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Rav Moshe Sternbuch, leading senior posek, issued a sharp and emotional protest after extremist youths in Yerushalayim’s Meah Shearim neighborhood hung effigies bearing the names of gedolei hador. The act was seen as a shocking humiliation of revered gedolei Torah, and Rav Sternbuch declared that he could not remain silent in the face of such disgrace.

The incident involved fringe youths who hung dolls labeled with the names of senior rabbonim, apparently distorting the Purim custom of hanging figures symbolizing Haman. Community leaders described the act as crossing every red line and constituting a grave insult to the honor of gedolei hador.

Because of the seriousness of the matter and the importance Rav Sternbuch placed on issuing a clear and forceful protest, unusual footage was released from inside his private study. The video shows him carefully dictating the exact wording of his condemnation, word by word.

In the rare recording, Rav Sternbuch is seen instructing his longtime chavrusa to prepare a strongly worded public statement condemning what he described as a disgraceful act carried out by irresponsible youths on the fringes of Meah Shearim.

The footage captures his chavrusa, his grandson Rav Eliyahu Sternbuch, head of the Teshuvos V’Hanhagos kollel in Modi’in Illit, seated beside him at the end of their regular learning session, writing down each sentence precisely as dictated by his grandfather for publication in his name.

Observers noted how Rav Sternbuch carefully weighed every word before speaking, following closely as each line was written to ensure that the statement accurately reflected his position.

In his recorded remarks, Rav Sternbuch said: “I hereby strongly protest the mockery in Meah Shearim that was done to disgrace talmidei chachomim. There is no limit to the severity and gravity of this sin, R”l. The wrongdoing is terrible and frightening, and I cannot remain silent over such a desecration even for a single moment.”

Rav Sternbuch concluded his remarks with stirring words: “What more can we do other than cry out to Hakadosh Boruch Hu that He should not punish us, that He should pour upon us a spirit of purity from above, and that He should hasten our redemption speedily.”

{Matzav.com}

A two-year-old child who was found wandering alone Thursday afternoon on Rechov Malchei Yisrael in Yerushalayim’s Geula neighborhood was safely returned to his mother after a swift police response and community search effort.

The incident began when a concerned woman noticed the toddler walking by himself without adult supervision and immediately contacted police. Officers from the Lev HaBira station were dispatched to the scene, met with the caller, and quickly launched efforts to locate the child’s family.

During the search, police made public announcements in both Hebrew and Yiddish in the surrounding area, circulated the child’s photograph in community groups, and alerted the local community policing commander in an attempt to identify his parents as quickly as possible.

The toddler was brought to the police station, where officers cared for him, offered comfort, and ensured his well-being while attempts continued to locate his family. A short time later, the boy’s mother arrived at the station and reported that her son was missing. The shift commander conducted a rapid cross-check of the details, confirmed the identification, and the child was reunited with his mother in good health.

Police urged parents to exercise heightened awareness and careful supervision of young children in order to prevent similar incidents.

{Matzav.com}

A Yerushalayim Magistrate’s Court judge on Thursday extended by one day the detention of an 18-year-old bochur arrested during a protest against the arrest of a ben yeshiva on Highway 1 in Yerushalayim. Police have announced their intention to file an indictment against him in expedited proceedings.

According to police suspicions, the young man threw a stick toward a garbage bin that had been set on fire by demonstrators, thereby fueling the blaze. Officers also said that a stone was found in his possession, which they believe he intended to hurl at police. While investigators acknowledged that there was no concern he would interfere with the investigation if released, they requested that his detention be extended due to what they described as the dangerous nature of his alleged actions. Police stated they plan to move quickly in filing charges, as reported by i24news.

His attorney, Daniel Shimshilashvili, opposed the request and sharply criticized the decision to seek continued detention. “Why are you penalizing him? In more serious incidents you request release under conditions. In a more severe case of throwing a torch at a mounted police officer, the court released the suspect. He did not ignite the dumpster, and the stick he added did not burn.”

Judge Ariel Ehrlich rejected the defense’s arguments and addressed the broader issue of protest rights in his ruling. “Counsel for the suspect argued regarding the right to protest, and that this right has received primacy in court rulings, to the point that courts have shown tolerance even for violent actions within a protest. I do not share this view. The right to protest, which is among the foremost expressions of political free speech, does not include the right to protest violently.”

The judge further wrote that “Setting objects on fire during a protest, while confronting police forces, is an action that carries significant danger.” He added that although the investigative steps presented thus far were limited, police have made clear their intention to pursue full legal action in such cases and to file an indictment promptly.

{Matzav.com}

The Vizhnitzer kehilla in London is mourning the petirah of Rav Meshulam Zusha Fuchs zt”l, who was niftar at the age of 75.

Rav Meshulam Zusha was born to his father, Rav Shabsai Zev Fuchs, a descendant of the renowned chassid Rav Mordechai Chuna Fuchs.

He married the daughter of Rav Shimon Lorenz and together they built a home of Torah.

For many years, Rav Meshulam Zusha served as a melamed in the Machnovka Belz Talmud Torah in London. He was widely recognized as a talmid chacham muflag and also devoted himself to serving as a madrich chassanim, guiding young men as they established their own batei ne’emanim.

His tefillos were filled with hislahavus and stirred hearts, and his derashos left a lasting imprint on those who heard them. He was mechanech and guided countless families in the path of Torah and yiras Shamayim, and many benefited from his wise counsel and deep understanding. He was deeply mekushar to the Rebbes of Vizhnitz and stood among the central pillars of the Vizhnitzer kehilla in London.

He leaves behind a dor yasharim mevorach. Among his sons are Rav Chaim Meir, menahel of the Vizhnitzer Talmud Torah in Williamsburg; Rav Mordechai Chuna, menahel of the Vizhnitzer Talmud Torah in Kiryas Yoel; Rav Shmuel; Rav Avraham, a melamed in the Sanzer Talmud Torah in Monsey; and Rav Mendel, who serves as a meshamesh bakodesh to the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Boro Park. He is also survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, all continuing in the path of Torah and chassidus.

His brother is Rav Menachem Mendel Fuchs, av beis din of Kiryat Shomrei HaChomos in the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

His aron will arrive in Eretz Yisroel, and the levayah will take place Friday morning, erev Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh–Zachor, at 9:30 a.m. from the Vizhnitzer beis medrash at the corner of Givat Pinchas Street in Bnei Brak. He will be laid to rest in the new Vizhnitzer beis hachaim.

Yehi zichro baruch. 

{Matzav.com}

A press conference intended to spotlight San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s proposal to overhaul the city’s tax structure was interrupted Wednesday by protesters who began with anti-wealth slogans and then erupted into antisemitic chants, according to officials and witnesses who attended the event.

The gathering, held outside a construction site to promote joint legislation by Lurie and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood aimed at reshaping San Francisco’s real estate transfer taxes to encourage housing development and investment, drew demonstrators affiliated with the San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Initially, protesters shouted “Tax the rich” from outside the venue.

According to those present, the rhetoric soon turned from criticism of wealth to chants focused on Israel, with at least one person yelling “Tax the Jews.” Sources said the antisemitic shouting continued for more than a minute without interruption.

“Suggesting that Jews are wealthy is a tired trope, and targeting our community at an event focused on creating economic opportunity for San Franciscans is decidedly antisemitic,” Lurie, who is Jewish, posted on X.

“I will never accept hate directed at the Jewish community or any community in our city. Those are not San Francisco values—we’re better than that.”

One shaken attendee told The Post that the chants referencing Jews and Israel lasted for approximately two minutes before “petering out,” adding that no one among the demonstrators intervened to stop the offensive remarks.

Video obtained by The Post shows a woman periodically shouting “tax Israel” and “Tax the Jews” while labor representatives were addressing the crowd from a podium.

“It was an, ‘are you hearing what I’m hearing?’ moment,” the source said.

Rudy Gonzalez, who leads the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, criticized the disruption in a post on Instagram, specifically naming the Democratic Socialists of America.

“During today’s press conference, individuals identifying themselves with the Democratic Socialists of America disrupted the event with antisemitic chants,” he wrote.

“As a father and a husband in an interfaith home, I found what was shouted today deeply disturbing. Hate directed at any community is wrong. It undermines the solidarity that working people depend on.”

The San Francisco branch of the DSA rejected claims that the woman who shouted “tax the Jews” was acting on its behalf, saying she was not part of the group and that members told her to stop.

“DSA SF members at the protest were similarly disgusted and horrified by this woman’s rhetoric, and want to make clear her words came from her alone. While we disagree on policy, we join you in condemning antisemitism.”

The disruption overshadowed what had been intended as a policy rollout by city officials and labor leaders advocating for reduced transfer tax rates on residential developments and downtown property transactions, a move they argue would help accelerate the city’s economic rebound.

Supporters of the proposal, including Lurie, Mahmood, the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council and the Chamber of Commerce, contend that adjusting the tax structure would generate employment and lower construction expenses by $32,850 per housing unit.

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes Thursday on eight Hezbollah military sites in the Baalbek region of Lebanon, targeting facilities used by the group’s elite Radwan Force, the military announced.

According to the IDF, the compounds housed a significant cache of weapons belonging to Hezbollah, including firearms and rockets. The military said the sites served as storage and operational hubs for the terror organization.

The IDF stated that the Radwan Force had been using the facilities to conduct training in preparation for potential emergency scenarios. The compounds were also allegedly used to plan and execute attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.

سلسلة غارات اسرائيلية جديدة تستهدف محيط بلدة بوداي pic.twitter.com/XgWPJpuKZD

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) February 26, 2026

As part of the activities conducted there, operatives reportedly participated in live-fire exercises and other drills designed to improve their proficiency with a range of weaponry.

The military emphasized that such activity, along with Hezbollah’s broader efforts to rebuild and strengthen its arsenal, breaches the ceasefire arrangements between Israel and Lebanon and represents a direct danger to Israel’s security.

“The IDF will not allow Hezbollah to expand its capabilities and rearm itself, and will continue to operate to remove any threat to the state of Israel,” the military stated.

{Matzav.com}

New York’s Sanitation Department officers partake in a Muslim prayer before eating with Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

PERP WALK FOOTAGE: The NYPD has arrested and charged a man in connection with a snowball fight in Washington Square Park earlier this week during which officers were struck with snowballs. Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, was taken into custody Thursday morning and faces charges including assault on a police officer, obstructing government administration, and disorderly conduct. […]

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to allow it to end legal protections for migrants from Syria for now, in the latest emergency appeal to the nation’s highest court. The Department of Justice wants the court to lift a New York judge’s ruling halting the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end […]

A Brooklyn man has been found guilty of hate crimes in connection with a string of assaults and harassment incidents, including an attack on a Jewish couple who photographed him tearing down posters of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.

Skiboky Stora was convicted in New York state court of assault, stalking and harassment tied to what prosecutors described as multiple anti-female, anti-white and antisemitic episodes that took place between 2023 and 2024.

According to prosecutors, one of the incidents occurred when Stora was seen removing posters of Israeli hostages. After a husband and wife photographed him, he allegedly followed them while shouting threats and slurs, including “Die, Jews, die!”

The 42-year-old defendant, who lives in Brooklyn, also admitted during the trial that he punched a woman at random as she walked along a Manhattan street nearly two years ago. He chose to represent himself during the weeks-long proceedings in Manhattan.

In his closing statement, Stora denied harboring racist motives or intending to harm anyone. “I never did anything racist to anybody, and I never did anything discriminating against anybody, and I never tried to injure anybody,” he said, according to the New York Post.

Prosecutors countered that claim by presenting video evidence. Footage introduced at trial showed Stora confronting the Jewish couple, as well as additional videos he recorded of himself yelling at and harassing white individuals, the Post reported.

Following the verdict, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg condemned the conduct. “The victims were met with both violence and harassment simply because of who they are,” he said in a statement. “Hate crimes strike at the core of our city’s values and sense of safety.”

Stora was taken into custody after the conviction. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14.

Attempts to reach him through his Instagram account, where he describes himself as the “great great grandson” of the Black nationalist Marcus Garvey and claims to be running for governor as a Republican, were not immediately successful.

One of the assaults, which occurred on March 25, 2024, drew significant public attention after the 23-year-old victim shared her experience on TikTok and others came forward reporting similar encounters.

Prosecutors said Stora’s punch knocked the woman to the ground, leaving her with pain and swelling on the left side of her head.

In a separate incident months earlier, authorities said Stora struck a 17-year-old student in the neck with his elbow and told the teen, “You people think you can do whatever you want,” adding a profanity.

He was also accused of elbowing a 37-year-old woman in the shoulder in another encounter, causing visible bruising.

{Matzav.com}

A Jewish family in the Paris suburb of Villeneuve-la-Garenne has been instructed by their building’s management company to remove a mezuzah affixed to their apartment doorway. In a formal letter, L’Ami Immobilier Conseil — an agency operating under the Century 21 brand — directed the family to take down the mezuzah and “restore the door […]

Fresh diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran appear to have made little headway, with senior aides to US President Trump reportedly leaving talks in Geneva dissatisfied as substantial differences remain unresolved. According to Channel 12, Trump’s representatives — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — held two rounds of meetings Thursday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas […]

The Jewish community of Zurich has finalized the creation of an eruv following formal discussions with city officials and in accordance with Swiss law, describing the effort as a model of respectful collaboration between a religious minority and municipal authorities.

Community representatives said the halachic arrangement, which allows observant Jews to carry necessary items on the Sabbath within a defined area, received official approval after a structured consultation process. They emphasized that the project was completed transparently and in full compliance with local regulations.

In the wake of Zurich’s initiative, conversations have begun in other Swiss municipalities about implementing similar arrangements. At the same time, the development has sparked criticism from Mauro Poggia, a member of the Swiss Council of States representing the Canton of Geneva, who voiced objections in two separate public statements.

In one statement, Poggia criticized Israel and referenced a series of unrelated events, including the deadly avalanche at the Crans-Montana ski resort, the October 7 massacre, and the war in Gaza. In a separate statement addressing the eruv directly, he said he was “shocked” by the initiative and argued that it might lead to a clearly defined Jewish residential zone, which he characterized as a “voluntary ghetto.”

Jewish organizations throughout Switzerland strongly rejected those remarks, saying that invoking the term “ghetto” in connection with an eruv was both historically inaccurate and deeply offensive. They underscored that an eruv neither segregates residents nor restricts the public, but serves a limited religious function within Jewish law.

Rabbi Noam Hertig, the chief rabbi of Zurich, explained that the eruv was established through constructive dialogue and mutual respect with municipal officials. He clarified that it is a symbolic halachic framework rather than a physical enclosure, and noted that it is especially important for elderly individuals, people with disabilities, and parents of young children who would otherwise be unable to leave their homes on the Sabbath.

Rabbi Michael Ben-Edmon of Geneva said the backlash reflects what he described as a wider tendency to challenge Jewish religious observance under the guise of liberal principles. He cautioned that such rhetoric risks pushing Jewish life out of the public sphere instead of addressing antisemitism.

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis and Av Beit Din of Switzerland, said it was inappropriate to connect unrelated tragedies to a local religious accommodation. He added that presenting an eruv as coercive or exclusionary misrepresents both Jewish law and historical fact, and damages efforts to promote mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

{Matzav.com}

UK: The Metropolitan Police have released a letter ahead of Purim, following coordination with Shomrim, local schools, and community partners, urging families to ensure celebrations remain safe and respectful. Authorities reminded parents to closely supervise children collecting charity, citing busy roads and crowded streets as potential dangers. They also called on the public to ensure […]

Hagaon HaRav Shaul Alter, the Pnei Menachem Rosh Yeshiva, with a short message about the timely Mitzvah of Michiyas Amalek.

Police in Kenya have arrested a man named in an alleged scheme that duped Kenyans with promises of skilled work in Russia, only for them to end up on the front lines of the fighting in Ukraine. Festus Omwamba was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking in the northern Kenyan town of Moyale, near the […]

A tribunal in the Australian state of Victoria has determined that the chant “All Zionists are terrorists,” shouted during a rally in central Melbourne, amounted to racial and religious vilification rather than protected political expression about Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, according to local media reports.

The case was brought by Melbourne Jewish community advocate Menachem Vorchheimer against Hash Tayeh, a former owner of the Burgertory restaurant chain and a well-known anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian activist. Tayeh led the chant at a protest held in May 2024.

In testimony cited by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Vorchheimer described the personal impact of the slogan. “The notion of being labeled the derogatory term of ‘terrorist’ for something I have no responsibility for, and for that to be seen as normal, is gut-wrenching and soul-destroying to me,” he said. “I felt dehumanized. I felt like the lowest of the low. I no longer feel safe going into the Melbourne CBD, given I am identifiably Jewish.”

Tayeh contended that the chant was aimed at the Israeli government and those who support its policies, not at Jewish people as a group. He argued that protest slogans often distill complex political views into sharp, provocative language.

The tribunal rejected that argument. Citing the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001, it concluded that because a substantial majority of Australian Jews identify as Zionists, the slogan did not meaningfully separate political ideology from Jewish identity and therefore amounted to incitement of hatred against a racial and religious community.

In her ruling, Judge My Anh Tran dismissed the claim that the chant was shielded as political speech, writing, “There is no right to a catchy rally slogan.”

The Jewish Center for Law and Justice, an Australian organization that monitors antisemitism, praised the outcome. Its chief executive, Alessandra Steele, described the decision as a landmark that “draws an important line in the sand.”

Steele added that for many Jewish Australians, Zionism is deeply intertwined with cultural, religious and familial ties to Israel, and said that branding an entire group as terrorists “serves to reverse victim and perpetrator, inciting hatred and division.”

{Matzav.com}

After an hour and a half, the second round of negotiations today between the U.S. and Iran in Geneva, Switzerland, has concluded.

TRUMP: Great news for America, and our wonderful White House! The Judge on the case of what will be the most beautiful Ballroom anywhere in the World, has just thrown out, and completely erased, the effort to stop its construction.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has formally requested that the Trump administration refund $13.5 billion to New Yorkers, following a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down most of the tariffs.