Feed aggregator

With Israel’s election 64 days away, a new Channel 14 poll shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc holding a commanding advantage, with Netanyahu’s allies projected to win an outright 63-seat Knesset majority without relying on any Arab parties.

The survey, conducted Monday, August 24, gives the right-wing bloc 63 seats, compared to 47 for the left-wing bloc. The Arab parties would receive a combined 10 seats.

Netanyahu’s Likud remains by far the largest party in the poll, winning 32 seats. Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party finishes a distant second with 24 seats.

Shas emerges as the third-largest party with 10 seats, followed by the Democrats with nine.

Otzma Yehudit and United Torah Judaism each receive eight seats, while Yisrael Beiteinu and the Beyachad party each win seven.

Religious Zionism crosses the electoral threshold and receives five seats, an important result for the right-wing bloc given concerns in other recent polls that the party could fall below the threshold. Ra’am and the joint Hadash-Ta’al-Balad slate each receive five seats as well.

Several parties fail to cross the electoral threshold in the Channel 14 survey.

Ofer Winter’s party receives 2.1% of the vote, while Zehut receives 1.7%. Bayit Tzioni/Reservists receives 1.4%, Blue and White gets 1%, and the Unity Party receives just 0.2%.

The results therefore present a notably different scenario from some other recent polls, with Religious Zionism safely entering the Knesset while Winter’s party remains outside.

Netanyahu also holds a substantial advantage when respondents were asked who is best suited to serve as prime minister.

Fifty-two percent chose Netanyahu as their preferred candidate for prime minister, compared to 36% who selected Eisenkot. Naftali Bennett received 7%, while Avigdor Lieberman received 5%.

Netanyahu’s advantage grows even larger when respondents are given a direct choice between him and Eisenkot. In that matchup, Netanyahu receives 56% support, compared to 44% for Eisenkot.

The poll was conducted by NEXT DATA on August 24 among 486 Israeli adults representing the general population.

{Matzav.com}

Behind-the-scenes negotiations between the homes of leading rabbanim had reportedly advanced toward a major overhaul of both Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisrael’s electoral slates, but the plan ultimately collapsed — clearing the way for Yitzchok Goldknopf and other veteran United Torah Judaism lawmakers to remain in place for the upcoming election.

Details of the secret discussions were revealed Monday evening on Kol Chai’s main news program during a conversation between host Meny Schwartz and political commentators Avi Blum and Avi Ravina.

According to Blum, serious discussions had taken place between the rabbinic leadership of the two factions that make up United Torah Judaism, with the idea that both Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisrael would simultaneously refresh their respective lists of candidates.

“There were contacts between the homes of the rabbanim, and it was agreed — there was really almost an agreement, I won’t say 100%, but there was an understanding that Degel HaTorah would replace its slate and then Agudas Yisrael would replace its slate as well,” Blum said.

The arrangement, he explained, was designed in part to ensure that removing any particular representative would not be viewed as a personal ouster — an issue that was particularly sensitive regarding Goldknopf.

As the election approached, however, Agudas Yisrael officials came to understand that Degel HaTorah was not planning to move forward with a comparable overhaul. According to Blum, that effectively guaranteed Goldknopf’s continued place on the Agudas Yisrael slate.

“The moment they understood that Degel HaTorah was not going to change the face of its slate, it was clear that no one would move Goldknopf either, who was loyal to the Gerer Rebbe,” Blum said.

Blum stressed that contrary to the impression that may have emerged, the sequence did not begin with an independent decision by Agudas Yisrael to retain Goldknopf. Rather, Degel HaTorah’s decision to leave its own lineup largely intact effectively brought the proposed broader reshuffling to an end.

Once it became clear that the entire slate would not be replaced, Blum said, the possibility of singling out Goldknopf for removal was essentially taken off the table. There had been an understanding from the outset that Goldknopf would not be personally targeted, particularly given his loyalty to the Gerer Rebbe.

“The moment the slate isn’t replaced, he stays. What was is what will be,” Blum said.

Blum also cautioned against placing responsibility for all of United Torah Judaism’s successes and failures during the outgoing Knesset term on a single representative.

Ravina offered a more critical assessment of Goldknopf’s expected continuation in office, arguing that it is difficult to ignore the aggressive political line the United Torah Judaism chairman pursued during the current term and the impact it had on the broader Chareidi community.

“From his perspective and in terms of his main activities, unequivocally for the benefit of the community, but in terms of the result, we didn’t always have the upper hand, certainly when it comes to the image of the Chareidi community,” Ravina said.

Ravina added that he, too, was surprised by the unequivocal indication that Goldknopf is now expected to receive another term as the Gerer representative.

Schwartz disagreed with that assessment, arguing that on the military draft issue in particular, Goldknopf succeeded in expressing sentiments held by significant portions of the Chareidi community. Those voters, he said, wanted their elected representatives to exert far greater pressure on Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and even leave the government if no solution to the draft crisis could be reached.

Blum noted that Goldknopf and his senior adviser, Moti Babchik, had already concluded approximately two years ago that Netanyahu would not ultimately deliver the promised solution, while Degel HaTorah took a different approach.

“Now, two years later, we know… who was right and who was misled,” Blum said.

Ravina, however, argued that the more pressing issue extends beyond determining which faction correctly assessed the political battles of the outgoing term. The larger question, he said, is United Torah Judaism’s ability to retain and expand its electoral support.

According to Ravina, the challenge is not simply how the current representatives are viewed by the party’s most loyal voters, but whether United Torah Judaism can bring back voters on the edges of the Chareidi electorate who may now be considering other political options.

“At the end of the day, neither these nor those will bring the seventh seat,” Ravina said, referring to the debate between supporters of Degel HaTorah’s approach and those who backed Goldknopf’s political strategy.

Ravina warned specifically about Chareidi voters in what he described as electoral “border areas” — both Chassidish and Litvish voters who supported United Torah Judaism in previous elections because of their allegiance to the gedolei Yisrael, but who could now be targeted by competing parties.

He pointed to mixed neighborhoods in Yerushalayim and communities containing voters who are not necessarily part of United Torah Judaism’s hard-core electoral base. The concern, Ravina said, is that some of those voters may no longer automatically cast their ballots for the party.

That concern, Blum explained, was precisely one of the reasons the proposed overhaul had been considered in the first place.

“As part of the discussions that took place between the homes of the rabbanim, there was an understanding that the current slate… would cause voters to flee,” Blum said.

At the same time, Blum noted that as the Chareidi political establishment enters an especially complicated election period, there is also considerable value in retaining highly experienced representatives such as Moshe Gafni and other longtime lawmakers.

Ultimately, the proposed sweeping overhaul failed to materialize. As matters currently stand, United Torah Judaism appears poised to enter the upcoming election with a lineup that closely resembles the one that represented the party during the current Knesset term.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States is seriously considering renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America,” escalating his war of words with Canada as a bitter trade dispute intensifies and Ontario’s premier threatens to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the United States.

“The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to [be] doing much business with Ontario any longer,” Trump declared on Truth Social Tuesday.

The proposed name change would echo an action Trump took on the first day of his return to the White House last year, when he signed an executive order changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Trump repeatedly highlighted that move during the first year of his current term.

Trump’s latest suggestion, involving the Great Lake that borders New York and the Canadian province of Ontario, comes as relations between Washington and Ottawa deteriorate sharply over trade. Negotiations between the United States and Canada collapsed last week without an agreement.

Following the breakdown, Trump slapped a 50% tariff on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian products, targeting goods that include automobiles, steel, beer, cheese, electronics and other imports.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged that his government will retaliate, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has taken an aggressive posture throughout the trade confrontation, has warned that his province could use its economic leverage against the United States.

Ford told the Associated Press that “everything is on the table” if the dispute continues to escalate, raising the possibility that Ontario could withhold electricity and critical minerals from its southern neighbor.

“We power 1.5 million homes and businesses,” the premier said. “Everything’s on the table. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Another dispute emerged from the failed negotiations after Carney claimed that one of the issues contributing to the last-minute collapse was a purported American demand involving Quebec and the use of English rather than French. Trump emphatically denied making any such demand on Monday.

“I would never interfere with Canadians speaking French!” Trump insisted on Truth Social. “In fact, I have never even thought of doing such a stupid thing. This lie was made up by a weak and ineffective Prime Minister in an attempt to gain political support, which he has totally lost, from the people of Quebec.

“I love French Canadians!” he wrote.

Carney had initially promised to answer Trump’s tariffs “dollar for dollar,” though he has since suggested that Ottawa may pursue a more selective retaliatory strategy rather than imposing an exact mirror of the American measures. Canada’s retaliatory tariffs are currently scheduled to take effect Sept. 8.

Trump, meanwhile, has made clear that Washington will answer any Canadian retaliation with further action of its own, raising the possibility of another round of escalation between the two longtime trading partners.

The increasingly heated economic confrontation is unfolding less than three months before the U.S. midterm elections, potentially injecting the trade dispute into closely watched Senate contests, particularly in Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Alaska.

Canada remains one of the United States’ most important economic partners, ranking as America’s second-largest trading partner behind Mexico.

President Donald Trump was warned just days before the war with Iran began that the conflict could produce an even more hardline regime in Tehran, close the Strait of Hormuz and trigger attacks on American forces and allies across the Middle East, according to a new Wall Street Journal report.

Tulsi Gabbard, who was serving as U.S. director of national intelligence at the time, reportedly delivered the warning to Trump shortly before the fighting began on February 28.

According to the report, Gabbard cautioned that killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could backfire by paving the way for a more radical government — one that could be even more determined to develop nuclear weapons.

Gabbard also reportedly predicted that Iran would respond to a war by shutting the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks against U.S. military personnel and American allies throughout the region.

The Journal reported that Gabbard was not alone in raising concerns. A number of senior administration officials, including the vice president, reportedly warned Trump about the potentially serious consequences of entering a war with Iran. Trump ultimately moved forward after senior Pentagon officials persuaded him that overwhelming U.S. military power would carry the day, according to the report.

As the conflict continued, Trump reportedly wrestled with whether to intensify the American campaign. In April, according to the Journal, he asked a friend whether he should escalate the fighting and “bomb the [essence]” out of Iran. The friend advised Trump not to do so and instead encouraged him to bring the war to an end.

The report describes Trump as repeatedly frustrated by the Iranian regime’s ability to withstand the military campaign. At various points during the war, the president sought a diplomatic path that could provide a way out of the conflict, but those efforts have thus far yielded little progress.

Gabbard ultimately resigned as director of national intelligence in May, roughly three months after the war began, publicly attributing her departure to her husband’s poor health.

However, a source familiar with the circumstances later told Reuters that Gabbard had been pushed out by the White House because she continued to oppose the war with Iran.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration unveiled a new proposal Monday that would impose a $103,265 fee on H-1B visa petitions for foreign workers subject to the program’s annual statutory cap, months after a federal judge struck down the administration’s previous $100,000 fee.

Under the proposed rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security, the money would be used to cover federal expenses associated with operating the legal immigration system. Those costs include work performed by DHS as well as the Justice, State and Labor departments.

“The proposed H-1B fee is intended to recover the costs incurred across the federal government to adjudicate, vet, and support lawful immigration programs that otherwise must be funded by taxpayers,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a release.

The administration’s latest approach comes after a federal judge in June invalidated its earlier attempt to charge a $100,000 fee for H-1B applications.

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin concluded that the earlier policy amounted to an unlawful tax on visa applications, ruling that Congress alone possesses the legislative authority to establish immigration policy and impose taxes.

The administration’s previous proposal would have affected universities, hospitals and research institutions as well. Those employers, however, would be exempt from the newly proposed DHS fee.

David Bier of the Cato Institute questioned both the legality and practical impact of the administration’s latest proposal, arguing that describing the charge as a cost-recovery measure does not resolve the problems that doomed the earlier policy.

“The administration claims the new fee will be a ‘cost recovery mechanism,’ even though the first fee led to a nearly 90 percent reduction in filings and a $28 million loss in revenue. The government itself told the court that the $100,000 fee was ‘arguably prohibitive’ and ‘does not raise revenue,’” David Bier of the Cato Institute said in a statement sent to The Hill.

Bier further argued that immigration fees are legally limited to recovering costs associated with processing immigration and naturalization matters. He also noted that employers would be required to pay the massive fee when filing a petition without knowing whether the application would ultimately be approved.

“Even if it did raise revenue, that would not make it legal because immigration fees can only be imposed to recover the costs of adjudication and naturalization services. And because this is a filing fee, employers would have to pay it with no guarantee that USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] will approve the petition. Almost no one will risk more than $100,000 with no guarantee of approval,” Bier added.

Federal law generally allows 85,000 new H-1B visas each year. That figure consists of the standard 65,000-visa cap along with another 20,000 visas reserved for applicants who earned a master’s degree or higher from an American college or university. Of the regular 65,000 visas, 6,800 are specifically allocated to citizens of Chile and Singapore.

The H-1B program has become a particularly contentious issue within the technology sector, where companies frequently rely on the visas to employ foreign workers in specialized occupations requiring advanced skills.

Computer-related jobs account for nearly two-thirds of H-1B approvals, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center, with software engineering, data science and information technology support among the fields heavily represented in the program.

Companies, technology workers and other interested parties will have 30 days to submit comments on the proposed rule once it is formally published in the Federal Register, which officials said is expected to occur Tuesday.

{Matzav.com}

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sought Monday to push back against criticism over his private meeting with Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, declaring that Democrats will continue pursuing Trump administration officials and that “no one from the Trump Cartel is getting a pass.”

Jeffries, a New York Democrat, posted a video on X addressing the controversy after reports emerged that he had recently met privately with Kushner.

The New York Times reported Sunday that Jeffries and Kushner held the meeting ahead of the November midterm elections, with their conversation focusing on areas where they might find common ground, including housing, immigration and the rising cost of living.

Jeffries said Kushner initiated the outreach and that he agreed to sit down with him in order to discuss affordability. At the same time, Jeffries stressed that the meeting should not be interpreted as a retreat from House Democrats’ opposition to the administration on tariffs, the Affordable Care Act, nutritional assistance and other issues.

“I shouldn’t have to say it, but I am. No one is going to get a pass,” he said. “We’re gonna follow the facts, apply the law, and be guided by the Constitution beginning on day one. And hold the crooks accountable.”

The meeting has generated sharply differing reactions, including criticism from some Democrats and progressive figures. Tommy Vietor, a co-host of “Pod Save America” who previously served in the Obama administration, attacked Kushner on X on Sunday.

“Jared Kushner has no actual government job he just uses his family connections to get money from gulf autocrats and fund corrupt deals,” he said.

Although Kushner does not hold a formal administration position, he has acted as a foreign-policy envoy for Trump and has been involved in diplomatic efforts concerning Ukraine, Gaza and Iran.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, played down the significance of the Jeffries-Kushner discussion when asked about it by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy during “The Sunday Briefing.”

“I don’t know what that’s about. I know Jared has interest in lots of other things going on,” he said. “He’s not really directly involved in the admin, at least in the day-to-day in the White House.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, meanwhile, stood behind Jeffries when questioned about the meeting during a Monday press conference. Asked whether he would still support Jeffries for House majority leader if Democrats capture control of the chamber in November, Mamdani said his position had not changed.

“I continue to support Congressman Jeffries and his bid to become the leader,” Mamdani said.

Jeffries also used his video to argue that House Democrats have already succeeded in their efforts to confront what they view as corruption within the Trump administration.

“[Former Attorney General] Pam Bondi is gone. [Former Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem is gone, and we’re just getting started,” he said.

Jeffries closed by returning to the affordability issues that he said prompted his willingness to meet with Kushner in the first place, arguing that Americans are struggling under the weight of rising costs and expect Congress to respond.

“People are drowning in this failed economy and are demanding action. We have a responsibility to deal with the fact that life is too expensive,” he said. “And that’s what we intend to do.”

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has responded to congressional Republicans demanding answers about approximately 6,600 people identified as noncitizens who were nevertheless registered to vote through the state’s motor vehicle system, but her three-page response left several of their central questions unanswered, including which elections were affected, how the registrations were approved and whether anyone will be held accountable.

A group of 19 House Republicans, led by Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, sent Sherrill a letter on July 24 containing 12 questions about the registration issue. The administration had disclosed that roughly 6,600 people who indicated between June 2023 and June 2024 that they were not U.S. citizens nonetheless ended up registered to vote. A preliminary review found that fewer than 400 of those individuals had cast ballots.

“This right here is exactly why we should require ID to vote in our elections,” Van Drew told Breitbart News at the time, adding that lawmakers needed answers about “how this happened, why it was not caught sooner, and whether more ineligible registrations remain.”

Among other things, the Republican lawmakers asked the governor to disclose which elections included ballots cast by the affected individuals and whether any contests were decided by margins smaller than the number of improperly cast ballots in those jurisdictions. They also sought information about the voter-eligibility verification process that failed, whether every affected registration had been removed, what safeguards would be implemented before the 2026 general election and whether government officials or contractors would face consequences.

“We look forward to Governor Sherrill’s prompt response,” Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) said. The lawmakers set an Aug. 21 deadline for complete written answers.

Sherrill submitted her response on that deadline, writing that her administration was “fully committed to ensuring that elections in New Jersey remain free and fair” and considers election integrity “as a matter of the utmost seriousness.” The governor noted that she had publicly revealed the issue on July 21, three days before the congressional letter was sent, and characterized what happened as “a registration error” dating to “years before I took office.”

According to Sherrill, her administration had “moved aggressively to remediate the issue and remove affected individuals from the voter rolls.” She said she also ordered “an immediate investigation that is ongoing,” which is being conducted by what she called “a bipartisan firm led by the former state Attorney General for a Republican Governor.” She added, “This work remains my focus.”

Sherrill then used part of her response to criticize the Republican lawmakers themselves, writing that “Washington Republicans, on the other hand, seem much more concerned with using the issue for political gain than they are with protecting our elections.” She accused several of the lawmakers who signed the letter of supporting President Donald Trump “in his efforts to undermine our election system and defund election security.” She further wrote that seven of the lawmakers “attempted to overturn the 2020 elections and voted to challenge the electoral votes of states,” while another had employed “an operative convicted of voter fraud, bribery, and blackmail.”

The governor also challenged Republicans’ argument that the SAVE America Act would have prevented the registrations in question, writing, “I encourage you to become more familiar with the legislation you have cosponsored.” Sherrill pointed out that the affected individuals had indicated that they were not citizens, while adding that subsequent investigation showed that “some may, in fact, have had valid registrations.”

Sherrill also took aim at the SAVE database, arguing that it has “well-documented accuracy issues” that have contributed to “the disenfranchisement of eligible citizen voters.” She pointed to Texas, where, she wrote, U.S. citizens had been flagged as potentially ineligible voters and some “were likely unfairly removed from voter rolls.”

The governor further objected to proposals that would increase federal involvement in voter registration. She wrote that measures such as “a centralized registry of voters” present “important concerns regarding personal privacy and abuses of power under President Trump.” Sherrill accused Trump of having “shown time and time again that he will do anything to ensure that only those who support him are able to vote,” and argued that keeping election administration largely in the hands of the states addresses the type of danger “our Founding Fathers sought to guard against.”

Turning more generally to the questions raised by the Republican lawmakers, Sherrill wrote, “We will continue to approach this issue with transparency, integrity, and accountability,” describing that commitment as “a matter of record.” She also said that “the answers to many of the questions posed in your letter are already matters of public record or have been addressed through information released by my administration,” and directed the lawmakers to three public statements previously released by her office.

The governor’s letter, however, did not specifically identify the primary, general, municipal, school board, special or federal elections in which affected individuals cast ballots. Nor did it explain how people who had identified themselves as noncitizens were ultimately validated as eligible voters, specify which officials knew about the registration problem and when they learned of it, or identify officials or contractors who would be held responsible.

Sherrill’s response also did not provide what Republicans had requested as “the precise number of affected registrations,” nor did it supply detailed information about the state’s validation procedures or state whether officials or contractors “will be held accountable.”

Sherrill concluded her letter by writing, “The People of New Jersey have my commitment that we will protect the private information of New Jersey voters, protect the integrity of our voter rolls, and ensure our elections remain free, fair, and secure.”

Van Drew expressed dissatisfaction with the response, saying the lawmakers had raised specific questions about how thousands of people identified as noncitizens ended up on New Jersey’s voter rolls.

“We raised legitimate questions after New Jersey admitted that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote. Rather than simply answering those questions, Governor Sherrill chose to respond with political talking points and personal attacks. Her response was very disappointing and beneath the seriousness of this issue. This was about understanding exactly how this failure occurred, making sure it never happens again, and protecting the integrity of our elections. And this issue is not going away. We will not stop pursuing the facts, demanding answers, and pressing for accountability until we get the full truth.”

Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey similarly demanded greater transparency from the state and called for officials to explain both the cause of the registration problem and how they intend to prevent a recurrence.

“The American people — especially New Jerseyans — are owed answers as to how such a catastrophic breach of election security could have occurred. Governor Sherrill and the State of New Jersey must take accountability and demonstrate complete transparency while providing a concrete path forward to ensure that such gross failures cannot threaten the integrity of our elections ever again. Whatever the cause — be it incompetence or something far more sinister — showing the American people how to fix this problem is critical to ensuring faith in future elections. Secure elections are the bedrock of democracy; we must take all steps necessary to ensure that votes are cast only by those who have a right to vote.”

Pfluger also criticized the governor’s reply, saying Sherrill’s “three page response to our letter is long on political attacks and short on answers,” adding, “Americans deserve better. Elections are the last line of defense for a government accountable to its people. Republicans have been raising legitimate concerns about vulnerabilities in our election systems for years, and we will not stop pursuing the truth until every question is answered. It’s more clear than ever that we need to pass the SAVE America Act to make sure our elections are secure, transparent, and worthy of the public’s trust.”

Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York said the unresolved questions surrounding the registrations require a fuller explanation from the governor.

“As I wrote last month, New Jersey has a serious election integrity problem that demands answers. Non-citizens were registered to vote and some cast ballots. Governor Sherrill needs to explain how this happened, why it went undetected, and what safeguards will be put in place to protect our elections.”

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the Trump administration is moving to dramatically overhaul school lunches by eliminating ultra-processed foods, which he blamed for fueling the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic.

Speaking Monday on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” Kennedy characterized the widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods by American children as “mass poisoning” and pointed to the sharp increase in childhood obesity over the past several decades.

“You know, as you said, when my uncle was president, 3% of American kids were obese,” Kennedy said. “And he was also so alarmed with that, because it was double what the European numbers were. And he launched the Presidential Council on Physical Fitness. Today, 20% of the — of kids are obese and, you know, many more of them are overweight. Seventy-seven percent of our kids can’t qualify for military service. And it’s not because they suddenly became indolent or hungry or lazy. It’s because we’ve been mass poisoning them with ultra-processed foods.”

Kennedy said new school nutrition rules will seek to reverse that trend by removing ultra-processed foods from school meals and changing what children are routinely served. He said the administration intends to emphasize protein and whole grains while eliminating refined grains and replacing fruit juice with actual fruit.

He continued, “The new rules are going to get rid of 70% of the calories that our kids take today are ultra-processed foods. That is why the obesity crisis is happening. We’re getting rid of that with the new school lunch program. We’re getting rid of ultra-processed foods. We’re putting protein at the center of the plate. We’re getting rid of the refined grains and putting in whole grain. We’re getting rid of the fruit juices, which they’ve been using to substitute instead of feeding them actual fruit. And then we’re also — my agency is adding to this, adding to what Brooke’s putting in, $32 million to help these schools bring back their kitchens, and to do other things. You know, it’s a one-time grant to schools who start cooking from scratch again, like we saw when we were kids.”

{Matzav.com}

A massive blaze ripped through Mordy’s Shtiebel in Lakewood, NJ early Tuesday morning, drawing a large emergency response as firefighters worked to bring the raging blaze under control and concern mounted over the fate of the Sifrei Torah inside.

The fire broke out at the shul at 15 Delaware Trail, off County Line Road near the Lakewood-Jackson border.

Dozens of firefighters and other emergency personnel rushed to the scene, where heavy flames were reported throughout the structure as crews battled the intense fire.

The Sifrei Torah were safely removed from the shul.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Mordy’s Shtiebel was founded in 2020 in memory of Mordy Greenes z”l. The shul was established with a mission of providing a warm, inviting makom Torah utefillah.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office on Monday condemned antisemitic statements attributed to Brooklyn Democratic district leader Carmella Charrington, calling the rhetoric “vile and inexcusable,” but did not call for her to step down from her position.

Charrington was elected as a Democratic district leader in Brooklyn in June despite controversy surrounding a series of previous social media posts that had been denounced as antisemitic.

Among the material Charrington shared last fall was an Instagram video promoting the notorious pamphlet series published by Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford. The video blamed Jews for an array of societal problems, including slavery and the spread of alcohol and drugs.

Charrington nevertheless prevailed in her election with support from prominent figures affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, including state Sen. Jabari Brisport and state Assembly nominee Eon Huntley. In a November Instagram post, Charrington described the video — which also encouraged viewers to watch a notorious Swedish neo-Nazi documentary and read Holocaust denial material — as “the truth” and asserted, “This better be the topic at the table.” When later questioned by Jewish Insider, she told a reporter to “get your rabbi” for a “roundtable” she intended to organize concerning a “bullying community.”

Charrington subsequently apologized in comments to The New York Times, but controversy erupted again after she appeared in a video with an Egyptian influencer and discussed Jewish investors with whom she has been engaged in a highly publicized dispute over control of property, referring to the men as “Zionists.”

“They’re Zionists that basically did this. Same thing that they’re doing in the West Bank, it’s the same thing. There’s a connection,” Charrington said. “But they are connected, the same people that’s doing it in the West Bank. I didn’t believe it at first. I just was like, who? Like, they’re like, it’s the people in Brooklyn, not just anything like in the U.S. It’s the connection straight to Brooklyn. And then they’re so bold, they come here and do it and show it.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin both condemned Charrington’s remarks. Mamdani’s office weighed in Monday after Jewish Insider published a report highlighting the mayor’s silence on the controversy.

While Mamdani’s office strongly denounced the statements, it did not demand that Charrington relinquish her Democratic Party leadership post.

“Suggesting that an alleged deed theft in Brooklyn is part of a global conspiracy involving Jewish people is blatant, reprehensible antisemitism,” the statement said. “Trafficking in these dangerous antisemitic tropes is vile and inexcusable.”

{Matzav.com}

Rudy Giuliani says he intends to sue Tucker Carlson for defamation, accusing the conservative commentator of falsely implicating him during a recent interview with Hunter Biden about the controversy surrounding Biden’s laptop.

Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, announced his intentions during a Sunday appearance on Newsmax, where he lashed out at both Carlson and Biden over their discussion of how material linked to the Hunter Biden laptop first reached the public.

“He personally defamed me, Hunter Biden did,” Giuliani said. “And so did Tucker.”

Giuliani said he was especially incensed by a portion of Carlson’s interview that addressed whether individuals connected to Israel had played a role in circulating material purportedly obtained from Biden’s computer.

Carlson said during the interview that while he was working at Fox News, individuals with connections to Israel approached him and attempted to interest him in allegations involving purported material from Biden’s computer.

Speaking on Newsmax, Giuliani said he understood Carlson’s exchange with Biden as effectively agreeing with the suggestion that Giuliani and President Donald Trump had been acting on behalf of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“In other words, he agrees that I was and Trump was an agent for Bibi,” Giuliani said.

“He can go to hell!” Giuliani added.

Giuliani emphatically rejected that characterization and insisted that he had never acted on behalf of Netanyahu or any other foreign figure.

“I wasn’t an agent for anybody but myself and the United States of America and the man I was representing.”

Giuliani then made clear that he was considering legal action against Carlson.

“I’m gonna sue him!” Giuliani said.

When asked whether he was serious about pursuing the lawsuit, Giuliani responded, “Absolutely.”

The confrontation stems from the explosive controversy that erupted shortly before the 2020 presidential election over material recovered from a computer associated with Hunter Biden and subsequently reported by The New York Post.

Giuliani played a major role in bringing the material into public view, providing the Post with a copy of the computer’s hard drive, which became the source for a series of reports about its contents.

Biden has challenged portions of the conventional account surrounding the laptop. During his conversation with Carlson, he claimed that material ultimately attributed to the computer actually originated from multiple sources, including cloud accounts that had been hacked.

Any lawsuit filed by Giuliani would likely hinge on whether Carlson’s statements concerning Giuliani’s alleged involvement in the laptop episode meet the legal standard for defamation.

{Matzav.com}

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said Monday that a personal diary kept by Dr. Anthony Fauci during the COVID-19 pandemic may contain some of the strongest evidence yet that Fauci misled Americans and concealed critical information about the origins of the virus.

The Kentucky Republican alleged that the Department of Health and Human Services under then-Secretary Xavier Becerra deliberately failed to provide Congress with the diary despite a sweeping subpoena seeking Fauci-related records.

“When we first began the investigation of Dr. Fauci, we subpoenaed all documentation from Becerra, 100% of everything that they had on Dr. Fauci,” Comer said to “National Report.”

“Now, we know they intentionally withheld the diary,” he added.

Comer’s committee has accused Becerra’s HHS of withholding both Fauci’s diary and his government-issued cellphone after Congress requested records in 2023 concerning COVID-19, gain-of-function research and the origins of the virus in Wuhan, China.

Earlier this month, Comer sent a letter to Becerra, who is now running as a Democrat for governor of California, demanding that he provide answers about the matter by Sept. 2.

According to Comer, investigators also uncovered evidence that Fauci instructed people working under him to avoid documenting certain communications in email.

“Dr. Fauci told his subordinates not to put anything in email because he didn’t want a paper chain,” Comer said, calling it a deliberate effort to avoid a paper trail during “one of the most significant times in the history of our nation.”

Comer accused Fauci of presenting himself publicly as an indispensable figure in the nation’s pandemic response while privately withholding information involving the possibility of a Wuhan laboratory connection and the use of taxpayer money for gain-of-function research.

He said Fauci “portrayed himself as the one American hero” while “he intentionally covered up things” related to the Wuhan lab’s role in the pandemic’s origin and taxpayer funding of gain-of-function research.

During Senate testimony in July, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment rights more than 100 times. Senate Republicans subsequently referred a contempt of Congress charge to the Justice Department. A pardon granted by then-President Joe Biden before leaving office protects Fauci from federal prosecution for covered conduct but does not prevent potential state-level action.

“There are a number of attorneys general in various states that are also now investigating Dr. Fauci,” Comer said.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is examining whether Fauci personally benefited financially from the COVID-19 guidance he issued, while West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill have launched related investigations.

Fauci’s attorneys have recently created a legal defense fund to help cover the mounting costs of responding to the various investigations. Attorney David Schertler said Fauci is “facing an unprecedented legal barrage for a retired civil servant.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information about five senior commanders in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with the State Department also offering the possibility of relocation to individuals who provide valuable intelligence.

The State Department announced Monday that the offers are being made through its Rewards for Justice program, as Washington intensifies its efforts against senior figures in Iran’s military and security establishment.

The five Iranian officials being sought are IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi; Ali Abdollahi, who heads the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters; Saeed Aghajani, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force’s drone unit; Hamidreza Lashgarian, chief of the IRGC Cyber-Electronic Command; and Majid Khademi, commander of the IRGC Intelligence Office.

Vahidi has emerged as an increasingly influential figure in Iran’s leadership in recent months. Reports have identified him as a central figure behind Tehran’s decision to launch missile attacks against Israel, and he also reportedly adopted a hardline position during negotiations between Iran and the United States.

The Rewards for Justice program has previously offered rewards of as much as $10 million, together with the possibility of relocation, for information that could lead authorities to other senior Iranian officials.

Among those previously targeted by the program are Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed after his father was killed at the outset of the war; Ali Asghar Hejazi, who served as deputy chief of staff to the previous Supreme Leader; Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military adviser to the Supreme Leader; and Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, along with several other senior Iranian figures.

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

LISTEN:

Reb Menachem Klugman, one of the longest-serving and most prominent writers and commentators at the Hamodia newspaper and a distinguished Gerer chossid, passed away Monday at the age of 90.

Reb Menachem fainted Monday morning at his home on Rechov HaRav Shach in Bnei Brak, prompting emergency responders to rush to the residence. Several hours later, he passed away.

The levayah was held this evening, departing from his home at 58 Rechov Rav Shach in Bnei Brak and proceeding via the Gerer shtiebel on Strasser Street to the Kiryat Shaul Cemetery, where he was to be laid to rest.

Reb Menachem was born on 22 Kislev 5696 to his father, Reb Yitzchok Avigdor Klugman, and his mother, Elke. His parents raised him with a strong commitment to Torah and refined middos.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he married the daughter of Reb Yehuda Aryeh Leib Halevi “Leibel” Ehrenstein.

Reb Menachem became one of the defining figures of an earlier era of Chareidi journalism. For decades, he served as a leading writer at Hamodia, where much of his writing appeared under the pen name M. Navon.

His sharp writing and strong hashkafic perspective helped shape Chareidi public opinion on some of the most contentious issues involving religion and state. Remarkably, his final column appeared in Hamodia just this past Friday, Erev Shabbos, on the newspaper’s opinion pages under the headline, “The Left Is Convinced of Its Victory.”

Friends and acquaintances recalled his extraordinary dedication to his writing and to conveying a Torah outlook. In recent years, his physical condition weakened considerably and he completely lost his eyesight. Yet he refused to put down his proverbial pen. He continued formulating his articles with the same depth and regularly dictated them to his son, Reb Ben Tzion Klugman.

Reb Menachem was also an accomplished talmid chochom with outstanding middos who possessed an extensive command of Shas. Alongside his decades of journalism and commentary, he devoted himself diligently to Torah learning. He was a respected figure in Bnei Brak and one of the leading members of the Gerer Strasser shtiebel in the city. Known for his pleasant demeanor and warm countenance, he treated everyone graciously. Whenever he spoke publicly, his words were listened to with seriousness and close attention, reflecting the great respect accorded to his perceptive and Torah-based outlook.

A prominent Gerer chossid, Reb Menachem enjoyed a deep and close relationship with the Gerer Rebbes over the generations and with the current Gerer Rebbe. His work at Hamodia and throughout his years of communal involvement was characterized by complete loyalty and deference to the directives of the Gedolei Yisroel and the leaders of the community.

He became particularly renowned for his legendary Hamodia opinion column, “Ipcha Mistabra.” Through the column, Reb Menachem articulated the Chareidi position on contemporary issues with clarity, wit and conviction, consistently defending what he regarded as the authentic Torah perspective.

His contributions extended well beyond journalism. For many years, Reb Menachem served as deputy chairman of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Religious Council as a representative of Agudas Yisroel. In that capacity, he worked extensively to strengthen religious observance in the city, particularly in matters involving Shabbos, mikvaos and kashrus.

Reb Menachem was also the patriarch of a family of respected Chareidi writers and journalists. His son, Reb Ben Tzion Klugman, is a noted Chareidi author and researcher who wrote the Torah-historical series Ohr Zarua LaTzaddik, chronicling the history of the Gerer Rebbes.

Reb Menachem leaves behind an extensive legacy and generations of descendants, including sons, a daughter, grandchildren and further descendants who are devoted to Torah and mitzvos and continue in the path of Torah and Chassidus.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah this evening of the Sanzer Rebbe of Boro Park, Rav Boruch Halberstam zt”l, who was renowned for decades of extraordinary chesed and hachnosas orchim. He was 70 years old.

A descendant of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, the Rebbe was particularly known for opening his heart and home to Yidden from throughout the community. His dedication to hachnosas orchim became one of the defining features of his life.

The Rebbe was the oldest son of the previous Sanzer Rebbe of Boro Park zt”l, continuing the distinguished lineage of the Sanz dynasty. He was the son-in-law of Rav Yechiel Michel Rottenberg zt”l of Kosson-Kozova.

For many years, Rav Boruch worked at his father’s side while devoting himself extensively to communal needs. He earned a reputation as one of Boro Park’s great addresses for hachnosas orchim, arranging places for thousands of visitors to stay over the years. Whether guests were accommodated in private homes or other designated facilities, the Rebbe worked to ensure that their needs were properly addressed.

Following his father’s petirah, Rav Boruch, as the eldest son, succeeded him and assumed responsibility for carrying forward the Sanzer legacy in Boro Park. He led the Sanzer Bais Medrash on 48th Street near 16th Avenue, becoming a source of guidance, encouragement and assistance for mispallelim and members of the broader community.

Several years ago, the Rebbe became seriously ill, beginning a lengthy and painful period marked by considerable suffering and repeated hospitalizations.

In recent days, the Rebbe’s condition took a significant turn for the worse. Earlier today, the name Simcha was added as a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Sadly, tonight, the Rebbe was niftar.

The Rebbe leaves behind a distinguished family of children following in his ways.

The levayah is taking place now at the Sanzer Bais Medrash at 16th Avenue and 48th Street in Boro Park.

Yehi zichro baruch.

A delegation of leading Gedolei Yisroel arrived in Mexico City on Sunday afternoon following a nearly 20-hour journey, launching a major fundraising mission on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah that has already included an emergency gathering, meetings with prominent Torah supporters, a wedding appearance and a dramatic $1 million commitment inspired by a historic letter from Rav Yerucham Levovitz of Mir.

The special mission began on Motzoei Shabbos, when Rav Yaakov Hillel, Rav Avraham Salim, Rav Shimon Galai, Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein and Rav Yosef Chevroni departed for Mexico. They were joined from the United States by Lakewood Rosh Yeshiva Rav Malkiel Kotler and by Tiferes Avigdor Rosh Yeshiva Rav Yisroel Brog.

The delegation landed in Mexico City on Sunday afternoon after close to 20 hours of travel. Distinguished members and representatives of the local Jewish community were waiting at the airport to greet the Gedolei Yisroel, where a special reception was held. The commander of the Mexico City police also participated in the welcoming ceremony.

After leaving the airport, the Gedolei Yisroel traveled in a motorcade to a series of gatherings scheduled throughout Mexico City. Police vehicles accompanied the convoy as part of the security arrangements and special honors accorded to the delegation.

Later in the day, an emergency meeting and inaugural gathering was held at the home of philanthropist Rabbi Daniel Salvador, president of the Monte Sinai community, which represents Jews of Syrian and Damascus origin in Mexico. Local rabbanim and numerous supporters of Torah from the region attended the gathering at his home in the Bosques neighborhood.

The meeting served as a launching point for the emergency fundraising campaign in the region, with the Gedolei Yisroel speaking about the urgency of the current situation and the responsibility to come to the aid of the Torah world. One particularly emotional moment came when Rav Shimon Galai danced with the philanthropists to the words, “Tov li Toras picha mei’alfei zahav vachesef” — “The Torah of Your mouth is better for me than thousands in gold and silver.”

The Gedolei Yisroel subsequently visited the home of philanthropist Rabbi Isser Rabinowitz, where another special gathering was held. They urged members of the community to continue the historic partnership between Jewish philanthropists and the Torah world, emphasizing the particular importance of that support during the current period.

Rav Yisroel Avigdor, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Tiferes Avigdor, told those assembled that supporting Keren Olam HaTorah represents an investment unlike any other. He compared it to investing in the finest possible real estate, “even in the Empire State Building.”

Rav Yosef Chevroni likewise spoke about the unique opportunity of the moment, declaring, “The moment Moshiach arrives, there will no longer be an opportunity to give money. Grab this opportunity now.”

During the evening, the delegation attended the major wedding celebration joining two families that support Keren Olam HaTorah. The chosson, a son of philanthropist Rabbi Yosef Sanado, married the daughter of philanthropist Rabbi Yitzchok Ashkenazi. The wedding was held at the Beit Yosef synagogue in the Tecamachalco neighborhood, where members of the community welcomed the Gedolei Yisroel with great honor.

A special dinner was held afterward at the home of philanthropist Rabbi Adolf Matzliach, who welcomed the Gedolei Yisroel and the other guests attending the gathering.

Rav Eichenstein spoke about the importance of unity and identifying oneself as part of the broader Jewish community, saying, “An important thing that we must work on during the days of Elul is to be part of the community, to be one body with all of Klal Yisroel.”

One of the most moving moments of the dinner came when Miami philanthropist Rabbi Tzvi Bogomilsky related a remarkable story involving a letter written by Rav Yerucham Levovitz of Mir. Rabbi Bogomilsky said he discovered the letter before hosting a dinner at his home, and the message he found in it ultimately inspired him to contribute $1 million to Keren Olam HaTorah.

Addressing those assembled, Rabbi Bogomilsky spoke about the language shared by Jews everywhere—the love of Torah and the Jewish heart.

“I don’t speak English or Spanish, but there is one thing we all speak: the language of the heart. Travel anywhere in the world, everyone learns the same Torah, and therefore we will all contribute to Keren Olam HaTorah.”

The Mexico mission is continuing with additional gatherings and meetings as the Gedolei Yisroel seek to strengthen financial support for the Torah world and deepen the partnership between Mexican Jewish philanthropists and the yeshivos and kollelim whose continued existence Keren Olam HaTorah was established to support.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is preparing to revoke business and tourist visas held by as many as 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are seeking asylum in the United States, a sweeping initiative that would amount to the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history.

The State Department, working together with the Department of Homeland Security, is expected to announce that B1 and B2 visas issued since 2016 will be revoked for affected individuals, according to two U.S. officials and State Department documents obtained by The Associated Press.

“We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told The Hill.

Pigott would not confirm how many people will ultimately lose their visas, emphasizing that the total could change as officials continue reviewing cases.

The “number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis.”

Officials told the AP that losing a B1 or B2 visa would not automatically lead to an individual’s immediate deportation. Those with pending asylum applications would instead have their status changed to reflect that they are no longer in the country as business or tourist visitors.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the initiative Monday, arguing that the asylum process has been exploited by people who entered the United States after representing themselves as temporary visitors.

“People in the U.S. and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on social media Monday. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration laws; rather, it’s supposed to provide a narrow safe harbor for persons persecuted because of their ‘race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.’”

Landau said the large number of questionable applications has overwhelmed the asylum system, creating years-long delays while applicants remain in the country.

He added that the asylum system “has long been swamped by frivolous asylum claims, meaning that it takes years to adjudicate whether applicants are actually entitled to asylum—during which time they can typically work, have children, and otherwise put down roots in our country.”

Applicants currently seeking B1 or B2 visas are required to affirm that they do not intend to seek asylum once they arrive in the United States and must demonstrate that they plan to return to their home countries.

President Trump has moved aggressively to tighten visa and asylum policies since returning to the White House last year. The State Department has since revoked approximately 175,000 visas belonging to people convicted of or accused of various crimes, as well as individuals who have publicly opposed U.S. policies in the Middle East.

The administration took another step last month by restricting asylum seekers’ access to interviews in which their claims would ordinarily be evaluated. Under the new approach, immigration officers can instead direct migrants into immigration court and deportation proceedings.

That change allows migrants to be moved rapidly into the immigration court system without first receiving an opportunity to present their asylum claims to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

{Matzav.com}

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Monday that the Trump administration is keeping military action against Iran firmly on the table, making clear that Washington’s newly launched campaign of intense economic pressure does not preclude additional strikes against Tehran.

“By no means are we foreclosing using kinetic strikes anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran,” Hegseth told reporters.

Hegseth also argued that Iran is incapable of withstanding the mounting economic pressure being imposed by the United States.

His remarks came just hours after US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent announced “Operation Economic Outcast,” an expansive new American effort designed to economically isolate Iran and choke off revenue streams that support the Iranian regime.

Bessent compared the new campaign to the Allied offensive launched in the aftermath of D-Day during World War II, portraying the economic measures as a broad assault on Iran’s international financial connections.

“Today, in that same spirit, we are launching an economic onslaught against Iran’s financial connections around the globe.”

“Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone,” he added.

The Treasury Secretary also put governments, businesses and other entities around the world on notice that continued economic dealings with Iran could carry consequences. He specifically cited Iranian petroleum purchases and transportation, exchange houses, free-trade zones, aviation, shipping, banking and fuel transfers as areas under scrutiny.

“The President is making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions with the regime,” Bessent said, adding that US officials were already seeing results,” said Bessent.

“Those who stand with the United States will reap the rewards of our partnership. Those who tether themselves to the Iranian regime should expect to share in the isolation of a withering regime,” he stated.

The announcement by Bessent came several days after President Trump unveiled the broader economic offensive against Iran. Writing on Truth Social last Wednesday, Trump characterized the initiative as “an economic D-Day” and warned governments continuing to provide Tehran with economic assistance that they could face repercussions.

“These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide. IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” he wrote.

{Matzav.com}