l in Lakewood, NJ, where he absorbed not only profound yedios haTorah but also the ideals of total devotion to Torah that would define the course of his life.

Rav Sperka then dedicated himself to teaching and spreading Torah. He served as a marbitz Torah in Los Angeles and in other communities, inspiring generations of talmidim through his profound scholarship and his gentle, caring approach.

He eventually made his home in Detroit, where he served as a rov for more than three decades. During those years, he became a beloved rov at Congregation Bnai Israel-Beth Yehudah, offering psak, guidance, encouragement, and Torah wisdom to numerous individuals and families. His shiurim reflected both remarkable depth and exceptional clarity, while his personal example of humility and yiras Shomayim left an indelible impression on all who encountered him.

Those who knew Rav Sperka speak of a man whose greatness was matched only by his modesty. Soft-spoken, aidel, and unfailingly gracious, he carried himself with quiet dignity. Every aspect of his life revolved around Torah and avodas Hashem. He sought neither recognition nor honor, content to spend his days immersed in learning, teaching, and serving Hashem with sincerity and purity.

His Torah scholarship lives on through his acclaimed seforim, Chazon Yoel, a collection of his original chiddushei Torah. The seforim reflect the brilliance of his mind, the breadth of his learning, and the depth of his understanding, and continue to illuminate the batei medrash of those privileged to study them.

Following his retirement from the Detroit rabbonus, Rav Sperka relocated to Lakewood, where he settled in the Pine River Village community, continuing to devote himself to limud haTorah, inspiring others through his quiet example until his final days.

The petirah of Rav Sperka is a tremendous loss for his family, his talmidim, the communities he served, and the broader Torah world. His life was one of complete dedication to Torah, marked by extraordinary scholarship, unwavering emunah, and exceptional refinement of character.

The levayah is taking place now at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, New Jersey. Watch the levayah live HERE. The aron will then be flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah there.

Rav Sperka is survived by his devoted rebbetzin, Mrs. Fayge Sperka, together with a wonderful family of children and grandchildren who continue his legacy of Torah and yiras Shomayim.

The family will be sitting shivah at 142 Liberty Drive in Lakewood, NJ.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Meir Dovid Shmueli, rosh yeshivah of Yeshivas Chazon Dovid and a prominent maggid shiur at the Moussaieff Shul, publicly apologized Sunday evening for comments he made about Arab medical personnel in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas massacre, saying the remarks did not reflect his Torah values or personal beliefs.

The unusual reconciliation meeting took place at the Sukkat HaShalom center in Abu Ghosh and was attended by Arab physicians and other healthcare professionals.

The gathering was organized by attorneys Amit Hadad and Eli Perry, together with former Shomron Regional Council chairman Bentzi Lieberman. Hosting the event were former Abu Ghosh council head Issa Jaber and Abdul Abd Rahman, a local resident and court interpreter.

Addressing those in attendance, Rav Shmueli said, “The things I said after October 7 were a serious mistake spoken out of shock and overwhelming pain. They simply should never have been said, and they are completely contrary to my Torah and my values.”

“I came here tonight, to Abu Ghosh, to look the Arab medical teams in the eye and ask for forgiveness. Every sector has wonderful people, and Arab doctors devote themselves every day to saving lives, just like Jewish doctors. They are an example of humanity. The full responsibility is mine. My guiding principle is unity and peace, and where there is peace, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is present.”

Attorney Amit Hadad said the initiative grew out of conversations he had with Abdul Abd Rahman.

“When we met in Abu Ghosh and spoke, the subject of Rav Shmueli’s remarks came up,” Hadad said. “It troubled me because I knew they did not reflect who he really is. Abdul immediately suggested hosting the rav here at Sukkat HaShalom to create the necessary dialogue.”

He added, “The public and emotional challenge of standing up, retracting painful statements, and expressing public remorse is enormous, and that reflects this rav‘s greatness. When we suggested that he come, he didn’t hesitate for a moment. He was happy to come, look people in the eye, and say, ‘I made a mistake.’ We are all descendants of Avraham, and we all want to do good. That is the power of this evening.”

Former Abu Ghosh council head Issa Jaber accepted the apology, saying, “What unites us is greater than what divides us, and when a great person asks for forgiveness, it is a great thing.” He also noted that approximately 40 percent of Israel’s physicians are Arabs.

Dr. Muayad Qawasmeh, an East Yerushalayim physician who works at the Magen David Adom blood bank, also spoke about his experiences during the war.

“After the war began, we collected blood donations, including in East Jerusalem,” he said. “We collected 4,000 units of blood from Jews, Arabs, and Druze. We gave that blood to everyone who needed it, without regard to religion, race, gender, or whether the patient was Jewish or Arab.”

{Matzav.com}

Former hostage Rom Braslavski has revealed for the first time the intense religious pressure he endured while being held captive by terrorists, describing repeated efforts to persuade him to convert to Islam and the profound spiritual transformation that instead led him to embrace Judaism.

Speaking in an interview with Channel 14, Braslavski said his captors relentlessly urged him to abandon his faith.

“All day they talked to you about Muhammad, the Quran, ‘Come join us. You’re wrong and we’re right,'” Braslavski recounted. “They tried to convince me to convert to Islam many times.”

Braslavski said the pressure was not limited to him, claiming that many Jewish hostages ultimately agreed to convert as a survival tactic.

“At least 60% of the Jewish hostages converted to Islam in captivity. They said it was just a game. And I admit that I also considered it. But I told myself, ‘G-d in heaven is looking at you and knows everything. I will not play this game.’ I decided not only would I not convert to Islam, but I would touch on their sensitive issues.”

Rather than distancing himself from Judaism during captivity, Braslavski said the ordeal inspired him to become more committed to his faith.

“Before October 7, I wasn’t a person of faith. I didn’t keep Shabbat. I grew up in Neve Yaakov, which is a very haredi neighborhood, but I went against the current. My family is still like that to this day. On October 7, I fully returned to religion.”

Braslavski also recounted an unexpected conversation with a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad sheikh, whom he approached for guidance because he could no longer remember the traditional Jewish prayers.

“I told him, ‘Listen, I want to pray to G-d, but I don’t remember the prayers-they’re long and in the siddur.’ He told me, ‘Take what you remember and create your own prayer.’ Since then, I repeated, ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me,’ several times a day. I also said another few lines that were etched in my memory from the prayer book. That’s how I built my own prayer, and I prayed three times a day.”

According to Braslavski, the issue of conversion resurfaced later in his captivity, when the same sheikh encouraged him to adopt Muslim prayer practices.

When the subject of conversion came up again, Braslavski said the sheikh told him, “Pray five times a day, like us.”

Braslavski said he politely refused, determined to remain faithful to Jewish practice despite the circumstances.

“I said, ‘No, we pray three times a day,'” he recounted. “Today, there hasn’t been a single Shabbat that I haven’t observed. I observe every Shabbat, and I will continue to keep [Shabbat] for the rest of my life.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington later this week for another meeting with President Donald Trump, according to assessments within the Prime Minister’s Office. If the visit takes place as planned, it will mark the eighth meeting between the two leaders since President Trump returned to the White House, underscoring the close relationship and frequent coordination between Israel and Washington.

The anticipated visit follows a phone call between the two leaders on Friday, during which they agreed to meet in the near future. A separate Israeli delegation is also expected to travel to the United States for additional consultations on Iran, although officials believe the two visits will be conducted on separate schedules.

The Iranian nuclear program is expected to top the agenda, along with a range of regional security issues. Israeli officials view close coordination with the Trump administration as essential in shaping policy toward Tehran, particularly following recent developments in the region and ongoing efforts to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear capabilities.

Another major topic is expected to be the growing relationship between the United States and Turkey. Israeli officials are closely monitoring President Trump’s anticipated visit to Ankara and are particularly concerned about the possibility that Washington could restore defense cooperation with Turkey, including approving the sale of F-35 fighter jets or other advanced military systems.

Those concerns stem from Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, a move that prompted U.S. fears that sensitive information about the stealth aircraft could be exposed to Russia. Despite that history, the Trump administration is reportedly examining ways to rebuild defense ties with Ankara, including a potential agreement to sell F-110 engines for Turkey’s domestically produced KAAN fighter jet.

Also in the background are the warm personal ties between President Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to an Associated Press report, President Trump suggested that his expected visit to Ankara following the 36th NATO Summit could include a major announcement benefiting Erdogan.

When asked whether he would arrive with “a big bag of gifts,” President Trump responded, “Yes, I think so. I’ll probably do something that will make him very happy.”

Israeli officials are also watching Turkey’s increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Israel. Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told CNN Türk that Israel has become a burden on the international community, accusing it of destabilizing the region and declaring that Turkey is not afraid of a confrontation with the Jewish state. His comments followed a series of previous anti-Israel statements by President Erdogan.

Against that backdrop, officials in Yerushalayim view Netanyahu’s expected meeting with President Trump as an important opportunity to present Israel’s concerns directly to the administration. Alongside discussions about Iran, the prime minister is expected to stress the potential security implications of expanding U.S.-Turkey defense cooperation, particularly if Washington approves the sale of advanced military systems to Ankara.

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset House Committee on Sunday began preparing the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study for its second and third readings, as lawmakers debated whether the legislation would serve merely as a declaration of principle or carry significant legal consequences.

The revised bill, following comments from the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, states that Torah study is a fundamental value of the heritage of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The legislation seeks to formally recognize Torah study as a foundational national value and establish it as a consideration alongside other fundamental values in Israeli law.

During the committee discussion, Knesset Legal Adviser Adv. Sagit Afik said it had not been made clear during earlier deliberations whether the proposal was intended to be purely declarative or to have practical legal effect.

Because the proposal is a Basic Law, Afik warned that it could have implications beyond a symbolic statement. She said the committee’s discussions ahead of the second and third readings would help define the legislature’s intent and stressed that if lawmakers do not intend for the law to have operative consequences, that should be stated explicitly in the legislation.

Deputy Attorney General Adv. Avital Sompolinsky echoed that position, saying that if the proposal is intended only as a declarative statement, it should be drafted differently.

Representatives of Israel’s Finance Ministry cautioned that the legislation could have significant economic ramifications if courts interpret it as having practical legal force.

The ministry’s legal adviser, Dudi Kopel, warned that if the law were interpreted as giving Torah study precedence over the principle of equality, it could affect military conscription policy, government spending related to those subject to the draft, and eligibility for benefits granted to Torah scholars.

Rom Brav of the Finance Ministry’s Budget Department added that the legislation could be used to justify policies that conflict with Israel’s broader economic interests, particularly regarding the integration of chareidi men into military service and the workforce.

Brav also presented economic data showing that each month of reserve duty costs the Israeli economy an average of approximately 50,000 shekels per reservist. He said the economic cost of reserve service since the beginning of the war has reached roughly 170 billion shekels, with an additional 115 billion shekels in government expenditures.

He warned that if the law were interpreted to permit draft exemptions or restore benefits to those subject to military service, it could place an even greater burden on reservists and active-duty soldiers while harming the Israeli economy.

During the discussion, MK Yinon Azulai asked whether the proposed Basic Law would itself exempt chareidim from military service. Afik responded that it would not and explained that any exemption from military service would require separate legislation.

Azulai said the purpose of the proposal was to provide judges with “another weight on the scale” when balancing the value of equality against the value of Torah study.

MK Yitzchak Pindrus said the law is intended to serve as a “signpost” for the judiciary, giving Torah study the status of a fundamental value to be weighed alongside other constitutional principles.

MK Moshe Abutbul emphasized that the Jewish people must always have “a tribe devoted exclusively to Torah study.”

“There is the sefer and there is the sword,” he said, “and both descended from Heaven bound together.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s political landscape has tightened dramatically, with a new poll showing Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s Likud and Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party locked in a tie for first place, each projected to win 23 Knesset seats. The survey, released Sunday by Kan News, marks the first time in the current election campaign that the two leading parties have been dead even.

Compared to the previous poll, Likud slipped by one seat while Yashar gained one, resulting in the 23-23 tie. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party remained in third place with 16 seats, unchanged from the previous survey.

Among the mid-sized parties, the Democrats, Otzma Yehudit, and Yisrael Beiteinu each received nine projected seats. Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu gained one seat compared to the previous poll, indicating modest momentum.

The chareidi parties also posted encouraging numbers. United Torah Judaism climbed by one seat to eight mandates, matching Shas, which remained steady at eight seats. Hadash-Ta’al was projected to receive six seats, Religious Zionism five, and Ra’am four. The Miluimnikim party (2.3%), Blue and White (1.9%), and Balad all fell below the electoral threshold.

Under the current projections, Netanyahu’s governing coalition would secure 53 seats, while parties opposed to him would control 67 seats.

The poll also examined a hypothetical new party led jointly by Yuli Edelstein, Ayelet Shaked, and Gilad Erdan. Such a party would be expected to win six seats, drawing support primarily from Likud, Yashar, Bennett’s Beyachad, and Religious Zionism. Under that scenario, Netanyahu’s bloc would fall to just 50 seats.

The survey also found a significant shift in public opinion regarding the race for prime minister. For the first time, Eisenkot narrowly edged out Netanyahu in a head-to-head matchup, with 41% saying Eisenkot is better suited to serve as prime minister, compared with 40% for Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, however, maintained a clear advantage when matched against Bennett, leading 41% to 33% in the poll’s prime minister preference question.

{Matzav.com}

A 70-year-old man suffering from dementia who disappeared after leaving his family’s home in Beitar Illit on Motzoei Shabbos was found safe Sunday following an extensive overnight search involving police, rescue volunteers, and local residents.

Shlomo Amselag, a resident of Otniel who had been visiting family in Beitar Illit, left the home on Motzoei Shabbos and failed to return, prompting an immediate large-scale search after he was reported missing at approximately 6:00 p.m.

Dozens of volunteers from the Etzion-Yehuda Police Rescue Unit in the Judea and Samaria District joined officers from the Yehuda police region and local residents in the search effort. Teams deployed advanced technological equipment while combing the area for hours.

At approximately 4:00 a.m., rescue volunteers located Amselag in the Rozmarin area of Yerushalayim, several kilometers from where he had disappeared. He was safely reunited with his family.

Police expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in the search and helped publicize information about the missing man.

“Thank you to everyone who assisted, publicized, and shared information about his disappearance,” the police said in a statement.

{Matzav.com}

 

I look at my tiny baby sleeping peacefully in the ICU.

But my heart knows the truth this is only the beginning of our battle.

A battle for his life and for my strength to keep going.

 

My name is Miriam.

My baby’s name is Baruch.

 

He is only two months old.

 

He should be sleeping peacefully in my arms.

He should be growing, smiling, and filling our home with joy.

He should be wrapped in blankets, not surrounded by doctors, tests, medicine, and pain.

 

But Baruch is suffering.

 

His tiny kidneys are not working the way they should.

The doctors are still trying to understand exactly what is happening inside his little body.

 

We still do not have all the answers.

 

But one thing is already painfully clear:

My baby is in terrible pain.

And this is not something that will end tomorrow.

 

I look at my tiny baby sleeping peacefully in the ICU.

But my heart knows the truth: this is only the beginning of our battle.

A battle for his life — and for my strength to keep going.

 

Since Baruch became sick, our whole life has changed.

 

There are appointments.

There are tests.

There are medicines.

There are long days of fear and long nights with almost no sleep.

 

I hold him in my arms and try to stay calm.

I whisper to him that Mommy is here.

That everything will be okay.

 

But inside, I am falling apart.

Donate today!

 

 

MSNBC host Al Sharpton sharply criticized the Trump administration during an appearance on MS NOW’s Deadline, accusing it of openly promoting what the infamous race-bater described as bigotry while rolling back decades of civil rights progress.

Reflecting on the nation’s history, Sharpton argued that Americans should celebrate the advances that have been made while remaining vigilant against efforts to reverse them.

“I feel that one should celebrate the progress made and that we ought to be energized to stop those that are trying to bring us back to some of the progress that was made, when we look at the fact that you had the Voting Rights Act, just about nullified by this Supreme Court. Many of whom were nominated by Donald Trump. When you look at what they have done today, you’re looking at the undoing of the Civil Rights Act of 64. You’re looking at undoing Act 65. You’re looking at women’s rights. You’re looking at those that have tried to make freedom of religion mean that this is a Christian nation. I’m a Baptist preacher, but freedom of religion is freedom of religion. I think they’d be the Founding Fathers. I don’t know if they’d be disappointed because some of them had some, in my opinion, questionable positions, but I think they would all say, ‘This is not what we projected.’”

Sharpton went on to accuse the administration of no longer attempting to conceal what he views as its motives, arguing that its actions are carried out without shame.

“I think what is so brazen about this is the shamelessness. They don’t even try to hide the grift or the fact that they are, in fact, bigoted. They, in fact, use it as a badge of honor when you take January 6 people and elevate them. How can you say that we are the patriots when you reward those that would defile the Capital of this nation and want to stop a duly certified election from being certified?”

{Matzav.com}

House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Sunday that the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates within the Democratic Party represents a serious danger to the nation’s political system, echoing President Donald Trump’s recent Independence Day message urging Americans to reject the movement ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream, the Louisiana Republican said candidates aligned with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are gaining momentum in Democratic primaries across the country and argued that voters should pay close attention to the trend.

Johnson characterized democratic socialism as “a serious threat to our whole system of government,” arguing that the movement represents a direct challenge to America’s longstanding political principles rather than simply another faction within the Democratic Party.

Drawing comparisons to the Cold War, Johnson invoked the warnings of President Ronald Reagan about communism, saying the threat is no longer coming from overseas but from within the United States.

“The barbarians are inside the gate,” Johnson said, contending that today’s Democratic Party has changed dramatically from previous generations. He also claimed that many Democratic lawmakers privately acknowledge they are struggling to match the enthusiasm, fundraising, and grassroots support fueling the party’s progressive wing.

Johnson’s comments came one day after President Donald Trump delivered a speech on the National Mall commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, during which he portrayed democratic socialism as a rebirth of communism and called for an aggressive response.

In that address, which began nearly two hours late after severe storms forced the temporary evacuation of attendees, Trump likened democratic socialism to a cancer that must be removed.

The renewed attacks on the movement follow a series of primary victories by progressive candidates that have reshaped New York’s political landscape and intensified pressure on the Democratic establishment.

Mamdani, who became New York City’s first democratic socialist mayor in January, saw all three of his endorsed candidates prevail in the June 23 Democratic primaries, defeating incumbent Representatives Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman.

Democratic leaders have responded with varying degrees of concern. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who supported the defeated incumbents, urged fellow Democrats after the primaries to shift their attention to the general election.

Speaking to MSNBC, Jeffries said, “the enemy is Donald Trump and MAGA extremism.”

The democratic socialist movement continues to expand beyond New York, with candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America also competing in prominent races in Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The movement traces much of its modern political momentum to the presidential campaigns of Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020.

{Matzav.com}

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A seaplane carrying eight people made an emergency landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday afternoon, prompting a rapid response from emergency crews. All eight occupants were safely rescued, and only two people suffered minor injuries.

The aircraft came down near the NY Skyport Seaplane Base, the city’s only seaplane terminal, along the East River near East 23rd Street and the FDR Drive. Firefighters and marine rescue units arrived within minutes and pulled everyone from the aircraft before it was towed back to the dock.

According to the New York City Fire Department, the emergency call came shortly after noon. Responders found the aircraft floating upright in the water, allowing rescue crews to evacuate the passengers quickly and safely. Two people sustained minor injuries but declined transportation to a hospital.

The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Kodiak 100 seaplane. Preliminary information indicates that a wing strut snapped during the hard landing, leaving the aircraft disabled in the river. The flight had departed from East Hampton on Long Island and was approaching the Manhattan seaplane terminal when the incident occurred.

The cause of the emergency remains under investigation. Air traffic control recordings indicate the pilot declared a “Mayday” shortly before landing in the river, while NYPD helicopters were dispatched after reports that an aircraft had gone down in the water.

Videos from the scene showed firefighters, police boats, and other rescue vessels surrounding the partially submerged aircraft as passengers were evacuated one by one. After the rescue operation concluded, the plane was righted and towed to a nearby dock while authorities secured the area and began their investigation.

{Matzav.com}