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A letter of clarification has been issued by Dayan Rav Yisroel Marmarush, following the publication of a recent psak halacha opposing Israel’s proposed draft law. The dayan stressed that anything publicized in his name is subject entirely to the ruling and guidance of the Gedolei Yisroel.

The clarification came hours after a psak signed by several prominent poskimwas published. That psak stated that “even if, by doing so, many yeshiva students who are currently learning will be saved from being drafted, one may not push aside one soul for another.”

Signatories on the ruling included HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, HaRav Nosson Kopshitz, HaRav Yisroel Marmarush, HaRav Avrohom Pozen, and HaRav Moshe Mordechai Karp and HaRav Amram Fried.

In his clarification letter released Thursday evening, Rav Marmarush, who serves as rav of Kehillas Chaneichei HaYeshivos in Bnei Brak’s Shechunas Gimmel, wrote that it is important to state unequivocally that under the current circumstances, “the decision rests solely in the hands of the Gedolei Yisroel shlita.”

Additionally, HaRav Eliezer Cohen, confidant and gabbai of HaRav Amram Fried, also issued a statement Thursday night clarifying that Rav Fried’s signature did not appear on the version of the letter that was circulated publicly, and that the content had been taken out of context.

{Matzav.com}

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani took aim at Eric Adams on Thursday, blasting the outgoing mayor for decisions made during his final months in office. He said it was “no surprise” that Adams was using his remaining time “to cement a legacy of dysfunction and inconsistency.”

Speaking to reporters during a visit with Pre-K students at the Friends of Crown Heights Education Center in Flatbush, Mamdani voiced strong opposition to Adams’ move to designate the Elizabeth Street Garden as official city parkland. The decision effectively halts a long-debated plan to develop affordable senior housing on the site—something Mamdani said symbolized City Hall’s failure to address real needs. “What New Yorkers are looking forward to is a City Hall where they can expect taking on these crises as opposed to creating them themselves,” he remarked.

Reports have also surfaced that Adams intends to appoint several landlord-friendly members to the Rent Guidelines Board before leaving office, potentially jeopardizing Mamdani’s pledge to freeze rent for residents in rent-stabilized apartments. The move is being interpreted as a last-minute challenge to the mayor-elect’s progressive housing agenda.

Despite his sharp criticism, Mamdani acknowledged that the outgoing administration has been cooperative as the transition begins. “I will say that while I vehemently disagree with a number of the decisions that he’s taken, his administration has also been open in the transition work that we are doing,” Mamdani said. He added that he looks forward to meeting with Adams upon the mayor’s return from Israel to discuss the path forward.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to replace police officers with social workers on certain 911 calls may face serious challenges — especially since the very pilot program it’s based on has already been found deeply flawed.

The initiative, known as the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, or B-HEARD, has been running since 2021 in select parts of the city. But according to a May report from the city comptroller, more than 60% of the mental health-related calls reviewed were ruled “ineligible” for B-HEARD intervention.

Adding to the concerns, the audit found that 35% of calls that were considered eligible never received any response from the program, with the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health unable to explain why. The office, which oversees B-HEARD, does not currently track the reasons for these lapses.

Mamdani intends to fold B-HEARD into a much larger $1.1 billion agency he’s calling the Department of Community Safety (DCS). His campaign materials describe the new department as one that will “fill the gaps of our programs and services” and operate with the mission to “prevent violence before it happens by taking a public health approach to safety.”

But the comptroller’s detailed findings raise doubts about whether that vision can realistically succeed. “Of the 96,291 mental health calls from within the pilot areas and hours of operation between FY22-24, 59,178 calls (over 60%) were considered ‘ineligible’ for a B-HEARD response because calls were considered potentially dangerous, were ineligible because a mental health professional was already at the scene, or were unable to be triaged because FDNY EMS did not take the call or all necessary information could not be collected about the person in distress,” the report stated.

The release added, “Some calls deemed ineligible for B-HEARD might have been eligible calls.” It went on to say that “of the remaining 37,113 calls assessed as eligible for a B-HEARD response, 24,071 (65%) resulted in 911 dispatching a B-HEARD team, but over 13,000 calls did not result in a dispatched B-HEARD team.”

Currently, the B-HEARD program fields just 18 teams covering parts of the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, central Brooklyn, and northwest Queens. Experts say expanding it citywide — as Mamdani envisions — would require an enormous increase in personnel and funding.

Richard Aborn, president of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, told the New York Post that success will depend entirely on execution. “The devil is in the details, and here the detail is implementation,” he said. “The fact that the program is not reaching people does not tell me it’s unsuccessful; that is a matter of resources.”

Still, Aborn cautioned that the plan raises critical questions about when it’s appropriate to send social workers rather than police. “But there are fundamental questions,” he said, acknowledging that some 911 calls can quickly turn dangerous.

Political strategist Hank Sheinkopf was far more blunt. “Exactly what New York doesn’t need: another government agency with an unmanageable bureaucracy,” he told the paper. “Domestic dispute calls can get violent,” he warned. “That’s the time when you need a social worker? He must be kidding.”

{Matzav.com}

As tens of thousands of visitors prepare to spend Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah at the Me’aras HaMachpelah in Chevron, Israeli forces carried out a major counterterrorism operation in the city, arresting dozens of wanted men involved in terror activity and arms trafficking.

According to the IDF, troops from the Yehuda Brigade led the large-scale sweep across several areas of Chevron, part of a wider security operation to ensure safety during the annual influx of visitors to the holy site. The forces conducted extensive searches, seizing a cache of weapons including an M-16 rifle, magazines, and additional firearm components.

Elsewhere, soldiers from the Binyamin Brigade arrested five suspects in the village of Silwad for incitement to terrorism and for supporting Hamas during a march held two weeks ago.

In coordinated actions across the Shomron, Menashe, and Efraim brigades, 21 more wanted individuals were apprehended. Troops also confiscated two improvised Carlo-type submachine guns and a hunting rifle.

The Etzion Brigade reported the arrest of ten additional terrorists, among them two who had thrown stones at IDF troops and another who hurled Molotov cocktails at Israeli civilians. In a separate operation, Binyamin Brigade forces captured two more suspects involved in the manufacture and activation of explosive devices.

All of the detainees and seized weaponry were transferred to the Shin Bet and the Shai District Police for further investigation and prosecution.

The coordinated crackdown comes as security forces tighten control throughout the region in advance of the annual Shabbos Chayei Sarah pilgrimage, which draws thousands of worshipers to the city of Chevron each year.

{Matzav.com}

Four and a half years after the Meron disaster — the deadliest civilian tragedy in Israel’s history — Mrs. Malka Saller, widow of Reb Chaim Ozer Saller z”l, has become engaged to Reb Shlomo Dov Pshevorsky, a yungerman from the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

The engagement took place Thursday evening.

Reb Shlomo Dov is a member of Kollel Daas Shmuel, affiliated with Levushi Oz, and is admired in his community for his diligence and refinement.

Mrs. Saller is a daughter of Rabbi Yitzchok Lupoliansky, Rosh Yeshiva of Nachalas Yair in Mitzad, and the granddaughter of Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky, chairman of Yad Sarah.

Her first husband, Rabbi Chaim Ozer Saller z”l, was just 24 years old when he tragically lost his life in the 2021 Meron tragedy. The young couple, residents of Neve Yaakov, had celebrated the birth of their only daughter just two weeks before the calamity. What was meant to be a kiddush celebration on the Shabbos following Lag BaOmer instead turned into heartbreaking mourning.

Those who knew Reb Chaim Ozer remembered him as a rare blend of deep spirituality and warmth, a young man immersed in Torah study and yiras Shamayim, yet beloved by everyone for his gentle nature and kindness.

Now, after several years of unimaginable grief and resilience, Mrs. Saller’s engagement marks a poignant new beginning, a moment of light and hope following years of sorrow.

{Matzav.com}

Before the Community Has to Save Your Family… Save Them Yourself. Every year, our community watches the same heartbreaking scene unfold. A young parent is suddenly taken. A family is left shattered. Within hours, posters go out, campaigns launch, and thousands of Yidden rush to help because there is no other choice. But behind the generosity […]

Washington has secured the backing of Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey for its proposed UN Security Council resolution to create an International Stabilization Force in Gaza — a move facing sharp resistance from Russia and China.

In a rare show of unity, the participating countries released a joint declaration endorsing the U.S.-led effort. “We are issuing this statement as the member states that gathered during [UN General Assembly] High-Level Week (in September) to begin this process, which offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” the statement reads.

The document continues with an appeal for swift global cooperation. “We emphasize that this is a sincere effort, and the Plan provides a viable path towards peace and stability, not only between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but for the entire region,” the statement says. “We are looking forward to this resolution’s swift adoption.”

The initiative follows President Donald Trump’s unveiling of a detailed 20-point framework outlining steps toward rebuilding Gaza and reforming the Palestinian Authority. The plan notes that conditions “may” allow for “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” if reconstruction and governance reforms progress as intended.

Unlike the original U.S. document, the new multinational statement goes beyond cautious diplomatic phrasing by treating Palestinian statehood as an explicit outcome rather than a theoretical possibility.

Diplomats say the White House had to make several linguistic concessions to secure such broad regional participation. Still, observers note that Washington’s agreement to language promoting Palestinian statehood marks a significant shift in tone — even if it doesn’t necessarily reflect a change in long-term U.S. policy.

Meanwhile, President Trump has recently stated that he has “not yet decided” whether to endorse a two-state solution. The Israeli government has strongly rejected the framework, signaling that the proposal will continue to stir debate on the international stage.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is set to host a special event at the White House on Thursday, November 20, welcoming the Israeli hostages who were freed as part of last month’s Gaza ceasefire arrangement, according to a source cited by The Times of Israel.

The insider clarified that previous reports suggesting Trump was arranging a private flight for the guests were inaccurate. Instead, the former captives will be arriving in Washington aboard commercial flights funded by the Israeli government.

All twenty individuals who were released on October 13 have received invitations from the White House to attend the meeting, which will mark their first official visit to the United States since their return to freedom.

{Matzav.com}

A 52-year-old man from Tirat Carmel has been formally indicted after police accused him of breaking into a parked car in the city and stealing a pair of valuable tefillin, Arutz Sheva reports.

Authorities said the incident occurred about ten days ago, when officers received a report that a vehicle in Tirat Carmel had been broken into and that tefillin had been taken. Detectives quickly launched an investigation, employing multiple investigative techniques to trace the suspect.

As the probe advanced, evidence began to mount against the man, also a resident of Tirat Carmel, who allegedly forced his way into the vehicle and stole the sacred items. Officers eventually tracked him down, placed him under arrest, and brought him in for questioning.

During the course of the investigation, police were able to locate the missing tefillin and return them to their rightful owner. The department reported that the victim was “very excited to receive them back.”

Upon completing their investigation, officers compiled sufficient evidence to charge the suspect. The prosecution has since filed an indictment and petitioned the court to keep the man in custody until the legal proceedings are concluded.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump will welcome Israeli hostages, freed in last month’s Gaza ceasefire, to the White House on Thursday, November 20.

A battle-hardened IDF reservist who has spent more than 400 days in active combat zones across Gaza and Lebanon has written a searing letter to his battalion commander, condemning the army’s decision to have soldiers protect humanitarian aid trucks bound for Gaza, Arutz Sheva reports.

In his emotional message, the soldier described the assignment as one of his most demoralizing experiences since the war began. “After around 400 days of reserve duty, fighting in Gaza, in Lebanon, in the cold and the heat, with heavy loads and little sleep, today I went through one of the most difficult days of the war,” he wrote.

He expressed outrage that men who have risked everything in battle were now ordered to defend supplies being sent to those who continue to attack them. “Unfortunately, we were given the difficult and immoral task of securing the entry of food and aid to the enemy who is fighting us… Despite many hours having passed, I still can’t calm down from the difficult feelings I experienced that day,” he continued.

The reservist confessed that the mission left him in inner conflict, struggling to reconcile his duties as a soldier with what he viewed as a betrayal of purpose. “We didn’t leave behind our wives, children, jobs, and entire lives just to deliver aid to the enemy,” he said, calling for a serious re-evaluation of such directives.

He urged the army’s leadership to rethink policies that place Israeli soldiers in harm’s way for what he termed a morally indefensible goal. “We need to lay things on the table: The immoral decision to risk our lives in order to bring food that fuels Hamas must change,” he declared.

Closing his letter, the reservist described the anguish of witnessing the situation firsthand. “As a civilian, you hear about ‘humanitarian aid’ and understand how bad it is, but when you see it with your own eyes, you can’t keep turning a blind eye to it,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}

An unexpected political rendezvous took place Wednesday when New York’s incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, hosted Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Lina Khan—his transition co-chair and noted Big Tech critic—for a discreet meeting that didn’t stay secret for long.

The trio’s gathering came to light thanks to a sharp-eyed New Yorker working in an office across from Mamdani’s headquarters, who spotted them deep in conversation. “In deep debate,” the observer posted on X, along with a photo taken through the window. The next morning, he followed up with a dry update: “Update: the blinds are all closed this morning.”

While details of what was discussed remain a mystery, Warren wasted no time publicizing the meeting herself. Sharing a smiling photo of the three on Instagram, she wrote, “Tax the rich. Billionaire tears not pictured.”

The Post reached out to both Mamdani and Warren for clarification, but neither camp offered any insight into the purpose of the meeting.

Warren, known for her animosity toward Wall Street and her populist economic crusades, has been an outspoken admirer of Mamdani’s left-wing agenda. Over the summer, she lauded his “steely” commitment to affordability and praised his sweeping plans for free child care, transit, and rent freezes, calling them the true “Democratic message.”

Not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Maria Danzilo, a former New York state Senate candidate, expressed outrage online at what she viewed as Warren’s meddling in city politics. “This woman will not rest until she brings down America, starting with NYC. It’s bad enough we have [AOC] here,” Danzilo fumed on X.

“NYC is bleeding jobs and it’s headed for anti-growth and a death spiral thanks to years of De Blasio, no course correction with Adams, and now four years of [t]his! She should go back to Massachusetts and leave NYC the heck alone.”

Her frustration resonated with many New Yorkers growing uneasy about the far-left figures orbiting Mamdani’s administration. “Welp Bernie said it. He wants to bring Mamdani politics all across the country,” one user remarked, referencing Sen. Bernie Sanders, who had campaigned alongside Mamdani days before the election.

Others questioned why Warren was even getting involved in city affairs at all. “I don’t think her policies work for nyc,” one commenter wrote. Another bluntly asked, “She is a MA senator…why is she even there?”

Whatever was said behind those now-closed blinds, one thing is clear: Warren’s embrace of Mamdani has only deepened suspicions that New York City’s next chapter could look a lot like her vision of progressive America.

{Matzav.com}

The Egyptian Committee for Assistance to Gaza has announced the launch of construction on the largest shelter camp in the Gaza Strip, located at the Netzarim crossing.

Dramatic video from Rosh HaAyin shows a palm tree ablaze after being struck by lightning, with loud explosions from nearby electrical wires rocking the neighborhood.

A short time ago, Palestinian media reported Israeli airstrikes in the Zeitoun neighborhood, located in Gaza City. It is unclear what the strike targeted.

China is rolling out hundreds of UBTECH’s new Walker S2 humanoid robots, marking the first mass delivery of industrial robots to major manufacturers for continuous factory and logistics work.

Heavy rainfall caused a roof leak at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Throngs of mispallelim enter the area of Kever Yitzchok in Meoras Hamachpeila, opened special today in honor of Parshas Chayei Sarah.

The Syrian Liberal Party is urging President Ahmed Al-Sharaa to hold Iran accountable for its actions during the civil war and to seek $500 billion in compensation from Tehran.

VP Vance: “They just want to burn it down. They don’t care if the troops don’t get paid. They don’t care if you cause billions of dollars in lost productivity… They just want to get Trump,”